by Bill Heintz
After the boys most recent performances against the crème de la crème, the chat boards are buzzing with controversy.
The problem?
Why, simply its; do we need a third line centre upgrade?
Many fans have given up on Kyle Wellwood. He’s not producing the offence and he isn’t playing on the PK so [...]
Filed under: CANUCKS - BILL HEINTZ · Canucks
by Ron Spence
I was curious about the Team Canada selections – how many of them were 1st or 2nd round picks when they were drafted by NHL teams.
All of the goalies were drafted in the 1st round, and only one forward wasn’t. It was Patrice Bergeron, who was drafted in the 2nd round in 2003.
Dan [...]
Filed under: ANALYSIS - RON SPENCE · Canucks
There have been a number of Canucks Killers – players who have played well against the nucks and padded their stats at Vancouver’s expense. Some padded their plus/minus stats.
courtesy of robdumoart.com
The player that I remember the most – besides Gretz – was Teppo Numminen who played against Vancouver first as a Jet and later as [...]
Filed under: PLAYER PROFILES
by Ron Spence
Hockey salaries were out of control, prior to the NHL lockout, and the resulting agreement.
During that time, four players were earning $11 million plus per season – not counting Sakic and Fedorov, who had higher front-loaded contracts.
They were: Mario Lemieux, Peter Forsberg, Keith Tkachuk, and Jaromir Jagr (three seasons).
Name the highest [...]
Filed under: ECONOMICS - NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB
Mattias Ohlund: The defenseman, with zero goals and 10 assists, is the first to say he needs to contribute more offensively. But Ohlund is a calming influence on the blue line, and he was an early season anchor and mentor for rookie Victor Hedman. Ohlund is minus-3, but his team-high 23:57 of average ice time was [...]
Filed under: FORMER CANUCKS
by Ron Spence
Sports were all the rage by the ‘90s – the 1890s.
Americans were spending some $150 million per year – the players’ salaries for three NHL teams today – on recreation, and by 1909, $1 billion on recreation and travel combined.
People had discovered this new-fangled thing called leisure, as their work weeks were [...]
Filed under: HISTORY
by Ron Spence
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. [...]
Filed under: CANUCKS - RON SPENCE · Canucks
In 1983-84, the Oilers totaled 57 wins and 119 points—establishing an NHL record 446 goals
Mark Messier, was switched to center late in the season and won the Conn Smythe Trophy, as playoff MVP.
EDMONTON OILERS – 1984
EDMONTON OILERS – 1985
Edmonton overpowered the Philadelphia Flyers and goaltender Pelle Lindberg to win their second Stanley Cup in 1985. Gretzky, [...]
by Chris Gudgeon
(AND FOUR MORE FOR WHY YOU SHOULDN’T GET YOUR HOPES UP TOO MUCH JUST YET…)
With a season-high winning streak under their belts (um: two games) and points in their last seven games, the Leafs are on a modest roll. Their secret to semi-success just might surprise you:
1. Defence: The collective wisdom is that [...]
Filed under: MAPLE LEAFS - CHRIS GUDGEON
by Ron Spence
The nucks youngsters learned a lot from Mathieu Schneider.
Keep your mouth shut, work hard, and your time will come.
Schneider did none of the above and after 17 games – 2 goals, 3 assists, and 12 penalty minutes – was sent to the peg.
And that was just before half the Vancouver D were injured, [...]
Filed under: MANITOBA MOOSE
by Ron Spence
Vancouver’s 1st and 2nd Round Draft Picks last June played well at the recent World Juniors.
Minnesota sophomore Jordan Schroeder, playing in his third WJC, had three assists to surpass Jeremy Roenick as the all-time career points leader for Team USA at the WJC. Schroeder has 7 goals and 20 assists for 27 points, [...]
Filed under: Canucks · TEAM PROFILES
by Ron Spence
“It’s inconceivable for an official to tell a player he’d get him back,” Ron MacLean said. “It’s not inconceivable that he would do it.”
It was inconceivable to the Hockey Night in Canada commentator – and former coach – that a ref would hold malice.
Well, it’s inconceivable to me – as a former coach [...]
Filed under: OPINION
by Ron Spence
The Victoria Cougars won the Stanley Cup in 1925, but lost to the Montreal Maroons in 1926.
The West Coast Hockey League then folded, and the valued players were purchased by both old and new NHL teams.
A group of 26 investors, led by a Mr. Charles Hughes purchased the Cougars, and moved them to [...]
Filed under: HOCKEY TRIVIA
Let’s see.
One Sutter designed the building, bought the wire, conduit, etc. Another Sutter tried to connect up the right wires with the right wires.
And, what do you have? A giant cluster f..k.
The answer?
Don’t blame the tools and materials.
Get rid of the designer and the head electrician.
Those Sutters just can’t seem to turn on the lights….
Filed under: HOCKEY HUMOUR
Andrew Raycroft was a Bruins goalie who was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was later bought out by the Leafs and signed as a free agent with the Rockies, and later the Canucks.
Who did the Leafs give up to acquire Raycroft?
On June 24th, 2006 they traded Tuukka Rask to Boston.
Rask, 22, was originally [...]
Filed under: CANUCKS - HOCKEY TRIVIA · Canucks
by Drew Baird
Over the last two weeks I have been observing the final stages of evolution, evolution transforming the city of Vancouver from an everyday city into a destination playing host to the world’s finest. From the opening ceremonies to Canada winning its first gold medal on home soil, Canadians have a lot to be [...]
Filed under: OTHER WRITERS