Does that picture break your heart or what? Sundin will get it going, mark my words. Unfortunately he doesn't seem to be able to lift the team out it's funk, and is being part of the problem. The references to Mark Messier are alive and well now, but I'm not biting. When the team does get rolling again, Sundin will play a positive role in it. I do believe that. On to Mike Gillis...
Kudos to a poster at the CDC Forums for finding this Globe and Mail article that was circulating before the loss to the Wild yesterday, where Mike Gillis stated:
"Your patience level is obviously determined by how you're playing," Gillis said. "My patience is at an end with the way this group has performed."The article leaves the possibilities open as to what Gillis may do to shake things up. Most fans want Alain Vigneault's head on a stick outside of GM Place on Pacific Drive, but I am not one of them. I think Gillis is standing by his coach, and I think the players are too, minus Demitra.
I believe a trade is in order, and it could happen sooner rather than later.
I've heard many people say that the Sedins should be traded, as they become free agents in the summer and a deal has not yet been reached with them. I say it is going to be difficult to move both of them at the same time. Hell it's going to be difficult to sign them both at the same time. But the brothers really aren't that bad. Sure they can make you want to stab your eyes out with a pencil sometimes the way they cycle and get no results. But then you look at their stats and they are the most consistent Canucks on the team. I would not trade them at all at this point. No way.
Alex Burrows' name has been brought up in the article as he too becomes a free agent this summer. But I wouldn't part with a guy like that. I think he should remain as part of the core of the team for so many obvious reasons.
Guys like Pyatt, Bernier and even Demitra should be the ones on the block, in my opinion. Demitra is a cancer I think. Pyatt and Bernier have not turned out like we had hoped as far as offensive production goes. Maybe Raymond and O'Brien are expendible too. You know that Vigneault and Gillis are in close conversation with who is or isn't working out on the ice and in the locker room. They have been preaching 'character' all year.
We'll see what happens. We know there are some sellers out there already (Leafs, for example). That's why I was almost joking around earlier in the week that maybe Gillis and Burke were talking, as Burke said he was finally getting some serious offers recently. Hey, you never know.
Trade talk is trade talk. I just hope this current squad pulls out of the funk, more importantly.
OTHER SLUMPING TEAMS:
Detroit has lost 5 straight.
Montreal has lost 5 of their last 6 games.
T Tags: Canucks Mike+Gillis+grows+impatient trades firing
I agree and think a trade is probably in the works. Short of the team not winning a game in February, I don't see Gillis letting AV go until the season is over.
ReplyDeleteMind you, from what I could tell from last night, the effort and drive was there. It just needs to be replicated game after game after game..
Exactly. I have seen the players fight to get wins yet their fragility comes into play. I don't see guys tuning out AV at this point.
ReplyDeleteDemietra is only one voice you are hearing.
ReplyDeleteI still stand by my instinct that the signing of Sundin has caused some serious problems within the core group of players. Again, you have a team that is doing fairly well...even holding their own once Luongo went down. Then, the GM finally signs a fading star to a $10m contract to play 1/2 the year.
Now...if I am at work, busting my ass on a daily basis, giving my all for my company and then they go out and hire a guy that is qualified, but perhaps not at the top of his game, to work part time, but make 10X more than me...I think I would question WTF I was doing there.
Case in point was the All Star break when all the boyz headed to the Islands with Willie...and Sundin stayed back to 'train'...alone. That speaks volumes, to me.
Well, Expat, you raise a valid point. But it isn't always the case. Hossa was a rental to the Penguins last year and look what they did. Right to the Finals.
ReplyDeleteThat's one example.
It's easy to hack on Sundin right now, but if he picks up the pace then the dollars won't matter as much. To me, it's still to early to say.
Not many of the boys went to Hawaii with Mitchell. The team scattered all over the place.
Oh, and the Canucks had lost I believe 6 of 9 games prior to Sundin's arrival. Why am I wrong here?
The only problem I think you can squarely hang on Sundin is his penalty trouble. That is a) a problem stemming from him having not played for half a season and b) inattention or lack of sharpness when being worn out/worked hard.
ReplyDeleteIt may improve, but if it doesn't he has to be benched late in the game. Those penalties may be causing more trouble than anything else.
Well it was good to see AV bench him. I wonder when the last time was when that happened to Mats. The look on his face said it all. And then AV singles him out post game. It was the right thing to do.
ReplyDeleteNow watch Sundin respond.