Canucks-Wild Preview: God help us all

So we know the various things that are wrong with this slumping Canucks team...
-fragile confidence
-lousy power play
-lousy penalty kills
-mental lapses
-turnovers
-panic attacks
-not playing the coach's system
-not playing a full 60 minutes

So there is isn't really much else to say except for what players will be playing and who won't.

Pavol Demitra will not play against his former team.
Mike Brown will play. We could use the grit.
Kyle Wellwood will play on a line with Jannik Hansen and Steve Bernier.
Mats Sundin will play with Kesler and Burrows, which I think is a great idea. Kesler and Burrows are basically line 2 players anyways.
Mason Raymond is expected to sit out with Shane O'Brien. Strange how 2 of the 3 players involved in the scuffle at practice on Thursday sit out.
Rob Davison will play in O'Brien's stead.

The Wild lost a disappointing game to the Oilers tonight. They will be whipped and drilled by coach Jacques Lemaire's to win their game against Vancouver.

It's tough to look at the Western Conference standings right now. The Canucks have 51 points and are 2 points from a playoff spot. A loss against the Wild will once again put heaps of pressure on the team.
I really don't know what to expect from the Canucks at this point. They are trying to say all the right things in their 7 game slump, but it is all just lip service to me. These next 3 games will be crucial. All 3 are at home, where they are atrocious. They could very well lose all 3, as GM Place is not such a friendly place to play in lately. If they lose the next 3, Alain Vigneault could be fired, OR, the team will go on the road and turn it around.
Doesn't that bother you that the team plays with so much fucking anxiety at GM Place? What does that say about the team? What does that say about the fans? Well, I've had a few drinks so I'll say this: Canucks fans can be the worst fans in the League. Pessimistic. Doomsayers. How about the fans get a little more into it more consistently and cheer the team on? The players can use all the help they can get.

I know the Devils have been rolling lately, so their fans are optimistic. But when they were down with under a minute to go against the Penguins tonight you could hear the fans screaming "Let's go Devils" as the clock winded down. The Devils never quit, tied the game, won in OT, and sent Crosby home crying.
Now THERE is a team that has their shit together. Confidence is everything. Jamie Langenbrunner is everything. Jesus, what a captain he is.
To me, the Devils are the model team. They play Brent Sutter's system so well. Sure they got outshot by (I believe a 43-16 margin) yet they still win. They lose Brodeur long term and still win. When they had chances they made it count. Plus they got breaks. That's what happens to a team that is rolling and has confidence.
Can someone please tell me how Sundin can start off so sluggish after a long layoff yet Brendan Shanahan can return after more time off than Mats, play 5 games, and have 3 goals and 1 assist? Shanahan turned 40 on January 23. He's so clutch. He also is playing with better talent and has a better shot.
Anyways, I'm just ranting. I'm not losing faith in this Canucks team. Why? Because I believe that once they win a game they will turn it around. If they don't win any games, very soon Mike Gillis will do SOMETHING to change it up. All hope is not lost.

T Tags: Canucks+Wild+game+preview slump Devils Shanahan Sundin answersLabels: Canucks, Devils, Game Preview, Mats Sundin, Wild

Mats Sundin on After Hours

Sundin on After Hours Part 2

T Tags: Mats+Sundin+After+Hours+video CBC Hockey+Night+in+Canada

Trying to stay positive about the Canucks (5 stages)

I had a great sleep last night and have completely calmed down after the disheartening 6-4 loss to the Blues last night, and I have come to the following conclusions:

1. Sundin is going to be taking a lot of heat in this city and world-wide not only until he gets his game back, but also when the team wins at a more consistent level. It looks as though it's going to take him several games to compete at that level. Patience is required here. He was mostly to blame for 2 of the Blues' goals because of a lousy line change and an unfortunate slashing penalty. Had the Blues defenders' stick not broken, Sundin was playing at a level where he could have either scored or set up the winner. A bad break indeed.
But let's not put too much heat on him. Yes, he is making the big bucks, but it's too early to judge, plain and simple. I saw a TEAM that let each other down last night.

2. I see a Pavol Demitra who is getting paid $4 million, has played with us almost the whole season, and is not achieving results expected of him.

3. STATS TELL STORY

I see a power play efficiency that ranks 18th overall in the NHL that needs to improve.
The PK ranks 15th.
The Canucks' shots per game ranks 24th.
Vancouver ranks 21st in the NHL in winning percentage when scoring the first goal.
They rank 19th in winning percentage when leading after 1.
The Canucks rank 15th in the NHL in winning percentage when leading after 2 periods.
When out shooting their opponents, they rank 19th overall in winning percentage.
A nice stat: they rank 9th in the League in faceoff percentage.

Those are just hard data stats. But they do paint a picture. They tell us that the Canucks are not a great team...but a good team. And we can see that portrayed on the ice. Do you feel comfortable when this squad has a lead? I don't. A big part of that is because of Luongo's absence. But an even bigger part of it is that the team just cannot shut the opposing teams down like it used to. Remember when Alain Vigneault won the Jack Adams Trophy? Well that was labelled as "boring" hockey by many, but at least it was effective. This team is starting to resemble the Marc Crawford version of years past. It's too wide open for me. They need to tighten up.
Other nights they need to shoot or score more. Where is the identity?

4. Yet all is not lost. The positive here is that the Canucks still hold onto 5th spot in the West, and are still 6 points up on 8th place Minnesota. Vancouver is 4-4-2 in their last 10 games. Now take a look at the records of the teams below them in the standings. 8 of the 10 teams are playing near the 500 mark as we are (minus Dallas and Colorado).

5. The Canucks are 10-10-3 without Roberto Luongo. When Louie injured himself I stated that the Canucks would need to play 500 hockey in his absence to survive. That they are doing so far. And they are surviving.

If you want to see a great Canucks team, you are going to have to be patient. Just wait until Sundin hits his stride and Luongo returns before passing on too much judgement. That's what I'm learning to do. I just hate being patient. It doesn't come naturally for me.

T Tags: Canucks positivity Mats+Sundin Pavol+Demitra stats 2009

Banged up but well rested Blues stumble into GM Place tonight

No Paul Kariya.
No Andy McDonald.
No Erik Johnson.
No TJ Oshie.
No Eric Brewer.
No DJ King.
No Jay McKee.

And you thought the Canucks had injury issues!

I see some people are annoyed that Mats Sundin is still getting massive coverage at NHL sites, including TSN. Well I think the annoyance comes from bitterness and idiocy to be blunt with you. TSN = Toronto Sports Network. Guess what, buttheads? We have a superstar player in our lineup now who used to be a Leaf. Get used to it. The Canucks are finally getting the recognition that they deserve from eastern-based major sports sites (TSN, Sportsnet, etc.) even if it took a Mats Sundin signing to do it.
Sundin will go up against 2 former teammates tonight in Alex Steen and Carlo Colaicovo who were traded to the Blues in the Lee Stempniak deal.

This is the first time the Canucks will play the Blues this season, and not the last.
The Blues have won 2 of their last 5, as has Vancouver. But the St. Louis has a 3-7 record in their last 10 and last in the Western Conference where Vancouver is 4-4-2, and 2 points behind 4th place Chicago.

The Blues have not played for 5 days. Holy hell, who makes their schedule?

Check out the Blues' last game, a 5-2 win, over the Jackets. 4 of their goals were scored on the power play and the other a shorthanded goal. Special teams at it's finest.

Remember when Mike Gillis tried to pry restricted free agent David Backes from the Blues this summer (which the Blues matched)? Well Backes is 5th in team scoring with 12 goals and 19 points in 39 games. Keith Tkachuk is slowing a bit but is still effective. Patrick Berglund is coming of age.

The Blues are not to be underestimated. But we really should be demolishing a team that is last in our Conference. But we also said that about Atlanta and then lost to them. I expect a different result tonight.
Mats Sundin may not put up any points again tonight, but his presence is welcomed. It's a pleasant distraction to the opposing teams. Last game, Vancouver's 3rd line became beneficiaries of that and combined for 8 points.
I heard some fools on CBC radio whining that Sundin isn't worth his price tag. To you I say: watch hockey a little more before you run your mouth. For one, it's too early to judge. Secondly, Vancouver is even more of an exciting team to watch now with the presence of a superstar forward. These are good times in Canucks Land. Stop being so negative.

Jason Jaffray was put on waivers this morning because he had to be in order to be sent back down to Manitoba. This was done to make way for Ryan Johnson. Jannik Hansen's demotion and then recall was obviously to send a message to the Dane to get his game in order. Alain Vigneault had nothing but good things to say about Jaffray today.

“He’s played well, he’s done everything that we expect, that I expect from him," said Vigneault of the gritty forward yesterday after practice. "I know Jaff from back [in Manitoba], he’s dependable at both of the ends of the ice, he plays with an edge, he can help out on the power play, so he’s played well for us. With Ryan [Johnson] coming back we have some decisions to make with our personnel.”

I doubt anyone (and hope no one) will claim him off the waiver wire...but you never know.

I had a funny thought today about the Tomas Kaberle situation in Toronto. Kaberle has stated that he will waive his no trade clause if management wants to move him. The first thing that comes to my mind is that Brian Burke is at the helm in T.O. Would he want to swing a deal with Mike Gillis, trading Kaberle for Ohlund? You know Ohlund is Burke's kind of player.
Would you work that deal if you were Gillis?
After spnding some time picking my nose and shovelling snow today I thought to myself: "No way." Kaberle can put up the points and run a power play better than most. But he is a defensive liability and has no physical presence. I'd rather keep Ohlund for a potential playoff run and risk letting him go for nothing in the summer.

Interesting column from Darren Dreger yesterday stating that the Lightning had offered Lecavalier and Paul Ranger to the Canucks for Roberto Luongo a couple years back. Check out that column here. Personally I think Nonis did the right thing.

GAME TIME: 7:00 PST
TV: Sportsnet

Canucks.com Live Blog

T Tags: Canucks Blues game+preview Sundin injuries Johnson+returns Jaffray+on+waivers

Live Blogging Sundin's first game as a Canuck

Most eyes will be on the Canucks-Oilers tilt tonight as Sundin makes his debut. I am co-moderating the game for Canucks.com's live blog, as seen below.
Will the Canucks explode with energy with their new teammate? Will Mats be a distraction? How about the Canucks pull out a win for Jason Lababrera tonight and put some distance between themselves and the Oilers in the standings!





T Tags: Canucks Oilers Mats+Sundin live+blog

Comparing Sundin's midseason return to Selanne's

There are some concerns being thrown out there that Mats Sundin's midseason arrival may hurt his performance because he missed training camp, etc. References to Teemu Selanne's (and Scott Niedermayer's) indecisiveness last season have been mentioned over and over again, and how they started out slow.
Well let me focus on Selanne because he is a forward and is nearly the same age as Sundin. Selanne turns 38 on July 3. Sundin turns 38 on February 13.
Selanne made up his mind in late January 2008 that he would play and was signed by the Ducks on January 28. His first game was February 5. Check out his game-by-game stats after his return (click on the image if you can't read it):

Generally, it's safe to say that statistically Selanne suffered in points per game. He finished last season with 12 goals and 23 points in 26 games. In his first 12 games back he had 12 points (a 5-point game in there helped that).
In his previous 2 full seasons with the Ducks he scored 184 points in 162 games.
After playing right off the start for the Ducks this year, Selanne has 27 points in 33 games, but is now injured.

Look at the team record though: the Ducks won 11 of their next 12 games with Teemu in the lineup. They won 20 of their last 26 games of the season with Teemu, or, Buzz Lightyear as I like to call him.
Through January right up to the game before Selanne arrived, the Ducks had 8 wins and 7 losses. They had lost 6 games in a row right before Selanne started playing.

So what am I trying to say? Basically that Selanne is an idiot. OK, I kid. His points total slid when he joined the Ducks half way through last season. He continued the same points-per-game trend this year before getting injured.
Ironically, the same trend is happening to Scott Niedermayer.
Bottom line: It's too difficult to compare Sundin and Selanne because the circumstances are too different.
Selanne has been inconsistent in his career. Sundin has not.
Sundin is joining a new team, where Selanne didn't. Let's see how that plays out.
I just don't get why people say Selanne started slow when he returned midseason. I don't see it on paper anyway. If anything he consistently produced less.
Let's hope Sundin can kick start the Canucks much like Selanne did last year. I can't see how he won't.
As for how may points Sundin will get... it's up in the air. I'm going to guess a point per game pace because he is one consistent dude, new team or not.

T Tags: Mats+Sundin Teemu+Selanne comparisons stats Canucks Ducks

Looks like Sundin to play against Oilers Wednesday, according to Vancouver Sun

Link
They will update that story this afternoon.
I can't wait.

But let's be fair here. What can we really expect from Sundin say, in his first 5 games? 2 points? 5 points? It may take him that long to settle in. I just don't want to see the wagon-jumping fans and media blast Sundin if he starts off a little slow. Some patience may be required.
My biggest question mark with Sundin will be his 2-way play. I hope it's decent. It's going to have to be, as ALL players must play that way. Sundin has played on a defensive-minded team in Toronto in the past, back in the Sergei Berezin days, but the Leafs have been far from the team defence system in recent years.
Just a thought.

From the Team 1040 site:

Barring a major overnight setback or severe fatigue in his 37-year-old body, Mats Sundin will make his Canucks debut Wednesday night in Edmonton.

Sundin skated again Tuesday on a line with Mason Raymond and Kyle Wellwood, and announced after practice it 's pretty much a sure thing he'll suit up.

"If nothing changes by tomorrow morning, there's a good chance I'll play tomorrow - if not then, then obviously Friday (against St Louis). But unless I feel worse tomorrow morning or tonight, there's a good chance I'll play tomorrow."

Said Coach Vigneault:

"I told him that from what I saw on ice the last two practices, he looked good. The only way to get him to the pace that the NHL is right now is to put him in, put him in gradually, and let him work through the inactivity he's had here."

Let's see how much ice time Mats gets. There's no use in over-exerting himself is there?
Ah, 28 more hours. This should be good.

Here is the Sundin interview.

T Tags: Sundin+should+play+Wednesday Oilers Canucks

Sundin could play Wednesday against Oilers / Schneider sent down

A fan at the CDC forums heard on Team 1040:

Tom Larscheid just said that AV is gonna run with

Raymond Sundin Wellwood
Sedin Demitra Sedin
hansen Kesler burrows
Hordi bernier Jaffrey

Just listening to him on team 1040 , Thats gonna be the Lineup Against Edmonton.

Can't always trust forums, right? OK, so let's see what Brad Ziemer from the Vancouver Sun just wrote:

Mats Sundin will travel to Edmonton with the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, but won’t decide until after Wednesday morning’s game-day skate whether he will play that night against the Oilers.


Sundin participated in his first full practice with the Canucks late this morning and will work out with the team again Tuesday before travelling with the Canucks later in the day to the Alberta capital.


“We talked about it today and it looks like I am going to go either way,” Sundin said.

Sundin was non-committal when asked if he thought he would make his Canuck debut Wednesday night against the Oilers

“I don’t know,” he said. “I think after another practice tomorrow we’ll see. It felt good today skating. It’s how you feel tomorrow morning and how you feel maybe Wednesday morning and see how the body reacts when you skate at this pace. We’ll see.”

So don't bank on him playing in Edmonton just yet.
Mats practiced on a line with Wellwood and Raymond today.
What he said about Wellwood:

“Kyle is a very smart player as you guys have seen here,” Sundin said. “To me, he has got that hockey sense that comes natural to him. He understands the game, he understands where players are on the ice around him and understands where to go to get goals and assists and so forth.”

What he said about Raymond:

“He was flying out there today. I really enjoy his energy and his skating. He made some great plays out there. It was nice to have some young fresh legs out there, too.”

Demitra missed practice with a sore groin but will play against the Oilers.

---

From the same Sun article: Cory Schneider was sent back down to the Moose today. It looks as though Curtis Sanford is back. That being said, Jason Labarbera will start in his 4th straight game against the Oilers Wednesday. Good to see Alain Vigneault stick with the hot goalie.

T Tags: Sundin+may+play+Wednesday+against+Oilers Cory+Schneider+sent+down+to+Manitoba Curtis+Sanford+returns

Sundin could play Wednesday or Friday

Apparently John Shorthouse was on the Team 1040 today saying he thinks Sundin will play Wednesday against the Coilers. I think Friday would be more realistic, however, once again it's all up to Mats. We are used to hearing that aren't we?

From the Vancouver Sun:

He’s talking about two days of practice. Two days to determine whether he’ll make his debut as a Vancouver Canuck on Wednesday in Edmonton, or maybe hold off until Friday at home against St. Louis.

It all depends on practice.

Sundin skated for four days while the team was on the road in Nashville and Atlanta — and in the air travelling to and fro. He joined them for Sunday’s morning skate prior to the Dallas Stars’ game but it wasn’t a real practice.

Monday and Tuesday he will participate in full team workouts as he moves into the next phase of his preparation.

“It’s tough to mimic and copy a real good practice, where the pace and intensity go up, so I am looking forward to two full days of practising,” the 37-year-old Swede said Sunday. “I think then we can evaluate how everything feels.

“I’ve never been in this situation before when the guys are in mid-season form and they’ve skated for three or four months, so it’s different than training camp. I hope I’m going to feel great after two practices here. I’d like to play as soon as possible.”

Until he does play for us, this team needs to score more goals without him. There really isn't any excuse to be losing games like they have in the last 2 against Dallas and Atlanta. Especially not when you have a goalie playing as well as Labarbera is. Sure, the schedule blows, but suck it up! Easy for me to say, right?

T Tags: Mats+Sundin+to+play+for+Canucks practice

Western Conference standings causing panic for Canucks fans?

Being 3 points up on 8th spot Phoenix isn't exactly reassuring, especially when you consider how often the Canucks have been winning lately.... not enough. This circus in Vancouver will finally come to an end whenever Luongo makes his return. In the meantime I anticipate seeing what Jason Labarbera can do for us. I hope this little experiment works. Maybe he'll play his heart out, seeing that he is a BC boy.
Will Sundin make a huge difference with the Canucks even without Luongo in goal? So many question marks. So much WAITING. I hate it.
I am looking forward to seeing what this team is capable of with Sundin, Johnson and Luongo back in the lineup. We could be a deadly force. But we are going to have to WAIT for that to happen.
Let's see what the Canucks can do on their stupid and brief road trip on January 1st and 2nd where they play back to back nights against Nashville and Atlanta. If they win both games they should have a better cushion in the standings, and I can stop worrying about them. At the same time, the Canucks' road record is dwindling and now sits at 9-9-2 compared to their home record of 11-6-1.
Makes me want to drink. Speaking of that, I hope you all enjoy your New Years Eve festivities. I wish you all the best in the coming year.

T Tags: Canucks Western+Conference+standings December+31+2008 Sundin Luongo Ryan+Johnson Jason+Labarbera

Sundin's first team practice and press conference at 12:00

PRESS CONFERENCE

Let me just guess that we won't hear much new news out of Sundin. Media will ask who he'll play with and Sundin will say something about it being Vigneault's decision. They will ask when he'll play his first game and he'll say something about when he's in proper game shape and whenever Alain Vigneault allows him to step in.
He'll say he likes the city of Vancouver and then repeat what he has said before about why he signed here: offer was on the table July 1, Gillis was patient, he likes the team's direction..etc.

OK, Sundin has just sat down...

- it's a different feeling practicing here. Nice to be back on the ice. A great day today.
- first impression? Loves Vancouver as a city. Seems to be a really great group of guys. Feels welcome.
- uhhhhhhhhh uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
- repeats why he wanted to resume his career. Wanted to compete against the best players in the world.
- Doesn't underestimate the issue of a player arriving midseason. He looks at himself as a guy who has arrived at training camp in shape, but needs practice on the ice. It will be up to the coaches for when he plays. The challenge for him is to get into game shape.
- what's his passion to play right now? It sounds early for Mats to play right now. He likes his conditioning, but that's off-ice conditioning. He waants to make sure he plays when he is ready to do what he can do out there.
Mats feels as good as ever condition-wise, especially over the past couple years.
- Told Brown he could play with the #15, but the Canucks made that decision before he got here. He's not fussy about the #13.
- Sundin thinks Canucks match Detroit. He thinks the Canucks can be competitive in the playoffs.
- What does Mats like about us? Talked with Gillis in July about what the management was going to do with the team. Team said hw Mats would fit in with them.
- Sundin will not join the team on the road trip. He will stay here and work out.
- Surprised by the cameras and attention? Yes.
- Has not talked to Vigneault about what role he'll play. Will play whatever is asked of him
***I got cut off from the stream here**
- Back again.
- Most important thing is Canucks secure a playoff spot, Sundin says.
- 1 year deal....why? It felt fair for him and to the canucks to sign for 1 year. Canucks will evaluate his performance after the season as will he.
- Sundin says his groin feels great, but he'll use the practice time to work on that stuff further with the twists and turns of aggressive play and all.
- Sundin is glad he doesn't have to play against Luongo anymore. Mentioned how the Leafs have had troubles against the Canucks.
- Sundin hoping he will not be a distraction. He said that after today everything should be back to normal and back to business.

End of press conference

So there you have it. TSN has some video footage here. It could be 2 weeks before Sundin plays, at the most I'd say. That's ok though. Better that he doesn't jump in prematurely and underachieve.
In a sense I can see why he wants to stay in Vancouver to practice, but I'm torn. He perhaps should be joining the team on the road trip to bond with the boys. At the same time the Canucks play back-to-back road games January 1 and 2 against the Predators and Thrashers and then return home again. What the hell kind of schedule is that? There would be limited practice time for Sundin there.
But they will play 9 games of 10 at home from January 9 to February 7. Wow. Bonus! I think that you can expect Sundin to start playing somewhere in there.

Vigneault said today that Sundin won't play until at least next Wednesday against the Oilers.

---

I caught the Canucks practice with Sundin at 10:30 this morning via Canucks.com. The cameras focussed solely on the big Swede. The drills were boring for the most part. Sundin would chat briefly with a few teammates like Wellwood, Bieksa and Raymond. But it was business as usual.
You could see Mats' quick strides and his magic hands at some points. He can put the puck off the crossbar and in at will.
After the practice he signed some autographs for fans lined up along the hallway to the dressing room and that was it.
Press conference is coming up shortly. It will be streamed live at Canucks.com. I'll try cover that as closely as possible.

By the way: Roberto Luongo skated for 10:00 today before the other players came out. And that was it. Ryan Johnson joined him for that brief stint on the ice.


T Tags: Mats+Sundin+first+practice+with+Canucks Press+conference

Sundin has arrived in Vancouver!

The plane from Frankfurt, Germany landed in Vancouver at 2:20 PST this after noon. Gad damn, I'm excited and I just can't hide it! Woo! Image is from the Vancouver Sun. According to the Sun:

Sundin was whisked out a back entrance from the arrivals area at Vancouver International Airport.

You can see Sundin texting Josephine telling her that it rains too much in Vancouver, and that he wants to go home already. I kid.

Remember, Canucks.com will be streaming the Canucks practice with Sundin tomorrow morning at 10:30 AM PST. That should be great to watch.
Now that he has landed here I think the full reality of it has just sunk in.

TSN has a video clip of it up. Notice how there's no yammering by reporters? Just the flickering of paparazzi cameras. There will be a press conference tomorrow at noon I believe.
Welcome to Vancouver, Mats!

This news clip is funny. The media was waiting for Sundin's plane to arrive and who do they run into? Gene Simmons! Hilarious. I guess the Simmons family is going skiing in Whistler. Bah, who cares about that pompous fool.

Canucks players discuss what it means for Sundin to play here. Alain Vigneault will meet with Mats tomorrow morning to see where he is at physically. Sundin may surprise him. But don't expect Sundin to jump into the lineup too early. I would still guess about 10-14 days.


T Tags: Mats+Sundin+arrives+in+Vancouver Monday+December+29+2008

Video: Sundin's plane arrives in Vancouver

Looks like we may have to dial up another expensive center....

T Tags: Sundin+plane+arrival Vancouver video

Rangers have a Sundin hangover?

Just thought I'd point this out:

Sundin signed with the Canucks on December 18.
The Rangers had won 3 straight games, including 4 out of their previous 5 games prior to that date.
Since the 18th, the Rangers have lost 3 straight. Coincidence?

The Canucks have a bit of a pattern going on as well. Before the 18th they had won 3 of their previous 5 games. Since Sundin signed they have lost 3 of the 5 games. But we don't have a world class goalie in net, and the pattern is less obvious.

Yep, just taking a jab at the Rangers and their fans because it feels good.

Luongo to begin skating again / Sundin to arrive Monday / Pyatt breaks foot

Just saw it reported on Sportsnet that Roberto Luongo is scheduled to start practicing on the ice by mid-week. I hope this isn't a knee jerk reaction to recent Canucks losses. Hopefully Luongo is truly pain-free. As Jason Botchford put it today:

The temptation will be there to push Luongo again. In the 15 games since he went down, the Canucks have given up 46 goals, or 3.07 a game. Before Luongo's injury, the Canucks were giving up only 2.28 goals a game.

The Canucks are 6-8-1 in Luongo's absence.

---

Correction: Mats Sundin will arrive in Vancouver Monday, not Tuesday. He will address the media at noon on Tuesday, Sportsnet reported.

So as the HockeyCentral panel just joked: "it's a race between which player, Luongo or Sundin, plays a game with the Canucks."

That cures my hangover!

Nick Kypreos believes that Sundin may improve his points per game playing with Canucks players who are in their prime. He then mocked who Sundin's line mates had been in Toronto over the past several years. No kidding.

---

Taylor Pyatt broke his foot after being struck with a Mattias Ohlund slapshot last night against the Oilers. I think I would have almost preferred that it was Steve Bernier that took that shot. Bernier couldn't hit a stop sign with a snowball from 5 feet out.




T Tags: Roberto+Luongo+to+return groin+injury+update Mats+Sundin+arrival+Vancouver+schedule

The game after a stinker and before Sundin comes to town

That’s definitely the tough part, getting the turkey out of you the next morning. But I think it will be a little bit easier being a home game. You get to sleep in your own bed and really enjoy the full Christmas experience and when you wake up Boxing Day, you turn the page and get ready to go. - Shane O’Brien on getting back to business tonight after the holiday break. -Shane O'Brien, Vancouver Sun.

It's not just the stuffing the Canucks have to get over, it's the 5-0 destruction the Sharks handed them on the 24th, a game they barely showed up for.
I read through some of my posts from October until now, looking for other stinker games, and the best I could come up with was the 5-2 loss to the Sabres on October 17 and the 3-1 loss to the Flames on November 29. Besides the obvious trend of the Canucks perhaps taking too many penalties, not showing up, getting outshot in those games there is another: the Canucks would lose the next 2 games after each sleeper.
But there is a more positive stat to throw out there: the Canucks are 2-1 against the Oilers this season. Both wins came at home, where they play tonight.
The Canucks have won 3 of their last 5. The Oilers only 2.
From Canucks.com:

The Oilers have won six of their last nine road contests, and head to GM Place for the second time in 10 days following a 4-2 loss on Dec. 17. Edmonton is 2-5-1 in its last eight visits to Vancouver.

Also:

The Oilers are looking to string together back-to-back victories for the first time since opening the month of December with three straight wins.

INJURIES

-Ethan Moreau is questionable after injuring his wrist blocking a shot against the Oilers' win over Phoenix on the 22nd.

-I know we all miss Luongo, but how about Ryan Johnson? There's a character guy that I've missed since he broke his foot and finger weeks ago.
In regards to Luongo, there is no talk of a timeline except "week to week". I talked to my cousin at the family dinner last night about groin injuries for goalies, as he plays net locally and does summer goalie camps, and he said it's a tough injury to have. He said that you can be walking around feeling fine for long periods of time and then all off a sudden you'll feel pain walking up stairs, for example. He projects 2 more weeks for Luongo. I'm not so sure about it after hearing of my cousin's experiences. 2 weeks would be terrific wouldn't it?
How about the Canucks just play better without Luongo?! They do it in stretches and are inconsistent. I hear many Canucks fans wondering if we should be getting a different backup goalie while Luongo is out. My opinion on that wanes. How about the team plays better? Curtis Sanford looked great in relief of a rubber-stricken Cory Schneider last game. How about the coach rides Sanford for a while and the team buckles up in front of him?!
It's Friday today but it feels like Monday, why? Because it's a big week in Vancouver. We play 3 in a row at home against the Oilers, Senators and Flyers. The team needs to establish some form of consistency in Luongo's absence and while Mats Sundin practices with the team yet does not play. He reportedly arrives tomorrow.
Distractions everywhere. Focus boys!

FROM ENEMY LINES

Good for them. I know many long suffering Canuck fans who seemed to be on the edge of a dream before a Jovo dumbkoff penalty or Bertuzzi the Brave decided to alter time and space. Perhaps no fan group in the NHL deserves a Stanley Cup more than Vancouver.

And you know what? They might just do it. - Lowetide

Great piece about Canucks fans, management by Lowetide today.

GAME TIME: 7:00 PST
TV: SPORTSNET

Canucks.com live blog is happening!

T Tags: Canucks+Oilers+game+preview Friday+December+26+2008 Mats+Sundin+Vancouver+arrival losing Luongo

Hitler finds out Sundin signed with Vancouver

Nice work by Hockey Fans 101 to edit this clip. You will recall there was a Hitler video made about the Canucks missing the playoffs last year as well. Anyway, this new one about Sundin is pretty good! Check it!




T Tags: Hitler+Canucks+sign+Mats+Sundin Youtube+video

There was a time when both Linden and Sundin were undecided

It's strange and also ironic that both were standing side-by-side for the interview as well!

Sundin conference call

- 2 weeks ago he decided to play. First option has been Vancouver since he looked at various teams
- wow, rough conference call
- knows Ohlund from playing in the Olympics. Their phone conversation: wanted to know what the team thought about adding another player in the middle of the season. Sundin wanted a feel for what the Canucks players thought about him. Ohlund called Sundin for the record.
- to pick a Cup winning team is impossible. Feels Canucks can be competitive in the playoffs. Get to playoffs anything can happen. Thrilled about playing for the Canucks.
- Playing for another Canadian team was a factor. Sundin enjoys living in Canada. Canucks have a great franchise and fans. He loves that atmosphere.
- how close did he come to retiring? when the season started he realized he was 37 years old, and his chances of playing in the NHL again were running out.
- Why Vancouver? (again) The response from the Canucks at July 1st. Told JP Barry that Vancouver was in the back of his mind, yet complimented what JP Barry did to present info from all teams. But his first choice was Vancouver.
- thankful to Gillis for being patient and for all the conversations made a great impression on Mats.
- It's not a perfect situation coming into the season half-way. Sundin said he will push hard to get into proper shape.
- When will he play? Hasn't talked to the coaches. Unsure.
- What day did Sundin tell Gillis? Yesterday. It was great for him to talk to Ohlund and get an idea of what the Canucks players thought.
- Sundin called Gillis and asked him what he thought of another Swede playing on his team. haha
- Leafs will always have a part of his heart. It will still feel like home when he goes there.
- Looks forward to the game against the Leafs on February 21. It will be mixed emotions.
- Respects Leafs fans and the tradition. Hopes Leafs fans respect his decision. Didn't feel it was the right time to leave the Leafs at the deadline because they could possibly make the playoffs.
- About leaving some extra money on the table for Gillis: happy to do that.
- Excited about playing in the West. Always enjoyed coming West to play when he played for the Leafs.
- Sundin signed for one year for himself and his future plans but also for the organization. It puts pressure on him to perform.
- Not thinking ahead much about the Olympics.
- A lot of great players here. Top goalie in the League. Team is playing hard this year.
- Linemates? Coaches decision.
- How much did the city of Vancouver come into play? Thinks Vancouver is a beautiful city. Was one of his favorite places to travel.
- Sundin watched the Canucks-Kings game live, but only watched the team play in spurts.
- Decided to play again 2 weeks ago because he missed the NHL atmosphere. Loves the game of hockey.

Link to the press conference here.

T Tags: Mats+Sundin+press+conference+call December+19+2008 Canucks

Sundin talked to Ohlund hours before announcement / Canucks' Swedes thrilled (of course)

From Hockeyexpressen:

Mats Sundin reveals that when he had decided to make a comeback in the NHL for a few weeks ago, it was the Canucks team that was best.
"They have always behaved very professionally, "says Sundin.

His agent at CAA in Sweden, Claes Elefalk, stood yesterday in constant telephone contact with Mats.
Mats talked to Tre Kronor-mate Mattias Öhlund in Vancouver a few hours before he took his final decision. He got the final answers he wanted,"said Elefalk.

Well geez, thanks Mattias! So what did Ohlund say to Sundin on Thursday morning? Expressen would only mention that Ohlund told Sundin that all of the guys on the Canucks would welcome him to the club and that they would be happy to have him here. Ohlund already sensed that Sundin had made up his mind to come here.
Sundin told the Swedish paper that it is going to be "tremendous fun" to play with the Canucks. He will probably practice with the team for about 10 days before he plays.
The Swedes in Vancouver: Sedins, Ohlund and Edler are rejoicing at the news. Daniel said that the Canucks will be "respected in the League". They are excited about having a secondary punch to our offence of this calibre. While they want to play with him on a line, they anticipate Sundin playing with Demitra.
Sundin will be making a conference call from Sweden to some mainstream paper Friday morning. Looking forward to it.

T Tags: Sundin+talked+to+Mattias+Ohlund+before+decision Sedins+excited Canucks