Rogers Arena, Here I Come

So I know I have been delinquent on my duties as a blogger, but it is/was for the very best of reasons. I have had many 12-14 hour days, going in on weekends, and too many missed Canucks games in the last three months. I have seen my gut grow and my t-shirts get tighter, due to a lack of time for any workouts, and eating on the run, but I have just learned, all that has paid off.

This week I will be finalizing plans and signing the papers to get transferred to the greater Seattle area for work. Not exactly Vancouver, but as close as I can get, for now. I am unbelievably excited about this new opportunity and new set of challenges awaiting me. One of the best parts is in my new position I will be traveling to Vancouver for work every couple months, not to mention all the weekend trips for Canucks games and just to hang out.

Unfortunately this doesn't mean I will have more time to blog right now. Keeping my foot on the gas has gotten me to this opportunity and I have a lot more to get done before I head West. I would like to thank you all, again probably just my father and a couple stragglers, for following me, and I hope to make it to some games when I get out there. I look forward to the next chapter of Nucks On The Pond, and moving closer to Mecca! 

Happy Retirement Mike Grier

Mike Grier retired last week after 14 seasons in the NHL, playing for four teams (Edmonton, Washington, Buffalo and San Jose). He played over 1,000 games and scored 383 points. Not known for scoring clearly, but such an asset on the Penalty Kill and Checking Line, playing with an energy that few possessed. He fought when he needed too, and never left his teammates hanging out to dry. So why am I dedicating a post to someone who is not related to the Canucks at all?

I became a Canucks fan watching them on the late games on Hockey Night in Canada. Sadly however, the Canucks were not on every Saturday night, and I was subjected to Edmonton Oilers games. Not having a dog in the fight I attached myself to two players on that team, Tommy Salo and Mike Grier. Salo because he was exciting to watch back then, and Mike Grier because he was from Michigan.

As long as Mike Grier was playing, anywhere except the Sharts (not a type-o), I wanted him to win. He was the type of player that did all the dirty work, much like Manny Malhotra. He exemplified all the things Michigan is known for, hard work, team play, and doing whatever is takes to win. These things can also be seen in current Canuck Ryan Kesler (hailing from Livonia, Michigan).

Mike Grier was always a guy I could root for, same as Kesler, David Booth, Doug Weight, Mike Modano, Brian Rafalski, Brian Rolston, Kevin Hatcher (not a big Derian fan), Ryan Miller, Kip Miller, David Legwand, Mike York, Jason Bacashihua and James Wisniewski, to name a few. Some I was fortunate enough to watch in person in college or juniors, some I picked up along the way.

There are so many guys you see make a play and it questions your fandom, but not Grier. He is a Michigan guy, just like me and my dad and my brother and my uncle. He always played hard, and was a player I didn't mind sticking up for. I started rooting for him to have a dog in the fight, but then I watched because I was a fan. So even though he will never see this I am sure, thank you Mike Grier, for making me proud to say I am a fan of yours.

That Didn't Take Long, Unlike My Posts

Yes, yes I realize it has been WAY too long since I posted. I apologize for that, but there is good reason for it, which I will get to soon. But now I think we should bask in my awesome power. Not 48 hours after I posted about Marco Sturm, Mike Gillis dealt him and Mikael Samuelson to the Florida Panthers for David Booth, and Steven Reinprecht. I knew he was an avid reader of mine!

In all seriousness when I first heard about the trade I was happy. Then I looked at the contracts of the players involved and was a little concerned. But after digesting it for a week, and the subsequent three weeks since I last posted, I liked it in the long run. Yes Booth makes a lot, and yes he will be making a lot for a long time ($4.25 million for the next four years), in NHL terms. However, in my mind this trade is all about Gillis trying to make things happen.

Booth has the skills, and track record, of being a scorer (31 Goals in 2008-2009). Now he is on a team with a lot more talent at Center, as well as the Wings. I like the American Express Line of Booth-Kesler-Higgins. The success hasn't been nearly what I think it can be, but a lot of that has to do with chemistry and just knowing you teammates. Booth hasn't been terrible in 17 games with the Canucks, having nine points so far.

The only thing that still scares me about Booth is the contract. The only major contract coming off the books after this season is Sami Salo's $2 million and Mason Raymond's $2.5 million, which makes him an Restricted Free Agent.. The year after they will have Manny Malhotra, Maxime Lapierre, Alexander Edler, Cody Hodgson (RFA), Alexandre Burrows, and Higgins, as free agents. That is a lot of key players, so I believe Gillis is definitely in win now mode. Although a face lift in 18 months might not be such a bad thing.