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Canucks fans remember Rick Rypien with gathering outside Rogers Arena

Posted on August 15, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

For a guy who scored nine NHL goals in 119 games, Rick Rypien was a huge fan favourite.

He barely said boo, but his 226 minutes in penalties and willingness to take on all comers, the bigger the better, endeared the 5-foot-10, 185-pound pit bull to Canucks faithful over parts of six seasons.

And fans still have him in mind, a year after he committed suicide at his home in Crowsnest Pass, Alta.

They are gathering outside of Rogers Arena on Wednesday to keep his memory alive and let his family and friends know he’s not been forgotten.

References abound to the website the Canucks established after Rypien’s death and the site itself has helped raised the profile of mental illness and, let’s hope, has helped out more than a few young people.

It’s at www.mindcheck.ca and it highlights the symptoms of depression and guides people toward paths that can help them overcome it.

Twitter and the blogosphere are full of Rypien mentions, none...

Luongo lingers, and Canucks’ questions mount for Burrows, Edler and Raymond

Posted on August 13, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

VANCOUVER – The Roberto Luongo drama seems set to drag on into the fall and, should the NHL owners lock out the players if no new collective bargaining agreement is reached by Sept. 15, perhaps December.

But the Canucks have other player decisions to make, as well. (The most important one they dealt with right away, locking up Cory Schneider for three more years.)

It makes sense for Canucks general manager Mike Gillis to wait to see the lay of the land after a new CBA is finally agreed to, but there are several players entering the final year of their contracts who are set to become unrestricted free agents next July 1.

At some point, the Canucks will want to start renegotiating with at least a couple of them: Alex Burrows and Alex Edler.

In Edler’s case, Gillis has joined the more excitable members of the media and callers to sports radio in declaring Edler a potential Norris Trophy candidate down...

Canucks prospect Connauton champing at the bit for camp to start

Posted on August 10, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

Kevin Connauton #61 of the Vancouver Canucks skates against the Edmonton Oilers on September 26, 2010 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

VANCOUVER – No, Kevin Connauton hadn’t heard the praise Mike Gillis gave him recently, but like anyone he’ll accept a compliment.

“At the end of the day we thought Kevin Connauton’s development in Chicago rivalled that of Marc-Andre [Gragnani],” Gillis said during a recent stint co-hosting the midday show on the TEAM 1040 with Matt Sekeres. “He’s a guy we drafted and who we have very high hopes for, he’s a bigger player, he skates extremely well, he’s got great offence.

“We felt, at the end of the day, we’d be better off giving him an opportunity.”

Connauton’s progress, in other words, led to the Canucks not even bothering to give Gragnani - whom they’d talked up as a future power-play quarterback when they acquired him as part of the Cody Hodgson deal -...

This is new: Canucks schedule has no six-game road trips

Posted on June 21, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

The first thing that grabs your attention about the Canucks’ 2012-13 schedule that was released on Thursday is, where are the six-game road trips?

There were two of them in the season that just finished, on top of two five-game trips and two four-game trips.

Next season the Canucks have just two five-game trips and two four-game trips, and at most during any of those 18 games they hit time zones just twice, not three times as has been the case over long road trips in the past.

Keep in mind the schedule might be thrown out with the bath water should there be a significant delay to training camp because of labour unrest — the collective bargaining agreement expires at midnight on Sept. 15 and the owners could very well lock out the players at that point.

But assuming the season goes ahead on time, here’s a look at some of the more noteworthy elements of the Canucks’ 2012-13 campaign:

MARK YOUR...

Canucks’ uneven past of first-round draft picks

Posted on June 18, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

The Vancouver Canucks have had an uneven past when it comes to their first-round drafts picks, as most teams have.

Here’s a look at the club’s 41-year history of first-rounders:

THE GOOD

Luc Bourdon, No. 10, 2005 (fatal motorcycle accident in 2008)

Cory Schneider, No. 26, 2004 (seriously, Giants goalie Marek Schwarz went nine spots higher?)

Ryan Kesler, No. 23, 2003 (who knew?)

Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Nos. 2-3, 1999 (kudos Burkie)

Mattias Ohlund, No. 13, 1994 (perhaps the best D-man in franchise history)

Petr Nedved, No. 2, 1990 (OK, they could have picked Jaromir Jagr, but hindsight’s 20-20)

Trevor Linden, No. 2, 1988 (Capt. Canuck)

Garth Butcher, No. 10, 1981 (You can quibble that Al McInnis went five picks later, but Butcher was the straw that stirred the drink in the trade the brought Cliff Ronning and Geoff Courtnall to Vancouver and, arguably, turned the sorry franchise’s fortunes around)

Rick Lanz, No. 7, 1980 (Montreal took Doug Wickenheiser first overall, so who could argue with Lanz at No....

Canucks’ Hansen burns bright, then sputters

Posted on May 30, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

The Canucks' Jannik Hansen started a few fires before sputtering out.

Throughout May, we’ve taken a look at the Canucks’ roster and organization. Today’s subject: Jannik Hansen

There was nothing to the start of Jannik Hansen’s season to indicate he’d take a jump up from what had been a career year the season before.

In fact, like Ryan Kesler, Roberto Luongo and the Sedins, he appeared to be taking a step back after the Canucks long Cup run of the previous spring.

One goal in his first 14 games – but then the Dane exploded for 10 goals in his next 19 games and, with Cody Hodgson as his centre and Chris Higgins mostly on the other wing, it looked like the Canucks had secured tertiary scoring.

The problem was, Hansen had quit being effective as a checking forward.

Suddenly, with his blazing speed he looked more like Mason Raymond than the speedy forechecker who would driver opposing defencemen crazy with his sudden and relentless coverage.

Suddenly he was trying to be a play-maker.

He did...

Canucks’ defensive depth: Alberts, Rome and Gagnani

Posted on May 24, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

Throughout May, we’re taking a look at the Canucks’ roster and organization. Today’s subjects: Aaron Rome, Andrew Alberts and Marc-Andre Gragnani, the depth on the back-end.

Who knows what roles these depth players might have had, had the Canucks gone on another long playoff run.

A year ago the backend got so depleted that the loss of Aaron Rome to suspension for the remainder of the playoffs for a dangerous hit to Boston’s Nathan Horton in Game 3 was a contributing factor to the Canucks’ eventual loss in seven games to the Bruins.

Marc-Andre Gragnani is the most intriguing of the three Canucks depth D-men, the weakest link defensively but the one with the most upside.

He played a slew of games when he arrived with Zack Kassian from Buffalo in the Cody Hodgson-Alex Sulzer deal, but that was to get him enough NHL starts that he wouldn’t become an unrestricted free agent this summer and is instead restricted.

He was a spectator...

Canucks’ Burrows more than his rep, he’s a hell of a player

Posted on May 21, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

The Canucks' Alex Burrows is more than meets the eye.

Throughout May, we’re taking a look at the Canucks’ roster and organization. Today’s subject: Alex Burrows.

That Alex Burrows was an add-on to Team Canada for the abortive 2012 IIHF world championship would have been the best news to greet Canucks fans since the team’s ungainly first-round exit from the playoffs, what with another President’s Trophy season gone to waste and news that Ryan Kesler will need six months of rehab after postseason shoulder surgery.

But, no, the best-best news was the the concussion Burrows suffered over in Finland turned out to be “mild,” in general manager Mike Gillis’s words, and Burrows was able to return to action.

He finished the tournament with three goals in five games.

Only John Tavares, Jordan Eberle and Evander Kane scored more goals than Burrows (they had four apiece) and they played three more games than Burrows did.

And even when Burrows was in the lineup, he got just over 11 minutes of ice time per game.

Compare...

NHL coaching shuffle set to begin

Posted on May 14, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

Dale Hunter could stay in Washington if he wants to keep the job, but it's not clear that he has his heart in it.

THE LOOKING-OVER-THE-SHOULDER GANG:

McLellan may not be so lucky. San Jose's ownership has given GM Doug Wilson a vote of confidence, not so for the Sharks coach.

Quenneville, too, may be on thin ice, especially now that Marc Ber-gevin has left Chicago's front office for Montreal.

Tom Renney in Edmonton and Guy Boucher in Tampa Bay need to get more out of their rosters.

Even Barry Trotz, in the wake of Nashville's playoff meltdown, and Lindy Ruff, with his $65-million lineup, should have short leashes this season.

SENIORITY

LONGEST-SERVING CURRENT COACHES:

Lindy Ruff, Buffalo, 1997 Barry Trotz, Nashville, 1998 Mike Babcock, Detroit, 2005 Alain Vigneault, Vancouver, 2006 Claude Julien, Boston, 2007 Todd McLellan, San Jose, 2008 Joel Quenneville, Chicago, 2008 Joe Sacco, Colorado, 2009 John Tortorella, N.Y. Rangers, 2009 Peter Laviolette, Philadelphia, 2009 Dave Tippett, Dallas, 2009 Dan Bylsma, Pittsburgh, 2009 (Sixteen...

Mike Gillis has put his stamp on the Canucks

Posted on May 7, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

From his first bold statements upon being introduced to the media as the Canucks general manager on April 23, 2008, Mike Gillis has put his stamp on the Canucks.

“I think this team needs to get faster, I think it needs more grit and I think it needs to be more competitive,” Gillis said at his first press conference after replacing the fired Dave Nonis.

From experimentation (sleep doctors, a goalie captain), to hits (Christian Ehrhoff, Dan Hamhuis), to misses (he must still be praising the heavens that Mats Sundin didn’t take him up on a second year for $10 million), to controversy (Cody Hodgson), Gillis has been busy.

Notably, one of the biggest decisions Gillis made was not re-signing Markus Naslund, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent and replacing him as captain with Luongo.

Here are some of the more memorable, for better or worse, decisions Gillis has made the past four years.

Trades

Steve Bernier for second- and third-round picks;...

Canucks’ Gillis and Luongo discuss trade options soon

Posted on April 26, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

Roberto Luongo, despite reports to the contrary, has not presented a list of teams that he'd waive his no-trade clause for, Mike Gillis said on the TEAM 1040.

"We've met, but we've decided we'll take our time and talk in the next few days over the phone," Gillis said. "I'm not quite sure why something like that [the reports] would be out there."

Gillis said he has made no decision on the goaltending situation yet.

"I think we all need to take a deep breath," Gillis said. "The early exit from the playoffs, not meeting our expectations, can lead you to make some pretty poor decisions in a real hurry.

"I think we all need to step back for a couple of days and not do anything - think about it then begin to plan out what we want to do with this team over the summer for the coming season.

"It's a little premature to start down that path already."

There have been...

Daniel and Henrik Sedin want more Canucks’ victories

Posted on April 25, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

A couple of things stood out on Tuesday as the Canucks cleared out their lockers.

One, that 4-3 win on Jan. 7 in Boston clearly came at too great a cost.

And two, the Presidents’ Trophy is suddenly a lot cooler than it was a couple of weeks ago.

“You’re right, that stretch after the Boston game our focus wasn’t there,” Henrik Sedin said. “Maybe we looked forward to that game too much and afterward had trouble coming back to being the kind of team we are.

“The Boston game was our peak and it took us a long time to get back to where we wanted to be.”

Still, get back they did, Henrik said, insisting on the debatable notion that the Canucks played their best hockey of the year the final 10 games of the regular season.

That’s why he finds it inexplicable that the team bowed out of the playoffs so meekly.

Well, always trying to be helpful, let’s suggest the power...

For Sedins, Canucks victories are primary concern

Posted on April 24, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

Daniel Sedin during the pregame warmup prior to playing the Edmonton Oilers in a NHL preseason game at Rogers Arena in Vancouver October 1, 2011.

A couple of things stood out on Tuesday as the Canucks cleared out their lockers. One, that 4-3 win on Jan. 7 in Boston clearly came at too great a cost. And two, the Presidents’ Trophy is suddenly a lot cooler than it was a couple of weeks ago. “You’re right, that stretch after the Boston game our focus wasn’t there,” Henrik Sedin said. “Maybe we looked forward to that game too much and afterward had trouble coming back to being the kind of team we are. “The Boston game was our peak and it took us a long time to get back to where we wanted to be.” Still, get back they did, Henrik said, insisting on the debatable notion that the Canucks played their best hockey of the year the final 10 games of the regular season. That’s why he finds it inexplicable that the team bowed out of the playoffs so meekly. Well, always trying to be helpful, let’s suggest the power...

Canucks, Kings agree do-or-die Game 5 is ‘just one hockey game’

Posted on April 21, 2012 by admin in Province Hockey | No comments

Like any new Coldplay song, you shouldn’t expect anything creative or different from the Los Angeles Kings tonight.

Same old, same old: That would be Kings coach Darryl Sutter’s mantra, if he ever uttered four words in a row.

“We’re going in with the same mentality that we went into Game 1, Game 2, Game 3 and Game 4 with,” L.A. goalie Jonathan Quick said. “It doesn’t make a difference where the series is at, whether we’re up 3-1 or down 3-1.

“We go into this game with the same mentality that we have to win a hockey game and we’re going to do everything we can to win that hockey game.

“At least for me, I feel like if you start putting too much outside stuff into it, it may throw you off. “You’ve just got to take it for what it is. It’s just one hockey game. Obviously it’s an important time of the year but we’re going to do...