Farhan's $0.02: Playoffs, Kesler, Lapierre, moving foward,

[Farhan Lalji]

Farhan's $0.02: Playoffs, Kesler, Lapierre, moving foward,

First off,

Congratulations to the Boston Bruins on winning the cup. Although I still think the Canucks would have won had both teams been 100% healthy, I do not want to take away anything from the Bruins.......even though I just did I guess. Oh well. I honestly think the Canucks were too banged up to use their superior speed and skill to their advantage. While Tim Thomas was exceptional, I also think Boston's tremendous positional play is what allowed Thomas to face relatively low quality scoring chances. The Bruins basically made an already exceptional goalie look even more exceptional. That, combined with Thomas' play, started to get into the Canucks' heads a little.....as you could see that they started trying too hard for the perfect play (don't worry drdork....I'm not pinning the Canucks' loss on "mental fragility" ....I think it was a small factor, but certainly not the biggest factor as I believe it was in 2009 when we lost to Chicago).

Lapierre:

Although Lapierre has played fairly well for us since being here, I'm not sure if he's a good fit for the Canucks and I'll tell you why: When you have a guy like Lapierre on your team, you will automatically become a hated team. Lapierre is exceptional at what he does. The thing however - is that some teams LOVE being hated....and relish the role......while some teams simply don't react well to being hated. Unfortunately, I think the Canucks belong in that latter group. It's just sort of the "vibe" I get. Back in 2005/06 - I think a part of the reason why the Canucks' bombed that year was because their top players didn't like the fact that they were hated throughout the entire league...thanks to the presence of guys like Bertuzzi, Ruutu, and Cooke.

I think Lapierre, Torres, and Burrows might give us that same reputation....and like the core before us, I'm not sure if we'll react well to it. However – I would love to keep Torres here…because he can back up his shit by dropping the gloves. Not sure if I can say the same for Lappy.

Kesler:

I wonder if Kesler should be the #1 center heading into next season….and here’s why.

Before his groin injury in the Nashville series, Kesler was on fire.....and I think it was more than just a hot streak. I think what we were seeing, was a man coming into his own. The way Kesler schooled Weber and blew it past Rinne was the signature of a superstar.

Here is what I’m getting at: I think when it comes down the clutch, Kesler is our guy when healthy. Kesler, unlike the twins, wouldn’t have allowed Marchand to punch him 8 times in the face without repercussion. I believe that a healthy Kesler would have responded well to the opposing top ‘D’ men and shut down centers of Boston, Chicago, etc., etc.

As much as I like the twins, I’m just not sure if they are cut out for playoff hockey….when going up against exceptional checking centers and/or shut down pairings. This has been proven consistently at both the Olympic and NHL playoff level.

I believe that it might be in the team’s best interests to make Ryan Kesler our #1 center next year…..while bringing in another top line calibre player to play with him.

Luongo:

I feel really bad for Luongo. As was the case with the twins, all of my fears about him came true during the Boston series. I still think Luongo is an exceptional goalie that is still capable of playing like he did in 2007, but something is seriously wrong with his head. I’m even wondering if it would benefit his career to take a year off and see a Sports Psychologist.

Don’t get me wrong: Luongo had a really good year, and played brilliantly on so many occasions, but I think this series proved as to WHY there was so much criticism directed his way. His play in Game 6 was downright embarrassing.

Now having said that – I think a part of Lou’s meltdown stemmed from the fact that he lost faith in the team in front…..since they couldn’t score any goals. It just added 10x more pressure to Lou. At the same time, I think a part of the team’s meltdown (along with their numerous injuries), stemmed from the fact that they lost faith in Lou…and second guessed themselves a lot of the time as a result.

I like Luongo…..and he owns the 3rd biggest piece of real estate in my heart out of all the players in Canucks history (Linden and Bure own the two biggest pieces), but I’m not sure if he’ll be able to overcome his obvious mental demons…..or if the team will fully have faith in him when it matters most. I hope I’m wrong.

Reffing:

The league should be embarrassed at the extreme bias that was given towards Boston in this series. This was bad. REAL bad. The last time I saw something this bad was when the Pitsburgh Steelers played the Seattle Sea Hawks during the 2006 Super Bowl.

The Canucks didn’t lose to the Bruins because of reffing, but I do think it was a MAJOR factor. Coincidentally, the reffing was equally terrible when the Canucks played Chicago in the 1st round…..another American original 6 team.

As much as I dislike the Calgary Flames, they got royally screwed in 2004 when that puck DID cross the line.


Moving Forward:

A lot of people don’t realize this, but the Detroit Redwings were my very close 2nd favorite team between 1994 and 2006. I still think that the 1995/96 Detroit Red Wing team was the greatest team ever assembled in NHL history. That team was good. REALLY REALLY fucking good. As much as I hate to admit, WAY better than the regular season Canucks team of this past season.

However – they ended up losing to a Colorado team that caught fire. The biggest reason? Lack of grit and lack of superstar goaltending when it mattered most.

What did the Wings do in the off-season? They got rid of some of their “pretty boys”, and brought in some grit. Skill and talent was sacrificed for grit. The Wings became significantly worse on paper….and their regular season results the next year was a reflection of that.

But you know what? The Wings brought home the cup that year. 1997. And they brought home the cup a year later as well. They literally ripped the torch out of Colorado’s hands, shoved it up their asses, and then created a new torch of their own….which became the foundation of Detroit’s mini-dynasty and championship environment.

My point? – If possible, the Canucks should get rid of some of their “pretty boys” and stock up on grit. Samuelson, Glass, Raymond = bye bye…replaced with grit. Torres stays, Rypien makes the line-up, Oreschovich gets a bigger role, Canucks sign Erik Cole. Boom. Canucks don’t get become anyone’s bitch.


Have a great summer everyone! (On an unrelated positive note, the BC Lions look promising this year )

[Farhan Lalji]

Scottie Upshall is a UFA as well is he not? I would try and sign him if possible. Put him with Kesler.

I like Ballard....but for whatever reason, Vigneault does not. Ballard played shitty in game 6 thanks in large part to a complete loss of confidence. For better of for worse, we have Vigneault to thank for that. Ballard should be traded as well if possible....and I think it's unfortunate.

How about a Keith Ballard for Mike Commodore trade? Ballard is a better defenseman, but Commodore is a nasty SOB.

Commodore, unlike Ballard, doesn't have the ability to play Top 4......but he'll smash in your fucking face if you take liberties with the top players on your team. Commodore, like Cole, has also won a Stanley Cup.

Commodore.......my nigga! (only kidding guys, please don't be offended by that comment).

p.s._________________I will also clarify my Lapierre comment from my previous post. IF the Canucks commit to becoming a bigger, gritter, and nastier team via roster change, then I would love to keep Lappy. A team like THAT wouldn't mind being hated.....much like the Bruins of this year and the Hawks of last year. However - if we keep the team almost as is, then I think Lappy needs to go....as I don't think our current team reacts too well to being hated.

I'm not even sure if 'gritter' is the correct term that I'm using. The Canucks were certainly very gritty and physical during the playoffs......but it almost seemed forced (like it wasn't their natural style?). Bring in players that are big enough and "naturally" mean enough to play that style without going out of their element or banging up their bodies.

[Todd Bersnoozi]

I like Mad Max alot, so I'd like to see the team keep him around. He's a solid 2-way player and showed he can step in to play the 3rd line role with Manny out; heck, he may be able to push Manny in the 3rd line spot next season. I think u can never have enuff quality centremen, so I hope he stays.

Farhan's $0.02: Playoffs, Kesler, Lapierre, moving foward,

Lapierre:

Although Lapierre has played fairly well for us since being here, I'm not sure if he's a good fit for the Canucks and I'll tell you why: When you have a guy like Lapierre on your team, you will automatically become a hated team. Lapierre is exceptional at what he does. The thing however - is that some teams LOVE being hated....and relish the role......while some teams simply don't react well to being hated. Unfortunately, I think the Canucks belong in that latter group. It's just sort of the "vibe" I get. Back in 2005/06 - I think a part of the reason why the Canucks' bombed that year was because their top players didn't like the fact that they were hated throughout the entire league...thanks to the presence of guys like Bertuzzi, Ruutu, and Cooke.

Kes had a great year and I hope he continues to get better. He seems to be improving his game every year, which is pretty nice to see. I thought he'd top off @ 25 goals a couple seasons ago, but he scored over 40 this year, which is pretty amazing. I don't think Kes necessarily needs to be on our top line, I'm sure AV will decide depending on which line is playing better. That being said, it's a great luxury to have a 1-2 punch of Sedin line/Kes line. Also, I agree that it'd be nice to get a legitmate top player to play with Kes or the Sedins, a power forward/sniper type.

I wonder if Kesler should be the #1 center heading into next season….and here’s why.

Before his groin injury in the Nashville series, Kesler was on fire.....and I think it was more than just a hot streak. I think what we were seeing, was a man coming into his own. The way Kesler schooled Weber and blew it past Rinne was the signature of a superstar.

I do like this idea. I was never much of a Ballard fan, so I won't mind cutting our loses on him. It helps us shed some salary and we're not on the hook as long. We could definitely use more size/muscle on the back end, as we're a bit on the small side back there. The guy I'd luv back is Bryan Allen, but I'd settle for commodore.

How about a Keith Ballard for Mike Commodore trade? Ballard is a better defenseman, but Commodore is a nasty SOB.

Commodore, unlike Ballard, doesn't have the ability to play Top 4......but he'll smash in your fucking face if you take liberties with the top players on your team. Commodore, like Cole, has also won a Stanley Cup.

Commodore.......my nigga! (only kidding guys, please don't be offended by that comment).

[Farhan Lalji]

Also, I agree that it'd be nice to get a legitmate top player to play with Kes or the Sedins, a power forward/sniper type.

On an interesting note - I created the following thread (viewtopic.php?t=7250) last October.

"Trading Luongo at some point.....do ya do it?"

At the time - I suggested a hypothetical trade scenario between Vancouver and Tampa if Schneider proved himself worthy of being a #1 goalie. We would get Lecavlier while they would get Luongo. (and some other pieces would be exchanged). My reasoning for mentioning Lecavlier specifically was because Lecavlier had a very similar contract to Luongo's.....and Tampa was in dire need of a great goalie (which Luongo is).

Higgins-Lecavlier-Kesler
Sedin-Sedin-Burrows
Torres-Malhottra-Cole
Rypien-Lapierre-Oreschovich

Bieksa-Hamhuis
Erhoff-Edler
Tanev-Commodore

Schneider
Lack (or Mike Smith if Canucks bring in Mike Smith from Tampa as well......obviously, the Canucks would have to give up something else as well in order to make it work from a cap standpoint).

Canucks, and their fans, get a "fresh start" with Schneider. Tampa gets a major upgrade in goaltending. Canucks get a new number one line that is far better equipped to handle a top shut down pairing and/or a pesky checking center when the playoffs arrive. The Sedin's, on the 2nd line, rape the opposing goaltender due to a lack of shut down pairing and/or pesky center opposing them.

[rats19]

That's actually an interesting deal. I like it, that would shake Shit up..not much tougher but one thing at a time. As good a 1st and 2nd as there ever was/ is.

[Farhan Lalji]

That's actually an interesting deal. I like it, that would shake Shit up..not much tougher but one thing at a time. As good a 1st and 2nd as there ever was/ is.

That was my thought as well.

Unfortunately, I just don't think the Sedin twins are equipped to play well against top defensive pairings and/or shut down centers when it matters most. As much as I hate to admit, Mike Milbury's "Thelma and Louise" observation was spot on. Their consistently sub-par performances in the Olympics and the NHL Playoffs (when going up against top shut down centers and defensive pairings) are clear evidence of this.

However - the twins' are the best players in the league when they DON'T go up against top shut down centers and/or defensive pairings in the regular season............or when they are playing in the playoffs and do not face a team with a top tier shut down center and/or top tier defensive pairing (as they proved against the San Jose Sharks). Under both these environments, the twins are EXTREMELY dangerous. It's almost as if watching two very different human beings.

Lecavlier and Kesler are both men.....men that consistently elevate their games when it matters most (no matter what the situation), and men that won't take cheap shots lying down. If 100% healthy, I think Lecavlier and Kesler would be very difficult to play against....regardless of whether it was regular season, post-season, or whatever season, and regardless of whether a team had a top checking center and/or top tier pairing on them.

As far as goaltending goes, I think Luongo would be best suited to an environment where the fans do not care much for hockey. Luongo, with little to no pressure, could go back to being the superstar goalie that he once was....without the mental hiccups. As was the case with Todd Bertuzzi back in 2006, the fans and the city can move on as well.

[Strangelove]

(positional play) combined with Thomas' play, started to get into the Canucks' heads a little.....as you could see that they started trying too hard for the perfect play (don't worry drdork....I'm not pinning the Canucks' loss on "mental fragility"....I think it was a small factor, but certainly not the biggest factor as I believe it was in 2009 when we lost to Chicago).

I agreed that "mental fragility” was a factor.

I disagree that it wasn’t as big a factor as it was vs Chicago.

I feel really bad for Luongo. As was the case with the twins, all of my fears about him came true during the Boston series. I still think Luongo is an exceptional goalie that is still capable of playing like he did in 2007, but something is seriously wrong with his head. I’m even wondering if it would benefit his career to take a year off and see a Sports Psychologist

Here’s a little gem unknown to most. If you say the word “Byfuglien” in Lou’s presence, a violent facial tic ensues.



Oh it's true!

:wiggle:

some teams LOVE being hated....and relish the role......while some teams simply don't react well to being hated. Unfortunately, I think the Canucks belong in that latter group

Agreed, but imesho a team MUST relish said role if said team hopes to ever sip from Stanley’s mug.

Some would suggest trading Lou to Winnipeg for Byfuglien + Ladd.

Mr Lalji, I really liked your last section in which you compare the Wings circa mid-nineties to our present-day Canucks. You typed the word “grit” 5 times. Good word! Your Vancouver Canucks have been eliminated from your Stanley Cup playoffs 3 straight years by teams possessing True Grit. I’d love to see them acquire some of dat dere!

[Strangelove]

Scottie Upshall is a UFA as well is he not? I would try and sign him if possible.

NOW we're talkin!

IF the Canucks commit to becoming a bigger, gritter, and nastier team via roster change, then I would love to keep Lappy. A team like THAT wouldn't mind being hated.....much like the Bruins of this year and the Hawks of last year.

Now we're REALLY talkin!!!

[Farhan Lalji]

Your Vancouver Canucks have been eliminated from your Stanley Cup playoffs 3 straight years by teams possessing True Grit. I’d love to see them acquire some of dat dere!

LOL @ post.

Ahhhhhh Strangelove.

You know - it's actually 4 straight playoffs if you include the Anaheim Ducks. Although they were much MUCH better than us, I think there were some similarities to Chicago/Boston.

That Ducks team was also very physical....and dominated us physically. If I recall correctly, the Canucks/Ducks had a pretty big squirmish during the regular season that year and there was a bit of bad blood between the two teams.

The only major difference however, was that Luongo was our best player.....and was the guy carrying the team.

I had the same thought last year when the Canucks got pounded by Chicago, but I sometimes wonder if the Canucks are better off going back to their 2007 style.....and bringing in the right players that could play that 2007 style. At the very worst, we get our old Roberto Luongo back. At the very best - we become similar to the New Jersey Devils that won 3 Stanley Cups in a fairly short time span (1995, 2000, 2003).

[West Coast Jets Fan]

Eric Cole???? Really?

I would rather have Bob Cole.

[Farhan Lalji]

Eric Cole???? Really?

I would rather have Bob Cole.

Cole is a very physical player and has won a Stanley Cup. The Canucks could use both of these elements.

What's not to like?

Hopefully, Torres re-signs as well.

[Calgary_Canuck]

Interesting concept. BUT Lu's trade value is crap atm. Who wants a goalie that let's in 8 goals in the finals...really. Yes it wasn't just his fault, but it happened none the less.

[Madcombinepilot]

Erik Cole is a bag held together by strings. He is one hit away from retirement. Besides, who you giving up to get him?

[woodhog]

Erik Cole is a bag held together by strings. He is one hit away from retirement. Besides, who you giving up to get him?

He's a UFA.

[Madcombinepilot]

So are Bieksa, Erhoff, Higgins, etc.


I know he is a UFA. If we sign Cole, we lose all chances of re-signing these guys goes WAY down.