Canucks Network Forum | Vancouver Canucks Hockey Community Blog List

Canucks Network Forum | Vancouver Canucks Hockey Community Blog List http://canucksnetwork.com/forum/index.php?app=blog Community Blog List Syndication Sun, 24 Jan 2010 05:35:47 +0000 admin@canucksnetwork.com (Canucks Network Forum | Vancouver Canucks Hockey) IP.Blog 60 The Orca Zone - Early NHL Roundup
HART MEMORIAL: Alexander Ovechkin
Surprised? You shouldn't be. After scoring an astounding 21-points in 14 playoff games last spring, Ovechkin has showed that same intensity and hunger to rip back into the playoffs-- notching 9 points and 5 goals in only 4 games already. Not only that, but reports suggest Ovechkin is almost 15 pounds heavier than before-- which will pay off big time for the Washington Capitals.

ROCKET RICHARD: Mike Richards
If you thought two major shoulder surgeries could stop Mike Richards from scoring, hitting, contributing or just flat out playing, you were dead wrong. But so was I. With an impressive 3-goals against the Washington Capitals earlier this week, Richards set the tone early against last year's Rocket Richard winner, Alex Ovechkin by scoring all 3 goals in the 2nd period.

VEZINA TROPHY: Ilya Bryzgalov
It's impressive enough that a Coyotes player actually managed to get recognition, but even more so because of the fact it's their goaltender. But give Bryz some credit; after shutting the door against Los Angeles in the season opener, the Bryz earned a shutout against the defending Stanley Cup champions and stoned Sidney Crosby as well as Evgeni Malkin. It's pretty improbable that the Coyotes will continue with this winning streak, but they have full credit to enjoy it while it lasts.

NORRIS MEMORIAL TROPHY: Andrei Markov
In Montreal, Andrei Markov is a leading candidate for the Norris Memorial Trophy by sitting in the infirmary. The Canadiens feigned capability against Calgary earlier in the week, but were picked apart cleanly by the Vancouver Canucks in a 7-1 effort that screamed for #79.

LESTER B PEARSON MEMORIAL TROPHY: Ilya Kovalchuk
Entering the final year of his current contract means a great season ahead for Kovalchuk and he's showing it early. Kovy puts as much fear in the hearts of goaltenders as any sniper in the league-- his 23 goals in the second half of the season last year was behind only Ovechkin's 25. With 4 goals in 2 games including an assist, Kovalchuk is intent on proving the Thrashers are on the rise, and Atlanta will rise and fall with him.

FRANK J SELKE TROPHY: Eric Nystrom
For a player that's averaging only 9 minutes a game, it tells you a lot of Nystrom's playing ability when he already has 3 points in 4 games with an astounding +6 rating to lead the league. While the Calgary Flames have been enjoying even scoring throughout the lineup, Nystrom's main assignment is to shut opposing forwards down and he's been doing just that. The 26-year old was drafted 10th overall in 2002 for his antagonizing skill, and they're on full display early this year.

LADY BYNG TROPHY: Anze Kopitar
Anze who? Oh yeah! That guy playing for the... Hartford Whalers? It's easy to forget about Anze Kopitar and the often laughable Los Angeles Kings, but many have been predicting a breakout year from King Kopitar. So far, all signs are good. With 8 points through 3 games and an accumulated penalty minute total of 0, it seems Kopitar has finally elevated his game to the level of franchise player; a bargain for a 6'4, 221-pound player who can dangle like Datsyuk but also hit like Byfuglien.

BILL MASTERSON MEMORIAL TROPHY: Paul Kariya
Many thought this might have been the last year for Paul Kariya. After all, the 2008/2009 season was pretty much a washout after being limited to only 11 games due to various injuries. But two major hip surgeries later and an entire year of therapy, the speedster is hardly showing his age nor his wear. Kariya has been an integral part of the Blues' early success this year with 4 points in 3 games, and St. Louis management is hoping the return of he and Erik Johnson into the lineup this year will solidify another playoff spot and prevent another 4-game sweep next spring. The Burnaby-native will turn 35 later this month.

It's completely foolish to expect any of these very, very, very early predictions will stand even as late as tomorrow evening, but there have been a lot of stories thus far into the NHL season.. And a lot more are sure to come ahead.]]> Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:02:00 +0000 The Orca Zone - And so something gave
After scoring only 5 goals in their first 3 games, the Canucks tentative offensive exploded, connecting on 3 of 4 powerplays and chasing Price from his first start back in his hometown.

The difference between the Canucks earlier this season and Wednesday night was the ability to turn opportunity into goals. After averaging nearly 40 shots a game in their first 3 but only averaging 2 goals a game, the Canucks looked to shake things up early by changing their lineup.

Sergei Shirokov, the highly touted Russian who had an impressive pre-season, was scratched in favor of sandpaper forward Tanner Glass. By injecting more grit into the lineup, head coach Alain Vigneault hoped to spark the team and it paid off handsomely.

Roberto Luongo, who was under heavy criticism for his inability to make crucial saves in the first 3 games, looked more like the Luongo of old and was only beaten by a deceptive shot by Andrei Kostitsyn in the 2nd period. Prior to the goal, the Canucks netminder stopped 3 consecutive scoring chances off a hot Habs powerplay. Late in the third, Luongo kept the lead by 6 after sprawling on his back to stop the puck after a scrum clashed in front of the crease.

By simplifying the play and keeping things to a basic play, the Canucks managed to shake off their early bad habits and eventually made the hometown debut of Carey Price a real nightmare. After scoring 7 goals on 31 shots including 3 breakaway goals by Kesler, Raymond and Henrik Sedin, Price was pulled in favor of Jaroslav Halak-- with plenty of friends and family in the crowd to witness.

Rick Rypien once again proved his worth by taking on a David-and-Goliath task of fighting Habs defender Hall Gill. Despite a difference of nearly 9 inches, Rypien managed to hold his own against his massive opponent and was an early catalyst for 2 more goals in the 3rd period.

Henrik Sedin had a game-leading 3 points with 2 goals, and went 16-for-23 in the faceoff circle. Daniel Sedin's foot was examined by team doctors during the 2nd intermission after blocking a shot in the middle frame. Prior the game, Darcy Hordichuk was fined $2,500 for his hit on Columbus forward Jared Boll. The Toronto Maple Leafs were fined $25,000 for tampering charges by the NHL. The incident occurred in early June when head coach Ron Wilson indicated the team would pursue the Sedin twins-- before they were Unrestricted Free Agents.

THREE STARS:
1) Henrik Sedin
2) Ryan Kesler
3) Steve Bernier

]]> Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:34:00 +0000 <![CDATA[The Orca Zone - Something's gotta give]]>
Something's gotta give.

The Vancouver Canucks are off to a brutal 0-3-0 record for the start of the new season; their worst start in nearly 8 years.

After going 7-0-2 in the pre-season, the Canucks are proving to the letter just how unreliable exhibition game results truly are, and now we can take that statement to the bank.

After averaging nearly 3.5 goals a game in the pre-season, the Canucks have managed to produce nothing from the powerplay and their secondary scoring is absolutely nowhere to be found. While no person in particular is getting any majority share of the blame that is currently thick to pass around, sooner or later, something or someone has to be held accountable.

Quite frankly, the Sedins aren't playing like 6.5 million dollar players. When will they evolve and take the next step forward from top-line players to elite-level players? Consider this: The Sedins have not changed their playing style since 2006. Back then, their cycle was a bargain at 3.575 million each. Now, it's overpaid, overused and overrated.

Roberto Luongo seems to have no desire to play for the upcoming 2010 Games by the way he's been playing lately. I haven't seen a goalie let in 3 goals on 3 shots since last year's All-Star Game where the league opted to hire a Junior-B goaltender in the elimination shootout. This is not the type of goaltending that the Canucks, or any team suggesting they are contending for the Cup, can get away with. When you lose to Miikka Kiprusoff, that's understandable-- But getting outplayed heavily by the likes of Craig Anderson and Steve Mason is completely unacceptable.

Mikael Samuelsson does not look like a Detroit Red Wings player at all. Since when were Red Wings players hesitant with the puck and opt to constant turnovers? Something is holding Sammy back, whether it's a confidence issue or a nagging injury; the speed in his shot isn't there and his skating is sluggish.

Ryan Kesler seems to content on competing for the Selke this year and has no ambition for even dreaming of the Art Ross. Even so, by the way he's playing, Kesler will be a no-show for any award nomination. No goals, no offense, no success for the Canucks. A big part of the Canucks success last year was building the secondary offense behind the Sedins. And speaking of,

Sergei Shirokov seems to be stuck in a state of starstruck shenanigans. It won't be a great long-term solution, but Shirokov may need a shakeup and could afford to watch a few games from the press-box while the Canucks add some emotion and grit into their lineup by inserting Tanner Glass.

Glass literally fought his way onto the roster, and for a Canucks team that is largely without heart or determination after falling a goal behind (which is a horrifyingly recurring theme) they could use a body that is willing to hit, fight and yap all game long.

Now, Ryan Kesler is a great player who could very well be a consistent 30-goal scorer in the league someday, but it really looks as though the absence of both Mats Sundin and Pavol Demitra has humbled the Michigan-native. Yes, he notched a career-high 59 points last year and has a lot to play for this year what with an Olympic roster spot on the line, including a new contract for next year. But Kesler has been given the bulk of the offensive responsibility this year (at least until Demitra's return) and he hasn't delivered.

Suddenly, Cody Hodgson sounds like a fantastic option.

And for the real cynics, Michael Grabner is always a phonecall away.

]]> Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:45:00 +0000 The Orca Zone - Season preview Canucks a formidable force in competitive western conference

It was only a short while ago that the Northwest Division was home of the most competitive and physical teams in the NHL. Those days may be in the past, but the Vancouver Canucks are preparing to undergo perhaps one of their most important campaigns in recent years.

Given that the Canucks kept a large part of the core from last year's team, it's no surprise that the franchise will move forward under the leadership and play of captain Roberto Luongo and the Sedin twins. Even so, the key additions to the blueline and the forward ranks bolsters and quickens a Vancouver squad that looked weak, slow and tired against the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round of the playoffs last spring.

Roberto Luongo

23-year old Russian prospect Sergei Shirokov signed with the Canucks in the summer and has dazzled fans and players alike during his training camp and pre-season trials. Not only did Shirokov lead the team in pre-season scoring with 7 points, but he did so even with a small injury mid-way through the pre-season schedule after suffering a sprained knee. While hyped prospects Cody Hodgson and Michael Grabner failed to make the scoreboard and consequently the team, Shirokov is the only legitimate rookie playing for the Canucks this season-- but early reports suggests a potential Calder trophy competitor for best rookie.

Mikael Samuelsson signed away from the mighty Detroit Red Wings in order to play top-6 minutes with the Sedin twins and that opportunity may arise if Alex Burrows finds trouble in reproducing his career year last season. Samuelsson is explosive with his shooting and is literally willing to shoot from anywhere on the ice; a trait that should be welcome for Vancouver fans who can be so frustrated with the Sedins' passive cycle play. The native of Mariefried, Sweden will provide versatility on the powerplay with the ability to play the point as well as the half-board with his hard slapshot.

On the blueline, the team let go of lifelong Canuck Mattias Ohlund to free agency and traded for Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich. While the veteran Lukowich was waived on Tuesday night, Ehrhoff has cemented his position as a top-4 defender averaging nearly 22 minutes a game. Noted for his offensive capabilities, Ehrhoff will look to improve from last year's career season with the San Jose Sharks where he notched 42 points with 8 goals.
Mathieu Schneider was also a free agent pick-up, but the 40-year old veteran will not be available until November due to a shoulder injury that will keep him on the long-term injury reserve. Schneider and Ehrhoff will significantly increase a passive powerplay that failed to intimidate opponents last season.

In the always-competitive western conference, the Canucks are in a position for a second consecutive Northwest Division title. With divisional opponents Edmonton, Minnesota and Colorado struggling to improve during the off-season and the Flames decidedly getting defensive over the summer, the Canucks have made the most significant strides in all aspects of team play. With head coach Alain Vigneault extended for 3 years, the Sedin twins locked for 5 and Luongo in for the long haul with a massive 12-year contract, the Canucks are looking to contend for years to come.

Alex Edler

There are valid reasons to be excited for the Canucks' chance at making a deep run into the playoffs this year and it starts with Ryan Johnson.

The valiant shot-blocking hero is looking to have a rebound season after the veteran center broke his index finger midway through the season last year. The finger severely hampered Johnson's play and faceoff abilities, but Johnson expects to return to good form after a long summer of surgery and rehab.

The continued development of Ryan Kesler as a significant two-way player can not only mean good things for the Sedin twins, but it can also intimidate opponents looking for an easy win. After being named a finalist for the Frank J. Selke trophy last year as best defensive forward, Kesler has motivation to improve his play, both offensive and defensive, after a very unSelke-like playoff exit to the Blackhawks.

Kevin Bieksa and Alex Edler should both take steps forward in their development and become top blueline figures in the western conference. With both able to log more than 23 minutes worth of ice time, opponents will see a lot of #3 and #23 next season.

With Willie Mitchell entering unrestricted free agent year, the veteran blueliner needs to prove that his game still fits the Canucks style of play. Considered a reliable and safe shutdown defenseman, Mitchell appears to be an outcast on a team that intends to move into a quick, possession-type team. Even so, if Mitchell can continue the success he had from last year's regular season, it'll make it very difficult for the Canucks to part with the B.C-native.

While some "legitimate" top teams in the western conference felt the need to acquire big-name talent, the Canucks used the off-season to make quiet and effective additions.

The season ahead promises to be full of excitement.

For the Orca Zone, I'm Canorcas.

]]> Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:38:00 +0000 The Orca Zone - Anchoring the blueline Kevin Bieksa will anchor the blueline for years to come

Kevin Bieksa has a remarkable story.

Considering that the rugged 28-year old was drafted 151st overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, there were very few who actually thought the Grismby, Ontario-native would ever play in the big leagues.

Kevin Bieksa

At the time, Bieksa was playing for Bowling Green State University in the NCAA hockey program; the decision to choose school over a major junior path was an easy one, as Bieksa himself wasn't entirely sure of how his hockey career would end up.

Ultimately, his decision to stay in school would pay off in the end, as Bieksa had the opportunity to play more key minutes with Bowling Green than he would have in the CHL. That opportunity to flourish into a top-end defender might be the biggest reason as to why the hard-nosed defenseman currently plays for Vancouver today and is considered an integral part of a dynamic blueline.

As Bieksa enters his 4th full season with the Canucks, it's worth looking back to see how he has progressed in order to truly admire how far he has come. Averaging at nearly 24 minutes a game last season, it's obvious that Bieksa has assumed the role of the Canucks' go-to guy for defensive responsibilities. The combination of his sound positioning, rugged style of play and his ability to create offense by jumping into the rush or using his hard pointshot has enabled "Juice" to grow into an all-around defender; something that eased the loss of lifelong veteran Canuck Mattias Ohlund over the off-season.

Unlike NHL 10, Bieksa knows he is tough enough.

After achieving a career season last year with 43 points, it will be interesting to see how Bieksa follows up a stellar campaign in which he was also noticeable in the playoffs after notching 5 assists and going +3 through the Canucks' 10 games. A student of the game, the hard-hitting blueliner is definitely a leader for the Canucks and a noticeable presence on the ice. His physical play and the willingness to stick up for his teammates and himself has earned him the adoration of the Canucks' faithful, and he'll be a leading candidate to earn a letter on his jersey for the upcoming season.

While Bieksa may never earn a Norris Trophy nomination, Vancouver fans know when Bieksa is doing his job when the opposing teams are limited in scoring chances, and when Bieksa is able to produce big hit after big hit; and it's considered an added bonus if Bieksa is willing to drop the gloves. A Hulk-kind of player, it's a noted fact that when the 6'2, 205-pound defenseman is angry, he tends to play aggressively and spark the team as a whole. Though that may not be so good for his blood pressure level, that ability to raise his game to a higher level and get emotionally involved in the play is often the missing piece to a Canucks' victory.

And although Bieksa surely doesn't think about it, getting off to a great start early in the season may earn Bieksa a huge favor. With the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver due in just months time, Bieksa could earn valuable look from Team Canada management if he performs at a high level. Sound defensive play, solid checking in the neutral zone and the ability to help on the rush could very well get Bieksa in the middle of the Olympic debate however unlikely it may be. A chance to play for gold in his home city and the ability to make the Team Canada roster would cap off what Canucks fans have known all along.

In Vancouver, with the competition for ice time between 8 NHL-calibre defensemen with only 6 full-time positions, Bieksa knows he has little to worry about. With numbers that were relatively better than highly-touted blueliner Jay Bouwmeester last year, the aggressive defender has only one final contest left; the fight for the last letter.

For the Orca Zone, I'm Canorcas.]]> Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:51:00 +0000 The Orca Zone - Hi Schneider, Bye Schneider Two players sharing a common surname face two completely opposite roads

Almost every person in the Canucks organization celebrated upon hearing the news of Roberto Luongo's 12-year 64-million dollar contract extension with the club. That is, almost everyone.

But for Cory Schneider, it signaled that his time with the organization was near an end, and that more work was ahead of him in his journey to play in the NHL. It's almost unfair for the Boston-native to be dealt such an unfortunate situation, even after achieving everything that was expected of him by exceptional margins.
The 23-year old, who was drafted 26th overall by Vancouver in 2004, was recently named the AHL's top goaltender of the year for the season of 2009, and played strongly in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs where he lead the Manitoba Moose to the Calder Cup finals. There, Schneider did just about everything he could short of scoring goals, but eventually the team fell to the Hershey Bears.

Cory Schneider, unlikely to don the Canucks uniform for very long

And falling just short of complete success has been Schneider's story so far in his professional career. Despite being regarded as one of the best goaltenders not currently playing in the NHL, unexpected events continue to prevent him from taking the next step. But consider this; despite what has been labeled one of the most lopsided trades in recent years, if the Vancouver Canucks had not managed to acquire Roberto Luongo in 2006, there is an extremely high chance that Cory Schneider could have been the legitimate #1 goaltender in Vancouver even a year ago.

It's a tough break for Schneider, who must feel that even though the NHL is so close, it's extremely far away. At least, with Vancouver.

Cory Schneider must impress not only the Canucks, but the entire league

It's quite obvious that Schneider's time with the Canucks organization are numbered, and there would be a healthy amount of clubs across the league interested in acquiring him. At 6'2, 195 lbs, Schneider is a big goaltender who fills up the frame, but also possesses excellent reflexes and has sharp technical skills. It's obvious to see that he has a natural skill in his position, and with goaltending being one of the most difficult positions to invest in, Schneider would be a welcome addition to any team's depth chart.

While it's fair to remain skeptical about the likeliness of Schneider's immediate success in the NHL, consider the success of previous rookie goaltenders. Carey Price took Montreal by storm in his first year, chasing then-starter Cristobal Huet and cementing himself as Montreal's franchise netminder. Steve Mason did the same thing in Columbus this past year; his immediate impact allowing the Jackets to trade Pascal Leclaire to Ottawa in exchange for offense. Pekka Rinne in Nashville has done all but take Dan Ellis' starting job with the Preds, while Brian Elliot performed admirably in a ragtag Senators club.

There's good evidence to suggest that Cory Schneider could copy the success of his predecessors, and cement himself as the number one in the right situation. Whatever the case, should Schneider be traded to an opposing team in the near future, there shouldn't be any hard feelings from anyone on the day he makes his first career start and win against the Canucks. As a goaltender and maturing player, Cory Schneider exceeded all of our expectations, but could never become anything more than a franchise asset.

And while one Schneider may be on his way out, another is on his way in.

That's Mathieu Schneider- the 40-year old defenseman signed with Vancouver to a 1-year, 1.55 million dollar contract in late August; effectively creating a jam of blueliners for the Canucks.

Though the diminutive veteran may be weathered, he's far from ineffective. With his experience, lethal offensive capabilities and a strong desire to play loyally in the Vancouver system, his presence could have immediate impact.

The Canucks hope to see Mathieu Schneider help generate goals from the backend

Last year, the Canucks struggled on the powerplay, finishing the season at 17th overall with an 18.8 efficiency rate. Although there were various shortcomings from a number of different forwards, the Canucks lacked a consistent powerplay quarterback that could dictate the play and set-up the offensive zone. With Schneider in the fold, the veteran brings an experienced offensive mindset- and if he can build off his 6 powerplay goals (in 67 games) from last year, the Canucks should see a healthy rise in their powerplay efficiency.

But there's more to just goals that Schneider could bring to the club. With the current logjam of defenders on the blueline, the Canucks will enjoy a competition they haven't seen in years: a fight between 8 top-6 defensemen fighting for their jobs. While it's no secret that assets like Kevin Bieksa, Willie Mitchell and Alexander Edler will have all-but-assured spots on the top-4 positions, the Canucks could really benefit from inspired play in the likes of Shane O'Brien, Christian Ehrhoff or Brad Lukowich. With the prospect of losing Sami Salo to injuries always remaining a concern, it will be nice to have friendly competition to keep every defenseman on his toes and to play hard every game.

It's unlikely that Schneider will remain with Vancouver any longer than his current contract-- and even more unlikely that Schneider will continue to play hockey at that time as well, but what is comforting is the notion that Schneider believes Vancouver is his best chance for his second Stanley Cup prior to retirement. When asked about his desire to play in Vancouver, Schneider confirmed that he was intent on playing in Vancouver so much, that he ordered his agent to shrug off all other prospective deals from other clubs. That kind of attitude from a respected and well-traveled veteran will mature the entire atmosphere of the locker-room; which is doubly important with the departure of lifelong Canuck Mattias Ohlund.

Schneider is a well-known and respected teammate and leader

The 2009/2010 season has all the right elements to be a season like no other for the Vancouver Canucks. With a depth chart that is virtually unmatched in the past 5 seasons, and the pride of having various roster players eligible and likely to play in the upcoming 2010 Olympic games, the right ingredients may be on the table for the Canucks to climb the hill and assert themselves as one of the top teams in the entire league.

While one Schneider is preparing to leave, another is getting ready to play. But who would have thought that at one point, the Canucks would have obtained both Cory and Mathieu Schneider at the same time?

For the Orca Zone, I'm Canorcas.

]]> Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:03:00 +0000 The Orca Zone - From Shark to Orca Christian Ehrhoff looks to bounce back with a fresh start

On paper, you would have thought that Christian Ehrhoff would be disappointed in being traded from the San Jose Sharks to the Vancouver Canucks in this year's off-season. After all, the Sharks ended up with the league's best record in 2009 and were named the President's Trophy winners for last year; not to mention Ehrhoff managed a career year in which he scored 42 points in 77 games, with 8 of those being goals.

But that's just simply not the case for the 27-year old blueliner, who is also coming off his worst season plus/minus column as an NHL defenseman. After San Jose wheeled and dealt for defenseman Dan Boyle and signed future Hall-of-Famer blueliner Rob Blake, Ehrhoff suddenly plummeted down the depth chart on a stacked Sharks roster and became an unpopular scapegoat for the Sharks' fanbase. He had to deal with constant pressure all throughout the year until eventually, like a broken record, the Sharks once again failed to get deep in the Stanley Cup playoffs. A tumultuous campaign, with the promise from GM Doug Wilson that drastic changes would be coming, Ehrhoff's name became a hot commodity in the trade market until finally, he and fellow defenseman Brad Lukowich were dealt to the Canucks.

But like jumping from one hotpot to another, Ehrhoff didn't manage to escape the sharp eye of dedicated hockey fans; but he has a fresh start and an opportunity to bounceback.

When asked about his trade to Vancouver, Ehrhoff had nothing but positives to say about the team and about the city.
"I'm really happy about [being traded to Vancouver]. I always hoped that if I got dealt, that I would be dealt to a good team and my wish came true."

Ehrhoff enjoys an over-time goal

Although his wish certainly did come true, Ehrhoff has a bit of work ahead of him if he hopes to cement himself as a legitimate top-4 defenseman in a rather busy blueline. It's no secret that the German-born defenseman has found a comfortable niche as an effective offensive defenseman, but he's also shown the capability to play tight defense, which was his highest priority just two seasons ago in 2008.

With such an upgraded blueline that is busy even before the regular season has begun, it's completely in the air as to how Christian Ehrhoff will be utilized in Vancouver. Judging from his past, however, Ehrhoff is a known minute-muncher, who averaged 24 minutes a game for San Jose in last year's playoffs. Those kind of minutes are expected to fall on fellow Canucks blueliners Kevin Bieksa and Alexander Edler, which will leave Ehrhoff to compete for a high-minute role. But without a doubt, the Canucks could use his 42-points on the powerplay, especially if he can remain healthy.

Noted as a bit of a conditioning freak, Ehrhoff boasts strong size for a blueliner. Standing at 6'2, and weighing in at 205 pounds, the gritty blueliner isn't afraid of getting his nose dirty to protect himself or his teammates. And with a franchise goaltender who has been given a weighty 64-million dollar investment, his grittiness will be a welcome addition in front of Roberto Luongo.

The Canucks hope Ehrhoff will bring the same grittiness and physical play as he did in San Jose

And finally, with a manageable salary of 3.1 million dollars (against the cap hit) for the next 2 seasons, many Canucks fans will be hoping for Christian Ehrhoff to fit comfortably as a new Orca-- an Orca with a Shark-kind of attitude.

For the Orca Zone, I'm Canorcas.

]]> Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:00:00 +0000 Canucks Musings - Agent: Luongo wishes to retire as a Canuck; Dave Scatchard to attend Canucks camp This past season, Luongo made comments that were headlines across Canuck nation on CBC Hockey Night in Canada's After Hours when he suggested that would leave the team as a free agent if he did not think he could win a Stanley Cup with the team.

"I think first and foremost, I want to win the Cup and whichever team is going to give me the best chance to do that is the team I want to be with," Luongo said at the time. "I love Vancouver, it's a great city with great fans. So far, I've really enjoyed my time there. Obviously, this year and next year are going to be a key role in my decision."

But now according to Roberto Luongo's agent, the star goaltender apparently wants to retire as a Vancouver Canuck.

"The biggest issue between Roberto and Vancouver was '[Does] he want to stay here?' and the answer was given. Roberto wants to end his career there," his agent, Gilles Lupien, was quoted as saying in French. "Now it's a question of length of contract."

And he wants the contract done as soon as possible to prevent any distractions in hockey-mad Vancouver.

"I think it's important not to have this distraction there during the season," Luongo told RDS. "We will try to resolve it before the start of camp, so there is no problem during the season."

Since the Canucks and Luongo are on the same page, it's inevitable that they will hammer out a deal by training camp.

It is also being reported that former Canuck and NHLer Dave Scatchard has been invited to Canucks training camp in September.

Scatchard, 33, last played in the NHL in the 2006-07 before his contract was bought out by the Phoenix Coyotes. He is described as a checking centre.

With files from: RDS, The White Towel, 24 Hours, Fantasy Sports Services
Photo credit: CBCSports.ca
]]> Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:29:00 +0000 Canucks Musings - Brad Richards on the move again....maybe to the Canucks? Various media sources are reporting that the Dallas Stars are looking to trade star forward Brad Richards. He has two years left on his deal with an annual $7.8 million cap hit and a no-trade clause.

The owner of the Dallas Stars, Tom Hicks, is reportedly having financial troubles. Hicks has already put up his Major League Baseball team, the Texas Rangers up for sale and also could be planning to sell his Premier League team, Liverpool FC.

He is asking general manager Joe Nieuwendyk to offload some salary. This makes Richards the prime target mainly because he could fetch the largest return and is the highest paid player on the team.

Richards was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2008 NHL Trade Deadline in exchange for goaltender Mike Smith, forwards Jeff Halpern, Jussi Jokinen, and a fourth round pick in 2009.

At that time, the Canucks were reportedly interested in Richards and had offered a deal that consisted of the late Luc Bourdon, goalie Cory Schneider, a first, second, and third round pick. But then general manager Jay Feaster and the Lightning wanted young defenceman Alex Edler and forward Ryan Kesler.

"We put a very, very strong proposal in front of a couple of teams in order to land a player that could help us," then-Canucks general manager Dave Nonis said at that time. "We putpackages out there that, in our mind, and I think in a lot of people's minds, were superior to some of the packages that were accepted."

An unnamed source from the Lightning organization said that the Canucks "without a goalie the calibre of Mike Smith to offer, they had no chance at all."

What about now? Do the Canucks have a chance and the parts to land Brad Richards from the Dallas Stars?

Nope, I don't think so. But we do have a player that the Dallas Stars might be interested in.

Cory Schneider.

Their number one goalie Marty Turco just turned 34 and at the most probably has six more years left in the tank. Once he retires, they do not have a goalie to assume the number one role and the goalies they have in the system are currently projected to be nothing more than a number two goalie at the NHL level.

If you expect to acquire a forward of Brad Richards calibre, you can expect in addition another top line forward going back to the Stars, something the Canucks do not have to part with.

However, if the Stars were looking to rebuild and would offload Richards are prospects and draft picks, the Canucks may have a chance, but Richards would put them over the cap, so it wouldn't make sense.

A more likely scenario would be to see Brad Richards shipped to the nation's capital in a three-way trade that includes Dany Heatley. It was reported earlier this month in the Ottawa Sun that Senators general manager Bryan Murray has the option to ship Heatley to San Jose, but needs a third team to be involved.

''If the Sharks don't have what the Senators want, then (GM) DougWilson might have to go get it from another team,'' a league executivetold Sun Media on August 1. ''The Senators want a proven scoring wingerin return and that means you might have to get a third team involved.''

Yes, Richards is not a winger, but that third team could still be the Dallas Stars. The Senators are lacking a legitimate second line center and this era of the NHL, it has become popular to have set pairs on each line with a rotating third player rather than set triplets.

You would have the Jason Spezza and Daniel Alfredsson tandem and the Brad Richards and Alexei Kovalev tandem.

So, Richards to Senators?

With files from: Darren Dreger, Vancouver Province, The Fourth Period, TSN.ca,
Photo Credit: The Hockey News]]> Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:07:00 +0000 Canucks Musings - Gillis Speaks about Shirokov and the Canucks on the Team 1040 Vancouver Canucks President and General Manager Mike Gillis appeared on Pratt and Taylor with Dave Pratt and Rick Ball and touched on a number of subjects including the signing of Shirokov, the legal issues with Alex Burrows, the puck-moving defenceman, and the Luongo extension.

On Shirokov, Gillis mentioned that the team has spent the past four months trying to sign him and the difficulty that came with it due to the lack of a transfer agreement between the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia and the National Hockey League.

"The rules are really undefined right now. With Sergei his contract had come to an end, but even with that he still went through an arbitration process to decide whether or not his contract had officially ended and what rights they had. He went through the process and got the result that we wanted, he wanted, and so we were free to sign him at that point."

"But it's been an on-going saga for us for the last four months trying to get this guy signed. We actually tried to get him into Manitoba at the end of last year, but that was going to be impossible, so we went through all the right processes and he'll be here for training camp."

More quotes available at Team1040.ca

On the Burrows front, he was asked if he had spoken with Burrows regarding his stick-swinging incident in which he struck the face of an opposing goalie during a Montreal summer league game. Many NHL players and amateurs use it to get in game shape for the hockey season. The incident is still being investigated, but Gillis says he's "confident nothing will be coming out of it."

Gillis also mentioned that he wanted to bring in a guy with Cup experience and the puck-moving defenceman that many Canucks fans believe the team is lacking.

"We wanted to bring in a experience guy from a Stanley Cup winner in which we did in Samuelsson. We're still working on another defenceman that we hope to have done before training camp and we are pretty confident we will through trade or another signing."

A number of puck-moving defenceman are still available on the open market in mid-August. Among them are Marc-Andre Bergeron, Mathieu Schneider, Dennis Seidenberg, and Patrice Brisebois.

When asked if he thinks the Luongo extension will be done before training camp, Gillis replied boldy, "Absolutely."

Based on that, I think you got to believe that the contract has been signed by Luongo, but hasn't been announced yet. I am sure the Canucks are holding back on announcing it so there could be a media frenzy when Luongo arrives back into Vancouver for training camp.

With files from: The Globe and Mail, Team 1040
Photo Credit: Kurtenblog]]> Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:05:00 +0000