I disagree. While I am not a Flames fan, they have a very good team. They are playing great right now, and have for quite a while. I believe they can make it deep into the playoffs this year.
How about them Canucks!
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I disagree. While I am not a Flames fan, they have a very good team. They are playing great right now, and have for quite a while. I believe they can make it deep into the playoffs this year.
They may go deep but they have little hope of winning the Cup. As I alluded to, you need a top notch center to win. Daymond Langkow ain't it.
There are other players in the league who just started, shannahan 38 sullivan
about the same age,
on nashville who we played against last week, and the fellow on San Jose,
who over 40, they are all coming along much better, his body just isn't
responding like he, and the coaching staff thought it would. He is going to
take longer.
The grumblings about his committment to conditioning come from the media,
and no one else, they make up their own stories, to fill their programm.
Vineault made a strong statement concerning sundin last week, saying that
even though his skating and conditioning are not there yet, what he adds to
the dressing room is above and beyond most players, as he is a quality person
with vast experience, and his routine each and every day is teaching the
younger players what you have to do to be an nhl player, he is there very early
every morning working out, trying hard to bring himself to top condition.
You can see the concern on sundin's face during the game, on the bench, as
he is paying the price right now, for the long layoff, so we should all get off
his back and give him some space, as the pressure he is putting on himself to
play better is enough for one person, vineault will cut back his ice time if he
doesn't improve more, and do it quickly, as he is panting and huffing and
puffing after shifts, more than most do.
The guys on HNIC speak out for the sake of the show they are on, they are
not in vancouver, but mostly toronto, know little or nothing about whats
going in the the canuck organization, and what they say is just their opinion,
with no connection to the facts on the ground at present.
Sundin will do his best to get 'phyically' in top form, but there is always the
chance that he won't, maybe his body won't come back to the condition he
was in last year, each person has an individual physical level they can reach,
and at 37, and being so big, perhaps he was out too long, BUT saying that, it
is also just my opinion, and maybe he just needs more time,but if he takes too
long, then he probably won't return next season, which is too bad, as I was
hoping to see him here for a complete season next year.
It is true that vineault said, yesterday, that he will have to be better, and
that is quite evident to see by all of us.
If the sundin experiment doesn't work out, gillis will have lots of money to
make deals for next season, he allready has over 2 mill, as sundin took a
discount even after the prorated contract for this year, which gave them
another 450 thousand on top of the 5 mil they saved by 'him' sitting out till
jan. 1, so the canucks, moneywise are sitting pretty good.
The trade deadline will come about march 4, it will be interesting to see what
takes place.
From the start of free agency Sundin has said he wasn't sure if he was going to play again. That didn't sound like a very motivated player. One can't switch that on and off, to go from not interested in playing to having a work ethic that matches the median of the NHL, especially at his career stage. The dollar signs were in the end too hard to resist and it got to the point where he had to come back to get it or else it was too late, even to wait another couple of weeks. He milked the vacation to the very last minute - even his arrival after signing. I believe he has screwed up the chemistry of the team, at least put it on hold while he plays catch up.
That's an interesting story, but sounds melodramatic and goofy, and if he was totally interested in the money he
would have arrived at training camp, and collected the ten million for the season.
He overestimated himself, I think he noticed selanne and neidermeyer and
how they had taken half the season off, then returned, I think he thought
he could take that time to think it over, then make a return, but he has
fooled himself and no one else, as now he is the one suffering, no one else.
He doesn't have that kind of power over the team to change the chemistry,
the facts are that the team 'sucks' now because they lost their way during
the time out while luongo was injured, worked for awhile, but the loss of
their goalie/captain, and the pressure to do too much while the other goalies
were playing proved too much for them, and once that confidence goes it is
hard to regain it, but even now, a couple of wins begins that climb back up
to good play, which they actually have allready started, and just because they
lost in overtime, doesn't mean they aren't playing well, they did play well.
The score was not an indication of the game.
He couldn't wait any longer than he did. Why did he wait? He wasn't sure if he wanted to play. All of the sudden he had a miraculous rush of desire?
As I see it, the Canucks best option is to try to get the number one draft pick. They could sell a few players(the Sedins, and a couple others) to get a few more first round picks. With the money left over they might be able to get a few free agents who can still play the game.
I get the feeling the coach is just about gone. If he lasts another week I'll be surprised. It may not be all the coach's fault but firing the coach is easier than firing 20 players.
I get the feeling the coach is just about gone. If he lasts another week I'll be surprised. It may not be all the coach's fault but firing the coach is easier than firing 20 players.
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Yeah, it seems he was stuck inbetween retiring and returning, and I'm sure he
had family and friends offering their opinions as well, and he also has a
fiancee so his future plans are changing.
He was stuck, it's that simple, I was annoyed with him too, wanted him to
come to training camp, and now, I think he wished he had done that too.
He's not a malicious person, or a greedy person, or someone who is trying
to play anyone, anyone who gives their opinion of him, who has know him
for many years, agrees that he is an upstanding individual who would not
want to inconvenient anyone or take advantage of anyone, and before he
signed with canucks he personally talked with ohlund to make sure that he
would not disrupt the team, or put anyone out of a job.
Ohlund reassured him that they were all welcoming him.
It is highly unfair to saddle him with the reason that the canucks are not
playing well, I listed many reasons in my other post, and none of that has
anything to do with him, he is one player trying to get up to speed, and that
is all, the rest of it belongs to the team, and each individual has to look in
the mirror, and ask himself a few questions.
The defence isn't playing the way they can, what happened there.
Luongo isn't playing at top level yet, that is his problem, not sundins.
I can understand Dallas's problem re: chemistry re: Avery, he was like a
cancer in the room, arrogant attitude, arrogant in the media, embarrassing
the team, and disrupting the flow, not so with the canucks and Sundin,
exactly the opposite.
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If they try to make a trade for the sedins, they could acquire a real good player
and a first round draft pick, but I would like the sedins to stay and eventually
become the second line, if sundin does arrive at his best, he could be part
of the first line, and they could acquire a top forward at the trade deadline,
not sure how he would package that trade, they do have cory schneider in
the minors who is playing top goal for the moose, or something else.
It is very difficult with the cap system to make trades, as some players would
come with a very high end, longterm contract, and gillis won't acquire a player
like that, doesn't want to tie up his cap with long term deals.
Getting rid of the sedins for draft picks is a gamble, can never know how the
draft picks are going to turn out, some are very good, some never amount to
anything, I would rather see them get traded for established players who have
stats to tell gillis how they play, in the nhl.
The sedins are not signed yet, so gillis will have to do something with them
by the trade deadline, or he could lose them to free agency this july, then they
could walk away and sign with another team, and gillis would get nothing.
Ohlund is another he could trade at the deadline, I would go for that, as any
team wanting to go for 'it', would love a experienced d. man like him, and we
could get something good in return, along with a first round pick.
Vigneault's lines and roster decisions will be made after he finishes watching game tapes of Carolina’s past two game.
Kesler does not expect to change his game if he plays with Sundin and Demitra on Tuesday. He will play to his role and bring the energy, grit, and agitating style that make him successful.
“When you play with two players like Pavol and Mats, it’s an opportunity that doesn’t come around often and I’m just going to make the most of it.
“I think [Sundin] is having an impact, you guys just aren’t seeing it. I think you guys expected him to come in and have a goal a game, he’s more of a player than that. He’s big in this dressing room. We haven’t been playing well as a team and we’re going to turn it around.”
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Kesler does not expect to change his game if he plays with Sundin and Demitra on Tuesday. He will play to his role and bring the energy, grit, and agitating style that make him successful.
“When you play with two players like Pavol and Mats, it’s an opportunity that doesn’t come around often and I’m just going to make the most of it.
“I think [Sundin] is having an impact, you guys just aren’t seeing it. I think you guys expected him to come in and have a goal a game, he’s more of a player than that. He’s big in this dressing room. We haven’t been playing well as a team and we’re going to turn it around.”
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I don't want to blame him for the way others play, but it appears the rest of the team isn't anywhere near in sync as it was prior to his arrival. Vigneault has him flopping around from line to line. Kessler's line wasn't as good with him. It doesn't seem like he fits in anywhere at the moment, and serves as a distraction to the calibre of play that was already there. He's a first line player. If he can't make the first line there really isn't room for him because he's not effective on a checking line. It's like TSN's recent all time Habs team. Believe it or not neither Shutt, LeMaire nor Lafleur made the team because guys like Beliveau and Richard were picked ahead for the first line. There was no room for their style on lower lines. The 1981 Challenge Cup..the Canadians picked all stars and no other depth. It didn't work because again number one lines don't work outside of their roles. When Sundin is back to first line quality it should be fine but it may be too late by the time he gets there.
I must warn you Taloolla..I will argue hockey even if I don't believe my own opinion, and I'm known to leap large bandwagons in a single bound. Bashing the Canucks and many of the players is a tradition out here..it would be boring if we couldn't point fingers. 
Vineault has always changed lines many times, did it last year, and this year before he
arrived, nothing new, he isn't just changing lines because of him, there are other
players not producing, he is just trying to get chemistry between 'anybody', and he
will leave them together, he has never been able to find anyone to do well with the
sedins, and pyatt isn't doing anything either, and I think vineault has given up trying
everyone with them.
Dimitra and Sundin had a good game on the same line the night dimitra was injured, so
he couldn't play them together again, think he is going to do that tomorrow, along with
kesler, he is just trying to create some scoring, and if things go well, he will juggle lines
once again, as he 'always' does, when goals don't arrive.
Chicago, pittsburg, boston, and
many others sat at the bottom of the league for a long time, then gathered
first round draft picks over and over. That won't fly in vancouver, they have
to fight and scratch their way, and if it doesn't work, they will come back and
try again next year, they won't go to the bottom and sit there like those other
teams, canucks have to show some fight and desire and try, which they had lots
of in the last game.
They can make the playoffs without him going anywhere, they should have been
able to make the playoffs before he came. You are obsessed with him, and
can't seem to see all of the other factors, even though I pointed many of them
out, so go ahead, be my guest, lock onto him and make him the scape goat.
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I must warn you Taloolla..I will argue hockey even if I don't believe my own opinion, and I'm known to leap large bandwagons in a single bound. Bashing the Canucks and many of the players is a tradition out here..it would be boring if we couldn't point fingers.
Don't I know it. They need me more than ever then. 'Out here'? that area stops
at the oyster river bridge.;-)
I'm so logical and focused on exactly what is happening, I don't own a bandwagon, and will shoot down any that come my way, you should listen to
Blake Price on team 1040 in the evening, he is your kind of guy, doom and gloom, and when they were winning and doing well, he was rah rah canucks
all the way.
I am happy when they are doing well, hopeful when they aren't, and very aware of
all of the teams in the nhl, and the problems they have too. Detroit won tonight but just came out of a 5 game losing streak. Montreal is expected to
do so much this year, but they are not consistant.
Colorado beat Calgary tonight, very surprising. Anaheim is on a roll now.
Edmonton is struggling again, still. Ottawa just fired their coach. Luongo
said he loves playing in a hockey town, where everyone cares so much and
watches and comments on the team all the time.
I'm glad sundin didn't come in and save canucks from their slide, as everyone
would have given him all of the credit. There are so many reasons for slumps,
and canucks had lots of those reasons all at once.
They went into the slump as a team, and they will come out of it as a team,
with everyone giving more effort and raising there own games to help, including luongo.
The one thing at the moment I don't agree with, is the benching of Shane Obrian, he
is a plus player, a good defenceman, and a big guy, not sure why they picked on him.
He does take a few too many penalties, but so do others.
He is the one who broke up the fisticuffs between mitchell and raymond the other day,
and apparantly had a few words with mitchell, and I am wondering if he is being
given 'time out' for that, sure hope not.
There are other d men on this team who could be benched before him right now,
but he is young and seems to be getting the brunt of the punishment, I don't agree.
with it.
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For all of you bandwagon folks, whether your on it or off of it, or hanging onto the
side of it, you should have had the pleasure of listening to Mike Gillis's interview on
team 1040 this afternoon with pratt and taylor, it was fairly lengthy, but very classy, and he set some things straight, and I applaud him for it.
They will probably play it again a couple of times before the show is over.
Also, Shane O'Brien came on the air today and apologized for his little outburst
yesterday, he took back the comment he made, that management told him they
wanted to fight more, they did not tell him that.
It all boils down to the fact that he is very frustrated because he has been sat out
and will again tonight, and he wants to play, and as Vineault said. "Im glad that
he is unhappy sitting out", shows he wants to get back on the ice, and hates sitting
out, that is healthy.
side of it, you should have had the pleasure of listening to Mike Gillis's interview on
team 1040 this afternoon with pratt and taylor, it was fairly lengthy, but very classy, and he set some things straight, and I applaud him for it.
They will probably play it again a couple of times before the show is over.
Also, Shane O'Brien came on the air today and apologized for his little outburst
yesterday, he took back the comment he made, that management told him they
wanted to fight more, they did not tell him that.
It all boils down to the fact that he is very frustrated because he has been sat out
and will again tonight, and he wants to play, and as Vineault said. "Im glad that
he is unhappy sitting out", shows he wants to get back on the ice, and hates sitting
out, that is healthy.
Well, interesting what McCrae said about O'Brien, but unfortunately many media
and fans hung on every word O'Brien said, and loved to think someone is trashing
the management, so he had to retract his statement, and set things straight.
McRae definitely travels on his own rail, it's a bit rough, but he doesn't hold
any punches, and makes for good chit chat.
I haven't heard him much, where is he now, still on CKNW?, I've always got
team 1040 on, except for Jim Rome, so I don't hear him any more.
A coworker told me today, "Don't worry, it ends tonight!". "It" being the losing streak, but those very words put a chill up my spine. It sounded like a bad omen that tonight actually was THE end. The END meaning fans realizing that maybe this squad doesn't have what it takes.
Hence, I told my coworker, "No, it STARTS tonight!!!". "It" being a wonderful, exciting winning streak. We want team chemistry clicking and STAYING. We want Louie back in stellar form, and Sundin out of retirement. We want emotion, passion and a sense of urgency each and every period from each and every player.
Let us pray...
Oh God of hockey! Whatever God that may be... we, Canuck Nation beg for mercy. Please give us victory tonight! To show our appreciation we will drink a cold one for tonight's game in your honour... Amen;-)
Hence, I told my coworker, "No, it STARTS tonight!!!". "It" being a wonderful, exciting winning streak. We want team chemistry clicking and STAYING. We want Louie back in stellar form, and Sundin out of retirement. We want emotion, passion and a sense of urgency each and every period from each and every player.
Let us pray...
Oh God of hockey! Whatever God that may be... we, Canuck Nation beg for mercy. Please give us victory tonight! To show our appreciation we will drink a cold one for tonight's game in your honour... Amen;-)