Vancouver Canucks

[GordonH]

Nope. But they are the only ones without a ring that were eliminated by the Flames last night.

Very true.

Like I said in the Round 1 poll thread. Calgary needs to use their speed against Anaheim, if they try to out hit the Ducks they will lose badly.

[mexi cali]

I think Ryan Kessler is still trying to figure out what the number of the bus was that knocked him into the Ducks bench.

That was one of the hardest and cleanest checks I have ever seen.

Calgary instinctively plays a tough/hard game but not to the detriment of their speed and skill. I see it as a balance.

I think they stack up pretty well toughness wise against Anaheim.

This series is going to be tougher I think for sure but it's the playoffs and anything can ( and usually does) happen.

[Donald G]

Since Kessler is one of the players on my very short " all time hardest working players " list I like to think that the now eliminated bus driver under rated Kessler's ability to stay focused on the game and let others worry about getting the bus repaired ... during the driver's long off season spent driving the bus to and from the golf course.

[GordonH]

I think Ryan Kessler is still trying to figure out what the number of the bus was that knocked him into the Ducks bench.

That was one of the hardest and cleanest checks I have ever seen.

Calgary instinctively plays a tough/hard game but not to the detriment of their speed and skill. I see it as a balance.

I think they stack up pretty well toughness wise against Anaheim.

This series is going to be tougher I think for sure but it's the playoffs and anything can ( and usually does) happen.

I really hope the Flames do well in round 2, unfortunately I don't see them moving on to round 3.

[the truth]

yup same here

[Poindexter]

Ducks are incredibly strong down the middle, hard to imagine the flames surviving another round. Almost happy the nucks didnt make it so I wont have to watch Kesler gloat as they dispatch another Canadian team.

[Donald G]

Given that the origin of a large number of the players involved in the elimination process are from all over the world I do not at all see any of these games with a Canada vs USA backdrop.

I suppose that looking it in such an emotionalized way helps to encourage fan support and increase the owner profits at the rate of about one to one point five million dollars per game.

[GordonH]

http://www.castanet.net/news/Sports/138 ... the-course

[Poindexter]

Given that the origin of a large number of the players involved in the elimination process are from all over the world I do not at all see any of these games with a Canada vs USA backdrop.

I suppose that looking it in such an emotionalized way helps to encourage fan support and increase the owner profits at the rate of about one to one point five million dollars per game.

Really? The Bruins had more Canadians players than the Canucks when they met in the finals but you'd have a hard time finding many Vancouverites that cared.

[GordonH]

Curious thing the Twins are not playing for Team Sweden at World Championships.

[Bretbaby]

Curious thing the Twins are not playing for Team Sweden at World Championships.

They declined due to injuries.

http://canucksarmy.com/2015/4/27/report ... -to-injury

[GordonH]

^^^ thats interesting since I've been watching IIHF World Championship. All I heard is they declined (may have missed it being said) to play for team Sweden. Number of players from Europe playing in NHL have declined to play for their national team. Of course not those still in the playoffs.

[Poindexter]

Shame about the Sedins. Love watching them work their magic on the big ice surface.

Can't help but wonder if the Canucks would still be playing if they had Kesler and Garrison in the line up. Bonino and Sbiza were a bust as well as Vey who they eventually ended up with for Garrison. :(

[Danielson99]

Shame about the Sedins. Love watching them work their magic on the big ice surface.

Can't help but wonder if the Canucks would still be playing if they had Kesler and Garrison in the line up. Bonino and Sbiza were a bust as well as Vey who they eventually ended up with for Garrison. :(

Obviously you don't follow hockey very closely. Bonino was a bust? Did you even bother looking up his statistics this year compared to Kesler? Kesler was traded for Bonino and Sbiza. Bonino by himself scored about the same amount of points as Kesler did this year. Adding the fact that the Canucks also got Sbiza in return makes the trade an absolute win for the Canucks. We got rid of a locker room cancer and a guy that didn't even want to play in Vancouver and replaced him with a guy who got just as many points as him plus a defenseman who has plenty of potential.

Oh, I forgot to mention that both Bonino and Sbiza cost the Canucks about the same as Kesler or Garrison was making individually. When you factor in that the Canucks saved alot of money by getting rid of Kesler it makes the deal even more one-sided. To me though, getting rid of a cancer like Kesler was a good idea regardless of who we got in return.

[GordonH]

Kesler wanted out so he was traded, he's on a team that is contender and he is contributing same with Garrison. There is a chance they will meet in finals.
Thats the ups and downs of the game i.e Edmonton thought Devan Dubnyk was the goalie. Did not workout, then ends up in Minnesota Wild has a hell of a run. Sometimes things fit and sometimes not.

I have hopes that between Trevor Linden, Jim Benning and Willie Desjardins, Vancouver will make improvements. Especially knowing Edmonton is making huge improvements and I expect that will show up on the ice come next season.

Pacific division is going to get even harder then it was come next season.