Sat. Jan 19, 2013 Ducks at Canucks HNIC 7pm

[paddy]

Strangely enough with both goalies shiting the bed last night this was not my biggest concern because they will figure it out... Watching Ebbett as the 2nd line center was like having flashbacks to the Kings series where Hansen was playing on the 1st line... Its like actors Ryan Reynolds and Daniel Day Lewis both act but if Daniel Day Lewis cannot star in Lincoln I don't think the role should go to Ryan Reynolds...

Edler needs to be hypnotizied before games... There has to be a word in which he hears that gets him engaged in the game PHYSICALLY... Hamhuis was horrible as well...

Watching Dale Weise get run over in the final minutes by Bonino and sort of half ass respond reminds me of what this team really is and how nothing really changes...

[RoyalDude]

Watching Dale Weise get run over in the final minutes by Bonino and sort of half ass respond reminds me of what this team really is and how nothing really changes...

Which is what baffles me as to why Gillis fails to see this and has zero inclination to deal with it. These problems started the last half of last season.

I tend to use the Holmgren model about blowing it up. Not saying Richards and Carter are not great players or that Holmgren is a genius or anything, but they recognized that some changes had to be made, it worked out for Richards and Carter, they need a new start in cities and the Flyers needed new faces for the franchise and it worked out for them, Holmgren dropped the ball on Bryzgalove but all is not bad from the changing of the guard he did in Philly.

It's getting stale around here and lets face it, all Ebbett's presence points out to me is that the Hodgson trade was stupid, no offense to Kassian. Ya just don't trade quality center's for playes like Kassian. Just stupid. Keeping Luongo around for 9 months is just stupid. The team is playing like they are in wait mode for. Luongo's bizarro presence here is giving the team an identity crisis.

But even with Kesler, this team showed when he was in the line-up that they are really a one line team with one player on the 2nd line playing by himself - Kesler. The Sedins are starting to look predictable for opposing defenders. We are just stale, bottom line and we have a GM who truly isn't a GM but a decent hockey executive who is too afraid to make a substantial change to the face of this club.

[okcanuck]

One fucking game and Royaldud jumps all over them with his "I told you so" rant. Theres another forty-seven games Dud.

[RoyalDude]

One fucking game and Royaldud jumps all over them with his "I told you so" rant. Theres another forty-seven games Dud.

Did I just start this line of thinking regarding the current state of your beloved Vancouver Canucks, Okilee Dokilee? Make like Doc and check the archives, I've been thumbs down on this Gillis team for a while now. It won't change until these BOLD MOVES are made. Making Calgary Flame style acquisition for middle of the road journeyman role player types will not amount to a hill of beans, especially since the core group of this team that was put in place by previous management is starting to get old and tired and stale.

I mean hats off for the two presidents trophies Gillis has won, but that was yesteryear, every season is a new season, we are stuck in the past, especially with Luongo still lurking about. How was last night any different from where we left off?

[RoyalDude]

and can somebody explain to me, why with his combination of size and talent, is Kassian stuck in wait mode? He is playing without purpose. A guy like him should be playing like Iginla or Lindros. I worry that we have another Jim Sandlak here. I think players like Kassian need Mike Keenan style coaches, I hate Keenan, but he was good at lighting fires under players like Kassian. Maybe Kassian is completely lost in our system but then again, these were the same complaints about him in Buffalo.

[Lancer]

Kassian seemed to be playing not to get noticed in a bad way, and ended up not being noticeable much at all.

Frankly, this was a shit-show from about 5 minutes in. The only thing that worked half-way was the power-play, and even then they were still defaulting to the drop pass entry. Everything else was like Bizarro-Canucks. Yeah, watching Ebbet get manhandled all over the ice did not give me good feelings, but one game is hardly an ample sample size. Nobody was really playing well at all and it will be interesting to see which Canuck team shows up tonight.

In a way, I'm glad it was a blow-out so nobody in the dressing room can paint their effort as anything but a disaster. No false illusions about how they coulda won. Back to the drawing board they go and get ready for Edmonton.

Flush this one down the memory hole and get ready for the Coilers.

[Potatoe1]

Oh noes the sky is falling....

The Canucks sucking last night should come as no surprise to anyone.

They almost always start slowly and when you combine that with the fact that almost none of their players went to Europe I would expect a total shit show for the next 10 games.

Personally I don't give a shit what they do in the regular season. To me this short season will work in their favour come playoff time.

And Oh yeah for those blaming the Schneider performance on the lack of a Luongo trade give your heads a shake. If Schneider doesn't have the mental toughness to play well with Lu on the bench then he isn't the right guy to play here anyway.

There will always be "distractions" for goalies in Vancouver.

[rats19]

Thanks pot....voice of reason....atoe1

[Reefer2]

Sorry Pot don't agree with you 100%, there is no magical switch that shows this team understands what is needed to win games and we saw it last season.

This team is missing something on the forward line and MG did nothing in the off season about it. What does he do but bring in another defender. I am not worried about missing the playoffs, this team will come through with Schneider and or Luongo in net.

Just come playoffs I don't expect much with what we see past the Sedins/Kesler/Burrows. After them the skill set drops significantly for a team that should be competing for the cup. AV is getting what he wants a defence first team with limted offensive creativity.

I do agree with you about the team coming out flat and no one should be surprised, tonight will be no easier with a jacked up Oilers team.

[coco_canuck]

There will always be "distractions" for goalies in Vancouver.

Yup.

The only thing that stems the bed wetting is winning, if they lose there will be another major issue on the team that needs immediate resolution. The wheels keep spinning.

Anyways, I don't have much analysis from the game, well because there really wasn't much worth evaluating. The only thing I will say is that Chris Tanev still has ice water running through his veins and Keith Ballard's summer buyout prognosis remains on schedule.

I've been a big believer of waiting until the quarter point mark in a season to get a good sense of what a team is all about, but the quarter mark this season will be 10 games, not 20. So while I wouldn't write the Canucks off if they tread water over the first 20 games, they will have their hands full if they don't get on a roll after about 10 games.

[coco_canuck]

Just come playoffs I don't expect much with what we see past the Sedins/Kesler/Burrows. After them the skill set drops significantly for a team that should be competing for the cup. AV is getting what he wants a defence first team with limted offensive creativity.

It really wouldn't be a Canucks season with Reefer wallowing in his Canucks misery.

Yeah, I'm sure Vigneault dreams of having an offensively challenged team....where do you come up with this shit?

Good to see the lockout hasn't changed you, we always need the laugh.

[Potatoe1]

Sorry Pot don't agree with you 100%, there is no magical switch that shows this team understands what is needed to win games and we saw it last season.

LA Kings ?

This team is missing something on the forward line and MG did nothing in the off season about it.

Yes you're right we are missing the best second line centre in the game and another 20 goal scorer. Oh wait we have 2 guys like but I guess they don't count since they are injured.

What does he do but bring in another defender.

Another defender was exactly what we needed. The blue line would look terrible with out Garrison.

I do agree with you about the team coming out flat and no one should be surprised,

Wasn't that the main point of the post I wrote (which you 100% disagreed with) ?

So really you only about 10% disagree or perhaps only 5% (smile)

[Benjo]

The boys had 0 intensity, preparedness, speed or will to win in this one.

-Burrows looked uncharacteristically slow tonight, not sure why or if its just me.

-the Sedins brains were uncharacteristically slow tonight, taking a little too long to make the play

-I know they can't practice with coaches during lockout but the Fucking, Fucking FUCKING Drop passes on the PP are long past their expiration date, especially when used that frequently.

-Weise had about 6 half breakaways and they were all pretty sad.

-I like Garrisons effort level at keeping pucks in the zone, he gets his body in front of clears, he doesn't just half ass wave his stick at it

-2nd line was invisible

-Ducks scoring 2 goals in the first 5 seconds of a PP tells me they just werent checked in mentally. Not sure where the forward was on the Souray goal or how Perry was left all alone in front on his PP goal.

-Selanne is amazing at 42

-The boys lost every physical battle and confrontation last night. Any time 2 players bumped together the Canuck went down.

[RoyalDude]

Yes you're right we are missing the best second line centre in the game and another 20 goal scorer. Oh wait we have 2 guys like but I guess they don't count since they are injured.

Every team has injuries Potatoe. This cities beloved Canuck fans finds great comfort in their excuses. The team was missing something on the forward line starting the last half of last season and into the playoffs. WE. CAN'T. SCORE.

[Meds]

The boys had 0 intensity, preparedness, speed or will to win in this one.

-Burrows looked uncharacteristically slow tonight, not sure why or if its just me.

-the Sedins brains were uncharacteristically slow tonight, taking a little too long to make the play

-I know they can't practice with coaches during lockout but the Fucking, Fucking FUCKING Drop passes on the PP are long past their expiration date, especially when used that frequently.

Pretty much...

-Weise had about 6 half breakaways and they were all pretty sad.

What was sad about that is the fact that Weise was about the only Canuck skating hard enough to get those half breakaways.

-I like Garrisons effort level at keeping pucks in the zone, he gets his body in front of clears, he doesn't just half ass wave his stick at it

Loved that. He comes to put in the effort everywhere.

-2nd line was invisible

-Ducks scoring 2 goals in the first 5 seconds of a PP tells me they just werent checked in mentally. Not sure where the forward was on the Souray goal or how Perry was left all alone in front on his PP goal.

No surprise on the second line. Ebbed is anchoring it with MayRay and Kassian. Raymond is a pansy who will never thrive in AVs offensive system. He needs to free wheel where his speed can kill.

Perry wasn't alone. He just out worked Hamhuis.