They didn’t measure plus/minuses in Stan Mikita’s day. But, since that time a few Slovacks have had decent plus/minuses.

Peter Bondra retired with a +74, having played on some pretty bad Caps teams. And Peter Stastney was a -12, having been a Nordique doormat for many seasons.

The best plus/minus Slovakian?

Pavol Demitra with a +121. This places him 147 all time amongst past and present NHLers.

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photo courtesy of hokejportal.sk

Ten years ago last summer, nucks fans watched the Sedins walk up on the Boston stage. They looked the same and had identical numbers on their jerseys – the year of their draft.

Then they went through their learning curve at the same pace – one being the goal scorer – Daniel – and the other the set up man – Henrik.

And they would end up with almost the same points – Henrik 460 at the end of 2008-09 – and Daniel 462. Henrik would have 109 goals and 351 assists, and Daniel would have 179 goals and 283 assists.

So, they were two forwards with clearly defined roles.

And then Daniel was injured and we found out that Henrik could also score. In the 18 games since Number 22 was injured, the set up man tallied 13 goals.

So, we can now see that Henrik can play either role – is thus more dimensional than his brother – although we have never seen Daniel play centre.

But, there’s a more significant stat that distinguishes the two brothers.

In the 646 games – over 8 seasons – that Henrik played prior to this campaign, and 642 games that Daniel played, the pivot twin had a 97+ stat, whereas the sniper had only an 80+stat.

So, not only does Henrik have more offensive diversity, but he is better defensively as well.

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photo courtesy of hockeycircleblogspot.com

There will be guys on Chicago’s roster who will want to chaulk up some brownie points.

I believe that some will target Vancouver’s finesse players – in particular Daniel Sedin.

courtesy of nimg.sulekha.com

They haven’t forgotten Willie Mitchel’s October 21st hit on their captain.

Nor, have they forgotten their 3-2 loss to Vancouver.

I really like the Canucks – but for different reasons than I stated at the beginning of the season.

I like their solid positional play. It’s not every man for himself like we’ve seen with some of their rivals.

I appreciate their level emotional play – game in and game out. Excluding of course, some excitement against the Rangers. I think that their superior leadership is apparent here.

I respect their sense of reality. It’s difficult with some of your best players injured to play great hockey. “W”s are now a thing of beauty, not video highlights at 11.

courtesy of nationalpost.com

I love their continued motivation. The ‘nucks haven’t been crying in their beers. The survivors of Vancouver’s hockey Alamo have been showing up every night to play their hardest.

I’m impressed with Coach V’s willingness to think outside of the box.

Putting the confused and underachieving Kevin Bieksa on the forward line was a brilliant strategy. Number 3 now has to act – rather than react. He will get his confidence back and return to his old form.

I watched the game in a liquor establishment – the Fifth St. Bar and Grill – in Victoria.

And, the cliental weren’t kind to Roberto during the first part of the game. It was as though he had been personally letting them down.

This had changed, however, by the end of the contest.

Willie Mitchell’s big hit sends a message to future opponents and Shane O’Brien was +1 and took only one penalty in a game that would have provoked his lack of discipline in the past. He has only 10 penalty minutes in 9 games – this season – and is a team best +4.

I’m still happy with the Ehrhoff trade – although he was -2 last night – and see Aaron Rome coming along – at a 6th man level.

Bieksa and Edler are horses with 24.55 and 23.58 minutes for the contest, and when they get their games this season, the D will be what I thought it would be.

Mikael Samuelsson continues to impress, as does Henrik.

I’ve enjoyed watching coach V’s speed line, but wish that Mason Raymond would focus on his defense.

I have really enjoyed watching Michael Grabner over the past three games – seeing brief glimpses in his first contest, then bursts of speed in his second and success in his third.

I had heard that he stayed out of traffic, but with Kesler and Raymond leading the charge he is willing to take hits. And, his shot is as good as it was billed.

The Chicago game was a key one for both Roberto and the Canucks – something for the captain to build on.

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I hope that Andrew Raycroft gets to face his former team – the Leafs.

I think that the boys would play really hard to help him win.

I used to get this knot in my stomach: whenever Brent Sopel had the puck; and when Felix Potvin and Dan Cloutier were in goal.

I now have this same feeling when Roberto is between the pipes.

It’s not a conscious reaction – it’s the result of Roberto’s suspect play – so far this season – and against the Blackhawks during the playoffs.

My respect for Henrik continues. He was only 41 % in faceoffs, but logged 21 minutes, including a minute and a half when the team was shorthanded. He played hard and looks somewhat injured.

Mikael Samuelsson continues to show his patience and scored another goal – his 4th (He now has 7 points in 7 games – but is -2.).

I am very happy with the speed line.

Coach V is giving Michael Grabner the opportunity to play his game. Led by Ryan Kesler’s grit and 11 wins vs. 7 losses in the playoff circle, they played well. Ryan had 8 shots on net, Mason Raymond 6 and Grabner 3.

Alexandre Bolduc was a good callup, and I believe plays smarter than Glass.

Both Alexandre Burrows and Kevin Bieksa had better games. Both were +2, and Burrows had 20:51 in ice time and Bieksa blocked two shots.

Aaron Rome was quicker – albeit against slower forecheckers – and blocked 3 shots, and had some good zingers from the point.

Ryan Johnson did what he does best, was 5 and 2 in the faceoff circle, but only blocked one shot.

Alexander Edler continued to play his somewhat uneven game, but logged a team high 26:50 minutes.

Steve Bernier used to lead San Jose in hits, but never touched anyone during the Calgary or Minnesota games.

vs. Calgary

vs. Minnesota

vs. Dallas

And yet, the power forward had four hits against Dallas.

If Bernier wants ice time on the top two lines, he has to play a consistent physical game.

In their defense, the Canucks had a five day layoff and were facing one of the NHL’s best defenses.

But still, they looked really bad for most of the game.

I wanted to note a few points based on the past two contests.

Kevin Bieksa has been terrible.

Aaron Rome didn’t have the game that he wanted – was -3 – mainly because he wasn’t moving fast enough. In a game of time and space, he was playing at an AHL level. But, I know that he has a 6th Dman’s skills and speed and just has to uptempo his game. He doesn’t concern me.

Alex Edler – -2 – improves and then levels off. That’s his learning curve and his game against Calgary wasn’t a move upwards.

Willie Mitchell was playing his usual game, but was better against Dallas than Calgary.

Christian Ehrhoff is playing better than I thought he would – based on comments from San Jose after he was traded.

Shane O’Brien hasn’t improved his game from last season to this campaign. However, in a rough game he didn’t retaliate, which is a positive sign.

Vancouver misses my man Mattias, and Sami Salo.

And Henrik, who had 2 points last night – and was plus 2 – misses Daniel. It would have been a different game had both the twins been playing.

Alex Burrows has to give his head a shake. He had mental lapses in both the Dallas and Calgary games.

Both Steve Bernier and Mason Raymond had moments when they were playing well, but didn’t sustain.

Kyle Wellwood has really impressed me in his own end. He will get his offense going soon.

I liked what I saw of Michael Grabner. He was tentative but didn’t look out of place.

Is Ryan Kesler injured?

Mikael Samuelsson has played like a pro – even, game in and game out.

Roberto disturbs me, based on the occasional lapses that I have seen over the past three or four seasons.

He has had two so so games in this young season. He can forget about a spot in the Olympics.

I think that Mike Gillis has to re-evaluate his fourth line.

In two games against Calgary – this season – they were soundly beaten by their opponents. Hordichuk and Tanner Glass were -2 last night.

It’s my hope that Matt Pettinger plays well in Manitoba and can be signed for the minimum and replace Glass who is clearly an AHL player.

To me, the plus from the Calgary game was that Andrew Raycroft had his second outing as a Canuck and I thought that he played well. Confidence is what he needs, and Roberto’s play has given him some ice time.

“It was kind of a freak thing,” coach Jacques Martin said. “It wasn’t on a hit or anything.”

“He was just skating up the ice.”

The Ottawa coach was talking about his young Finnish Dman who had just injured himself during a 2001 exhibition game.

Eight years later, Sami Salo is still having freak injuries.

Vancouver was playing in the 2nd game of the 2nd round of the 2008-09 playoffs, and Salo unleashed a slapshot which lasered past Nikolai Khabibulin’s glove hand.

It was Salo’s 3rd goal and 6th point in five playoff games, and Salo had injured himself once again. This time, he had pulled buttocks muscles and had to leave the game only 5:35 minutes into the contest.

Sami Salo has reportedly had “thirty-seven significant injuries in a 10-year career.”

The Fin has missed 216 regular season games over the past decade.

Salo missed 22 games during 2008-09, and coincidentally, his average NHL games lost per season has been 21.6.

That’s more than 26.3% of Ottawa’s/Vancouver’s regular season games each year – with more in the playoffs.

Sami Salo had some pretty serious shoulder injuries from his 1st until his 8th season, and recurring groin injuries from his 1st until his 10th seasons.

There were also injuries to his: ankle, foot, knee and leg, and his wrist and elbow. And, there were injures to his ribs, back and nose.

stats courtesy of tsn.ca

Another facial injury was delivered by Tampa Bay coach Rick Tocchet, who was then playing for Philly.

“Early in the first period [March 27, 2001]  Salo was cross-checked in the face…” wrote CBC.

“For his part, Salo received cracked teeth and a concussion, described by Senators coach Jacques Martin as mild that will force him to miss at least Wednesday night’s game….”

Salo’s inventory of injuries doesn’t include the cracked teeth and concussion – and Salo often played injured, which means that some injuries were never recorded – except in the ‘nucks’ records.

Sami isn’t known as a wuss.

“Obviously they have put some hardware into my face and you don’t want to start too early or work out too hard because they might shift,” Salo said. “I have to give it a little time to heal and hopefully by the end of the week we’ll know more and hopefully I can start increasing my workouts.”

He had a metal plate installed in his nose and another helping to hold together his cheekbone after an Alex Edler clearing attempt on November 1st, 2007.

Through it all, Salo has maintained a sense of humour.

During last spring’s playoffs, Sami was being cross-examined by a Chicago writer, about the nature of his injury.

“Maybe it’s just a burning sensation when you pee. You never know,” Salo responded.

That didn’t make the list, either.

*****

It was the recently retired Curtis Joseph who named Sami Salo “the Finnish MacInnis.”

There are a number of reasons why Cody Hodgson was returned to the Ontario Hockey League.

Had they kept the under-achieving rookie on their roster, the Canucks would have had to expose another of their forwards on waivers – even if they planned to keep Hodgson in the NHL for only 9 games.

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courtesy of nhlnumbers.com

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Cody Hodgson might not think that he has anything to learn – back in junior – but he must work on his skating if he wants to be a successful NHLer. The Sedins and Joe Sakic did, just to name three very good players.

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courtesy of sportsnet.ca

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It made no sense to waste one of Hodgson’s three entry level – and thus relatively cheap – seasons when he wasn’t ready for the NHL.

With all of his bonuses, Hodgson would have been an expensive 4th liner – who sometimes sat in the press box:

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courtesy of thehockeygm.com

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But, most important was Mike Gillis’ ongoing subtext: you have to earn the right to play for the Vancouver Canucks.

Last season the Vancouver GM sent expensive one-way contracts to Manitoba because they didn’t measure up.

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This year, Gillis has sent down three Number One draft picks to improve their games (Schneider and Grabner to the AHL, and Hodgson to junior.).

Mike Gillis wants players to be proud of their Canucks’ uniforms.

It’s not just something that players are entitled to because they’ve been drafted in the 1st round.

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This October’s Canucks are the best in the franchise’s history – in my opinion.

Not that I would want them facing Vancouver’s 1994 playoff squad next week.

The old axiom is that you build your team from the goalie and up through the middle.

And, if Kyle Wellwood plays as well as many of us think he will, the ‘nucks will be as strong as any team – in goal and up the middle.

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courtesy of canucks.com

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My only concern – with the first line – is how Alexandre Burrows will deal with his ups and downs – occasional demotions, etc.

He had an uphill battle from the ECHL, but clawing your way to the top is different than dealing with self-doubt. But, that’s where Ryan Walters comes in (Both Kyle Wellwood and Mason Raymond learned to even out their games last season.).

The second line could be really good, or just good. They have three very competent two way players. And, Sergei Shirokov will benefit from the two week Olympic break.

My concern with Ryan Kesler is one of attitude. I listened to an interview when he was asked about Cody Hodgson and he talked about himself during the whole segment. My concern is that he doesn’t over-inflate his self-importance and demand the really big money that the team can’t afford.

The fourth line is just plain solid – with an enforcer, a shotblocking PK man and some interchangeable grit players.

The third is the line that I enjoy the most.

They were the new kids last season, and we followed their ups-and-downs. Both Wellwood and Bernier were trying to re-establish themselves after Toronto and San Jose/Buffalo, and Raymond was the speedy rook – lots of flash, trying to develop some substance.

At the back end: Alexander Edler is ready for another leap upwards, and Sami found a new rung on his ladder during the playoffs – before injury.

Bieksa must continue to play tough, and Shane O’Brien must continue to play the disciplined game he evolved during the pre-season – only one penalty.

My main concern – on the D – is Christian Ehrhoff and his need for consistency – although he had the most ice time of any San Jose defenseman in their ill-fated series against Ahaheim.

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I believe that Andrew Raycroft will flourish. He has the skills, but couldn’t deal with the pressure. But, should Roberto be seriously injured, the Canucks might need some outside help.

Much of Vancouver’s success this season will depend on how, and when, coach V rests Roberto.

And, great team or not, I will miss Mattias Ohlund.