How about them Canucks!

talloola

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Nov 14, 2006
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I don't think anyone expected him to save the day. The Rangers have already exceeded expectations. The point is simply to chat about one of the major challenges for the Rangers. There isn't a lot of wiggle room out there for old small guys, no matter how talented.

there you go, i agree with that for sure.

gee, we don't even expect the twins to play like they did earlier, they are also
starting to show their age, but still very necessary and valuable on a team, maybe they will be a great second line, as some of the 'young' players come in and
make their way to the top line. they will have a much better season this fall.

the l.a., chicago series was so good, the chic./minn series, the same, anaheim/l.a.,the same, and all of the other western battles,the
l.a./san jose series should have been won by san jose, and if that had of happened, they could have
come all this way too, or any of the others, and all of them could be considered the favourites
to win the cup.

but all of that playing does take its toll, so hopefully l.a. comes out flying tomorrow, with fresh
legs and spirit, and doesn't look back.

whoever wins this series, good for them, but i will not criticize the loser, for
they came a long way too, did very well, and they both can't win.

martin st. louis brought with him the spirit of winning, the courage to never let up, and the ability
to keep a team alive to fight with him all the way to the end.

not the ability to fight in the corners, to battle with others over 6'3', but he does have speed, and
he does have strategy, and he is always in the right place, for the play to be made either by him,
or come to him.

calahan did not have st. louis talent, but he had the physical ability to battle, which is important as
well, st. louis was not brought on to the team to replace him, that would be goofy, but its too bad
they couldn't have played together, on the same line, as one would complement the other.
 
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talloola

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i see dan bylsma has been fired, guess they wanted the new g.m. to make that decision either way, so
now another team looking for a head coach.
 

gopher

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Jun 26, 2005
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I agree with Gopher. It's not that anyone is to blame for them having St Louis over Callahan but in order to win this series they need St Louis to have an impact and I don't see that happening. He might score a goal, maybe even two, but LA is going to eat him for lunch the rest of the series. I just hope he survives without any major hospitalization.





Agree 100% - moreover, this is precisely what the NY sports media is saying and they know their stuff.
 

talloola

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Speaking of which when do the Canucks get a new coach any word?

nothing yet, but john stevens is rumoured to be high in the running, he is assistant in l.a., but if
one looks back in his coaching history, he didn't do a very good job in philly, so i wonder.

willie desjardin is also rumoured, but he is head coach for 'texas stars', and they are in the finals
for the cAlder cup in the ahl, so he is also still busy.

no big hurry, as the coach probably won't be pArt of the draft, but maybe he will, some do some don't.

don't know of any other coach, don't really want dan bylsma, why?, just because i want someone who is
a bit fresher and doesn't still have pittsburg written all over them.

Agree 100% - moreover, this is precisely what the NY sports media is saying and they know their stuff.

in all of this chit chat about st. louis, you have not even mentioned any other players on the rangers
who are expected to step up, or is it just st. louis in your mind who is 'the man', but poor little
rick nash, just gets lost in the crowd. rick nash should be 'the man' in this series for rangers,
i'm still calling him, 'where are you' ricky boy, you are playing like a 5'5" guy.

sports media have lots to say, just the same here as there, but don't depend them to know all there is
to know, they have shows to run, and have to think up enough words to fill their time slot.
i pick very carefully 'just whom' i listen to seriously, and who i cAn easily see is just flapping
their yap.

there is sports media, who just talk, and say things to get callers to call in, and there are hockey analysts, who are totally informed, have played the game,
and have very intelligent information and opinion on players from all the teams. ray ferraro is
one i will always pay attention to, elliott freeman as well, darren pang, and a few others.

enjoy the game tomorrow, i will miss it, as i'm following my grandson in his golf tournament, he is 8th
after two days, made the cut, now he needs to climb that ladder tomorrow and sunday.
'canadian professional tour'.
i might get to see part of the game.
 
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gopher

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~ St Louis ~

Had you listened to Eddie Olcyk today on NBC tv during the Belmont Stakes (handicapping is his hobby) you would know he said precisely what I wrote.
 

gopher

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As Olcyk said, Rangers simply do not have the physicality and get out muscled as the game progresses. Any game that goes into OT is bound to be a win for the more physical LA.
 

Kreskin

Doctor of Thinkology
Feb 23, 2006
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Rangers could've and should've won. They had some glorious opportunities in OT#1.
 

Kreskin

Doctor of Thinkology
Feb 23, 2006
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As Olcyk said, Rangers simply do not have the physicality and get out muscled as the game progresses. Any game that goes into OT is bound to be a win for the more physical LA.
It seems to me Vignault's teams change their game late when it's close. They become less aggressive and move closer to a prevent defense. Like they they play aggressive early then switch to trying not to lose. LA sticks to what they do from start to finish.
 

spaminator

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Ryan Kesler wants out of Vancouver: Report
QMI Agency
First posted: Saturday, June 07, 2014 12:52 PM EDT | Updated: Saturday, June 07, 2014 01:11 PM EDT
The Ryan Kesler saga, which has played out in waves over the past few months, has a new twist.
The Vancouver Canucks winger reportedly “wants a fresh start” as well as a new address and new uniform.
Kesler met with new Canucks general manager Jim Benning this week to chat about a potential trade out of Vancouver, according to TSN.
The report states Kesler, who is under contract through the 2015-16 season at a $5-million price tag, has drawn up a six-team list. The Anaheim Ducks and Philadelphia Flyers are believed to be two of the clubs that appeal to the 29-year-old.
During Benning’s introductory press conference in late May, the Mike Gillis replacement said the team hoped to re-sign the two-way power forward before the NHL draft on June 27.
Back in February, when the NHL had stopped for the Olympics, reports surfaced about Kesler’s desire to leave town. He would later deny those rumours.
Kesler was drafted 23rd overall by the Canucks in 2003. Last season, he recorded 25 goals and 43 points in 77 games.
Vancouver Canucks' Ryan Kesler during an end of season news conference, in Vancouver, B.C. on April 14, 2014. (Carmine Marinelli/Vancouver 24hours/QMI Agency)

Ryan Kesler wants out of Vancouver: Report | NHL | Hockey | Sports | Toronto Sun
 

Mowich

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Disappointing day all around. First California Chrome falls short then the Rangers can't get it done either. Sheesh.
 

Kreskin

Doctor of Thinkology
Feb 23, 2006
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Regarding Kesler. Heard that he started being unhappy when his teammates voted him out of his assistant captaincy. His issue could've more about his teammates than the organization.
 

spaminator

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Regarding Kesler. Heard that he started being unhappy when his teammates voted him out of his assistant captaincy. His issue could've more about his teammates than the organization.
another question would be were his teammates decision to vote him out of his assistant captaincy justified? I originally thought that the assistant captain and the captain was a decision made by the coach not the teammates.
 

Kreskin

Doctor of Thinkology
Feb 23, 2006
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another question would be were his teammates decision to vote him out of his assistant captaincy justified? I originally thought that the assistant captain and the captain was a decision made by the coach not the teammates.
Many teams have it voted on by players, and it appears that Vancouver was one of them last year.
 

gopher

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It seems to me Vignault's teams change their game late when it's close. They become less aggressive and move closer to a prevent defense. Like they they play aggressive early then switch to trying not to lose. LA sticks to what they do from start to finish.



You hit the nail right on its head when you said less aggressive. That's because as Olcyk and I pointed out, they get worn down by the larger and more physical players on opposing teams like the Kings.

Disappointing day all around. First California Chrome falls short then the Rangers can't get it done either. Sheesh.


Over the years I have probably watched about as many horse races as hockey games (possibly more). Both sports are so big in NY though for decades horse racing was #1.

California Chrome brought a lot of attention that the Sport of Kings lacked for many years. Additionally, his owner Steve Coburn initially created a lot of good will through his seemingly down-to-earth nature. But once his charge lost in the Stakes he lost his temper and exploded:


http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/08/s...-triple-crown-for-california-chrome.html?_r=0


In the clubhouse, however, Coburn could not admit that some dreams do not come true. With his wife tugging on him to urge him to stop before he put his foot in his mouth, Coburn shed the good humor and grace that had made him a welcome addition to the Sport of Kings and complained that Tonalist had an unfair advantage. He was a horse who was held out of the Derby and the Preakness and was lying in the weeds to upset California Chrome’s coronation.

“This is a coward’s way out,” Coburn said.




Today, every major news media gave this outburst a huge amount of attention and he was roundly condemned for his unsportsmanlike conduct. The fool failed to understand that winning horses don't necessarily fatigue and that great ones like Kelso raced against older horses after a 2 week rest. Therefore, the other thoroughbreds who raced but skipped either of the other two jewels in the Triple Crown did not have any advantage. For a good article on the subject, I recommend this one:


A fortnight’s rest is often not enough these days, which hurts the Preakness field - The Washington Post
 

talloola

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 14, 2006
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Regarding Kesler. Heard that he started being unhappy when his teammates voted him out of his assistant captaincy. His issue could've more about his teammates than the organization.

i don't believe that happened at all, can't imagine the team voting him or anyone else out, unless there
had been a serious incident, and there was none, or perhaps kesler said something about wanting to
leave the team, and they all agreed together, including kesler, that he should give up the A.
it might have been 'his' suggestion to start with.
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had a big chat about rangers/l.a. today with my daughter, (ex high calibre hockey player, and she follows
hockey in detail, and has lots of knowledge)

we agreed that rangers are so intimidated by l.a. 'before' each game, that they come out and play
far too energetic, skate hard, too hard, work their guts out to get ahead, and they do, and continue
to do that until they have 'shot their wod', as that is poor planning, just like a horse coming out
of the gate for a mile and a half race, and sprinting immediately, what happens to that horse?
he is so tired in the second half, that he doesn't have enough energy to keep up.

we think vigneault perhaps should take a page out of sutter's book. 'manage' your teams energy. sutter changes the lines here and there to keep in the game, even when the
other team is playing so fast that it is hard to keep up, but when the other team begins to tire,
then your management of your team kicks in, and your team can keep on keepin on and even make a
push in the last period, as your team 'is not' burned out, like the other one.

it seems l.a. starts out slow, but it is rangers that are at top speed, and l.a. slowly rev up their
game over the 60 minutes, and rangers slowly lose speed over the 60 minutes.

rangers easily could have won in the OT, they had their chances, i don'T agree that it automatically
will be l.a. in OT, because we watched all of the OT and its just the way it happened, not really
any particularly reason for either team to win or lose because of 'who' they are in the OT.
 

#juan

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Aug 30, 2005
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Kesler hasn't exactly been a super star for Vancouver. I don't think he has been playing up to his current salary and if he wants to go, let him.