Vancouver Canucks - 2014 - what if Jim Benning never happened?

[CanuckJohnny]

Trevor Linden takes the helm of ailing franchise




After a disappointing 2013-2014 season that saw them finish 12th and miss the playoffs, the Vancouver Canucks fired GM Mike Gillis and the fiery head coach he had hired, John Tortorella. In the aftermath, and desperately looking for leadership for a club that had recently won President's trophies and still boasted two of the greatest stars to ever play for the franchise, ownership came calling for one of the most renowned leaders in Canucks history - former captain, now entrepreneur Trevor Linden will take over as President and General Manager. He will transition to a less active role in his 'Club 16' fitness enterprise, with business partner Chuck Lawson taking over that venture.

Trevor released a statement that he would "allow the draft and offseason to run its course under the direction of current staff" while evaluating the organization and transitioning into his new role.

__________________________________________________ ____________

Franchise Story Notes:

Historical Game starting at the end Mike Gillis' tenure, 2014 offseason. The 2014 draft and offseason moves have already happened, so we will pick up basically at the pre-season of the 14-15 season. The goal is to play an alternate timeline of what was Jim Benning's disastrous tenure as GM, and see if I can do any better at guiding the franchise towards consistent success before present-day. I play with commissioner mode on, and if anything crazy unrealistic comes up I try to fix it. (The AI trading and roster decisions are ridiculous in this game). If I make trades I try to keep them realistic and beneficial to both sides. I find authenticity and challenge more interesting than dominance or gaming the computer. I hate doing GM-only cuz the AI coach can be really dumb, or constantly change lines every game, etc, but I'm gonna try it and just go with it for the sake of the realism of having to hire/fire head coaches. If nothing else, it can be a documented exhibition of the ridiculosity of the AI coach decisions and maybe it can help to lobby for change in that area. If I can't handle it after a year I will go back to GM/HC by firing my coach, at which point I will be the HC in game so I can make lineup changes, but I will label one of the Assistant Coaches in the game as a Head Coach for story purposes and just pretend he is the head coach.

I will try to run things from a bit of a big picture, month by month doing recaps (other than possibly taking the playoffs slower).

The game doesn't do a great job of interactions between you and your coaches or players, so I may make up storylines either arbitrarily or through dice/random chance (IE players wanting a trade or refusing to renew a contract, coaches wanting a promotion, etc.). I do like the team harmony thing in the game so hopefully that gives us some interesting stories.

Also, I spent a bunch of time researching and editing the contracts (on the Canucks) to be accurate because in-game they are not at all accurate - neither the AAV nor the length is correct for most of my players, even big name players like the Sedins, so that's disappointing. I'm not going to edit every team in the league, that would take too long. I do wonder if they could eventually work together with Cap Friendly and get a database for the contracts for historical because it hurts the immersion quite a bit. (Especially in post lockout games because of how significant the cap and contracts are for roster management).

[CanuckJohnny]

Trevor Linden announces coaching staff




A lot was shuffled around on the personnel side of things over the off-season as new GM Trevor Linden formed a vision for the Canucks organization and then began shaping his coaching staff. A lot of people were let go, but Assistant GM and Capologist Laurence Gilman agreed to stay on, and Head Scout Judd Brackett remained in his position for now.


After a lengthy interview process, Trevor chose Dale Hunter of the London Knights to be the next Head Coach of the Vancouver Canucks. Dale had an illustrious career in the NHL, playing in over 1,400 games and racking up 1,020 points and 3,565 PIM. He is part-owner of the London Knights, whom he has spent much of the past decade coaching, winning the memorial cup in 04-05. His most recent NHL experience was coaching the Capitals in 11-12, leading them to the second round before losing in 7 to the Rangers. He returned to his beloved Knights in 12-13 to coach them to OHL championship. Last season they were ousted from the OHL playoffs in the second round, but competed in the Memorial Cup as the Hosts. They finished last in the round robin of that tournament. He is considered to be good with coaching and developing younger players, and prefers a physical brand of hockey.

Former Pittsburgh bench boss Dan Bylsma was hired as an assistant coach. He won the Stanley Cup as head coach of the Pens in 2009, and won the Jack Adams in 10-11 after leading Pittsburgh to a 49 win, 106 point season. His experience with superstars like Crosby, Malkin and Letang should lend itself to communicating and working with the Sedins. Apart from being Hunter's right hand man, he is also expected to focus on coaching the blueline.

Former NHL star Adam Oates was hired to coach the forwards. Oates is used by multiple players in the league as a skills coach and advisor.

After coaching the Vancouver Giants of the WHL for the past decade, Don Hay was hired as an assistant coach. Hay's most recent NHL experience is coaching the 2000-2001 Calgary Flames. He will focus on skills and physical training.

Former Canuck Scott Walker was hired and will work together with Oates on the forward group while also working closely with Hunter managing players and staff.

Recently retired Manny Malhotra will return to the organization in a coaching capacity, working especially with the centers on faceoffs as he acclimates to a coaching role.

Rollie Melanson was retained as the goaltending coach, and Dan Cloutier was kept on as goaltending consultant and assistant as well.

Ryan Johnson was kept on and will assist Hay with skills and physical training.

Assistant coach Doug Lidster was kept on to help Bylsma with the defense.

All other assistants remaining from the previous regime were relieved of their duties as Linden and his management team work to reset the team culture, starting with the coaching.

[CanuckJohnny]

Pre-Pre-Season Team Preview




Goalies:

Ryan Miller (34yo) - Signed by the Vancouver management team this offseason to a 3 year, $6 million AAV contract, he is expected to solidify the goaltending situation until Jacob Markstrom is ready to take the reigns. Hopefully he is a good mentor for Markstrom and Eddie Lack. He had a solid .918 save percentage last year.

Jacob Markstrom (24yo) - The highly touted young netminder only played in 4 games after being acquired in the Luongo deal last year, but he is considered to be the future of the Canucks goalie situation. For now he is expected to be a solid backup and gain NHL experience as he grows into a number one goalie in the best league in the world.

Eddie Lack (26yo) - After playing 41 games last year and posting a respectable .912 save percentage, Lack looks like he may be bumped down the depth chart back to the minors by the younger Markstrom and new signing Ryan Miller. He may be the odd one out in the crease this year, but it's possible that with a strong pre-season he could convince the team to keep him as Miller's backup while further seasoning Markstrom in the AHL.


Defensemen:

Dan Hamhuis (31yo) - The steady two way blueliner returns for another season with his childhood team, where he will be relied upon to provide reliable top four minutes. He doesn't provide much offense these days, but is a defensive stalwart that coach Dale Hunter is sure to love.

Alex Edler (28yo) - After a rough season where he managed only 22 points and posted a minus 39 plus-minus rating, there are questions for the 6-3, 220 lb Swede. Locked in for 5 more years at a $5M AAV contract with a no trade clause, the Canucks can only hope he returns to form and becomes the number one defenseman Mike Gillis envisioned when he signed him to a long term deal through his prime years.

Kevin Bieksa (33yo) - The rough and tumble defenseman dubbed "Juice" by his teammates has been a part of the core that came up through Manitoba and into the big leagues and then on to President's Trophies and a Finals appearance. He will be under pressure to prove he can still provide top four minutes as he ages. He has two years left on a $4.6M/yr contract that has a NTC, and management will be evaluating if he should stay around after that or not. He brings leadership and toughness, but as he footspeed declines there are doubts he can keep up in a league that is increasingly young and fast.

Chris Tanev (24yo) - The youngest part of the current top four in Vancouver, Tanev endears himself to fans and teammates alike with his courage, shot blocking and steady though unspectacular play. In the midst of a difficult season last year he was a plus 12, proving very reliable and responsible in his own end. If he can stay healthy he looks to be a key part of the future blueline plans for the Canucks.

Luca Sbisa (24yo) - Recently acquired in the trade that sent polarizing star Ryan Kesler to the Ducks, Sbisa could also feature in the Canucks' long term plans on the back end if he impresses this year. He doesn't bring much offense, but has the versatility to play either side and has a physical edge to his game.

Yannick Weber (25yo) - The versatile blueliner has a heavy point shot and seems pencilled in on the right side of the bottom pair for now. There is still hope that he could solidify himself into a top-six, PP2 guy in the league, but it could be a make or break season for him.

Frank Corrado (21yo) - After last year's cup of coffee in the NHL, "Frankie" will be pushing in training camp to earn a full time spot with the big club. He may not quite be ready yet, but the depth on Vancouver's blue line is sparse enough he should have a chance. The shifty defenseman has a decent shot but will have to demonstrate that he can be reliable at both ends of the ice if he wants to stick as a 6th or 7th defenseman.

Ryan Stanton (25yo) - After playing his first year as a regular with Vancouver, Stanton will still have to fight for his spot this September. He looked decent last year, with 16 points and a plus 5, but he is also in something of a make or break year that may decide the trajectory of the rest of his career. Can he prove that he is an all day, every year NHL defenseman or will he become an NHL/AHL tweener who can't consistently stick in the lineup?


Forwards:

Henrik Sedin (33yo) - The captain had a down year, at least by his standards, with only 50 points in 70 games. Will he be able to stay healthy and return to his point per game form, or has his production already started to permanently regress with his age? This team will go as far as he and his brother can take them. With four more years left at $7M per, Trevor Linden and his management team are hoping that "Hank" has a lot of elite hockey left in him.

Daniel Sedin (33yo) - Just like his twin brother, "Danny" had a disappointing season last year, with only 47 points in 73 games. Of course, the Canucks are hoping that he will return to form, especially his shooting, which has seen a significant drop off the past two seasons after years of being considered the sniper of the family. After eight straight years of being over 20 goals per season (or on pace for that in the shortened 12-13 season), he only managed 16 goals last year.

Radim Vrbata (33yo) - After toiling in the desert for Phoenix, Vrbata signed a two year deal with Vancouver for $5M per year. The hope is that playing with the Sedins will rejuvenate the talented Czech winger into the form that saw him pot 35 goals in the 11-12 season. He is another older player in this forward group, and it will be interesting to see how productive he is, and if he will be able to find that elusive chemistry with the Sedins.

Alex Burrows (33yo) - The feisty winger is another Canuck looking for a bounce back after an abysmal 13-14 season. The undrafted forward has always found a way, and if he can't find the production he had in his prime, he may have to go back to playing a bottom six utility role, one he isn't unfamiliar with as he broke into the league that way. It's a tough look for management though, as he is signed for another three seasons at $4.5M per year with a NTC.

Jannik Hansen (28yo) - The "Honey Badger" seems to have lost a step lately, but he should still be a solid penalty killer and energy middle six winger. He has never had the offensive pop to be a top six player but his effort has always endeared himself to teammates, and he was rewarded with a long term deal paying him $2.5M a year for the next 4 years.

Chris Higgins (31yo) - Higgins has been excellent as a versatile middle six forward, and actually had a decently productive season last year with 17 goals and 39 points. Hopefully his play continues well into his thirties as he is also locked up for the next 4 seasons at an AAV of $2.5M. It will be interesting to see where coach Dale Hunter decides to plug him in.

Brad Richardson (29yo) - A defensively responsible, courageous bottom six center with some offensive acumen, Richardson should continue to be a good fit in Vancouver, and if management doesn't think he's enough of the future to extend him they could probably move him at the deadline for a decent return.

Shawn Matthias (26yo) - Vancouver is hoping the 6-4, 231 lb center can fulfill the tantalizing potential of his physical tools and become a top six power forward. He has only shown glimpses of that, and this is the year, with the Canucks lacking depth down the middle, that he could really establish himself and demonstrate some offensive consistency. The proverbial ball is in his court.

Nick Bonino (26yo) - Another key piece of the Kesler trade, Bonino is a defensively responsible center just entering his prime. He had a breakout season last year, with 22 goals and 27 assists in 77 games, and Vancouver hopes he can take another step and establish himself as a top six two way center to replace Kes.

Zack Kassian (23yo) - The tumultuous, rugged winger is young enough that you hope he can develop an offensive side to his game. He's physical, but the Canucks still want to see him become productive as well. Last season was a step in that direction when he scored 14 goals and added 15 assists. The clock is ticking for him to show that he has the talent and finishing ability to be more than a bottom six energy guy.

Derek Dorsett (27yo) - Though he showed some scoring touch early on in his career with Columbus, Dorsett has settled into his role as an energetic, checking, sandpaper type who isn't afraid to fight. He should add some bite on the fourth line and could become a Hunter favourite.

Bo Horvat (19yo) - Bo has a good chance to make the team out of camp. After being drafted a year ago, Vancouver left him with his junior team, the London Knights, where he spent the year developing under none other than new Canucks coach Dale Hunter. Comfort with the coach and already established trust should go a long way to helping Bo have a successful rookie season. His faceoff ability and leadership are already well recognized, and he has exciting skill with the puck. Vancouver is certainly hoping he develops into a 1C for them down the road after Henrik eventually rides off into the sunset. In the mean time they will be looking for growth and hoping he can make the big club and get meaningful minutes this year.

Nicklas Jensen (21yo) - The former first rounder is getting to the point where he needs to make an impression and earn some NHL ice time. A sniper at lower levels, he hasn't been able to get a long look in the NHL yet and will have a chance with a new coach this pre-season, but it's most likely he ends up toiling in Utica for this season and trying to be the first call up when injuries come.

Tom Sestito (26yo) - Sestito was a regular in the Canucks lineup last season and played his role as enforcer well, but with the addition of Derek Dorsett he is no guarantee to make the team this year. His is a dying breed, and most fighters in the new NHL also have to play hockey at a higher level than Sestito does. But maybe he earns the respect of Dale Hunter and makes the team.

Dustin Jeffrey (26yo) - A depth pick up who spent some time in Pittsburgh's system and played some games for new assistant coach Dan Bylsma, Jeffrey is going to have to show well in camp to get a spot on the roster. He hasn't accomplished much at the NHL level, and time is running out for him to establish himself as an NHL regular. This could be one of his last chances to change his story from minor league call up option to full time NHLer.


Prospects:

G - Thatcher Demko (18yo) - A second round pick in the past summer's draft, Demko will be playing NCAA hockey this year, but his potential if he develops well to be a number NHL goalie leaves the Canucks with a good long term outlook in net.

LD - Ben Hutton (21yo) - The Canucks system doesn't have many defenders in the pipeline, but Hutton could be a pleasant surprise if he has a good season in college this year. Some are projecting him to be a late blooming two way NHL defenseman.

LD - Gustav Forsling (18yo) - A late round pick this year, Vancouver is hoping in time he develops into an NHL level puck moving defenseman.

LW - Hunter Shinkaruk (19yo) - A first rounder a year ago, Shinkaruk has dynamic puck skill and a deadly accurate shot. He is quick and shifty, but it remains to be seen if his game can translate to the NHL. His potential is high though.

C - Brendan Gaunce (20yo) - A responsible two way center with an NHL frame, Gaunce won't wow you with his offense but he should be a good bottom sixer at the NHL level, maybe as soon as next year.

C - Cole Cassels (19yo) - Another two way center with possible shut down upside, Cassels is good in his own end and has playmaking potential, but his quickness and edge work leave something to be desired, although his top end speed is good. If he can round out his skating ability he may be a good middle six NHLer.

C - Jared McCann (18yo) - Drafted with the first rounder that came back in the Kesler trade, McCann has a sneaky good wrister and slick puckhandling. He has good speed and a bit of a chip on his shoulder. The Canucks are hoping he can grow into a regular in their top six when he develops.

RW - Jake Virtanen (18yo) - a top ten pick for them this summer, the Canucks have high hopes for the local kid. He plays a physical game and has high end straight line speed. His play in his own end needs a lot of work and his offensive repertoire could use some rounding out, but he has a high ceiling as a top six scoring winger who can hit.

[CanuckJohnny]

Pre-season Notes:

RW Daniel Alfredsson signs a one year deal with Blues. The 41 year said, "I just feel like I have another year in me, and I think this team has real potential to go on a deep run. It would sure be nice to go out with a Cup, and I still believe I can contribute to a team."

Injury Report:
F Corey Perry (ANA) OUT 1-2 weeks (concussion)
F David Krejci (BOS) OUT 1-2 weeks (hip)
D Torey Krug (BOS) OUT 1-2 months (wrist)
F Jordan Staal (CAR) OUT 2-3 months (leg)
F Brandon Dubinsky (CBJ) OUT 2-3 months (abdomen)
D David Savard (CBJ) OUT 3-4 months (leg)
D Trevor Daley (DAL) OUT 1-2 weeks (torso)
D Sergei Gonchar (DAL) OUT 1-2 months (leg)
F Pavel Datsyuk (DET) OUT 2-3 weeks (shoulder)
F Matt Cullen (NSH) OUT 1-2 months (knee)
F Mike Fisher (NSH) OUT 1-2 months (ankle)
F Viktor Stalberg (NSH) OUT 1-2 months (knee)
F Michael Grabner (NYI) OUT 2-3 months (hernia)
F Nikolai Kulemin (NYI) DTD (allergic reaction)
D Lubomir Visnovsky (NYI) OUT 2-3 weeks (back)
D Jason Garrison (TBL) OUT 1-2 months (hand)
D Alex Edler (VAN) OUT 1-2 months (arm)


Vancouver Notes:

• Vancouver defenseman Alex Edler suffered a serious arm injury (tricep) and will be out 2-3 months.
• Nicklas Jensen had a decent preseason but will start the season with Utica for the sake of his development.
• Yannick Weber looked good with three goals in preseason play.
• All three goalies looked good, but Lack played amazing and Markstrom doesn't need to go through waivers yet so Markstrom will start in Utica.
• Linden Vey surprisingly made the team as a depth forward.
• Tom Sestito makes the team.
• Frankie Corrado makes the team as the 7th defenseman due to the Edler injury.

[CanuckJohnny]

opening night lineup

[CanuckJohnny]

Canucks in OCTOBER



@ CGY: L 5-1 - Bo Horvat's debut was an ugly season opener that saw Johnny Gaudreau get his rookie campaign off to a roaring start with a goal, while the only Canuck goal came from Henrik.
vs EDM: W 2-1 - The Canucks win their home opener, with captain Hank getting his second in as many games and Bo Horvat picking up his first career point with the primary assist on Jannik Hansen's game winner. Hamhuis played an excellent game, had an assist, +1, a block, a takeaway, four shots on goal and a near perfect game in his own end. Chris Tanev was injured.
@ EDM: W 6-2 - Ryan Miller's first win as a Canuck. Vrbata's first goal as a Canuck stands as the game winner. Henrik with a powerplay marker to make it three in three for him. Nick Bonino's first two goals for Vancouver seal it.
vs TBL: OTL 4-3 - Heartbreaking one to lose, the boys come back from 3-0 with three goals in the third (including Henrik's 4th of the year) only to lose it in overtime to Ondrej Palat. Bo Horvat goes down with a knee injury. Too bad, he's sitting at three assists through four games. Shouldn't be out long.
@ DAL: L 3-1 - Kari Lehtonen stonewalls us with 38 saves to earn the W. Lone Canuck goal goes to Luca Sbisa (his first in Canuck uniform). Hemsky got two assists against us. Lack was in net and stopped only 20 shots in the loss. Tanev returns to the lineup but is again banged up and may miss the next game.
@ STL: L 6-3 - Daniel finally scored his first of the season, but it was in a losing cause as Ryan Miller did his best impression of a sieve, giving up five goals on thirty shots. Alfie got a goal and an assist against us.
@ COL: L 2-0 - Tanev returns to the lineup. Lack gets the start and makes 37 saves but gets no run support despite 35 shots being fired on Varlamov, who walks away with the shutout.
vs WSH: SOL 3-2 - Yannick Weber and Ryan Stanton both got their first of the year, but in the shootout we come up short, getting scored on by Ovi and Backstrom. Ovi nets his ninth of the year against us and continues his goal streak to eight games.
vs CAR: L 1-0 - Bo Horvat back in the lineup for this one, but Cam Ward shuts us out making 39 saves. Viktor Rask with the game's only goal.
vs MTL: OTW 2-1 - Dale Hunter reunites the Sedin twins on the top line with Jannik Hansen riding shotgun, also scratches Burrows and puts Frankie Corrado in for Ryan Stanton, who is day to day with an eye injury. Eddie Lack gets the start, going head to head with Carey Price. Jannik opens the scoring assisted by both Sedins - guess they're happy to be playing together again. The overtime winner came from Shawn Matthias on the powerplay. Hamhuis with the monster defensive game, blocking two shots, throwing three hits and coming up with two takeaways.

October Record: 3-5-2, 14th in the West


Stat Leaders:
Goals - Henrik (4), Matthias (3), Bonino, Hansen (2)
Assists - Bonino, Hansen, Daniel (4)
Points - Henrik, Bonino, Hansen (6)
+/- - Hansen, Corrado (+4), Bieksa (+3)
PIM - Kassian (33), Sestito (16), Bieksa (14)
Shots - Weber (38), Vrbata (31), Henrik (29)
Goalies:
Miller - 1-3-1, 2.95 GAA, .885 SvPct, -0.76 GSAA/60
Lack - 2-2-1, 1.98 GAA, .932 SvPCt, 0.51 GSAA/60

Injuries:

• D Alex Edler OUT 1-2 months (arm)
• D Ryan Stanton OUT 1-2 weeks (eye)

Prospects:

• D Jordan Subban has 8 points in 10 games in the OHL
• G Thatcher Demko with a .927 save percentage through 5 NCAA games
• C Jared McCann with 5 goals and 13 points in 10 OHL games, and notably improving in the faceoff dot as well
• C Cole Cassels has a goal and 10 assists in 10 OHL games
• W Nicklas Jensen has 8 points in 11 games for Utica in the AHL
• G Jacob Markstrom is posting a .921 save percentage in the AHL through 11 games, and has handled his demotion remarkably well

[CanuckJohnny]

October Recap




Chicago came out like gangbusters, off to a 9-1-0 start led by Patrick Kane and his league leading 21 points. Minnesota also started strong, with only one regulation loss so far. Backstrom already has two shutouts for them and their D-core is possibly top 5 in the league. The Kings seem to be suffering from a bit of a Stanley Cup hangover so far, just 4-6-1 and down in the basement with the ailing Canucks, in spite of Jonathan Quick already compiling two shutouts. San Jose has been getting great goaltending, both from starter Niemi and backup Stalock, and they are on top of their division with an 8-3-1 record.

Detroit is looking very dominant even with Datsyuk out, leading their division with an 8-2-0 record. Rookie Dylan Larkin has stepped up in his absence, with 10 points in 10 games, while Kronwall has also contributed 10 points from the back end. The Maple Leafs, meanwhile, are struggling mightily, and their goaltending tandem of Bernier and Reimer has been getting shelled without having much run support. They are in last place through one month of the season, and rumours are already swirling about a hostile locker room environment as well. The Capitals have been led to a 6-1-2 record by Alex Ovechkin and his nine goals in nine games. The Islanders sit atop the division though, at 7-2-1, and their top line of Anders Lee, John Tavares and Kyle Okposo have combined for sixteen goals so far. The Rangers are struggling in the cellar, going 3-6-0 to start the year off on the wrong foot. King Henrik has only one win so far while sporting a mediocre .906 save percentage.

Team Stat Leaders:
GF/gm - Chicago (3.9), NY Islanders (3.8), Colorado (3.5)
GA/gm - San Jose (1.5), Washington (1.7), Pittsburgh (1.9)
PP - Carolina (33%), Chicago (31%), Detroit (31%)
PK - Washington (100%), Detroit (97%), St. Louis (91%)


Goalie Leaders:
GAA - Holtby (WSH) 1.47, Howard (DET) 1.49, Rinne (NSH) 1.55
Sv Pct - Niemi (SJS) .949, Holtby (WSH) .943, Lehtonen (DAL) .943


Rookie Leaders:
Points - Larkin (DET) 10, Rask (CAR) 7, Kuznetsov (WSH) 6

Other Stat Leaders:
Takeaways - Filppula (TBL) 15, Hamhuis (VAN) 11, Hamonic (NYI) 11
Hits - L. Schenn (PHI) 68, Borowiecki (OTT) 45, Backes (STL) 41
Blocked Shots - Beachemin (ANA) 37, Carle (TBL) 35, A. Greene (NJD) 35
PIM - Clarkson (TOR) 48, Phaneuf (TOR) 34, Regehr (LAK) 34
FO% - Gordon (EDM) 67%, Barkov (FLA) 67%, Spezza (DAL) 61%
+/- - Saad (CHI) +15, Kane (CHI) +14, Toews (CHI) +14


Injuries:
D Torey Krug (BOS) OUT 1-2 months (wrist)
D Dennis Seidenberg (BOS) DTD (knee)
F Jordan Staal (CAR) OUT 2-3 months (leg)
F Brandon Dubinsky (CBJ) OUT 1-2 months (abdomen)
D David Savard (CBJ) OUT 2-3 months (leg)
F Boone Jenner (CBJ) DTD (hand)
F Johnny Gaudreau (CGY) DTD (hand)
F Pavel Datsyuk (DET) OUT 1-2 weeks (shoulder)
F Jussi Jokinen (FLA) DTD (hip)
D Erik Gudbranson (FLA) OUT indefinitely (knee)
F Tyler Toffoloi (LAK) OUT 1-2 months (knee)
G Darcy Kuemper (MIN) DTD (elbow)
F Mike Fisher (NSH) OUT 1-2 months (ankle)
F Matt Cullen (NSH) DTD (knee)
F Colin Wilson (NSH) DTD (abdomen)
F Viktor Stalberg (NSH) DTD (knee)
F Michael Grabner (NYI) OUT 1-2 months (hernia)
D Michael Del Zotto (PHI) OUT 1-2 weeks (wrist)
F Chris Kunitz (PIT) DTD (eye)
D Jason Garrison (TBL) OUT 2-3 weeks (hand)
D Alex Edler (VAN) OUT 1-2 months (arm)
D Matt Niskanen (WSH) DTD (elbow)

[WarningTrakPower]

Originally Posted by CanuckJohnny

opening night lineup

Your coach put the Sedin's on a separate lines? Strange...

[CanuckJohnny]

Originally Posted by WarningTrakPower

Your coach put the Sedin's on a separate lines? Strange...

Yeah

Definitely wish there some override for lines even with a coach. But I'm gonna grind through with this for now. Maybe I'll fire him eventually and just pretend one of the assistants is coach... Kind of annoying. And he shuffles lines like crazy, even after a win. Weird.

[CanuckJohnny]

Canucks in NOVEMBER




@ EDM: W 4-1 - Tom Sestito gets his first of the year in a game that also saw Dorsett and Kassian pick up goals. Ryan Miller with 34 saves for the win.
vs NSH: W 4-1 - Lack comes in and makes 41 saves and Bo Horvat scores his first two goals of the year.
@ COL: W 4-2 - Another game being outshot but pulling out the victory. Vrbata with two goals.
@ SJS: L 4-2 - In the first game all month that we outshot our opponents we take the L, stymied by Antti Niemi (43 saves). Matt Nieto scored two on us, including the game winner.
@ LAK: L 5-3 - Miller allowed five goals in 36 shots, and Marian Gaborik managed 2 goals and 2 assists against us. Vrbata had two goals in a losing cause.
@ ANA: L 4-1 - Cogliano with the hat trick against us. Vrbata with another goal. Hamhuis and Corrado were the only two defensemen with an even plus minus. Corrado blocked six shots and Hammer looked very solid.
vs OTT: L 2-0 - We get shutout by Robin Lehner (27 saves). Once again, Hamhuis and Corrado have a very solid game. Hoffman and Turris both scored on Miller.
vs ARI: W 3-2 - Stanton is healthy and draws back into the lineup, but takes out Yannick Weber (-12) instead of his replacement, Corrado, who has four assists and is plus six so far since getting into the lineup. He may have earned a permanent top six spot, at least for this year. We get the win to end a four game slide, Vrbata's seventh of the season holds up as the winner.
@ EDM: L 7-1 - Ryan Miller is day to day with a knee issue, so Markstrom is called up to back up Lack. Marky has a .929 save percentage in the A this year. Kevin Bieksa is a late scratch by coach Dale Hunter. After the team finally pulled together for a win, it seems like a questionable lineup decision by the second year head coach. Eddie Lack is chased in the first period after allowing four goals on fourteen shots. It's an ugly one. Markstrom manages alright in his first regular season NHL action this year, making 27 saves on 30 more shots, but the game was over before he even took the net. RNH with five points against us.
vs ANA: W 3-1 - Sedins are reunited on the top line with Vrbata. Bieksa stays out of the lineup. Lack gets a chance for redemption after his most recent outing. He would go on to make 37 saves in a big win. Frank Corrado got his first of the year and both Richardson and Higgins had a goal and an assist.
vs CHI: W 3-1 - This is Daniel Sedin's 1000th game. We have a pre-game ceremony to honour him. Matthias is day to day. Dustin Jeffrey is called up in his stead so the Canucks can get a look at him in a regular season game. Lines get thrown in a blender yet again, Sedins are split up and Vrbata demoted. Corrado is scratched in favour of Bieksa. Fresh off a big win, weird lineup decisions by Hunter. Markstrom gets the start and makes 36 saves. Bonino scores two goals.
vs NJD: W 1-0 - Miller is back and healthy as ever. 22 save shutout for him. Daniel with the only goal of the game. Tanev with a monster game on defense, including five blocked shots.
@ CBJ: L 2-1 - Vrbata's eighth of the year was the only shot to beat Bobrovsky, Anisimov scored the winner against us.
@ DET: W 2-1 - Another low scoring affair, this one saw us go 2-2 on the PP to steal a win, with Miller making 51 saves in a standout performance to secure the victory, while we took only 20 shots on net.

Record (November): 11-11-2 (8-6-0), 24 points, 13th in West

Stat Leaders:
G - Vrbata, Henrik (8), Bonino (5)
A - Bonino (8), Vrbata, Daniel, Horvat (7)
Pts - Vrbata (15), Bonino, Henrik (13)
+/- - Bonino (+7), Corrado (+6), Vrbata (+5)
PIM - Kassian (45), Dorsett (24), Sestito (23)
Shots - Daniel (65), Weber (63), Vrbata (62)
Hits - Kassian (75), Hamhuis (51), Sbisa (42)
TkA - Tanev (18), Hamhuis (16), Higgins (13)
SB - Tanev (60), Corrado (42), Sbisa (39)
FO% - Horvat (57.1%), Bonino (55.1%), Henrik (54.4%)


Goalies:
Miller - 6-7-1, 2.42 gaa, .916 sv%, 1 so, -0.01 GSAA/60
Lack - 4-4-1, 2.41 gaa, .930 sv%, 0.47 GSAA/60
Markstrom - 1-0-0, 2.30 gaa, .940 sv%, 0.92 GSAA/60


Injuries:

• F Shawn Matthias DTD (abdomen)
• D Luca Sbisa DTD (hip)
• D Alex Edler OUT 2-3 weeks (arm)

Prospects:

• F Cole Cassels (OHL) 19gp, 5-14-19
• F Jared McCann (OHL) 19gp, 7-17-24
• D Evan McEneny (OHL) 19gp, 0-16-16
• D Gustav Forsling (SWE) 16gp, 0-5-5, logging more minutes and his shot is getting heavier, throwing his weight around a bit more too
• F Dane Fox (AHL) 23gp, 7-12-19, his first few steps are looking quicker
• F Alexandre Grenier (AHL) 23gp, 6-8-14, his top speed looks improved

[CanuckJohnny]

November Recap




The Blackhawks just keep on rolling, along with the top line in all of hockey right now, and they look to be the class of the league with only three losses through two months. The Predators have looked great as well, with stellar play from Filip Forsberg (15-12-27) and a surprising run of good goaltending from backup Carter Hutton (13-3, 5 shutouts, 2.13 gaa). St. Louis has been the hottest team in the West, winning eight in a row. Tarasenko leads the way for them with 10 goals and 14 assists, while first line center Paul Stastny is a +19 with 23 points. The Ducks are in the basement, new acquisition Ryan Kesler is struggling (3-11-14, -8) and star center Ryan Getzlaf is producing well below his point per game pace (4-13-17).

Detroit is still tops in the East, but only just barely. Datsyuk's return may push rookie Dylan Larkin back down the lineup and slow his torrid pace (11-14-25). Jimmy Howard has been elite between the pipes for them so far. The surging Penguins (6 wins in a row now) are enjoying excellent netminding from Marc-Andre Fleury (6 shutouts already!) and, while seeing solid play from Malkin (9-15-24) and Crosby (7-14-21), they may be most pleasantly surprised by a potential breakout season from youngster Beau Bennett (8-8-16) who is making the most of his top six opportunity. Their fierce rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, are also hot though, on their own six game win streak, carried by their one two punch down the middle of Claude Giroux (9-10-19) and Sean Couturier (18gp, 8-9-17, +11). They also have to be impressed with the play of Mark Streit from the blueline (7-9-16). The Rangers are on a three game skid down to the bottom of the cellar. They only have fifteen points all season so far. King Henrik has struggled, perhaps at 32 his age is catching up to him as he is 5-14-2 with a 2.74 GAA and a .910 save percentage. Their top line of Rick Nash, Derek Stepan and Martin St. Louis has combined for only nine goals all season.

Team Stat Leaders:
GF/gm - Chicago (3.88), St. Louis (3.33), Colorado (3.21)
GA/gm - Pittsburgh (1.70), Detroit (1.79), Chicago (1.83)
PP - Detroit (31%), Chicago (25%), Nashville (22%)
PK - Dallas (93%), Detroit (93%), NY Islanders (89%)


Goalie Leaders:
GAA - Howard (DET) 1.50, Fleury (PIT) 1.69, Lehtonen (DAL), Crawford (CHI) 1.98
Sv Pct - Lehtonen (DAL) .937, Fleury (PIT) .934, Howard (DET) .933
GSAA - Lehtonen (DAL) 14.3, Bobrovsky (CBJ) 10.2, Fleury (PIT) 9.5
SO - Fleury (PIT) 6, Hutton (NSH) 5, Crawford (CHI), Halak (NYI), Howard (DET), Varlamov (COL) 4


Rookie Leaders:
Points - Larkin (DET) 25, Pastrnak (BOS), Draisatl (EDM) 14, Klingberg (DAL) 13


Other Stat Leaders:
Takeaways - O'Reilly (COL) 28, Weber (NSH) 24, Filppula (TBL), Giordano (CGY) 22
Hits - L. Schenn (PHI) 147, Borowiecki (OTT) 116, Bortuzzo (PIT) 105
Blocked Shots - Greene (NJD) 90, Alzner (WSH) 82, Beachemin (ANA) 77
PIM - L. Schenn (PHI) 80, Borowiecki (OTT) 69, Clarkson (TOR) 64
FO% - A. Desjardins (SJS) 58.6%, Bergeron (BOS) 57.9%, J. Carter (LAK) 57.6%
+/- - Saad (CHI) +27, Toews (CHI) +25, Kane (CHI) +24


Injuries:
D Torey Krug (BOS) DTD (wrist)
F Drew Stafford (BUF) OUT 2-3 weeks (shoulder)
F Jay McClement (CAR) OUT 1-2 months (hand)
F Jordan Staal (CAR) OUT 1-2 months (hand)
F Elias Lindholm (CAR) OUT 2-3 weeks (hand)
F Brandon Dubinsky (CBJ) OUT 2-3 weeks (abdomen)
D David Savard (CBJ) OUT 1-2 months (leg)
F Patrick Sharp (CHI) DTD (shoulder)
F Jarome Iginla (COL) DTD (elbow)
F Alex Tanguay (COL) OUT 1-2 weeks (jaw)
F Nathan MacKinnon (COL) OUT indefinitely (elbow)
D Brendan Smith (DET) OUT 2-3 weeks (knee)
D Erik Gudbranson (FLA) OUT indefinitely (knee)
F Tyler Toffoli (LAK) DTD (knee)
D Robyn Regehr (LAK) DTD (foot)
F Mike Fisher (NSH) DTD (ankle)
F Michael Grabner (NYI) OUT 1-2 weeks (hernia)
D Marc Methot (OTT) DTD (groin)
F Joe Pavelski (SJS) DTD (abdomen)
F Brian Boyle (TBL) DTD (knee)
D Anton Stralman (TBL) OUT indefinitely (knee)
D Dion Phaneuf (TOR) DTD (groin)
D Alex Edler (VAN) OUT 2-3 weeks (arm)
F Andrew Ladd (WPG) OUT 3-4 months (leg)


Transactions:
Nov 5th - STL acquires D Josh Manson, ANA acquires D Jordan Leopold, F Cody Beach
Analysis - St. Louis gets younger on the back end, moving out a veteran in Leopold who had only played a couple games this year for a 23 year old minor leaguer with NHL upside in Manson. Anaheim gains a veteran presence in Leopold, who they will be expecting to play a more regular role for them than he did in St. Louis, and adds some minor league depth at forward with Beach. All in all, St. Louis wins this deal.
Nov 30th - NYI acquires D Cody Franson, F Daniel Winnik, TOR 2016 3rd, TOR acquires NYI 2015 1st, D Erik Gustafsson, D Lubomir Visnovsky
Analysis - The Islanders are competing closely with the Penguins and wanted to add another top four blueliner. With a couple recent injuries in their forward group Winnik should bolster their depth up front as well. Toronto is struggling and this makes it clear they are selling. Rumours had been swirling that Franson was unhappy, that he was a locker room problem, and that he wouldn't be re-signing with the Leafs when his contract expires this summer, so they did well to procure the first round pick they were seeking for him. They also added a young defenseman in Gustafsson who in time could become a depth NHL defenceman with the ability to quarterback a powerplay. They take back Visnovsky to make the contract numbers work (the Isles were looking to move him anyways according to league sources). They also had to add a pick to sell the Islanders on the move, but managed not to give up a second rounder. This looks like a slight win for Toronto, but if the Islanders maintain their early success all year and Franson and Winnik play a role in a playoff run they aren't going to care.

[CanuckJohnny]

Breaking News



Canucks make goaltending move, trading out backup Eddie Lack for prospect, pick




With three goalies up with the main club, and all of them needing to pass through waivers, rumours had started swirling around what Canucks general manager Trevor Linden might do. Today they have made a decision, committing to keeping rising star Jacob Markstrom around to back up veteran Ryan Miller and moving on from the twenty six year old Eddie Lack, who surprised many by showing very well in training camp and retaining his backup job, and then also impressed in nine outings this year, posting a .930 save percentage over those games. Given that they were in a bad spot, they managed a decent return, moving Lack to Philadelphia, along with two late round draft choices this year (6th and 7th round) in exchange for twenty year old Anthony Stolarz and a third round selection in this year's draft.


Trade: PHI acquires G Eddie Lack, VAN 2015 6th, VAN 2015 7th; VAN acquires G Anthony Stolarz, PHI 2015 3rd


Stolarz is a young goalie who will augment the depth in Vancouver's farm system and some scouts see potential for him to develop into an NHL backup or tandem keeper. The third round choice will have to do, although Linden was reportedly looking for a second. Vancouver ended up needing to add the late round lottery tickets in order to convince Hextall to pull the trigger.

Trevor Linden said in the press conference announcing the trade, "We appreciate Eddie, his work ethic and attitude, and the great play he brought into Vancouver. Sometimes it's just a numbers game and in this case we really believe in Jacob as our goalie of the future. We couldn't retain both and got the best return we could in this situation. Stolarz is somebody our scouts are high on and we hope that he can eventually become an NHL goalie for us down the road. Gaining draft capital, especially top 100 picks, is a priority for our management group and we have confidence in our scouting staff to help us find and bring in talent that will make an impact at the NHL level."

Trade Grade: Vancouver B, they had to make a move and received two useful assets in return, but both are probably low ceiling and the Canucks are clearly giving up the best player in this trade. Philadelphia B+, they move out a couple futures but they aren't key pieces and the goalie they get in return is only twenty six and showing serious 1B potential - he should slot right in behind Steve Mason and bring a lot more stability than they were seeing from veteran Ray Emery.

[CanuckJohnny]

Dec 3rd, 2014




Borowiecki suspended for vicious headshot

Mark Borowiecki of the Ottawa Senators plays with an edge and last night he crossed the line. Only one minute into Ottawa's game against the Islanders, Borowiecki caught Frans Nielsen with a blindside head shot and was ejected from the game. Today the NHL's DOPS handed down a 7 game suspension in retribution. Borowiecki was near the top of the league in hits and penalty minutes, but he is going to have to reign in his physicality and keep things clean when he returns. Nielsen is expected to miss at least a month with a concussion.

[CanuckJohnny]

Dec 7th, 2014






Blockbuster trade as Lightning load up early






The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired D Dan Boyle and F Derek Stepan from the Rangers in exchange for prospect D Tony DeAngelo, prospect F Brayden Point and Tampa Bay's 2016 first round pick. Boyle spent six years in his prime playing for Tampa, and they are chasing the Red Wings and Bruins in the very competitive Atlantic Division. GM Steve Yzerman wants to win now, and makes a massive splash early, moving out prized prospects Brayden Point and Tony DeAngelo, both expected to be top 6/top 4 pieces in the future, if not top line/pairing. Yzerman also added next year's pick, but secures 24 year old Stepan just entering his prime to alleviate the lost futures. It looks to be an overpay by Tampa, but neither of the teenagers they traded are going to impact this year's run. We think the Rangers win this deal long term, but the Lightning did well to acquire Stepan, who should be a long term piece for them while also being impactful this year, along with the win now addition of 38 year old Dan Boyle to fill a big hole on the right side of their blueline.

[CanuckJohnny]

Canucks in DECEMBER




@ WSH: W 5-3 - Vrbata and Bonino both with three assists, Miller makes 34 saves for the victory. Frankie Corrado with two goals. Dustin Jeffrey got his first of the season. Ovi scored his fourteenth of the year on the powerplay in the third, but Bo sealed it with an empty netter in the final minute.
@ PIT: W 2-1 - Ryan Miller with an outstanding 37 save performance on the road to steal a win from the mighty Penguins. Vrbata had a goal and assist in the win.
@ TOR: W 4-1 - Shawn Matthias returns to the lineup. He will get a shot on the top line with Henrik and Jannik Hansen. Dustin Jeffrey has three points in six games and will remain in the lineup. Alex Burrows will be healthy scratched. The veteran energy winger has only one assist in fifteen games. Matthias had a goal and assist in his return, and we outshot the ailing Leafs 57-29. Derek Dorsett sustained a serious neck injury that could keep him out for months however, and Vrbata was also banged up, although he should still be able to play in Ottawa.
@ OTT: W 4-1 - Sedins reunited on the top line (in spite of Matthias playing well there...) and Kassian will play on their wing. Burr draws back into the lineup. Kassian does get the game winner assisted by both Sedins, so maybe Hunter is onto something. Burrows with an assist in his return to the lineup. Brad Richardson goes down with a hamstring injury and our medical team reports he could be gone 2-3 weeks.
@ MTL: W 2-1 - Bieksa will sit for this one. Linden Vey comes back in the lineup to replace Richardson. Vey opens the scoring with a powerplay marker in the first, his first of the season. Henrik extends the lead in the same period, and that would be enough as Miller makes 30 saves for the dub. Danny has two assists. Hammer and Higgy are both banged up though. They will be Day to Day.
vs NYR: W 3-2 - We take on former coach Alain Vigneault and the struggling Rangers. Matthias moved back up to the top line and Daniel gets demoted after a two point night (what is Dale Hunter doing? gah I hate GM only). Bieksa is back in because of the Hamhuis injury and Sestito comes in to replace Higgins who is also hurt. Yannick Weber gets two assists and Shawn Matthias does score a goal on the top line. Vrbata scores his 12th of the year and Kass notches the winner in the third.
vs DAL: L 3-1 - A banged up Hamhuis comes back in for Bieksa. Vrbata scored the only goal for us. The top line of Matthias, Henrik and Hansen was -3 on the night.
vs CGY: W 1-0 - In a defensive matchup, Miller gets the 17 save shutout and Matthias scores the lone goal.
vs ARI: L 3-1 - Sam Gagner assisted on all three goals against us, and Devan Dubnyk stopped 32 of 33 shots. Kassian scored our lone goal and also had a fight and four hits.
@ ANA: OTL 2-1 - Brad Richardson returns to the lineup. Sestito comes out to make room for him. Kes gets an assist against his former team, and Kyle Palmieri gets the overtime winner. Miller made 40 saves in the losing cause.
@ SJS: W 4-3 - Hertl managed two goals against us but the offense came through this game. Kassian got a goal and a fight. Danny scores the winner in the third period, which is nice to see since he's really struggled to find the back of the net this year. Bonino had two assists.

Record (December): 19-13-3 (8-2-1), 41 points, 8th in West


Stat Leaders:
G - Vrbata (14), Henrik (10), Kassian (8)
A - Daniel (17), Bonino (16), Vrbata (12)
Pts - Vrbata (26), Daniel, Bonino (22), Henrik (20)
+/- - Bonino (+15), Vrbata, Stanton (+10)
PIM - Kassian (67), Dorsett (29), Higgins, Sestito (23)
Shots - Weber, Daniel (89), Vrbata (88)
Hits - Kassian (107), Hamhuis (66), Sbisa (52)
TkA - Tanev (30), Hamhuis (20), Higgins (14)
SB - Tanev (83), Corrado (60), Weber (55)
FO% - Horvat (58.9%), Bonino (56.1%), Henrik (52.3%)


Goalies:
Miller - 13-9-2, 2.16 gaa, .928 sv%, 2 so, 0.29 GSAA/60
Markstrom - 2-0-0, 2.19 gaa, .940 sv%, 0.78 GSAA/60


Injuries:

• F Derek Dorsett OUT 1-2 months (neck)
• D Alex Edler DTD (arm)

Prospects:

• F Brendan Gaunce (OHL) 28gp, 12-11-23, his offensive reads are improving as is his first couple steps
• F Jared McCann (OHL) 29gp, 13-26-39
• D Evan McEneny (OHL) 29gp, 0-22-22
• D Jordan Subban (OHL) 29gp, 8-17-25, his playmaking and passing are showing clear improvement
• D Gustav Forsling (SWE) 24gp, 1-7-8, showing growth in his stick checking and shooting accuracy
• G Thatcher Demko (NCAA) 14gp, 2.57gaa, .921sv%, 12w, working on his rebound control
• D Ben Hutton (NCAA) 19gp, 5-12-17, his anticipation offensively and also his level headedness regardless of how a game is going are standing out right now
• F Alex Friesen (AHL) 35gp, 8-9-17, he's getting quicker and more explosive in his first couple steps - all that work with Utica's skating coach must be paying off
• F Alexandre Grenier (AHL) 35gp, 9-10-19
• G Anthony Stolarz (AHL) UTI 2gp, 2w, 1.92gaa, .938sv%, LEH 13gp, 6w, 3.14gaa, .900sv%

[CanuckJohnny]

December Recap




Chicago has slowed down a bit and though they still lead the West, Nashville is nipping at their heels and only one point back. Filip Forsberg is tied with Patrick Kane for the league lead in goals with 24 as he carries his team towards the top of the conference, but the big story out of Nashville is that All-Star goalie Pekka Rinne has only played seven games, while journeyman Carter Hutton has taken the net and run with it, posting ten shutouts already to lead the league. The Canucks have clawed their way back into a playoff position, and Minnesota and Colorado both look poised to move up as well, while Los Angeles and Winnipeg don't look like they really belong right now and may slip a bit.

The basement in the East is very Canadian, with the Sens, Habs and Leafs all occupying the bottom three spots in the standings. The Maple Leafs have lost an astounding 13 games in a row, the wheels have completely fallen off there. Detroit is still leading the Atlantic with 53 points and look like possibly the most dominant team in the league statistically, led by Jimmy Howard in net and lots of skilled contributors in their top six stepping up (Tatar is tied for the league lead in assists with thirty, and is sixth in points with forty two, while Nyquist has eighteen goals already). Pittsburgh is still leading their division. Evgeni Malkin leads them in points with 46 (he had an 18 game point streak in which he scored 13 goals and added 19 assists, wow), good for third in the league. The Islanders are starting to separate themselves from the rest of the pack in the Metropolitan, pulling away and pushing Pittsburgh , on the back of John Tavares and his 43 points.

Team Stat Leaders:
GF/gm - Chicago (3.19), Detroit (3.00), St. Louis, Nashville (2.89)
GA/gm - Detroit (1.87), Nashville (1.89), Pittsburgh (1.92)
PP - Detroit (26.6%), Nashville (23.9%), Carolina (21.9%)
PK - Detroit (94.0%), Dallas (90.9%), Washington (88.8%)


Goalie Leaders:
GAA - Howard (DET) 1.60, Hutton (NSH) 1.94, Fleury (PIT) 1.95
Sv Pct - Bobrovsky (CBJ) .935, Niemi (SJS) .932, Howard (DET) .932
GSAA - Bobrovsky (CBJ) 16.32, Niemi (SJS) 13.10, Holtby (WSH) 11.19
SO - Hutton (NSH) 10, Crawford (CHI) 5, Fleury (PIT), Varlamov (COL) 6


Rookie Leaders:
Points - Larkin (DET) 29, Gaudreau (CGY) 25, Draisatl (EDM) 22


Other Stat Leaders:
Takeaways - O'Reilly (COL) 46, Giordano (CGY) 35, Gorges (BUF), S. Weber (NSH) 34
Hits - L. Schenn (PHI) 222, Bortuzzo (PIT) 168, Borowiecki (OTT) 139
Blocked Shots - A. Greene (NJD) 154, M. Stuart (WPG) 116, Alzner (WSH) 115
PIM - Clarkson (TOR) 114, L. Schenn (PHI) 110, Borowiecki (OTT) 98
FO% - Horvat (VAN) 58.9%, Carter (LAK) 57.6%, Bergeron (BOS) 57.5%
+/- - Saad (CHI), Seabrook (CHI) +26, Kane (CHI), Toews (CHI), S. Weber (NSH) +25


Injuries:
F Sam Gagner (ARI) OUT 2-3 weeks (shoulder)
F Antoine Vermette (ARI) DTD (leg)
D Adam McQuaid (BOS) OUT 1-2 months (abdomen)
F Jay McClement (CAR) OUT 1-2 weeks (hand)
F Jordan Staal (CAR) DTD (leg)
F Victor Rask (CAR) OUT 1-2 weeks (back)
D John-Michael Liles (CAR) OUT 1-2 weeks (groin)
F Nick Foligno (CBJ) DTD (arm)
D Jack Johnson (CBJ) OUT indefinitely (back)
D Fedor Tyutin (CBJ) OUT indefinitely (knee)
D David Savard (CBJ) DTD (leg)
F Sam Bennett (CGY) OUT 1-2 months (shoulder)
F Matt Duchene (COL) DTD (knee)
F Nathan Mackinnon (COL) OUT indefinitely (elbow)
D Brendan Smith (DET) OUT 1-2 weeks (knee)
D Erik Gudbranson (FLA) OUT indefinitely (knee)
F Aleksander Barkov (FLA) OUT 3-4 months (head)
F Damien Brunner (NJD) DTD (groin)
F Frans Nielsen (NYI) OUT 1-2 weeks (concussion)
F Casey Cizikas (NYI) OUT indefinitely (back)
F Chris Kreider (NYR) OUT 1-2 weeks (ankle)
F Nick Spaling (PIT) OUT 1-2 weeks (back)
F Ryan Callahan (TBL) OUT 1-2 months (arm)
D Anton Stralman (TBL) OUT 3-4 months (knee)
F Derek Dorsett (VAN) OUT 1-2 motnhs (neck)
D Alex Edler (VAN) DTD (arm)
F Andrew Ladd (WPG) OUT 2-3 months (leg)
F Bryan Little (WPG) OUT 1-2 weeks (knee)

[CanuckJohnny]

Canucks in JANUARY




W 2-1 vs LAK: Bo opened the scoring with a shorty, and Hank netted the winner in the second while Miller made 31 saves for the win.
SOW 3-2 vs DET: We had no business being in this game against a clearly superior team. We were outshot 32-14. Fortunately, both Weber and Vrbata managed to beat one of the best goalies in the league, Howard, who turned in one of his worst performances of the year. The shootout saw Danny score, then Larkin, then Higgins, then Datsyuk, then Vrbata and finally we saw a save when Miller stopped Zetterberg to win us the game.
SOL 4-3 vs NYI: Alex Edler is finally fully healthy and will make his season debut tonight. He will be paired up with Yannick Weber. This was the reverse of our previous game. We outshot them 40-19 but lost in a shootout. The painfully long shootout ended in the seventh round when Thomas Hickey became the only skater to score, beating Miller and stealing the W. Edler threw four hits and blocked four shots in 21:57 in his return to the ice.
W 5-0 vs FLA: Five different Canucks scored on Bobby Lu - Corrado, Higgins, Henrik, Hansen and Vrbata. Miller pitches the eighteen save shutout.
SOL 3-2 vs CGY: Rookie standout Johnny Gaudreau (29 points in 34 games) was held off the board, our own rookie Bo Horvat scored his seventh of the season, and Radim Vrbata netted his 17th, but in the end it wasn't enough and Calgary won in the shootout, with Sven Baertschi scoring past Ryan Miller for the only goal of the shootout.
L 3-0 @ NSH: Amid media backlash from Derek Roy's criticism of coach Pete Laviolette the Predators chowed down on the Canucks. Vancouver was only allowed 21 shots and Carter Hutton saved them all for the shutout. Filip Forsberg continued his domination this season, scoring his 27th goal of the year.
SOW 2-1 @ PHI: Jannik Hansen and Claude Giroux exchanged goals in the third, and a shootout ultimately decided things, with captain Henrik Sedin scoring the only goal of the shootout to win it for the Canucks. Ryan Miller saved 36 of 37 shots for the win. Bo Horvat injured his elbow and will miss some time.
W 3-0 @ CAR: Markstrom got a turn between the pipes and pitched a perfect 27 save shutout, while Zack Kassian went off for two goals and an assist and Alex Edler tallied his first of the season.
W 6-2 @ FLA: It was Markstrom against Luongo, but the goalies weren't really a significant factor in this rout, as Vancouver outshot Florida 43-14. Vrbata had two goals and an assist, while Jannik Hansen also scored a pair. Linden Vey, in for an injured Bo Horvat, made the most of it with his second of the season.
L 4-3 @ TBL: The Canucks were outshot 40-24 but Ryan Miller kept them in it. Stamkos' PP goal in the third, his second of the game and 27th of the year, ended up being the winner.
W 3-1 vs ANA: Matthias had a strong game after being bumped up to the top line, scoring a goal and adding two assists. Hank had two assists as well, and Miller made 35 saves in the victory.
W 4-3 vs BUF: Miller gets the W against his former team, coming up big to the tune of 37 saves. Burr got his first of the season, Vrbata scored his 21st. Matthias scored the game winner. Two assists for Yannick Weber, he was buzzing all night and active in both ends.

Record (January): 27-15-5 (8-2-2), 59 points, 4th in West

Stat Leaders:
G - Vrbata (21), Henrik (13), Kassian (10)
A - Bonino (21), Daniel (20), Henrik, Matthias (18)
Pts - Vrbata (35), Henrik (31), Bonino (28)
+/- - Bonino (+14), Corrado, Stanton, Jeffrey (+9)
PIM - Kassian (75), Sbisa (32), Dorsett (29)
Shots - Vrbata (131), Weber (116), Daniel (112)
Hits - Kassian (145), Hamhuis (85), Hansen (74)
TkA - Tanev (35), Hamhuis (27), Weber (18)
SB - Tanev (117), Corrado (80), Sbisa (75)
FO% - Horvat (56.2%), Bonino (55.6%), Henrik (52.8%)


Goalies:
Miller - 19-11-4, 2.09 gaa, .930 sv%, 3 so, 0.34 GSAA/60
Markstrom - 4-0-0, 1.69 gaa, .943 sv%, 0.73 GSAA/60

Injuries:

• F Derek Dorsett OUT 1-2 weeks (neck)

Prospects:

• F Brendan Gaunce (OHL) 38gp, 15-19-34, he's looking stronger on his skates and producing at almost a point per game.
• F Cole Cassels (OHL) 39gp, 13-32-45, he's been a two way force so far, growing into his frame, adding strength and using it well in front of the net, and learning his defensive system very well.
• F Jared McCann (OHL) 39gp, 16-30-46, he's playing more aggressively and continuing to be productive.
• D Evan McEneny (OHL) 39gp, 1-28-29, while demonstrating excellent playmaking ability he has also improved his first step and shows good self control and discipline.
• D Gustav Forsling (Swe) 32gp, 2-9-11, holding his own against men in the SHL, his strength is improving, his defensive positioning has shown improvement as well as his ability to find opening in the offensive zone.
• G Thatcher Demko (NCAA) 18gp, 2.27gaa, .929sv%, his teamwork has been lauded recently, especially his communication with his defensemen.
• D Ben Hutton (NCAA) 25gp, 7-15-22, looking stronger and smoother on his skates and being very productive as a two way defenseman.
• F Ronalds Kenins (AHL) 48gp, 10-16-26, as he improves with his language skills and learns to process the North American game his teamwork has notably grown.
• G Anthony Stolarz (AHL) 19gp, 3.02gaa, .904sv%

[CanuckJohnny]

January Recap




In the Pacific Division the Canucks have surged to the top of the weakest division in hockey, led primarily by stellar goaltending from Ryan Miller (and rookie Jacob Markstrom, when he gets the rare start to give Miller a breather, has been exceptional). The Flames, Oilers, Sharks and Kings are all in a logjam below them with 53 points, with the Flames on a five game heater to climb into that conversation. Meanwhile the Ducks, on a seven game skid, still feel like they aren't completely out of it and have fired head coach Bruce Boudreau, replacing him with Jeff Blashill. They are hoping Blashill can get the most out of an eclectic roster that has veterans like Dany Heatley, Ryan Kesler, Francois Beauchemin and Jordan Leopold as well as up and coming young talent like Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, Rickard Rakell, Kyle Palmieri and Jakob Silfverberg. Captain Ryan Getzlaf will need to elevate his game, as he has struggled by his standards this season with only ten goals and thirty four points. Managing their goalie tandem will also be an interesting challenge for Blashill, as Freddy Andersen is just entering his prime and also is up for a new a contract but he has been recently upstaged by offseason acquisition Vasili Koshechkin from Russia. The 31 year old has taken the majority of starts this year and accrued a .914 save percentage with four shutouts. His contract also expires this season, leaving management with some big questions to figure out this offseason.

In the Central Division the Blackhawks have come down to earth enough to hit double digits in the loss column finally. They still look to be the class of the league, led by Patrick Kane's league leading 65 points and Corey Crawford's league leading 35 wins. The St. Louis Blues have really stepped up to the challenge and are trying to push Chicago. They are on a nine game winning streak, but still have fourteen points to go to catch the Hawks. The Avs have a reasonably good +19 goal differential and are up there in the playoff picture so far, but there are reports of a tense locker room situation. Young captain Gabe Landeskog, although he is performing admirably on the ice with 41 points in 45 games and a solid plus-22, has his hands full trying to manage and lead his teammates, from star Russian netminder Semyon Varlamov to young talents like Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly to aging stars like Jarome Iginla and Alex Tanguay.

The Detroit Red Wings sit atop the Eastern conference, although not by much. Jimmy Howard has provided some elite goaltending, leading the league in GAA and chalking up 27 of Detroit's 33 wins. In a season where Datsyuk has missed a lot of time and Zetterberg has had a down year for production, Tomas Tatar has brought a lot of creativity and offense to the top of the lineup, his fifty points are tied for seventh in the league, and he is also sixth in assists with 34. There is a clear separation within the Atlantic between the top three, Detroit, Boston and Tampa, and the rest, with a sharp drop off between playoff bound Tampa Bay (62 points) and the Buffalo Sabres with 43 points and a -41 goal differential. Five of the six worst teams in the conference are in the Atlantic.

The Pens lead the Metro, led as usual by Crosby, Malkin and Fleury. The Islanders, led by John Tavares and strong play from Jaroslav Halak in net (his 27 wins ties Fleury and Howard for third in the league), are close on their heels. Washington is in the playoff picture in spite of an off year from superstar captain Alex Ovechkin, whose twenty five goals are still fifth in the league, but a far cry from his usual 50 goal pace. The ageless wonder, Jaromir Jagr, is looking to will his Devils into a playoff berth (they are currently in a close battle for eighth) with twenty four goals and forty two points as a forty two year old.

Team Stat Leaders:
GF/gm - Chicago (3.28), Boston (2.98), St. Louis (2.96)
GA/gm - Detroit (1.84), Chicago (1.90), Nashville (1.98)
PP - Carolina (23.5%), Detroit (23.3%), Chicago (21.6%)
PK - Detroit (92.8%), Dallas (87.8%), Minnesota (87.0%)

Goalie Leaders (min 20gp):
GAA - Howard (DET) 1.61, Crawford (CHI) 1.90, Elliott (STL) 1.95
Sv Pct - Bobrovsky (CBJ) .934, Holtby (WSH) .931, Miller (VAN), Howard (DET) .930
GSAA - Bobrovsky (CBJ) 21.24, Holtby (WSH) 15.19, Lehtonen (DAL) 15.17
SO - Hutton (NSH) 12, Varlamov (COL) 9, Crawford (CHI) 8

Rookie Leaders:
Points - Gaudreau (CGY) 36, Larkin (DET) 33, Klingberg (DAL) 29, Pastrnak (BOS) 26, Trocheck (FLA) 26

Other Stat Leaders:
Takeaways - O'Reilly (COL) 56, Gorges (BUF) 41, Filppula (TBL) 39
Hits - L. Schenn (PHI) 331, Bortuzzo (PIT) 235, Borowiecki (OTT) 205
Blocked Shots - Greene (NJD) 207, Alzner (WSH) 174, Stuart (WPG) 143
PIM - Borowiecki (OTT) 162, Bortuzzo (PIT) 134, L. Schenn (PHI) 131
FO% - Carter (LAK) 58.0%, Bergeron (BOS) 57.5%, Gordon (EDM) 56.7%
+/- - Saad (CHI) +36, Toews (CHI) +36, Seabrook (CHI) +35

Injuries:
F Corey Perry (ANA) OUT 3-4 months (foot)
D Adam McQuaid (BOS) OUT 1-2 months (abdomen)
D Jack Johnson (CBJ) OUT indefinitely (back)
D Fedor Tyutin (CBJ) OUT 3-4 months (knee)
F Sam Bennett (CGY) OUT 2-3 weeks (shoulder)
F Nathan MacKinnon (COL) OUT indefinitely (elbow)
D Alex Goligoski (DAL) OUT 1-2 weeks (arm)
F Stephen Weiss (DET) OUT 2-3 weeks (knee)
D Erik Gudbranson (FLA) OUT 3-4 months (knee)
F Aleksander Barkov (FLA) OUT 2-3 months (eye)
F Jason Pominville (MIN) OUT 3-4 months (neck)
D Seth Jones (NSH) OUT 1-2 weeks (back)
F Casey Cizikas (NYI) OUT indefinitely (back)
F Ryan Strome (NYI) OUT 2-3 weeks (eye)
D John Moore (NYI) OUT indefinitely (concussion)
F Mats Zuccarello (NYR) DTD (leg)
D Patrick Wiercioch (OTT) DTD (shoulder)
F Ryan Callahan (TBL) OUT 1-2 months (arm)
D Anton Stralman (TBL) OUT 2-3 months (knee)
F Derek Dorsett (VAN) OUT 1-2 weeks (neck)
D Dustin Byfuglien (WPG) OUT indefinitely (elbow)
F Andrew Ladd (WPG) OUT 1-2 months (leg)

Transactions:
Jan 31st - WSH acquires F Scott Hartnell, F Mark Letestu; CBJ acquires D Nate Schmidt, WSH 2015 1st.
Analysis - Columbus pulls the trigger to move out captain Scott Hartnell, who is without a contract extension for next year. Their season is in the tank, with both of their top four left side defensemen in the medical bay for some time, but they acquire an up and coming NHL defenseman in Schmidt who will immediately play a top four role on that blueline, at least until the injured Tyutin and Johnson are back, and who should be able to be a part of their core for some time moving forward at just 23 years of age. Washington swings big, desperate for depth scoring and in the playoff conversation. Schmidt was buried beneath Carlsson and Green on their depth chart and they have nothing on the wing behind Ovi. Hartnell adds grit and leadership to a team that wants to get in the playoffs and then surprise by going far. With Ovechkin anything can happen, and they have the goaltending in Holtby to make a deep run so they spend the draft capital to make it happen, and add another depth scoring option in Letestu, who should bring versatility and playmaking to the middle six. Overall, Columbus wins the trade, but if Washington has a deep playoff run they won't care.

[CanuckJohnny]

Canucks get ahead of offseason with some key contract extensions





Trevor Linden took care of some business with upcoming contracts, signing Ryan Stanton, Chris Tanev, Brad Richardson and Jacob Markstrom to extensions. Minor league forward Ronalds Kenins was also extended.

The 25 year old Stanton has played in 31 games this season and looks to be on the way to establishing himself as an NHLer. He is +9 in those games and has been reliable, if not flashy. His extension is rumoured to be for two years at a reasonable $600k.

Chris Tanev has really come into his own at 25, heading up Vancouver's top pairing alongside Dan Hamhuis consistently. They have been the one constant on Dale Hunter's constantly rotating blueline. Tanev has a respectable 13 points and is +5 while playing some of the toughest minutes every night and leading the team in blocked shots. He was extended for three years for an AAV of $2 Million.

Brad Richardson has been a responsible and versatile veteran presence holding down that checking line role alongside Zack Kassian and a rotation of left side wingers that includes Higgins, Matthias and even Daniel Sedin at times. He signed for three more seasons for $1.2 Million per year. Trevor said, "We appreciate Brad's character and his contribution to our team both on and off the ice. We look forward to having him here the next three years to continue mentoring our young forwards and leading by example."

Linden bet big on young, unproven netminder Jacob Markstrom's sky high potential, locking him up for five seasons at $2 Million per. In four starts this season Markstrom is undefeated and sporting an impressive .943 save percentage and a shutout. His potential is the reason Vancouver moved on from Eddie Lack earlier this year, and they committed to him financially as their goalie of the future.

[CanuckJohnny]

League News Wire



Feb 4th, 2015 - The ailing Columbus Blue Jackets finally got some good news today as they came to terms with franchise goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky on a massive five year extension worth $34.9 million. Bobrovsky's AAV will come in just under $7 Million.

Feb 5th, 2015 - The face of the Islanders, John Tavares, will be with the team for three more seasons. He has agreed to a contract with an AAV of $5.45M. He has 53 points through 51 games this season.

Feb 9th, 2015 - Another extension to report, this time it is the Montreal Canadiens who have extended Carey Price for another 5 years at an AAV of $7.51M. Price and the Canadiens are struggling this year - he has only thirteen wins and has a subpar .907 save percentage - but they make a big financial commitment to their 27 year old superstar.

Feb 11th, 2015 - 'Tis the season to extend your starting goalie. The Avs get in on the action, signing 26 year old Semyon Varlamov to a six year deal worth $33.54M. Varlamov has started 48 of Colorado's 55 games, with nine shutouts and 28 wins. His cap hit will come in at $5.59M per year.

Feb 12th, 2015 - A milestone for Jaromir Jagr, who reached 1800 career points when he scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Chicago for the Devils.

Feb 13th, 2015 - The Blues and Rangers swapped minor league forwards, with St. Louis sending 28 year old Pat Cannone to New York in exchange for 31 year old Tanner Glass. Glass has 191 PIM this season in the AHL and provides grit and energy, while Cannone has 46 points in 52 games in his AHL season so far.

Feb 14th, 2015 - Philadelphia extends forward Claude Giroux for six years. The deal has an AAV of $5.77M. Giroux has 52 points through 56 games so far this season.

Feb 19th, 2015 - Henrik Lundqvist cashes in with a four year contract extension worth $7.83M per year. The 32 year old perennial all star has pitched three shutouts this year and some consider him to be on the decline, but his .922 save percentage is in line with his last couple of seasons and clearly the Rangers believe in him.

Feb 26th, 2015 - San Jose has relieved Todd McLellan of his coaching duties. To replace him and hopefully guide their club to the postseason they have chosen Guy Boucher as their next head coach. Boucher's last head coaching job was with Tampa Bay in 2013. He has been signed to a three year contract.