Burning it to the Ground: Reliving the post-2011 Cup loss Canucks

[CanuckJohnny]

Recapping the rest of Round 2

Philadelphia closed out their series with Toronto at home in the sixth game, starting strong with two first period goals and lots of pressure. The continued to control the play in the second, and added an early period goal from Scott Hartnell, but Nazem Kadri answered to pull the Leafs to within two. In the third the Leafs really poured it on, pumping fifteen shots on Bobrovsky in the effort to keep their playoff run alive, but Goalie Bob held firm and Tom Sestito added an insurance marker as Philly moved into the Conference final with a 4-1 result. Claude Giroux sustained a minor lower body injury and is listed as day to day. The Flyers hope he can recover quickly and be ready to go for game 1 of the third round, but it's doubtful.

Final results of Round 2

Detroit 1 @ Chicago 4
Dallas 1 @ Vancouver 4
Montreal 0 @ Pittsburgh 4
Philadelphia 4 @ Toronto 2

Scoring Leaders
Claude Giroux, PHI 11-8-19 in 13gp
Jakub Voracek, PHI 4-11-15 in 13gp
James van Riemsdyk, PHI 3-11-14 in 13gp
Nazem Kadri, TOR 8-5-13 in 12gp
Kimmo Timonen, PHI 3-10-13 in 13gp
Michael Frolik, CHI 3-9-12 in 9gp
Phil Kessel, TOR 3-9-12 in 12gp
Gustav Nyquist, DET 6-5-11 in 11gp
Pavel Datsyuk, DET 5-6-11 in 11gp
Henrik Zetterberg, DET 4-6-10 in 11gp
Jonathan Toews, CHI 3-7-10 in 9gp
Scott Hartnell, PHI 6-3-9 in 12gp
James Neal, PIT 5-4-9 in 9gp
Nikolai Kulemin, TOR 3-6-9 in 12gp
Sidney Crosby, PIT 1-8-9 in 9gp
Kyle Turris, PHX 5-3-8 in 6gp
Kris Letang, PIT 4-4-8 in 9gp
Ryan Kesler, VAN 3-5-8 in 9gp
Jonathan Marchessault, VAN 2-6-8 in 9gp
Nick Leddy, CHI 1-7-8 in 9gp

Goalie Leaders
Jacob Markstrom, VAN 0.67gaa .965sv% 4so
Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT 0.98gaa .958sv% 3so
Jimmy Howard, DET 2.13gaa .929sv% 2so
Carey Price, MTL 2.55gaa .924sv% 2so
Corey Crawford, CHI 2.08gaa .922sv%
Kari Lehtonen, DAL 2.39gaa .921sv% 2so

Conference Final Matchups

#4 Philadelphia (51-25-6) @ #1 Pittsburgh (65-13-4)
A huge rivalry series in the battle of Pennsylvania, these teams are not as far apart as the standings make it seem, since Philadelphia is only ranked fourth in the conference due to the top divisional seeds getting spots 1-3. Philadelphia had the second best record in the east after Pittsburgh. Both of these teams were top five in the league in GA and shots. Pittsburgh led the league in goals by a significant margin however, while Philadelphia struggled with finishing and was middle of the pack in goals in spite of creating many more chances than average. Pittsburgh was near the top of the league in special teams with the second best powerplay (22.7%) and sixth best penalty kill (85.4%), while Philadelphia was 13th in both categories (17.0% and 84.4%). Claude Giroux is listed as day to day right now, and a big storyline will be his readiness to play, and when he does, if the playoffs leading scorer will really be at 100%. The Flyers top line of van Riemsdyk, Giroux, and Voracek has been absolutely electric thus far, but how will they fare (provided Giroux is able to go) against Vezina candidate Marc-Andre Fleury? It's going to be an unstoppable force meets an immovable object kind of matchup with the high octane offense of Philadelphia this playoffs running into a goalie who has surrendered less than a goal a game so far in the postseason. Then there's the matchup of two of the best offensive defensemen in the league, with Flyers captain Kimmo Timonen on one side and recently extended Kris Letang on the other. Which of them wins this matchup and controls play and creates offence at a higher rate may well determine the series. Pittsburgh has seen their big guns struggle early in the playoffs, but James Neal and Sidney Crosby are starting to find their legs. Evgeni Malkin needs to find another gear for them, and the regular season leading scorer was starting to face a lot of questions about his lack of production this playoffs until he stepped up in the last couple games against Montreal. Two goals and five assists in nine games is at least respectable, but can he find the dominance he had offensively in the regular season? The Flyers have been proving all playoffs it's a poor choice to bet against them, coming through two long series in a row. Claude Giroux has scored more goals this playoffs than Marc-Andre Fleury has allowed. Something has to give here. And although the Flyers have showns good scoring depth and leadership, with Giroux starting the series as doubtful, the Penguins are just simply too good this year. Philly should at least make it interesting though. Penguins in seven.

#2 Vancouver (55-21-6) @ #1 Chicago (58-19-5)
Another great rivalry matchup over in the West. These teams have met for some memorable series in recent history, and both have defeated the other en route to the finals, but this is the first time they will meet in the conference finals. four games away from the Stanley Cup final. These two teams were neck and neck all regular season, with the Blackhawks ultimately winning the conference and thus home ice for this series. Neither team has really faced a challenge yet, with both teams losing only one game in the first two rounds. When it comes to injuries, the Hawks are healthy, while the Canucks are missing depth pieces David Rundblad and Jori Lehtera for the rest of the playoffs. The Canucks second line has emerged as the real driver for them offensively, and the Sedins have taken a back seat, but will they step up and provide an actual two line punch for Vancouver this playoffs? On the back end, Nick Leddy has been productive for the Blackhawks with 8 points in 9 games so far, but Vancouver is the only team left without a defenseman in the top twenty in playoff scoring. They've been getting it done, as they have all year, with depth, but will someone step up and stand out offensively in this series from their blueline? They acquired P.K. Subban to be that offensive punch but he has been only above average when it comes to production, although his two way game has been perhaps better than advertised. Kyle Cumiskey has 4 points in 5 games since coming in for the injured David Rundblad, perhaps he could be an unlikely hero? Jacob Markstrom has been lights out - will the Blackhawks be the team to finally crack him? Or is he the real deal? Patrick Kane is back from injury - he had 51 goals and 97 points in the regular season, good for second and third in the league, respectively, but was hurt in the final game of the year and only just returned to the lineup for the last two games against Detroit - where he proceeded to score three goals and two assists - look out Markstrom. One of these teams is going to face real adversity for the first time this postseason, how will they respond? Is Chicago with a freshly recovered Patrick Kane simply going to be too much to handle for Jacob Markstrom and his team? Blackhawks in 7.

[CanuckJohnny]

Game 1 Recap

Canucks 1 @ Blackhawks 4

The first period looked exactly like we expected for this series, back and forth and competitive. The Sedins opened the scoring when Daniel buried a pass from Henrik past Corey Crawford. Patrick Sharp tied it up six minutes later and the goalies stayed sharp and kept it 1-1 until the intermission. Through the second period, things ramped up physically, and a few minutes in we had a fight between Alex Burrows and Duncan Keith. It was a rough and also defensively tight period with the two teams combining for only 7 shots and the they entered the third still tied at one. The third period looked like Vancouver's worst of the playoffs. They were absolutely dominated, and outshot 16-2. Chicago took the lead on Dave Bolland's first of the playoffs, the Patrick Kane added two for insurance, one of them into the empty net. It was an entirely forgettable period for the Canucks, but an absolute masterclass in front of their home crowd by the Blackhawks. The Canucks finished the game being outshot 34-15, Jacob Markstrom gave up more goals than he did all last series. The only real bright spots for Vancouver were Chris Tanev, who played well and blocked five shots, and Jon Marchessault, who looked great all game and surprised with two big hits thrown. Enver Lisin went down with a stinger and will be day to day. Anton Rodin will be scratched next game as well, and Brandon YIp and Chris Neil will draw into the lineup.

Flyers 0 @ Penguins 4

Without Giroux the Flyers looked impotent. They were very physical, throwing 31 hits, but had no finish all night despite 30 shots on goal. Marc-Andre Fleury was in fine form in the shutout. Evgeni Malkin finally responded in a big way to criticism that he hasn't played nearly at the level he did all year, with a goal and three assists in the W. The Penguins overwhelmed Bobrovsky with 46 shots. If the Flyers don't get Giroux back soon this could be a short series.

[CanuckJohnny]

Game 2 Recap

Canucks 1 @ Blackhawks 5
(Blackhawks lead series 2-0)

The Vancouver Canucks look outclassed for the first time all playoffs. They were down 2-0 eight minutes into the first, and after Dan Hamhuis drew them to within one, they were again down by two after Marian Hossa notched a goal just a minute into the second. They really looked lost and like they had no answer for forty minutes. In the third Vancouver turned it on and really pushed, but Corey Crawford held them at bay and some obvious frustration led to foolish penalties as this team looks to be coming unhinged yet again against a Blackhawks team in the playoffs. Can Vancouver bounce back at home? Will Corey Schneider take over the crease at some point if Jacob Markstrom continues to falter? This series is getting away from them fast.

Flyers 2 @ Penguins 4
(Penguins lead series 2-0)

Philadelphia started out better in this game, and scored the first two goals of the game while Goalie Bob held the Penguins off to be up 2-0 after forty minutes. The powerful Pens simply blew the doors off in the third though, and after Beau Bennett brought them within one early, James Neal had an inspiring fight against Tom Sestito that got the crowd and his teammates fired up and all the momentum changed. Crosby tied it on a powerplay a couple minutes later, then Evgeni Malkin scored the game winner and also an insurance marker to go up two games in the series. The Flyers are desperately hoping Giroux can be ready for game 3 at home.

[CanuckJohnny]

Game 3 Recap

Blackhawks 2 @ Canucks 1
(Blackhawks lead series 3-0)

Vancouver looked much better at home, and they opened the scoring four minutes in when Michael Grabner forced a turnover and buried the puck past Crawford. The Hawks answered with two goals later in the first, as Kevin Hayes tied it up and then Nick Leddy blasted one in from the point to give them the lead. The next two periods saw good defense and goaltending as the BLackhawks protected their one goal lead all the way to another victory. Vancouver faded as the game went on, and in the final frame, rather than a desperate push to tie, they generated only five shots on goal and looked entirely stymied. Patrick Kane was held off the scoreboard but looked dominant and creative, with five shots on goal. Nicklas Hjalmarsson has continued to quietly be a rock on defense for the Blackhawks, and the Canucks have struggled to generate anything when he's out there. He blocked six shots tonight. Star defenseman Duncan Keith left the game with an upper body injury and is doubtful for game four. Questions abound for the Canucks as they look to stave off a sweep at home in game 4.

Penguins 4 @ Flyers 1
(Penguins lead series 3-0)

Pittsburgh had their way with the still Giroux-less Flyers yet again. After getting off to a two nothing lead, Jakub Voracek pulled the Flyers back to within reach, and with a tightly contested middle frame that saw only eight shots between both teams it looked like anybody's game going into the third. Sidney Crosby took over the third though, setting up plays for a James Neal goal and then a powerplay marker from Beau Bennett putting it out of reach. Philadelphia is on the ropes now, and still without the playoffs' leading scorer.

[CanuckJohnny]

Game 4 Recap

Blackhawks 4 @ Canucks 1
(Blackhawks win series 4-0)

Enver Lisin (still nursing an injury) and Anton Rodin draw back into the lineup, taking Chris Neil and Brandon Yip out. The Blackhawks got the early jump though, with Patrick Kane finally breaking through and scoring. Bolland and Stalberg would add goals to make it 3-0 at the end of the first. The Canucks played probably their best all around game of the series, but couldn't get one by Crawford in the second, and it was only after Nick Leddy's third period tally put the game far out of reach that Joey Tenute spoiled the shutout. What a night for Jacob Markstrom's worst game of the playoffs. With the team playing consistently good defense in front of him for sixty minutes, he let in four goals on just 21 shots. Cue the goalie controversy all offseason.

Penguins 0 @ Flyers 1
(Penguins lead series 3-1)

Claude Giroux returned and made his mark early, drawing a hooking penalty on his first shift and then setting up the powerplay goal less than a minute in. Bobrovsky made 20 saves in the first and 36 total for the shutout as the Flyers stay alive.

[CanuckJohnny]

ECF Game 5 Recap

Flyers 1 @ Penguins 2
(Penguins win series 4-1)

Sidney Crosby is out with a lower body injury. The Flyers played a very competitive game, but Pittsburgh opened the scoring in the second with a Mark Letestu goal. Philadelphia kept pressing and Tom Sestito jammed in the tying goal in the third to send it to overtime. It took double overtime for Pascal Dupuis to play the hero with his first goal of the postseason to send the Pens on to the Stanley Cup Finals.

[CanuckJohnny]

Stanley Cup Finals Preview pt. 1

Playoff leaders
Claude Giroux, PHI 11-9-20 in 15gp
Jakub Voracek, PHI 6-11-17 in 18gp
Evgeni Malkin, PIT 5-10-15 in 14gp
James van Riemsdyk, PHI 3-12-15 in 18gp
Michael Frolik, CHI 3-11-14 in 13gp
Kimmo Timonen, PHI 3-11-14 in 18gp
Nazem Kadri, TOR 8-5-13 in 12gp
Kris Letang, PIT 4-9-13 in 14gp (and 3 GWG!)
Jonathan Toews, CHI 3-10-13 in 13gp (and +13)
Sidney Crosby, PIT 2-11-13 in 13gp
Phil Kessel, TOR 3-9-12 in 12gp
Patrick Kane, CHI 7-4-11 in 6gp

Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT 0.97gaa .959sv% 4so
Jacob Markstrom, VAN 1.54gaa .934sv% 4so
Corey Crawford, CHI 1.76gaa .930sv%

[CanuckJohnny]

Stanley Cup Final Preview pt. 2

Chicago Blackhawks (58-19-5, 121 pts, 1st in West)

They come into this series the underdog for the first time all playoffs, and have a couple of key players in Kane and Keith nursing injuries and both will be a game time decision for game 1. If Keith can't go, Hjalmarsson may have to step into an even bigger role. He has been an unsung hero for them all playoffs long, logging 21 minutes a night while being plus nine and a calming defensive presence. Nick Leddy has looked good all playoffs, with ten points so far, but if Keith isn't good to go there will be extra pressure on him to really carry things. Patrick Sharp has scored six goals so far and they will look to him for contributions on the scoreboard even more so if Kane isn't ready to play. Patrick Kane has looked incredibly dangerous, with over a goal per game this playoffs, but can he return to health and stay healthy for an entire series? Bryan Bickell is another underrated member of their team, chipping in four goals and three assists to go along with his physical play. A big question for Chicago this series will be their penalty kill, which was suspect at times this year, going against the overpowering Penguins powerplay. They will need to stay out of the penalty box as much as possible if they hope to stay in games.

Pittsburgh Penguins (65-13-4, 134 pts, 1st in NHL)

It all comes down to this series for the consistently dominant Penguins. Their historically good season (65 wins is a new NHL record for wins in a season) will ultimately be judged on if they can bring home hockey's ultimate prize. They have looked unstoppable all playoffs, but they have never faced a team as good as Chicago yet. Evgeni Malkin has finally hit his stride after a sub par beginning round and a half, and Kris Letang is already proving his new contract is a steal of a deal. Mark Letestu has surprised with how productive he's been this postseason, notching four goals and adding six helpers while being plus eleven. Marc-Andre Fleury has shown his class all playoffs long, and will cement his legacy if he carries that through this series against the high powered offense of the Blackhawks. They will miss franchise center Sidney Crosby, who is expected to be gone for the entire series with an injury sustained last round against Philadelphia. They have a lot of depth down the middle, with Malkin and Jordan Staal both very productive centers that any team would be happy with in their top six, but does Crosby's absence bring them back down to earth?

Prediction: Penguins in 5.

[CanuckJohnny]

Stanley Cup Finals Recap

Game 1

Chicago 2 @ Pittsburgh 1
(Chicago leads series 1-0)

Chicago played a great road game and maybe the best game anyone has played against Pittsburgh all year. Marcus Kruger and Beau Bennett traded first period goals, then Chicago shut it down, allowing only ten shots in the final forty minutes and Marian Hossa notched the gamewinner (assisted by Kane and Frolik) midway through the third. The Hawks allowed only sixteen shots all game.

Game 2

Chicago 4 @ Pittsburgh 3
(Chicago leads series 2-0)

An absolutely wild game! Penguins defenseman Scott Harrington opened the scoring with the only goal of the first period. Dave Bolland answered in the second, but thirty seconds later Evgeni Malkin scored on the powerplay to put the Penguins back in the lead. In the third, Kevin Hayes evened it up on the powerplay in the first minute, then midway through the period Dave Bolland gave Chicago the go ahead goal. James Neal responded only seven seconds later with the game tying goal to revive the deflated Penguins fans in the arena. The Blackhawks pumped 18 shots on goal during the third period, but after sixty minutes we still had a 3-3 tie. Chicago carried their momentum into the first overtime where they controlled play but couldn't get a shot past Fleury. Pittsburgh bounced back in the second overtime and the extra period was much more back and forth, but both goaltenders were stellar. Finally, 3:15 into the third overtime period Patrick Kane (of course) scored the winner to send the Blackhawks home for game 3 up two games to none. Nobody was expecting the Blackhawks to steal the first two games in PIttsburgh. But in thrilling triple overtime fashion that's what they accomplished. Pittsburgh has now lost as many games in this series as they did all playoffs until now.

Game 3

Pittsburgh 4 @ Chicago 1
(Chicago leads series 2-1)

James Neal scored early in the first and Kevin Hayes responded a few minutes later to even it up. Neal scored again in the second, his ninth of the playoffs, to give Pittsburgh the lead back. Chicago outplayed Pittsburgh for arguably the third straight game, but this time Marc-Andre Fleury stole one on the road, making 35 saves in the winning effort, and PIttsburgh added two insurance goals from Bennett and Letang in the third.

Game 4

Pittsburgh 1 @ Chicago 2
(Chicago leads series 3-1)

Two first period goals by Patrick Kane gave the Blackhawks the start they wanted, and Corey Crawford bounced back with a strong effort, making 29 saves in the win. Evgeni Malkin squeezed the only Penguins goal of the game past him in the third, but it was too little too late as the Hawks held on to push Pittsburgh to the brink. Even worse for the Penguins, star defenseman Kris Letang, a key driver on offence for them all year and all playoffs, went down with what looked like a very serious arm injury. Word is he won't be back this series. Pittsburgh goes back home facing elimination for the first time. They simply haven't looked like the same team without leader and superstar Sidney Crosby. Malkin may have stood out and overshadowed Sid this season when it comes to productivity, but clearly the Pens' captain is the heart and soul leader of this group. And now they are without another key piece in Letang. Can they pull together with their backs against the wall? Or will they go down with a footnote on their record setting season that they couldn't bring home the ultimate trophy?

Game 5

Chicago 4 @ Pittsburgh 1
(Chicago wins series 4-1)

Patrick Kane again opened the scoring, this time in the second period, against a clearly demoralized Penguins squad that had generated only one shot on goal the entire first period. Andrew Shaw chipped in at the start of the third when he banged in his first of the playoffs, the eventual game winning goal, on the rebound off a Nick Leddy point shot. Brent Seabrook would add a goal before James Neal gave the Penguins fans some faint glimmer of hope with his tenth of the playoffs. The Pens failed to add to that though, and Dave Bolland would eventually add another goal for the Blackhawks as they walked all over Pittsburgh (outshooting them 34-18) on the way to a four to one cup clinching victory. What a shocking fall for an injury decimated Pittsburgh group that looked like world beaters until the final five games of the year. The Chicago Blackhawks are Stanley Cup Champions!


Final Playoff Leaders:
Claude Giroux, PHI 11-9-20 in 15gp
Evgeni Malkin, PIT 7-12-19 in 19gp
Jakub Voracek, PHI 6-11-17 in 18gp
Michael Frolik, CHI 3-14-17 in 18gp
Patrick Kane, CHI 11-5-16 in 11gp
Jonathan Toews, CHI 3-13-16 in 18gp
Kris Letang, PIT 5-10-15 in 18gp
James van Riemsdyk, PHI 3-12-15 in 18gp
James Neal, PIT 10-4-14 in 19gp
Kimmo Timonen, PHI 3-11-14 in 18gp
Nazem Kadri, TOR 8-5-13 in 12gp
Nick Leddy, CHI 3-10-13 in 18gp
Sidney Crosby, PIT 2-11-13 in 13gp

Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT 1.34gaa .949sv% 13w 4so
Jacob Markstrom, VAN 1.54gaa .934sv% 8w 4so
Corey Crawford, CHI 1.71gaa .932sv% 16w

Conn Smythe: Kris Letang
Surprising in a losing cause, especially since he was injured for the final game. Personally, I would've given it to Patrick Kane. Or a really off the board pick - Nicklas Hjalmarsson. Even Jonathan Toews. Chicago had lots of worthy candidates, so bit of an odd choice, even though Letang did have a great playoffs.

[CanuckJohnny]

CANUCK NEWS

Henrik won the NHL's leadership award.
Markstrom and Schneider won the Jennings.

Vancouver signs RW Cory Conacher to entry level deal.
GM/HC Trevor Linden extended for two years.

LEAGUE NEWS

Pittsburgh extends James Neal 2yrs @ 4.55M/yr

[CanuckJohnny]

Free Agency Preview:

Notable Players going to market:

P.A. Parenteau (NYI)
The thirty year old is coming off a 17 goal, 35 point season. His vision, creativity, and passing stand out as valuable qualities, and he does have some two way acumen as well. He will likely be massively overpaid as the biggest fish in a small bowl of free agent options this summer. However, he should be good for about a half point per game and can contribute on the powerplay. Teams mostly know what they're getting with Parenteau as he's been very consistent the past three seasons.

Tyler Bozak (Tor)
Last season he was seen as a key rising star and part of the Maple Leafs future core, putting up 15 goals and 43 points. However, he has had a massive drop off in production this season, with only four goals and twenty five points to show for a full NHL season. Somebody will probably take a big chance on him bouncing back anyways. He has a quick first step, can play top six minutes, has shown decent ability in the faceoff circle and has decent defensive awareness and checking ability as well as offensive skill. And at only twenty seven, he probably has more prime years left than the average free agent.

Karri Ramo (Phi)
The netminder spend the year in the minors but looks like he could be NHL ready, at least as a backup.

Thomas Greiss (SJS)
After playing in twelve games last season, the goaltender played in the minors this year, but could be a serviceable NHL backup. He has a strong mental makeup and good positioning.

T.J. Hensick (Chi)
He only put up fourteen points this year, but that was in 44 games and the versatile forward could foreseeably produce 25-30 points in the right role if he was in the lineup all season.

Jerred Smithson (Nsh)
The 34 year old veteran only played in sixteen games last year, but he still brings his physical play and faceoff skills along with his experience and character. A good locker room guy by all accounts.

[CanuckJohnny]

NHL Draft

Trade!
WIN gets
D Michael Del Zotto
F James Sheppard
NYR gets
F Mark Scheifele
F Viktor Tikhonov
Before the draft began there was a blockbuster deal between the Jets and the Rangers. The Winnipeg Jets acquired 23 year old defenseman Michael del Zotto in exchange for former first round pick Mark Scheifele. Scheifele had 15 points in his rookie and is considered one of the top rising stars in the league. Del Zotto is a physical, offensively gifted top four quality young defenseman. Still, seems like a massive overpay from Winnipeg. Rangers win this one big time.

Trade!
WPG gets
F Derek Dorsett
CBJ gets
F Nik Antropov
F Alexander Burmistrov
Before the ink was dry on the first deal, Winnipeg finalized another transaction, this time moving out veteran forward Nik Antropov and promising youngster Alexander Burmistrov for the feisty Derek Dorsett. Dorsett is an intriguing piece, mostly an agitator and fighter, but he can chip in occasionally, and managed nine goals and fifteen points this year. He brings a ton of energy, but still is basically a fourth liner. The Jets must be giving up on Burmistrov and wanting to move on from the aging Antropov, but Columbus wins this deal.

Draft Day:

Pick - CGY (1st) selects F Nathan Mackinnon - a great skater and skilled playmaker, it's no surprise this future cornerstone is off the board first
Pick - EDM (2nd) selects F Bo Horvat - a two way force and consistent threat, your typical all around center, should be a future top six for years to come
Pick - WSH (3rd) selects D Rasmus Ristolainen - the top defenseman to go has the size GMs covet, with the physicality and shot to go with it, and he can munch minutes
Pick - ANA (4th) selects F Jake Guentzel - his hockey IQ is NHL calibre, he has offensive skill to go with his elite instincts, and a great skater to boot
Pick - TBL (5th) selects D Seth Jones - the consensus top blueliner going into the year, they get an excellent two way defender who can log a lot of minutes and skates with speed
Pick - CAR (6th) selects F Aleksander Barkov - a two way center with elite playmaking abilities and pro-level defensive instincts
Pick - LAK (7th) selects F Elias Lindholm - a quick skater with two way acumen and a lethal shot
Pick - OTT (8th) selects F Valeri Nichushkin - the big Russian is a good skater who oozes offensive ability

Trade!
VAN gets
1st Rd Pick 2013 (9th) FLA
FLA gets
G Cory Schneider
2nd Rd Pick 2013 (58th) VAN
F Brandon Yip
F Jori Lehtera (rights)
F Frederick Gaudreau (rights)
The Canucks knew they eventually had to move one of their starting calibre goalies, and they stick with youth in Jacob Markstrom, while getting into the top ten of a deep draft in this trade. Some thought Schneider should have brought that value alone, but the sweeteners added show that teams knew Vancouver had to make a move. Still, the Canucks come out of this with the 9th overall pick, and Cory Schneider reunites with Roberto Luongo. It seems his destiny is to inherit the net from Bobby Lou. Canucks win this trade.

Pick - VAN (9th) selects D Shea Theodore - the Langley native is a tremendous skater with lots of offensive upside
Pick - BUF (10th) selects F Max Domi - energetic, dynamic, and feisty, they get one of the most electric players in the draft

rest of 1st round:
MIN (11th) F Ilya Mikheyev
NJD (12th) D Will Butcher
COL (13th) F Dominik Kubalik
NYI (14th) G Ilya Sorokin
MTL (15th) F Sean Monahan
BOS (16th) D Connor Clifton
SJS (17th) F Alexander Wennberg
WIN (18th) G Tristan Jarry
CBJ (19th) G Cal Petersen
TOR (20th) F Jonathan Drouin
STL (21st) F Carter Verhaeghe
NSH (22nd) F Cole Cassels
PHX (23rd) G Juuse Saros
LAK (24th) F Brian Pinho
DAL (25th) D Darnell Nurse
DET (26th) G Spencer Martin
PHI (27th) D Nikita Zadorov
VAN (28th) F Anthony Mantha - the big winger from the Q brings speed along with his size, and has a lot of offensive upside
CHI (29th) D Mirco Mueller
PIT (30th) F Andre Burakovsky

rest of Canuck picks:
Rd 2 (54th) F Artturi Lehkonen - a good skater with solid offensive numbers and a reputation for clutch performances
Rd 3 (88th) G Marcus Hogberg - a mentally tough goalie with good positioning
Rd 5 (129th) F Nick Paul - versatility, intelligence, two way play and strength
Rd 6 (152nd) D Jordan Subban - slick offensive skills and lots of speed, but very undersized

[CanuckJohnny]

Free Agency

NHL notable signings

Day One:

• Early on, the biggest fish this year goes to Montreal. After rumours swirling that the rival New York Rangers would sign him, P.A. Parenteau ultimately chose the Habs, taking a $5.03M deal for 3 years.
• Detroit splurged on bottom six veteran Jerred Smithson, throwing $2.18M at him for a one year deal. The Red Wings also locked up netminder Thomas Greiss for two years at $655k.
• Goalie Karri Ramo signed a three year deal with Tampa Bay for $925k.
• The Canucks make a big splash, signing center Tyler Bozak for three years at an AAV of $4.57M. Coming off a very down year for Bozak, this could be a risky overpay, but GM Trevor Linden gets his man.
• Veteran winger Krys Barch, fresh off a playoff run with Dallas, signs a two year pact with Edmonton for $605k per year.
• The defending champion Penguins re-sign young forward Zach Sill for two more years.

Day Two:

• One of the other bigger names left, T.J. Hensick, comes off the free agency board as Tampa Bay scoops him up to $985k per year for two years.

Day Three:

• Tough guy Shawn Thornton signs a two year contract to play for the Flames

Trades

NYR gets
D Michael Sauer
D Nikita Tryamkin
LAK gets
RW Mike Rupp
D Dmitry Orlov
The Rangers acquire a decent shutdown D in his prime, and add an intriguing tower of a prospect in the 6'8" Tryamkin. They give up early on promising young defenseman Dmitry Orlov only a year after acquiring him for Prospal and Hagelin, and also lose veteran forward Mike Rupp. Overall this trade is a win for Los Angeles.

STL gets
C Evan Brophey
PHI gets
RW Vladimir Tarasenko
LW Peter Cehlarik
Wow! What a bonkers trade. What is St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong thinking? Tarasenko isn't yet a certainty in the NHL, with just four points in thirteen games in his short stint last year, but he has looked dynamic and dominant at every other level, and is considered one of the Blues' most promising prospects. To send him, along with low tier Slovakian prospect Cehlarik, to Philly for nothing more than a mediocre fourth liner is ludicrous. Maybe he knows something about Brophey that we don't, but what a short sighted move. Big win to the Flyers in this trade.

CANUCKS focus


Tyler Bozak


The center had an unproductive season, but Vancouver still paid big time for him. "He does a lot of the little things right that we really like to see, and we're confident last year was an aberration for him. We've tried to acquire him in the past and have watched his play and liked him as a player for a long time," said Trevor Linden. He should fit into Vancouver as a middle six center in his prime and bolster a forward group that is already pretty deep. He really is in the mold of balanced, two way players that won't get you sixty points but are still capable of contributing regularly while playing all around hockey that the Canucks have really built in the past few years.



Depth signings -


RW Damien Brunner signs a one year entry level deal
The speedster out of Switzerland was sought after by multiple teams, and the Canucks hope he fits in their top nine next year.

C Sergei Kalinin signs a two year entry level deal
Vancouver looks to Europe again, signing the all around forward out of Russia. He plays well in his own end, is intelligent and responsible, and also shows flashes of offensive creativity. Also brings some size with his 6'3" 200lb frame. Look for him to compete for a bottom six role in camp.

RW Riley Nash signs a one year deal
The defensively responsible forward will get a chance to make the team and play a regular fourth line shift and possibly penalty kill

LW Ronalds Kenins signs a two year entry level contract
The Latvian may start in the AHL but has a chance to be an NHL fourth line energy guy if he impresses.

G Reto Berra signs a one year entry level contract
The goalie joins Damian Brunner as another Swiss player joining the Canucks. Most analysts have young goalie Eddie Lack penciled in as the Canucks backup, but this is a good depth signing that could become an asset if Berra impresses. He has tremendous reflexes.

Prospect signing -

RW Nicklas Jensen signs a three year entry level deal
The former first round pick will look to make a good impression at camp but may start the year in the AHL to get acclimated to the North American style. He has good scoring ability and straight line speed.

LW Dale Weise signs a two year entry level deal
The hard checking, energetic winger could become an effective fourth liner for the Canucks

LW Joakim Nygard signs a three year entry level deal
After showing improvement in his D+1 year, the Canucks decided to bring the sharp shooting, slick passing Swede over to this side of the pond. It is expected that he will continue his development in the AHL and get adjusted to NHL ice.

[CanuckJohnny]

Taking Care of Business

Canucks GM Trevor Linden got busy early on in negotiating extensions for some key players, and the signings were announced today:

D Dan Hamhuis - 2 years, $4.2M AAV
G Jacob Markstrom - 5 years, $3.95M AAV
D P.K. Subban - 4 years, $4.06M AAV
D Chris Tanev - 3 years, $1.07M AAV
D David Rundblad - 3 years, $620k AAV
RW Jon Marchessault - 5 years, $4.36M AAV
D Ryan Ellis - 3 years, $1.52M AAV
G Eddie Lack - 3 years, $680k AAV

[CanuckJohnny]

Preseason Recap

The Canucks came into the preseason with their roster a little bit more set than last year, but there was still a lot competition on the lower end of the roster, and plenty players sought to make a lasting impression for the future at least.

Between the pipes, Eddie Lack has earned the backup role to Jacob Markstrom, in spite of good performances from both Reto Berra and Andrew Hammond. The Canucks should have a good tandem in the AHL this year. Jacob Markstrom, fresh off signing a big extension that kicks in next year, looks to prove that he can be the guy after platooning with Cory Schneider last year with tremendous success.

On the blueline, the only drama as far as the seven guys to make the roster was Henrik Tommernes making a case for himself, but he couldn't win out over either Cumiskey or RUndblad as the 6th or 7th defenseman. The big story was ninth overall pick Shea Theodore sticking with the team almost all preseason, getting into four games, and looking very comfortable overall. While he made a great impression, management elected to give him another season in junior.

Up front, the top six looks the same, however to start the year Jon Marchessault looks like he will get an extended audition with the twins, while Alex Burrows reunites with Ryan Kesler on the second line, which looks to be an aggressive, speedy checking line. One of the surprises this year was Cory Conacher, signed for minor league depth, making the team and being pencilled in beside free agent signing Bozak and Damien Brunner (who we haven't seen much after missing most of the preseason with an injury sustained in the first preseason game). The diminutive forward has an accurate shot and lots of energy and impressed coach Trevor Linden all training camp and preseason. Sergei Shirokov and Enver Lisin both had underwhelming preseasons after making the team due to outstanding preseasons the year previous. They will both slot into the opening day lineup all the same. Sergei Shirokov especially has seen a bit of a demotion, surprisingly after producing at almost half a point per game last season. Rumours are that he and the Canucks have made little progress in talks about an extension after this year. While Patrick Thoresen didn't do enough to keep his roster spot, he is replaced by another Patrik, Zackrisson, who after a decent minor league campaign last season played well enough this preseason to take the fourth line center job from Joey Tenute, who was also sent down to the minors. Other notables included recently signed prospect Nicklas Jensen looking very good at times, but very sloppy at other times, and management is excited about his potential even though he will be starting in the minors. Sergei Kalinin and Riley Nash both were unimpressive and will have to earn their way to the big club by performing in the minors. Anton Rodin will start back in Utica after a cup of coffee in the playoffs with the Canucks last season. Some had higher hopes for his continued development.

The Canucks are again being forecast to have a down year. Whether it's questions about Markstrom's ability to carry the full time load, the continued decline of their core players, or just the perceived lack of improvement relative to other teams, the team the made the Conference finals last season is being talked about as a fringe playoff team in the media. One outlet's preseason power rankings had them at #19 in the league!? Will they prove the doubters wrong yet again?

[CanuckJohnny]

SEASON PREVIEW

Top teams:
Pittsburgh Penguins - the President's trophy winners come back with a chip on their shoulders after a Cup finals loss ruined their near perfect season. They will be starting the season without Letang or Malkin, but they should be ready to go soon, and Crosby seems motivated as ever after a quiet year last season.
Chicago Blackhawks - Patrick Kane found another level last season, and then stepped it up another notch for the playoffs. There's no reason to doubt he will continue to build on last year's championship run, especially with support from Toews and Keith. The defending champions look poised for another run, but questions remain if the only above average goaltending of Corey Crawford will continue to be enough.
St. Louis Blues - boasting two starting calibre goalies in Elliott and Halak, and a robust first D pairing of young studs Kevin Shattenkirk and Alex Pietrangelo, the Blues look poised to make some noise this year, but will they regret trading promising winger Vladimir Tarasenko?
Los Angeles Kings - led by stars Jonathan Quick, Drew Doughty, and Anze Kopitar, you can expect solid defensive hockey and opportunistic offense from the Kings as they try to make a name for themselves in the competitive western conference.
Nashville Predators - with probably the best duo of blueliners in the league in Suter and Weber, and great goaltending from Pekka Rinne, the Preds are guaranteed to be difficult to score on. The biggest question plaguing this team will be can they put the puck in the net on the other end? Their roster is chock full of savvy two way forwards, but no real game breakers apart from Alexander Radulov. Can Sergei Kostitsyn step up and provide much needed offense for them?

Top Players:
Sidney Crosby (PIT)
Patrick Kane (CHI)
Carey Price (MTL)
Steven Stamkos (TBL)
Evgeni Malkin (PIT)
Claude Giroux (PHI)
Jamie Benn (DAL)
John Tavares (NYI)
Drew Doughty (LAK)
Duncan Keith (CHI)

Top Prospects:
Nathan Mackinnon (CGY)
Jonathan Huberdeau (FLA)
Nikita Kucherov (TBL)
Mark Scheifele (NYR)
Elias Lindholm (LAK)
Artemi Panarin (EDM)
Jacob Trouba (ANA)
Rasmus Ristolainen (WSH)
Hampus Lindholm (TBL)
Ryan Murray (TOR)
Seth Jones (TBL)
Dougie Hamilton (BOS)
Andrei Vasilevskiy (TOR)
Martin Jones (TOR)
John Gibson (ANA)

Tampa Bay may not factor in this year, but they have perhaps the most loaded prospect pool in the league and should be a contender for many years once these guys graduate. Toronto looks to be very well set in the net for the future, with the consensus top two goaltending prospects belonging to them. Anaheim has a very solid looking future with Gibson in net and Trouba on the blueline.

Key Injuries:
BOS Nathan Horton (leg) 1-2 weeks
BOS Benoit Pouliot (head) 3-4 months
CAR Tuomo Ruutu (head) 1-2 months
PHX Shane Doan (neck) 2-3 months
PIT Kris Letang (arm) 1-2 weeks
PIT Evgeni Malkin (leg) 1-2 weeks
SJS Justin Braun (arm) indefinite

[CanuckJohnny]

Game 1

Opening night and it was a wild one. All eyes were on big free agent acquisition Tyler Bozak, and while he didn't show up on the scoreboard, his line controlled play all night when they were out. His winger, Cory Conacher, looked like he belonged in the lineup after earning a spot in training camp, as he looked good defensively while also being dangerous on the attack, throwing two hits and sending five shots on goal, as well as being credited with a takeaway. Nice work in only eleven minutes of icetime. The pairing of Ellis and Tanev were dynamite together, with Ellis responsible for five shot attempts and Tanev blocking four shots on the night.

The goaltending was stellar tonight from both Markstrom and Talbot. It was a great goalie duel to start the year. Torrey Mitchell finally broke the ice in the second, and it was looking the Canucks forwards were becoming frustrated as Talbot made save after save. In the third, though, David Rundblad scored the first Canuck goal of the season to tie it up. It got really chippy in the third, as Sharks blueliner Brent Burns was really going at it all period with Daniel Sedin, and the even-tempered Swede was showing some visible frustration and took some undisciplined penalties himself.

Overtime solved nothing, so we went to a shootout. Henrik Sedin and Brent Burns both scored on their attempts, but then the next two shooters for both teams were stopped and we went to sudden death. Tyler Bozak scored in the fourth round, looking to be the hero in his Canucks debut, but Joe Pavelski scored with the pressure on to keep the Sharks alive. The goalies were on fire afterwards, and the shootout went until the ninth round when Kevin Bieksa surprised everyone with a backhand forehand deke that slid through the fivehole to give Vancouver the victory.

[CanuckJohnny]

October Recap

Results:
2-1 SOW vs. SJS - Bieksa injured (back)
5-1 L @ EDM
5-2 W vs. CGY
3-2 W @ NJD - P.K. Subban suspended for seven games after boarding major, David Rundblad injured for 1-2 months (shoulder)
4-1 W @ SJS - Henrik Tommernes and Frank Corrado called up and inserted into lineup
4-0 L @ MTL - Tommernes injured (jaw)
3-2 L vs. PHI - Brad Hunt recalled to go in for Tommernes, Eddie Lack gets his first start, Daniel's first goal and Hank's first assist of the year
3-1 W vs. BUF - Brad Hunt injured (leg)
2-0 W vs. PIT - Kevin Bieksa back into lineup, huge shutout win against last year's president's trophy winners (this was their second loss of the year)
4-3 W vs. CBJ - Eddie Lack with his second start and first win, Henrik has 3-2-5 in his last four after a brutal start to the year (pointless in first six games)
2-1 OTW vs. NYI - Hank with OT winner with 16 seconds left (unassisted)
3-0 W vs. NJD - P.K. returns from suspension, Frank Corrado reassigned to Utica, Bozak with two goals
4-3 W vs. STL - Eddie Lack gets the start and the W, Bozak had a fight!?, Henrik with a goal and an assist gets first star, Daniel injured for four weeks (back)
5-4 SOL @ WSH - Patrick Thoresen recalled and jumps into first line duty to replace Danny, picks up 3 assists
6-5 L @ DET - Markstrom's worst outing as a Canuck, he was yanked after allowing four goals on eight shots in the first, the boys battled back to make it close and Lack was decent in relief

Sedins had a really rough start to the year, sparking concerns about an accelerating decline, but Henrik really turned things around, with 11 points in his last 9 games, while Daniel suffered an unfortunate spinal cord injury before he could get going. Marchessault has ultimately gelled with them, picking up from a slow start to accumulate ten points so far. Michael Grabner is tied for the team lead in goals, while Kesler has a team leading eight assists and twelve points. Tyler Bozak is so far having a bounce back year with eight points centering the third line. His linemate Cory Conacher has struggled to produce since making the roster out of camp, but he has looked constantly dangerous, with 32 shots and an unsustainably low 3.1% shooting percentage. Sergei Shirokov has had a real sophomore slump this year. And Patrick Thoresen, two games into his first line audition, has four assists already. Ryan Ellis is really driving the offense from the back end, with eight points in fifteen games, while P.K. Subban has struggled to open the season, missing seven games from a suspension and only recording a single pont while being -4. Markstrom has been solid but not as lights out as last year as he adjusts to being the daily number one.

[CanuckJohnny]

Trade Alert

STL acquires
D Jake Gardiner
2014 7th Rd Pick (CGY)
CGY acquires
LW Jiri Hudler
2014 4th Rd Pick (STL)
2014 7th Rd Pick (STL)
This is an interesting deal. Hudler missed some time already with injury this year, but has six points in the seven games he's played. Meanwhile, Jake Gardiner is currently injured for a month or more with an ACL injury, but produced five points in his first ten games until then. Calgary picks up a point a game top six forward, while St. Louis gets younger with the acquisition of 23 year old Jake Gardiner. With his size and skill, this trade is a win for the Blues if he hits his potential.

[CanuckJohnny]

November Recap

Results:
W 6-2 @ TOR - Lack gets the start, Burrows gets two goals, matching his total all year, and Hank gets two goals and assist, while P.K. is the first star with three assists, and Thoresen keeps his point streak alive since joining the lineup, picking up another assist
W 4-0 vs PHX - Markstrom with the shutout, Henrik continues his stellar run with a goal and an assist, we outshoot them 43-20, Thoresen keeps his point streak going with another assist
W 3-0 vs SJS - second straight shutout for Markstrom, although he only had to make 17 saves, and Cory Conacher finally gets rewarded with his second goal of the year, Thoresen's run of assists finally ends
W 4-1 vs LAK
W 4-1 vs ANA - Lack starts, Tyler Bozak goes off with two goals and an assist, and we outshoot them 45-13
W 3-1 @ SJS - we are currently first in the NHL, Michael Grabner with the gamewinning shorthanded goal (his ninth goal of the year, which is tied, along with Hank, for seventh in the league), Kes injures his elbow and is expected to miss a week or two (he's having a great season so far with 17 points and a +14 rating through 21 games)
W 4-0 @ DAL - Malhotra comes into the lineup for Kesler, and Bozak moves up a line to fill Kes' second line role, and the team doesn't miss a beat, Hank picks up first star with two assists, but another injury to a top six forward occurs as this time it's Jon Marchessault who will be out for at least two weeks after suffering an upper body injury
W 3-1 @ FLA - battle of last year's Jennings winning teammates, as Markstrom starts against Cory Schneider, Cumiskey will be ruled out with a sore foot so Tommernes takes his place and picks up an assist in the game, Malhotra picks up a goal and an assist as well, and P.K. gets his first goal of the season finally
SOW 2-1 @ CBJ - Eddie Lack gets the nod in net tonight, Michael Grabner nets the shootout winner with the only goal of the shootout (Lack stopped Atkinson, Carter, and Nash)
L 3-2 @ CHI - the biggest test all month, against our rival who knocked us out of the playoffs last year, and it's our first loss all month, P.K. scored a shorthanded goal, and Bozak added his ninth of the year, but it wasn't enough as Marian Hossa broke the 2-2 tie early in the third and Chicago never looked back, Markstrom was peppered with 39 shots and we again looked outclassed against the Blackhawks
L 4-3 @ LAK - Tommernes with his first goal of the year, but we drop our second straight, and maybe more importantly we see two more key injuries as both Hamhuis and Bozak sustain injuries that could keep them out for a month
L 4-0 vs OTT - Daniel and Kes return, but with Bozak, Hamhuis, Marchessault and Rundblad all out, we still have a fairly thinned out lineup, Lack will start in goal tonight, former Canuck Cody Hodgson had a goal and an assist against us
W 4-3 vs NYR - phew, we snap the skid and end the month on a good note, opened with a three goal first period that included Danny and Hank working together to assist a Tommernes goal, man it's good to finally see those guys back together, Cory Conacher scored the gamewinner with two minutes left in the third

Patrick Thoresen has been a revelation on the top line, picking up twelve points so far in fifteen games, mostly alongside Henrik, and earned enough trust from coach Trevor Linden to stay on as the third member of the line with Henrik and Daniel when Daniel returned from injury. After a rough start Hank has been lights out lately, and leads the team in scoring with ten goals and fourteen assists in twenty eight games. The second line of Grabner, Kesler, and Burrows has been consistent and productive all season, and the three have a combined twenty one goals on the year. Tyler Bozak is proving to be worth his contract so far, stepping in adequately for Kesler when he was injured and otherwise leading a third line with two rookies while producing nine goals and six assists and staying at fifty percent in the circle. Ryan Ellis continues to develop and to be the offensive leader of this defense corps, while P.K. Subban has struggled somewhate, although he is bouncing back from a rough start and seemingly finding his stride a bit lately. Chris Tanev has been quietly solid as usual, and is plus ten with eight points and sixty six blocked shots while averaging twenty minutes a night. Markstrom has settled into the starting role quite nicely, and has the best GAA of any goalie in the league who has played at least ten games. Eddie Lack is looking pretty comfortable in his rookie year as Markstrom's understudy.

League notes

• Ovi scored his 400th career goal this year
• Pavelski, who is having a solid 29 point season in 26 games so far for the Sharks, injured his UCL at the end of the month and will miss at least six months, a big blow to San Jose's season
• Brian Campbell of the Canadiens earned player of the month honours - he has 21 points in 20 games so far this year
• Trevor Daley of the Stars leads the league in plus minus at +21, while Alex Edler of Montreal is tied with Daley's partner Goligoski for second at +19, and Michael Grabner is fourth with plus 17
• Evander Kane has accumulated a league leading 78 PIMs and a league leading 101 hits while also scoring 15 goals to be tied for fourth in the league
• Michael Grabner's 3 shorthanded goals lead the league, while his teammate Alex Burrows is tied for second with 2
• Los Angeles forward Tyler Toffoli leads the rookie scoring race with fifteen points, while Detroit defenseman Xavier Ouellet is making his Calder case with eleven points in second place, Brendan Gallagher of the Canadiens is third with ten points (seven goals) in only fourteen games, and he also leads the league in pts/60 at 5.96
• Patrice Bergeron leads all forwards with 26 takeaways so far, right behind him is Anze Kopitar with 23
• Jacob Markstrom's five shutouts lead the NHL, Marc-Andre Fleury of Pittsburgh and Ben Scrivens (!) of Dallas are tied for second with four
• Jonas Hiller of the Ducks (15.40) and Cam Ward of the Canes (15.37) lead the league in GSAA

Injuries
TBL Ryan Malone (torso) 2-3 months (since Oct 22nd)
TBL Dominic Moore (arm) 2-3 months (since Oct 29th)
PHI Sean Couturier (leg) 1-2 weeks (since Nov 19th)
PHI Matt Carle (head) 1-2 months (since Nov 19th)
STL Alex Pietrangelo (torso) 1-2 months (since Oct 17th)
BUF Tyler Myers (shoulder) 3-4 months (since Oct 10th)
MIN Mikko Koivu (leg) 1-2 weeks (since Nov 25th)
EDM Sam Gagner (collarbone) 2-3 weeks (since Nov 9th)
PHX Shane Doan (neck) 1-2 weeks (since Sept 20th)
SJS Justin Braun (arm) 3-4 months (since Sept 25th)
SJS Joe Pavelski (leg) indefinite (since Nov 30th)
VAN Tyler Bozak (torso) 1-2 weeks (since Nov 25th)
VAN Dan Hamhuis (leg) 2-3 weeks (since Nov 25th)