I’m Tired of the Whiny Vancouver Canuck Fans

Let me pay a homage to the most stupid Canuck fan comments this offseason after the season came to an unfortunate end in April in a playoff series against division rival Calgary Flames.

Credit to HFBoards.com for the idiocy.

A topic on the worst GM-coach duos of all time yielded this response from a Canucks fan:

benning – desjardins is going to look pretty all-time awful in two years, if it doesn’t already.i mean, did you guys see desjardins undermine his team against calgary last spring like he was trying to lose?

Do I need to say more? Yes, this was copy and pasted. It makes me shake my head we have fans of this nature supporting the Vancouver Canucks.

A topic on how Benning forced the Canucks into “premature rebuilding” (which is a fair enough claim, but it gave this Notra “dumbass” like response):

As of last year, the Canucks were Cup contenders. Their playoff run sucked but at least they did make the playoffs. Now they definitely will be out of contention and it’s all because of Benning, IMO.

Now the Canucks were cup contenders before the evil Jim Benning came in. I’ve seen it all now. No sir, they finished sixth last in the league under Tortorella and Gillis’ direction. Nice try at spinning things, though.

On the same topic listed right above, another Gillis defender posted this gem:

That is how we know Benning botched it and is worse, much much much worse than Gillis (thus far of course. Perhaps we’re all wrong or he figures things out). Gillis had the team poised to begin the turn around in the summer of 2014. Any new GM would have loved walking into that situation. Well any new GM that could talk about things other than meat and potatoes, scrums, culture, and high end intangibles.

Ah yes, the team was freaking great coming off sixth last and trending downwards. Where do “fans” come up with this stuff?

Gillis only looked bad because of the owners influence.If Gillis had his way we would have started the rebuild in 2013. The Luongo/Schneider debacle is way overblown.

When did Gillis become Mother Theresa? I heard fans yelling “fire Gillis” at the end of 2013-2014 season. They were right. It was time for him to go. Don’t let the door hit you on your way out, Gillis lover.

Kevin Bieksa clearly lost faith in this team and new management. Just a year ago he said he’d go down with to ship.

Now Kevin Bieksa is apparently against the cause. He hates the Canucks just like these fans hate Jim Benning. He has agreed with the “smart ones”. When did opinion become fact like this? Maybe he agreed to be traded because it was the right thing to do? He was the worst defenseman last year on ice, and it wasn’t even close. No amount of advanced statistics could say otherwise.

I’m sad he’s gone but I’m glad he’s out of this mickey mouse organization. I always thought the criticism of Bieksa was unfair. Yes he had holes in his game and struggled after that sliced tendon injury but that guy was the most warrior heart and soul player I’ve ever seen on the Canucks. The guy bleed Canucks blue and was one of the very few homegrown players to develop into a top NHL player in my time watching the Canucks (since about ’01) which is both sad and beautiful. I hope the Ducks win next year not only for Bieksa but because that is such an unbelievably well managed team. Their scouting, cap management and blend of youth and experience is reminiscent of the Red Wings. They’re going to be an elite team for years with how that team has been built.

It’s clear he wants to be on a winner and doesn’t think much of this management group.

Guess what this “loyal fan” has as a username? “FacepalmBenning”.

It doesn’t get better than that.

What’s the conclusion in all of this?

Canucks fans, as a person living in Vancouver who has once been a season ticket holder, annoy me and make me sick. Most pessimistic group and media I have ever seen. Every year they whine for someone to get fired or axed and every season with no cup is a failure.

No one predicted this team to finish as well as they did last year. Fans were generally happy about that until the Calgary series. Then it becomes a game of how Desjardins and Benning all of the sudden suck at their jobs.

I’m so tired of it. We deserve a team on par with the late 2000s era Edmonton Oilers. Seeing as how a fifth place finish in the west is absolutely awful and grounds for the general manager being fired. Along with his offseason moves that HAVE YET TO PLAY A SINGLE GAME IN A CANUCKS UNIFORM.

These posters should have their Canuck fan titles stripped. It’s annoying and embarrassing.

Well Known Canuck Critic Tony Gallagher Approves of Brandon Sutter Trade

You know it’s an odd day when sports columnist Tony Gallagher of the Province (newspaper based out of Vancouver) is saluting general manager Jim Benning of the Vancouver Canucks for a trade that sent Nick Bonino, Adam Clendening, and a second rounder to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Brandon Sutter…and a third round pick.

Don’t believe me? Enjoy, Vancouverites and fellow Canuck fans:

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/hockey/canucks-hockey/Gallagher+Sutter+deal+best+recent+Canucks/11255655/story.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

I have had a few days to settle down after this trade. It shocked me at first. If it was honestly just Nick Bonino for Brandon Sutter straight up, I may have taken the time to take a more in depth look at things. Instead, in typical Vancouver fashion, I was a bit upset at the trade.

Adam Clendening did not seem that bad at all of a prospect to me. He has a ways to go in terms of skating but when he was called up to play for the Canucks, he did his job. He had flashes of decency. This is my honest opinion. I was bummed when I heard he was gone. The Canucks back end does not look great outside of Tanev, Edler, and Sbisa (if he actually plays consistently well for an entire season which is doubtful). Hamhuis is most likely gone by the end of next year which is why I refused to mention him. Seriously, who do we have outside of those three then after the season ends? Bartkowski may turn out to be alright. Yannick Weber sucked in the playoffs. Hence my disappointment in losing Clendening.

Nick Bonino meanwhile started off hot and looked promising but then went cold. In the postseason he was cold. We simply can’t have a guy like that in Vancouver playing on the second line. If he was a third liner, okay. Which is why the trade is great on the Pittsburgh side of things.

Enter in Brandon Sutter. I have done research on this kid, “flat Stanley” as they call him in Pittsburgh:

The first thing people have said about flat Stanley is:

He’s a great penalty killer. One of the best in the league.

That was probably the only thing Nick Bonino was good at when he was cold and the Canucks have great penalty killing as is. It was near the top of the league last year.

We need goals, offense, and speed that Bonino failed to provide when he went cold. Sutter looks like he does bring the speed.

Twenty goals last year on the third line in Pittsburgh is also a positive sign. Flat Stanley is entering the prime of his career at age 27 or so next year. I hope he can become maybe a 50 point or so guy that can play a great two way game.

He’s also said to be a good leader and that’s one of Benning’s main focuses right now for the Canucks hockey team.

I really don’t know about this move as of now as well as the talks about Benning extending Flat Stanley to 4 years at close to 18 or so million (4.4 million a year).

Jim Benning scares the hell out of me. I still contend that his trade of plug Zack Kassian and a fifth round pick to Brandon Prust was a good move. It’s just he didn’t have to add in the fifth round pick. No one in the league wanted Kassian which is why he had to do it.

The Eddie Lack trade looks like his most ill-advised as of yet. But he is gambling on Jakob Markstrom being a better goalie than Lack. I support him one hundred percent there. I am a believer in Markstrom if he keeps excelling under goalkeeping coach of the Canucks, Melanson.

Jim Benning is either ahead of the curve, or he’s the worst general manager in the league like everyone is claiming.

Hey, I don’t think he deserves that honour yet. What worst general manager took the sixth worst team in the league and turned them into a playoff team in a year? I’ll reserve my judgement.

Tim Murray of the Buffalo Sabres is the worst general manager in the league after his move for Ryan O’ Reilly and whining on television about missing on the first overall pick in the NHL draft.

Who’s Over Rated and Under Rated in the NHL (2015-2016)

I had to make this post.

Reading online postings, news articles, and the “pundits” opinions, I had to compile a list of who is over rated and under rated in the NHL and explain why. So you may ask, who qualifies? Well, players, teams, general managers, and coaches all do. Prepare to be enraged or smile.

Under Rated

I’ll start off with the positives. Who I believe is under rated in the National Hockey League.

The Vancouver Canucks

Reading online forums and opinions from fans, you would think the Vancouver Canucks will be a lottery team next year. The opposite is true, actually.

The year before fans said they would be a lottery team. What has changed? They have gotten rid of the misfits in their organization. Kevin Bieksa (I love him) with all due respect was terrible last year, Zack Kassian sucked, Eddie Lack was not a starter, and Nick Bonino was too inconsistent. Who is coming in for those guys?

Good guy Brandon Prust, good guy Brandon Sutter, top AHL goalie and prospect Jakob Markstrom, and lots of fast young guys.

No, this team will not suck. They will be decent and finish once again in the playoffs. The only logical reason you could say they miss is solely due to the fact you may believe a lot of their division rivals got better. Yes, the Oilers have gotten better and if they keep making the right moves, they will be a playoff team eventually. The Kings and Sharks are the true question mark.

The Minnesota Wild

A good core? Check. A well run organization? Check.

Fans think this team may also miss the playoffs after the Canucks. The furthest thing from the truth. They are a lock.

And they have a nice young core on the backend that includes names such as Matt Dumba and Jonas Brodin.

The only question is if Devan Dubnyk holds up. I feel behind that defense he has a chance to.

Coach Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning

I heard comments from people saying Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the coach sucks.

What?

I would gladly let him coach my Canucks if Willie Desjardins was let go tomorrow. He is a damn good coach.

You take him off the Lightning and tell me how many coaches would get that team into the finals like they did last year. Seriously impressive, and he’s won everywhere he’s gone.

There is no way he sucks as a coach. I’d put him in my top five list of coaches.

Big Jake Virtanen

I have heard from many he is a bust or would be lucky to get in the top twenty this year in the NHL draft.

Wrong. He is the most NHL ready prospect I have seen from the 2014 draft that has yet to play a game.

He ragdolled guys in the AHL. Just because his point totals don’t make you raise your eyes doesn’t mean he is a bust.

He will play in this league and he will be good. Just watch. He will be like Cam Neely. He will be a goal scorer who can hit. He won’t be an elite playmaker but he can play.

Over Rated

Now here comes the boos. Prepare to be annoyed if you are a fan of any of these teams, players, or personnel.

The Buffalo Sabres (Tim Murray, their prospect pool, and shitty moves)

An easy choice quite frankly. And the top choice.

You would think reading forums that the Sabres were going to contend for the stanley cup or win multiple cups within five years.

Wrong.

The move for Ryan O’ Reilly was fucking stupid. Eight million for a guy who gets sixty points and does what else? At the expense of one of their youngest defensemen as well as top prospect Grigorenko?

The owner himself Mr. Terry Pegula said the last two seasons have been the most successful in Sabres history. What!?

And their starting goalie who they gave up a first round pick for Robin Lehner. Wow.

Watching Tim Murray whine about missing the first overall pick was great TV. Jack Eichel must be happy as hell to play for the next Edmonton Oilers organization.

This team is going to be a trainwreck, just watch.

Ted Nolan will be laughing his ass off when they do. He sure should have been fired (in a sarcastic tone I say that).

Tanking is never rewarded in the league, Tim. We should rename him and Terry Pegula to tweedle dee and tweedle dum.

The poor fans think they have a chance at the playoffs next year. Laugh my ass off.

The Winnipeg Jets (And their stupid prospect pool)

You would think reading comments from fans of the NHL that the Jets, just like the Sabres, will be champions in five years due to “the depth of their prospect pool”.

That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.

One glance at their prospect pool will show you how that is a bold lie. There is not one player from their “prospect pool” I could say that “I want that guy on my team”.

Little Nik Ehlers who the Canucks passed on for a reason will be walloped when he reaches the big leagues. After that they have a slew of AHL players and fourth line players.

Congrats guys, you are well on your way to a few eighth seeds and first round exits for the next five years.

I love the fans of this team and I’m also a fan of the team, but seriously, a prospect pool full of depth doesn’t make a team a contender for the next ten years.

The Calgary Flames Offseason Moves (and somwhat…their potential)

I didn’t want to throw gasoline on the Flames and say their whole organization is over rated. I just find the moves they made this offseason…over rated.

Dougie Hamilton, Frolik from the Jets. Okay. Frolik will be an elite third liner. But claiming Dougie Hamilton is the answer to pushing them over the top could not be further from the truth.

Bruins fans hated this guy. He was a turnover machine last year. He is what this topic is about. He’s not a future Norris winner. He is average. A second pairing defenseman at best.

I also think Gaudreau and Monahan will not repeat the success they had last year. But that’s just me. Sam Bennett is coming in, though?

I can’t act bitter about this team since they owned my Canucks in the playoffs this last season. But there is something about them I can’t put my finger on. I really do see them as another Colorado. A lot of young talent that peaked one year and regressed the next. No way do they get as many come from behind wins as they did this last year.

Predicting the 2015-2016 NHL Standings and Playoffs

Well another decent season for the National Hockey League was put into the history books.

If you read my post last year, I called most of the right dark horses. I said the Canucks will make the playoffs as a wild card. They didn’t even need to be a wild card they had such a successful year. I also said the Predators would make it in but as a wild card. They soared through the rankings in the regular season last year.

Of course it is somewhat of a crap shoot but it is fun. The standings next year no doubt will not emulate last years NHL standings; there will be some teams who I feel will get in once again and others who will go down a bit. Fanbases will be happy when I stroke their team, some will be upset when I speak what I feel is the truth.

Atlantic Division Predictions

1. Tampa Bay Lightning
2. Detroit Red Wings
3. Florida Panthers
4. Ottawa Senators
5. Toronto Maple Leafs
6. Montreal Canadiens
7. Boston Bruins
8. Buffalo Sabres

So your first reaction is probably: “what kind of shit are you smoking that made you rank the Toronto Maple Leafs so high?”

I call it…the fallacy of Mike Babcock.

This is where the Maple Leafs will have a coach that is so good he will make them at least competitive no matter how bad they look on paper. In turn, this will piss off Toronto fans when they may barely miss the playoffs; they as fans will want a lottery pick. I really have this exact feeling. I may be dead wrong, but I call it the “Babcock effect”. Count me as one of the fans who feels a decent coach can turn a team around no matter how bad they look on paper.

So with that said you probably notice the Canadiens low after a decent season last year. Yeah, I believe they are trending downwards. I admittedly don’t follow them often but only hear from fans how bad of a job Michelle Therrien is doing. Carey Price is the force behind that team and I simply don’t believe a team can keep up in the ranks with their goalie playing their heart out. Just look at the New York Rangers with Tortorella. They kept trending downwards even though Lundqvist played his ass off.

The Sabres, yeah, they suck. I am not a believer in Tim Murray at all. Dan Bylsma is a wild card but I truly feel with the losing culture they had in place last year, it’s going to backfire. They are going to become the next Edmonton Oilers. Let’s not forget the idiotic trade and signing of Ryan O’ Reilly. Their two decent prospects in Grigorenko and Nikita Zadorov for him? Tim Murray is going to ruin this team.

I feel the Panthers are going up. A nice young core, some decent depth, and a decent coach. Keep an eye on this team. Dale Tallon did a fine job in Chicago before putting them in cap hell. But hey, I’d prefer the cup if it means my team goes in cap hell for a few years after.

And the Lightning, yeah, no brainer. Called them in first last year. Look for them to be a threat once again this year.

One team I am honestly not sure of is the Boston Bruins. I feel Lucic was the identity of that team and I’m banking on Don Sweeney looking like a fool this offseason. Not sure if Julien is being tuned out by the roster either.

Detroit will be an interesting team to watch. I feel like Blashill will just pick up where Babcock left off. Holland will also continue his brilliance as general manager. I can’t see Detroit falling anytime soon.

Metropolitan Division Predictions

1. Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Washington Capitals
3. New York Rangers
4. New York Islanders
5. Columbus Blue Jackets
6. New Jersey Devils
7. Phiadelphia Flyers
8. Carolina Hurricanes

This is an interesting division. More interesting than the rest.

I truly feel the Rangers reign of dominance may come to an end. I’m familiar with Vigneault. He usually has a few good years until teams start to tune him out just like the Vancouver Canucks did.

I can’t help but think the Penguins were doing well with coach Mike Johnston until they got decimated with injuries. And with the addition of Phil Kessel, I see them playing lights out on offense while Johnston keeps them playing decent on defense. His system had Marc Andre-Fleury looking great. I just can’t see Pittsburgh trending downwards and feel last year was an anomaly.

The Capitals will be up there for sure. I’m not sure if they will rank as high as second but they will be a playoff team. And when they get in, they will be dangerous with game seven legend Justin Williams. I love that pickup. Barry has them playing good hockey. I was wrong about him as a coach. He has done a solid job in Washington.

The Blue Jackets and Islanders could rotate. I feel the Islanders may be slightly ahead. But both teams both have solid, young talent. Like I said, don’t be shocked if one or the other gets in as a bottom seed.

The Devils, not a bad team. But also not great on the forward side of things. I am not sure how their new coach from Wilkes-Barre will do either.

The Flyers I feel may trend a bit down but be good in the future. Their defense core is still the worst in the league and I believe it will take some time to fix. The other teams I ranked ahead of them I just feel are simply better teams than the Flyers, who are pretty much Giroux, Voracek, and maybe Provorov as of now. Not to forget Couturier.

The Hurricanes, yeah, no brainer for me here. Nothing screams cup contender or on the rise from that squad to me. But then again, they could prove me wrong. If they get into the playoffs that means I have a chance with Salma Hayek.

Central Division Predictions

1. St. Louis Blues
2. Nashville Predators
3. Chicago Blackhawks
4. Minnesota Wild
5. Dallas Stars
6. Colorado Avalanche
7. Winnipeg Jets

This is hands down the toughest division in hockey. All the teams in this division are good and could be considered playoff teams. I feel I will be dead wrong in my predictions for this division.

You could rotate the Jets with the Wild, the Blackhawks with the Stars. Here is my reasoning for why I ranked it how I did here:

-The Blackhawks are always going to be a playoff team as long as Toews, Kane, and Keith are there. Along with Coach Q. Sharp and Oduya are big losses but do not mean no playoffs

-The Blues are the kings of the regular season. How they do in the playoffs is the bigger concern.

-The Wild have a nice core. People thought they would trend downwards this year and coach Yeo was in trouble. Misjudgment there. Their goaltending is the biggest concern but they haven’t missed the playoffs in years with Suter and Parise at the helm.

-The Predators have the best defensive core in the league and Laviolette usually stays decent as head coach (until year three or so usually).

I can’t see these four teams missing for those reasons. The Stars are the wildcard for me. I feel they may either be able to sneak in as a lower seed, or pass the Predators or Wild. They have a nice young core and elite offensive prowess.

The Avalanche are still a big question mark but again have a nice young core. They too are speedy as hell. They are too inconsistent. One year they finish high, the next, quite low. I’m not too sure if that inconsistency means they are as good as the five I listed above them.

The Jets, I’m sorry to their fans. I really do think last year was an anomaly and I’m not buying them as an elite team. The six teams I ranked ahead of them I feel are flat out better. Of course I ranked the Jets in the bottom of the division last year, and they finished fifth in reality.

Pacific Division Predictions

1. Anaheim Ducks
2. Vancouver Canucks
3. Los Angeles Kings
4. San Jose Sharks
5. Edmonton Oilers
6. Calgary Flames
7. Arizona Coyotes

Here is when my homerism comes in and big time.

I also follow this division more than the other divisions in hockey besides maybe the central division (since that one is so competitive and fun to watch).

I don’t even know if the Anaheim Ducks are a safe bet to finish first. Bruce Boudreau has always been a regular season coach though, so they are the logical choice. Look out Ducks fans about Bieksa though. Don’t complain if he manages to bring your defense down by himself. But like I said, the logical choice for first is the Ducks.

Here is where I will be crucified; I think the Canucks will be a better team this year than last. I follow this team more than any other team. I know Willie Desjardins is a winner. I predicted wild card last year and they instead came in fifth in the western conference and had 101 points. Willie will keep the good times rolling.

Ryan Miller needs to emulate what he did last year. 28-15 as a starter and solid for the most part before he got hurt. I couldn’t ask for more from him. If Jakob Markstrom breaks out like he did in the AHL last year, this could be an awesome goaltending duo.

Bieksa, Matthias, Kassian. All misfits that are gone and replaced by better guys. I truly believe Matt Bartkowski and Clendening will be good on defense. Clendening was solid for us when we had an injury bug in January-March. Little do Canucks fans forget that Sbisa was as well.

Sven Baertschi will be coming in to play on the second line. I can’t see him playing worse than Higgins or Burrows did offensively on the second line. He will put up better numbers. I am a believer.

Horvat and especially Linden Vey will have better years. If Vey doesn’t have a better year he will be gone. I’m rooting for him as he seems like a solid kid. Brandon Prust will be a hellraiser just like Derek Dorsett was on the fourth line. And enter in big Jake Virtanen and Ron Kenins.

Call me a homer, but that’s how I see things. The sky is not falling for me. We aren’t cup contenders but we will be fine.

The Sharks are a wild card to me. Will new coach Peter Deboer be the spark needed for this team? I always felt he was a good coach in New Jersey who was just brutal on the young kids like Adam Larsson. Paul Martin and Joel Ward are also coming in. I’m not sure about Martin but I know Joel Ward is good…for the postseason at least if the Sharks do make it.

The Kings might improve or they might bust. I really don’t know. I do feel Stoll, Richards, Voynov, and Williams all gone is a huge hit to their identity and core. Yeah they now have Lucic but he doesn’t make up for four guys. They will be a team to watch this year.

The Oilers have made all the right moves this offseason. Better moves than any offseason they have had in five or so years. But they are like that dirtbag boyfriend the girl you liked in high school had. They do all the right things but then screw over their fans once the regular season starts. I can’t see how they don’t improve with the changes they made. But if they still suck, the city of Edmonton may be cursed just like Cleveland is.

As for the Calgary Flames, yeah, call me a hater. I wasn’t impressed by them at all last year even though they knocked out my Canucks. It was a giant “whatever” feeling. Bob Hartley usually gets tuned out by his team and I feel that happens anytime with this Flames squad if they keep playing the way they are. Believe it or not, I think Dougie Hamilton will be a bomb in Calgary. He certainly was when I watched him in Boston which is part of the reason why he got dealt. There also is something there that simply does not add up. Boston got rid of him for a low return, meaning not only was he a turnover machine, he may have had character issues. I do however like their addition of Frolik. But I can’t for the life of me see Monahan and Gaudreau replicating the seasons they had last year.

So there you have it. Let the hate mail commence!

Here is what I am predicting the 2015-2016 post season to look like:

Lightning .vs. Senators/Islanders/Blue Jackets (two of these three make it)
Red Wings .vs. Panthers

Penguins .vs. Senators/Islanders/Blue Jackets (two of these three make it)
Capitals .vs. Rangers

Blues .vs. Wild
Blackhawks .vs. Predators

Ducks .vs. Stars/Sharks (most likely Stars)
Canucks .vs. Kings

Bold Predictions for the 2014-2015 NHL Season

The NHL season starts around the beginning of October and since the free agent frenzy has pretty much ended I have a few bold predictions for next season that go against “the norm”. In other words, predictions that are bold and go against the public. Here are a few I have:

1. The Vancouver Canucks make the playoffs.

Albeit I’m very biased towards them, I am willing to bet this happens. Everywhere I go people are counting them out saying how they are a tenth seed, etc. I have followed this off season. I followed last season. They sucked ass last season and a large portion of it was due to the goons known as John Tortorella and Mike Gillis. There is no way this team should have been playing a defensive dump and chase style. It doesn’t fit the team. Coach Tortorella is a goof who will never land a job in the NHL again (a not so bold prediction or opinion there either). Jim Benning has made some shrewd moves that I think will pay off. The jury is still out on his draft picks Jake Virtanen and Jared McCann. But signing Ryan Miller for a few years, good move. The pay is a bit steep but that’s the price you must pay for a decent goaltender. Miller looked bad in St. Louis especially in the postseason but that’s his only dark moment of his career so far. I’m willing to see if he has more to offer. Dealing Ryan Kesler was the best move they made. Nick Bonino is a great kid and plays the game hard. Outside of all these moves Jim Benning made in terms of player personnel, the biggest and the one I think will pay off was not made just by him but also president Trevor Linden: hiring Willie Desjardins. The guy has won at every level besides the NHL. He made the Texas Stars in the AHL a great team. He made the Dallas Stars have serious depth alone due to the way he coached the young kids on the Texas Stars. He also won multiple times in the WHL before. I have not heard a single bad word about him. Just great things. Look for him to turn the Vancouver Canucks around, be a well liked coach by the players, and have them become a winning franchise. No, I don’t think they will be Stanley Cup contenders or fighting for the presidents trophy. I also don’t think they will win the Pacific Division, that’s crazy. They will make the playoffs as a sixth-eighth seed. I am putting my mouth on the line here.

2. Pekka Rinne gets exposed as an over rated goaltender

I’m sorry Preds fans. I always hear people talk about him as if he is a top goaltender in the league, top three, etc. I’ve never seen it. He was a huge body in front of the net behind Ryan Suter and Shea Weber all those years. That’s why he looked really good. Take out coach Barry Trotz and his boring ass defensive system and replace him with offensive minded Peter Laviolette, look at people to start doubting Pekka Rinne as among the league’s best in net. This is a little bold and the term “over rated” seems to imply I think he sucks. I think he will still be good, just not in the top three as people typically have him in in their lists of best goaltenders in the NHL.

3. The Boston Bruins don’t repeat as regular season powerhouses this year

The Bruins have been a very successful franchise for years now in the NHL but I think they won’t repeat as president trophy champions or as a top team in the regular season. Just a weird feeling I have. Chara is getting old, he has been slowing down season after season. It is only a matter of time before he retires or fades away. He is a huge driving force behind the team. Without him, I don’t know. They got rid of top scorer Jarome Iginla and replaced him with…well…nothing really? I think this team should have kept him for another year, he fit well in the system. I say they are still a playoff team but finish no higher than third in the eastern conference. And then come playoff time, Tukkaa Rask gets exposed as a choker once again. The Flyers and Canadiens completely lit this guy up when his team had both series in a stranglehold. Definitely not worth the money they are paying him. Roberto Luongo got hated on as a Canuck, why is this guy excused?

4. The Montreal Canadiens don’t go on a huge playoff run again

Not sure if this is bold. I don’t think they have the same success as they did last year. Carey Price is a monster in net no doubt and they still look like a playoff team, but I think they got by last year in the playoffs playing a really gritty style that many teams typically don’t repeat. They had guys such as Dale Weise scoring clutch goals or Daniel Briere (who they got rid of). Leader Josh Gorges was dealt to the leagues worst Buffalo Sabres for scraps. I don’t see this team going as far in the playoffs as they did last year. I rooted them on, it was a great run, but let’s be realistic here.

5. The Anaheim Ducks do not make it far in the playoffs

Of course they make the season with Boudreau being head coach. That’s his bread and butter. I have no shame in admitting they may be a fifth to first rank team in the western conference. But come playoff time, they will lose, again, like Boudreau coach teams do. No way am I betting on this team to win the cup. I also would like to make the bold prediction that Ducks fans become disappointed with Ryan Kesler’s production and wish for Nick Bonino back. Seriously. He has not been good at all since Vancouver’s cup run and I am glad to get Sbisa and Bonino for him. Not joking or trolling. Gibson is young and a question mark. He’s said to be a phenom but this will be his first full year. I don’t know about giving him such a heavy task. Andersen is also a question mark as a 1B/backup goaltender. Look for the Ducks to be golfing by the semi finals and their fans complaining about Boudreau and Kesler.

6. The Kings, Blackhawks, or Penguins become Stanley Cup champions (again)

Okay, this is not very bold at all. This is with the norm. I think the Kings or Blackhawks are easily in line to take home another cup along with maybe the Penguins in the east. Mike Johnston as newly hired head coach of the Penguins should take them into the playoffs. The last time the Pens hired a head coach they destroyed the rest of the league. They were something like 18-3 before going into the playoffs with Bylsma. Mike Johnston may have the same success or it may backfire. The Kings and Blackhawks are still the premium teams of the west. The Blues, Sharks, and Ducks are all teams capable of doing well in the regular season but then shitting the bed in the playoffs. I don’t see either team passing the torch in the west this season unless they have injuries to key players.

Thoughts On Ryan Kesler Leaving Vancouver

So “the trade” happened not to long ago where Ryan Kesler was sent packing from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Nick Bonino and Luca Sbisa essentially. Probably the biggest trade so far this off season in the NHL.

I posted a few weeks back how new general manager of the Vancouver Canucks Jim Benning was not doing a bad job. I still echo those same sentiments.

Kesler was crucial during the Canucks 2011 cup run. Do not get me wrong. Without him who knows how that Nashville Predators semi finals series would have gone.

But since then he has not done anything of note in Vancouver except get injured and seemingly complain behind closed doors. Yeah he said to the media how he wanted to stay here. I never bought it. He wanted out for sure.

I don’t hold any grudges if the man wanted out. Just handcuffing Jim Benning into only accepting a trade to two possible teams (one of them being a team he was rivals with for many years the Chicago Blackhawks) was a bit annoying. Props to Benning for getting a solid return under those circumstances.

Ever since the cup run Kesler has lacked playmaking ability and looked bad on the ice. I’m not upset one bit that he is gone.

Let’s not forget there are all these crazy, outlandish rumours about his personal life and how he is a pig or jerk of a man.

The Vancouver Sun quoted him as saying in his exit interview with Vancouver Media:

I hate losing and that season was painful, to be honest. The fact (the Canucks) are in a rebuild and are looking to get younger and are years away from being a contender, I think it was just time for me to move on and, you know, win and hopefully take home a championship.

— Ryan Kesler

Then they followed up by saying “there is plenty of time to practice your booing”.

Son, I ain’t even mad. I wouldn’t boo him. I don’t hate him. If he wanted out after the franchise was going downhill so be it. At least we got plenty of young prospects to look forward to and shift the ship in a different direction. His quote absolutely does make sense.

I still think Anaheim will regret this trade when he turns out to not be the slam dunk 2nd line centre they thought he would be. Nick Bonino will be great in a Canucks uniform, in fact he scored more points than Kesler did last year.

Let’s say Anaheim does well in the regular season (which is not uncommon for a Boudreau squad). Once again, they will lose in the postseason (which is also not uncommon for a Boudreau squad).

Steve Moore’s Lawsuit is a Black Eye on the NHL

Someone said it best on a hockey forum:

“I just want this hatchet buried to be honest. Whatever that takes. It was really a stain on hockey in general and I don’t even like reading about it”.

Truer words have never been spoken when it comes to the lawsuit involving Steve Moore against Todd Bertuzzi.

If you can remember, in the 2003-2004 season after being down 9-2 or something ridicolous in a regular season hockey game between the Canucks and the Avalanche in Vancouver, Todd Bertuzzi of the Canucks sucker punched Steve Moore and drove his head into the ice. A large pile up ensued.

People made claims how the pile up may have caused Moore the damage he claims to still receive to this very day. Bertuzzi driving his head onto the ice was bad enough though.

What annoys me is the fact it is old news and in general, annoying to hear. Yes it was a horrible event, yes Bertuzzi deserved a lengthy suspension, and yes if Steve Moore was injured then Bertuzzi should get sued.

But when I heard for 68 million dollars my jaw dropped to the ground.

Not a chance was Steve Moore worth close to that amount. That is the equivalent of fraud if he is suing for that much. 10 million makes sense, but 68?

It seems Steve Moore has nothing to live for other than to try and sue the pants off Todd Bertuzzi. The former Harvard graduate Steve Moore apparently applied to a few business schools and was rejected. Lawyers of the Canucks and Bertuzzi will question whether he did or not within the coming months at court.

A lawyer for the Canucks Alan D’Silva had an expert say Steve Moore’s best career options were “being a hoist operator, a farm labourer or a cook in a fast-food restaurant”. That is offensive yet makes me chuckle.

We should also not forget Steve Moore cheap shot Marcus Naslund of the Canucks a few weeks before Bertuzzi cheap shot him. Naslund is someone with a net worth close to 60 million dollars. Not Steve Moore.

Enough is enough already with this lawsuit. The event happened more than ten years ago. Burn it with fire and get on with it.

GM Jim Benning Has Done a “Good” Job

The keyword is in the quotes, good.

Not great, not bad, good.

Every time I read hockey forums people are quick to bash general manager Jim Benning of the Vancouver Canucks for his moves. Such as how he gave away 2nd/3rd pairing Jason Garrison for scraps. And not to forget he essentially got rid of Ryan Kesler for Nick Bonino and Derek Dorsett.

First off, Kesler for Bonino in a few years will look like a solid trade. When I watched the Anaheim Ducks play over the last year Bonino was a solid second/third liner who played a hard game and racked up more points than Ryan Kesler did. Kesler has been hurt and horrible ever since the cup run in 2011.

Hearing how Kesler wanted to leave Vancouver for a cup and handcuffed them into only accepting a trade to either Anaheim or Chicago speaks volumes. The fact Benning got a decent return for him is incredible. He was a waste of money. Good riddance to him. He won’t win a cup in Anaheim either with Bruce Boudreau as the man in charge. That guy is the worst playoff coach in the league next to Dan Bylsma and Alain Vigneault. They should be called the three stooges come playoff time.

After ranting about Kesler, Benning made a solid hire for his vacant coaching position. Willie Desjardins has a solid track record and has won everywhere outside of the NHL. He also plays a high tempo game, unlike coach Tortorella. He also wants to be here and did not accept an offer from Pittsburgh, again, unlike Tortorella who lived in freaking Point Roberts, Washington and as a result constantly canceled practices.

Then we have the Ryan Miller pickup for 6 million a year and Radim Vrbata for five. Those are a bit steep, but decent acquisitions. Eddie Lack is not ready to be the man in charge. In a few years he may be. Ryan Miller only failed in St. Louis and apparently the goalie coach was horrible while he was there (he got fired after the season ended).

Radim Vrbata has a decent track record on the Coyotes and the contract length is not long at all. If he sucks after his first year, well, there’s only a year left. And if he turns out good after his first year, the contract is a success.

And I really liked the Canucks selection at 6th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft of Jake Virtanen from Abbotsford. Just a good BC boy who looks tough as nails, is big, and can skate. If he pans out we will have a very solid tandem in the future with him and Horvat. Two good Canadian kids who aren’t afraid to throw their bodies around. A change from Mike Gillis drafting 5 foot tall figure skaters.

I’m excited about this season as a loyal Canucks fan and think these moves have been solid. The key was to getting rid of John Tortorella (one of the worst coaches I’ve ever seen in the NHL, not just his Canucks season but also his time on the Rangers) and Ryan “never will win a ring” Kesler. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Canucks are neck and neck with Anaheim next season. Yeah I wouldn’t put my hopes up with the Canucks competing against the tough LA Kings but don’t be surprised if Anaheim looks silly picking up Kesler and getting rid of Bonino. Again, Kesler has not looked good for years.

Exhale Canucks fans.

Canucks Gunning for the First Overall 2014 NHL Draft Pick?

A poster on a popular hockey forum recently reported that Gary Mason of the Team 1040 in Vancouver claimed that three scouts have said Jim Benning (GM of the Vancouver Canucks) is going hard after the first overall pick to take Vancouver native Sam Reinhart.

As someone who follows the Canucks closely, I say this is a smart move. The Canucks have no prospect pool and a core that may be dying. They don’t want to follow the Calgary Flames footsteps where they held onto their core for way too long and became a doormat in the league. When you look at the Flames roster right now it’s amazing they did not finish dead last in the league. Getting 13th in the Western Conference this year should feel like the Stanley Cup for their fans.

I don’t follow Sam Reinhart closely but he does look like he has skills. He is said to be the best prospect in the draft but that could be easily debatable with Aaron Ekbald (a highly touted defenseman from the Ontario Hockey League) in the running. Still, the Canucks don’t need that potentially number one d-man five years down the road. They are fine on the back end. They need some firepower up front. The Sedins were turned into shot blocking grinders by Tortorella and have lost their touch. Kesler is slacking.

That might be who they need to cut ties with in order to get the first overall pick or a better roster before it’s too late. Ryan Kesler or Alex Edler. I still want to give Edler a chance. Perhaps Torts system was a disaster…well for everyone it was.