GDT: Canucks vs Predators | Dec 1 @ 7pm | SNET-VAN (HD), 104

[Topper]

A few comments:

So much for glass slippers and knights in shining armour. The quick yank of No.2 was the right call. Do you folks think Nashville has a goaltending controversy?

Mason Vopatti with the spinner-ramma one timer capped a stellar fourthline shift. A solid game by that unit.

AV, GMMG, someone in between? Who has Dale Tallon's old watch?

Is there a line more fun to watch than the Sedin line right now? I know the Preds spent a lot of time watching them last night.

Hodgson, despite the goal, has another stinker and wears the goat horns along with Hansen and Bieksa. Guy Jannik LaFluer misses his man on the winner, Bieksa goes for an early change with the puck going the wrong way on the tieing goal. I'll let the one off Kasual Kev's stick go as he was trying to make a play. Cody wears them on Tootoo goal. Halischuck was Silent 3's man but Cody, once again turns away from making a play on the boards. That pass should never have made it to Tootoo.

The way Cody refuses to go near an opponent on the boards is really pissing me off. His first shift of the night, the puck along the boards just in front of the Canuck red line with two players battleing for it. Cody come over to offer support from the defensive side (good), but as he reaches the boards he turns away from the scrum, hits the boards with his back to the play and skates to the corner.

His final shift of the second, the puck comes out of the Nashville end to an open area near the boards at centre, Cody is is the closest Canuck, on the centre redline, makes one stride towards the puck and sees a Pred coming from his blueline for the free puck. Instead of making a very doable race for the puck that may lead to a crash with a Pred at the boards, he immediately peels off to his blueline and lets the Preds gain the zone.

If this is the way guys with bad back play, do you want he a Raymond in the lineup together.

Did you catch his after one interview? To paraphrase "we hung Cory out to dry on a couple of those and need to improve on that". Well Mr. I_don't_kill penalties_because_I_can't_play_defence, two of those goals were on Nashville powerplays. Calling out the guys on the PK are you? Nice one rookie.

Kel is right, Luongo was up on both goals, the belly flop was post goal deflation.

When do Weber and Suter run out of gas?

I didn't catch the # of who caught Tootoo head on in open ice, Alberts?, but I'd like to buy him a beer.

Booth splits the defence down the middle, Guy Jannick LaFluer's goal, what year is it?

[tantalum]

In the Preds zone there was almost no stopping the canucks. The Preds could have easily given up 10 goals last night given the posts, some big saves and missed nets.

Defensively not so good. Some bad goaltending, a lack of any big saves (schneider had one but then the Preds scored 20 seconds later anyways), dreadful PK and some terrible down low coverage tonight. If I know AV, Hansen will be on the 4th line next game as that was a similar blown coverage that Raymond had last season when he got busted down to the 4th line. It was inexcusably lazy.

Play that game another 9 times and the canucks likely destroy to preds in each of those 9 games. The Preds are a mostly disinterested team right now. Has Trotz finally worn out his welcome or is the Suter and Weber situations having an effect on the team?

[RoyalDude]

A few comments:

So much for glass slippers and knights in shining armour. The quick yank of No.2 was the right call. Do you folks think Nashville has a goaltending controversy?

Mason Vopatti with the spinner-ramma one timer capped a stellar fourthline shift. A solid game by that unit.

AV, GMMG, someone in between? Who has Dale Tallon's old watch?

Is there a line more fun to watch than the Sedin line right now? I know the Preds spent a lot of time watching them last night.

Hodgson, despite the goal, has another stinker and wears the goat horns along with Hansen and Bieksa. Guy Jannik LaFluer misses his man on the winner, Bieksa goes for an early change with the puck going the wrong way on the tieing goal. I'll let the one off Kasual Kev's stick go as he was trying to make a play. Cody wears them on Tootoo goal. Halischuck was Silent 3's man but Cody, once again turns away from making a play on the boards. That pass should never have made it to Tootoo.

The way Cody refuses to go near an opponent on the boards is really pissing me off. His first shift of the night, the puck along the boards just in front of the Canuck red line with two players battleing for it. Cody come over to offer support from the defensive side (good), but as he reaches the boards he turns away from the scrum, hits the boards with his back to the play and skates to the corner.

His final shift of the second, the puck comes out of the Nashville end to an open area near the boards at centre, Cody is is the closest Canuck, on the centre redline, makes one stride towards the puck and sees a Pred coming from his blueline for the free puck. Instead of making a very doable race for the puck that may lead to a crash with a Pred at the boards, he immediately peels off to his blueline and lets the Preds gain the zone.

If this is the way guys with bad back play, do you want he a Raymond in the lineup together.

Did you catch his after one interview? To paraphrase "we hung Cory out to dry on a couple of those and need to improve on that". Well Mr. I_don't_kill penalties_because_I_can't_play_defence, two of those goals were on Nashville powerplays. Calling out the guys on the PK are you? Nice one rookie.

Kel is right, Luongo was up on both goals, the belly flop was post goal deflation.

When do Weber and Suter run out of gas?

I didn't catch the # of who caught Tootoo head on in open ice, Alberts?, but I'd like to buy him a beer.

Booth splits the defence down the middle, Guy Jannick LaFluer's goal, what year is it?

Holy shit Topper, I came on here to say that was a great game from Cody Hodgson last night. Are we watching the same player? He don't give up the puck that easy and sees the ice as good as anybody in the offensive zone. Move over Malhotra, you suck. Say hi to the 4th line, please.

The weakness on this team is team defense, and sorry Topper, Cody isn't the reason we suck defensively. It doesn't help that you have Ballard, Rome and Alberts all dressing. With those 3 playing, our D must rank near the bottom of the league. Scarey, how noticeable Salo's absence is on this team. If there is a weak link on this team is our depth on D.

The 2nd line only goes when Kesler goes.

The Sedin line was spectacular last night.

One of the oddest games of the year last night

[RoyalDude]

A few comments:

So much for glass slippers and knights in shining armour. The quick yank of No.2 was the right call. Do you folks think Nashville has a goaltending controversy?

Mason Vopatti with the spinner-ramma one timer capped a stellar fourthline shift. A solid game by that unit.

AV, GMMG, someone in between? Who has Dale Tallon's old watch?

Is there a line more fun to watch than the Sedin line right now? I know the Preds spent a lot of time watching them last night.

Hodgson, despite the goal, has another stinker and wears the goat horns along with Hansen and Bieksa. Guy Jannik LaFluer misses his man on the winner, Bieksa goes for an early change with the puck going the wrong way on the tieing goal. I'll let the one off Kasual Kev's stick go as he was trying to make a play. Cody wears them on Tootoo goal. Halischuck was Silent 3's man but Cody, once again turns away from making a play on the boards. That pass should never have made it to Tootoo.

The way Cody refuses to go near an opponent on the boards is really pissing me off. His first shift of the night, the puck along the boards just in front of the Canuck red line with two players battleing for it. Cody come over to offer support from the defensive side (good), but as he reaches the boards he turns away from the scrum, hits the boards with his back to the play and skates to the corner.

His final shift of the second, the puck comes out of the Nashville end to an open area near the boards at centre, Cody is is the closest Canuck, on the centre redline, makes one stride towards the puck and sees a Pred coming from his blueline for the free puck. Instead of making a very doable race for the puck that may lead to a crash with a Pred at the boards, he immediately peels off to his blueline and lets the Preds gain the zone.

If this is the way guys with bad back play, do you want he a Raymond in the lineup together.

Did you catch his after one interview? To paraphrase "we hung Cory out to dry on a couple of those and need to improve on that". Well Mr. I_don't_kill penalties_because_I_can't_play_defence, two of those goals were on Nashville powerplays. Calling out the guys on the PK are you? Nice one rookie.

Kel is right, Luongo was up on both goals, the belly flop was post goal deflation.

When do Weber and Suter run out of gas?

I didn't catch the # of who caught Tootoo head on in open ice, Alberts?, but I'd like to buy him a beer.

Booth splits the defence down the middle, Guy Jannick LaFluer's goal, what year is it?

Holy shit Topper, I came on here to say that was a great game from Cody Hodgson last night. Are we watching the same player? All young forwards make their mistakes defensively, I'm seeing quite a few of them from the likes of Nugent Hopkins and other young gifted offensive players, do you give up on them? Hell no, he will get it and get stronger as he gets older, there is too much there not to like about the kid. I'm finally seeing the potential in this guy. He don't give up the puck that easy and sees the ice as good as anybody in the offensive zone. Move over Malhotra, you suck. Say hi to the 4th line, please.

The weakness on this team is team defense, and sorry Topper, Cody isn't the reason we suck defensively. It doesn't help that you have Ballard, Rome and Alberts all dressing. With those 3 playing, our D must rank near the bottom of the league. Scarey, how noticeable Salo's absence is on this team. If there is a weak link on this team is our depth on D.

The 2nd line only goes when Kesler goes.

The Sedin line was spectacular last night.

One of the oddest games of the year last night

[Topper]

Holy shit Topper, I came on here to say that was a great game from Cody Hodgson last night. Are we watching the same player? He don't give up the puck that easy and sees the ice as good as anybody in the offensive zone.

Sometimes you have to flush twice to get rid of floaters.

[damonberryman]

I tape the games out here in NY due to the time they start. Costs me a couple of bills to get the Center Ice package but it is a bargain. I did not plan on posting but I have to pass this along. i like the Cody kid. Liked him in juniour and I liked him in the World Juniour. I know he is not a speed merchant but we have those, such as Raymond who may play well with Cody. the kid has the ice awareness that good players have. We forget he is a kid with two years of injury. He trains with roberts this past summer and comes into camp ready. this is part of his appeal to me. He acts like a pro already. He is one of those Ontario kids who is born for hockey. It is easy to imagine his mother or father driving him to rinks all over the metro area at 5 in the AM. My brother lives out there in T.O. and did it with one of his sons. Talk about competitive! To make it to any of the big juniours you already have succeded beyond most peoples ability. It is that strong.

To the point. i certainly mean no offense but I was reading this really negative review on Hodgson. Because i read the threads and becasue it went against all the others on the same subject, I knew who wrote it before I looked at the name. Not trying to start any controversy here but when i feel the way about a player as this guy does about Cody, it usually involves something else. For instance, I really dislike Messier. I would not piss on his head if his eyebrows were on fire. I would have said head, but ...you know. I remember him breaking the jaw of a very talented Russian winger with a check that could have made radar on the local Air Traffic Controllers. Messier enjoyed it. I love talent but not his. He is everything I dislike in a man and a player besides being very good at hockey. For what it is worth, I wanted to mention that anything predictable by definition does not take into account the possiblilty of change. The posts are predictable. From what I have seen Hodgson has a lot to learn but he is doing just that. He may never live up to the unreasonable expectations this city's media put on him, but he is playing better as we go. he should play only as a center as that is what he is all about. Do not like to see him on wing and I can understand how he is percieved as not finishing checks. Instead he heads back to the play just like a natural center. Like I say, no controversy. I do not like it but normally this guy is sharp. I like his take but this constant predictability is not worthy. Also, it is not true.

[tantalum]

Hodgson has things to work on I don't think anyone has EVER said otherwise. He has weak areas of his game but also strong areas of his game. You know like the vast majority of young players. He's a rookie on pace for 40 points on a team where he isn't going to get primo ice time. He is 6th in team forward scoring with only 13 minutes a game and getting shuttled from line to line and wing to center back to wing back to center. He has a good shot at hitting 20 or more goals in his rookie season (on pace for 16 right now). He's learning the game. Defensively he is sound enough and again learning. If he wasn't AV wouldn't keep him in the lineup or even with the big club. But he is learning and he is certainly not the worst defensive forward on the team this year while he has been one of the better offensive forwards! And guess what? He's a plus player to boot. I don't understand the complaints. I really don't. I'm not going to say he is going to be a Daniel Sedin when he finishes developing (hodgson possesses a better shot than Henrik and has great visions and passing skills...he's a bit of a mini-daniel), but he is on pace for a very similar rookie season. Sure he's a year or so older hockey wise than Daniel was, Daniel didn't miss a year with a serious injury.

I guess I just have to shake my head.

[LotusBlossom]

Hodgson has things to work on I don't think anyone has EVER said otherwise. He has weak areas of his game but also strong areas of his game. You know like the vast majority of young players. He's a rookie on pace for 40 points on a team where he isn't going to get primo ice time. He is 6th in team forward scoring with only 13 minutes a game. He's learning the game. Defensively he is sound enough and again learning. If he wasn't AV wouldn't keep him in the lineup or even with the big club. But he is learning and he is certainly not the worst defensive forward on the team this year while he has been one of the better offensive forwards! And guess what? He's a plus player to boot. I don't understand the complaints. I really don't.

+1

[tantalum]

The 2nd line only goes when Kesler goes.

Yes it does. When Kesler is playing well, all of a sudden the opposition has to devote some more resources to him and that is opening up space for Booth to use his speed and strength to get to the net with the puck. Same thing with Higgins.

Kesler is the star of the show, but Higgins and Booth are looking like they could be great supporting characters.

[Topper]

where he isn't going to get primo ice time.

But he is getting primo ice time. He is the fifth centre on the team, but plays the third line except he is absolved from faceoff duties, he gets second unit PP time and is sheltered from defensive roles.

Why the kidd glove treatment?

While folks are handing out goat horns to Hansen and Bieksa, they should also be giving them to the guy who's gaff started the Preds comback. Why is Cody immune to criticism?

He is the softest player in the line up and and also the biggest floater in the lineup.

[tantalum]

where he isn't going to get primo ice time.

But he is getting primo ice time. He is the fifth centre on the team, but plays the third line except he is absolved from faceoff duties, he gets second unit PP time and is sheltered from defensive roles.

He gets 13 minutes a game. That isn't primo icetime. He often gets that ice time in a position he had never played until this year. He gets offensive stalwarts Manny Malhotra and Hansen on his wings when he gets to play center. He gets absolved from faceoff duty because like MOST young centers he is lousy at taking them and there is someone better on the team to take them (that's called coaching). Of course he gets sheltered from defensive roles, there is a freaking Selke winner on the team! Again coaching. And no two ways about it Malhotra has been terrible this year. Hodgson should be playing center over Malhotra so far. LaPierre has a history of having his best play in more limited minutes. Once his minutes go up he loses his effectiveness within a few games. I know many question AV and his game plans or lack of ability to respond, but he has an inate gift of recognizing the best way to maximize the individual talents of his players.

Why the kidd glove treatment?

He's being treated like everyone else on the team. His skills are used on the PP but not on the PK where he wouldn't be as good. He has had to earn his icetime. When he does he gets more. When he struggles he gets less. When the dist settles he is better offensively that a large number of forwards. Guys like Volpatti and Malhotra routinely have bigger issue in their own zone this year so he isn't the worst defensive forward either. Really when talking about the canucks every forward is passable defensively or they don't play. Many other teams he wouldn't even be close to the bottom in terms of defensive play.

While folks are handing out goat horns to Hansen and Bieksa, they should also be giving them to the guy who's gaff started the Preds comback. Why is Cody immune to criticism?

Did anyone say he is immune to criticism? I've never seen it. But he is to be excused for lapses in judgement far more than an experienced veteran with 600 games under his belt. I can't believe you don't recognize that. And when he does make a mistake that the coaching staff feels was completely his fault he is demoted or misses shifts. Just like other young players under AV.

He is the softest player in the line up and and also the biggest floater in the lineup.

Floater? give me a break. Not even close. He gets confused sometimes but he is not a floater. Never has been. Not even in junior when he could put up points in his sleep. Where do floaters end up on an AV coached team? It certainly isn't in a uniform on game day unless you have the career achievements to suggest the floating will go away at some point (Samuelsson, Bieksa).

Soft? if you say so. I don't know why you expect that a 5'10" 175 lb guy is going to go toe to toe with a 6'4" 220lb D-man along the boards. He can't. He needs to learn how to use his positioning to turn pucks over and win board battles and I bet if you watch the last number of games and compare them to his first few games this year you will see a vast improvement in that area. You'll notice that when he has the pucks along the boards he quite often gets himself some space and makes a play so that part of his game is good. He also needs to completely trust his body/back and I don't think he is at that point yet.

Look I'm done. We get you don't like the guy and think he's the worst player on the team and that countless individuals should be playing ahead of him. But you really are pretty much all alone on that island. Usually that makes a person stop and think that they may be wrong in their assessment.

[Jovocop]

The weakness on this team is team defense, and sorry Topper, Cody isn't the reason we suck defensively. It doesn't help that you have Ballard, Rome and Alberts all dressing. With those 3 playing, our D must rank near the bottom of the league. Scarey, how noticeable Salo's absence is on this team. If there is a weak link on this team is our depth on D.

If you want to put Ballard in that group, you should also put Bieksa there as well. He was single handedly responsible for at least 2 goals last night. I do agree that Salo's absense was very noticable, especially when you had Rome as a replacement... How AV chose Rome over Ballard to replace Salo is beyond my imagination...

[Topper]

Like it or not Tant, 2nd unit PP time is primo ice time. Maybe you should question his lack of PK time and why.

To say he is treated as others on the team is hogwash and you know it. We had this debate earlier. Every other Canuck prospect in the lineup earned their ice time working their way up through the line up and on the PK. Only the Sedins, who came into a much different lineup, did not start out on the fourth line, yet they still played regular PK shifts.

Does Hansen have 600 games under his belt? Does Bieksa have 600 games under his belt? Combined they don't have 600 games under their belts. Where did you pull that number from?

Was he the goat on the Tootoo goal, most certainly.

Did he bail out on the physical plays I noted, yes he did.

Is he caught bailing from the defensive zone early, yes he is.

[Rumsfeld]

I know AV likes to green-light the defense but I'm getting palpitations watching Rome and Alberts pinching down low every shift like they're freaking Paul Coffey.

The chance of them actually contributing offensively from there is far outweighed by the chance of their team getting burned becaude they're too slow to get back in the play. Their offensive instincts are terrible and I'd rather see them stick to defense, especially in the third period of a tie game.

Both of our goaltenders gave up a softie but it was a weird game. Our defensive play wasn't really as poor as people are making out. There were a few terrible lapses but we didn't really give them a whole hell of a lot compared to what we were getting. We had way more chances and owned the Preds territorially but every time they got a chance it was either of the grade-A variety or they got lucky.

I expect a much tighter game from the Canucks on Sunday.

[rats19]

Topper is likely more right than wrong in his cohoing assessment. however i like the kid and thinks he will become one of our staples.....so that should pretty much end this discussion eh wot?