That Game Stung Like A Puck To The Face

(Brendan Gaunce after taking a puck to the face vs Sharks)

Once more a preseason game where only the young guys contributed. Save for Ryan Miller who looked fairly sharp (2GA, one deflected off his own defenceman), the veterans disappear once again. Its preseason, but why is it every team they've faced so far has veterans contributing? When they were in Calgary, Hudler was making plays and getting points. Last night Brent Burns scores. Meanwhile we have Edler getting schooled by Wingels in front of his own net. I will say it was hilarious to see Edler attempt to play defence after Wingels had already made a play on the puck. If these guys are this lackadaisical now, I shutter to think what the season will be like.

Gaunce continues to impress. This time taking a clearing attempt from Hutton off his face and finishing the shift on the PK, which lasted about another minute. Then you have McCann making a great play by getting into the passing lane to intercept a puck right in front of Martin Jones, which was impressive enough. But then he turns around and rips one before any defender knew what happened? That was awesome. His release was absurd. At this rate Gaunce and McCann should be on the opening night roster. Trade Vey for a bag of pucks or outright release him. The guy is playing like he has nothing to prove, when he has everything to prove.

I have been through some frustrating seasons with this team, so I am not going to get too worked up. However, what really gets me is how the on-ice leadership is so nonchalant and act as if they are a perennial contender or something. Here is an interview with the Sedins from July where all they talk about is wanting to stay, and if they win it'd be ok. That's what I want to hear from my Captain, Assistant, and highest paid players on the team "I want to stay here so I can say I played for the same team my whole career. If we win a Cup, that'd be cool." Why not say it? Cash the big checks and never have to worry about delivering. Perfect scenario for them!  

Here We Go Again...Again...

(Richard Bachman)

Let me start by saying I have not had as much time this offseason to look into all the changes the Canucks have made. However, Twitter has kept me up to date. While that sounds ridiculous, its actually a fairly decent barometer for this type of stuff. Its a good way to understand the sentiment and then you have to do some extra work to find out why, and see the outrage is, as it always is on Twitter, a bit overboard.  This offseason doesn't seem to be a popular one though, and after last night its looking like the outrage is a bit justified.

I know the Flames had most of their NHL squad out there, and the Canucks rolled out mostly young guys, but the play was the real thing. I know everything moves faster at the NHL level, but did the squad they have on the ice hate Richard Bachman or something? They hung that poor bastard out to dry about a hundred times last night! How many times were they going to just watch rebounds instead of, oh I don't know, trying to clear them away from net?! Or maybe not continue to give up odd man rushes?!

This probably wouldn't have looked so bad if it wasn't coming off of being shutout at the hands of the Sharks, and an offseason that has been heavily criticized by the Canucks faithful. Fan favorites, and top performers, from last year were sent out of town for what appeared to be a fraction of their worth, leading to some harsh words and reactions from fans. Although, now they appear to be looking more accurate than just bad reactions. Zack Kassian (24) was shipped out of town for Brandon Prust (31) who produces less points and makes more money. Then statistically your best goalie from last year, Eddie Lack, gets dealt for a 3rd and 7th round pick, and a mega fan favorite, Kevin Bieksa goes to Anaheim for what will most likely be a late 2nd round pick. 

The oddest thing appears to be the Front Office's complete faith in the unproven, while dealing away proven pieces for little return. They admit to being in a rebuild/retool era, yet bring in bigger deals (Prust, Miller, Sbisa, Sutter) and get rid of guys making less, but producing. Nick Bonino gets dealt for Brandon Sutter, who gets a new contract before even playing one game. This would not be so absurd if they haven't been talking about Bo Horvat for second line Center duties. Ok then why did you trade a guy making $1.9M for a guy who you paid over double that to play Center on the second line? Bonino had a very good season for someone making under $2M (75GP, 15G, 24A), and you bring in a guy who had a similar offensive season (80GP, 21G, 12A) and is not even a full year younger. Oh and he makes more money. 

Same goes for the goalie situation. Lack is a UFA next summer, and Markstrom has two more years on his deal. Lack was great for a team which finished with 101 points and makes $300,000 less than Markstrom, who looked iffy at best in his few starts in the NHL last season. So according to the front office, a 3rd and 7th round pick are more valuable than a higher performing backup goalie in a contract year looking to prove himself? Deal Markstrom for a 5th round pick or higher even and play out Lack's deal, or if he is on fire, and you aren't going to pay him, trade him at the deadline for a bigger or similar return. If he is having a down year, then keep him and let him walk for nothing in return. How many teams looking to make a push trade for a goalie at the deadline?

I am finding it extremely hard to believe there was any logic behind these moves other than "We have to bring our own guys in," because breaking down most of these deals reveals very little logic if any. "Tanbir from Surrey" grilled Benning and Linden at the Summer Summit back in July, and said a lot of what Canucks fans were, and still are, thinking. I go into every season with hope of improving last season's finish, and after all this ranting, I will leave it up to the professionals and trust in their decisions. However, when they do things like this they leave very little room for error. If this team does not get off to a great start, its going to get real ugly by Spring.

Kevin Bieksa Comments

A couple days ago, Kevin Bieksa made some comments about being an asset and the business side of the game and how "There were a lot of false promises out there." @BigNasty604 tweeted out the full quote here. In my opinion it was an emotional quote from an emotional player, but for me it also showed an odd lack of perspective on his part.

I am not going to bash the guy, he was good on the ice and loved in the community, almost more than anyone I can think of, especially in recent years. The one thing I don't get is how he thought he would be at one team his entire career. As sad as it is, that's a tough thing to do these days, no matter how beloved a guy is in the community. With front office and coaching turnover and a strict salary cap to work with, roster turnover is common places these days.

There has been speculation on what or who he was specifically referring to, whether he meant the Canucks, the San Jose Sharks (who he was reportedly going to), the media, or the fans is anyone's guess. However, for someone so involved in the community and beloved, he left with barely a goodbye, going so far as even blocking Clay Imoo when Clay tweeted him an awesome tribute song he put together for him (side note, if you don't follow Clay, you're missing out big time, very talented). These aren't really the responses long time fans were looking for.

Also there is the matter of his performance (see below; source). It wasn't that he was playing poorly, but you have to take into account the direction of the team. Sure his stats looked good on back-to-back Presidents Trophy winning teams. However, the last couple years were not banner years, on teams whose expectations were not that high. Management, especially new management are always searching where they can cut salary, especially when a rebuild is happening.

Regular Season:

Playoffs:

Again, not bashing the guy, just trying to point at why he was a good trade chip and place to cut out salary, although I would have hoped for a better return. I do find this whole situation to be a bit odd. To be a professional athlete in 2015 and be shocked he is treated like an asset is a bit odd, and then to leave a place you loved for so long and were so involved in, with barely a goodbye and even blocking people who wish you well, is even more odd. I am not sure who Bieksa is focusing on with those quotes, but his actions seem like they point further north than San Jose.