Here we go again, down to the wire, series split at 1 game each and the Canucks need to steal a win in Chicago. No need to panic yet folks, keep the flags on your cars and keep buying beer for the games. DO NOT start making tee times for the same time as the games. Vancouver have a great chance of pulling this out.
I'm thinking of a new contest Idea........NHL player look a likes.
Do you know anyone you looks like one of the pro's?
post the picture here and lets see.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Have the Canucks Ever won the Cup?
In response to Luke's Question " Have the Canucks ever won the Cup" the answer is.........No, but a different Vancouver team has- The "Vancouver Millionares" won the cup in 1915. They're not the Canucks but at least they were from the right City. Lets take a look at our chances this year
Well the sweep is complete. The Vancouver Cancuks sent St. Louis home with serious case of the of the "Blues".
Now there's a long wait to see who they will play. Hopefully the Anaheim Ducks do us all a favour and beat the Sharks, a Ducks win that would mean they'd have to play Detroit. If the Ducks lose....The Canucks have a good chance of having to play the Detroit Red Wings- not the best matchup.
Here's how it breaks down:
Series- Anaheim Ducks vs San Jose Sharks
Scenario #1)Ducks win= Round 2 : Ducks vs Red wings-Vancouver vs winner ofChicago/Calgary
Scenario #2)San Jose win= Round 2: S.J vs winner of Chi./Cal. series, -Vancouver vs Detroit.
Clearly Scenario #1 is the better matchup for the Canucks and their fans, If we're going to go all the way to the finals we'll probably meet the Redwings in round 3 which is good, considering the Ducks should wear them down quite a bit in round 2.
Anaheim does have the potential to pull off a major upset and beat the Red wings in the next round.
With all of this being said ...it's all pure speculation, there's no such thing as a sure win.
Who do you think the best matchup is?
Can the Canucks win the cup?
Post a comment Below!!!
Well the sweep is complete. The Vancouver Cancuks sent St. Louis home with serious case of the of the "Blues".
Now there's a long wait to see who they will play. Hopefully the Anaheim Ducks do us all a favour and beat the Sharks, a Ducks win that would mean they'd have to play Detroit. If the Ducks lose....The Canucks have a good chance of having to play the Detroit Red Wings- not the best matchup.
Here's how it breaks down:
Series- Anaheim Ducks vs San Jose Sharks
Scenario #1)Ducks win= Round 2 : Ducks vs Red wings-Vancouver vs winner ofChicago/Calgary
Scenario #2)San Jose win= Round 2: S.J vs winner of Chi./Cal. series, -Vancouver vs Detroit.
Clearly Scenario #1 is the better matchup for the Canucks and their fans, If we're going to go all the way to the finals we'll probably meet the Redwings in round 3 which is good, considering the Ducks should wear them down quite a bit in round 2.
Anaheim does have the potential to pull off a major upset and beat the Red wings in the next round.
With all of this being said ...it's all pure speculation, there's no such thing as a sure win.
Who do you think the best matchup is?
Can the Canucks win the cup?
Post a comment Below!!!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Canucks sweep
The Vancouver Canucks are up 3 games to none. They pulled off the steal in St. Louis and are set for the sweep. Even if they don't pull off the sweep, the odds are pretty good that they'll get to the next round.
Only twice in NHL history has a team come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the series, one was the 1975 New York Islanders and the other was the 1942 Toronto Maple leafs. Most statistical experts would say the series is theoretically over....lets hope so.
The best thing that could have happened to the Canucks was Mats Sundin Getting hurt. We do not need his so-called playoff experience. Mats Sundin is not even a point per game player in the playoffs (74 pts in 83 games) not bad for a normal player" but he's not supposed to be normal is he ?, he's supposed to be a superstar, but when did he win the cup? When did he single handedly dominate a game?
His presence seems like more hinderence than help. Since the first day he joined the Vancouver Canucks things have been different.
The team slumped when he first arrived, they continued to slump until Sundin was put on the third line.
The biggest problem that I have with him being on the third line is that........Third liners are supposed to skate hard and hit harder and maybe every once in a while score a goal or two.
I'm having a hard time with the Taylor Pyatt thing. He's going through some extremley tough times and nobody deserves what he, and his family are going through.......but I don't think he's a good fit for the Canucks now or ever, Vancouver is perfectly fine without him.
He's kind of like Mats Sundin, just in a younger mans body, Both players are slow and don't know how to use their size properly.
Looking for another win on Tuesday?
Want to discuss a certain topic, team or player?
Need a place to vent about your favorite team?
Leave comments below or become a follower and get alerts for new updates etc.
Only twice in NHL history has a team come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the series, one was the 1975 New York Islanders and the other was the 1942 Toronto Maple leafs. Most statistical experts would say the series is theoretically over....lets hope so.
The best thing that could have happened to the Canucks was Mats Sundin Getting hurt. We do not need his so-called playoff experience. Mats Sundin is not even a point per game player in the playoffs (74 pts in 83 games) not bad for a normal player" but he's not supposed to be normal is he ?, he's supposed to be a superstar, but when did he win the cup? When did he single handedly dominate a game?
His presence seems like more hinderence than help. Since the first day he joined the Vancouver Canucks things have been different.
The team slumped when he first arrived, they continued to slump until Sundin was put on the third line.
The biggest problem that I have with him being on the third line is that........Third liners are supposed to skate hard and hit harder and maybe every once in a while score a goal or two.
I'm having a hard time with the Taylor Pyatt thing. He's going through some extremley tough times and nobody deserves what he, and his family are going through.......but I don't think he's a good fit for the Canucks now or ever, Vancouver is perfectly fine without him.
He's kind of like Mats Sundin, just in a younger mans body, Both players are slow and don't know how to use their size properly.
Looking for another win on Tuesday?
Want to discuss a certain topic, team or player?
Need a place to vent about your favorite team?
Leave comments below or become a follower and get alerts for new updates etc.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Cup Run
First thing first, I had some bad information regarding Paul Kariya. He is not newly healthy, he's in colorado awiting doctors clearance to begin skating with the Blues again. Sorry!!!
Well..... it's Saturday and the Canucks now have two wins under there belts. A goodway to start the series, especially when you have home ice advantage. If the Canucks can steal one game in St. Louis their chances of winning the series will look pretty good.
Roberto Luongo is pretty much winning these games himself, although he has had some help with solid defense play by the Canucks. When the Canucks get to Columbus it could be a different story, but I doubt it.
Mats Sundin:
When is Mats supposed to reach an acceptable level of fitness? He is by far the slowest player on the ice for either team. He can't handle a pass, or maybe it's just that he's never looking when the puck comes near him.
Here's a few tips for Mats:
Well..... it's Saturday and the Canucks now have two wins under there belts. A goodway to start the series, especially when you have home ice advantage. If the Canucks can steal one game in St. Louis their chances of winning the series will look pretty good.
Roberto Luongo is pretty much winning these games himself, although he has had some help with solid defense play by the Canucks. When the Canucks get to Columbus it could be a different story, but I doubt it.
Mats Sundin:
When is Mats supposed to reach an acceptable level of fitness? He is by far the slowest player on the ice for either team. He can't handle a pass, or maybe it's just that he's never looking when the puck comes near him.
Here's a few tips for Mats:
- Keep your stick on the Ice
- Keep your head up
- Keep two hands on your stick
I know these are complex theory's, but surely someone out there has got to have heard of these concepts before, I think I learnt them when I was about 4 or 5 years old
Anyway today I counted 17 different vehicles with Vancouver Canucks Logos on them in one way or another. I also saw 42 seperate people today, who were all wearing Canucks clothing of some sort. The number of fans is Beginning to rapidly increase which brings me right back to the whole Bandwagon thing. I just wish that Vancouver Canucks fans would be this loyal all season long.
What do you think? are you a loyal fan or just a BandWagon rider?
Leave a Comment below
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R.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Playoff run
As we move towards the first round of the playoffs we all begin to wonder....who will win the first game ,who will win the series? The Vancouver Canucks have not drawn the ideal opponent, the St. Louis Blues are a hungry team with plenty of offfensive talent, KeithTkachuk, David Backes, Brad Boyes and the newly healthy Paul Kariya to name a few.
There defence is fairly solid including players such as Erik Johnson, Eric Brewer and Barret Jackman.
These are all hard nosed defecemen that will make any players life tough, especially if your a "soft, slow skating, cycle player" that only has eyes for one other linemate when passing the puck. Good thing the Canucks don't have any of those type of players!!!......wait we do and they're our top line.
I had a brief discussion with some co-workers today about exactly this. The Vancouver Canucks desperatley need some secondary scoring, it does not matter where it comes from Sundin, Kesler, Burrows,whoever.......... it does not matter just make it happen or there will be no second round for the Canucks, I guarantee it!!!
If the Canucks want to make it to the second round they will need Roberto Luongo to play the best hockey of his life, this might be a good year for it, ending the regular season by stopping 88 of 89 shots is a pretty good confidence boost, both for Luongo and for the Canucks. Hopefully this will be the year that they go all the way.
PLEASE POST YOUR COMMENTS FOR OTHERS TO SEE
Stay tuned for my updates ,comments and thoughts throughout the playoffs and the offseason
There defence is fairly solid including players such as Erik Johnson, Eric Brewer and Barret Jackman.
These are all hard nosed defecemen that will make any players life tough, especially if your a "soft, slow skating, cycle player" that only has eyes for one other linemate when passing the puck. Good thing the Canucks don't have any of those type of players!!!......wait we do and they're our top line.
I had a brief discussion with some co-workers today about exactly this. The Vancouver Canucks desperatley need some secondary scoring, it does not matter where it comes from Sundin, Kesler, Burrows,whoever.......... it does not matter just make it happen or there will be no second round for the Canucks, I guarantee it!!!
If the Canucks want to make it to the second round they will need Roberto Luongo to play the best hockey of his life, this might be a good year for it, ending the regular season by stopping 88 of 89 shots is a pretty good confidence boost, both for Luongo and for the Canucks. Hopefully this will be the year that they go all the way.
PLEASE POST YOUR COMMENTS FOR OTHERS TO SEE
Stay tuned for my updates ,comments and thoughts throughout the playoffs and the offseason
Fantasy Pool Look: Potential playoff flops
Fantasy Pool Look: Potential playoff flops
A Quote by Darryl Dobbs
12/04/2009 10:00:01 AM
"There are several players who will look tempting at draft time who you should avoid.
These players give you several reasons to draft them in your playoff pool, but there are also some good reasons why you should avoid picking them...
John Madden, New Jersey Reason for drafting: He's had a couple of fantastic post-seasons, including 16 points in 24 games back in 2002-03. He also plays playoff-style hockey every game.Don't overrate: Besides the fact he is pointless in his past 14 games and likely to finish with his lowest point total since 2002, coach Brent Sutter doesn't depend on Madden as much as Sutter's predecessors. Madden may not get the ice time you would expect.
Devin Setoguchi, San Jose-Reason for drafting: He has 63 points in his first full NHL season and has spent a lot of time playing with one of the best players in the NHL (Joe Thornton) on one of the best teams. Don't overrate: Jonathan Cheechoo is seeing more time with Thornton, while Setoguchi has struggled with just 21 points in his past 38 contests.
Todd Bertuzzi, CalgaryReason for drafting: The name alone lures the eyes of many office poolies when they pore over the stats. He is one of the better-known names in the league and he has a 97-point season on his resume.Don't overrate: He has two points in his past 11 games and hasn't seemed to recover from the knee/foot injury suffered in early March.
Mike Knuble, Philadelphia-Reason for drafting: He had at least 54 points in each of his past three seasons and has 11 points in his past 18 playoff games. He also sees quite a bit of time on a line with Mike Richards.Don't overrate: With the emergence of Claude Giroux and the return of Daniel Briere, Knuble hasn't been relied upon as much. He was on pace to again top 55 points, but has fallen into a slump in which he has just five points in 17 contests.
Mikael Samuelsson, Detroit-Reason for drafting: Besides the fact that he plays for Detroit, a favorite to go deep in most office pools, Samuelsson also has an impressive 24 points over the past two post-seasons.Don't overrate: He has just nine points in his past 36 games.
David Krejci, Boston-Reason for drafting: He has been a monster all season, baffling fantasy owners with production that didn't seem to want to slow. Don't overrate: It finally slowed. He has just 19 points in his past 32 games and seemed to be influenced by the changing lineup. Several players have been in and out with various injuries and Mark Recchi joined the team at the trade deadline.
Tomas Plekanec, Montreal,Reason for drafting: He was one of the top scorers in Montreal a year ago with 69 points.Don't overrate: Not only does he have just one point in his past 12 games, but when Robert Lang returns to the lineup Plekanec will see even less power play time.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic, San Jose-Reason for drafting: The promising young rearguard really broke out this campaign, with 35 points so far.Don't overrate: The team already has Rob Blake, Dan Boyle and Christian Ehrhoff to run the power play and Vlasic has slowed in the second half. He has six points in his past 25 contests."
Darryl Dobbs' Fantasy Pool Look is an in-depth presentation of player trends, injuries and much more as it pertains to rotisserie pool leagues. Get the edge in your league - check out the latest scoop every Tuesday and Saturday throughout the season. Also, get the top 300 roto-player rankings on the 1st of every month in THN's Fantasy section.
Do you have a question about fantasy hockey? Send it to the Fantasy Mailbag.Want more fantasy insider information or to contact The Dobber? Check out dobberhockey.
A Quote by Darryl Dobbs
12/04/2009 10:00:01 AM
"There are several players who will look tempting at draft time who you should avoid.
These players give you several reasons to draft them in your playoff pool, but there are also some good reasons why you should avoid picking them...
John Madden, New Jersey Reason for drafting: He's had a couple of fantastic post-seasons, including 16 points in 24 games back in 2002-03. He also plays playoff-style hockey every game.Don't overrate: Besides the fact he is pointless in his past 14 games and likely to finish with his lowest point total since 2002, coach Brent Sutter doesn't depend on Madden as much as Sutter's predecessors. Madden may not get the ice time you would expect.
Devin Setoguchi, San Jose-Reason for drafting: He has 63 points in his first full NHL season and has spent a lot of time playing with one of the best players in the NHL (Joe Thornton) on one of the best teams. Don't overrate: Jonathan Cheechoo is seeing more time with Thornton, while Setoguchi has struggled with just 21 points in his past 38 contests.
Todd Bertuzzi, CalgaryReason for drafting: The name alone lures the eyes of many office poolies when they pore over the stats. He is one of the better-known names in the league and he has a 97-point season on his resume.Don't overrate: He has two points in his past 11 games and hasn't seemed to recover from the knee/foot injury suffered in early March.
Mike Knuble, Philadelphia-Reason for drafting: He had at least 54 points in each of his past three seasons and has 11 points in his past 18 playoff games. He also sees quite a bit of time on a line with Mike Richards.Don't overrate: With the emergence of Claude Giroux and the return of Daniel Briere, Knuble hasn't been relied upon as much. He was on pace to again top 55 points, but has fallen into a slump in which he has just five points in 17 contests.
Mikael Samuelsson, Detroit-Reason for drafting: Besides the fact that he plays for Detroit, a favorite to go deep in most office pools, Samuelsson also has an impressive 24 points over the past two post-seasons.Don't overrate: He has just nine points in his past 36 games.
David Krejci, Boston-Reason for drafting: He has been a monster all season, baffling fantasy owners with production that didn't seem to want to slow. Don't overrate: It finally slowed. He has just 19 points in his past 32 games and seemed to be influenced by the changing lineup. Several players have been in and out with various injuries and Mark Recchi joined the team at the trade deadline.
Tomas Plekanec, Montreal,Reason for drafting: He was one of the top scorers in Montreal a year ago with 69 points.Don't overrate: Not only does he have just one point in his past 12 games, but when Robert Lang returns to the lineup Plekanec will see even less power play time.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic, San Jose-Reason for drafting: The promising young rearguard really broke out this campaign, with 35 points so far.Don't overrate: The team already has Rob Blake, Dan Boyle and Christian Ehrhoff to run the power play and Vlasic has slowed in the second half. He has six points in his past 25 contests."
Darryl Dobbs' Fantasy Pool Look is an in-depth presentation of player trends, injuries and much more as it pertains to rotisserie pool leagues. Get the edge in your league - check out the latest scoop every Tuesday and Saturday throughout the season. Also, get the top 300 roto-player rankings on the 1st of every month in THN's Fantasy section.
Do you have a question about fantasy hockey? Send it to the Fantasy Mailbag.Want more fantasy insider information or to contact The Dobber? Check out dobberhockey.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
2 Games Left
As the regular season winds down and the playoffs begin, Vancouver Canucks fans are finding themselves in a familiar situation and asking themselves famialiar questions. Who will we play in the 1st round, can we beat them? are the Canucks healthy? These are all questions that regular sports fans ask about their favorite teams before the big drive for the Playoffs. The only difference here, is that Vancouver Canucks fans will come out of the woodwork if they think there's a chance of a couple wins.
Here's what you should do for the next few days, while driving,walking ,biking etc. around your city, count how many Vancouver Canucks Flags you see on vehicles, how many people are wearing Canucks Jersey or Canucks Hats, Just look for Canucks paraphenalia in General.
Keep a mental note on how often you see these things throughout your regular daily activities. Now here's the fun part.........wait until our first Playoff loss then go about your daily routines and see if you notice a difference in the amount of Canucks fans that are advertising there allegiance to the the team. post your comments on this Blog and we will find out the results soon.
My point is .....Once again, the bandwagon, Vancouver Canucks fans need to decide whether or not they like the team and stay with their decision.
Here's what you should do for the next few days, while driving,walking ,biking etc. around your city, count how many Vancouver Canucks Flags you see on vehicles, how many people are wearing Canucks Jersey or Canucks Hats, Just look for Canucks paraphenalia in General.
Keep a mental note on how often you see these things throughout your regular daily activities. Now here's the fun part.........wait until our first Playoff loss then go about your daily routines and see if you notice a difference in the amount of Canucks fans that are advertising there allegiance to the the team. post your comments on this Blog and we will find out the results soon.
My point is .....Once again, the bandwagon, Vancouver Canucks fans need to decide whether or not they like the team and stay with their decision.
Monday, April 6, 2009
who will get in the playoffs?
Quote from Sam McCaig
As the NHL schedule heads into the final week of the regular season, The League That Parity Built has a logjam of teams vying for the final playoff berths in each conference. And, yeah, sure, we could play out the remaining contests and see who gets in and who doesn't. Or, we could just take a peek at the schedule and the standings, do some new math and figure it out for ourselves. Let's try that, and see what happens.
EASTERN CONFERENCEIt's a four-team battle for the final two playoff spots in the East, with the Canadiens and Rangers holding a slight advantage over the Panthers and Sabres heading into the final week of the regular season.Here is what the playoff bubble teams in the East face in the final week:
MONTREAL CANADIENSStandings storyThe Canadiens sit seventh in the East, one point ahead of the Rangers and three points ahead of the Panthers. Montreal, with five games remaining, has a game in hand on both the Rangers and Panthers heading into Saturday's action.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Ottawa on Monday; vs. Pittsburgh next Saturday.Road: at Toronto on Saturday; at NY Rangers on Tuesday; at Boston on Thursday..In or out?IN. The Habs appear to have stabilized following a two-month free fall that cost coach Guy Carbonneau his job and nearly ruined the franchise's 100th anniversary season. Montreal could deal a big blow to the Rangers' playoff hopes with a win in New York next Tuesday, although that game will be the second of back-to-back contests after the Habs host Ottawa on Monday.
NEW YORK RANGERS Standings storyNew York has steadily slid down the Eastern Conference standings and is clinging to a playoff spot with a week to go. The Rangers would be a lot further down if not for netminder Henrik Lundqvist, their runaway MVP this season.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Montreal on Tuesday; vs. Philadelphia on Thursday.Road: at Boston on Saturday; at Philadelphia next Sunday.
OUT. The Rangers had an uptick after adding Sean Avery and Nikolai Antropov, but that momentum has been lost and New York is limping to the finish. That, combined with a tough schedule in the final week, will result in the playoffs escaping from New York.
FLORIDA PANTHERS -Standings storyTwo points behind the Rangers for the final playoff spot, with two fewer victories, Florida is pushing hard for its first post-season appearance since 2000.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Pittsburgh on Sunday; vs. Washington next Saturday.Road: at Philadelphia on Tuesday; at Atlanta on Thursday.In or out?IN. Florida hasn't been in the playoffs for nine years and hasn't won a playoff round since that surprise run to the Stanley Cup final as third-year expansion franchise in 1996. It's time for a return.
BUFFALO SABRES-Standings storyThe Sabres are four points out of a playoff spot and have to leapfrog two teams with five games left. They're a long shot.Remaining gamesHome: vs. New Jersey on Saturday; vs. Detroit on Monday; vs. Boston next Saturday.Road: at Toronto on Wednesday; at Carolina on Thursday.In or out?OUT. Buffalo won't be able to overcome the long-term injury absences in the second half of the season to their top two stars, goalie Ryan Miller and sniper Thomas Vanek.
WESTERN CONFERENCEThe West features six teams going for the final three playoff berths, with the Blue Jackets having the inside track on the No. 6 seed and the Ducks and Blues trying to hold off the Predators, as well as the Wild and Oilers, for the last two seeds.Here is what the playoff bubble teams in the West face in the final week:
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETSThe Jackets have been in and out of a playoff spot throughout the 2008-09 season and desperately want to hold onto the No. 6 seed - and face Calgary or Vancouver in Round 1 rather than top seeds San Jose or Detroit. Sitting a couple of points ahead of Anaheim, St. Louis and Nashville, with a game in hand on those clubs, the Jackets control their own destiny.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Chicago on Sunday; vs. Minnesota next Saturday.Road: at Nashville on Saturday; at Chicago on Wednesday; at St. Louis on Friday.In or out?IN. Columbus has a pair of back-to-back sets remaining - and have to travel between games in both situations - but a win over Nashville on Saturday or St. Louis next Friday would be huge. In any case, look for Rick Nash to power forward into his first NHL post-season.
ANAHEIM DUCKS-Standings storyThe Ducks hit the skids just prior to the trade deadline, prompting GM Bob Murray to unload some valuable veterans who played key roles in Anaheim's 2007 Cup run (Sami Pahlsson, Travis Moen, Kent Huskins). But after dipping down below the post-season cut-off line, Anaheim turned it around and climbed back into contention.Remaining gamesHome: vs. San Jose on Sunday; vs. Dallas on Friday.Road: at San Jose on Saturday; at Phoenix next Saturday.In or out?IN. The Ducks have been one of the league's best teams over the past month and boast several proven stars (Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry). They have a pair of back-to-back sets to close out the season - including a home-and-home against rival San Jose - but they also have five days off before their final two games (against non-playoff teams Dallas and Phoenix).
ST. LOUIS BLUES The Blues have been one of the league's hottest teams in the second half of the season and look good to trade in their draft lottery ticket for a 1-in-16 chance at the Stanley Cup. They've overcome a No. 1 goalie who could no longer cut it (Manny Legace) and countless injuries to key players (Keith Tkachuk, Paul Kariya and Erik Johnson, for starters).Remaining gamesHome: vs. Columbus on Friday.Road: at Dallas on Saturday; at Phoenix on Tuesday; at Colorado next Sunday.In or out?IN. With only four games remaining - including just one at home - there's little margin for error, but the Blues have been walking the tightrope since January. Even if they lose that crucial home game to visiting Columbus, their other three games are against non-playoff teams and St. Louis has at least two days off between each contest with the exception of the final game of the season.
NASHVILLE PREDATORSStandings storyNever surrender, never say die. Despite being decimated by the departures of star players the past couple of years - and off-ice franchise instability - the Preds, as always, are in the playoff mix to the end. The No. 7 and 8 seeds will come down to a last-day dogfight between Nashville, Anaheim and St. Louis.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Columbus on Saturday; vs. Chicago on Tuesday.Road: at Detroit on Thursday; at Minnesota on Friday.In or out?OUT. Top-liners Jason Arnott and Martin Erat were injury AWOLs down the stretch and Nashville doesn't have any offense to spare at the best of times. Give the Preds full credit for a furious finish and a work ethic that's second to none, but they'll be watching the post-season on TV just like you and me.
MINNESOTA WILD-While Anaheim and St. Louis were storming up the standings the past month, the Wild went the other way. They've got two points to make up and two teams to climb over - and just four games to do it. Marian Gaborik might be back, but his return coincided with Mikko Koivu's injury exit.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Dallas on Tuesday; vs. Nashville on Friday.Road: at Detroit on Sunday; at Columbus next Saturday.In or out?OUT. They need to win out to even have a prayer. Yes, Saint Niklas Backstrom, the patron saint of save percentage, is heavenly good - but he's not a miracle worker.
EDMONTON OILERS-Standings story The architects of their own demise, the Oilers have struggled mightily in the final quarter of the season. Once looking good for the No. 7 or 8 seed, they'll probably finish 12th or 13th in the West. Again. Whatever you do, though, don't blame Dwayne Roloson. Remaining gamesHome: vs. Vancouver on Saturday; vs. Los Angeles on Tuesday; vs. Calgary on Friday.Road: at Calgary next Saturday.In or out?OUT. Three home games are nice, but the opponents are not. A home-and-home versus Calgary to close out the season is fun for fans, but will likely be meaningless in the standings
written by
Sam McCaig is The Hockey News' senior copy editor and a regular contributor to THN.com. His blog appears every weekend and his column, From The Point, appears regularly.
For more great profiles, news and views from the world of hockey, Subscribe to The Hockey News magazine.
As the NHL schedule heads into the final week of the regular season, The League That Parity Built has a logjam of teams vying for the final playoff berths in each conference. And, yeah, sure, we could play out the remaining contests and see who gets in and who doesn't. Or, we could just take a peek at the schedule and the standings, do some new math and figure it out for ourselves. Let's try that, and see what happens.
EASTERN CONFERENCEIt's a four-team battle for the final two playoff spots in the East, with the Canadiens and Rangers holding a slight advantage over the Panthers and Sabres heading into the final week of the regular season.Here is what the playoff bubble teams in the East face in the final week:
MONTREAL CANADIENSStandings storyThe Canadiens sit seventh in the East, one point ahead of the Rangers and three points ahead of the Panthers. Montreal, with five games remaining, has a game in hand on both the Rangers and Panthers heading into Saturday's action.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Ottawa on Monday; vs. Pittsburgh next Saturday.Road: at Toronto on Saturday; at NY Rangers on Tuesday; at Boston on Thursday..In or out?IN. The Habs appear to have stabilized following a two-month free fall that cost coach Guy Carbonneau his job and nearly ruined the franchise's 100th anniversary season. Montreal could deal a big blow to the Rangers' playoff hopes with a win in New York next Tuesday, although that game will be the second of back-to-back contests after the Habs host Ottawa on Monday.
NEW YORK RANGERS Standings storyNew York has steadily slid down the Eastern Conference standings and is clinging to a playoff spot with a week to go. The Rangers would be a lot further down if not for netminder Henrik Lundqvist, their runaway MVP this season.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Montreal on Tuesday; vs. Philadelphia on Thursday.Road: at Boston on Saturday; at Philadelphia next Sunday.
OUT. The Rangers had an uptick after adding Sean Avery and Nikolai Antropov, but that momentum has been lost and New York is limping to the finish. That, combined with a tough schedule in the final week, will result in the playoffs escaping from New York.
FLORIDA PANTHERS -Standings storyTwo points behind the Rangers for the final playoff spot, with two fewer victories, Florida is pushing hard for its first post-season appearance since 2000.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Pittsburgh on Sunday; vs. Washington next Saturday.Road: at Philadelphia on Tuesday; at Atlanta on Thursday.In or out?IN. Florida hasn't been in the playoffs for nine years and hasn't won a playoff round since that surprise run to the Stanley Cup final as third-year expansion franchise in 1996. It's time for a return.
BUFFALO SABRES-Standings storyThe Sabres are four points out of a playoff spot and have to leapfrog two teams with five games left. They're a long shot.Remaining gamesHome: vs. New Jersey on Saturday; vs. Detroit on Monday; vs. Boston next Saturday.Road: at Toronto on Wednesday; at Carolina on Thursday.In or out?OUT. Buffalo won't be able to overcome the long-term injury absences in the second half of the season to their top two stars, goalie Ryan Miller and sniper Thomas Vanek.
WESTERN CONFERENCEThe West features six teams going for the final three playoff berths, with the Blue Jackets having the inside track on the No. 6 seed and the Ducks and Blues trying to hold off the Predators, as well as the Wild and Oilers, for the last two seeds.Here is what the playoff bubble teams in the West face in the final week:
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETSThe Jackets have been in and out of a playoff spot throughout the 2008-09 season and desperately want to hold onto the No. 6 seed - and face Calgary or Vancouver in Round 1 rather than top seeds San Jose or Detroit. Sitting a couple of points ahead of Anaheim, St. Louis and Nashville, with a game in hand on those clubs, the Jackets control their own destiny.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Chicago on Sunday; vs. Minnesota next Saturday.Road: at Nashville on Saturday; at Chicago on Wednesday; at St. Louis on Friday.In or out?IN. Columbus has a pair of back-to-back sets remaining - and have to travel between games in both situations - but a win over Nashville on Saturday or St. Louis next Friday would be huge. In any case, look for Rick Nash to power forward into his first NHL post-season.
ANAHEIM DUCKS-Standings storyThe Ducks hit the skids just prior to the trade deadline, prompting GM Bob Murray to unload some valuable veterans who played key roles in Anaheim's 2007 Cup run (Sami Pahlsson, Travis Moen, Kent Huskins). But after dipping down below the post-season cut-off line, Anaheim turned it around and climbed back into contention.Remaining gamesHome: vs. San Jose on Sunday; vs. Dallas on Friday.Road: at San Jose on Saturday; at Phoenix next Saturday.In or out?IN. The Ducks have been one of the league's best teams over the past month and boast several proven stars (Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry). They have a pair of back-to-back sets to close out the season - including a home-and-home against rival San Jose - but they also have five days off before their final two games (against non-playoff teams Dallas and Phoenix).
ST. LOUIS BLUES The Blues have been one of the league's hottest teams in the second half of the season and look good to trade in their draft lottery ticket for a 1-in-16 chance at the Stanley Cup. They've overcome a No. 1 goalie who could no longer cut it (Manny Legace) and countless injuries to key players (Keith Tkachuk, Paul Kariya and Erik Johnson, for starters).Remaining gamesHome: vs. Columbus on Friday.Road: at Dallas on Saturday; at Phoenix on Tuesday; at Colorado next Sunday.In or out?IN. With only four games remaining - including just one at home - there's little margin for error, but the Blues have been walking the tightrope since January. Even if they lose that crucial home game to visiting Columbus, their other three games are against non-playoff teams and St. Louis has at least two days off between each contest with the exception of the final game of the season.
NASHVILLE PREDATORSStandings storyNever surrender, never say die. Despite being decimated by the departures of star players the past couple of years - and off-ice franchise instability - the Preds, as always, are in the playoff mix to the end. The No. 7 and 8 seeds will come down to a last-day dogfight between Nashville, Anaheim and St. Louis.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Columbus on Saturday; vs. Chicago on Tuesday.Road: at Detroit on Thursday; at Minnesota on Friday.In or out?OUT. Top-liners Jason Arnott and Martin Erat were injury AWOLs down the stretch and Nashville doesn't have any offense to spare at the best of times. Give the Preds full credit for a furious finish and a work ethic that's second to none, but they'll be watching the post-season on TV just like you and me.
MINNESOTA WILD-While Anaheim and St. Louis were storming up the standings the past month, the Wild went the other way. They've got two points to make up and two teams to climb over - and just four games to do it. Marian Gaborik might be back, but his return coincided with Mikko Koivu's injury exit.Remaining gamesHome: vs. Dallas on Tuesday; vs. Nashville on Friday.Road: at Detroit on Sunday; at Columbus next Saturday.In or out?OUT. They need to win out to even have a prayer. Yes, Saint Niklas Backstrom, the patron saint of save percentage, is heavenly good - but he's not a miracle worker.
EDMONTON OILERS-Standings story The architects of their own demise, the Oilers have struggled mightily in the final quarter of the season. Once looking good for the No. 7 or 8 seed, they'll probably finish 12th or 13th in the West. Again. Whatever you do, though, don't blame Dwayne Roloson. Remaining gamesHome: vs. Vancouver on Saturday; vs. Los Angeles on Tuesday; vs. Calgary on Friday.Road: at Calgary next Saturday.In or out?OUT. Three home games are nice, but the opponents are not. A home-and-home versus Calgary to close out the season is fun for fans, but will likely be meaningless in the standings
written by
Sam McCaig is The Hockey News' senior copy editor and a regular contributor to THN.com. His blog appears every weekend and his column, From The Point, appears regularly.
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Sunday, April 5, 2009
Another loss!! Here we go again, sell your sticks and Canucks Jersey's. Actually why don't we just sell the Canucks and get a Basketball team? Maybe it will work out this time!
There should be a lot of people off the bandwagon this week, TV ratings will be going through the basement, Canucks Jersey's and Beer sales will hit an all time low in downtown Vancouver.
Crisis hotlines will be busy this week with depressed fans phoning in for counselling.
Did anyone notice the Sedins last night?I didn't, Sheldon Souray man handled them until they dissapeared, This will happen in the playoffs too, the biggest strongest defencemen from yhe opposition will beat them into the ice and they will go back into there shells like baby turtles.
Here's what the Vancouver Canucks need, big strong Canadian kids, they don't even have to be that big, as long as they can play "Big" and push back when faced with adversity.
You can see the frustration in Roberto Luongo's face, Soft defence that lets the other teams stand around the crease and get in his face, I wonder what would happen if Sean Avery slashed Luongo in the back of the head, like he did to Tim Thomas last night. I'm sure a few of the Canucks would have exception to it, but others would have shrugged it off, and wondered where they will golf this summer, or which lake to fish in when they get back to Sweden.
Last night was great example of what will happen when the Canucks reach the playoffs. The pressure increases 10 fold, the stakes are high and the results are low.
At least the Canucks make the playoffs this year, more than we can say for last years squad. The only problem with making the playoffs when you consistently lose in the first round, is that you always end up in the bottom end of the draft pool. Making every year the same as the previous one.....mediocre!!!
Lets just Hope they Make it far this year and then it will all be worth while.
Go Canucks Go!!!!!!
There should be a lot of people off the bandwagon this week, TV ratings will be going through the basement, Canucks Jersey's and Beer sales will hit an all time low in downtown Vancouver.
Crisis hotlines will be busy this week with depressed fans phoning in for counselling.
Did anyone notice the Sedins last night?I didn't, Sheldon Souray man handled them until they dissapeared, This will happen in the playoffs too, the biggest strongest defencemen from yhe opposition will beat them into the ice and they will go back into there shells like baby turtles.
Here's what the Vancouver Canucks need, big strong Canadian kids, they don't even have to be that big, as long as they can play "Big" and push back when faced with adversity.
You can see the frustration in Roberto Luongo's face, Soft defence that lets the other teams stand around the crease and get in his face, I wonder what would happen if Sean Avery slashed Luongo in the back of the head, like he did to Tim Thomas last night. I'm sure a few of the Canucks would have exception to it, but others would have shrugged it off, and wondered where they will golf this summer, or which lake to fish in when they get back to Sweden.
Last night was great example of what will happen when the Canucks reach the playoffs. The pressure increases 10 fold, the stakes are high and the results are low.
At least the Canucks make the playoffs this year, more than we can say for last years squad. The only problem with making the playoffs when you consistently lose in the first round, is that you always end up in the bottom end of the draft pool. Making every year the same as the previous one.....mediocre!!!
Lets just Hope they Make it far this year and then it will all be worth while.
Go Canucks Go!!!!!!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Top of the division ready for a cup run, back on the bandwagon.Thats how canucks fans operate. Another win for the Canucks, points by the Twins and saves by Luongo, Same old story until the playoffs when the Sedins curl up and dissapear.
Luongo will surely be tired by then and Taylor Pyatt will continue to shoot wide on open nets. Maybe it's because he's so strong his stick flexes and he shoots wide, or maybe it's just because he's a terrible hockey player what do you think?
If we can barely beat the Minnesota Wild how will we do against Detroit or San Jose? Probably not well, Patrick Marleau will make a mockery of us, while Joe Thornton gets all the defensive attention of the opposing teams.
Zetterberg and his line will shine while Datysuk and company get hounded by the leagues top checkers. The Detroit red wings only down side is there goaltending, simply for the fact that thier odds af havcing an injured goalie are extremely high at this point.
With the Vancouver Canucks at the top of their Division there will most likely be a parade tonight, or some other celebration.... Because we are definetley going to win the cup. At least until our next loss when we should dump the team and start fresh.Thats how it works in Vancouver.
1 win=Stanley cup
1 loss=golf course or fishing
Until next time....don't let your faith waiver, it's a 10 year plan for this crew
Luongo will surely be tired by then and Taylor Pyatt will continue to shoot wide on open nets. Maybe it's because he's so strong his stick flexes and he shoots wide, or maybe it's just because he's a terrible hockey player what do you think?
If we can barely beat the Minnesota Wild how will we do against Detroit or San Jose? Probably not well, Patrick Marleau will make a mockery of us, while Joe Thornton gets all the defensive attention of the opposing teams.
Zetterberg and his line will shine while Datysuk and company get hounded by the leagues top checkers. The Detroit red wings only down side is there goaltending, simply for the fact that thier odds af havcing an injured goalie are extremely high at this point.
With the Vancouver Canucks at the top of their Division there will most likely be a parade tonight, or some other celebration.... Because we are definetley going to win the cup. At least until our next loss when we should dump the team and start fresh.Thats how it works in Vancouver.
1 win=Stanley cup
1 loss=golf course or fishing
Until next time....don't let your faith waiver, it's a 10 year plan for this crew
Monday, March 30, 2009
Here's the thing with the Vancouver Canucks and their fans, Every year in the fall we say there's no way the Canucks will do anything, then by December the Canucks are the top stanley cup contenders. Come February, the Canucks are back to the being called the "worst team" in the league!!!
We, as Vancouver Canucks fans, are probably the biggest bandwagon riders in the history of hockey or maybe even all of pro sports. We love Canucks, we hate the Canucks. Even the media rides the wagon.
I truly believe that the Canucks will never win the cup until we get a more Canadian based "core". Until the 07/08 season a European Captained team had never won the cup and probably won't for another 100 years.
The Sedins are soft and disappear in the Playoffs EVERY YEAR, they cannot handle the pressure of the top checking lines of the opposing teams. Sure they can control the puck for two straight minutes but they can't seem to fininsh when it matters. One day the Canucks will trade the Sedins...probably for nothing in return, then the twins will go to a team and win the Stanley cup. That's just the way it works for the Canucks.
Mats Sundin,.... not the best idea the Canucks ever had, an overweight, over-rated Swede who has no foot speed and a very minimal upside, sure he knows the game and can get in position every now and then, is that really worth 5 million dollars for half of a season ? I don't think so.
The Canucks could have brought up Cody Hodgson right from the start of the season, for about $500,000 or so, and I guarantee he would have more points than Sundin by now and would have been a great asset to the Canucks down the stretch. His youthful energy, stamina and never say die attitude could have taken alot of attention away from Vancouver Canuck fans two favorite "sisters" Dan and Hank Sedin, during their playoff run.
Mattias Ohlund(swede) will be leaving at the end of the this season and Luongo(non-swede) at the end of next season, Ohlund will not be a huge loss, his lack of emotion on a nightly basis is getting tiring. Sure Ohlund gets mad once a year, but that is not enough, these guys need to get mad every time a puck goes in their net or they lose a game, show some emotion and get in the game.
Luongo is clearly one of the best goalies in the world, but how long can he put up with this kind of play? He did for it years in Florida and will more than likely be in a Montreal Canadiens or maybe even a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey in the near future.
Ryan Kesler and Alexandre Burrows are probably two of the hardest working Canucks of all time. Both players skate their hearts out and play every game like it's their last. Soon it will be...the twins will leave and Burrows will be a fourth line player again, at least he knows it though...unlike Anson Carter a few years ago.Ryan Kesler will be the next Trevor Linden and become a folk hero for the Canucks Orginization in the years to come.
This brings me to Taylor Pyatt....Probably one of the worst skaters in the NHL, he's a big guy but plays with the aggression of a four year old girl. If he could just learn to Skate, Shoot and Pass he might become a good "Shinny" player by the time he's ready for an "old timers" league.
OK so he has a good hard wrist shot but that doesn't mean a thing if it's always 10ft wide of the net. When your that Big you should be the perfect "triplet" for the Canucks to Suit up with the Twins, but Pyatt can't hit the broad side of a Barn from 1ft away.
With all this being said, I am a Die-hard Canucks fan and my faith never waivers. I might not like most of the players but I'm not the Canucks GM, so I have to live with it. I will always cheer for the Vancouver Canucks, even when they lose every game ,trade away all of their assests and go into a re-building stage(coming soon). As long as we win the cup before the Maple Leafs I'll be happy.
We, as Vancouver Canucks fans, are probably the biggest bandwagon riders in the history of hockey or maybe even all of pro sports. We love Canucks, we hate the Canucks. Even the media rides the wagon.
I truly believe that the Canucks will never win the cup until we get a more Canadian based "core". Until the 07/08 season a European Captained team had never won the cup and probably won't for another 100 years.
The Sedins are soft and disappear in the Playoffs EVERY YEAR, they cannot handle the pressure of the top checking lines of the opposing teams. Sure they can control the puck for two straight minutes but they can't seem to fininsh when it matters. One day the Canucks will trade the Sedins...probably for nothing in return, then the twins will go to a team and win the Stanley cup. That's just the way it works for the Canucks.
Mats Sundin,.... not the best idea the Canucks ever had, an overweight, over-rated Swede who has no foot speed and a very minimal upside, sure he knows the game and can get in position every now and then, is that really worth 5 million dollars for half of a season ? I don't think so.
The Canucks could have brought up Cody Hodgson right from the start of the season, for about $500,000 or so, and I guarantee he would have more points than Sundin by now and would have been a great asset to the Canucks down the stretch. His youthful energy, stamina and never say die attitude could have taken alot of attention away from Vancouver Canuck fans two favorite "sisters" Dan and Hank Sedin, during their playoff run.
Mattias Ohlund(swede) will be leaving at the end of the this season and Luongo(non-swede) at the end of next season, Ohlund will not be a huge loss, his lack of emotion on a nightly basis is getting tiring. Sure Ohlund gets mad once a year, but that is not enough, these guys need to get mad every time a puck goes in their net or they lose a game, show some emotion and get in the game.
Luongo is clearly one of the best goalies in the world, but how long can he put up with this kind of play? He did for it years in Florida and will more than likely be in a Montreal Canadiens or maybe even a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey in the near future.
Ryan Kesler and Alexandre Burrows are probably two of the hardest working Canucks of all time. Both players skate their hearts out and play every game like it's their last. Soon it will be...the twins will leave and Burrows will be a fourth line player again, at least he knows it though...unlike Anson Carter a few years ago.Ryan Kesler will be the next Trevor Linden and become a folk hero for the Canucks Orginization in the years to come.
This brings me to Taylor Pyatt....Probably one of the worst skaters in the NHL, he's a big guy but plays with the aggression of a four year old girl. If he could just learn to Skate, Shoot and Pass he might become a good "Shinny" player by the time he's ready for an "old timers" league.
OK so he has a good hard wrist shot but that doesn't mean a thing if it's always 10ft wide of the net. When your that Big you should be the perfect "triplet" for the Canucks to Suit up with the Twins, but Pyatt can't hit the broad side of a Barn from 1ft away.
With all this being said, I am a Die-hard Canucks fan and my faith never waivers. I might not like most of the players but I'm not the Canucks GM, so I have to live with it. I will always cheer for the Vancouver Canucks, even when they lose every game ,trade away all of their assests and go into a re-building stage(coming soon). As long as we win the cup before the Maple Leafs I'll be happy.
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