GDT - Canucks in the Lone Star state - 5 PM PST Mar 22 -SN-P

[RoyalDude]

Kassian just couldn't keep up

He isn't the only one. I feel like a fucking greyhound here sometimes with a bunch of saint bernards licking my earthpad dust.

I gotta use that line. I am making a mental note of this one.

[RoyalDude]

Are you mathonwy too?

Are you huffing scotch guard in Blob McKenzie's Man Cave or something?

[RoyalDude]

without prejudice

You have a friend who is a below average lawyer?

I don't have lawyer friends, my circle is a bunch of toothless rednecks.

[Blob Mckenzie]

Are you mathonwy too?

Are you huffing scotch guard in Blob McKenzie's Man Cave or something?

Fuck that we are strictly a paint thinner outfit here.

[mathonwy]

I'm just commenting on Kassian's performance tonight.

What was your issue with Kassians performance tonight?

Did you know there was a Canucks game tonight? We played the Stars and we won.

[Uncle dans leg]

Hodgson has skill, of this there is no doubt, but he really isn't the next Steve Yzerman some are making him out to be. His defensive zone coverage is seriously weak. He can't get the puck out of his zone. He gets muscled off every puck in every corner battle. He's young yes but his wheels won't be magically appearing any time soon. He's a support player and wouldn't have been playing a very key role once the games got into
the ditch like they're bound to do in about 4 weeks.
Add to this his whole whining for ice time, whining for better linemates, daddy calling his boss...that's alot of baggage for a rookie who hasn't proved shit in the NHL.
Gillis turfed a cancer. Period. Kassian is a 21 year old future power winger who is starting to grow into his body right in time for us. He won't snipe corners in meaningless games in January, no, but he might be the guy who knocks in the 3rd chance rebound in May because he is exactly the type of player we needed now and moving forward. You won't find Cody in that crease crashing play if he were a Canuck. Nope. He'd be wondering why none of his "unworthy" linemates aren't passing him the puck in the corner because that's what he's quickly proving to be...a me first whiner.

[Island Nucklehead]

Kassian was +2, there's a reason Raymond had a gimme. I don't know what more you want from the kid. Certainly a better showing than Ott running around being a goof for 3 times the pay...

[RoyalDude]

Hodgson has skill, of this there is no doubt, but he really isn't the next Steve Yzerman some are making him out to be. His defensive zone coverage is seriously weak. He can't get the puck out of his zone. He gets muscled off every puck in every corner battle. He's young yes but his wheels won't be magically appearing any time soon. He's a support player and wouldn't have been playing a very key role once the games got into
the ditch like they're bound to do in about 4 weeks.
Add to this his whole whining for ice time, whining for better linemates, daddy calling his boss...that's alot of baggage for a rookie who hasn't proved shit in the NHL.
Gillis turfed a cancer. Period. Kassian is a 21 year old future power winger who is starting to grow into his body right in time for us. He won't snipe corners in meaningless games in January, no, but he might be the guy who knocks in the 3rd chance rebound in May because he is exactly the type of player we needed now and moving forward. You won't find Cody in that crease crashing play if he were a Canuck. Nope. He'd be wondering why none of his "unworthy" linemates aren't passing him the puck in the corner because that's what he's quickly proving to be...a me first whiner.

The problem I have Leg is that we need goals. Scoring is a problem for us, especially 5 on 5. Kassian can run around all winded and gassed trying to keep up and scare people in scrums between whistles for all I care but at the end of the day, it's goals that we need and goals we ain't getting. Why not trade CoHo for I don't know, someone who can at least score. Is Kassian really that much better than Bitz? I thought Bitz looked a helluva lot better than Kassian has so far.

[dbr]

Mathonwy quit while you're behind. Stop licking the dude's ass , you're going to hit one of Bersnoozi's feet.

Never change Blob.

As for Kassian vs. Ott, I would love Steve Ott on this team but if we traded Cody freaking Hodgson for him I'd have been sick when I heard. The Kassian deal gives us something this group has never had, and potentially much more going forward - Kassian is far behind Hodgson in some respects right now (and will always be behind him in others) but overall appears to be capable of offering this team about what Cody did - less than the Silent G fan club would have us all believe, in other words.

I might take Ott over Kassian right now, but thankfully this team has a GM who thinks of more than just right now.

[Island Nucklehead]

The problem I have Leg is that we need goals. Scoring is a problem for us, especially 5 on 5. Kassian can run around all winded and gassed trying to keep up and scare people in scrums between whistles for all I care but at the end of the day, it's goals that we need and goals we ain't getting. Why not trade CoHo for I don't know, someone who can at least score. Is Kassian really that much better than Bitz? I thought Bitz looked a helluva lot better than Kassian has so far.

And Cody's 4 goals, 3 A, -4 in 25 games in 2012 is supposed to magically fix that for us?

Hodgson wasn't an answer for us this season, and neither is Kassian. If the Sedins, Kesler, Burrows, Booth, Higgins, Raymond can't get it going we're fucked. It's got nothing to do with Hodgson or Kassian. Figure it out.

[dbr]

The problem I have Leg is that we need goals. Scoring is a problem for us, especially 5 on 5.

We'll just have to see.

I don't think the Canucks offensive problems are as bad as they've seemed of late (I read that coming into this game the team was shooting 6% over the previous 12 - that is just not sustainable over the long term), but it's clear that the brass have doubled down on a team that is able to produce just enough offense while playing a stifling, stingy playoff style game.

Is that going to be what gets us one more playoff win than last year, I don't know.. I think it would take an unimaginable degree of pessimism to assume it's going to fail and spend all day every day bitching about it until the cards are down (weeks or months from now) and we actually find out.

[Uncle dans leg]

Lost in all this is the fact that Sami Pahlsson has quietly stepped into the 3rd line centre position and played some pretty decent defensively sound hockey. He bring what Cody couldn't, responsible defence from that position. Very important in my opinion moving into the real season. Soon, pretty goals will no longer exist and greasy ones will be the name of the game. Codys' lazer beams won't be happening and the guys who go to the net the hardest are always the playoff heroes. A guy like
Pahlsson becomes so valuable because he keeps guys from driving through him to get to Cory/Roberto.
Much more valuable than fluff goals in January

[Island Nucklehead]

Pahlsson becomes so valuable because he keeps guys from driving through him to get to Cory/Roberto.
Much more valuable than fluff goals in January

Let's not forget the wicked pass he gave Hansen to set him up for the only goal vs. Chi-town...

But seriously, I agree. The Canucks are (were) betting on their top-6 forwards, the PP, and the D providing the offense. The bottom six's only job is to not get scored on and make life hard on the other guys. We'll see how it turns out. Regardless, winning or losing the cup won't come down to a Cody Hodgson or Zack Kassian. Those comparisons will have to wait 3-4 years.

[dhabums]

The problem I have Leg is that we need goals. Scoring is a problem for us, especially 5 on 5.

'

I hate being #6 in the NHL for 5on5 F/A.

I hate being #8 in the NHL for total goals 5on5.

I hate that we were awful 5on5 in October.

I really hate websites that give statistics.

[dhabums]

What's either scary or stupid is if we win tonight we are 3 points out of #1 in the NHL.

4 points out, game in hand and perhaps a slightly favourable schedule.