NorthWest Sports Blog brings you daily features on Oregon, Washington State, and BC amateur and pro sports teams.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks’ blogger Richard Hodges give you his love ‘em and hate ‘em from Vancouver’s win over the Columbus Blue Jackets in a shootout. Whatever Mason Raymond did in the shootout worked. But man was it ugly. Was it legal? Richard doesn’t even care. It went in he says. The game’s first highlight was David Booth laying out Matt Calvert. Nice way to start the game.
Waving the White Towel Yikes. After all these underwhelming games, the Canucks blew another chance to right the ship and take two points out a hockey game. Instead, the Minnesota debacle felt almost like the culmination of the creeping habits that had been plaguing the Canucks. Halfway through the year the Canucks are struggling to [...]
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Bryan McFarlane weighs in with his Nucks three stars post. Here are the few noteworthy performers from Feb 25th to March 4 during the Canucks 2013 campaign. Chris Higgins, Henrik Sedin and Jannik Hansen make the list this time around. Let’s all cross our fingers for some more successful outings in the near future for the boys in blue.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks’ blogger Richard Hodges give you his love ‘em and hate ‘em from Vancouver’s loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime. The Canucks are once again atop the Northwest and the third seed in the West but the pitchforks are out for Coach Alain Vigneault. On a positive note Henrik Sedin has scored in back-to-back games. Zack Kassian and David Booth have to break out soon right?
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks’ blogger Richard Hodges give you his love ‘em and hate ‘em from Vancouver’s loss to the San Jose Sharks in shootouts. While there was impressive play from the Canucks–at times–they needed a greater effort on the ice if they were going to come away with anything from this game. Among things that frustrated Richard was the lack of impressive play when Vancouver had a power play advantage.
Richard Hodges previews the Calgary Flames vs. Vancouver Canucks Jan. 23 matchup. The key matchup Richard is watching is between the pair of first-round rookies in Jordan Schroeder and Sven Baertschi. Schroeder got the call up earlier this week after an impressive Canucks camp, and looks to finally have a chance to prove himself at the NHL level. The Canucks will go back to Cory Schneider, he of the 11.11 GAA and .643 sv pct.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Richard Hodges points out today it’s nice to see the framework of a 50/50 deal finally floating around but because the two sides can’t agree on the dollar figure that will be split, we’ve now lost November and the Winter Classic is hanging in the balance. He looks at some Canucks who are benefiting from the lockout which today. Ryan Kesler, Roberto Luongo, Zack Kassian, Jason Garrison make the list.
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 Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Mitch Dyck points to a few reasons why the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat should be the franchise targeted by the Current Vancouver Canucks owners the Aquilini Investment Group. If the Canucks AHL affiliate was in Abbotsford, the recall of players is much speedier for home games and even road games in Western Canada. Good news for Kevin Connauton, Billy Sweatt, and possibly Eddie Lack.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Mitch Dyck points out today that Shane Doan is the guy the Canucks really want, but they are also talking with Jason Arnott. See him as fit for 3rd line centre position. He could also fill in as 2nd line center if prospect Jordan Schroeder isn’t ready for the NHL while Ryan Kesler recovers from off season shoulder surgery.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger Mitch Dyck weighs in with his top 5 matchups he’s NOT looking forward to watching in 2012 for his Canucks. The 2012 NHL schedule came out a short time ago. A big matchup he doesn’t want to see is Roberto Luongo playing for another team in Rogers Arena, namely the Panthers. He doesn’t want to see Duncan Keith of the Blackhawks either.
NWSB Insider and Vancouver Canucks blogger The Flying V – Kevin Vanstone weighs in on the Ryan Kesler shoulder injury, will he or won’t he start the season? The trickle down effects and questions. If Maxim Lapierre is moved up to the second line, Chicago Wolves’ center Jordan Schroeder depth chart, what kind of minutes will Manny Malhotra get? In the meantime, it is up to Gillis to decide if his hockey team can afford to learn on the fly.
