Canucks News and Notes

[Cornuck]

Anaheim apparently offered up any of its draft picks and a couple of prospects but refused to offer up a roster player, for Kesler. They ran out of time to try and land anyone else they had targeted.

So it seems having Kesler on the market allowed MG to significantly effect the day

Yeah - good luck with that shitty offer Anaheim...

[sagebrush]

This summer can be the most important in franchise history.

Trade possibilities, buy out(s), CAP space already lined up, FA acquisitions, & the young guns.

A chance to bounce back from the nadir.

It will show what Gillis is made of.

[rats19]

Jensen called up from Utica...more please

[Hockey Widow]

Jensen called up from Utica...more please

Partly due to the expectation of a Kassian suspension.

[rats19]

Jensen called up from Utica...more please

Partly due to the expectation of a Kassian suspension.

Likely...but still let's get some speed and youth up

[Hockey Widow]

Jensen called up from Utica...more please

Partly due to the expectation of a Kassian suspension.

Likely...but still let's get some speed and youth up

Agree 100%. We have 17 games to find out what some of these kids can do, an audition for next year. Bring up Fox too. Bring up anyone you can up front and throw them to the wolves. Ask Hank if he needs to be shut down

Great opportunity for the brass to see what they have and get a better handle on what they need when they move out some core. Might even inspire me to watch another game this year.

[Hockey Widow]

Kassian suspended for 3 games.

[rats19]

Exactly what I would like to have happen. I would enjoy watching and even losing under those circumstances.

[mathonwy]

Exactly what I would like to have happen. I would enjoy watching and even losing under those circumstances.

Sadist.

[rats19]

Exactly what I would like to have happen. I would enjoy watching and even losing under those circumstances.

Sadist.

If I am going to suffer I am going to enjoy it.....hey wait a minute.
Who do you think you are
Coming on coming on..like you're some kind of movie star

[KeyserSoze]

As entertaining as it might be to see a bunch of the kids called up to see what they can do...there are several key jobs on the line and millions of dollars still at play.

The Canucks are 4 points out of 8th place with 17 games and 34 points still remaining.

I'm not saying they're going to snap out of this and make the playoffs...but I doubt we see a line up full of prospects until at least April.

[mathonwy]

Kassian suspended for 3 games.

Kassian... is going to seriously hurt someone again.

What a careless boarding play that could have ended horribly with Vrbata being paralyzed.

Fuck.

Drama Queen much?

Not really. There's no reason why Kassian had to hit Vrbata that way. Considering how much talk about the hit there's been from the broadcasters, I don't think I'm alone in my opinion.

Kassian has proven himself to be a bit of a fucktard. There is no doubt that when he focuses at the task at hand, he has some world class hands and can be quite dangerous. (Along the same lines as Bertuzzi I think) But his idiotic decision making is proving to be more of a detriment then an asset.

Gallagher's evaluation of Kassian is on the point:

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/hocke ... story.html

"The Canucks continued the marginalization of Zack Kassin, and what’s amusing is that the supposedly smart people with this team haven’t yet noticed the clear pattern which is evolving with this guy they have so much invested in, even though you’d never know it based on the way he’s treated. The more pushed into the background he becomes, the more disengaged he becomes and the worse he plays. It’s not like he’s trying to make mistakes, but his play was nowhere near this level when he was first acquired and he was considered a vital part of the team. Relegated to the fourth line by coach John Tortorella, who never uses his fourth line until a game is won or lost, Kassian took a dumb penalty on only his third shift of the game in the second period, which really cost his team. It would almost certainly have led to a benching had the team not been out of the game with another one to play Sunday morning. So he ended up playing a regular shift in the third period and took another penalty early in that waltz, which was so bad it turned into public skating."

What I don't agree with is Tony putting the blame on the coaching staff. If Kassian can not take it upon myself to change his fucktard behaviour and learn to earn his ice time, then Kassian can go fuck himself. Kassian will never admit it but it's an attitude of entitlement.

The only other Canuck player in recent years that has demonstrated this type of similar behaviour is casual Kev and Bieksa has been much better the last couple years.

Torts is good for this team. I think the core players appreciate his no-nonsense attitude. If AV was still in charge, we'd be in deeper trouble than we currently are. I think Kassian should be given a few more games to see if he gets the message. If he doesn't, GMMG should look seriously at trading him. Our team doesn't have the time or depth to let a player like Kassian figure it out on his own time.

Oh how my opinion of Torts has changed...

But my opinion of Kassian hasn't changed and this latest suspension reinforces it.

What a complete fucktard.

[Topper]

I didn't even see a penalty on the play.

[Lancer]

I saw the hit, and IMO it was a case of Kassian making up his mind he was going to lay a hit and a hurting on the guy regardless. Dillon turned his back to Kassian, but Kassian was fully committed and was not going to back off. Kassian hit him in the numbers and crunched him good.

IMO Kassian wanted to make a difference in a losing cause, saw what he thought was his opportunity - by making a big hit - and didn't ease up when it turned out to be a hit from behind. He should know better, and will rightly hear about it from a lot of folks between management and the league. In a way, I feel for him because IMO that's a hit borne out of a desire to try and make a difference and he screws it up and injures Dillon, puts the team down a man for 5 and gets suspended.

Hopefully they take him off the cross before too long. I'd rather a guy make mistakes for being too zealous than too timid.

[sagebrush]

I thought Cheech called it right. Considering that past suspension's have been based in part on injury, & Dillon came back in the game, no suspension was expected for Kassian.