Game 7 & 8 resound in LOUUUUUUUUUU

Posted on February 4, 2013 by sarahlaug

In today’s game edition of nucksaid we look at Luongo’s impressive week. Why was everyone so surprised to hear the announcement that Roberto Luongo was given the start against Colorado last week? Was it really that big of a surprise? To be honest, that decision did not shock me at all. In the previous game Luongo played a strong game despite the shootout loss. On Wednesday against Colorado, Luongo posted his 61st career shutout [34th as a Canuck] that night. Making his best stop of the night just over a minute into the game with the knob of his stick…did you see that one? It set the tone for the rest of the game. He was deep in the blue paint, tight on his posts and strong with glove.When the Canucks got a 2 goal lead, he made a very important stop on Matt Duchene on a short-handed breakaway to preserve the lead. The forwards rewarded his patience by extending the lead to three on the powerplay curtesy of #ZackAttack Kassian. P.S. that was his team leading 5th goal of the season! Did you happen to notice that at the end of that game as the final buzzer went…the ENTIRE arena was on their feet chanting LOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU? Pretty surprising giving to the fact that many of those ‘bandwagoners’ were hoping he would have left by now. Some of us never doubted that he deserved credit long ago and STILL does.

The next day people were once again shocked when the Canucks announced that Luongo would start against their nemesis the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday. Seriously why the shock? Luongo has always had a strong work ethic. The guy is posting his BEST season start numbers with a 1.46 GAA and a 0.944 save percentage! Not mention posting a 2-0-2 record…that means he has picked up 6 of a possible 8 points for the Canucks and is undefeated in regulation. This game lacked the punch of many previous meetings between the bitter rivals. Many expected there to be bad blood following hit by Duncan Keith that ended Daniel Sedin’s season last year. Both teams said simply, that it was getting the win and the two points that was important and not focusing on what happened in the past. And so it was. There was hardly any of the physicality that was expected and the only player to actually knock Keith down was Henrik Sedin. The Canucks may not have exacted revenge on Keith, but the fans were very loud in letting him know their distaste of what he did by booing him EVERY time he touched the puck. Alex Edler was the one to get the Canucks on the board in the first period and it stayed a 1 goal game until midway through the third period when that pesky Patrick Kane tied the game. It looked like the Blackhawks were going to steal the two points with a mad scramble in Luongo’s crease in the final minutes but the puck did cross the line and the crowd erupted in #LOUUUU chants as the buzzer ended regulation. Overtime was all Chicago and Luongo denying them goals…the Canucks had one nice rush short-handed near the end of the overtime period, but like regulation it ended tied. The entire arena, and all the fans watching from home were on the edge of their seats anticipating the Canucks going to a shootout for the 4th time in 8 games! Oi vey! The shootout has never been the strong point for the Canucks….the tension was palpable. The Canucks opted to go with Burrows, Kassian and Lapierre. The Hawks went with their snipers Toews, Kane, and Sharp. All six players were denied[no stop more brilliant than Luongo’s glove save on Sharp to extend the shootout to a 4th round!]. Cue sudden death…first team to outscore the other would win. The Canucks tapped rookie Jordan Schroeder…and he came prepared….he changed his speed midway getting Crawford to bite…just sneaking the puck through the five hole! Cue the arena screaming. All that was needed was one save by Luongo to win the game or a goal by Chicago to extend the shootout to a fifth round. The Hawks tapped Leddy…and Luongo said NO. CANUCKS win and Luongo was brilliant in the shootout stopping ALL 4 shooters. Did I mention that Captain Henrik Sedin played hi 900th NHL game on Friday[fun fact: he will play his 1000th NHL next season!]

Tonight the Canucks will once again lean on the goal-tending of Roberto Luongo when they play in Edmonton. Luongo has been incredible the last three games in particular and I look forward to seeing that continue tonight. Relax Schneider fans, he will get his chance, but Coach V and many other coaches tend to go with the hot hand. And right now that is Luongo as he is playing ridiculously well…why not let him play while he’s in the zone?! It should be an interesting match up tonight…Dubnyk vs. Luongo in Oil Country….go Canucks!

#GoCanucksGo #CanucksG9 #LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

The puck drops at 6:30PM. Enjoy the game everyone!

In a shortened season every game matters and every point counts. Until next time as always, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Relax, It’s Only Been SIX Games

Posted on January 30, 2013 by sarahlaug

6 games in and how quick the tides have rolled in. Fickle fans seem to be already passing judgement on the Canucks season calling it a slow start. Relax. How quick people are to forget that the Canucks typically start slowly[last year they had 2-3-1 start in their first 6 games vs. 2-2-2 this year!] It has only been six games, it is hardly time to panic with 42 games left on the schedule to be played. The Canucks typically are slow out of the gate…and follow that slow beginning with a BIG second month….they usually get hot in November[aka February this year!]. There is also usually BIG game when they turn it around…..the last two seasons it has been against Colorado[the very team that they are playing TONIGHT!] when they got their groove back. Let’s hope that, that trend continues against Colorado tonight. #GoCanucksGo

FYI. In the last 17 games versus the Avalanche the Canucks have posted a 15-0-2 record dating back to 2010. Going a perfect 6-0-0 last season! Luongo gets the start following a stellar performance[despite the shootout] in LA. I have never doubted Lou’s ability since all this drama of controversy was snowballed by the media. Luongo has a 10-0-2 record against the Avalanche heading into tonight’s game. I don’t know why people are so quick to decide that Schneider should get the start because they think he’s the ‘starter’ this season…he has been extremely inconsistent thus far night in night out whereas Luongo has been very consistent…and earned the right to start tonight. In 4 games Scneids has a 3.13 GAA and Lou has a 2.21 GAA. Coach V is going to play whichever of the two is playing best. and right now that is Lou. Schneids will get his chance to rebound and play consistently, but do not be so quick to assume that Lou will be going anywhere. With Eddie Lack out for 6 months or more, that does not give the Canucks any reliable backup or tandem options with Scheids. If the Canucks want to contend this season in the playoffs they are going to need BOTH LOU & SCHNEIDS.

Zack Kassian. Oh how quick all of us were to judge this kid last season when he came into the organization in exchange for Cody Hodgson. No one wanted to see the potential of this kid and last season it did not seem possible that he could ever compare to what CoHo brought skill level wise. This season has been a complete 180 compared to last season when he seemed out of place. Kassian began the year with the Chicago Wolves[Canucks AHL affiliate] and it was exactly that experience that brought his game to a new level. He so far has been one of the best Canucks players on the ice. He is currently on a 4 game goal scoring streak…and playing along side the Sedins. Kassian scored the shootout winning goal in the Canucks first win of the season…and has begun to win over Canucks fans and will continue to so as long he continues his consistent play. I look forward to seeing what this guy will do the rest of the season!

Is anyone else sick of seeing Chicago’s ridiculous successful start to the year [6-0-0…not including their current game against Minnesota!] If they win tonight…wouldn’t it be fun to see the Canucks ruin their streak of perfection? I personally think it would be fantastic….it would remind me of the way the Canucks snapped the Red Wings 23 game home streak last year! You know all of you Canucks fans would LOVE to see Chicago lose when they play the Canucks on Friday. Oh that would be fun to see on Friday…we shall have to wait and see.

That’s all for tonight. I’ve got a game to watch as do all of us Canucks fans! Enjoy the game tonight!! #GOCANUCKS

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

GAME DAY

Posted on January 20, 2013 by sarahlaug

Are you ready hockey fans? After a lockout that lasted 113 days, it is officially time to say GAME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you feel the energy around the league? Every where I look the team colors are taking over the city. The media and fans whispers get louder with each game that occurs and each goal scored. Has your team played yet? Can you hear all the things people are saying following opening day? Did you watch Coaches Corner? Did you see Don Cherry call Ron McLean’s nightly theory stupid? Did you see many rivalries re-ignited? Did you see any of the highlights or perhaps watch a game or two? I must admit, I missed hockey and may or may not have watched more than one game yesterday. Hockey is back and the possibilities are endless. I cannot wait to see what happens as the season unfolds.

Was opening day everything you hoped it would be? If you are Canucks fan, the answer will be NO. The Canucks did not get the victory, not even close. There was this guy on the other team, named Teemu Selanne…that got 4 points….and lets just say that no matter his age, he has not lost a beat. All of you who thought Schneider was the answer…well he did not play his best, not even close. It amazes me that people were so quick to jump on the bandwagon for Cory, and as soon as he had a terrible game, they all began to jump off saying they all want LOU to stay. Maybe Cory will be able to rebound, maybe not, but in moments like last night, I appreciate that the team has two great goalies. Cory earned the chance to play in the season opener, and unfortunately he had a bad game. Both Cory & Lou are class acts, and both own when they have an off game, and both deserve better than the boos of bandwagon fans. You cannot win every game, but in a shortened season each win is that much more important in the standings. There were 13 games last night, 26 teams played, but only 13 could be victorious. The LA Kings, and Washington Capitals joined the Canucks in big losses [LA lost 5-2 on their banner night & Washington lost 6-3] in their opening games, but rest assured all three will be making a turnaround.

I am not a bandwagon fan, nor will I ever be. I am simply a Canucks fan through and through. Nuck said. The Canucks will get a clean slate today, as they face off against Edmonton tonight at 6PM [pacific time]. I will be watching the game, cheering louder with each goal they score. The Canucks may not have won their opening game, but they did have a few [yes just a few] great moments….such as the #Sedinery on display with Danny’s goal. I look forward to seeing more of those moments in the coming weeks [and perhaps one or two tonight]! Go Canucks Go!

oh how I have missed game days & putting on the this jersey! Welcome back boys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look what I found hiding in my closet??oh how I have missed game days & putting on this jersey! Welcome back boys!!!!!!! I’ll be seeing you in the arena Jan.23!! #GoCanucksGO #OTOW

Win or lose, fans will continue to support their teams. This fan will ALWAYS support my team, no matter what crazy things the media or bandwagoners say. I am happy to report that I will be going to the game on Wednesday with my sisters! The Canucks play Calgary…it should be a great game! There is nothing quite like going to a live game…having 18,000+ fans cheering & yelling with you in unison.

There are bound to be many many more headlines that will be revealed in the coming weeks as the season progresses. Time will tell as teams push to get into playoff form. Once again today is game day, and you know what that means! Shake off the negativity from yesterday and get ready for tonight’s game! Good luck boys! As always, until next time, nuck said.

January 20th #GameDay #Canucks vs. #Oilers

Sarah E.L.

P.S. ALEX EDLER signed a 6-year extension with the Canucks late Friday January 18th. The contract has a $5 million cap hit per season [$30 million over all]. Edler definitely deserved this raise. This is a great deal for the Canucks as they could have lost him to the off-season market in July if they had not got this deal done. Edler probably could have gotten more money had he waited until July to see what other teams might offer him.

A Prelude to the 2013 season

Posted on January 14, 2013 by sarahlaug

Well faithful readers, we survived the lockout. The 2013 NHL season is officially begun. Training camp is underway. Game day is fast approaching. My Vancouver Canucks and the other 29 teams are all back on the ice!!! Each day brings new surprises for the fans and media alike as each team announces signings, trades and surprises for their home openers. Each day the whispers of anticipation of the first games grow louder. Fans and media are eager to prove their opinion is the one to listen to regarding the upcoming season.

As the first day of regular season games approaches, the hungrier the media becomes with finding the biggest headline. What are some of these interesting headlines making news? Let’s take a moment to ponder those, shall we?:

– Luongo, where will he play? You all know how I feel on this issue. I am disgusted by the media and certain fans who blame him for all things. I would be extremely disappointed to see him playing anywhere else, but wherever he plays [Vancouver included] I hope he has a fantastic season.

-Who will fill in the void left by Ryan Kesler? Kassian, Schroeder, Hansen or perhaps even Raymond? According to Mike Gillis, that spot will not be available for too long. Kesler is competitive and has never enjoyed being on the sidelines.

-Will Chris Higgins and David Booth be able to stay healthy for the majority of the season? If so, how many points will they put up? Will they eventually reunite with Kesler on the All-American Express line?

-Tim Thomas. Oh, the ever controversial Thomas. He has decided to continue his year of solitude in Colorado away from all things Bruins and hockey. His backup Tuukka Rask will assume the #1 starter position in the Bruins net for the 2013 season. Thomas has however told the team that he will be returning for the 2013-2014 season….really? It will be interesting to see how his team will respond if he does come back next season.

-Chris Pronger. Will or won’t he retire? This one is a difficult one for the Flyers to address. Pronger is their team captain, an impeccable leader on and off the ice.If he does retire, it means being forced to leave the game instead of on his own terms. The whispers are definitely getting louder on this issue as more and more reporters speculate Pronger retiring, and Philadelphia has yet to confirm one way or the other.

-The Maple Leafs. So many questions. Now that Burke has been fired, what will Nonis do differently? Will he be able to address their goal-tending issue before the end of the season? Will Kessel and Lupul be the dynamic duo they were last season again and if so, can they both stay healthy? Will the team make the playoffs in 2013?

-Scott Gomez has been officially let go. He was sent home by the Montreal Canadiens prior to the start of training camp. They will buy him out in the off-season. In other Montreal news, they have yet to secure P.K. Subban to a new contract. He cannot officially report to camp until he has signed on the dotted line.

-Will the Staal brothers now united in Carolina, be able to lead the Hurricanes to playoffs for the the first time since 2009?

-Can the LA Kings have the same success they had last year with Coach Sutter and goalie Quick?

-Will Ranger Nash be the missing puzzle that New York has been looking for?

-Will the young guns in Edmonton bring the city back to a ‘city of champions’ era?

-Just how good will a 100% healthy Sidney Crosby be? Will he be league MVP once more?

With all of these questions, time will tell. Many more issues will come to light in the coming days leading up to the opening game of the season. I look forward to all the story lines that are still come as the season begins. As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

P.S. Bonus reading for the week: Below is a link to one of my favourite Canuck/hockey blogs. A post from today was quite enjoyable. It’s an interesting look at Luongo’s stats…and if you keep up with my posts, you all know how much I love the guy as a Canuck!

http://canucksarmy.com/2013/1/14/the-case-for-roberto-luongo-as-the-canucks-starter-in-2013

GB says ‘ I am sorry’

Posted on January 11, 2013 by sarahlaug

It is officially time to drop the ceremonial puck now. The NHL Board of Governors voted unanimously to ratify the new CBA and the players are expected to officially ratify the new CBA by Saturday evening….and training camps are open on Sunday. Following the ratification of the NEW CBA, Gary Bettman addressed the media. What stellar media bite did he share with the public? An apology. Yes, an apology. This apology was geared towards all those who did not want a lockout to happen[which is pretty much everyone!].

“To the players who were very clear they wanted to be on the ice and not negotiating labour contracts, to our partners who support the league financially and personally, and most importantly to our fans, who love and have missed NHL hockey, I’m sorry,” said Bettman. “I know that an explanation or an apology will not erase the hard feelings that have built up over the past few months but I owe you an apology nevertheless.” How did that sound to you? To me, it sounded as if those words came from someone else…aka someone wrote the speech for him. Following his apology, he also spoke of his confidence that he will remain commissioner for many years to come. I suppose, we shall see.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been involved in many rumours circling the league, but the most shocking move they have made since the CBA came into reality…firing Brian Burke. Brian Burke was let go, following four years of zero playoff appearances. Most people have said they were stunned he was fired, but the owners claim it was not an overnight decision but months in the making. Just as Burke was fired, his protege Dave Nonis [yes that Dave Nonis] was named as the new General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It is curious that both Burke & Nonis worked for the Canucks together a few years back…and when Burke was fired back then, it was Nonis who was named his replacement. Nonis says that his GM style is similar to that of Burke, but he is more patient.

The closer training camp gets, the louder Luongo trade and Pronger retirement rumors all around the league become. The CBA will be ratified by tomorrow evening and as training camps open, teams will try to win back all their fans. Pittsburgh is having a few contests through their social media outlets as well as offering each fan attending the first 4home games: up to three free concession items and 50% off all Pittsburgh merchandise. Nashville is offering fans 2 for 1 tickets for the first game. The question remains, what will the Canucks offer to win back fans? What will the league offer to win back the fans that they drove away[following the last lockout, they created the shootout]?

Teams are still waiting to find out who their first opponents will be as the regular season schedule won’t be released until this weekend. All I know is regardless of who the Canucks play, that this kid is looking forward to digging out the jersey and getting pumped for game day next Saturday [January 19th!!!]. 30 teams are getting themselves ready for #gameday as the time to drop the puck is nearly here!

Until next time, as always, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

GAME ON!

Posted on January 6, 2013 by sarahlaug

In case you missed it….the NHL and NHLPA came together yesterday in 16+ hour marathon negotiation with mediator Beckenbaugh[this guy had immense pressure to get these sides together!] and announced that a NEW CBA HAS BEEN REACHED.

THE NHL is back on ICE!!!!!!!!! I told you all that there was still room for optimism!!! I told you all that I thought there was always hope for a season this year….and guess my optimism has paid off!

The word lockout is not a welcome one in my vocabulary. Yet it has forced its way into it for WAY too long. It is about bloody time a new #CBA has been reached! #GAMEON boys!!! #BeckenbaughLockoutHero #2013fortheWIN

No more ‘lockout’ heavy blogs. The game has simply returned!

The new deal presents a 10-year duration with an opt out option in after 8 years. That means 8 YEARS before another one of these CBA sagas again[although they should probably begin dealing with it before the end of year 8!]. The new deal also brings with a 50[or 48] game schedule…depending on just how soon the season can get underway with quick camps. Keep your eyes on January 17-20th for opening day!!!

#soexcited #feelslikeChristmas

Game on boys!! Cannot wait for all the ups and downs that come with an NHL season!! Here’s to a memorable 2013 NHL season in more ways than one!

More details are sure to come in the next few hours and coming days! The NEW schedule will soon follow, as soon as I know I will add it to here! Until next time, as always, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

THE SEASON IS BACK ON!!! TIME TO GET THOSE JERSEYS OUT FOLKS…lets turn this town BLUE & GREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #GAMEON

2012 ends with the NHL making one FINAL offer…

Posted on January 1, 2013 by sarahlaug

Let me start by saying I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years! Adios 2012. Hello 2013. The 2012-2013 NHL Lockout has now surpassed 100 days. As 2012 came to a close…the NHL has made yet ONE more FINAL offer to the Players. Funny how each time a new offer is made..Bettman calls it the FINAL offer. Following each proposal there is usually a counter proposal. The sides have been in constant contact since the new deal was suggested and are supposed to met together yesterday and today. The latest reports suggest that a new deal MUST absolutely BE in place by January 11th in order to get the minimum 48 game regular season in place + playoffs ending by the end of June. It was expected that NHLPA would respond to the NHL’s offer yesterday with a counter proposal of their own. They did. We shall have to wait and see how that turns out….all signs point to they BOTH need more time to review and discuss. Great…more waiting! Just what we all wanted! There are many who claim they could care less if hockey returns after this latest round of cat & mouse that the league and PA are currently trapped in. There are a few NHL analysts that still hold out a faint[very faint] hope that a deal will be struck by the 11th. One of those analysts is the ever colourful Don Cherry who has taken to twitter tweeting his belief that the NHL will be back ice mid-January. I admit [as always] that I would LOVE if that occurred but it really comes down how far Bettman is willing to lose just to make his point [in the end, it might be more costly to him than he can guess. Rumor has it that this could mark his last year as Commissioner].

Now that 2012 has come to a close and the lockout continues…here is a list of all the moments we have missed thanks to Bettman’s lockout:

– 2012-2013 pre-season [but that is the least important of any games!]

– 2012-2013 opening day of the NHL season and all the games prior to & on January 14th.

– 2012-2013 All-Star game & all the festivities that come with it.

– 2013 Winter Classic [It was supposed to be TODAY in Detroit!]

– All of the ups and downs that come with an NHL season for each player individually and each team separately. There are always streaks [good & bad] throughout the season that make it unique and draw comparisons to previous years of previous players.

In other news…have you been watching the World Juniors taking place in Russia? Have you seen Ryan Nugent-Hopkins stealing the show? He has so far led Team Canada through an undefeated preliminary round…sending them into the Semi-finals! Go Team Canada![p.s. the U.S. team is looking pretty good too!] World Junior hockey is a great outlet for those us who are missing hockey. It gives us those lovely moments to yell at the refs for making bogus calls, yelling at the players when they make a mistake or dissing the opponent and cheering like crazy each time your team scores a goal. Yes, World Junior hockey is great for any hockey fan, but it ends as quickly as it begins and each game leaves me wanting to watch the game I have been missing since September.

I don’t care how it happens, I just want to be able to watch hockey again. I want to see my Canucks hit the ice at Rogers arena just as many of you [though you might not admit it at this moment] want to watch your team hit the ice in their home arenas. I am tired of reading the local papers [Vancouver Sun/The Province] attempts at creating hockey story lines during this lockout…it drives me crazy[specifically those jabs at Luongo…!] Their constant negativity is what drove me away from buying their papers and keeps me from buying them now. Each article seems to push fans against the home team rather than support them. That is not a paper that I want to read. I would rather read a paper that supports the team WIN or LOSE. It can report the BAD and the GOOD….not just the bad.] Apologies for my rant…but I was reading the paper at work the other day and the story made my blood boil…that is all I will say.

Moving on, back to the lockout that has seen no end [YET]…we shall have to wait and see the results of this latest NHL offer and PA counter as it unfolds. As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

NHL & the PA go to Court + BP offers their solution

Posted on December 15, 2012 by sarahlaug

And as with many times before talks between both sides went cold. Just as progress seemed to be on the horizon meetings were met with a frigid tone as soon as Bettman and Fehr entered the players+owners only meetings. And just as before as each round has gone south, this latest sour note was met with MORE cancellations. All games prior to and on December 30th have been cancelled. The odd thing is that he only cancelled two weeks and left the very very TINY possibility of new year’s eve as a start date. The latest round of meetings in this CBA saga is set to begin this last week. Wednesday’s meetings are set to be met with mediators between the NHL and the PA. The time to go back and forth has passed…it is time to get down to the bones and put together a new CBA. Fans are growing more agitated as the lockout approaches the 90 day mark and the number games canceled is 526 regular season games….nearly half of the scheduled games have been lost. 90 days into this lockout has led to an intensified war of words and blame game…leading both sides to file court actions against one another. Mediators did not help to bring the sides closer together. [Interesting factoid…last year when the NBA lockout escalated and legal actions were filed…12 days later they announced the season was re-instated].

In other news the World Juniors team for Canada has been set and will feature a slew of young NHL talent as the lockout will still be in place. That young gun team will be led by the Oiler’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins! This squad will be Canada’s most talented Junior team since their 2005-2009 Gold medal teams streak. I guess I will have excuse to watch some hockey this Christmas after all.

How’s this for a solution to the CBA drama? Boston Pizza took it upon themselves to plea to the NHL and the PA for the 2012-2013 season to be salvaged sooner than later. Its not likely to result in a signed CBA deal…but it is an entertaining idea. It is definitely high time for them to get serious about matters….I for one would LOVE to see hockey in 2013. I do not care about who is right or wrong in this ridiculous saga…it is time to STOP blaming each other and actually come up with a solution that works for BOTH sides.

That is all for now. As always until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Guess who’s back? + Players & Owners meet + Behind the Green

Posted on December 5, 2012 by sarahlaug

Guess who’s back? Yes, its me. I’m sorry for disappearing! I’m still here! A crazy work schedule of multiple 6 day work weeks has kept me from having time to work on my blog! Even though I was absent from the world of blogging I have been quietly keeping up with the CBA meetings as they have continued. So without further ado, lets get right down to business.

Let’s review the last few weeks. Bettman and company[well mostly Bettman] wanted to take a long break from CBA talks but alas meetings were resumed a few short days later. Just as progress seemed to be around the corner, talks stopped abruptly and once again all progress was put on hold. Then came Black Friday. Black Friday, indeed as Bettman cancelled the All-Star game and all the activities that come with it, as well as all games prior to and on December 14th. So to recap…Bettman announced the lockout as official midnight of September 15th and has cancelled the 2012 pre-season, all regular season games between October 11th and December 14th, the 2013 Winter Classic and the 2013 All-Star Game. In response to each cancellation more and more players have gone overseas to seek playing opportunities as the season has slowly faded away. Along with more players leaving following each announcement, more and more players are speaking out in regards to the lockout. At first the players seemed cautious to speak their minds publicly, but as time wears on, more are willing to publicly voice their frustration. Teemu Selanne called out Bettman shortly after the lockout began, Bobby Ryan called out the players who have opted to play elsewhere[until he too decided to play overseas!], a healthy Sidney Crosby though frustrated at the longer the lockout keeps him off the ice has been a steadfast part of the ongoing negotiations, and the ever calm Canucks Captain Henrik Sedin has added his voice of frustration in the direction of the owners.

On December 1st, there was a new approach to the more than 80 day lockout problem. The NHL and the NHLPA agreed to an owners + players only meeting. The meeting involved 6 owners, 18 players, Bill Daly[Bettman’s right hand] and Steve Fehr[Donald’s brother]. Among those players is said to be captains, Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews. That meeting took place YESTERDAY and lasted for more than 8 hours with BOTH sides stating that the day was constructive…..only to resume again this morning following the Board of Governor’s meeting. It is also expected that following the meetings, Bettman will address the media [it was announced this evening that BOTH Bettman & Fehr would keep quiet on the outside as the two sides exchanged proposals]. It is being speculated that THIS round of meetings will massively impact the future potential of the season being re-instated. The speculation is that should these meetings and Bettman’s media address result in a new deal than there could be potentially 56-60 regular season games on the schedule. That is merely speculation at this point as the meetings are still in progress and we will not know one way or another until they address the media this afternoon. Perhaps this different approach will the key to solving the CBA problem, only time will tell but it is interesting to know that both sides have called these owners/players meeting constructive and having traction in the right direction. How does one solve the 2012 CBA conundrum? Perhaps yesterday and today’s meetings will hold part of the answer…but it is going to take movement on both sides to bridge that gap that has always remained.

Some fans have given up on the NHL and say that they will not return to the game should it return this season or not until next. All I know…all I want for Christmas is to see my Canucks and 29 other teams back on the ice. Regardless of when the NHL returns…I will be still be a fan of the game and my team. #EndTheLockout #Hockey4ChristmasPLEASE #TimetoBringHockeyBack #56isthenew82

In other news Canucks fans….those pesky Green Men are at it again[come on you know you love them…okay so maybe some of you can’t stand them…but I think they are great fans!] They have released “Behind the Green” Part 1…and you just know that it will be hilarious. Don Taylor does the introduction. The book is released just in time for the holidays and will make a great gift for any Canucks fan your Christmas lists!…just follow the link below!

http://behind-the-green.myshopify.com/

In regards to the owner and players continued meeting, this afternoon’s media conference with Bettman will be more revealing in regards to the potential of hockey returning this season or not. Fingers crossed that this time REAL progress can made and not just a proposal.Is 56 the new 82? Can both sides meet in the middle and together create a CHRISTMAKKUH miracle…starting a season by Christmas? We shall see! As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

GB Going Negative as the 2012 Lockout Continues…

Posted on November 18, 2012 by sarahlaug

As if good old GB needed any more negative press than all the local media is giving him the last few days. Following my posting of the NHL and the NHLPA’s stream of consistent meetings….Bettman decided rather than come to an agreement that it would be best to wait for it because I know how much you all love to wait….take a break…a two week break. Ridiculous? Yes. It was a stupid idea. It led to all the local sports media and many players to call out Bettman for this ridiculous idea. Detroit Red Wings, Ian White called GB an idiot and Toronto’s Joffrey Lupul sarcastically called Bettman’s desired break from talks as a “great approach” moving forward. Despite GB’s desire for a lengthly break from CBA discussions, the two sides are scheduled to resume meetings Monday[November 19th].

In lieu of having the season re-instated, Canuck fans can take a small comfort in the fact that Daniel Sedin is completely symptom free following that crunching Keith elbow that sidelined him with a concussion back in March. [I know all of you, Canuck fans, remember the hit of which I mention….a hit that made us all cringe at once]. Despite the game being on hold, it is great news to hear that Daniel Sedin is symptom free!

Pavel Bure was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame recently which left many divided on whether the honour was deserved. It also sparked many to suggest that perhaps the Canucks should retire Pavel Bure’s jersey in the upcoming season whenever that should come to be. Is there a doubt that Bure was an amazing player? No…he was definitely a one of a kind player….he didn’t earn the nickname “Russian Rocket” for nothing. The guy won the Calder trophy, scored 60 + goals more than once and catapulted the Canucks on one of their most memorable playoff runs in their history [1994]. Bure’s quick reliable shot helped re-define Canucks hockey making plays that seemed impossible, so yes maybe they should retire #10. Maybe you think it should not be retired but rather that he is included in the “Ring of Honour” or that the Hockey Hall of Fame was good enough. Regardless of anyone’s opinion on Bure’s inclusion in the HHOF or the possibility of his jersey being retired, NO ONE can dispute his talent or contribution to the game. The Russian Rocket left Vancouver fans with some great memories.

Date to keep in mind: January 20th 1995. That is the date the shortened season began following the 1994-95 season lockout. Yes, the October and November have been taken away, and the Winter Classic being canceled certainly puts a damper on the chances of the season happening. Each day makes it seem as though, Bettman wants to take away more from the fans[especially as he wanted a break from meetings!..]. I know it seems more and more unlikely to everyone out there that a season is even possible at this point…but in 1994/95 …the season did not begin until January 20th….and I cannot help but hold a [albeit faint] sliver of hope. Perhaps my being optimistic will drive some people crazy or lead some to call me crazy..but that does not bother me. I simply miss the game, and the idea that it will not return is not something that I choose to entertain.

Each day as the lockout drags on, the league, owners and players alike lose more money. Each day fans, media and yes even all the bandwagon fans pick sides, and each individual thinks their opinion is the correct one. Each day both sides stand their ground, and each day the fans grow more disgruntled. Each day the lockout continues to drag on. Each day Bettman and Fehr speak on behalf of their side, but since Bettman’s desire for a break rather than continued discussion or a resolution has led many to call for his resignation as soon as a new CBA is reached.

CBA talks will resume tomorrow as will the usual drama that ensues when these two parties meet. As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.