Tag Archives: Vancouver Canucks

2013 Draft thoughts…

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The NHL draft began with the Canucks needing to trade ONE goalie and possibly gaining a top 10 draft pick. It ended with them achieving this exact feat, just not the way ANYONE thought it would go down. Yes the Canucks gained the 9th overall pick and yes trading ONE of their goalies. It was not the anticipated movement of Roberto Luongo that everyone assumed it would be, but rather Cory Schneider that was traded to the New Jersey Devils. Cue the social media bonanza as everyone seemed to have an armchair GM opinion to share as the news broke.

It was a controversy that began last spring when this city seemed to turn on their solidified number one goalie Roberto Luongo in favour of the younger and less intimidating contract Cory Schneider. To be honest I am not shocked in many means that it worked out this way, perhaps the Canucks brass should have asked for more return value in the trade but it is what it is and we cannot go back. Cory Schneider is longer part of the Vancouver Canucks organization and the Roberto Luongo deserves A LOT of apologies/explanations from the Canucks brass as he is still a Vancouver Canuck despite what everyone predicted.

Best of luck to Cory in NJ. Schneider will once again be mentored by one of the best goalies in NHL history in Martin Brodeur. With Brodeur being near the end of his career, it makes sense that the Devils would target someone younger that is capable of being great in the near future. That being said, it will be a battle to take the net from Marty who despite his age is still an incredible goal-tender. It will be an incredible opportunity for him to play with Brodeur and to play in a new city. Best of luck Cory, you will have an incredible career!

Roberto Luongo despite endless predictions of being traded to an East Coast team, remains a Vancouver Canuck. I hope that the Canucks brass can mend the fences that were smashed when this city and many fans turned their backs on Luongo last spring. It really makes my blood boil the way this city turned so quickly and supported Cory who had yet to prove his worth. YES Schneider is an incredible athlete and will probably achieve some great accomplishments in his career but he has NOT earned the respect the Luongo earned long ago but is never given. The organization owes Roberto so much more than an apology for the last year and then everyone else needs to let it go and just let the guy play the game he loves. He proved last season that he is MORE than capable of being number one and an absolute consummate professional. I hope that Luongo comes to training camp in September and proves all his doubters wrong next season and they all see the incredible athlete he still is and helps the team once again go on a long playoff run. Please @strombone1 do not let all those doubters voices be the ones you listen to, you do have MANY real fans that will support you.

I don’t think any Canucks fans thought it would be Cory on the chopping block, but we need to accept it happened and move on. We still have an INCREDIBLE bonafide number one goal-tender that just two years ago took this team to ONE game within the Stanley Cup. You never know what the future holds and these are two players that both deserve to play in the games that matter.

Moving onto other Canucks news the team picked up some great prospects today in the draft: Bo Horvat, forward Hunter Shinkaruk, centre Cole Cassels, defenceman Jordan Subban, defenceman Anton Cederholm, defenceman Mike Williamson and Miles Liberati. Welcome to the NHL and the Vancouver Canucks organization!

Draft day has officially come to a close and now we wait for the madness of free agency to begin. Are you prepared for the craziness to begin?

One last question, are we really SHOCKED canuck nation that Gillis did not trade Alex Edler? Really? His contract is a steal in comparison to recent contracts being signed by top NHL defencemen [Weber, Letang].

Hockey does not end in June. The NHL has 4 seasons: the pre-season, the regular season, the post-season, and the off season. The off-season is sure to hold a few surprises yet. As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Welcome to #Canucknation TORTS!

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In case you missed the official introduction of the ever colorful John Tortorella’s first day as Canucks head coach, here are the video links!

In his first official appearance as Canucks Head Coach, he answered questions and addressed concerns from the fans in a FAN Q & A with John Tortorella:

Following his Q & A from the fans, Torts met with the Vancouver media for the first time as head coach. John Tortorella Press Conference:

Did your opinion change in any way? I’ve heard A LOT of people have changed their view of him following these interviews. He said all the right things and and addressed some key issues. He seems to have captured Vancouver fans, team players, and local media in his first press conference. You can feel people becoming cautiously excited for the new season to begin.

WELCOME to #CANUCKNATION TORTS, it’s bound to be an interesting ride!

As always, until next time nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Unofficially Official

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Unofficially official is how the media is calling it with their prediction of John Tortorella being named as the next Head Coach of the Vancouver Canucks officially at a press conference being held June 25th 1:00PM. I say let’s wait and see what happens with Torts at the helm before deciding it will be a disaster or success. You never know, Torts could take us all by surprise! Welcome to #CanuckNation TORTS! It’s bound to a be an interesting relationship between you and the fans, and you and the media. Next question…who will his assistants be?[I’d love to see someone like Linden fill such a role]

Look out Canucks fans, media days just got a WHOLE lot more colorful…it will be an interesting ride to say the least. Perhaps @stombone1 can save us all a seat at the press conference or in the very least provide us with an entertaining twitter commentary as always!

Rumors of the LA Kings trading Jonathan Bernier went from the rumor mill to FACT Sunday morning when it became official that the Kings had traded Bernier to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for goalie Ben Scrivens, forward Matt Frattin and a second round draft pick. Toronto’s GM Dave Nonis says that this is the beginning of the changes coming before July 5th. What does the acquiring of Bernier say about about James Reimer’s future with the Leafs will he be playing tandem or relegated to the role of backup? I feel bad for Reimer who all year had to prove himself to the Leafs and the league alike and still it seems as though it may not be enough.

The Phoenix Coyotes have called a press conference for June 28th to make some sort of announcement regarding their future. Will they be re-locating or staying in Glendale?

Speaking of continued NHL off-season movements have you heard that Philadelphia is just using one of their compliance buyouts on Ilya Bryzgalov but also using the 2nd one to buyout fan favourite in Philly: Danny Briere. I don’t know how realistic the possibility would be of Briere coming to Vancouver, but I think he’d look great on a line with Kesler and Higgins[or Schroeder]! Off-season changes are coming for many teams and will be happening more rapidly as the NHL draft and the JULY 5 free agency frenzy draw closer.

The drama of the off-season will only intensify as the Stanley Final draws to a close tonight. Chicago stunned Boston with two late goals 17 seconds apart to CLINCH the 2013 Stanley Cup. Congratulations to both teams for a heck of a series and congratulations to the Chicago Blackhawks who completed their storybook season with the best possible ending.

The off-season has arrived hockey fans and its about to get very interesting with the numerous possible compliance buyouts, trades, and re-signings that are coming. As one season ends, the build up for the next begins in the off-season. #isitOctoberyet

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Call Me Maybe: AV to NY 4 Torts to VAN?!

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Do hear that ever growing loud buzzing noise? Those are the whispers regarding the newest potential Canucks head coach getting louder. First it was Dallas Eakins as the front runner until he struck Oil in Edmonton as a great fit for a young core team. Next in the front runner positions are John Stevens who is currently an assistant coach in LA, Lindy Ruff who was fired earlier in the year by Buffalo and former head coach of the NY Rangers the ever colorful John Tortorella.

The most interesting of the three candidates is perhaps John Tortorella not just because of his colorful way of dealing with the media but because former Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault has reportedly signed a 5-year contract with the New York Rangers [rumored to be worth $10 million].

Wouldn’t it be something if these two switch places? I know I am not the only one who would be slightly amused by role reversals. Both cities are hockey markets where the fans and media alike have expectations on the daily basis from both the coach and the team. It is not yet official as to who will be the next coach for the Canucks but the rumors regarding Torts to Vancouver are getting louder with each day that passes. Best of luck in New York AV!

What are your thoughts #CanuckNation about the possibility of Torts coming to the Canucks as head coach? He has Stanley Cup experience[Tampa Bay], and has worked in a hockey mad market[New York] and can more than handle whatever the media tries to throw at him. Perhaps he could be a the trigger to light a fire under this team or perhaps not. Imagine Torts addressing the media…can you picture it? I think he would have tone down his colorful commentary slightly but sometimes the media in this town are crazy and should be called on it.Maybe he will be the next head coach or maybe Gillis and company will go another direction [Stevens or Ruff or perhaps a former player will be added to the mix!]. All that being said the team will hopefully name a coach prior to the draft and free agency madness.

Any of you still watching the Stanley Cup Final? Its a hard match up for me to watch as a Canucks fan..but because I am a fan of the GAME itself I have watched. Currently 3 games done and Boston leads the series 2-1. The first two games both went to overtime [stretching over 10 periods of hockey!]. The third game has been the only one to end in regulation and Boston taking the series lead. Rask is a huge part of the reason why Boston has been so good this post-season and he proved that in game 3 posting his 3rd shutout in the last 7 games. Game 4 will be a series changer if Boston takes the 3-1 series lead OR if Chicago finds their scoring touch and returns to Chicago with a tied series. I will not pick a side in this series but it will be interesting to see how the rest of this series goes as a hockey fan.

In other NHL news, Logan Couture has inked a new 5-year contract worth $30 million [an annual cap hit of $6 million] and Pavel Datsyuk has signed a 3-year contract extension worth $22.5 million[an annual cap hit of $7.5 million]. Rumor has it that LA is preparing to trade back up goalie Jonathan Bernier with Toronto and Philadelphia emerging as the frontrunners in that race. For Philadelphia it would be great to give Bernier a chance as a starter and to push Steve Mason. For Toronto it simply raises more questions regarding their goal-tending situation as it seems no matter how good James Reimer plays it is never good enough. Then again, LA was supposedly going to trade Bernier last year.

The drama never seems to end in the hockey world. By next week’s end the Stanley Cup Final will be over and the draft about the start. Trades pace the NHL draft prior to the start of the craze that is free agency beginning July 5.

I will sign off today, asking you #CanuckNation: who do you think will be the next Canucks head coach? Drop a comment with your choice/reason regarding the coach you’d like to see behind the bench!

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Canucks Coach Conundrum

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Perhaps the 17th time is the charm?  The 17th coach in Vancouver Canucks history that is, or will be when their 17th coach is eventually named.

There have been 16 coaches to take the podium as the head of the Vancouver Canucks coaching staff:

1. Hal Laycoe 1970-1972

2. Val Stasiuk 1972-1973

3. Bill McCreary 1973-1974

4. Phil Maloney 1974-1977

5. Orland Kurtenbach 1977-1978 [*First former player to ever Captain the team and also later coach the team].

6. Harry Neale 1978-1982, 1984, 1984-1985

7. Roger Nielson 1982-1984

8. Bill LaForge 1984

9. Tom Watt 1985-1987

10. Bob McCammon 1987-1991

11. Pat Quinn 1991-1994, 1996 [*Winner of the Jack Adams in 1992]

12. Rick Ley 1994-1996

13. Tom Renney 1996-1997

14. Mike Keenan 1997-1999

15. Marc Crawford 1999-2006

16. Alain Vigneault 2006-2013 [*Winner of the Jack Adams in 2007]

17. TO BE NAMED at a later date [*hopefully before the NHL draft!]

There are plenty of candidates for the position. There are former head bench bosses such as former Buffalo Sabre head coach Lindy Ruff or former Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan or the more unlikely option of Dave Tippet whose future with Phoenix is still up in the air. There is also the AHL route which includes current Vancouver AHL affiliate coach Scott Arniel [who also coached the Manitoba Moose when some current Canucks were on that roster!] and the current coach of the Toronto Marlies, Dallas Eakins. Eakins may not have experience behind an NHL bench but he has a reputation for being a players coach and helping to develop young players. The question remains will the Canucks go with a veteran bench boss OR take a chance with a more than capable AHL candidate? OR will they play the wild card and least likely option of going with a former player?

I like the possibility of Eakins as head coach. From all the things I have read about him, he reminds A LOT of Dan Bylmsa a few years ago before he became the head coach of Pittsburgh. I am not saying that he will have the same instant success, just simply that his coaching style reminds me of Bylsma and that I think could potentially be a good thing.

Whoever the Canucks do indeed hire as their next head coach who do you think will be named as his assistants? Now while I do not think the organization will name a former player as head coach, I do think it is definitely a possibility that they could name a former player as an assistant coach. I think Trevor Linden would excel in this category as he is familiar with players, the organization and is an impeccable leader not too mention the FANS would love to see Linden back with the Canucks. I’m not saying the Canucks will ask Linden or any other former player to come back in this capacity but it certainly presents an interesting possibility.

Mike Gillis has said that this decision will not be made on a whim but rather that they will take their time in finding and naming who they think will be the right coach for this team. It’s going to be quite a ride, are you ready for this roller coaster change coming Canuck fans? Changes in sports are inevitable. More changes will be coming before all is said and done.

First stop along this crazy roller coaster ride is finding the franchise’s 17th coach. Who do you think it will be or who do you hope will be in the running? Leave your comments below!

As always, until next time nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Thank-you & Good Luck!

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And so it begins. Today marks the FIRST big change by the Vancouver Canucks. Head Coach Alain Vigneault, and assisants Rick Bowness & Newell Brown have been let go. I may be one of the few that like Vigneault but you have acknowledge that he helped make this team competitive in his time here. I for one, will miss our French-speaking winning-est coach in franchise history!

In his 7 seasons as Vancouver’s head coach the team missed the playoffs just ONCE[2007-2008]. In his other 6 seasons the team finished in the top 3 and amassed 6 North West Division titles. Among his other accomplishments he coached this team to TWO consecutive Presidents Trohpies as the league’s best regular season team [2010-2011, 2011-2012].

Alain Vigneault came in after Marc Crawford and helped this team amass 105 points in the 2006-2007 season [a new club record until 2011 in which the team amassed a 117 points!]. In his first season as head coach he WON the Jack Adams[coach of the year award] and was nominated again in 2011. He pushed this team into pure dominance during the 2010-2011 season and coached them to within one game of winning it all. He set a franchise record as the winning-est coach in Canucks history with his 313 wins! His overall record in 540 games with Vancouver was 313-170-57[wins-losses-ot/so losses]. FYI he has a total of 422 NHL wins….313 of those in Vancouver].

Yes, I understand that following their most incredible season[2010-2011] when they were ousted two straight years in the first round it means CHANGE is imminent. The coach is usually one of the first big pieces changed. This news did not come as a shock but I do hope people appreciate the service that Coach AV did for this team in his time here!

I want to be one of the many[I hope!] that will wish Alain Vigneault luck in his next endeavor and THANK him for all he did for the team in his time here. I hope that at the end of the day he will be remembered for the many good things he did rather than the way his time here ended.

THANK-YOU ALAIN VIGNEAULT for helping turn this team into a playoff contender! #GOODLUCKCOACHAV wherever you end up next season! [the funny thing about being a coach in the NHL, you are never unemployed for long!]

As the Vigneault chapter closes for the Canucks, a new chapter begins. It will be very interesting to see where or who Mike Gillis looks at for the next coach. I am excited to see who will be the next coach. I ask you, the fans: who would you like to see as the next head coach of our Vancouver Canucks? A former player like the Avs went with or perhaps another veteran Coach[Lindy Ruff? Dave Tippett]? I

Things are beginning to look a lot different around here, it will be very interesting to see how the rest of this saga turns out! As I said before this will be a very interesting summer for the team…and this is only the beginning of the changes to come.

As always, until next time, nuck said!

Sarah E.L.

Winds of Change are Brewing…

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The winds of change are blowing into the Vancouver Canucks line-up and personnel this summer. These changes could and probably will involve not one but multiple trades and a possible coaching change to name a few. The rumors grow louder every day.

The media storm has already begun to spin its web of rumors. I would like to ask, WHY are we driving ourselves and each crazy trying to create headlines? Why not wait until the rumors and fiction become fact.

Simply put, let’s just wait and see what happens this summer before helping the media spin their rumor web.The winds of change are blowing around the league, just ask Dallas and Buffalo! Ch-ch-changes are are brewing just around the corner. The new CBA goes into affect and our current two conference system will be replaced with a 4 conference/division system. Every team will play each other TWICE[once in each other’s arena!]. Let’s not forget that in edition to the Winter Classic there will be a few extra outdoor games as part of the “Stadium Series” [one that may feature our Canucks…pending an official announcement from the league of course].

No matter what this summer holds for our Canucks, I will still be cheering for the blue & green when they hit the ice again in October. It will be both a little nerve-wracking and exciting to see what this off-season has in store for our Canucks and other teams. In the very least it will be a much more interesting than the last off-season where the only big news was Minnesota investing nearly $200 million in 2 players.

Back to the current playoffs, have you been watching any of the other teams in the playoffs? It seems impossible to not catch a glimpse as playoff hockey is on most nights and occupying many channels. As much as I cannot cheer for Leafs, I was hoping to see them knock out the Bruins…well you know how that ended [game 7 heartbreak!]. Let’s be honest, I cannot under any circumstance cheer for Chicago or Boston…EVER. LA is putting the lights out in San Jose, Detroit has to step it up if they want to make it an interesting series with Chicago and PLEASE New York can you challenge those pesky Bruins?! The only team that I am rooting for is Pittsburgh because it would be really nice to see Jarome Iginla win it all after everything he has been through in his career. #teamIGGY #winitfor12 #GoPenguins

Here’s to enjoying the game as a fan even our Canucks are no longer in it and here’s to looking forward to whatever lies ahead for the team moving into next year. Playoff hockey will be ending in June but there will still be plenty of hockey headlines as the drama tends to unfold when the craze of free agency begins. Are you ready for the madness to ensue?

With the winds of change come new opportunities and possibilities for the team. It’s going to get very interesting around here pretty soon. So while those you who enjoy being part of the growing media rumor web, this kid will wait until rumors and fiction become fact. I accept the fact that changes ARE coming, but until those changes get made official there is no sense in discussing what could be. Whatever happens will happen and I will be happy to discuss any OFFICIAL changes that do in fact get made. I look forward to the many debates that will be fun to be a part of even if they can drive me crazy[mostly because people don’t realize that girls can know more than just the box scores about this game called hockey!].

As always until next time, nuck said. #isitOctoberYET?!

Sarah E.L.

Season’s End

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If you are wondering where I have been the last few days the answer is simple: I took a break from all of my social media outlets. I was tired of all the negativity regarding the Canucks and needed a few days away from the negative commentary that I knew would follow the sweep. I am by no means in denial of the their first round ousting by San Jose, I fully accept that the Canucks season has come to an end. You will hear no complaints or excuses here. Are there things I could complain about or make an excuse about, YES but it would not change the result so it would be fruitless. It is what it is and that is all there is. We may not have got the ending we wanted BUT we are lucky that we got to watch our team play any hockey in May [14 teams were not so lucky!].

Today’s post looks that the season that was and it was full of plenty of excitement beyond the playoff disappointment. Let’s begin at the beginning shall we? You remember back in September when everyone’s favourite NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman threw down the lockout hammer? As soon as the deadline passed and the lockout was enacted, EVERYONE assumed that there would NO NHL season. The NHL and NHLPA had countless meetings and every time progress seemed to occur it was followed by stalling and growing animosity between the two sides. It seemed as though there would be no end to the lockout as both sides seemingly could not come to any sort agreement. The League did not cancel the season out right rather every two weeks saw Bettman announcing the cancellation of blocks of the season including the cancellation of the ever popular Winter Classic. Each new cancellation only added to the anger of the fans. It quickly became a case of Gary vs. Donald Fehr in a war of words and there seemed to be no end in sight. Cue the call for a negotiator to come in! With the aid of the negotiator the two sides were forced into putting some serious time and reflection into their cases and eventually forced to meet together. The lockout came into affect September 15th 2012 and did not come to an end until January 6th 2013. 510 games were lost from the season. It was initially thought that they could put together a 50 game schedule but later was reduced to 48 games.

After a delay of 3 1/2 months, the season finally began January 19th 2013. Teams around the league created initiatives to encourage their loyal fans to return to the rink. The season had many incredible moments league wide:

The Chicago Blackhawks set a new NHL record with their 21-0-3 undefeated in regulation streak which was eventually broken by the Colorado Avalanche. The Blackhawks solidifed themselves as the best team of the regular season winning the President’s trophy for the 2013 season.

Sidney Crosby came back healthy for the first time in almost two years and played like he never lost a beat. Crosby would have won the Art Ross Trophy had it not been for an unfortunate incident in which he suffered a broken jaw and missed the remaining 12 games of the season. It should be noted that Crosby returned for the playoffs and picked up right where he left off before his injury! The Pittsburgh Penguins proved themselves to be the best team in the Eastern Conference when the went on a tear winning 15 games straight!

The Minnesota Wild overcame some early struggles as big name signings Zach Parise and Ryan Suter helped the teams clinch a playoff berth for the first time in a few years. The feel good story of the year perhaps was the incredible journey of goalie Josh Harding who overcame an early diagnosis of MS to play games in both the regular season and the playoffs.

The New York Islanders made the post-season for the first time in 6 years thanks to some incredible young talent and lots of heart from players like John Tavares, Michael Grabner, Frans Neilsen and veteran goalie Evgeni Nabakov. Tavares lead his team by scoring and setting the example that you never give up on a play or your team.

The Washington Capital overcame many growing pains [new coach and early season struggles] to dominate their second half of the season being led by an awakened Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin led his team scoring more than 30 goals to nab yet another Rocket Richard trophy. The Capitals despite early season woes won their division and earned home ice advantage in the first round.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had their share of drama this year, from the firing of Brian Burke to the ever constant goal-tending rumors. Despite the rumors the tandem of James Reimer and Ben Scrivens helped this team earn their first playoff berth in 9 years! Welcome back to the post-season Toronto, enjoy your journey however long it lasts [I’m rooting for you!!].

The Columbus Blue Jackets earn the award for most improved team overall. This is a team that everyone expects to take advantage of and this year they proved to the league that they are competitive. They made every team they played earn every inch of the ice. They beat Detroit 4/5 times! They acquired Marian Gaborik at the trade deadline and he helped them make a Cinderella run in the final stretch. They only missed the post-season by a SINGLE point [had Minnesota lost their final game, it would have been Columbus that played Chicago!].

The Detroit Red Wings entered their first season without the veteran presence of former Captain Niklas Lidstrom. The void he left was a large one and at times you could see Detroit missing his presence on the ice. For the first time in many years their participation in the playoffs was put in question as they had many ups and downs through the year. Their playoff streak in jeopardy and their fate in their hands sent Detroit on a determination mission where they insured that they would be playoff bound. 22 straight years and still going strong!

The Boston Bruins continued to play their Bruin style of hockey despite the loss of Tim Thomas. Tuukka Rask proved that he was up to the task of being number one and helped to lead the team.

The Montreal Canadiens adjusted very nicely to the coaching change and proved that they can be a top contender. They finished their season as division leaders and 2nd overall in the Eastern Conference. Despite missing the early part of the season due to a contract dispute, P.K. Subban lead the Montreal defence and proved to the league that he is an offensive defenseman.

The Edmonton Oilers may not have had the success in the win column that they hoped for BUT they showed that they have a lot of young talent up front that is capable of making a lot of noise in the next few years. With the talents of Eberle, Hall, Nugent-Hopkins, Yakupov, & Schultz, don’t be surprised if we see Edmonton return to the post-season next year!

The Ottawa Senators Erik Karlsson picked up where he left off last year as the league’s top defenseman before having his season put on hold when he suffered a severed achilles tendon. Despite losing their best defensive asset, the Senators still found ways to win games and were able to put numerous rookies in their line up. Captain Afredsson lead his team on the way to the post-season. Erik Karlsson did return for the final game of the season despite reports that he would not be back until next year and did so in style scoring a goal! Karlsson’s return helped to spark the Senators in their first round victory, best of luck in the second round Ottawa!

The Vancouver Canucks may have had their post-season ended prematurely but they had some great moments. Captain Henrik Sedin became sole possessor of 1st on the all-points leader surpassing Markus Naslund’s 757 points in his 905th career game February 15th. Daniel Sedin became sole possessor of 2nd on the all-time points list behind his brother also passing Naslund’s previous record in his 905th career game April 22nd. Roberto Luongo proved what many fans already knew that he is more than qualified at helping a team WIN. Jannik Hansen scored some timely goals and played an unlikely hero in some games. The team finished third in the conference and won their 5th straight North West Division title. My favourite 2013 Canuck moment was probably on my birthday when Henrik scored that penalty shot goal against Nashville and the entire arena went absolutely nuts!

See? There were A LOT of good moments this season in a year when everyone told me that there would be no hockey. A LOT of people told me that it was pointless to keep suggesting that we would get a shortened season BUT we did get a shortened season! It may have been short but it was full of incredible moments all around the league.

I took a self-induced break from social media the last few days and it was necessary. The Canucks season is over and despite all the negativity that social media has been full of about them, this a team that I am now and always will be fan of my Canucks.  #heartofacanuck. Better luck next year boys!

The playoffs are still underway and many memories are yet to be made.16 teams qualify and by next week only 8 will remain. Prediction: Stanley Cup Final: The Chicago Blackhawks vs. The Pittsburgh Penguins

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

PLAYOFF Fever is catching, are you ready?

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PLAYOFF  FEVER has hit! Has it taken over your life or the life someone you know? Prepare yourselves as tonight is only the beginning of a fantastic hockey tradition!

Round ONE of the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin today!! Are you ready?!

The WESTERN Conference Quarterfinal Match-ups are set as follows:

1. The Chicago Blackhawks [36-7-5] vs. 8.The Minnesota Wild [26-19-3]. Game 1 April 30th 5:00:PM

As much as I hate to admit it, the Chicago Blackhawks have been dominant ALL season long from the start of this shortened season losing just an incredible 7 times in regulation. Their first half was particularly incredible as they posted a sparkling 21-0-3 record…24 straight games where they recorded atleast ONE point setting a new NHL record [meaning that in the second half they posted a 15-7-2 record…which is still very respectable but not nearly as dominant as their first half]. The year began with a question mark in regards to their goal-tending which was soundly dealt with in the form of their goalie tandem of Corey Crawford and Ray Emery. It also doesn’t hurt that Captain Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane seemed to find a new level of compete that carried throughout the season. With their early dominance, it was never a question of whether they would make the playoffs. Simply put, the Chicago Blackhawks were the best regular season team this year.  Even with their dominance they cannot take an 8th seeded team too lightly as everyone learned the hard way last year.

The Minnesota Wild started the year with A LOT of hype following the TWO biggest signings of the off-season of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. They did not get off to the successful start that everyone expected from them. They showed sparks but they were very inconsistent throughout their season. Their playoff contention was in question until the final buzzer of the final game of the season. Had they lost that final game, it would be Columbus in their place, but they did what they had to in that last game. They snuck into the 8th seed of the playoffs and will have a massive challenge in having to face-off against the tough Chicago Blackhawks.

Prediction: Chicago in 6 games.

2. The Anaheim Ducks [30-12-6] vs. 7.The Detroit Red Wings [24-16-8]. Game 1: April 30th 7:30PM

No Anaheim did not set any NHL records, BUT they did play some incredible hockey this season. Did anyone actually doubt the talents of Teemu Selanne? This year we also saw Corey Perry lose his temper…A LOT and their goalie tandem of Hiller and Fasth was a pleasant surprise and helped this team post a very impressive record. Anaheim also has the added boost of Scott Neidermeyer as an assistant coach should they ever need a reminder of what it means to have playoff success.

The Detroit Red Wings began their year without former Captain Niklas Lidstrom and it was very evident from the get go that they were missing his skill set. Their game seemed to be missing something at times and then in other games they played to their strengths. The Red Wings have qualified for the playoffs 22 straight seasons and this year that impressive streak was nearly stopped but as is the Detroit way, they found a way to get it done. They will need Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Howard to play at the tops of their games if they want to go beyond the first round. This team has a history of being an extremely dangerous team in the playoffs and this year could see them activate that veteran beast mode. Look out Anaheim!

Prediction: Detroit in 7 games.

3. The Vancouver Canucks [26-15-7] vs. 6.The San Jose Sharks [25-16-7]. Game 1: May1st 7:30PM

The Canucks like most teams had ups and downs throughout the year. There were moments when they played their best games and their worst games. The goalie tandem of Schneider and Luongo proved to be a part of the team’s success. Ryan Kesler came back to the line-up only to be forced out with a broken foot BUT when he came back the second time he came back with a fire in his eyes and looks like he’s ready to activate that thing we call beast mode. The Canucks will need a 100% healthy Kesler to alleviate the pressure that is sure to surround the Sedins as it always does during the playoffs. Jason Garrison will be making his HOMETOWN playoff debut in Game 1. For the 2013 playoffs, the Canucks have recalled the following players from Chicago: Jordan Schroeder, Nicklas Jensen, Darren Archibald, Kellan Lain, Alexandre Mallet, Jim Vandermeer, Peter Andersson and Eddie Lack.

The San Jose Sharks like the Canucks, had both good and bad streaks throughout the season. Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, and Antti Niemi will be looking to lead the Sharks past the first round. Marleau was unstoppable in the first few weeks of the season but his goal production slowed and the rest of the team had to find ways to score when he struggled. The Sharks will be hoping that their regular season record against the Canucks will help them succeed in the post-season, but they have to remember those games do not necessarily affect the post-season games at all. This will be a re-match [albeit in the first round] for these two teams who met in the Conference Finals two years ago. The Sharks will be looking for revenge and the Canucks will looking to take advantage of their home ice. It will be a very interesting series as these two teams renew their rivalry!

Prediction: Vancouver in 6 games.

4. The St.Louis Blues [29-17-2] vs. 5.The LA Kings [27-16-5]. Game 1: April 30th 5:00PM

Last year, no one properly anticipated the talent that LA possessed until they saw for themselves as LA dominated everyone in the playoffs. Last year LA swept the heavily favoured St.Louis Blues who definitely will want to change their fate this season. The newly acquired Jay Bouwmeester will be making his LONG anticipated playoff debut with his new St.Louis team. St.Louis strengthened their blue line and have been getting some solid goal-tending from Brian Elliot down the stretch. They will need use their defensive strengths and also score goals. They will be hoping to have forward T.J. Oshie back for game 1. LA will be looking to remind St.Louis that the road to the Stanley Cup goes through them and they are not looking to let it be taken from them easily.

Prediction: St.Louis in 7 games.

Eastern Conference Quarterfinal match-ups also look to have some interesting storylines and I thought I’d make a few more predictions. Predictions for the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals:

1.Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 8. New York Islanders. Pittsburgh will hoping to get the boost of their Captain Sidney Crosby to help them get past the first round for the first time since the 2010 playoffs. The Islanders while not the obvious choice should not be taken lightly as they make their first trip to the post-season since 2007 and oh yeah, they have this guy name John Tavares who has been very clutch for the Islanders this season! Prediction: Pittsburgh in 6 games.

2.Montreal Canadiens vs. 7.Ottawa Senators. An all-Canadian match-up. Can it get any better for fans back East? The Canadiens have greatly benefited from a coaching change and a new team identity this season. Anyone seen that guy they call P.K. on the point? Look out for his shot! The Senators have played a very decent season despite a very depleted line-up and they got a huge boost at the end of the season when Erik Karlsson returned.  Prediction: Montreal in 7 games.

3.Washington Capitals vs. 6. New York Rangers. At the beginning of the year everyone thought New York would finish at the top in the East, and while that did not happen they did show what they are capable of with the talent in their line-up. Lunqvist may have struggled at times during the season but he got scary good down the stretch. The Rangers made some big splashes in the summer and at tht deadline acquiring Nash, Brassard, Clowe, and a few others. Washington was a major question mark in the first half leaving many people to wonder where oh where did Ovechkin go? That question was answered in the second half when the Captials were lead by #8 from the bottom of the East to the top 3. Ovechkin found his scoring touch and looks dangerous heading into the post-season. This will be a re-match of last year’s semi-final. The Capitals will be looking for a different finish. Prediction: Washington in 7 games.

4.Boston Bruins vs. 5.Toronto Maple Leafs. Prediction: Boston in 6 games. Two original 6 teams meeting in the post-season and two teams with very rabid fan bases. It will be interesting to see how the Maple Leafs handle the Bruins style of post-season hockey in their first trip back to the playoffs in nine years. It will be a series to keep an eye on.

*Some of these predictions may differ from yours or be similar, but they are just meant to be that. You may or may not agree with my predictions but that’s okay, you do not have to agree with me. As we all know, predictions made during the playoffs do not always work out the way we expect or want them to but it’s part of the tradition that is playoff hockey! [Feel free to share your own predictions in the comments!]

In a year when everyone told me that there would be no NHL season, I will simply enjoy getting to enjoy my spring tradition of 2 months of great hockey! Enjoy whatever these next two months bring, the madness is sett to begin TONIGHT!

PLAYOFFS ARE HERE! Are you ready? Where will you be watching Game 1 from? I will be watching my Canucks LIVE at Rogers Arena tomorrow and in case you missed it, I am beyond excited! It feels like Christmas Eve as tomorrow is GAME DAY for my Canucks and their playoff journey begins. Mind you it is only round one, but getting that elusive 16th victory in the finals begins with success in round one. 16 teams are fighting the same battle this week and in two weeks only 8 teams will remain in the quest for the Stanley Cup. Like I said, the madness is just beginning and no one knows what will happen.

The playoffs are when players and teams alike surprise you and sometimes it is a player or team that you did not anticipate, but that is what makes this time of year so exciting!!  I love playoff hockey, there is nothing quite like it! #GoCanucksGo!

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah E.L.

Lucky Numbers: #22 #33 #756 #905

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From Henrik to Daniel, from Daniel to Henrik, from Sedin to Sedin, or from Sedin to his brother…these have been common phrases used by sportscasters on a typical #sedinery play during many games. These two are so similar in their careers that is a little frightening at times. Needless to say the Canucks have had some incredible moments with the Sedin twins in the line up, especially in the last 4 seasons.

Since the twins re-signed with the Canucks in the 2009 off-season, the team has posted a 180-83-30 record in 293 regular season games. In those 293 games, Henrik has amassed 332 points [73 goals, 259 assists]. Daniel did miss 29 of those games BUT in the 264 games he has played in, he has amassed 296 points [112 goals, 184 assists]. It should also be noted that they BOTH had separate 100+ point seasons[the only other Canucks to do that were Pavel Bure and Markus Naslund] in the last 4 years.  Combined they have won TWO Art Ross Trophies, 1 Ted Lindsay Trophy and 1 Hart Trophy for the Canucks organization. They have solidified themselves in the Canuck history books by BOTH surpassing former Captain Markus Naslund on the all-time points list where they now sit in the #1 and #2 positions.

This year they BOTH surpassed Naslund’s 756 points at home in front of their fans in each of their 905th games. Of course it took them the same amount of games to achieve that milestone. Henrik surpassed the record when the Canucks hosted the Dallas Stars and Daniel became number two all-time behind Henrik in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks.

So…with all of their incredible accomplishments are you glad we kept the Sedins? Do you remember that it was at the very last second prior to the July 2009 free agency madness that rumors were swirling that they would test the free agency waters? You also remember there was A LOT of hype about Toronto tampering with the idea that they could get the twins to sign with them? Can you imagine that outcome if it had come true [if they were now sporting that blue maple leaf]? I, for one do NOT enjoy thinking of what could have happened if they had left…it just makes me irritable.

We are very lucky to have been able to watch the Sedins grow throughout their career and watch the work they put into their game and the community. The Sedins are a HUGE part of the Canucks success and will be looking to help the Canucks finish their final game of this shortened season in style and help the team get primed for playoffs.

Heading into the final two days of the regular season all 8 seeds are claimed in the Eastern Conference…except the final order has yet to be determined with many teams still having a game or two left to play. In the Western Conference much like the Eastern Conference, only the top 3 seeds are locked down with the final order still to be determined.There are still 2 seeds left to be claimed in the Western Conference playoff race, although in 9th, Columbus is just ONE point behind Detroit[currently in 7th] and TIED with Minnesota[currently in 8th] and all three teams have ONE game left that will make for a very dramatic finish. When the final standings are in we will take a closer look at the Canucks and their first round opponent.

Just two days remain in this shortened regular season and we are in for a dramatic close before the playoff excitement takes over 16 cities! Are you ready? The madness is nearly here!

Share your playoff traditions[if any] below in the comments!

As always, until next time, nuck said.

Sarah.E.L.