NorthWest Sports Blog brings you daily features on Oregon, Washington State, and BC amateur and pro sports teams.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Kevin “The Flying V” Vanstone weighs in today on the Nucks and says it has been a full thirteen days since VanCity were swept by the San Jose Sharks in the first round of this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, and after an appropriate mourning period it is time to look towards next season and the changes needed. Roberto Luongo has been on his way out of Vancouver for some time. He’s surely gone. Alain Vigneault. Gone too.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Mitch Dyck brings us up to speed on the storylines from last nights Canucks win over the Chicago Blackhawks. If there was ever a perfect example of baptism by fire, for Frank Corrado his first NHL game would be just that. What happens now is anyone’s guess. Mitch thinks Corrado’s play last night warrants another look in Thursday’s game against the Ducks. Kevin Bieksa and Chris Tanev take your time.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Mitch Dyck brings us up to speed on the storylines he’s watching for as we near the 2013 NHL trade deadline. Today the Canucks started the morning off by putting defensemen Cam Barker on waivers for the purpose of sending him to the Chicago Wolves. Shortly after that Nick “the mulligan” Kypreos reported that the Vancouver Canucks had acquired Derek Roy from the Dallas Stars for Kevin Connauton and a 2nd round pick.
NWSB Vancouver Canucks blogger Kevin Vanstone AKA The Flying V weighs in today and says The Vancouver Canucks Don’t Need A Fighter. Zack Kassian and Tom Sestito both engaged in fights during Tuesday’s win over the Blues, but what did they accomplish? It’s OK, I’ll wait for an answer says Kev. In the meantime, Canucks fans can only hope Jordan Schroeder and Dale Weise continue to find chemistry on the fourth line.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Mitch Dyck brings us up to speed on the two Nucks signings this week. Please welcome to the organization Ludwig Blomstrand & Kellan Lain. Lain actually led College hockey’s Lake Superior in face off % this season, winning 56% of his 571 draws. That’s not a great sample, but it is nevertheless intriguing. Blomstrand is a 6’1, 198lbs left-winger who spent this season in Sweden’s second-tier league.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger C-Mac weighs in on the Canucks finally winning a game thanks to an iffy goal by Mason Raymond. He also ponders what to do with Coach Alain Vigneault. He says Vancouver in particular appears more anxious behind the bench. Watch Coach Vigneault these days as he spends more time frantically berating the officials over perceived injustices than concentrating on creative game planning.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Mitch Dyck brings us up to speed on the storylines involving Ryan Kesler and his possible first game of the season this week vs. the Dallas Stars on Friday night. While he’s itching to get back into the lineup, you have to admire him for not rushing back like he did last season after only five games. Kesler wasn’t the same player that scored 41 goals and won the Selke award in 2011 during the 2011-12 season.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Mitch Dyck points out five key reasons why today is a good day for the Canucks after re-signing Alex Burrows. In seven NHL seasons, all with the Canucks, Burrows has 139 goals and 131 assists in 522 games. Burrows, 31, was entering the final season of a four-year contract and would have been an unrestricted free agent following the 2012-13 season. He got a no trade clause too.
NWSB Rookie Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Mitch Dyck puts pen to paper today with some thoughts on the Canucks pending 2013 Free agent Maxim Lapierre. it’s part 5 of his 2012 offseason series Future Forecast. Mitch thinks that although he doesn’t make a lot of money, Lapierre doesn’t want to stay a 4th line center for the rest of his career. We’ll know more in July of 2013.
NWSB Rookie Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Mitch Dyck puts pen to paper today with some thoughts on the Canucks pending 2013 Free agent Chris Higgins. it’s part 4 of his 2012 offseason series Future Forecast. Mitch thinks Higgins is the most underrated of the Canucks forwards. Though he’s not sure there is any urgency for Vancouver to extend Higgins before his deal is up.
NWSB Rookie Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Mitch Dyck puts pen to paper today with some thoughts on the Canucks pending 2013 Free agent Alex Burrows. it’s part 3 of his 2012 offseason series Future Forecast. Mitch expects Burrows, like some of the other core players Vancouver have locked up, to take a slight pay cut to stay here. He’ll score goals, kill penalties, make plays and take the body.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger C-Mac is back inside from laying out in the Victoria sunshine. Teachers and their summers off. He weighs in on the Canucks prospect Nicklas Jensen discussing the possibility of foregoing his last year of major junior eligibility with the Oshawa Generals in order to play a season in the Swedish Elite League should he not make the Canucks roster for the 2012/13 season.
