Tag Archives: Hamhuis

Ben Kuzma The Province If Dan Hamhuis took as long initiating the transition as he does responding to a question, he'd be turning over pucks on a regular basis and be plastered to the boards like an advertisement. With his uncanny ability to quickly read the game, exe-cute long passes and remain positionally sound while Kevin Bieksa jumps up into the play, you seldom notice Hamhuis because the Vancouver Canucks blueliner doesn't make many mistakes. And that reserved demeanour shouldn't be taken the wrong way. All Hamhuis wants to do is win. For six seasons, he elevated the Nashville Predators to playoff mainstay and if anybody knows what the acquisition of Hal Gill means to that back end when it attempts to corral the Canucks on Tuesday, it's Ham-huis. Already icing one of the league's best shutdown tandems in unrestricted free agent Ryan Suter and the restricted Shea Weber, the Predators are putting up a giant wall of resistance after trading for...

Ben Kuzma The Province LOS ANGELES - At first glance, Dan Hamhuis doesn't appear to have a care in the world. The Vancouver Canucks defenceman moves efficiently in his own zone, is rarely out of position, makes smart decisions with the puck and can stop the opposition in its tracks with punishing bodychecks. Add the security of a six-year, US$27-million contract and it's hard to imagine that the soft-spoken Smithers native has any issues. Take another look. What you don't see in Hamhuis is a driven competitor who doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeve but beats himself up with self-analysis. What you don't see is a student of the game who at this point in his career still enrols in summer power-skating sessions to improve a game that doesn't appear to have any flaws. A 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday doesn't sit well with Hamhuis and he's not about to sugar-coat sub-standard performances. "Yeah, you may not see it because...

Ben Kuzma The Province What you notice about Dan Hamhuis is that you don't notice him. And for any defenceman, that's the ultimate compliment -- especially when poise and proficiency translate into a sense of calm for any pairing. Just ask Kevin Bieksa and Alex Edler. In preseason patrolling of the Vancouver Canucks blue line with Hamhuis, they've been able to play without their heads on a swivel and without a sense of doubt or hesitation. it's because Hamhuis has been even better than advertised after signing a six-year, $27-million-US free-agent deal on July 1. Coveted by 10 teams -- including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh who couldn't get the Smithers native under contract with exclusive rights before free agency -- the combination of ability and durability had Hamhuis on the Canucks' radar since the NHL trade deadline. All this doesn't surprise Bieksa. "The one thing I really noticed is that he's a steady guy out there," said Bieksa, who looked more settled Tuesday with...