Canucks News N Notes 24-25

[donlever]

So now we need to molly coddle a 26 year old adult who demanded to be paid top dollar.

Fuck him.

Is he not embarrassed that he had to have that 100K more than Nylander and he's currently less than half the player?!

Man up for Crissakes.

Were EP on full buy in he'd be training with the Captain this summer.

The invitation was clearly proffered.

And seemingly, were we to read between the lines, refused.

Since Kesler was brought up earlier the summer before he broke out he was shooting and tipping 500 pucks a day beyond his normal fitness regimen....result...a Selke and 41 goals.

I think what Tocchet and Jimmy Cryonics both said rings true, EP does not train or practice well enough (off or during season) for an elite player (37 year old Sid was in the ice with injured Penguins leading the charge TODAY) does not channel his on ice skills adequately in "taking over a game" and also that he is soft as butter when challenged physically, mentally or when having to battle through injury.

A problem.

Enough is enough.

Time to grow up.

[donlever]

Toppers diatribe..

Out

Deja Vu.

[Megaterio Llamas]

UW, you have ever so briefly coaxed me back. I have already shared these thoughts with a couple of others here via other avenues.

Plenty of blurred lines of responsibility between the two. Jim has not released the reigns to his GM.

The take on JT/Scooter borders between embarrassment and CYA. Not a good picture of Scooter. Doesn't train properly in the off season, doesn't use the resources available, doesn't train well during the season, doesn't fight through injury however minor they may be... But why did you pay him the big bucks? We believe he can mumble mumble. Sounds like not arriving at camp in shape may have been the final straw for JT ... but Scooter has spent the last few days in the team gym in Vancouver so all is good now.

Great line, Scooter will always get his points but will he go the extra mile to push the team. Likened it to Stevie Y in Detroit when Bowman arrived, do you want your points or do you want to drive the team?

I can't believe they hung their hats on this guy when they resigned him and knew this of his lack of character. If they didn't know, that is even worse.

They can't believe Willander (I like him a lot, Ohlund upside) would forgo $ to stay in school. They seemed completely out of touch with the kid's viewpoint.

Ticket price increases "not my department." ... exchange rates ... need to upgrade an old building ... 90% return of season ticket holders ... dedicated practice facility will come, but likely not in Jim's lifetime or Patrick's tenure.

Quinn, maybe we need to get his brothers here ... oops I may have said too much and need to avoid tampering ... I can see the league coming in on this as they did when Benning spoke too soon.

JT, only 4 or 5 guys in the league can do what JT does. Never going to replace him and the trade sent the team from playoff contender to team in transition.

Tocchet, not exercising team option, throwing lots of money his way but up to Ricky. My take, there is a vacancy with the Rags and is there a bigger stage for a coach outside of TO?

Need a 1st/2nd line centre and will have to come via trade and won't be cheap.

Overall, they seem a bit lost and overwhelmed. Not a confidence inspiring media session.

In addition - the Scooter picture - he looks like the uptight hipster he may very well be.

With Byslma out in Seattle now is there mounting competition for the Ranger's job that could speed up Tocchet's decision?

Out

lol, he's a stressed out rootin' tootin' skootin' brooding mess.

[Meds]

There was some talk of preparation, too, by Rutherford and Allvin. But if that were it, saying "buying into the system" makes little sense, and he used Crosby as a counter example and said Crosby could play any way, and when Sullivan came to Pittsburgh, he played Sullivan's way.

Ahh ok. I'll confess I haven't watched Rutherford and Allvin yet. I was just responding to where you said....

UW's two cents: Uh oh. Because the EP40 missing most was the part that got him points -- offensive execution. If the "buying in" was a training/nutrition/fitness program or skill development work ethic, that's one thing

Your use of quotations around buying in led me to think that was the terminology JR used. If it was actually "buying into the system" then that changes my way of looking at it.

[Cousin Strawberry]

The reassuring optimism in me says that same skinny geek of a kid who never trains was able to dominate just like he would if he trained like a madman. He also owned the hardest shot in the league as a 21 year old and laid down what...3x near 100 point paced seasons before the slump?

The meat of the issue isn't training and strength it's between his ears. You have to get into that giant bobble headed cranium and find the worm

[2Fingers]

Watching his post season pressure was hard, he looked like he didn't want to be there. He must have known the questions would come his way about his training and ability to execute so don't look so upset being asked these questions. Donny - you are right, it is time for the man in EP to come out and own his actions and commit to next year. He owes it to his team mates and the team.

He needs to look in the mirror and have a good talk with himself to determine where he wants to be next season and prep for it.

[donlever]

The reassuring optimism in me says that same skinny geek of a kid who never trains was able to dominate just like he would if he trained like a madman.

His between the ears issues are what makes him fall down consistently at the lightest of touches?

You keep bringing his past successes up.

Professional coaches and players figure guys out and play to their weaknesses.

The best adapt and excel.

He has not.

What he did years ago is now irrelevant.

What he does this summer and next season are all that matters.

For the umpteenth time I hope you're telling me how wrong I was about him at the end of next year.

Because if you're not this team has troubles....

[Carl Yagro]

3x near 100 point paced seasons...?

3?

[donlever]

3x near 100 point paced seasons...?

3?

Cuz likes to use personal journalistic license to emphasize his points.

He learned from Dude.

Like there were 2 chunky broads equates to one beached whale type of thing.

[Cousin Strawberry]

3x near 100 point paced seasons...?

3?

The optimist in me chooses to see 3



I can groove to the concerns of y'all....its just that i saw a level of vision and skill that doesn't come along every day. He's almost certainly the most offensively gifted forward I've seen dress for this franchise. Some of the magic this kid has shown has been unreal.

That shit doesn't just go away I'm sorry. It doesn't.

Unlock the mind and the body shall follow

-Cousin Strawberry

[donlever]

Hmmm...

...big statement.

A couple of Russians and Swedes (all H of F worthy players) may take issue.

[Carl Yagro]

The most offensively gifted forward of this franchise?

There are 3 better Swedes who are up in the rafters, never mind a certain Russkie... and yes, I'm saying Naslund is more gifted and has done more for this club even while choking.

EDIT: Fuck, I'll even put Patrik Sundstrom and his Jofa helmet higher on the talent level. Shit, Imma add Thomas Gradin before ET.

[Meds]

UW, you have ever so briefly coaxed me back. I have already shared these thoughts with a couple of others here via other avenues.

Quinn, maybe we need to get his brothers here ... oops I may have said too much and need to avoid tampering ... I can see the league coming in on this as they did when Benning spoke too soon.

The only three saving graces here are.....

1. That Jack is under contract for another 3 years and therefore any acquisition of him would have to be via trade. So not really tampering.

2. He said brothers. The plural means the second point links to the first. However it is in Luke Hughes where any potential accusations of tampering may be found as he is RFA on July 1st.

3. Rutherford does have decent relationships with NHL head office types. He was joking and can probably apologize for it as an ill-timed joke born of a stressful situation.

Still, wasn't smart.

The rest of what you say makes one shudder at the magnitude of ineptness that has been demonstrated by this management group in their handling of Pettersson and Miller. The more that comes out between the lines about this, the more it seems that a few of us had some fairly decent hunches about how things were, and are, playing out.

[Cousin Strawberry]

I get the magnitude of the allegation. I stand by my claim.

His skills/dangles/shifty moves and a 100mph snapper?

All world.

If he had maintained the trend he was setting over those 3 years over the past 1-1/2 years and hadn't forgotten how to play? He'd be well regarded.

[donlever]

If my Aunt had nuts...