It has been a while since my last post, but guess who’s back? Yep, you got it, ME.

This post goes out to all Canucks fans,

We all share a common bond, a passion for the game and a passion for this team. We are a passionate bunch, no matter if we are new fans, or if we have been fans for many years. We have seen it all from terrible seasons to near perfect seasons that were ONE game from perfection and everything in between. We feel the anticipation of every game, every goal, and every save. We feel the excitement from every win and the disappointment from every loss. In the span of one season or even within one game we can go from absolutely heartbroken to overjoyed and vice versa dependent on the outcome. We feel every emotion good or bad that comes with being a hockey fan and we would not want it any other way.

This season is one that has been far from perfect thus far but it also has not been as bad as some have suggested. According to some, the Canucks should pack it in now and go for the TANK in order to acquire a high draft pick come June. Why would anyone encourage their team to NOT play their best regardless of how the season might end? Why not hope for the best for each game rather than expect the worst? Should they strive to be the worst or is it better for them to thrive to be their best despite what the outsiders say? No one said the 82-game journey would be an easy one or a fun one all the time. It’s a battle from start to finish with 29 other teams all vying for the same thing. The odds are that despite all the predictions made one way or another, some will be proven right and some will be proven wrong. Why not enjoy every step of the journey, wherever it leads despite the odds?

Odds are a funny thing that most often are unpredictable, no matter how much math becomes involved. Every season all the experts, bloggers, stats gatherers, and fans calculate the odds that their favourite team and players will have a good or bad season. Sometimes the odds are easy to predict. Star players will put on a show and other star players will struggle before finding their groove. Predicting where a team will finish based on prior performance should be simple enough BUT when every team in one division struggles out of the gate, it changes the odds game. Look at the how Pacific Division was dominated in every way by Anaheim last season and YET this season that is not the case. Every team in the Pacific has struggled at various points this season with only ONE team(LA) having a positive goal differential at the midway mark of the season.

Lots of hockey remains to be played and the divisional standings are anyone’s guess for how they will look at season’s end in the Pacific. Toss the odds out the window and hold on folks, we are in for a wild ride to the finish whether you are rooting for a tank or a triumph…things are about to get interesting as the trade deadline looms around the bend. Are you ready?

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.