The pain continues.
Pederson –> Neely + Wesley
Wesley –> 1st Round Draft Pick in 1995, 1996, 1997
1997 1st Rd. Pick –> Sergei Samsonov
Sergei Samsonov –> Marty Reasoner, Yan Stastny, 2006 2nd Round Draft Pick
2006 2nd Rd. Pick –> Milan Lucic
The Chief Canuck
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Sharks vs Stars - San Jose in 6
Still despise the Stars for landing Brad Richards and consequently having Nonis fired.
Wings vs Avalanche- Wings in 5
Wings. Forsberg just doesn’t have it, and the Wings seem to be on a rampage.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Penguins vs Rangers - Penguins in 5
Malkin the Monster is still at it. The question is, how will they face the adversity of their first loss this post season? It’s inevitable.
Canadiens vs Flyers - Habs in 6
Canadiens have got it all, but can they keep it going? I think so. The Flyers are still a beaten up team.
The Chief Canuck
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Flames vs Sharks - San Jose in 6
They have to win. Period. The addition of Brian Campbell was exactly what was needed for this team to push over the edges. They have every piece of a Stanley Cup contender.
Avalanche vs Wild - Colorado in 7
This is a toss up. The Wild really wanted to play Anaheim, but they didn’t get that match-up. IF, Colorado can stay healthy, they’ll win this series. Plus, I love a feel-good story, and what better story this year than the resurgence of Jose Theodore, whom we had all left for dead.
Predators vs Wings - Wings in 5
Nashville will try and be physical with the Wings, but it won’t work. They are too small and weak themselves. Still, it’s a surprise to see them in the playoffs, so they may push this to 6 games.
Ducks vs Stars - Ducks in 6
The Stars just don’t have it together yet. Plus I’m still put out by the fact they won the Richards sweepstakes. Go rot Dallas.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Penguins vs Senators - Penguins in 5
A reversal of fortunes from last year. This time, Sid the Kid has Malkin the Monster and a complete cast of superheroes to take charge and dominate this series beginning to end.
Rangers vs Devils - Rangers in 6
Devils are playing the same game they did 15 years ago. Albeit with their 420th coach, but who’s counting. I despised them then, and still do. The only thing Rangers are really missing is a puck moving defenseman to get the puck out of their end. Fortunately for them, they have all-star Henrik to save them when they turn it over.
Canadiens vs Bruins - Habs in 4
Bruins might have made the playoffs, but they have nothing to give against a well balanced Montreal team. Nothing.
Capitals vs Flyers - Capitals in 6
Flyers are too beat up and haven’t found their groove for a long long time. Caps have been absolutely flying since Boudreau took over. They’ll keep that up in the first round an roll over the Flyers.
The Chief Canuck
I am in complete disbelief that Team Canada announced it’s first 15 players to their roster, and not one player from the Canucks made the team.
Unbelievable.
It’s one thing to miss the playoffs, and a whole other to have no Canadian players make the team. Up front with Alexander Burrows, but most notably on the backend with Kevin Bieksa & Willie Mitchell.
Team Canada only name 3 defenseman; Duncan Kieth, Jay Boumeester, & Steve Staios.
Nonis, take note. you may have problems scoring goals, but Team Canada thinks that those three, and four yet to be names players are better than 2 of the top 4 D you have.
That’s how bad it is.
The Chief Canuck
I remember reading a blog by a SFU Student called ‘The Canucks Almanac’ about 5 years ago. It was my first real exposure to blogging, and I read this guys site religiously. Mostly because he gave more commentary and insight than I could get from the regular media.
One argument he made related to style of play. This was at the height of the West Coast Express hey day, and watching the misery of losing year after year early in the playoffs.
The argument was, would you not rather play a defensive, boring style and win the Stanley Cup, than play the exciting edge of your seat offensive hockey and be knocked out in the first or second round every year.
His point was that we do this for a Stanley Cup. My point of view is that I watch hockey because I love the game, and am devoted to my team.
I am and always will be an advocate for Offensive Hockey. And I don’t mean, stop playing defence, but here’s my point. I love hockey, and I love watching 82 games of hockey every year. If it’s not entertaining to me, then I stop watching 82 games. I firmly believed that then, and this year of hockey is proving that I am not alone.
I am not going to spend night after night watching games only to be bored to sleep. Watching all the games is a routine I’ve kept and maintained for countless years. Last year, I started noticing my excitement for games begin to slip. But I still watched every game, missing only a few due to necessary personal circumstances.
This year, I have outright missed games, turned the TV off, and skipped periods due to boredom. And I’m apparently not the only one. How successful is the team if you can’t keep the interest of the average fan during the season, as they are bored. And only have strong support through playoff runs. What happens is you end up being the NJ Devils that don’t even sell out the first couple rounds of the playoffs.
Bring back my West Coast Express, and my high flying defenceman. Bring back my gun slinging coach, and put me back on the edge of my seat.
I want to be excited again. I don’t want to think it was a good effort, and we shut them down AGAIN for a 2-1 victory. I don’t want the other team to score 3 goals and know there is no hope we’ll win that game.
I want to know we can score 5 goals in a game.
The numbers prove it too:
01/02: Rank 1st, 3.10 G/G
02/03: Rank 2nd, 3.22 G/G
06/07: Rank 21st, 2.65 G/G
07/08: Rank 25th, 2.53 G/G
Between 2001 and 2003, the Canucks scored an average 259 goals per season. Since Vigneault has taken over and the defensive mentality instilled, the team is averaging 212 goals per season.
That’s almost 50 goals lost every year. Think about it, that’s 50 fewer times you get to jump up and down in excitement. That’s 50 fewer times you do high fives, act a little crazy or have another beer. That’s 50 less beers!!
I’m bored with my team. I watch almost as many games of other teams playing now as I do of my favourite home team. I love goals, I love other teams excitement and drive to score them. I love seeing the twine bulge as the puck hits the back of the net.
I even like seeing behind Roberto because seeing a goal in a Canucks game is such an uncommon experience. I start to wonder what it’s like sitting on the other side of the TV as a fan of the other team.
I think they are pretty happy scoring a goal against such a great goalie. It must be fun, and I pine for those days again.
The Chief Canuck
