Inside Scoop: The Sunday Province's dirt on the Canucks

[Island Nucklehead]

Last year was one of the classic "Murphy's law" seasons. Everything that could go wrong for the Canucks, did.
In order of how badly they screwed the 'Nucks:

1) Injures. Yes it's a tired excuse, but look at who we lost for huge chunks of time. Cloutier, Jovo, Salo, Ohlund and Naslund wasn't right for most of the year. Good luck pinning hopes on an AHL D in front of a rookie goalie.

2) Off years to Naslund and Morrison. These happen to many players, it's just shitty luck it happend to both of them at once. Bertuzzi I don't feel had an off year per se. I just think his best years were behind him and he simply cannot dominate for a whole season.

3) The "Bertuzzi" factor, if you want to call it that. Massive pressure on a guy who really didn't need it, and the huge firestorm it created for the whole team.

Man, just writing this makes me look forward to this new season, we can finally stop dealing with the last one.

[The_Pauser]

Either way. I stress this. You heard it first from The Pauser. Pick up tomorrow's province. It'll be something you wont want to miss.

[MarkMM]

Last year was one of the classic "Murphy's law" seasons. Everything that could go wrong for the Canucks, did.
In order of how badly they screwed the 'Nucks:

1) Injures. Yes it's a tired excuse, but look at who we lost for huge chunks of time. Cloutier, Jovo, Salo, Ohlund and Naslund wasn't right for most of the year. Good luck pinning hopes on an AHL D in front of a rookie goalie.

2) Off years to Naslund and Morrison. These happen to many players, it's just shitty luck it happend to both of them at once. Bertuzzi I don't feel had an off year per se. I just think his best years were behind him and he simply cannot dominate for a whole season.

3) The "Bertuzzi" factor, if you want to call it that. Massive pressure on a guy who really didn't need it, and the huge firestorm it created for the whole team.

Man, just writing this makes me look forward to this new season, we can finally stop dealing with the last one.

Morrison was also injured for much of the season...

So the top 3 defensemen are gone for much of the season, 2/3 of the top line are injured with the remaining player dealing with mental issues, our number one goalie was out...what excacerbated things was not only the SKILL lost, but the leadership lost, Naslund is a quiet leader which by itself isn't a bad thing, but he needs to be complemented by vocal leaders. Cloutier and Jovo were out, Cooke who can spark the team on the ice was out for most of the season...oh, and we were in what is arguably the league's toughest division, and one of our character leaders was mentally exhausted and physically unprepared due to the CBA (Linden).

yup...

[Capt. Kirk]

Didn't take long for someone to ask this. If I tell you that I am THE Pauser I may face constant scrutiny. If I tell you that I'm not THE Pauser, then I may face constant scrutiny about taking the name. I'm just going to answer back with a "No Comment" and let people think whatever they want.

What a joke - how many more impersonators are we going to get on here??

Maybe I am really Kirk McLean!

Give me a break


(No, I'm not by the way... )

[Jester]

Either way. I stress this. You heard it first from The Pauser. Pick up tomorrow's province. It'll be something you wont want to miss.

The Province always has crap "we don't want to miss"

it also tells you what's being written for the next day's issue.

[the_bad_fish]

Either way. I stress this. You heard it first from The Pauser. Pick up tomorrow's province. It'll be something you wont want to miss.

I hate to burst your bubble, but you were not the first source i heard this from. The sun's sports writter was on the team 1040 a couple days ago giving his sales pitch about this behind the scenes article, so If your source is the team 1040 (since they said it before you posted it) then I think alot of people have the same source.

Good point on Crawford loosing the team's respect effecting naslunds leadership. I think Crawfords flaws sent alot of blame Naslunds way to the eys of many.

[Bartman]

What a bombshell! Bert and Crow didn't see eye to eye! This revelation could tear this team apart. Will they be able to work together this year? Will Crow be able to manage Bert? Will Bert play for Crow? Will they bring us a cup this year?

Check out next Sunday's Province as Tony G brings us the earth shattering news that Mike Keenan plans to trade Trevor Linden!

[Island Nucklehead]

No bombshell there, but it's nice to finally hear what Bert was thinking now there's no pressure to follow the corporate line. Don't know if I agree with what he sais, he's a real team guy though, gotta give him credit for that.

[nuxfanindallas]

Still a really, really, interesting article...

Also kind of funny to see Bert finally call out McCarthy by name. And regarding his comments about not wanting to play Crawford's style of game, he's gotta realize that its not his choice. It was Crawford's team and the style of play was a coach's decision. It kinda only serves to reinforce the idea that Bertuzzi had to go.

That said, if he were willing to come back at a BIG discount (~2 million/year), then MAYBE I'd be in favor of it. But I doubt he would....

[nuckfan in TO]

everyone should consider the source and quote of this article before jumping to conclusions and blindly believing it.

I mean this article is coming from Gallagher... his "inside sources" we should all be cautious of, considering his history of pissing on the organization, and its personnel, over the years.

and then his quote here is Bertuzzi? tell me how confident you are in his character overall, to tell us about someone else he's pointing figures at??

in every story you need to consider the source... and Gallagher is more of a comic relief for this club, than actually giving us any inside information - at least that's the Gallagher I've been reading over the years... and Bertuzzi's character has never not been questioned - since he arrived in the NHL.

[The_Pauser]

Well this article was somewhat of a letdown/relief for me. I'm glad it's not something that will destroy the team this year. As I may have mentioned earlier, I hoped to God I was wrong about the negative severity of what the article could have been about, and I was.

Bring Back Bertuzzi!

[yammi]

everyone should consider the source and quote of this article before jumping to conclusions and blindly believing it.

Absolutely! Tony "the cold stench of death" Gallagher has tried for years to stir up controversy about the Canucks (and often it's completely false). In my opinion, Burkie was bang on the day he made his less then flattering "maggots and weasels" comment about Gallagher et al.

[Badfish]

Absolutely! Tony "the cold stench of death" Gallagher

I love it. I've hated Gallagher for years. He's not a fan of the team! Stop reporting on them! You clearly hate the team, the organization and everyone involved in it! I don't remember reading one posative article from that douche.

As for the Pauser - Dude.... 63 posts in 2 days? and you come in here with your first post slaggin bert, and spouting off like you're the next Pratt, just what this board does NOT need!

I'm sorry to be so harsh but there's been a steady influx of this type it seems lately

[ververgaert]

Hey " hey guys! Easy on the Pauser! I think its a good thing to have some fresh blood on the boeards. The guy has never posted here so he's got alot of topics to cover that accounts for the large one day post count. Once he's caught up it will slow down I'm sure. Do I really have to explain that?

[nuckfan in TO]

I've got no problem with Pauser either... we've had some discussions on another board as well.

The only thing that I choose not to believe is whenever he comes up with "inside sources" ... but that's my perrogative... I just don't buy a lot of stuff if there's no substance behind it, and quoting "inside sources" doesn't get me to believe it at all... all it does it come across as nonsense, especially these days with a million bloggers out there all claiming their own inside connections.

He could well have inside sources, but what I'm more interested in is backing up a posted opinion with logic. I think that he'd come across a lot better if he just backed up his points and forgot about trying to come across as someone who's connected with any "inside source"