tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5640283075303900212024-03-13T15:33:33.051-07:00Bure's Triple DekeThoughts, opinions and time-killing goodness on all matters Vancouver Canucks.Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-70126953948761489652015-02-01T20:58:00.002-08:002015-02-01T20:58:48.932-08:00Ryan Miller, Shawn Matthias and the Canucks' top five plays of January 2015<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqZ8v_-Q9SgyttrQShgjxu5NLicxklHhBEmI3aeJ10mWjoEL10x7aAlm5tjX6KfYCDtHAe587xup3WmqORjfe3D6I0PscFGjHRSgDcuOT98S7-nBvH90jdIvOz1BiX0L-rWa1152P06OS/s1600/15816454289_d7b39b8659_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKqZ8v_-Q9SgyttrQShgjxu5NLicxklHhBEmI3aeJ10mWjoEL10x7aAlm5tjX6KfYCDtHAe587xup3WmqORjfe3D6I0PscFGjHRSgDcuOT98S7-nBvH90jdIvOz1BiX0L-rWa1152P06OS/s1600/15816454289_d7b39b8659_k.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miller's 200-minute shutout streak this January is the third-longest in Canucks history.<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sworldguy/15816454289/in/photolist-qvtAoZ-q6DtnD-q6DsPK-q6EJrH-pTF8iN-pTF8hf-qb4ZyR-pTNSKz-pTQ7dH-qb4ZwB-qb4Zw6-pTQ7b8-q8XU7C-pefWDU-pTQ76t-pTQ76i-qbfcFk-pm4ain-q8XUeG-peujGe-peujEa-q8XTXj-qbfcAa-qbbXbm-pTF7UG-qbbX9s-pTF7Qo-qb4ZiF-pTNSo2-q8XTRY-q8XTQf-pTNSkM-pTG3Hq-pTNSmP-pTF7JS-q8XTM9-pTQ6KD-q8XTH1-qbbWUu-qb4Za4-pTG3xW-pTNSbZ-pTF7Db-pefWcm-pTNS9e-pTG3vS-pTG3x5-pTF7Vy-q8XTLC-peujkn" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Flickr: Jerry Meaden</span></a></td></tr>
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As quickly as Ryan Miller started living up to his $6 million price tag, he's plummeted back into goaltending mediocrity. For a stretch between December 20 and January 19, Ryan Miller put together a .955 save percentage. That run, which included the longest shutout streak in Canucks history since Roberto Luongo in 2008 -- bumped his save percentage up to a healthy .919.</div>
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If not for his struggles around mid-November and early-December, when that percentage hovered around .900 and the bottom of the league, he just might have been a consideration to join Radim Vrbata in Columbus this past month. But since then, the softies have again found ways to squeak through. </div>
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As of today's loss against Minnesota, he ranks 19th in save percentage, putting him in the same range as Jonathan "centre ice" Bernier (.915), Anton Khubodin (.914) and Cam Ward (.913) -- all of whom are goalies on non-playoff teams. Conversely, thanks to back-to-back shutouts this month against Philadelphia and Carolina, Miller ranks second in league shutouts. Which is a perfect representation of the Miller we've come to know in his first year with Vancouver. When he's on -- he's worth all $6 million and more. When he's not -- the thought of possibly dangling Lack as trade bait becomes increasingly frightening.</div>
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But such fright has no place in these monthly highlight packages. This is a place where Miller charges Brayden Schenn glove-save-deep in a 200-minute shutout streak. And where Luongo's trade return outperforms Zack Kassian and embarrasses Justin Faulk at every opportunity. That said, here are the top five plays from the Vancouver Canucks this past January.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yLniNXm9AYc" width="560"></iframe>
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You saw it here first. A Canucks highlight package that doesn't feature either Sedin. It's not even as if the twins didn't perform this past month. With 9 and 10 points, respectively, Daniel and Henrik led the Canucks in January scoring. Though something tells me that if Shawn Matthias could borrow just the smallest fraction of puck luck or finish around the net, he could have easily tripled or quadrupled his 1 goal and 2 assists this month.<br />
<br />
Simply put, Matthias is playing incredible hockey. His effort and playing style is exactly what the Canucks have needed from Kassian. If only some combination of either Matthias developing more of Kassian's raw skill or the latter developing more of the Matthias's determination could come to fruition.<br />
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Matthias isn't scoring often, but that's about as pretty a goal as you'll see any of the Canucks score this season.<br />
<br />
-HC<br />
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<b>RELATED ARTICLES</b><br />
<b><br /></b><a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2015/01/the-canucks-top-five-goals-of-december.html" target="_blank">The Canucks' Top 5 Goals of December 2014</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/12/vancouver-canucks-top-5-goals-of-month.html">The Canucks' Top 5 Goals of November 2014</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.com/2014/10/radim-vrbata-canucks-shiniest-new-toy.html" target="_blank">Vrbata and Miller: The Canucks' shiniest new toys</a><br />
<br />Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-29681103491365301332015-01-03T03:16:00.000-08:002015-01-03T03:34:54.868-08:00The Canucks' month-in-review and top five goals of December (video)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOm-OSZQqFt7cFpQwGXg67dXq2ChknRhxxLCtyVFG1K0Eh64fGuLbyAGT0-ZPpaBcPE_nQhc1CCkoZg64ja2eL1q7083fMg1P6QwvIHQVQAYDa1N_39RG6gune_NDTmT1wnUyPwj5U9M7R/s1600/5356748718_0f9616839e_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOm-OSZQqFt7cFpQwGXg67dXq2ChknRhxxLCtyVFG1K0Eh64fGuLbyAGT0-ZPpaBcPE_nQhc1CCkoZg64ja2eL1q7083fMg1P6QwvIHQVQAYDa1N_39RG6gune_NDTmT1wnUyPwj5U9M7R/s1600/5356748718_0f9616839e_b.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With 10 points in 11 games, Daniel led all Canucks in scoring this December.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Bless those Canucks for keeping it interesting. Never mind Thursday night's all-too-familiar victimization at the hands of Los Angles. December's back-and-forth 5-4-2 record is a microcosm for everything Canucks fans are wondering about their team right now. The Canucks have dropped in the standings and now that expectations have levelled out in kind, it's been hard to get a proper read on the team mid-season.<br />
<br />
On one hand, you have a team that can appropriately dismantle bottom-rung teams like the Arizona Coyotes -- complete with <a href="http://youtu.be/gA_wIgj9Kjo?t=6m2s" target="_blank">a rousing swan song from Tom "skill-is-overrated" Sestito</a>. The same team that can register a gutsy 3-1 win against the San Jose Sharks on the back of Ryan Miller.<br />
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On the other hand, there's the Canucks we've seen this past month that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8OOylEXFk8" target="_blank">can't time a pinch from any defenceman to save their lives</a>. The same Canucks that gave up a 3-0 lead to the 23rd-place Ottawa Senators. And yes, the most-recent iteration of the Canucks that have been outshot a <a href="https://twitter.com/BradZiemer/status/550891687929597953" target="_blank">well-documented</a> 103-51 in their last three games.<br />
<br />
But hey. It's the holidays. So while the Canucks' YouTube channel gave you <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp1Yh89kxjc" target="_blank">three minutes of feel-good Christmas banter and Luca Sbisa adorably cuddling a BC SPCA kitten</a>, Bure's Triple Deke is here to give you the team's top five goals from the past month.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mTlNRHKX2sg" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Some observations:<br />
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5. The days of Daniel-the-goal-scorer are long, long gone. So just in case Santa didn't put enough rum in your egg nog this Christmas, seeing Daniel Sedin emphatically snipe a shot from the wing this past December should have been enough to spread appropriate holiday cheer. In the ever-increasing absence of an effective snap or wrist shot, Daniel seems to now rely on a well-placed slapper on the rare occasion he doesn't pass. Prior to this goal against Washington in early-December, he's tried a slapper off the rush on a couple of occasions and has at least hand-cuffed the goalie each time. It's extremely encouraging to see that Daniel can still place a shot virtually no goalie can reach.<br />
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4 and 3. Remember last season, when Jannik Hansen was very-nearly playing his way out of a roster spot? After a career-high 0.57 points-per-game rate in 2012-13, the Danish winger all but disappeared with 20 points in 71 games in 2013-14. Well apparently that's just another thing you can file under Tortorella. Hansen is amazingly on pace for his 20-goal campaign while being deployed a paltry 12 minutes per game -- his lowest average ice time since 2008-09 and a far cry from the 17 minutes he was earning in 2012-13. Hansen is relevant again and in a big way. Now let's just hope that Dustin Brown's ongoing idiocy Thursday night didn't do any insidious damage.<br />
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2. Does anyone do mid-season choices for the Canucks' team awards? Consider this my Chris Tanev for top defenceman ballot. Not only has he resurrected Alex Edler's career, he simply <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPerA-CkUmo" target="_blank">doesn't know how to score an ordinary goal</a>.<br />
<br />
1. What. Just. Happened.<br />
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<i>*See also: <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/12/watch-radim-vrbata-pull-same-ridiculous.html">Watch Radim Vrbata pull off the same ridiculous deke three years apart</a></i><br />
<br />
-HC<br />
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P.S. Brad Richardson absolutely deserves to be -- but isn't -- highlighted for carrying the Sedin-support this past month. With 8 points in 11 games, he tied for second-most by a Canuck in December with Henrik and Vrbata.<br />
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<b>RELATED ARTICLES</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/12/vancouver-canucks-top-5-goals-of-month.html">The Canucks' Top 5 Goals of November 2014</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/11/canucks-monthly-recap-top-5-plays-of.html">The Canucks' Top 5 Goals of October 2014</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/12/watch-radim-vrbata-pull-same-ridiculous.html">Watch Radim Vrbata pull off the same ridiculous deke three years apart</a><br />
<br />Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-24572437310310879192014-12-27T17:15:00.000-08:002015-01-03T00:08:51.423-08:00Bure, Ohlund and Sedin: The World Junior's All-Canucks Team<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-q5xwhyzGY1B9zdStfBKbUuuWi4MSv8D89MI2ZT0ensMzJa5tVOWHl-7BFM_anCFDdUC0xaqfAzpKEJts2_jkQmMrxdUj-wgp5Tnrm8nr0OX1LOda1z7Hiohls8B80aqyCvGBoY_UytQ0/s1600/wjc+all+time.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-q5xwhyzGY1B9zdStfBKbUuuWi4MSv8D89MI2ZT0ensMzJa5tVOWHl-7BFM_anCFDdUC0xaqfAzpKEJts2_jkQmMrxdUj-wgp5Tnrm8nr0OX1LOda1z7Hiohls8B80aqyCvGBoY_UytQ0/s1600/wjc+all+time.png" height="200" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mattias Ohlund, Pavel Bure and Daniel Sedin have all <br />
starred in the World Juniors as Canucks prospects.</td></tr>
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Until they actually make it to the NHL, the World Juniors is far and away the most closely-scrutinized and highly-celebrated stage for the league's best prospects. And when the average hockey fan is reduced to reading the same cliche scouting reports on their team's draft picks over and over and over, there's nothing like actually watching a player like Jake Virtanen or Thatcher Demko perform at the highest level among their peers.<br />
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And every so often, you'll be lucky enough to not only see your team's best prospects play internationally, but watch them absolutely dominate the tournament. A couple of years ago, we highlighted the very <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2012/12/vancouver-canucks-all-wjc-team.html" target="_blank">best Canadian Junior performances by Canucks prospects of all-time</a>. Cody Hodgson's 16 points in 2008 was there. As was Luc Bourdon's All-Star Team performance at GM Place in 2006.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">See also: <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2012/12/canadian-canucks-at-wjc-all-time-list.html" target="_blank">The All-Time List of Canucks Prospects to Play for Team Canada at the WJC (up to 2013)</a> </span></i><br />
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But while Canadian prospects will always get more exposure at this tournament, Vancouver have a long history of drafting top flight international prospects. This year, Canucks fans are spoiled with a United Nations showing of Virtanen (Canada), Demko (USA) and Gustav Forsling (Sweden) playing for their respective countries. (Not to mention Cole Cassels narrowly missing a roster spot with the States.) So with this year's international flavour in mind, we've highlighted the best World Junior performances by Canucks prospects -- Canadian or not -- in the history of the tournament:<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Disclaimer: This list only includes players who were Canucks prospects at the time of their World Junior appearances. For example, Markus Naslund's record-setting 13 goals in 1993 doesn't count because he was a Penguins prospect at the time. Neither does Roberto Luongo's silver medal in 1999 as a Panthers draft pick.</span><br />
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<u>FIRST TEAM</u><br />
<br />
<i>Forwards</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>Pavel Bure (Soviet Union, 1989-91) - </b>Before he was even drafted, Bure won Best Forward honours (8 goals and 14 points) in 1989 while playing on a fabled line with Alexander Mogilny and Sergei Fedorov. The following year -- his first as a Canucks prospect -- Bure led the Soviets with seven goals. His 10 points, however, were overshadowed in tournament play by the Czech duo of Robert Reichel (21 points) and Jaromir Jagr (18 points).<br />
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In his last year of eligibility (1991), Bure reeled off a record-setting 12 goals in 7 games, surpassed only by Markus Naslund (13 in 1993) since. Meanwhile, his three-year total of 27 goals in 21 games is an all-time record that no one has come close to. His 39 points are third to only Reichel (40) and Peter Forsberg (42). Throw in a gold and two silvers and you have an argument for best World Junior career ever.<br />
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<b>Patrik Sundstrom (Sweden, 1980-81) - </b>Forget the Florida Panthers. The Swedish Ice Hockey Federation has an even better case for Canada's historical farm team. But before Vancouver was drafting guys like Henrik, Daniel, Edler and Ohlund, there was Patrick Sundstrom. In 1980, he played a supporting role (1 assist in 5 games) on a bronze-winning Swedish team that featured a pair of perennial NHL All-Stars in Hakan Loob and Thomas Steen.<br />
<br />
But without Loob and Steen the following year, it was the Canucks' 175th overall pick that led Sweden to an undefeated record and a gold medal in 1981. With 7 goals in 5 games, Sundstrom won Best Forward and All-Star Team honours, becoming the first Canucks prospect to earn either distinction at the World Juniors.*<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Vladimir Krutov won Best Forward and All-Star honours in 1979 and 1980, but the Canucks didn't draft him until 1986.</span><br />
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<b>Jordan Schroeder (USA, 2008-10) - </b>It's hard to imagine now, but it wasn't very long ago that the Canucks' 2009 first-rounder (who now appears destined a career in either the AHL or Europe) was a can't miss prospect. At 17 years old, he led the tournament with 7 assists in 2008. The following year, Schroeder tied for fourth in tournament scoring with 13 points -- his 8 assists ranked second only to Cody Hodgson. And that's all before he was even drafted by the Canucks in 2008.<br />
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Playing again in 2009, Schroeder wasn't quite as dominant as would be expected for his third World Juniors. But he was instrumental nonetheless in helping the United States capture their second gold medal in tournament history. His 8 points ranked fifth in team scoring and included a goal in the United States' 5-4 overtime win over Team Canada in the gold medal game. Totalling 20 assists in 19 career games, Schroeder ranks as the fourth-best playmaker in World Junior history. Meanwhile, his 27 points is tops among Americans at the World Juniors, having bested one of the country's all-time greats in Jeremy Roenick.<br />
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<i>Defencemen</i><br />
<u><br /></u>
<b>Mattias Ohlund (Sweden, 1994-96) - </b>Before becoming the Canucks' defining defenceman of the 2000's, Ohlund was a World Junior stalwart. With three appearances, he won two bronzes and a silver. In his first go, he registered two assists in seven games as a 17-year-old. The following year, he appeared in just three of Sweden's seven games for reasons that are, alas, un-Googleable. My best guess -- suspension for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWA9OclF_mE" target="_blank">two-hand slashing one of those pesky Finns</a>.<br />
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With two years of World Junior already under his belt, Ohlund dominated in 1996, notching five assists and outperforming fellow blueliners Lubomir Visnovsky (Slovakia) and Bryan Berard (USA) for the Best Defenceman Award. The Canucks' 13th overall pick in 1994 was also named to the Tournament All-Star Team.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYjXjIwJw-ov8IIjFXpYqo8Y5Xy2Q2fl7rVPh95THKxCiSPtClP6MR82ZpFvIhbPBFaKupCjbdq3yFHSluGwx2iUF-v-tsEhrTOUTRmpVnQ54BMG1I09EyFLtyqP_kuV_5otYHAc7kGBk/s1600/35158941_f29d619db9_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYjXjIwJw-ov8IIjFXpYqo8Y5Xy2Q2fl7rVPh95THKxCiSPtClP6MR82ZpFvIhbPBFaKupCjbdq3yFHSluGwx2iUF-v-tsEhrTOUTRmpVnQ54BMG1I09EyFLtyqP_kuV_5otYHAc7kGBk/s1600/35158941_f29d619db9_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bourdon won back-to-back gold medals and starred in front of <br />
Canucks fans in 2006. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Flickr: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lester/35158941/in/photolist-9NpQNf-4S29jH-5iN8Nb-62Z9wu-62UUnD-62UUqr-62UUrF-47cwD-4TLcpV-4TQqKS-4TQqNJ-4TLcoi-4TQqGY-4T4Eqg-4T4EvP-4NQmJe-4NQmAp-4NQhHP-4RUamK-4RZLAW-9Cb31Z-8hi5kn" target="_blank">Mister Leung</a>)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b></b><b>Luc Bourdon (Canada, 2006-07) - </b>After the post-lockout draft lottery dropped a 10th overall selection in the Canucks' lap, Bourdon became Vancouver's most highly-anticipated defenceman since, well, Mattias Ohlund. And what better way for Canucks fans to get an advance showing of Bourdon than at the 2006 World Juniors, hosted in Vancouver. Showered with refrains of "Luuuuuc", the New Brunswick native notched 1 goal and 6 points, earned Tournament All-Star honours and helped Team Canada to a gold medal in front of the GM Place faithful.<br />
<br />
The following year, Bourdon once again starred on Team Canada's blueline, registering a pair of goals and assists en route to his second consecutive gold medal.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>Goaltender</i><br />
<u><br /></u>
<b>Cory Schneider (USA, 2005-06) - </b>Playing backup to the far-more-celebrated Al Montoya (what a difference a decade makes), Schneider's World Junior debut in 2005 was forgettable. Given the start for what should have been a laugher against Belarus, Schneider was pulled after allowing three goals on eight shots in just over a period of play. (Which, as we all know, virtually never happens to Canucks goaltenders...)<br />
<br />
The most well-spoken ginger in Canucks goaltending history proved his start against Belarus to be a fluke, as he took the starting job the following year. Playing opposite Bourdon in Vancouver's 2006 tournament, he very nearly backstopped the United States to a podium finish with a 2.67 GAA and .912 save percentage.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<u>SECOND TEAM</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
<i>Forwards</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6VsT9D3zDT034Gv709Kne8GCxNhRQA4KTV7j7G0H9ly6p8g2jJDFLPiVxgMCgND7vxdCfeEY-xsVj-u5h82182ri0_JVvZTAFvRJkQAa6SXaEfayPUqs8rUrs1F9EerG0TB8Z4cPr-ua/s1600/4568714782_69781f686b_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6VsT9D3zDT034Gv709Kne8GCxNhRQA4KTV7j7G0H9ly6p8g2jJDFLPiVxgMCgND7vxdCfeEY-xsVj-u5h82182ri0_JVvZTAFvRJkQAa6SXaEfayPUqs8rUrs1F9EerG0TB8Z4cPr-ua/s1600/4568714782_69781f686b_b.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before becoming two-time Olympians, the <br />
Sedins appeared in three World Juniors.<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mafue/4568714782/in/photolist-7XHRJw-7XHEP9-5no9NX-7FPMrX-aavmqB-kfdAag-kfqHRV-kfuTCx-kfgFSe-kfo1kd-kfBbEK-5nsqH9" target="_blank">(Flickr: Matt Boulton)</a></span></td></tr>
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<i><br /></i>
<b>Daniel Sedin (Sweden, 1998-2000) - </b>You saw it here. Like a Ryan Kesler pass off the rush, this is an exceedingly rare instance in which one Sedin makes an appearance without the other. Henrik and Daniel appeared in three tournaments and despite racking up 26 and 25 points, respectively, Sweden was held completely off the podium during the twins' World Junior career. That said, the Sedins warrant just one hallowed spot on the Second All-Star Team and it goes to Daniel for his 15 goals in 20 games, good for ninth in all-time WJC scoring.<br />
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<i>*The above write-up was edited due to errors in the original post including the Sedins' career WJC points totals and the fact that they appeared in not two, but three tournaments.</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Cody Hodgson (Canada, 2009) - </b>A tournament-leading 16 points, including three points in the gold medal game and an unofficial assist on the <a href="http://youtu.be/vnAuE65lEQc?t=7m29s" target="_blank">single-greatest goal in Canadian World Junior history</a>. If not for the back injury to end all back injuries, Hodgson would have undoubtedly captained Team Canada in 2010. And a similar performance to 2009 would have put him in contention with Eric Lindros' 31-point Canadian record. Not to mention hypothetically pushing Canada past the U.S. in the gold medal game.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Petri Skriko (Finland, 1981-82) - </b>After putting up a more-than-respectable 6 points in 5 games at the 1981 World Juniors, the Canucks' two-time leading scorer went full-Hodgson the next year with 8 goals and 15 points, good for Best Forward and All-Star Team honours to go along with his bronze medal with Finland.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<i>Defencemen</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>Jiri Slegr (Czechoslovakia, 1990-91) - </b>Two bronze medals and 16 points in 14 games. The offensive Czech blueliner was the first Canucks prospect to win Best Defenceman honours to complement his All-Star Team nod in 1991.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Brent Tully (Canada, 1993-94) - </b>Who? Despite a junior career that included a World Junior All-Star Team nod in 1993 (alongside Peter Forsberg and Paul Kariya) and a tenure as Team Canada's captain in 1994, Tully would fail to appear in a single NHL game. He was the Canucks' 4th round pick in 1992.<br />
<br />
<i>Goaltender</i><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b>Lukas Mensator (Czech Republic, 2003) - </b>I swear, I didn't design this article to end on a couple of downers. But the Canucks aren't a particularly strong team when it comes to their history for drafting goaltenders. Kirk McLean and Roberto Luongo were both acquired by trade after all. This Canucks draft pick played backup for the Czechs to one Martin Falter in 2003. Three games and a 1.82 GAA. It was either Mensator or Vancouver Voodoo alumnus Frank Caprice. Honestly.<br />
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At the top end of the Canucks' history at the World Juniors, our prospects have been an elite bunch in U20 play. In total, four Canucks draft picks have been named Best Forwards -- Patrik Sundstrom, Petri Skriko, Jim Sandlak and Pavel Bure. Two Best Defencemen -- Jiri Slegr and Mattias Ohlund. Eight Tournament All-Stars -- Sundstrom, Skriko, Bure, Slegr, Brent Tully, Ohlund, Luc Bourdon and Cody Hodgson. And one Lukas Mensator.<br />
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Here's to the <a href="http://youtu.be/eZy3-OxHROg?t=19m49s" target="_blank">next best World Junior performance</a>.<br />
<br />
-HC<br />
<br />
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<b>RELATED ARTICLES</b><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/12/cole-cassels-dual-citizenship-is-he.html" target="_blank">A look at Cole Cassels' dual citizenship</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/01/bo-horvat-at-world-juniors-not-canadas.html" target="_blank">Bo Horvat at the 2014 World Juniors</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2012/12/canadian-canucks-at-wjc-all-time-list.html" target="_blank">Canucks prospects at the WJC: All-time list</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2012/12/vancouver-canucks-all-wjc-team.html" target="_blank">Hodgson, Bourdon and the Canucks All-Canadian WJC Team</a>
Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-46362194460289615672014-12-14T16:50:00.000-08:002014-12-14T17:35:16.239-08:00Cole Cassels dual citizenship: Is he competing for a spot on the "wrong" team?<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I have no idea which one is Cassels -- but he's somewhere on this <br />bronze medal-winning Ontario team from the 2012 World U17s.</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image: Hockey Canada</span></td></tr>
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There was considerable surprise when Cole Cassels was named to Team USA's preliminary roster for the 2015 World Juniors. <a href="http://www.worldjunior2015.com/en/news/us-invite-30-players/" target="_blank">USA Hockey made the announcement</a> just a week after Cassels was <a href="http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/11/26/canucks-prospect-cole-cassels-suspended-10-games-for-head-hit/" target="_blank">handed a 10-game OHL suspension</a> for a hit to the head of Damir Sharipzyanov. (Amazingly, the 18-year-old defenceman didn't miss a game and is currently on Russia's preliminary WJC roster.)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Because the IIHF (strangely) upholds CHL suspensions, Cassels would be ineligible to play the United States' first two games. But for those of you who have been following Cassels' progression this season, he has added to his two-way reputation an offensive upside that -- if not for his current suspension -- would put him among the <a href="http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/show/type/top_scorers/ls_season/51" target="_blank">OHL's top five scorers</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It'll be interesting to see whether USA Hockey retains him on their roster. With the United States' second game coming against Germany, they'll only truly miss him for the opener against Finland. And he'll still be able to practice with the team and compete in exhibitions, so it's not as if he'll be coming into the tournament cold.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
But the more interesting question is this: If not for his suspension, would the Ohio-born and Connecticut-raised Cassels be competing for a spot on Team Canada instead? Better yet, would he <i>prefer </i>to play for Team Canada?<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
Cassels' international playing history, while limited, represents a bit of a mixed bag. As the son of former Canuck and Brampton-born Andrew Cassels (he who centred Naslund and Bertuzzi before the West Coast Express), the 2013 draft pick is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States. It's why in 2012, he won bronze <a href="http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/National-Championships/Men/World-U17/2012/Schedule/ONT" target="_blank">with Team Ontario alongside Bo Horvat at the World U17s</a> and then competed in <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=639021" target="_blank">USA Hockey's All-American Prospects Game eight months later</a>.<br />
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But it's not as if Cassels <i>chose </i>Hockey Canada over USA Hockey for the World U17s. The United States typically reserves the tournament for players from their year-round National Development Team, precluding Cassels, an OHL player, from even being a consideration for USA Hockey. And at the time, Hockey Canada was still fielding five regional U17 teams, making it a lot easier to crack Team Ontario.<br />
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It's interesting to note, however, what happened to Cassels at the U18 level, as he didn't appear in either competition -- the 2012 Ivan Hlinka or the 2013 IIHF tournament -- for either country. With Canada fielding a single U18 team in international competition, centers like <a href="http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/Team-Canada/Men/Under-18/2012-13/World-Championship/CAN-Roster" target="_blank">Nathan Mackinnon, Sam Reinhart, Nic Petan and Horvat</a> were simply way ahead of him on the depth chart.<br />
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But what about his American eligibility as a U18? As with their U17 team, the States reserves the IIHF tournament at that age level for players from their National Development Program. However, in international hockey's other U18s, the Ivan Hlinka, USA Hockey fields an annual team comprised of players outside their Development Program -- those from high school academies, the USHL and yes, the CHL.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBonq5ZT7d8Kn2rPhtE-bib7sN2FM3C5N9o0X1GAVLAVlCi7tquedoSA9a2fEYsK3dtmMvbAArhuyUF7zylFPMs-1-A3nN60HY7V0Kg1xCqfRuIkRT_AIowUumiOD2m25VbvzLDuH7LfYE/s1600/Cole+Cassels+USA+Hockey+American+Prospects+6sP1xJXiu0xl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBonq5ZT7d8Kn2rPhtE-bib7sN2FM3C5N9o0X1GAVLAVlCi7tquedoSA9a2fEYsK3dtmMvbAArhuyUF7zylFPMs-1-A3nN60HY7V0Kg1xCqfRuIkRT_AIowUumiOD2m25VbvzLDuH7LfYE/s1600/Cole+Cassels+USA+Hockey+American+Prospects+6sP1xJXiu0xl.jpg" height="320" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cassels in USA Hockey's All-American<br />Prospects Game in September 2012.</span></td></tr>
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Perhaps USA Hockey passed on Cassels. But that seems extremely unlikely, especially given <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=637163" target="_blank">their roster at the 2012 Hlinka</a> -- a team with three forwards that were listed below Cassels in <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftprospectbrowse.htm?cat=1&sort=finalRank&year=2013&pg=1" target="_blank">Central Scoutings final rankings for the 2013 draft</a>, as well as another three that were unranked altogether.<br />
Alternatively, maybe he passed on <i>them</i>. Coming off a bronze medal with Hockey Canada at the U17s, it's plausible that he was holding out for an international career with the red and white. But what about his participation in USA Hockey's 2012 Prospects Game? Well, it's one thing to take part in an all-star competition for scouting exposure -- quite another to don an American uniform in international competition when you might be gunning for a spot for Canada in, say...the World Juniors.
<br />
<br />
As an aside, it's worth mentioning that because the Ivan Hlinka is unsanctioned by the IIHF, playing for the States in that particular tournament wouldn't have actually precluded him from playing for Team Canada in future tournaments (see <a href="http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/championships/iihf-eligibility.html" target="_blank">IIHF eligibility rules here</a>). But if he was holding out for a spot on future Canadian teams, perhaps it was in his best interests to demonstrate his allegiance by passing on Team USA.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to this November and Cassels used his dual citizenship to suit up for <a href="http://www.subwaysuperseries.ca/page/ohl-roster" target="_blank">Team OHL -- a squad of Canadian all-stars</a> -- against Russia. The annual Subway Series is seen by many as a final shot for Team Canada hopefuls to plead their case for a selection camp spot. Unlike USA Hockey's Prospects Game, the CHL's Subway Series rosters are dominated by players who are already drafted. Subway Series players aren't looking for exposure to NHL scouts; they're looking for a spot on Team Canada.<br />
<br />
For all of Team Canada's depth, Cassels would have been a desirable player for their 2015 team. Captain of the Oshawa Generals, he is an established two-way centre whose offensive upside has skyrocketed in his fourth OHL season. In other words, a perfect fit for Canada's bottom-six -- let alone the selection camp roster.<br />
<br />
Of course, this is all before Cassels was handed down his 10-game suspension. Despite being held off the podium in the last two years, Canada retains by far the deepest talent pool. That said, Canada can afford not to invite a player of Cassels' calibre. There's no use in Cassels competing for a bottom-six role with players like Robby Fabbri or Jason Dickinson when Hockey Canada could have have one of his would-be competitors for the full tournament.<br />
<br />
And to be fair, the United States are no slouch internationally. But simply put, they could use a player like Cassels at limited availability a lot more than Canada.<br />
<br />
That said, Cassels is still playing against the odds for a final spot on Team USA. But if he does get the call, can you guess who the United States ends up playing in his first eligible game?<br />
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Come New Year's Eve, Canada might find out exactly what Cassels can do at the World Juniors. Trouble is, it might be for the wrong team. I wonder if Cassels feels the same way.<br />
<br />
-HC
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<b>RELATED ARTICLES</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/01/bo-horvat-at-world-juniors-not-canadas.html" target="_blank">Bo Horvat at the 2014 World Juniors</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2012/12/canadian-canucks-at-wjc-all-time-list.html" target="_blank">Canucks prospects at the WJC: All-time list</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2012/12/vancouver-canucks-all-wjc-team.html" target="_blank">Hodgson, Bourdon and the Canucks All-Canadian WJC Team</a></div>
Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-87461194599754725942014-12-08T01:05:00.002-08:002014-12-08T01:29:53.032-08:00Watch Radim Vrbata pull off the same ridiculous deke three years apart<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image credit: Canucks YouTube</span></td></tr>
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Besides a point in the standings, if tonight's 4-3 meltdown against the Sens was worth anything, it was bearing witness to Radim Vrbata's outrageous behind-the-net tuck-in on Craig Anderson to open the scoring.<br />
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When you're a team whose two offensive stars are playmakers, the highlight reel goals you're used to seeing are typically some sort of tic-tac-toe, no-look-pass wizardry. Enter about every other goal that both Sedins are in on.<br />
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Then a natural goal-scorer like Vrbata comes along and for the first time in a long time, you see an individual effort with enough filth to make all the Miley Cyruses among us blush. Yes, Old 17 was also good for the odd solo effort, but his eventual insistence on doing it alone <i>every single rush</i> was so infuriating that the wonder was lost when it actually worked.<br />
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After the game, Vrbata told reporters it wasn't the first time he had used that move before.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash">#Canucks</a> Vrbata on radio: 'I've scored a couple of goals like that before. It's a good move.'<br />
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) <a href="https://twitter.com/patersonjeff/status/541756979040231424">December 8, 2014</a></blockquote>
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At the beginning of the season, we scoured the depths of YouTube and NHL.com for the best of Vrbata's career goals to be unearthed. That said, watch Vrbata's goal from tonight below, followed by him pulling off the exact same move three years ago in 2011-12. Bonus points for embarrassing Corey Crawford in the process.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/71_GBXZ7sHs" width="560"></iframe><br />
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(The following is a top ten video -- hitting play should automatically start with the goal in question. If not, it's at 3:20.)<br />
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A bit different the first time around against Chicago. Vrbata takes advantage of the Hawks' defence scrambling in their zone, as opposed to connecting on the rush against Ottawa. But it's dripping with every bit as much skill.<br />
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Paired alongside his <a href="http://youtu.be/uFb2rIkzFFo?t=2m6s" target="_blank">reverse, no-look pass to Henrik</a> a few games ago against Columbus, it's clearly no fluke that he's on pace for a career-high 70 points this season. It would also be the first time a Canuck besides the Sedins scored that much since Kesler's 73 points in 2010-11. So there's that.<br />
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By the way, the Canucks also just lost their second straight game and were absolutely dominated in the second half.<br />
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That deke, doe.<br />
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-HC<br />
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<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/12/vancouver-canucks-top-5-goals-of-month.html" target="_blank">The Canucks Top 5 Goals of November</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/BuresTripleDeke/videos?view=0&flow=grid" target="_blank">Bure's Triple Deke on YouTube</a>Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-42858512059460390542014-12-06T17:43:00.001-08:002014-12-08T01:07:27.546-08:00Vancouver Canucks Top 5 Goals of the Month | November 2014One of these months I'll actually post these videos in a timely manner. But nonetheless, the Canucks are another month and change into this blissfully surprising season and much like the <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/11/canucks-monthly-recap-top-5-plays-of.html" target="_blank">first month-in-review</a>, this past November was well worth documenting.<br />
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Going 9-4-1, the Canucks continued to duke it out with Team Giordano over in Calgary for surprise team of the year. And while the quick start of the first two lines, catalyzed by Vrbata and Bonino, was the story of October, the emergence of the team's bottom six have allowed Willie Desjardins to make good on his promise to roll all four units. It's one thing to do it, but with literally all six current members of the bottom two lines on a 30-plus-point pace, the Canucks have never looked so good in the process.<br />
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It makes sense then that in this November's edition of the Top 5 Goals of the Month, all four lines are well-represented. From Hank and Dank's continued dominance in overtime to Bo Horvat's first NHL goal, this one's full of talent, grit and sweet, sweet career milestones:<br />
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(Oh, I also discovered the joys of custom thumbnails. This is an embarrassingly huge victory for me.)<br />
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A few quick thoughts on these goals:<br />
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*Shawn Matthias has far more vision than anyone had been giving him credit for. Unless you're Henrik Sedin or Sidney Crosby, nine times out of ten, that play on Hansen's short handed goal would have simply gone down the boards. With his size (and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUs_pYahGRk" target="_blank">actual ability to use it</a>) to boot, Matthias is a player that is making a lot of people forget Zack Kassian is even missing on the third line.<br />
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*I once read in some obscure, long-forgotten message board that the Oilers of the 80's used to purposefully take penalties on power plays, so as to get 4-on-4 scenarios for guys like Gretzky and Coffey to take advantage of. And while that sounds utterly and completely untrue, the Sedins' play in OT makes me feel like the Canucks should just send Dorsett out to run the goalie to start each power play.<br />
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*If anyone's betting on this month's annual SuperSkills Competition (...I feel like <i>somewhere</i> this is something that actually happens), all the money I ever made is on Nick Bonino for shooting accuracy.<br />
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*And lastly, Bo. Horvat.<br />
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-HC
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<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/11/canucks-monthly-recap-top-5-plays-of.html" target="_blank">Canucks Top 5 Goals of October</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/10/luongo-passes-roy-in-all-time-shutouts.html" target="_blank">Luongo's 67th career shutout, passes Roy</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/BuresTripleDeke/videos?view=0&flow=grid" target="_blank">Bure's Triple Deke on YouTube</a>Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-3356568099272662012014-11-05T01:10:00.000-08:002014-11-05T01:20:20.798-08:00Canucks monthly recap [Top 5 Plays of October]Back in 2013, this blog ran a series of <strike>filler</strike> monthly Canucks recaps <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7jpQxlSPVhYyLWjeU1J30d_DbCHTp5ht" target="_blank">complete with 'top five' videos</a>. And much like the Sedins so far this season, that monthly feature is being officially resurrected. Unfortunately, much like Luca Sbisa on any given shift, the timing is also already just a little bit off. So let's forget that the Canucks are already three games into November and take a look back at the team's best during the first calendar month of the season.<br />
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Not a bad start for the new regime. Some quick thoughts:<br />
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*Nick Bonino is surprisingly lethal off the rush. Perhaps owing to the fact that defencemen and goalies know there is an actual possibility he could pass to a linemate. Refreshing to see for a second line centre.<br />
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*In Ryan Miller, the Canucks have an all-star goalie who a) wants to be here and b) is firmly entrenched on the depth chart. Again, a mind-blowing rendition of Canucks hockey.<br />
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*Radim Vrbata just might have saved the Sedins careers. Another 50-point season from Henrik and he likely would not have been long for the Markus Naslund treatment in Vancouver.<br />
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A month in and Benning's got his fingerprints all over the Canucks' success thus far. Among his three highest-profile acquisitions, the early returns have either met or exceeded expectations. As demonstrated above, they also happen to be extremely fun to watch.<br />
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-HC
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<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/10/luongo-passes-roy-in-all-time-shutouts.html" target="_blank">Luongo's 67th shutout vs Patrick Roy</a><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/BuresTripleDeke/videos?view=0&flow=grid" target="_blank">Bure's Triple Deke on YouTube</a>Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-41295683384922306802014-10-19T18:29:00.000-07:002014-10-19T22:59:03.815-07:00Luongo's 67th shutout and the generational disparity with Patrick Roy<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NoD6a7bvAz3V8zgc2fROkGs-5nJGyQhIW8tWPJXcAljepLE6KUfZg1tRXR5dFpqI641u5ejtwyi3xl9M7dsSlHE_Ei8WCvHYygCoGBX-FZ0QDGVoHhthFFOch5iCzBgAWn_s_KKfBJr1/s1600/Lu+Roy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6NoD6a7bvAz3V8zgc2fROkGs-5nJGyQhIW8tWPJXcAljepLE6KUfZg1tRXR5dFpqI641u5ejtwyi3xl9M7dsSlHE_Ei8WCvHYygCoGBX-FZ0QDGVoHhthFFOch5iCzBgAWn_s_KKfBJr1/s1600/Lu+Roy.png" height="270" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With his 67th career shutout, Luongo has bested Roy all-time.</td></tr>
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After three straight wins and a shutout two nights ago, it is officially Miller Time in Vancouver. But hockey fans around here have obvious reason to follow the goaltending in Florida these days. And for that reason, it should be noted that Friday's showdown between the Panthers and Sabres had notable implications beyond Connor McDavid. </div>
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Stopping <strike>all</strike> 18 shots against CoHo and company, <a href="http://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2014020056" target="_blank">Roberto Luongo recorded his 67th career shutout last night</a>. In the process, he surpassed Patrick Roy for 13th overall on the <a href="http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/records/nhl-goalies-all-time-shutouts-leaders.html" target="_blank">all-time shutouts list</a>.<br />
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Granted, that's not quite as shocking as <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/story/2014-10-13/florida-panthers-attendance-photos-empty-arena" target="_blank">other recent hockey news out of Florida</a>. (If Lu had waited two more games to pitch the shutout against St. Patrick's Colorado Avalanche himself -- well, there's a legitimate story.) Nonetheless, passing one of the top three goalies of all-time and father of the butterfly in any major stat is a significant achievement. But there's a legitimate counter-argument worth exploring.</div>
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<a name='more'></a>Although there is some time overlap between Roy and Luongo's careers -- the former Canuck began his career four seasons before St. Patrick ended his -- the fact of the matter is that the two Quebec natives played in very different iterations of the NHL. Roy broke into the league at a time when scoring was at an all-time high.<br />
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See the graph below for an illustration of what the median GAA was in the NHL during Luongo's career versus Roy's.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcUE2_6GvT4r-a_SJSLclR8JNPT1JRMJp4r1_IKLofG1_jd745VvLfX_AysdkIPXevHuv5rJ1aPG5zMB6WjOIcC7yWgGgHRf9M8-_gj66u7KNdbUAtnQypFcX28rOhmTVle-CHRCxm7q7/s1600/LU+ROY+GAA.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGcUE2_6GvT4r-a_SJSLclR8JNPT1JRMJp4r1_IKLofG1_jd745VvLfX_AysdkIPXevHuv5rJ1aPG5zMB6WjOIcC7yWgGgHRf9M8-_gj66u7KNdbUAtnQypFcX28rOhmTVle-CHRCxm7q7/s1600/LU+ROY+GAA.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Mobile readers - tap graph for proper view.</td></tr>
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So on account of the offensive juggernaut that was pretty much the entire NHL in Roy's heyday, shutouts were a far rarer feat. It's why in 1991-92, Roy <a href="http://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/shutouts_yearly.html" target="_blank">topped all league goaltenders</a> with 5 shutouts -- a palsy total by today's standards. It's why a Hall of Famer like Grant Fuhr finished with just 25 career shutouts -- tied for 81st all-time with, wait for it, Roman Cechmanek.</div>
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It's why one could quite successfully argue that Luongo passing Roy in all-time shutouts is nothing more than a generational confound.</div>
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The <a href="http://www.hockey-reference.com/leaders/shutouts_yearly.html" target="_blank">league's annual leader in shutouts</a> averages about double that of the mid-eighties to early-90's. It wasn't until the end of Roy's career that he started putting up the kind of shutout numbers that we see among elite goalies today. His career-high of 9 shutouts led the league in what was his second-to-last season (2001-02). Had Roy played his best years in the dead puck era, like Luongo or all-time leader Martin Brodeur (124 shutouts), it's not outrageous to imagine him finishing with somewhere around 90 or even 100 shutouts.</div>
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Open-and-shut case for diminishing Luongo's accomplishment, then, no? Well...</div>
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While Roy played in a far more offensively-centric league than Luongo does now, he also had the benefit of playing on championship-calibre teams for the vast majority of his career -- something that probably only applies to about five years of Luongo's tenure with the Canucks. The three-time Vezina winner only had to endure backstopping a non-playoff team once in his career -- the 1994-95 Canadiens.</div>
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And while Luongo obviously enjoyed playing on some very good Canucks teams, he is also now entering his seventh year with the Panthers -- all of them playoff-less. As a result, Luongo's career workload -- as measured by total minutes played and shots faced -- averages out to nearly 3 more shots per 60 minutes than Roy's (31.0 to 28.2).<br />
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See the graph below for an illustration for the shots against per game that Roy averaged over the course of his career versus Luongo.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlg79ByJ81bu9AnE8vxbpYsSRxgFpGNqGY-tSDFPhtP3w2ZnrXAeTAcNWHVtUreLzUWBW89Vkd1gthT4Z4aXT4SzyJWNTwh_priZ4cGmaqpQ0ySGGXWSUcGtZKeuVuaNnunhKEy-aHupPi/s1600/lu+roy+sa.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlg79ByJ81bu9AnE8vxbpYsSRxgFpGNqGY-tSDFPhtP3w2ZnrXAeTAcNWHVtUreLzUWBW89Vkd1gthT4Z4aXT4SzyJWNTwh_priZ4cGmaqpQ0ySGGXWSUcGtZKeuVuaNnunhKEy-aHupPi/s1600/lu+roy+sa.png" height="394" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mobile readers -- tap graph for proper view.</td></tr>
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Further illustrating the point is the fact Luongo is author to one of the most impressive and depressingly futile goaltending performances of all-time. His seven shutouts and .931 save percentage on a 2003-04 Panthers team that finished 12th in the East is a goaltending marvel. It remains a severe crime that Martin Brodeur and his .918 save percentage, while playing for the defensively-sound Devils team, walked away with the Vezina that year.</div>
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Now 35 and mired in Florida, Luongo's days posting elite yearly numbers are likely well behind him. But after being so good for so long -- in most cases, single-handedly carrying his teams -- his career stats have now positioned him to continue putting some of the all-time greats in the rear-view mirror. Currently nine shutouts behind Ed Belfour and Tony Esposito (tied for 9th with 76), it's conceivable that Luongo will be shortly cracking the top ten.</div>
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Playing in his seventh year with the Panthers and competing for little else besides the next NHL Draft, you'll know he'll have earned each and every one.</div>
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-HC<br />
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<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2012/08/why-vancouver-can-finally-cheer-for-lu.html" target="_blank">Why Vancouver can finally cheer for Lu</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/09/henrik-and-daniel-plus-minus-royalty.html" target="_blank">Henrik and Daniel: Plus-minus royalty among active players</a>Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-26132843308433457442014-10-11T19:12:00.000-07:002014-10-19T18:51:38.103-07:00Radim Vrbata: The Canucks' shiniest new toy and his top ten career goals<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtr5SeWemqk7rGzFK9HcfRve7aNYz_cpLPOV0G-77B7JfGIeb8Kre0Ev6aQwO6p-XhB0aeos62J4-vEAthYIlvz2OVZd_GhwuN0BfeBSUKiwEPbaPcvhB4GiTalOkrTACmZdasjQJMfbo/s1600/6278749073_147dd6e5b4_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtr5SeWemqk7rGzFK9HcfRve7aNYz_cpLPOV0G-77B7JfGIeb8Kre0Ev6aQwO6p-XhB0aeos62J4-vEAthYIlvz2OVZd_GhwuN0BfeBSUKiwEPbaPcvhB4GiTalOkrTACmZdasjQJMfbo/s1600/6278749073_147dd6e5b4_b.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy. And everything he means to the Sedins<br />
this season. Thank goodness. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Flickr: Bridget Samuels)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's hard to decide which of the Canucks' shiniest new toys -- Radim Vrbata or Ryan Miller -- could end up being more impactful this season. On paper, Miller's Vezina and $6 million salary indicate that the key cog to Vancouver's "New Game" will be in net. But if the season-opener is any indication, Vrbata on the right side of the Sedins is going to give Miller a very healthy run for best off-season signing.<br />
<br />
It's not that Vrbata is going to be more valuable than Miller in and of himself. But what Vrbata brings to the Sedins is something that they have so sorely missed in the past few seasons of their gradual statistical decline -- legitimate finish. Last season was many things, but it was not a disaster in net with Lack. The possibility of Vrbata reigniting the Sedins' point-per-game form will ultimately help this team more than the difference between Miller and Lack.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Now, a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPFd6ZHxU_E&list=UUr-FENk9ztCt4cBLbL5pI-w">borderline-high stick, fluke goal</a> against one of the worst defences in the West is hardly reason to start counting on the Sedins for 80 points apiece again. But the early return is a nice and quick appeasement for last season's offensive debacle on the first line.<br />
<br />
Vrbata and his four 20-goal campaigns represents the most independently capable player the Canucks have ever brought in to play with the Sedins. For once, a player has an opportunity to rescue Daniel and Hank instead of the reverse.<br />
<br />
And so to whet your appetite for what hopes to be the first of an easy 25 (30?) goals on Henrik's wing -- Vrbata's top ten career goals:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/U_DN5fLFKSk" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
Yes, to be fair, this post is likely more aptly named Radim Vrbata's top ten goals post-2009. For the sake of this video, let's just assume that any goals from the first nine years of his career were non-notable, yes? At any rate, it's clear that for as long as YouTube has been keeping track, Vrbata has absolutely oozed offensive instinct. Extra points for having tucked in that goal against Chicago, specifically. And where have we seen that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hzswjk9HFM" target="_blank">move to the backhand</a> before?<br />
<br />
In the past three years, the recipients of the recently-renamed and fan-voted <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavel_Bure_Most_Exciting_Player_Award" target="_blank">Pavel Bure Most Exciting Player Award</a> have been as follows. David Booth, 16 goals (2011-12). Jannik Hansen, 10 goals (2012-13). Zack Kassian, 14 goals (2013-14). If that doesn't tell you how badly the Canucks have needed someone like Vrbata -- that snipe against Detroit, that breakaway against Columbus and the sheer offensive ability in literally every single one of these goals -- then nothing will.<br />
<br />
Welcome to Vancouver, Radim.<br />
<br />
-HC<br />
<br />
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<b>RELATED ARTICLES</b><br />
*<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pavel-bures-top-10-goals-as-vancouver.html" target="_blank">Pavel Bure's Top 10 Career Goals</a><br />
*<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/07/farewell-to-schneider-raymond-and.html" target="_blank">Schneider, Raymond, Lapierre & Ballard's Farewell Top 10</a><br />
*<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/02/video-best-of-manny-malhotra-and-canucks.html" target="_blank">Best of Manny Malhotra</a><br />
*<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2012/09/alex-burrows-backhand-deke.html" target="_blank">Alex Burrows' Backhand Deke</a>Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-30423632132319580862014-03-23T01:27:00.000-07:002014-03-23T13:38:46.287-07:00Five points out of the playoffs, but hey look! Nicklas Jensen!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLKT62hlsrZJ16-LAbhJ2F0zmTiNaxM11XREDqeU3TyYz7AQBRfolm_ZjHxfme7ki6uHXjxvLyBQeqVVXAHiVWTF3kumZ7PuoYXIOuOll43Khj2jANVUTunoOHFHtJt4zESTXlQUZX4Yf/s1600/8369438402_531ceed196_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLKT62hlsrZJ16-LAbhJ2F0zmTiNaxM11XREDqeU3TyYz7AQBRfolm_ZjHxfme7ki6uHXjxvLyBQeqVVXAHiVWTF3kumZ7PuoYXIOuOll43Khj2jANVUTunoOHFHtJt4zESTXlQUZX4Yf/s1600/8369438402_531ceed196_z.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jensen led all SEL rookies with 17 goals in 50 games last year. After a slow start<br />
with Utica, he's living up to the hype on the Canucks' top line. (<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Flickr: anders-h-foto)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Back in early-February, I wrote <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/02/eddie-lack-all-rookie-team-front-runner.html">an article lauding Eddie Lack</a> and how his play was one of the Canucks' few redeeming stories this year. It was a post grasping for any kind of positivity in the face of a precariously-held playoff spot. Oh, that playoff spot. It was a whole fifteen games ago now that the Canucks were still ahead of both Dallas and Phoenix -- if just barely.<br />
<br />
Although Lack's baptism-by-fire, post-Luongo, has loosened his play, he remains one of the few Canucks playing beyond pre-season expectations. And for the past couple of weeks, he's been joined by another pleasantly surprising rookie in Nicklas Jensen.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>In the seven games since being called up from Utica, Jensen has registered five points, three of which have come in the late stages of close games. With the young Dane giving both Henrik Sedin and Alex Burrows a desperately-need spark, the Canucks' first line has been dangerous on a routine basis. And that hasn't been true in a very long while. After seeing Burrows shoot 0 for 86 for the first five months of the season, watching Jensen score from virtually everywhere in the offensive zone has been an incredibly refreshing -- if not, disorienting -- sight for sore eyes. Case in point:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/feo48vGngis?list=UUr-FENk9ztCt4cBLbL5pI-w" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
With the playoffs a near impossibility, their star goalie gone and their best all-around player wanting out, the Canucks' <a href="http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Gallagher+Hockey+like+this+could+hard+sell/9638566/story.html">market value among fans is plummeting fast</a>. It's been a while since we've seen any real Sedinery this season. And it's hard to imagine people are still interested in shelling out a hundred dollars-plus per game to see a team whose offensive ineptitude is surpassed only by the Vanek- and Moulson-less Sabres. That said, the entertainment that a high-scoring rookie and a rejuvenated first line provides is worth its weight in top-corner snipes.<br />
<br />
With Daniel slotting back in and assuming that Torts retains the young Dane on the first unit, it'll be interesting to see what Jensen's finish could do with both Sedins' playmaking ability. If Daniel can join Henrik in re-discovering his game, Jensen's five points could multiply very quickly by the end of the season.<br />
<br />
As it is, Jensen's seven-game pace is uniquely prolific among Canucks rookies in recent history. It's been a long time since a Canucks rookie has begun his season so successfully.* Statistically speaking, it's been nearly five years. That rookie was Michael Grabner, who reeled off <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8473546&view=log&season=20092010#&navid=nhl-keymatch">five points in his first six games</a> during an October 2009 call-up. Before that, Brandon Reid also scored <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8468161&view=log&season=20022003#&navid=nhl-keymatch">five in his first six</a> of the 2002-03 season. And just to bring the whole thing full circle, the last one before Reid was Jensen's current centre, Henrik Sedin, who began his career with <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8467876&view=log&season=20002001#&navid=nhl-keymatch">8 points in his first 11 games</a>. (By comparison, Daniel scored <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8467875&view=log&season=20002001#&navid=nhl-keymatch">10 in his first 12</a>.)<br />
<br />
Hopefully, Jensen's career trajectory can emulate more of Grabner's than Reid's. (Given that Jensen is not four feet tall, initial projections are good.) And with the Sedins falling off their point-per-game pace and Kesler's days as a Canuck numbered, a whole lot is riding on it.<br />
<br />
-HC<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Including Jensen two games without a point in 2012-13, he would have five points in his first nine NHL games. But for statistical puffery's sake, we'll go by the 'at least five points to start a <i>rookie season</i>' rather than the 'to start an NHL career' standard.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>MORE QUICK-STARTING CANUCKS ROOKIES</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Steve Kariya - 6 points in first 7 games - 1999-2000</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Bill Muckalt - 8 points in first 10 games - 1998-99</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Mattias Ohlund - 5 points in first 8 games - 1997-98</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Pavel Bure - 4 points in first 5 games - 1991-92</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Trevor Linden - 8 points in first 11 games - 1988-89</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
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<b>RELATED ARTICLES</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/02/eddie-lack-all-rookie-team-front-runner.html">Eddie Lack for the All-Rookie Team</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/01/bo-horvat-at-world-juniors-not-canadas.html">Bo Horvat at the World Juniors</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pavel-bure-alex-ovechkin-and-other-all.html">Pavel Bure's Calder win and All-Rookie snub</a>Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-16609221155911702832014-02-24T23:40:00.000-08:002014-10-20T16:41:55.401-07:00Nagano to Sochi: Canada's all-time Olympic numbers in the NHL era<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://olympics.cbc.ca/mm/Photo/Photo/General/04/96/11/49611_G08_W01.jpg" height="225" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo from olympics.cbc.ca.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Salt Lake City, Vancouver and now Sochi. In the five Winter Olympics since NHL players were allowed to compete, Canada has won gold in three of them. And while more zealous fans will tell you that we should have had all five, the best team on paper never wins a hundred percent of the time.<br />
<br />
It can take a very under-appreciated resiliency to be the best and live up to it. To stick to sound and systematic play -- especially when it only gets you a 2-1 win against an Arturs Irbe-less Latvian team. Or just two measly assists through five games from the best player in the world.<br />
<br />
But here we are, just barely recovered from a deprived sleep schedule and with ultimate bragging rights for at least four more years. And thank Price, because we all know how much longer four years can feel after having left Gretzky on the bench in Nagano.<br />
<br />
Since 1998, Team Canada has played a total of 31 games. That is nearly half a regular season's worth of the most scrutinized hockey known to man. Makes for a pretty decent sample size. Which makes you wonder where Sidney Crosby's pair of Olympic performances might stack up against, say...Joe Sakic's. Or Steve Yzerman's. Or where Shea Weber and Drew Doughty rank among the Scott Niedermayers and Chris Prongers of yesteryear.<br />
<br />
One can only Google so hard until they take matters into their own hands. If there's already an all-time list out there, well, it's not in the first 10 pages of a standard Google search. So go, go gadget Excel spreadsheet. The career rankings of Team Canada players since 1998:<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=F8A3FD3DEBAC5B7A&resid=F8A3FD3DEBAC5B7A%212662&authkey=AM3dseyqx2JM0do&em=2&Item=Table1&wdHideGridlines=True&wdDownloadButton=True" width="387"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
In an exhaustive poll of all of my friends, two out of two them predicted that Joe Sakic would be Canada's all-time leading scorer at the Olympics since 1998. Three if you include myself. And we weren't far off, but it's Jarome Iginla's 14 points that is currently the standard. His 10 goals dwarfs all others, which really tells you something about his place in his generation of scorers.<br />
<br />
That takes you to a slew of 2014 players. With his second offensively-dominating Olympic year in a row, Shea Weber is Canada's leading defenceman in the NHL era. Five goals and 12 points in 13 games. Makes you wonder what he could do on a real, contending NHL team. At fourth and sixth overall are arguably Canada's top two players in the world right now in Jonathan Toews and Sidney Crosby. Naturally, between the two of them, they have four of Canada's six goals in the last two gold medal games. At 25 and 26 years old, the country's perpetual logjam at centre isn't clearing for at least another two tournaments (IIHF and NHL willing).<br />
<br />
Among the more interesting stats is that with three tournaments under his belt now, Rick Nash is second only to Chris Pronger in Olympic experience for Canada. Meanwhile, Bryan McCabe, who apparently gooned his way through Turin in 2006, ranks second in penalty minutes with 18 in six games. Who else at first but Pronger again.<br />
<br />
They seem to always make it interesting, but hopefully the IIHF, IOC and NHL can cooperate to bring more of the best-on-best that McCabe's 18 penalty minutes are made of. A little more of this wouldn't hurt either:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZpzjPmup_s8" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
Go Canada, go.<br />
<br />
-HC
<br />
<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/01/my-team-canada-btd-style.html" target="_blank">My Team Canada, BTD style</a><br />
<div>
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/02/finland-little-hockey-country-that-very.html" target="_blank">Finland, the little hockey engine that could</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/01/bo-horvat-at-world-juniors-not-canadas.html" target="_blank">Bo Horvat at the 2014 World Juniors</a></div>
Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-39749552490031394312014-02-22T11:31:00.000-08:002014-10-20T16:42:49.119-07:00Finland: The little hockey engine that very consistently could<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8x3cQrzc0nw5f9bHQYOCKSUYJCP2GV8AEGxHO5AiymV9gwi-cO4xL_cII1kbSjnF6hA4bowX0rpE2ziXhyphenhyphenAFc6aaEisumUBcJKfuoiJnnMXyF0hxoWjALK2pZULotS89gTk1MkEKHGIT/s1600/800px-Finlandhockeybronze2010WinterOlympics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8x3cQrzc0nw5f9bHQYOCKSUYJCP2GV8AEGxHO5AiymV9gwi-cO4xL_cII1kbSjnF6hA4bowX0rpE2ziXhyphenhyphenAFc6aaEisumUBcJKfuoiJnnMXyF0hxoWjALK2pZULotS89gTk1MkEKHGIT/s1600/800px-Finlandhockeybronze2010WinterOlympics.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How many times can a team succeed before you stop calling them underdogs?</td></tr>
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Nevermind that they have the world's most likable player in captain Teemu Selanne. (And around these parts, the most likable ex-Canuck in Sami Salo.) Or that they just won their third consecutive Olympic medal by toppling the generally-hated Team USA. In international competition, Finland has been as endearing to the hockey world as they are efficient and successful.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div>
Which is extremely odd. Because typically, the teams that can endear themselves to an entire sport's followers are not usually the consistently successful ones. I mean, look no further than Team Canada. But in the NHL-era of Olympic competition, Finland has captured one silver medal and three bronzes, reaching the podium in four of five years. (Not to mention runner-up in the 2004 World Cup, the only other best-on-best competition in that span.) No other country can match that medal output. Not Sweden, not Russia -- not even Canada.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2le16719_LklzxzpgXtogC1WnOEx9NEUvV8QSHk2MN5-4MOxrjnUBVHsCoAujfA-ugTZoBJgh9xYd4IdwAfoN0KMbbppkXA3wiWMWAtBb9sUSuDG-JYcdNy_1bQ3AhyphenhyphenWWIe_IJXRYv8id/s1600/medals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2le16719_LklzxzpgXtogC1WnOEx9NEUvV8QSHk2MN5-4MOxrjnUBVHsCoAujfA-ugTZoBJgh9xYd4IdwAfoN0KMbbppkXA3wiWMWAtBb9sUSuDG-JYcdNy_1bQ3AhyphenhyphenWWIe_IJXRYv8id/s1600/medals.jpg" height="186" width="400" /></a></div>
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So how is it that they are so damn lovable? It can't be just one or two players' ubiquitous likability. In Finland's case, it is because, despite their track record, they come into literally every Olympics as an underdog. Especially this time around, having been without their top two centres in Mikko Koivu and Valtteri Filppula. (Simply consider how bad the Canucks' pre-Olympic stretch would have been without Henrik Sedin <i>and </i>Ryan Kesler.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUHWV09iS5VZOpLky9Fn2XyI-_rihhcjdLdpWLJ316G8tSjoWaaqW_YPXWk4GKEDrh9ko3rMsCgz5qFmRI0onO7DGTP07EjZA4EgL17pcRS71l6B1BM47jEHfrGhOsSLZAJwaTjv_r2Mx/s1600/populations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrUHWV09iS5VZOpLky9Fn2XyI-_rihhcjdLdpWLJ316G8tSjoWaaqW_YPXWk4GKEDrh9ko3rMsCgz5qFmRI0onO7DGTP07EjZA4EgL17pcRS71l6B1BM47jEHfrGhOsSLZAJwaTjv_r2Mx/s1600/populations.jpg" height="200" width="185" /></a>But besides being perpetually overlooked in best-on-best international competition, the mere demographics of their country would categorize them as an underdog. When considering hockey's Big Seven -- Canada, USA, Russia, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia -- Team Suomi are basement-dwellers when it comes to national population (see table to the right).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Consider them the Ornskoldsvik of hockey countries. For the bare-bones pool of potential hockey stars they have to work with, Finland's output in international competition is paradoxically disproportionate to their population. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Chalk it up to their coaching and capacity to play as a team. (For all intents and purposes then, chalk it up to being the tournament's antithesis to Team Russia.) Finland is international hockey's little engine that could. Without even having to explicitly defeat them, their success is an implicit insult to the Phil Kessel- and Alex Ovechkin-driven freight trains of the world.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
And while vets like Selanne (43 years old), Salo (39) and Olli Jokinen (35) have turned in their final Olympics for Finland, the country's success at this tournament was largely driven by a new generation of alarmingly young stars. With 4 goals and 7 points, Mikael Granlund, just 21 years old, appears to be a lock for the Tournament All-Star Team. Meanwhile, Olli Maatta (19) and Sami Vatanen (22)'s five points apiece currently tie them with Shea Weber for third among tournament defencemen.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
That said, it is abundantly clear that, led by underrated stars like Granlund, Maatta and Vatanen, Finland is an engine that will continue to quietly succeed -- even when nobody will care to give them a second thought. And we'll love them for it.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
-HC</div>
<br />
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<u>RELATED ARTICLES</u><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2014/01/my-team-canada-btd-style.html">#MyTeamCanada, BTD style</a>Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-23837448904664289482014-02-03T22:39:00.000-08:002014-10-20T16:43:42.546-07:00Eddie Lack: All-Rookie Team front-runner?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="File:Eddie Lack Canucks.jpg" height="266" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Eddie_Lack_Canucks.jpg/800px-Eddie_Lack_Canucks.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lack is exceeding all expectations this year. And maintaining his entire<br />
team's fading dignity in the process.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
His numbers are among the league's elite. With a 2.22 GAA and .922 save percentage, Eddie Lack is tied for eighth and ninth in the NHL, respectively. Yet with a 8-8-3 record, he is one of only two goalies with a .500-or-worse record among the league's <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20132014&gameType=2&team=&position=G&country=&status=&viewName=goalsAgainstAverage">top 15 in GAA</a>. The other goalie? Cory Schneider.<br />
<br />
That speaks volumes. Because unlike the dispatched ginger in his tenure here, Lack has accomplished his top-level stats on what is now a truly mediocre team. The next-highest ranking goalie without a winning record is Justin Peters at 7-9-4 with Carolina.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
In consecutive starts against Winnipeg and Detroit this past week, Lack has has turned in a couple of the best performances by a Canucks goalie this season -- both in losing causes. And as bad as the Canucks have been in their current four-game skid, if not for their standout rookie, two of those losses would have been uncontested blowouts (this in addition to their 5-2 drubbing against Chicago). It's hard to imagine things getting any bleaker for Vancouver, but just consider what back-to-back-to-back routs would have done to the players' collective psyche and the fans' outrage.<br />
<br />
Despite letting in 4 goals on 34 shots against Winnipeg, Lack was far and away the best player on the ice. Such was the case again this evening as Lack turned away <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-HrJxjQy04">chance after chance after chance</a>, including two shorthanded breakaways, one of which required a highlight reel second effort on Darren Helm.<br />
<br />
In a season where <a href="http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Angeles+Vancouver+Canucks+come+swinging+blood+boils+over/9383531/story.html">moral victories and silver linings</a> have been the rallying cry, consider this one the Canucks' story of the year. With Tanev out and Santorelli sidelined for the season, Lack remains the lone bright spot (my apologies to Ryan Stanton) in a year that is exponentially slipping out of control.<br />
<br />
After having been gingerly developed in the AHL for a trio of seasons, Lack is turning in a Schneider-like start to his big league career. And while backup goalies won't ever get much attention for the Calder, he is making a very strong case for the All-Rookie Team -- an honour that no Canuck has received since Mattias Ohlund in 1998. Additionally, the last Canucks goaltender with the distinction was Corey Hirsch in 1996.. (And we all know how much we want Lack to turn into the next Corey Hirsch.)<br />
<br />
By comparison, Schneider had the disadvantage of starring in a season that saw a disproportionate number of rookie goalies in starting roles for teams (Michal Neuvirth, Sergei Bobrovsky, James Reimer and Corey Crawford, the latter of which won the All-Rookie's goaltending spot). The landscape in 2012-13, however, proves to be completely different.<br />
<br />
In order for a goalie's stats to rank among the league leaders, he needs to have played in at least 30% of his team's games (recall the 25-game threshold that <a href="http://ingoalmag.com/news/ingoal-update-luongo-ensures-schneider-on-jennings-trophy/">Schneider needed to achieve</a> in order to be a co-winner of the Jennings). Among rookie goalies, only Lack, Frederik Andersen (18 games), Antti Raanta (19) and Marek Mezanec (25) <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?season=20132014&gameType=2&team=&position=G&country=&status=R&viewName=goalsAgainstAverage">currently meet that criteria</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojyqnb99fA4Y4ZMYROQRZQa_zBNAkmgMXjRbq7j6Wnp3jWQhxx1HjtWqes0jZ1xJDYJno_AEy7qfU6mKl0PDLDffY989qu8lAndXxVkDZ8YboaRvpdMCACi7V9GV2GA4i94caPXyALi69/s1600/goalies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojyqnb99fA4Y4ZMYROQRZQa_zBNAkmgMXjRbq7j6Wnp3jWQhxx1HjtWqes0jZ1xJDYJno_AEy7qfU6mKl0PDLDffY989qu8lAndXxVkDZ8YboaRvpdMCACi7V9GV2GA4i94caPXyALi69/s1600/goalies.jpg" height="152" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
While Lack's numbers ranks second to Andersen in both GAA and save percentage, the Anaheim goalie's 18 games played is just barely above the 30% threshold. Granted, playing a minimum number of games isn't a requirement for the All-Rookie Team. But Lack's four additional appearances speaks to a more representative sample size (over a full season, Lack is projected to appear in 32 games to Andersen's 25). More tellingly, Andersen is getting the full Schneider treatment as a backup on the league's best team, while the Canucks are just barely hanging on to a playoff spot.<br />
<br />
All things considered, Lack is arguably at the head of his class -- or at least very close to it.<br />
<br />
To be fair, having to beat out just three other goalies to be considered the best in any class is objectively unremarkable. And in the context of the Canucks becoming an increasingly irrelevant team, nitpicking Lack's statistics to that of Anaheim's backup is sure to seem completely desperate.<br />
<br />
But if Lack continues this kind of play in relief of Luongo (which may be increasingly necessary given the starter's potential role for Canada in two weeks' time), you sincerely hope that he gets recognized for it. Come April, it may be the only silver lining left.<br />
<br />
-HC<br />
<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>All-Time Canucks on the NHL All-Rookie Team</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Jim Sandlak - 1987</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Trevor Linden - 1989</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Corey Hirsch - 1996</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Mattias Ohlund - 1998</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<b>Related BTD Articles</b><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pavel-bure-alex-ovechkin-and-other-all.html#more">Pavel Bure and the NHL's All-Rookie foul</a><br />
<a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/09/what-you-probably-didnt-care-to-know.html#more">Zac Dalpe, Eddie Lack and the AHL All-Rookie Team</a>Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-70663024622574776212014-01-06T22:29:00.001-08:002014-10-20T16:44:08.517-07:00My Team Canada, BTD style<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyyrOxZxmMh_nwTCsuqFyjfbsoYD_99SZmi_y-ouyhB3fdYMfUQjs5Ky5GyHep2h4rJzBfkiY62k25-sH45wCW-oCwG_BViGSYg3dM28bBkq8ZkPcVNzrLbf4tNNJPmoHWYjC96cFy6Ko/s1600/my+team+canada.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyyrOxZxmMh_nwTCsuqFyjfbsoYD_99SZmi_y-ouyhB3fdYMfUQjs5Ky5GyHep2h4rJzBfkiY62k25-sH45wCW-oCwG_BViGSYg3dM28bBkq8ZkPcVNzrLbf4tNNJPmoHWYjC96cFy6Ko/s1600/my+team+canada.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Hockey Canada, I demand to have equal say as Corb Lund and Gerry Dee. <a href="http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/Team-Canada/Men/Olympics/2014/My-Team-Canada/Dec-12-Raonic">Milos Raonic be damned</a>. Here's <i>my</i> Team Canada:<br />
<br />
<i>UPDATE: </i>Well, 21/25 ain't bad. It appears that Hockey Canada doesn't hold Logan Couture, James Neal, Eric Staal or Corey Crawford in the same regard that I do.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<u>Goaltenders</u><br />
<br />
*Roberto Luongo (16-10-6, 2.23 GAA, .922 SV%)<br />
*Carey Price (20-11-4, 2.22 GAA, .928 SV%)<br />
*Corey Crawford (17-6-5, 2.47 GAA, .910 SV%)<br />
<br />
Homer or not, Luongo is your starter. Why? Not because his performance is on par with Carey Price for the past several years. (Though it has been.) But because with a country as deep in all positions as Canada, intangibles like Olympic experience and familiarity are crucial. Luongo has that in spades over Price, straight up. Also, because Raonic's Team Canada is <a href="http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/Team-Canada/Men/Olympics/2014/My-Team-Canada/Dec-12-Raonic">just crazy</a>.<br />
<br />
Now, with Luongo's re-injury yet to be diagnosed, the third-stringer position becomes an exponentially more crucial decision. Whereas before it could have simply been designated to a younger goalie, such as Jonathan Bernier, with long-term considerations in mind, the third goalie stands a real chance of seeing playing time if Luongo's injury flares up mid-tournament. For that reason, you have to give it to Crawford, because no other Canadian goalie besides Luongo has seen as much high-stakes hockey -- and succeeded -- as the Blackhawks goalie.<br />
<br />
<u>Defencemen</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
*Duncan Keith (3 goals, 39 assists, 42 points, +18)<br />
*Drew Doughty (6 goals, 17 assists, 23 points, +13)<br />
*Alex Pietrangelo (5 goals, 23 assists, 28 points, +15)<br />
*Shea Weber (10 goals, 17 assists, 27 points, -11)<br />
*Jay Bouwmeester (3 goals, 24 assists, 27 points, +21)<br />
*Dan Hamhuis (4 goals, 9 assists, 13 points, +12)<br />
*PK Subban (7 goals, 26 assists, 33 points +14)<br />
*Marc-Edouard Vlasic (4 goals, 12 assists, 16 points, +12)<br />
<br />
I would never have selected Bouwmeester for the top six in any of the years he was with Calgary. But I suppose not every Flame can Jarome Iginla their way to the NHL's elite despite atrocious surroundings. So there he is.<br />
<br />
Dan Hamhuis and Marc-Edouard Vlasic both seem to be competing for the obligatory stay-at-home role. In their projections, <a href="http://nhl.si.com/2014/01/06/team-canada-roster-prediction-sochi-olympics/">SI gave it to Vlasic</a> while assigning Dan Boyle one of the two extra spots over Hamhuis "by virtue of his offensive game." Meanwhile, PK Subban was given the second extra spot by the same virtue. The trouble with assigning both extra spots to offensive players is that if you're going to have a defenceman play the designated Adam Foote role, you should have a backup. And with eight spots, you should really be able to afford both. Subban gets the extra spot here, as the offensive sub.<br />
<br />
<u>Forwards</u><br />
<u><br /></u>
John Tavares Sidney Crosby Steve Stamkos<br />
Corey Perry Ryan Getzlaf James Neal<br />
Patrick Sharp Jonathan Toews Claude Giroux<br />
Eric Staal Patrice Bergeron Logan Couture<br />
Jamie Benn Matt Duchene<br />
<br />
No Chris Kunitz. Kunitz is a fantastic winger and is clearly a great complement to Crosby. But you have to believe that the role of Crosby's trigger man has to be better served with someone like Stamkos. And if Stamkos doesn't recover in time, Team Canada does not need to spread out their offense in the same way that Pittsburgh does by keeping Crosby and Neal on separate lines.<br />
<br />
Also, no Rick Nash. I'm not sure why, besides the fact that he's been injured. But I've won many a bet with my friends who have overrated the Rangers winger and the production that can be expected of him. He's good. But in the midst of an injury-depleted season, he's just not <i>that </i>good to take the risk.<br />
<br />
I have not seen Eric Staal on a lot of Team Canada projections, but a player like Staal is tailor-made for an all-star lineup's grinder role. While he's scoring below his career pace in 2013-14, his offensive touch is not going to be the primary reason why he gets the nod for the fourth line. And if Ryan Smyth's inclusion in 2006 is any indication, Team Canada is good to their World Championship captains.<br />
<br />
Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene as extras. Benn provides the sort of all-around game that allows you to plug him into any holes that may arise in the lineup. Meanwhile, Duchene offers the same game-breaking ability that Subban does on the blueline.<br />
<br />
Any way you slice it, Team Canada is stacked. For that reason, it'll be hard to criticize any player that they choose for Sochi. If Team USA is any indication, however, it's the omissions that will put the most pen to paper. Statistically speaking, Joe Thornton appears destined for the Bobby Ryan treatment. Though I can't imagine his 2 points in 2010 while receiving second line minutes will have anyone outside San Jose (or my friend Jeff who'll owe me a beer by tomorrow morning) all that choked.<br />
<br />
And therein lies the difference between Canada and the rest of the world. At least on paper. Come February, it'll be a different story altogether.<br />
<br />
-HCBure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-19670119131564041162014-01-06T20:34:00.001-08:002014-01-06T20:52:43.971-08:00Bo Horvat at the World Juniors: Not Canada's first-line centre, and that's okay<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicB-9a8RDM0uJFwOd8CcxrOc_O5YMbHY45bw1WKuf3wANbLn3yJuStXCrR-6XxxqxqewzDvO_5VZ5alSiCCZHjhBPO4rM6OrKwMDqGXMOhkWmfD2ToZpU0riZ2f4SzRVy5Dj1lGMnlORnM/s1600/11664348115_aa50f2a37e_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicB-9a8RDM0uJFwOd8CcxrOc_O5YMbHY45bw1WKuf3wANbLn3yJuStXCrR-6XxxqxqewzDvO_5VZ5alSiCCZHjhBPO4rM6OrKwMDqGXMOhkWmfD2ToZpU0riZ2f4SzRVy5Dj1lGMnlORnM/s1600/11664348115_aa50f2a37e_b.jpg" height="262" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horvat didn't turn in the ideal offensive performance, <br />
but he was among Canada's best overall players.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It isn't often that Canucks fans are blessed with a Canadian poster boy for the World Juniors. In the last three years before 2014, the Canucks didn't have a single Canadian in the competition, period. (#ShouldHaveBroughtCorrado.) Between 2006 and 2011, Canucks management took a total of three Canadians in either of the first two rounds of the draft -- Taylor Ellington, Yann Sauve and Cody Hodgson.<br />
<br />
Not only was <strike>he whose name we do not speak</strike> Hodgson (2008) the last player to even suit up for Canada at the Juniors before Horvat, he is <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2012/12/vancouver-canucks-all-wjc-team.html">likely the most successful Canucks prospect at the tournament of all-time</a>. And well, we all know how that ended up for Vancouver. So with both Hodgson's infamous end as a Canuck and the team's recent dearth of high-end Canadian prospects in mind, it was with great anticipation that Horvat was earmarked as the country's number one centre.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Horvat entered Canada's selection camp with <a href="http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/roster/gameByGame/id/8790">31 points in his last 17 games</a>. Heralded as one of just a few locks to make the team, he was one of three players strategically healthy scratched in Canada's tune-up against the CIS Selects. Now, despite Canada's recent drought at the junior level, the country retains, far and away, the deepest and most extensive pool of talent in the world. So to be guaranteed a World Junior roster spot at 18 years old is heady praise indeed. Even if some of it came from <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/canucks-have-high-hopes-for-bo-horvat-1.2464117">Ron MacLean's friends at HNIC</a>. (For the record, I'm partial to that segment's host, Elliot Friedman.)<br />
<br />
After a trio of low-stakes games to start his World Junior tenure (two exhibition games and a 7-2 opener against Germany), Horvat's first real test came against the Czechs. As with most of his teammates, Horvat's performance in Canada's second round robin game was very much a mixed bag.<br />
<br />
Down 1-0 and on the man advantage, Horvat one-touched a pass to Sam Reinhart, who completed a <a href="http://youtu.be/qJasa5u6yOA?t=1m34s">very efficient tic-tac-toe play</a>. It was this sort of easy scoring that Sutter, and <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=697571">practically everyone following the tournament</a>, had envisioned when he placed Horvat between Reinhart and Connor McDavid. In most part sparked by <a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2013/12/29/connor-mcdavid-odd-man-out-vs-slovakia">McDavid's struggles</a> early in the tournament, however, all three players were permanently dispatched to separate even strength lines by next game. Horvat next made it onto the scoresheet with a minus on the Czechs' 3-2 goal in the third. After the puck hops up on a scrambled draw, <a href="http://youtu.be/qJasa5u6yOA?t=4m5s">Horvat is outmuscled by opposing centre Vojtech Tomecek</a> who quickly swipes the puck in. The play is more puck luck for Tomecek than bad defence for Horvat, but this is pretty much the last thing you want to happen on a defensive zone faceoff.<br />
<br />
Canada's next game against Slovakia marked a distinct turning point in Horvat's use in the lineup. With Nic Petan turning in a 3-point performance, including the last two goals in a 5-3 comeback win, Horvat was firmly supplanted from the top six, sparking his eventual role on the checking line alongside captain Scott Laughton. After being held pointless against Slovakia, <a href="http://youtu.be/86gjTV6od1U?t=2m57s">Horvat registered a pivotal assist</a> on McDavid's go-ahead goal against the States. Retaining his original linemates of McDavid and Reinhart on the second powerplay, Horvat grinds the puck towards the net -- a play that will likely characterize any of his future success in the NHL -- for McDavid to bang in. The goal, just after the powerplay expired, came on the heels of a pair of very strong shifts from Horvat, once again characterized by his play down low, that really helped set the tone for Canada to finish the game strong and pull ahead.<br />
<br />
And now for a moment of honesty. I will admit that I did not watch a single minute of Canada's quarterfinal against Switzerland. Because, well, it's Switzerland. The <a href="http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/359/IHM359324_74_4_0.pdf">IIHF game sheet</a>, however, does tell me that he was on the ice for the Griffin Reinhart's 1-0 goal. So that's good, no? Plus, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqk--wEnZts">IIHF highlight package</a> tells me that despite not making it to the scoresheet (though he and Laughton arguably should have), Horvat is front and centre on this play. After winning the faceoff, a skill that he <a href="http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/359/IHM359000_85F_10_0.pdf">led Team Canada in at a 63% rate</a> (third overall), Horvat follows Laughton to the net and helps free the puck for Reinhart. Again, Horvat generates a goal by being an active presence below the hash marks. Good news.<br />
<br />
After the game, Sutter praised Horvat for his "steadying...two-way play", while newly-appointed director of player development Stan Smyl echoed the sentiment, <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Horvat+model+consistency+Canadian+juniors+Canucks+exec+says/9349581/story.html">heralding him for his overall game</a>. And if you watched the HNIC segment with Friedman linked above, you'll notice Dale Hunter highlighting a lot of the same. <br />
<br />
Entering the semifinal, here's where it obviously gets ugly for Team Canada. With Drouin and Petan simultaneously out for half the second period, the onus was seemingly on Horvat, the next centre on the offensive depth chart, to fill the void with the team trailing. Apart from his crossbar off the rush against the States, however, it's clear that he is not a game-breaker in the same way as Drouin, Mantha or even Petan. For that reason, he was simply not the person to put the team on his back with Canada's top two centres out. Not that it made much of a difference with Canada coming up entirely flat with all four centres in the third. Despite his inability to rise to the offensive challenge in the second, the Canucks' best prospect was a comparative bright spot in an extremely frustrating Team Canada performance.<br />
<br />
Sutter's go-to penalty killer at centre, Horvat dropped himself in front of a pair of Finnish one-timers in the second that could have put the game out of reach far earlier. Despite being clearly hurt by one block in particular, Horvat was subsequently involved in a few of Canada's rare forays into the Finnish zone during the second half of the game.<br />
<br />
All things told, Horvat turned in a steady workman's performance with glimpses of offensive finish. Three points in seven games was truthfully not the romantic version of the London-native that Canucks and Team Canada fans alike were expecting when he began the tournament. Nonetheless, it is the sort of performance that will likely pave the way for a much longer NHL career than his other, <a href="http://stats.iihf.com/Hydra/359/IHM359000_85J_3_0.pdf">more-celebrated teammates</a>; for example, the clearly offensively-gifted, but seemingly one-dimensional Mantha.<br />
<br />
And if Horvat can't bring his two-way game to a Rogers Arena near you by next October, you know that he'll be a force for Canada in Toronto and Montreal next year. And when you have a ship listing as badly as Canada's junior program, the team can use as many steadying presences as they can muster.<br />
<br />
-HCBure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-6070802436136300082013-12-01T15:25:00.001-08:002013-12-01T16:01:58.555-08:00Drayson Bowman: Vancouver's kinda-sorta hometown product<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2X5xTFmOxgOS4HM5R3LRCgT9sIl8XbTti942aK-LIAYY6G-qp1nRJOe9PJsIYdQrYZAxTpMsxQm-3cr10Yhf95MG2BQO0hXVZlPu3sE065DQLgBl6KW08UdgnWb9gLy6TGFQt5KBSoGva/s1600/BOWMAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2X5xTFmOxgOS4HM5R3LRCgT9sIl8XbTti942aK-LIAYY6G-qp1nRJOe9PJsIYdQrYZAxTpMsxQm-3cr10Yhf95MG2BQO0hXVZlPu3sE065DQLgBl6KW08UdgnWb9gLy6TGFQt5KBSoGva/s400/BOWMAN.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Six years after his draft, Drayson Bowman appears to be finally <br />
sticking with Carolina. So what has that go to do with Vancouver?<br />
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Photo: romec1, Flickr)</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Back in the Memorial Cup days of the Vancouver Giants -- a far cry from the current <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Giants+still+under+construction+ready+push+playoff+spot/8935285/story.html">"Under Construction"</a> era -- I always paid a little extra attention when the Spokane Chiefs came to town. Nowadays, it's anytime the Canucks play the Carolina Hurricanes.<br />
<br />
Why, exactly? There's a little-known fact about a Carolina winger who has very slowly started making a name for himself since being drafted from Spokane in 2007. Born in Michigan and raised in Colorado, 24-year-old Drayson Bowman also called Vancouver home for a brief period in his mid-teens.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>At 14 years old, Bowman moved to the Lower Mainland with his family to better the prospects for his budding hockey career. Shirking the usual NCAA route that aspiring players south of the border follow, Bowman had intentions to play in the WHL on the advice of a family acquaintance by the name of Patrick Roy. Though he would have been eligible for the <a href="http://whl.ca/whl-bantam-draft">WHL Draft as a Colorado resident</a> nonetheless, Bowman's drive to play major junior in Canada brought him and his family to Vancouver.<br />
<br />
So when Bowman wasn't tearing up the local bantam league with the North Shore Winter Club, he was the new kid at a <a href="http://vancouverchristian.org/page.php">truly obscure K-10 private school</a> in East Van. <em>My</em> private school to be exact -- with all 60 of us between Grades 8, 9 and 10. Needless to say, for the next two years, gym class was a true adventure in terror and humility. I tell ya, if not for ice hockey, the guy had <a href="http://youtu.be/3A_WXBpT6ag">professional dodgeball</a> in his future.<br />
<br />
(Somewhere in a box of saved high school report cards and those little tiny picture day photos you get from your crushes, there's a day planner signed by Bowman the day he left for Junior B in Kimberley. eBay, anyone?)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnQOL42mhzTLHebYXbMSXTXAkXKK9ga25oLbaG4o-lXsbION5EHoLKORljMCM5IiQwK8_0Mgt471HtWSWQ7aVTO7gjDd1i-VMGZLyslijrTy02wNHV0RTZ1Qp-2pZH6PxqQ_qCs1csxB7/s1600/BOWMAN+BOWMAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnQOL42mhzTLHebYXbMSXTXAkXKK9ga25oLbaG4o-lXsbION5EHoLKORljMCM5IiQwK8_0Mgt471HtWSWQ7aVTO7gjDd1i-VMGZLyslijrTy02wNHV0RTZ1Qp-2pZH6PxqQ_qCs1csxB7/s320/BOWMAN+BOWMAN.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yearbook photos or it didn't happen? Well I'm glad you asked!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So while most Canucks fans have <a href="http://youtu.be/fTy7Ey94808?t=1m14s">this goal</a> and <a href="http://youtu.be/fTy7Ey94808?t=1m51s">this goal</a> to hold against the Littleton-native, I will personally have a Drayson-less Grade 8/9 ball hockey team to forever regret. ("Uhh...I already have a hockey team.") It was just one day of competition, Drayson. One day.<br />
<br />
Intending to get greater exposure to Canadian junior scouts, the irony of it all is that he ended up being selected eighth overall by the Spokane Chiefs -- one of five American teams in the Dub. Nonetheless, he had fast-tracked his career and went on to be a second-round selection by Carolina in 2007. Remaining in Spokane two more years, he posted consecutive 40-goal seasons and scored the game-winning goal in the Memorial Cup final, paving the way for, well -- <a href="http://youtu.be/Q7X8mqQSJgY?t=42s">this</a>.<br />
<br />
Well, what'd you think would happen with the Memorial Cup in the hands of an American team?<br />
<br />
By 2009, Bowman had cracked the 'Canes roster in his first year out of junior, but has since struggled to take the next real step from 10 minutes of ice time a game. With Alex Semin out of the lineup for the past eight games, however, Bowman's been getting a regular shift on the power play and with the Hurricanes down a goal in the last minute this afternoon against Vancouver, there he was on the ice.<br />
<br />
Progress has been slow, but as of the end of the lockout, he's succeeded at sticking with the Hurricanes -- seemingly for good. And while Bowman appeared to be ahead of ex-Hurricanes Zac Dalpe and Jeremy Welsh on the depth chart anyways, thanks to the Canucks' trade, his spot in Carolina's bottom six is far safer this year.<br />
<br />
Looks like a full decade after his days with the North Shore, Vancouver's continuing to do his career a solid.<br />
<br />
Not that the VCS ball hockey team could say the same about Bowman. But I suppose he had slightly bigger fish to fry.<br />
<br />
-HCBure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-18819685536567158992013-11-25T02:42:00.000-08:002013-12-01T15:36:36.184-08:00Raymond and the top five "how come he never did it here" ex-Canucks<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIoGm55upPUPyv-boksffQDC2bh3YJWyaD2mZorRWytNZSrwr93Zi4tT5WHwtqr6ft9iw_xC45FRXU9JH8FTPszC_bur8nWE84Deoif1CgAsNscZJVo-Lly3GUeezNDz6Aw-O6pd6ImEz/s1600/rucinsky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIoGm55upPUPyv-boksffQDC2bh3YJWyaD2mZorRWytNZSrwr93Zi4tT5WHwtqr6ft9iw_xC45FRXU9JH8FTPszC_bur8nWE84Deoif1CgAsNscZJVo-Lly3GUeezNDz6Aw-O6pd6ImEz/s400/rucinsky.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So...what do these three players have in common?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This past Thursday, I took a look at Mason Raymond's very well-publicized <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/11/mason-raymond-santorelli-of-east-and.html" target="_blank">revival in Toronto</a>. And while I may have been a little premature about Todd Bertuzzi <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/11/bertuzzi-beating-odds-again-with.html" target="_blank">"beating the odds once again"</a> (six games without a point since my post), Raymond is just now coming off a career-high 5-game point streak, upping his season totals to 8 goals and 9 assists in 23 games.<br />
<br />
With nearly a third of the season through, it seems like May Ray's awakening has some legitimate staying power. At his current pace, he'll have 28 goals and 60 points by season's end. But without repeating why Raymond's scoring rate would likely not have occurred if he had stayed in Vancouver (see the <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/11/mason-raymond-santorelli-of-east-and.html" target="_blank">previous post</a>), it nonetheless constitutes a cruel, cruel joke, given the Canucks' current offensive vacuum.<br />
<br />
For years, fans in Vancouver waited <strike>patiently, err...</strike> passionately for Raymond to put forth this kind of secondary scoring. It's the kind of "he really couldn't have done that here?" scenario that a self-deprecating Canucks fan can really feast on.<br />
<br />
So with Raymond's current run with the Leafs in mind, here are the top five players who put in their best years only after handing in their Canucks jerseys.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
5. Martin Rucinsky, New York Rangers<br />
<br />
Yes, Martin Rucinsky. At 20 total games with Vancouver, it's difficult to even call him an ex-Canuck. But here's why he's leading this list off. In anticipation of a very long playoff run, Brian Burke went all in at the trade deadline and packaged R.J. Umberger to the Rangers in exchange for Rucinsky. The veteran Czech came to Vancouver with 42 points in 69 games and the promise of legitimate secondary scoring.<br />
<br />
Despite being played 19 minutes per game in Todd Bertuzzi's absence, Rucinsky contributed all of 3 points in his 13 games following the trade. And in the playoffs? One goal and one assist, as the Canucks bowed out to Calgary in seven games.<br />
<br />
To be fair, it's clear that Umberger had no intention of ever playing in Vancouver (he sat out the entire 2003-04 season rather than sign a rookie deal). But as a first-rounder coming off an All-Star season in the NCAA, you would have hoped that the return would have been represented by more than two paltry goals in less than half a season's worth of service.<br />
<br />
Adding insult to injury, Rucinsky re-joined New York following the lockout and proceeded to score 55 points -- the second-highest total of his career despite an injury-shortened 52-game season. Could have really used some of that in Game 7 against Calgary.<br />
<br />
4. Felix Potvin, Los Angeles Kings<br />
<br />
Potvin came to Vancouver in the very depths of the goalie graveyard age. Acquired via trade from the Islanders in December 1999, the immediate return was promising. In 34 games for Vancouver that season, he recorded a 2.59 GAA and .906 save percentage, generating the belief that Potvin had rediscovered his early-90s self and that the days of Kevin Weeks-calibre goaltending were over in Vancouver.<br />
<br />
The following season, however, his stats plummeted (3.08 GAA, .887 save percentage) and the Potvin experiment was over. The Canucks acquired Dan Cloutier from the Lightning and the former All-Star was promptly off-loaded to L.A. for nothing more than "future considerations".<br />
<br />
Now, Cloutier put in several respectable seasons for the Canucks. But the performance that Potvin turned in for L.A. following the trade was simply incomparable. The ubiquitous belief surrounding Cloutier's time with Vancouver is that the Canucks won in spite of him, whereas Potvin literally carried the Kings in the two years that followed.<br />
<br />
Playing in 23 of the Kings' final 25 games in 2000-01, he went 13-5-5 with an astounding 1.96 GAA and .919 save percentage -- consider him L.A.'s Jonathan Quick before Jonathan Quick. With the Kings well out of a 2001 playoff spot at the time of the trade, Potvin's performance propelled them into seventh place -- one spot ahead of the Canucks. Potvin then took L.A. within one game of the semifinals with a two-shutout performance against the Avalanche in the second round.<br />
<br />
Cloutier's numbers in those same playoffs? A 4.63 GAA and .842 save percentage in two losses as the Canucks were swept by the same Colorado team.<br />
<br />
3. Pavol Demitra, Slovakia<br />
<br />
This was one's admittedly a bit of a curve ball, as Demitra was still a Canuck when he suited up for Slovakia in 2010. But the sentiment remains the same. While he was certainly serviceable on the second line, the second he switched jerseys, he morphed into something that even the most optimistic Canucks fan would have failed to imagine.<br />
<br />
In a tournament featuring the very best-on-best, Demitra led all scorers with 10 points in 7 games. That's 3 more than Crosby and 2 more than the tournament Best Forward, Jonathan Toews. And while Demitra inevitably failed to lead Slovakia to a medal, he was <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFt9B35p0EQ" target="_blank">literally inches away</a> from tying their semifinal against Canada.<br />
<br />
Had Slovakia advanced to the gold medal game, Tournament MVP would have likely been a dead heat between Demitra and the eventual winner, Ryan Miller. Instead, the 35-year-old was voted onto the Tournament All-Star Team, alongside a pair of NHL superstars in Toews and Zach Parise.<br />
<br />
All things considered, Demitra was far from a disappointment as a Canuck. With 69 points in 97 games over the course of two seasons, he was no Martin Rucinsky. And much of his perceived inconsistency with the Canucks during that Olympic year can be attributed to shoulder surgery in between seasons. Nonetheless, what he did for Slovakia in 2010 was as incredible as it was generally frustrating for Canucks fans. Olympic Demitra could have certainly been useful against Chicago later that year.<br />
<br />
2. Dirk Graham, Minnesota North Stars<br />
<br />
Credit goes to <a href="https://twitter.com/Steve_May" target="_blank">@SteveMay</a> for this gem, as I am apparently not very well-versed in the list of late-seventies draft picks that got away. Selected 89th overall in 1979, Graham starred for Regina in the WHL. After failing to crack a very weak Canucks team out of junior, he was assigned to the CHL affiliate in Dallas where he scored 32 points in 62 games.<br />
<br />
I will freely admit to not having even heard of Graham before @SteveMay, so I won't even begin to pretend to know what happened that the Canucks cut ties with this Graham so quickly. But after a handful of games the next season, the future Blackhawks captain and Selke winner disappears from the Canucks farm system altogether and starts playing with the Toledo GoalDiggers. After several years starring in the IHL, the Minnesota North Stars took notice and signed the Canucks cast-off.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://crashingthegoalie.com/2010/12/27/dirk-graham-the-nuck-who-got-away/" target="_blank">CrashingTheGoalie</a> has a very comprehensive article outlining his well-respected and decorated career as a defensive specialist with Chicago. Here's the Sparknotes version: a Selke in 1991, a record three goals in 10 minutes during the 1992 Finals and a top-ten ranking in all-time short handed goals.<br />
<br />
Apparently whatever Graham was doing in the Canucks' farm system around 1980 was <i>extremely </i>frustrating. Because the rugged Saskatchewan-native is certainly someone the team could have used in the 80s.<br />
<br />
1. Cam Neely, Boston Bruins<br />
<br />
Hey, speaking of the 80s.<br />
<br />
Taken ninth overall in 1983, Neely put in three consecutive 30-point seasons before the Canucks decided that Barry Pederson was a better long-term investment. While Pederson did his part, hitting 70 points in each of the two seasons following the infamous swap, Neely wasted no time in proving the Canucks management and coaching staff wrong.<br />
<br />
While GM Jack Gordon is often blamed for being impatient with Neely's development, it's clear that the power forward was already there, as he immediately doubled his output from 34 points to 72 in his first season with Boston. As with Rucinsky, Potvin and Demitra, it simply wasn't happening as long as he was a Canuck.<br />
<br />
-HC
<br />
<br />
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Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-65492963618523189042013-11-21T02:30:00.003-08:002013-11-30T15:43:09.645-08:00Mason Raymond: Santorelli of the East, and then some<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_Ngr0YC9veAblT-1gb08kaDDZo7sifNpoMbeco23EV2GWL-OyMUwxC-TM496DhSXXv9Qw5bCkR_0aVbDVqvIqFxFNeemEPFRlvbfxRqiy6lh9DAXqzLVs8C8k5CH1XF7V14P8UQEKMyl/s1600/raymond+santo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_Ngr0YC9veAblT-1gb08kaDDZo7sifNpoMbeco23EV2GWL-OyMUwxC-TM496DhSXXv9Qw5bCkR_0aVbDVqvIqFxFNeemEPFRlvbfxRqiy6lh9DAXqzLVs8C8k5CH1XF7V14P8UQEKMyl/s400/raymond+santo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div>
After long having given up on Mason Raymond, Vancouver watched as the perpetually-imbalanced winger opened the season with 8 points in 7 games as a Maple Leaf. By the time he returned to the city on <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/11/bure-night-trevor-wife-and-frickin-ron.html" target="_blank">Bure night</a>, however, he had cooled off considerably and everybody generally stopped paying attention. A pair of other former Canucks started turning heads around the league, as Maxim Lapierre earned a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqCid9za8XU" target="_blank">five-game suspension</a> and Manny Malhotra authored a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txgEW8NM8lI" target="_blank">movie-script return</a> to the NHL in Carolina.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But after having seemingly leveled off to his previous Canucks pace, Raymond has picked up the offensive slack in Toronto once more. Including his <a href="http://youtu.be/1iocA3i2aWg?t=1m25s" target="_blank">game-winner against the Islanders</a> on Tuesday night, he is currently riding a four-game point streak. And with 8 goals and 8 assists through the quarter-mark of the season, Raymond is on pace for a career-high 62 points. This, at a time when the Canucks' offensive well has all but dried up (6 goals during a 5-game losing skid).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So then. Was letting Raymond go a serious mistake?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div>
Well, no. Not in the sense that Mike Gillis can be blamed for it, at least. After failing to build on his 25-goal season from 2009-10, Raymond was given what was widely considered to be an undeserved second chance with a <a href="http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/07/09/canucks-re-sign-forward-mason-raymond/" target="_blank">one-year deal in 2012</a>. And despite getting copious looks at the second line as a Canuck, he was consistently <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?fetchKey=20132VANFAFALL&sort=avgTOIPerGame&viewName=timeOnIce" target="_blank">out-performed by the likes of Jannik Hansen and Chris Higgins for top-six minutes</a>. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Maybe he is only now fully recovering from his nightmare back injury in 2011 (a factor that Gillis <a href="http://www2.canada.com/story.html?id=6512718" target="_blank">publicly declared</a> as a factor in retaining him). Maybe he would have benefited from the coaching change in Vancouver.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But in all likelihood, Raymond is simply another case of a player who needed a completely fresh start. Not only was Toronto <i>carte blanche </i>for him to start the season, it was likely his last chance to maintain an NHL career. As a result, Raymond appears to have finally responded.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwpeRN_o_ryqZFZpdfJksMFfb8Mr9yjfQUo5LDoJ8DWvcMsINqzeMqDZRGXgws8XEvmn2tns6Q5FBsNH3FUwCjgXPr6eIBrUypN75qyZQa82AM1vwYDBbf5J4RDeVEoYvfG0ZNTHrp4IW/s1600/RAYMOND.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwpeRN_o_ryqZFZpdfJksMFfb8Mr9yjfQUo5LDoJ8DWvcMsINqzeMqDZRGXgws8XEvmn2tns6Q5FBsNH3FUwCjgXPr6eIBrUypN75qyZQa82AM1vwYDBbf5J4RDeVEoYvfG0ZNTHrp4IW/s320/RAYMOND.png" width="320" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<br />
And while MayRay-detractors on the West Coast will continue to wait for him to literally falter, the speedy winger may have legitimately found his stride as a Leaf. He is playing <i>a lot </i>and is earning his ice time -- in all situations. At 18:39 minutes per game, he is playing more than he ever has in his career by a wide margin. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Consider him the Mike Santorelli of the East. But as good as the Burnaby product has been for Vancouver, it will be just a small solace for Canucks fans if the team continues their struggle to score. Especially when Raymond continues to fill the net for Toronto.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's nobody's fault. And I can't imagine he'd have 8 goals if he was still a Canuck. Still, you can't help but watch when a player so unanimously written off continues to prove everybody so wrong.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Stay tuned for a list of five other Canucks who needed out of Vancouver in order to revive their careers.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>(Hint: The top one kind of rhymes with Pam Beasly.)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>UPDATE: <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/11/raymond-and-top-five-how-come-he-never.html" target="_blank">Here it is.</a></i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
-HC</div>
<br/>
<br/>
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Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-49815733263971915972013-11-16T17:02:00.000-08:002013-11-30T15:43:45.174-08:00Benson looking to rebound after lacklustre U16 Cup<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrFFw7YntMNoSROyuggIS2_tsv3vP9xYhDxCAt2nk2AitCjreMyUt8yBQg8OSioKEJ-fZ2J9B1FepWAK5iGHtB3MJFid8a2yQBME-SpRXuTzV6M-yTp2irBQJm4UAnKZtQiFZo0UklhJw/s1600/benson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrFFw7YntMNoSROyuggIS2_tsv3vP9xYhDxCAt2nk2AitCjreMyUt8yBQg8OSioKEJ-fZ2J9B1FepWAK5iGHtB3MJFid8a2yQBME-SpRXuTzV6M-yTp2irBQJm4UAnKZtQiFZo0UklhJw/s400/benson.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benson set to make his Giants debut tonight after a<br />
gold medal win with Alberta in the WHL's U16 Cup.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tyler Benson will make his hotly anticipated Vancouver Giants debut tonight against the Tri-City Americans. Set to play in one of a maximum five games for the Giants before his midget season ends in March, Vancouver is looking for Benson to live up to his "exceptional player" status and all the <a href="http://www.theprovince.com/sports/cms/binary/9168185.jpg?size=620x400s" target="_blank">hyperbolic expectations</a> that come along with it.<br />
<br />
The last time that a Giants player was even selected first overall in the WHL Draft -- let alone a year early -- it was Gilbert Brule. Say what you will about the Brule's NHL career -- he came exactly as advertised in the 'Dub, single-handedly leading the Giants to a WHL championship and Memorial Cup appearance in his third junior season. As the hype would seemingly dictate then, the road back to legitimacy for the Giants starts tonight.<br />
<br />
Nationwide, the precedence for being drafted into the major juniors a year early begins with John Tavares, which should give you some indication that Vancouver isn't the only city closely watching tonight's game.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
Just earlier this month, however, Benson had an opportunity to prelude his WHL debut with a strong performance on what was -- until now -- the biggest stage he's been showcased on. Every two-ish years, the WHL and the four provincial minor hockey associations in the West organize the <a href="http://www.whl.ca/page/2013-western-canada-u-16-challenge-cup" target="_blank">Western Canada U16 Challenge Cup</a>.<br />
<br />
Playing for tournament host Team Alberta, Benson was named an alternate captain and, by all accounts, <a href="http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Vancouver+Giants+prospect+Benson+leads+Team+Alberta+into+Western+Canada+Challenge/9104496/story.html" target="_blank">should have dominated the four-team competition</a> ahead of his Giants debut. (Think <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnjbug0P8h8" target="_blank">Connor McDavid at the World U18's</a>, but against weaker competition.) Two games into the tournament, however, he was held pointless in contests against Team Manitoba and Team Saskatchewan.<br />
<br />
In the last game of the round-robin, the 15-year-old <a href="http://www.leaguestat.com/whl_tournament/whl_tournament/en/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=230" target="_blank">finally cracked the scoresheet</a>, scoring the game-tying goal in the third before assisting on the overtime-winner. Meeting Team BC once again in the Final, he scored Alberta's go-ahead goal, helping lead his home province to a 4-2 championship win and their third .<br />
<br />
While Benson seemed to finish the tournament strong, his 3 points in 4 games was a far cry from what was expected from the latest of the proverbial "Next Ones". At 2 goals and 1 assist, he ranked <a href="http://www.leaguestat.com/whl_tournament/whl_tournament/en/stats/statdisplay.php?type=top_scorers&season_id=2&tournament_id=0&division_id=-1" target="_blank">fifth in team scoring (13th overall)</a> and was left off the tournament all-star team in favour of teammates Kale Clague (Brandon Wheat Kings) and Sam Steel (Regina Pats).<br />
<br />
As the highest-profile player at the tournament, Benson was undoubtedly very closely checked by his opponents. Loaned over from Kelowna's Pursuit of Excellence team, he was also <a href="http://www.hockeyalberta.ca/index.php/ci_id/186826/la_id/1.html" target="_blank">one of only three players not from the province's major midget league</a>, so perhaps familiarity with his teammates was an issue.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless, playing against fellow 15-year-olds, it's hard to identify either of these as a legitimate explanation for his performance -- especially when the anticipation is for him to dominate at the junior level with under-20's.<br />
<br />
All things told, the WHL's U16 Cup is nowhere near the sort of stage that Benson will inevitably be expected to prove himself. And with 34 points (15 goals and 19 assists) in 16 games for Kelowna's U18 Pursuit of Excellence Program, it is not as if Benson hasn't proven himself at the midget level. His real test starts tonight as the stage and the spotlight will only get bigger from here on out.<br />
<br />
As previously mentioned, Brule succeeded in leading the Giants to a Memorial Cup appearance in 2006. That was quickly followed by a national championship at the next year's tournament with current NHL stars Milan Lucic and Evander Kane both in the Giants lineup. With Ron Toigo and the Giants <a href="http://hockeynow.ca/major-junior/43707-vancouver-giants-build-to-get-back-to-mem-cup" target="_blank">looking to host the 2016 Memorial Cup</a>, it's clear who the team would like carrying the torch in three years' time. By then, Benson will be in his second full junior year and, ideally, putting up the same kind of numbers that his midget team in Kelowna is currently enjoying.<br />
<br />
First things first, however, he has to rebound from his Team Alberta performance earlier this month. Luckily for him, he'll get his first crack tonight.<br />
<br />
-HC
<br />
<br />
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Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-576958636980374582013-11-08T01:58:00.000-08:002013-11-30T15:42:47.237-08:00Bertuzzi beating the odds, again [with statistical WCE comparison]Last night, Todd Bertuzzi scored a goal and an assist in an overtime loss to Dallas. A pretty innocuous statement by itself. But a closer look reveals that with those two points, Bertuzzi's current pace (5 goals and 4 assists in 17 games) would see him score 20-plus goals for the first time since 2005-06 -- otherwise known in Vancouver as the West Coast Express's last hurrah.<br />
<br />
The fact that Bertuzzi has carved out a very unlikely niche in Detroit's system is a well-covered story. Having been discarded by five different teams in a span of three years, Big Bert <a href="http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2010/11/todd_bertuzzis_emphasis_on_def.html" target="_blank">reinvented himself as a defensively-responsible cog</a> in Mike Babcock's lineup.<br />
<br />
But that was four years ago. The surprise now is that<i> </i>at age <i>thirty-eight, </i>Bertuzzi remains just as valuable as he unpredictably was in his first couple of seasons with Detroit -- if not more. And not only is he at an age when the vast majority of players are retired, he is coming off a season in which he spent all but seven games with a severe back injury.<br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7046/6912614469_d865b57cfe_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7046/6912614469_d865b57cfe_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Continue reading for a year-by-year and cumulative statistical<br />
comparison of Bertuzzi, Naslund and Morrison, post-2006.<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image: Paige Kaitlyn, Flickr</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
Those pair of circumstances considered, same as when he first signed with Detroit, you would have easily excused him if he sharply disappeared into NHL irrelevancy. But after a slow start this season, he has taken advantage of a <strike>really, really bad Stephen Weiss</strike> Johan Franzen injury and scored five points in his last four games. In that span, he has clocked 15-plus minutes in each of those games, including a season-high 19:25 tonight against Dallas.<br />
<br />
When Franzen returns, you can be sure that Bertuzzi's ice time won't be quite as high. But because Zetterberg and Datsyuk seem to cycle on and off each other's lines, you can be sure that Bertuzzi will continue seeing time with an elite playmaker over the course of the season.<br />
<br />
Still, it is tremendous that Bertuzzi remains a viable option as a linemate for either Zetterberg or Datsyuk at all. Because, really, who would have imagined when the West Coast Express was dissolved that among his Canucks linemates, Bertuzzi would carve out the longest career as a role player. Not the skilled captain or the center who could kill penalties, but the perpetually-floating grump at wing with, by far, <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/trial-date-set-in-steve-moores-lawsuit-against-todd-bertuzzi/article15073970/" target="_blank">the most-distracting personal life</a> and whose career seemed on the steepest decline.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCgqQz0DOyUe4OexUOFIa1F5X0TmNPvGtLJ4xA5grXJPkg-XcuKpeg8k3CIZKBKT949Itqj_V1e7HO1Z7y1MydIGkyzlk6IkcBbQYxTbcY0wJhmPN0EvjVWyWbHE7DKf7ZtZAkyZx9KPa/s1600/WCE.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCgqQz0DOyUe4OexUOFIa1F5X0TmNPvGtLJ4xA5grXJPkg-XcuKpeg8k3CIZKBKT949Itqj_V1e7HO1Z7y1MydIGkyzlk6IkcBbQYxTbcY0wJhmPN0EvjVWyWbHE7DKf7ZtZAkyZx9KPa/s640/WCE.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bertuzzi's post-WCE production (234 points) has long ago eclipsed that of Naslund (161) and Morrison (196).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Although his overall production decreased in each of his three years post-WCE, Markus Naslund managed to retire on his own accord as a 20-goal scorer. Brendan Morrison also experienced some success after 2006, but failed to land a job after an injury-plagued 2011-12 season. Meanwhile, Bertuzzi stands alone -- a key cog on a perennially strong Detroit team. Seven years after being traded for Luongo and <i>well </i>into his thirties, the former Canucks All-Star is on pace for 20-plus goals and the tenth 40-point season of his career.<br />
<br />
Way to beat the odds, Bert. Again.<br />
<br />
-HC
<br/><br/>
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Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-12595378705912995472013-11-03T14:35:00.000-08:002013-11-30T15:42:32.597-08:00Bure night: Trevor, the wife and Ron frickin' MacLeanWell that's that. From Jim Hughson at the podium to Pat Quinn seated at centre ice to the spirited fans chanting his name, the pre-game ceremony at Rogers Arena last night was a proper blast from the past and a success in enshrining Pavel Bure's superlative time as a Canuck.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjxLvIUT1fby_UVDdaELdys6yRJTCirYRNPtyUKxt6CajSSVW6SPwrDU_XuLjxumOXsZzE7rJvxG2OKBFfh6XKXisbU6TMTsgywdZfaBwXuvvrZsIPteuC0CzKf-RuUOnIR_hPsH5zMpX/s1600/bure+night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjxLvIUT1fby_UVDdaELdys6yRJTCirYRNPtyUKxt6CajSSVW6SPwrDU_XuLjxumOXsZzE7rJvxG2OKBFfh6XKXisbU6TMTsgywdZfaBwXuvvrZsIPteuC0CzKf-RuUOnIR_hPsH5zMpX/s400/bure+night.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pavel Bure joining Smyl, Linden and Naslund in the<br />
highest-possible honour to be bestowed on a Vancouver Canuck.<br />
Photo by Sheriff Earp on Flickr.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<div>
If for whatever ill-begotten reason you have not yet watched the ceremony (or if you simply want to re-live the magic), I promise that I am reserving judgement, but good heavens man -- <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNdxbDVfPlQ" target="_blank">watch it here</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Now that we're all up to speed, here are a few of my thoughts on a night that was, if you trace the spark back to Bure's HHOF induction, in excess of a year in the making:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-This needs to get out of the way pretty quickly here (I mean the discussion pertaining to it, rather than the *ahem* items of discussion, themselves). But given that <a href="http://www2.canada.com/story.html?id=5020359" target="_blank">entire articles are being dedicated to it</a>, here's my take. Bure's wife is a model in a country where Bure has the celebrity clout of Justin Bieber, Brad Pitt and Barack Obama combined. Of course she looks like that.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
And for those in a conservative uproar, how else is he supposed to one-up the fact that his younger brother married DJ Tanner?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-Yes, yes, yes... Trevor Linden was <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Canucks+poll+Does+Trevor+Linden+absence+from+Pavel+Bure+jersey+ceremony+reflect+poorly+Linden/9113851/story.html" target="_blank">not in attendance</a>. And while there are those who will contend that this reflects very poorly on both Linden and Bure, I refuse to believe that there is anything -- among the more negative stances -- to it. </div>
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<div>
It is far from uncommon for players to clash with one another. Hell, Linden had to contend with <a href="http://youtu.be/M5Vfig0u2-s?t=1m26s" target="_blank">this fool</a> in the dressing room for half a season, so it goes without saying that some players might not get along. But even if that were the case with Bure and Linden -- and there is nothing to indicate that it was -- you have to believe that, given the mutual esteem that exists between Linden and the Canucks, he would never let anything like that get in the way of being present for an occasion as important to the organization as this.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-It has often been very publicly and widely suggested that as an influential member of the HHOF committee, <a href="http://www2.canada.com/story.html?id=5020359" target="_blank">Pat Quinn had a heavy hand in "stone-walling" Bure's induction</a> over those initial several years of eligibility. So can the whole Quinn-hated-Bure thing be finally put to bed now? </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
In addition to the oft-cited rumour that Bure threatened to hold out in the middle of the 1994 run, it was widely believed that Bure went over Quinn's head to team ownership in order to negotiate his new contract that year. Well, Quinn immediately came to the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfkRRgLgyt8" target="_blank">vehement defence of Bure</a> in regards to the initial claim and when Bure finally did make it to the Hall, Quinn was among the foremost individuals he thanked. </div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVllDKTEEBmBZjJh2lHXU0-g9f9knVuznkCZYZhIMprrJIlln7V2RNWCj_37xGwE7Eaf1ucc0b2u7AexhHfYXOs8yjsUdTv9WYHQZSaP4nG4EluSiT8DfwWStifXr8Kd5sJd7Qt78xNS1d/s1600/bure+quinn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVllDKTEEBmBZjJh2lHXU0-g9f9knVuznkCZYZhIMprrJIlln7V2RNWCj_37xGwE7Eaf1ucc0b2u7AexhHfYXOs8yjsUdTv9WYHQZSaP4nG4EluSiT8DfwWStifXr8Kd5sJd7Qt78xNS1d/s400/bure+quinn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
And not only was Quinn one of the select few outside of Bure's family and Canucks ownership on the ice last night, in what was probably the <a href="http://youtu.be/bNdxbDVfPlQ?t=13m10s" target="_blank">most emotional exchange during his speech</a>, Bure declared him "a great man" who mentored him both on and off the ice to rousing applause. Just beautiful.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-While it was easy to guess that Bure would have singled out Igor Larionov while thanking former teammates in his speech, was I the only caught off guard by the specific mention of Geoff Courtnall? I had no clue.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-I immediately reprimanded myself for thinking this, so for no other reason than correcting others who might have erroneously thought the same thing -- how is Bure's English so halting despite 12 years in the NHL? The reason I caught myself is easy. The same adage goes for hockey players as it does for any first-generation immigrant in multicultural Canada. We instinctively think less of those who lack fluency in English, but unless you yourself can declare yourself as unfailingly cogent in more than one language, the shame is truly all yours.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-Speaking of utter and complete shame, did anyone catch the abomination that was <strike>every single</strike> <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/don-cherry-says-bure-retired-early-because-he-took-chances-1.2336046" target="_blank">the ensuing Coach's Corner</a> last night? While Don Cherry has <a href="http://blogs.theprovince.com/tag/don-cherry-confused-me/" target="_blank">not made sense for years</a>, it's MacLean who has really succeeded in making subpar journalism a mainstay on HNIC. I can <i>almost</i> see where MacLean might have been going when he chose to highlight Cherry's weasel comments from 1993. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Cherry was ready to really pay his respects to Bure, which of course, would have been seen as somewhat ironic, given his history of dragging his reputation through the mud over the years. By bringing up some of his previous such comments, you can see how it was an opportunity for Cherry to account for his previous criticisms, while still paying homage to Bure's overarching skill and career as a player. But the execution was nothing short of painfully awkward. Cherry either did not remember how he was going to piece it all together or did not anticipate MacLean airing the clip.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Shoddy, uncomfortable and, as always, on Coach's Corner, just plain disrespectful.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-Outside of Ron MacLean, at least the CBC had the wherewithal to lend Jim Hughson for the night as the ceremony's emcee. Hughson has always been a champion for the West Coast cause on CBC. You can routinely hear him correcting his Eastern-slanted colleagues when it comes to the Canucks. And with all due respect to Shorty, who emceed Markus Naslund's jersey retirement, between him and Huhgson, I don't really think it's even close.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
*</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
All things told, Bure himself was altogether classy and, from what could be easily gleaned, genuinely thankful and humbled. And after an emotional 20-minute ceremony, now immortalized in the Rogers Arena rafters, the Canucks continued the show with an on-ice product that was every bit as good as the pre-game program. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
All that was missing was Zack Kassian successfully finishing his homage to Bure.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Congratulations, Pavel!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
-HC</div>
<br/><br/>
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Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-4793783503780883282013-11-03T11:00:00.000-08:002013-11-30T15:42:16.861-08:00Gretzky on Malhotra for Bure: "I would not have retired"Earlier this week, the Hurricanes made the announcement that <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=689361" target="_blank">Manny Malhotra was back in the NHL</a>. Or at least on a two-way contract. As a result, fans on the West Coast couldn't be happier. For Vancouver, the love affair with Manny traces back to 2010, when he was first signed from Columbus as a free agent.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But as the under-explored story goes, Malhotra was nearly a Canuck long before 2010. With Vancouver still reeling from Bure night, the connection traces all the way back to the Russian Rocket's trade away from the West Coast in 1999.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As you know, Bure went to Florida, in exchange for a package that centred around Ed Jovanovski and <strike>Nathan Smith</strike> the promise of a first-round draft pick. A year after the trade, however, then-Canucks GM Brian Burke commented on a proposed that would have sent Bure to the Rangers instead. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Similar to the actual return from Florida, the ask was centered around a very promising and high-profile young player, an 18-year-old rookie who was already centering a line for the Rangers named Manny Malhotra. </div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PmWZxgpahnUwZy4oqoyg-FvF_G-pbKLGTWKZikGw2DEvqkPzFAGzq4-8fsGYmPtQjF3nbSXkQRGseaOhAuQPFL5ge2u4gOChR0bIusM1_cYFH3bbhg2iNqKy43H510eupkfL0PlfV0Rb/s1600/BURE+MANNY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-PmWZxgpahnUwZy4oqoyg-FvF_G-pbKLGTWKZikGw2DEvqkPzFAGzq4-8fsGYmPtQjF3nbSXkQRGseaOhAuQPFL5ge2u4gOChR0bIusM1_cYFH3bbhg2iNqKy43H510eupkfL0PlfV0Rb/s400/BURE+MANNY.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much like Kassian-Hodgson, Malhotra would have likely had to endure<br />
a lifetime of comparison to the Rocket had the Rangers pulled the trigger in 1999.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div>
Fresh off the draft floor, Malhotra was to be packaged along with -- wait for it -- Dan Cloutier, Niklas Sundstrom and a first-round draft pick. Burke stated that he himself wouldn't have made the deal if he were Rangers GM Neil smith, whose only hesitation in pulling the trigger was letting Malhotra go. </div>
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In retrospect, Burke would in all likelihood retract his statement and Smith would have ultimately obliged the original offer. The expectation in New York was for Malhotra to become the next Adam Graves -- a two-way player who would routinely pot 30 goals on the second line. </div>
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<div>
As loved as many was on the West Coast many years later, Malhotra never had that sort of offensive flair at any point in his NHL career. He struggled mightily in his second season with New York and head coach John Muckler even went so far as to suggest that he would never develop into anything more than a third-line center. As prophetic as this was, at the time, it was quite derogatory. </div>
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So while the guy whose projected upside prevented the Rangers from acquiring Bure was returned to junior the following season, Bure was in the process of putting up 58 goals on a pretty marginal Panthers team in 1999-2000. </div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Wgretz_edit2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/00/Wgretz_edit2.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
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Perhaps worst of all, only months into his retirement, the Great One himself, declared that he <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8K12HfBTHc" target="_blank">would have continued playing</a> had the Rangers been able to spring for Bure. For a player who played with a rotation of centres that included Anatoli Semenov and Viktor Kozlov during his career, imagine what kind of numbers Bure might have put up playing alongside Wayne Gretzky in New York.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Bure's back-to-back 50-goal seasons during his tenure in Florida can hardly be seen as a what-could-have-been scenario. But the thought of Gretzky feeding Bure breakout passes in the neutral zone or finding him behind the net to unleash shots <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8K12HfBTHc" target="_blank">like these</a> is truly frightening. </div>
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<div>
As you can rightly imagine, Bure responded to Gretzky's comments, stating that it was "the greatest compliment [he] received or ever will receive in [his] life."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Rangers, of course, finally got their man in 2002 when Florida flipped him to the Big Apple for a package of prospects and picks -- though Gretzky had long since retired and Bure's knees inevitably gave out within a year.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Meanwhile, the Canucks got their man, as well. And at a time when the expectation for Manny had finally leveled out. As such, he was truly appreciated for his role in the organization, as short as it was.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Kind of like Bure was last night, I suppose. After all, it hasn't been since Manny's return in the 2011 Finals that Rogers Arena has chanted anyone's name so loudly.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-HC</div>
<br/><br/>
<a class="twitter-follow-button" data-show-count="false" href="https://twitter.com/BuresTripleDeke">Follow @BuresTripleDeke</a>
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Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-6290826054747325442013-10-31T23:30:00.000-07:002013-11-30T15:41:56.407-08:00The long-term implications of Bure to Florida<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGs2ADPIzi0JdGdoVQcKe0UrNvxxtWZE_hC6z8MfK2uJKCgDqlw2r0IdxESGRiwRRwcJ2LWciysBCue31x5Z4qmqqXe3mHm3_1Il9Rc9XF7puNiiALflXlPV5HGSD2CXGLNsKQgqeehmPD/s1600/TRADE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGs2ADPIzi0JdGdoVQcKe0UrNvxxtWZE_hC6z8MfK2uJKCgDqlw2r0IdxESGRiwRRwcJ2LWciysBCue31x5Z4qmqqXe3mHm3_1Il9Rc9XF7puNiiALflXlPV5HGSD2CXGLNsKQgqeehmPD/s400/TRADE.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fourteen years later: Ed Jovanovski and Kevin Weekes<br />
were two of Vancouver's key acquisitions in the 1999 trade.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It will continue to be the main sticking point for detractors of Pavel Bure's upcoming jersey retirement -- the trade.<br />
<br />
Simply put, Bure wanted out. And that's gonna leave a sour taste in a lot of people's mouths long after November 2. But regardless of who was at fault for Bure's relationship with the team deteriorating, the trade ushered in a new era that the Canucks badly needed at the time.<br />
<br />
Bald-deep in the Messier nightmare, Vancouver was a mainstay in the Western Conference basement. Rather than continue to shape the team around Bure, the trade allowed for then-marginal players like Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi to develop in the team's go-to guys. It is, in fact, no coincidence that Naslund emerged as the team's leading scorer the same year Bure was dealt.<br />
<br />
After an initial close call with the Rangers, Brian Burke succeeded in dealing the Russian Rocket, sending him to Florida, along with veteran defenceman Bret Hedican, prospect defenceman Brad Ference and a third-round pick in 2000.<br />
<br />
Here's what Vancouver got in return:<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>By acquiring <b>Mike Brown</b> (no, not <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Brown_(ice_hockey,_born_1981)" target="_blank">this</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Brown_(ice_hockey,_born_1957)" target="_blank">this</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Brown_(ice_hockey_b._June_1985)" target="_blank">this Mike Brown</a>), the Canucks were essentially swapping one first-round pick for another. Chosen ten spots after Brad Ference in the 2007 draft, Brown had a very promising rookie season in the minors before his NHL aspirations quickly fizzled out. In total, he played 16 games as a Canuck before being put on waivers. Meanwhile, Ference put in several serviceable years for Florida, but nothing that the Canucks were really missing out on. Consider Brown for Ference a very negligible loss for Burke.<br />
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*</div>
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<div>
<b>Kevin Weeks</b> represented another prospect with upside for Vancouver and made enough of an immediate impression that longtime backup Corey Hirsch was waived shortly after his arrival. Nonetheless, he inevitably failed to wrestle the starting job from Garth Snow -- a strong indicator that this was not, in fact, the Canucks' goalie of the future. By way of a four-man, two-pick trade with the Islanders, Weekes eventually turned into Felix Potvin, whose tenure in Vancouver was equally short-lived. About as nothing to see here as Weekes' current CBC analysis.</div>
<div>
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<div>
*</div>
<div>
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<div>
In the twilight of his career at the time of the trade, <b>Dave Gagner</b> was nonetheless a respected veteran that you can imagine Burke would have wanted to help steady the Canucks' struggling roster. He played the remaining 33 games of the season with Vancouver before retiring after 14 years in the NHL. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Though the Canucks couldn't have had any long-term plans for Gagner at the time, he ended up coming back to the West Coast almost 10 years later as the team's director of player development. Now gone after five years, it appears that Gagner's biggest impact on the organization was <a href="http://www.blogger.com/-http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/hodgsons-rift-with-canucks-grows/article1364803/" target="_blank">injuring Cody Hodgson's back</a>. Thanks for that one, Dave. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
*</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So while the trio of Brown, Weekes and Gagner proved very quickly to be negligible acquisitions, the Canucks had a real opportunity to get a good chunk of Bure's worth back with Florida's first-round pick in 2000. Now, I don't personally think it's fair to play the who-else-was-available game that is so popular, because despite what analysts make it seem, the NHL draft is a straight-up crapshoot. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It's rare that the game ends well and as you could have imagined, the selection of <b>Nathan Smith</b> is no exception. At 23rd overall, it appears that the Canucks' first choice in 2000 could have easily been any one of Brad Boyes, Steve Ott, Jason Williams or Niklas Kronwall -- all of whom remain impact players in the NHL. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
By comparison, Smith's career highlights begin and end with one count of <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3373639" target="_blank">drunken streaking</a>. Eat your heart out, <a href="http://blogs.theprovince.com/2011/02/28/better-know-a-newbie-chris-higgins/" target="_blank">Chris Higgins</a>!</div>
<div>
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<div>
*</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Now, as mentioned, the largest-scale benefits of the Bure trade aren't even directly associated with the players Vancouver got in exchange. Clearly. But in <b>Ed Jovanovski</b>, the Canucks truly did secure a significant return. He was a high-risk, high-reward defenceman that, in retrospect, makes Kevin Bieksa look pedestrian. Case in point is <a href="http://youtu.be/svkK4JVtpTE?t=3m21s" target="_blank">this outrageously dangerous pass</a> to Joe Sakic during the 2002 gold medal game. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
While Bure undoubtedly accomplished far more in Florida (back-to-back 50-goal seasons to lead the league in scoring) by comparison, Jovanovski stayed in Vancouver four more years than Bure did in the Southeast. More importantly, he was an essential piece of the Canucks' aforementioned rebuild and the ensuing juggernaut that was the West Coast Express era. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On the strength of three straight 40-point seasons, Jovanovski remains the <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/careerstats.htm?gameType=2&team=VAN&position=D&country=&active=&viewName=careerLeadersForFranchise" target="_blank">sixth-most prolific defenceman</a> in Canucks history.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So while the sentiment towards the trade remains justifiably bitter, in the long run, you can't argue that both sides didn't emerge for the better. The Canucks were able to very successfully move on with a core that included Jovanovski, while Bure -- a highly private individual -- got to close out his career in the relative anonymity of Florida and New York. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Nearly fourteen years ago, who would have thought that his return to the Vancouver spotlight would be a hero's welcome? </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-HC</div>
<br />
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Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-40445447478255319842013-10-30T00:36:00.001-07:002013-11-03T23:22:34.918-08:00The Bures, the Sedins and fraternal scoring supremacyAfter years of poring over stats upon stats upon stats, one begins to accumulate what I refer to as 'trivia records'. They have little significance or relevance and typically only represent unique scenarios that don't really reflect what the NHL is like as a whole.<br />
<br />
For example, the "brothers record". Perhaps you too have once been told that Wayne and Brent Gretzky hold the all-time record for career points by a pair of siblings at 2,861 -- Brent's contribution being a whole 4 points. Puts a different spin on Gretzky's dominance in the league, I suppose, but ultimately, this record yields about zero relevancy in terms of its ability to illustrate the history of actual brother tandems in the league.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cgV_D9waI7kBhoc5FQSpx6l7j0muiRvYaqvUEZtu5Dg90FYA4LbhoYqU5Cty8N1_014Uh0fjCRrn0Nn89qw-celc6EFdAH0wtuujYuL0qzJS9VWW3wb5emd0OPLtjA8-LKvQl7LdxH8M/s1600/bures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7cgV_D9waI7kBhoc5FQSpx6l7j0muiRvYaqvUEZtu5Dg90FYA4LbhoYqU5Cty8N1_014Uh0fjCRrn0Nn89qw-celc6EFdAH0wtuujYuL0qzJS9VWW3wb5emd0OPLtjA8-LKvQl7LdxH8M/s200/bures.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pavel and Valeri in their lone season<br />
together in Florida.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Enter Pavel Bure and his younger brother, <strike>DJ Tanner's husband</strike> Valeri. While there is a pretty sizable disparity in skill between the Bures, it is far smaller than that between the Gretzkys. As such, a record held by the two of them might actually have some relevancy. And wouldn't you know it, in 1999-2000, Pavel and Valeri combined for 93 goals in a single season -- a league-leading 54 from Pavel and 35 from Valeri. As a result, they topped a rather legendary pair of brothers in Bobby and Dennis Hull, surpassing their previous mark of 88 goals, set in 1968-69.<br />
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<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
It's not among the most significant records in NHL history, but you can see how it has a bit more relevance than the Gretzkys' 2,861 points. Pavel and Valeri's record gives you a legitimate comparison between two sets of the all-time best brother tandems. To give it some further context, Frank and Peter Mahovlich's best combined total was 78 goals in 1971-72.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So between the Bures, Hulls and Mahovliches, there are some real tangible marks that allow you to compare the brothers' collective efficacy in the NHL. So then. I'm sure you could have imagined where this was headed. Given that Vancouver has played host for the past decade to one of the greatest brother shows in NHL history, where do Henrik and Daniel Sedin's best numbers rank in this regard?<br />
<br />
Immediately there's a caveat, as the Sedins are both playmakers more than anything else. As such, their best combined total is a somewhat distant 60 goals (Daniel, 41; Henrik 19), achieved in 2010-11. Still impressive, but it would appear that the Bures definitely have the upper hand on the Sedins in goal-scoring.<br />
<br />
What about points, then? And better yet, what about all-time points? At this point in their career, the Sedins have put some serious time in the league -- most of it as consistent point-per game players. How do they rank against the Bures, Hulls and Mahovliches in this area? What about the Richards or the Stastnys?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLvNrs-odfvbFkXxLCJR-_rXgIYsU5d2FJlL69xHDtUu8rlequ6vX_9Ow-ZgOtZbM_N5GBwKR2iJlcIwduYWK9JANMpvOtsSqtcUDjo_P3HNR_QZ6bLsZ4kqM0ymSGiMEcln3-a9HYSZj/s1600/BROTHERS.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJLvNrs-odfvbFkXxLCJR-_rXgIYsU5d2FJlL69xHDtUu8rlequ6vX_9Ow-ZgOtZbM_N5GBwKR2iJlcIwduYWK9JANMpvOtsSqtcUDjo_P3HNR_QZ6bLsZ4kqM0ymSGiMEcln3-a9HYSZj/s640/BROTHERS.png" width="554" /></a></div>
<br />
On an all-time basis, then, the Sedins rank 11th in terms of overall production, while Pavel and Valeri rank 21st. It's interesting to note that the Sedins are just beyond another Canucks brother duo in Geoff and Russ Courtnall.<br />
<br />
But if you eliminate all of the duos who really shouldn't be considered legitimate duos (to set a standard, say... all those in which one brother's total doubles the other's), it looks like the Sedins rank more like fifth overall, behind the Richards, Mahovliches, Stastnys and Hulls. And that's with about a third of their careers still ahead of them.<br />
<br />
In fact, it would be no exaggeration to assume that by the time Henrik and Daniel call it a career, they will be the second-highest producing brothers in NHL history, behind just Wayne and Brent. And because we all know that calling the Gretzkys a "duo" is just plain ridiculous, the Sedins are likely shaping up to be the greatest legitimate combination of all-time.<br />
<br />
Sorry, Pavel. I realize this is supposed to be a Bure article, but I suppose anytime the greatest Canucks of all-time are discussed, the Sedins tend to make an appearance.<br />
<br />
So there you have it. As is the case in the Canucks' record books, Bure's supreme talent over a shortened career results in a single-season record with brother Valeri, while the Sedins' longevity and consistency is parlayed into some heady all-time positioning. A pair of trivia records that actually mean something -- go figure.<br />
<br />
-HC<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ebJH3o1dlS6fkaEgd3rB-ewpl0Wcw0Ytv1_ks4hIUURg1fJ0sIBMr82uPmkgDIVrlwHjr6ML2Pevz3ZvtB3HNpaa5_YDMCs22FWS_xv_KAoR3BgTYT-BvWakUG9F5OkvCbi3ycwoKH-J/s1600/Pavel_Bure_in_Canucks_uniform.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ebJH3o1dlS6fkaEgd3rB-ewpl0Wcw0Ytv1_ks4hIUURg1fJ0sIBMr82uPmkgDIVrlwHjr6ML2Pevz3ZvtB3HNpaa5_YDMCs22FWS_xv_KAoR3BgTYT-BvWakUG9F5OkvCbi3ycwoKH-J/s200/Pavel_Bure_in_Canucks_uniform.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">See the rest of BTD's Bure series:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oct 24 <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pavel-bures-top-10-goals-as-vancouver.html">Pavel Bure's Top 10 Goals as a Vancouver Canuck</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oct 25 <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pavel-bures-top-10-goals-as-canuck.html">Top 10 honourable mentions</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oct 26 <span style="color: #999999;"><a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pavel-bure-alex-ovechkin-and-other-all.html" target="_blank">Bure, Ovechkin and other All-Star voting fallacies</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #999999;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oct 27 <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-staying-power-of-bures-60-goal.html" target="_blank">The staying power of Bure's 60-goal record</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oct 28 <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pavel-bure-and-progression-of-canucks.html" target="_blank">Pavel Bure and the progression of the Canucks' point-scoring record</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oct 31 <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-long-term-implications-of-bure-to.html" target="_blank">The long-term implications of Bure to Florida</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nov 3 <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/11/gretzky-on-malhotra-for-bure-i-would.html" target="_blank">Gretzky on Malhotra-for-Bure: "I would not have retired"</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Nov 3 <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/11/bure-night-trevor-wife-and-frickin-ron.html" target="_blank">Bure night: Trevor, the wife and Ron frickin' MacLean</a></span>Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-564028307530390021.post-87259476715803156022013-10-28T14:37:00.000-07:002013-11-01T02:59:26.294-07:00Pavel Bure and the progression of the Canucks point-scoring recordRecall Henrik Sedin's Art Ross-winning season three years ago. It was in that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me3GPkF7m5s" target="_blank">legendary final game</a> against the Flames that Henrik eclipsed Alexander Ovechkin for the NHL's point-scoring crown. And in the process of securing the first Art Ross Trophy in team history, Henrik set another franchise mark. With his 111th point, he surpassed Pavel Bure for the highest-scoring season by a Canuck in team history.<br />
<br />
Established in 1992-93, Bure's 110-point record, at the time, had stood for 17 years. In just his second season in the NHL, the Russian Rocket went all Soviet on goaltenders throughout the league and nearly doubled his output from the previous season. On the strength of 60 goals and 50 assists, he made a mockery of the previous team record of 91 points, set by Patrik Sundstrom in 1983-84.<br />
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<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
And while Henrik needed an 11th-hour effort for the record, Bure <a href="http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/b/burepa01/gamelog/1993/" target="_blank">surpassed Sundstrom in just his 67th game of the season</a> -- a two-assist output at home against New Jersey. Pity that Sundstrom didn't stick around in the league for a couple more seasons than he did. A Devil for the last five years of his career, he would have had a front-row seat for the record-breaking point against Vancouver.<br />
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Bure's two assists helped the Canucks to a 7-3 win that night on March 10, 1993. And from that point on, it was simply a matter of just how far he could put the record out of reach. Given the longevity of the record, Bure faired quite well.<br />
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Unlike his <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-staying-power-of-bures-60-goal.html" target="_blank">yet-untouched mark of 60 goals</a>, however, Bure's points record sustained several close calls before finally falling in 2010. Alexander Mogilny recorded 107 just three years afterwards, while Markus Naslund came within six in the West Coast Express's heyday.<br />
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And while it will likely take several more years for a season like Henrik's to come along in Vancouver, Bure's 17-year run with the record remains the longest duration of its kind in Canucks history.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUKNCDr2H0G318h_sqUN6yRVIffGw_yd5EirKDzDs-h9N5AD_HclVEO8mYwFclmlumjyV8uMptn0iAKzcdYmQ9DOtUeE67pTVIXocUczEsGUG3wF8wMoLMhKg1FpgYBRhev3HgxpAxQga/s1600/BURE+POINTS.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyUKNCDr2H0G318h_sqUN6yRVIffGw_yd5EirKDzDs-h9N5AD_HclVEO8mYwFclmlumjyV8uMptn0iAKzcdYmQ9DOtUeE67pTVIXocUczEsGUG3wF8wMoLMhKg1FpgYBRhev3HgxpAxQga/s640/BURE+POINTS.png" width="425" /></a></div>
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Prior to Bure, five different players held the record -- Andre Boudrias, Bobby Schmautz, Stan Smyl, Darcy Rota and Sundstrom. Unlike those five, Bure's standard of 110 points stood the test of time long after his career.<br />
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And in just five days, Vancouver won't have to turn to statistical proof to demonstrate why Bure was one of the greatest the team ever had. Come November 2, you'll simply have to look up.<br />
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-HC<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Pavel_Bure_in_Canucks_uniform.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Pavel_Bure_in_Canucks_uniform.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>
<i>See the other posts in the Bure series:</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Oct 24 </span><a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pavel-bures-top-10-goals-as-vancouver.html" style="background-color: white; color: #2288bb; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Pavel Bure's Top 10 Goals as a Vancouver Canuck</a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Oct 25 </span><a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pavel-bures-top-10-goals-as-canuck.html" style="background-color: white; color: #2288bb; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-decoration: none;">Top 10 honourable mentions</a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Oct 26 </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/pavel-bure-alex-ovechkin-and-other-all.html" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Bure, Ovechkin and other All-Star voting fallacies</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: black;">Oct 27 <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/10/the-staying-power-of-bures-60-goal.html" style="color: #2288bb; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The staying power of Bure's 60-goal record</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Oct 29 <a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-bures-sedins-and-fraternal-stat.html" target="_blank">The Bures, the Sedins and fraternal scoring supremacy</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Oct 31 </span><a href="http://burestripledeke.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-long-term-implications-of-bure-to.html" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">The long-term implications of Bure to Florida</a></span>Bure's Triple Dekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12516517413451746580noreply@blogger.com0