2012 Vancouver Canucks offseason / Vigneault returns

[TheLionKing]

[quote="notahomer"]Well apparently the TV ratings for this years playoffs is way up in the States leading some to suggest its the rougher version of the playoffs thats leading the extra eyes watching.

/quote]

Who says fans want fighting taken out of the game ?

[notahomer]

Well apparently the TV ratings for this years playoffs is way up in the States leading some to suggest its the rougher version of the playoffs thats leading the extra eyes watching.

/quote]

Who says fans want fighting taken out of the game ?

It is a repeated arguement (but I don't buy it) that gives the NHL a bad name in the USA.

Me personally? I don't want fighting taken out, no I want fighting put back in. All these post-whistle scrums, pushing, shoving, glove face wipes, snow showers etc.... Cut the crap. Drop the gloves or shut up!

It seems as though some players wait until the linesmen show up and then they want to tussle. I think the Bruins proved last year that you win the Cup with banging, bullying and unbelievable goaltending.

The market research surveys and focus groups may say we want goals, passing and skilled play. In reality, IMO, we want to see the kind of hockey that is being played now. I personally think its a safer and more enjoyable brand of hockey WHEN BOTH TEAMS are practicing it.

I also can't believe Kesler got that 2 minutes for the snow shower considering some of the stuff that does go on these playoffs. The behemoth defenceman? That's who I'd be drafting if the rules are going to be staying like this. Tanev needs to put on some muscle. I thought he looked great last playoffs, now I wonder if he's too small.

[David]

Well apparently the TV ratings for this years playoffs is way up in the States leading some to suggest its the rougher version of the playoffs thats leading the extra eyes watching. Another plausible explanation is apparently a lot of the playoffs is available without going through the cable provider. I always did feel fortunate here in Canada. In the preTSN days, the CBC pretty much ran the NHL and CFL and this is on a free station. That being said I'm glad TSN (and to a lesser extent Sportsnet) have entered the market. I can't imagine not being able to watch the playoffs due not having the right cable provider.

Prob doesn't hurt either that all but one (Dallas) of the league's 10 biggest US TV markets are represented in the playoff pool: NY, LA, Chicago, Philly, DC, Miami, Boston, SF/Bay Area and Detroit; each one north of 4M metro pop. Not sure how often that's been the case lately.

I think more to the point, the NHL is on the NBC family of stations which has a much greater reach than Versus, which carried playoff games before. Not a fan of the sideshow stuff in Philly (the "ding-ding-ding" boxing ring sound effect when a fight starts, the video message from Hulk Hogan on the scoreboard inciting the crowd etc.). It makes a bit of a mockery of the sport.


DH

[notahomer]

Well the 'Nucks didn't look AWESOME but certainly did enough to win. The powerplay looked completely different (in many ways) with Daniel. Unfortuantely still gave up an awesome goal scoring chance shorthanded via an unsuccessful penalty shot. Cory looked good and stable. Another bit of a break until game 5 here in Vancouver. That will be a neat game. Do the Kings pull out all the stops? Or coast a bit knowing they get another crack at home? I know teams try to win every game but in some ways a team trailing has nothing to lose so why not go all out? IMO, the Canucks will NOT climb all the way back and win this series but at least they looked like they are back in this series. Gives Daniel quite a few days to recharge the batteries......

[TheLionKing]

The 3 day break between games gave the Canucks time to reorganize and refocus. It's only 1 win but it's a start. Still along way to go to dig themselves out of the hole they're in. If I were the Kings I would end the series Sunday. You don't want to play with fire by giving a team like the Canucks a 2nd chance. An added advantage to elininating the Canucks is that you earn an extra days to heal up your wounds for round 2

[TheLionKing]

The season is over. Post mortem begins.

[WestCoastJoe]

Re the NHL in general ...

Five games for an elbow to the jaw ... Duncan Keith

Twenty five games for near OK check by Rafi Torres

Nothing for Weber

Bogus, and a joke. The NHL game is a mess IMO ...

Back to clutch and grab, gotta luv those 1-0 or 2-1 games.
...........

Canucks

Schneider A-, slightly better than Luongo (for the playoffs and the year)

Forwards B for the year, playoffs C

Defence B for the year, playoffs C

Not gonna win the Cup with those numbers
...........

Another joke ... Team cruises regular season, Kings, cranks it up in playoffs = joke league

Makes regular season pointless, except for revenue

Jonathan Quick A+

[notahomer]

Re the NHL in general ...

Five games for an elbow to the jaw ... Duncan Keith

Twenty five games for near OK check by Rafi Torres

Nothing for Weber

Bogus, and a joke. The NHL game is a mess IMO ...

Back to clutch and grab, gotta luv those 1-0 or 2-1 games.
...........

Canucks

Schneider A-, slightly better than Luongo (for the playoffs and the year)

Forwards B for the year, playoffs C

Defence B for the year, playoffs C

Not gonna win the Cup with those numbers
...........

Another joke ... Team cruises regular season, Kings, cranks it up in playoffs = joke league

Makes regular season pointless, except for revenue

Jonathan Quick A+

Can't agree more WCJ, your comments are bang on, IMO. I don't enjoy watching Hendrik Sedin and Sidney Crosby gooning it up but when in Rome..... I would rather see great players play hockey rather than throwing headshot elbows etc.... And this excuse of 'letting the players decide the outcome'. IMO, that can be done by calling the penalties that are called all year long. What is a penalty in October should be a penalty in the playoffs, IMO. The 'non' call in overtime was not a big gripe for me. I was surprised is wasn't blown dead simply because such an obvious scoring chance occurred.

Watching the rest of these playoffs will be interesting. This is round one. If there is some big hits/suspensions, I guess more are coming for sure.

[TheLionKing]

...........

Canucks

Schneider A-, slightly better than Luongo (for the playoffs and the year)

Forwards B for the year, playoffs C

Defence B for the year, playoffs C

Not gonna win the Cup with those numbers
...........

Forwards C

Defence C

No goals by Burrows, Kesler, Raymond, Higgins. Defence running around in their own ends. Undisciplined penalties

[1greatmysticbushape]

what goes up must come down

[TheLionKing]

Bruins eliminated in overtime by the Caps. Made my day

[WestCoastJoe]

Bruins eliminated in overtime by the Caps. Made my day

I'm thinking the regular season is a joke in the NHL.

Better to cruise the season, save it for the playoffs.

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.theprovince.com/business/fp/ ... story.html

From Mike Gillis's press conference ...

Although he was a healthy scratch for the Canucks’ final playoff game and played fewer than four minutes in the previous two, Kassian got a big vote of confidence from Mike Gillis as part of the GM’s remarkable throwing of Hodgson under the bus during his season-ending presser.

“There clearly were issues that were ongoing and I spent more time on Cody’s issues than all our players combined over the last three years,” said Gillis. “We made a determination that he didn’t want to be here, built him into something that we could move.

“There were six young players on other teams that I would have traded him for if any of them were ever made available. One was made available at the trade deadline – it was Zack. Zack is a commodity that is impossible to get if we develop him and make him into the player we think he can be.

“There are five [other] players that I think are the equivalent and you cannot get them — in free agency or in a trade. It’s really up to us and I think Zack is going to be a more influential player for us moving forward.”

Well now that Cody is gone, it seems Gillis is willing to talk about the high maintenance aspect.

the GM’s remarkable throwing of Hodgson under the bus during his season-ending presser

I would say it was remarkable. There seemed to be an under current of dissatisfaction on both sides right from the first training camp.

“There clearly were issues that were ongoing and I spent more time on Cody’s issues than all our players combined over the last three years,” said Gillis.

Ouch. No holding back there.

“We made a determination that he didn’t want to be here, built him into something that we could move."

Ouch again.

Was it just a bad fit between Cody Hodgson and the Canucks? Or will Buffalo find him high maintenance also?

He didn't seem to have problems in junior or international hockey.

He certainly had his fans here. And he seemed to be just about Tony Gallagher's favorite Canuck.

Gallagher is no fan of Alain Vigneault, nor of Mike Gillis, methinks.

[TheLionKing]

I suspect Hodgson's relationship with the canucks soured the medical staff misdiagnosed his injury

[Lions4ever]

Could the title to this thread be changed from "Run" to "Brief Jog"?