Thursday 29 December 2011

The Big Day... Canucks in Boston

The big day everyone has been waiting for is approaching. Our Vancouver Canucks will be in Boston to take on the much hated ( by me ) Boston Bruins.  The discussions about the big day have begun amongst Canucks fans. Some people are not liking the 10 am start, some fans are excited for the game, some not so excited..  and some people are discussing which goaler will get the start.
Of course I have an opinion on the whole goaler debate.. so here I am, writing in my blog for the first time in months. :) Missed me didn't ya ;) hah

As the story goes and we are all well aware of,  Luongo got lit up in game 7 vs the Bruins and this seems to be the argument against starting Luo in net vs the Bruins on Jan 7th.  I don't get the reasoning tho. If we go by that rule, the whole team minus a handful would be sitting. Last time i checked, Luongo was not the only player on ice that horrible night and he was not the only player to stink it up. I do believe we scored a whopping zero goals, which means, if you go by the above reasoning, that our goal scorers should sit because they obviously can't score against the Bruins right ;) Ya, it just doesn't make sense right.
The whole team stunk it up and the whole team deserves a chance to get out there and redeem themselves, including Roberto. If Luongo is in net and the Canucks lose, will it hurt his confidence ? It very well could but it could also hurt the whole teams confidence. Why is Luongo any different than the rest of the guys? I do believe every one of those players cried after losing that game, which means they all have emotions over it and they all have pride. Every single one of those players, including Rome and Raymond, deserve a shot at the Bruins. This is the team , Luongo included, that took us on an amazing ride during the playoffs..so why shouldn't they, as a team, get the chance to defend and redeem themselves.

 Let's just pretend for a moment.. Cory gets the start vs Boston on Jan 7th. Cory gets lit up. Now we have two amazing goalers who have both lost important games against the Bruins. Then we meet the Bruins in the 2012 playoff run. Now what ? Can't start Luongo because he lost game 7, can't start Cory because he lost our redemption game.. Guess we call for the Lack Attack ? haha #justsaying

Honestly, I don't much care which goaler gets the start, I will be a nervous wreck no matter who's between the pipes !  We either start a goalie who has never played against Boston, or we start a goalie who has much to prove against the Bruins.  It's a tough call on a big day.. all we can do is hope it ends with a big fat W for our Canucks :)

 Me ? ...
or me ?





Thursday 20 October 2011

Canucks vs Nashville

The Canucks take on the Nashville Predators tonight, in Rogers Arena at 7pm. I have heard rumors that Luongo will start in net.. let's hope the fans have the decency tonight to not boo our #1 goaler :P
Any predictions ? FInal score... first goal, game winning goal ?
I don't like to predict the final score but I will call Kesler for a goal tonight. :D

Anyone lucky enough to go to the game tonight, please cheer loud and proud for the whole team . Let the guys know that not all fans are boo-ers .


I will post the line ups as I get them.. so stay tuned :)

Wednesday 19 October 2011

There’s Something About November

After a disappointing loss to the Rangers (Lundqvist stood on his head), the Canucks I’ve cheered for so long are on their usual journey through the regular season.

The slow starts in October, where rebound control is suspect, defensive zone coverage is sloppy, special teams are bad and passes are errant, are the norm.

Even last year’s President Trophy team was not that good in the first 6 weeks of the season.  Let’s not forget that embarrassing 7 -1 loss to the Blackhawks on November 20, 2010 at Rogers’ Arena.

For every bad start, the Canucks always manage a better November/December.  Just like the Pineapple Expresses that arrives in Vancouver in November (or early December – I blame el Nino), the Canucks transform themselves from mediocre to superb.  The special teams are clicking, the passes are crisp, the defensive is solid and the goalies look like walls.

So what happens in November that creates such an annual transition for the Canucks? I’d thought I share some theories.

·    Maybe the depressing, soul-sucking endless grey Vancouver days, place some of the Canuck players in a contemplative state where they realize that if life won’t provide the happiness, they will have to make their own happiness.  Further contemplation creates the realization that playing great hockey makes them happy. I see Alex Edler as a contemplative individual.

·    Possibly the Movember Moustache creates the urge for some Canucks to transform themselves into villains, a la Snidely Whiplash (Dudley Do Right’s nemesis).  Why? Well we need more fodder for those outside of Vancouver to get their hate on.  Nothing creates more hate from Toronto than a winning team in Canada not in Toronto.  Max Lapierre or Alex Burrows would look great with a Snidely Whiplash ‘stache.

·    Perhaps the sight of an annoying wriggling plush Christmas tree that sings 15 holiday songs in off putting high pitch tone, among other Christmas decorations in stores, before Remembrance day, causes some Canucks players to take their pent up frustration on over the top holiday marketing and consumerism to the ice.  I see Kevin Bieska in this camp.

·    Or the sight of the Remembrance Day poppies stirs memories of their past lives as soldiers for some Canucks (with 5000 years of world history, don’t be surprised if some of your Canucks were warriors in their past lives).  The memories of camaraderie, sacrifice and courage inspire them to play for the boys on the team.  I think Roberto Luongo was a Spartan in his past life.

·    Or more shockingly Coach AV just screams into the locker room holding a puppy in early November and threatens, “I WILL KILL THIS PUPPY IF YOU DON’T START WINNING!  DON’T MAKE ME KILL THIS PUPPY. YOU DON’T WANT THE PUPPY’S BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS!”  Coach AV then storms out.  Not knowing whether Coach AV was serious, I can imagine Ryan Kesler imploring his team mates to play better ‘cause RK17 is a dog lover & owner.


Whatever the reason, take heart Canuck fans, there’s something to look forward to in November.

written by : Christina aka NOTS

The Blame Game

Last night the Canucks hosted the New York Rangers, a team who had not won a game yet this season. The Canucks came up short.. way short, and the social media went crazy ! The boos and jeers that Luongo received last night were a shame to the fan base in Vancouver, and many took it personal it seems. The arguing, defending and debating was in full force, and seems to be still.

When Luo plays, it's all about laying the blame .. on him. From the start of the game, people expect him to mess up.. and it's almost like they are pleased when he does let a goal in because hey, at least now we have someone to blame right.  It's like the old saying " expect the worse and that is what you shall receive".  Personally, I get butterflies when I know Luongo is starting, because I know, if he doesnt stop every single puck shot at him, I will have to listen to the Luo Blame for days to come. That sucks !
I can understand people being frustrated when we lose, I can understand being upset that the other goalie saved 40freakin shots while our goalie didn't.. but I do not get the mind set " Boo him, hate him, blame him & maybe he will play better next time". Seriously ? You think it is going to help Luo or the Canucks ? Do you think his teammates & coaches will hear you whine & bitch and chase him out of Vancouver for you ? I wonder if some people have heard the saying " If you have nothing nice to say, shut the heck up!".
How about the 40 shots on the opposing teams net that our guys couldn't put in ? Or maybe the breakdown on the d-line which allows the opposing team to skate in and get a perfect shot off on Luo... none of that matters ? It's all about Luongo..  even when Cory is in net it's all about Luo ;)

While I do not expect every Canucks fan to like every player on the team, I do think every Canucks fan should respect the TEAM.. and by booing Luo, by blaming Luo, people are disrespecting the whole team. If they cannot see that fact, they need to take life lessons. It plays on every single players mind when one of their own is being trashed. They are a family.. and I'm sure if any fans family member was being trashed, that fan would feel it, somehow.  So while a person may not like Luo, if they are a fan and like the Canucks, they need to step back and grab a clue.  I am pretty sure it is safe to say that every fan of the Canucks is dying for that Cup... well then, maybe we should band together & support the whole team ! Maybe we should stop and think about how the negativity  will effect every single player on the team.. not just Luo.  If they really care, they would stop.
#Luollove #canuckslove


( rough draft but i need to get it out there :P.. woke up with a burning desire to get this out there... )

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Rypien It Up

Tonight the Canucks take on the Rangers in Rogers Arena. It's not just any regular game night tho. Tonight the machine...Ryan Kesler is back ! Tonight, Rick Rypien will be remembered before the game begins.

So I have been pondering.. who gets the most focus tonight ? With Kes back in the lineup, Coho will be shoved over to the wing.. will this work ? Will Coho shine beside Super Kes ? And is Kes ready to come back ? So many questions, which we will know the answers to by the nights end.

The other story to focus on...the one that is on my mind the most ... Rick Rypien and Kevin Bieksa. Kevin was best friends with Rick, and it is no secret how much Kevin & His family did for Rick.. so how will the tribute effect Kev ? Will Kev be able to shake it off and play hard , will he use Ricks memory to Ryp it up on the ice tonight ? Even tho Kevin and the rest of the team have been shown the tribute video so they are more prepared for it, I can only imagine it will tear them up inside no matter how many times they see it.

I will be paying much attention to Kevin tonight and he will be in my thoughts every second of the game. The boys now have Luc & Ryp watching over them while they play, because we know damn well that Luc and Rick wouldn't dare let heaven allow them to miss a game.. they will be there.. on the shoulders of our Canucks.
We will all be hoping, praying an wishing the Canucks can win this game.. for themselves, for us and most of all, for Rick. Ryp it up out there boys !

RIP #37 - Forever A Canuck <3

Thursday 13 October 2011

Ballard Needs Yellow

According to @HeyFoxman if Keith Ballard had a yellow visor, he would become a beast ! Ballard has some new wheels, so why not a new visor ? !
I think Foxman is on to something here so I am writing this to support his campaign.



 Taken from the Province Chatroom -

     - Foxmans entrance into the conversation - "ballard on the point with the yellow visor = the best damn powerplay ever in existance"
     - Foxman to Jonathan McDonald  " JMAC start the yellow visor revolution" 
     - "not if ballard get the yellow visor it wont even be close Ballard will be in beast mode and mutilate the compitition....Letang will **** his pants at the sight of Ballard and his yellow visor, shea Weber would weep like a 16 year old girl at the sheer thought of it "


Foxman to me on Twitter - 

 

@ YELLOW VISOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  

did you tell Ballard he needs to sport the Yellow visor like Eric Weinrich then he is a 60 pt d-man hands down...
 and in an email -
- "the yellow visor is awesome its quite clear. Look at old eric weinrich pictures dude is a beast with it on ballard would be in beast mode once he has that" - @HeyFoxman 
- "it'll be awesome because it'll be like  he is trying to impress vigneualt or something to stand out I dunno im weird i miss the yellow visor we need one so the rest of the league hates us even more" - @HeyFoxman


So I guess it is safe to say that @TheFoxman is now leading the "Ballard Needs Yellow' campaign. He makes some very valid points so hey, let's support him in the Ballard Needs Yellow campaign .. if you see Keith, tell him  He Needs Yellow !

Getting to Know You - Chris Higgins

Our Flavour of the Week - #20 Chris Higgins aka Higgs or Higgy. Chris came to the Canucks late in the 2010/11 season in a trade which also brought us Lapierre. He is 6'0 , 205 lbs and plays left wing. Chris is 28 years old and hails from Smithtown NY. His NHL career started with the Canadiens but he went through a few teams before landing , feet first, in Vancouver.

Higgy Stats - in the 2010/11 season he played 14 regular season games, scooping up 5 points. In the playoffs, Chris played 25 games with 8 points. The stat that most stands out is the Broken Foot stat ;) .... Higgs played through most of the playoffs with a broken foot and it never slowed him down. This alone gained the respect and adoration of many Canucks fans.

Gettin Higgy with It Vids -
After Hours - a vid from shortly after Chris came to us.. P.S Thank You MG for Chris !!
Higgs Scores ! - playoff goal vs Sharks.. why'd i choose this one ? Look who's in the box during this goal ;) That made me smile :D 
Higgs History Will Be Made - i have one word for this .. Goosebumples !
Chris from Burrs - vs Flyers - Beautiful Goal !


Higgy Tid Bits - I love this guy ! He may not be a stand out super star , but in my eyes, he is up there with the brightest stars on our team. The fact he couldn't walk on his foot, yet once he hit the ice you couldn't tell he was in agony, amazes me. I saw Chris at a practice shortly after he shattered his foot and he could barely walk, he came out limping, using his stick to hold his weight, but once he hit that ice it was smooth skating. That day, my respect for Higgy hit high levels. Chris plays hard and it shows every time he is on the ice... this is the kind of guy I want on our team :) I won't mention his sexy lips, gorgeous eyes & how good his butt looks in spandex.. oh yes I will ! How could I not ? *sigh*


Gettin Higgy With It

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Canucks in Columbus & Sedin Security

The Canucks are on a road trip which started with them in Columbus taking on the Blue Jackets. Our Canucks came out on top with a final score of 3-2. Cory Schneider got the start between the pipes & stopped 23 of the 25 shots he faced as well as a penalty shot to help swing the momentum our way.
Higgins opened up scoring with a tip off a Manny shot, Coho sank the 2nd goal for us and Burrows popped his own rebound in to get the game winner. It wasn't the best start we have seen but it was a great finish :)



One thing I'd like to touch base on is the fact that our super stars get zero respect in this league. Henrik and Daniel Sedin, two of the best players in the NHL and two of the nicest more respectful players, seem to get beat on quite a bit. We saw it in the cup finals , and have already seen it just two games into the season. Opposing team players seem to think it is open season on the twins, possibly because in the cup finals when it happened, the league took no steps to stop it, and the refs turned a blind eye. This may have given other teams a sense of security when laying cheap shots on the twins. If others got away with it, why won't they . It needs to stop. Our guys can beat up every guy who hurts a Sedin, but then our guys take the risk of sitting in the sinbin and giving the other team the PP and the chance to score. Not a very fair trade off I'd say, especially when we have refs who are supposed to stop and punish that type of behavior.
Last night Henrik was hit from behind by Blue Jacket Marc Methot, a very dangerous hit which resulted in a 2 minute penalty for Methot. When Bieksa and Volps called Methot out, he refused to drop the gloves. If Bieksa or Volps would have dropped them first, we would have been given an instigator penalty .. so they let it go. Understandable in a close game where we are after the win.. but this hit better be reviewed by Shanahan , and a message should be sent out that other teams cannot bully the twins and get away with it. The twins have earned the respect they deserve, and the league needs to keep that in check... or we need to pick a goon up and call him ' The Sedin Security'. Bottom line, it needs to be dealt with.. our Sedins are worth it and much more.

Friday 7 October 2011

The Canucks The Bright Side & The Choice

Canucks played their opening game of the regular season last night in Rogers Arena and came up short in a shootout, losing a point & the game. Final score was 4-3 Penguins. Max Lapierre#40, Keith Ballard#4 and Daniel Sedin#22 scored our three goals. Roberto Luongo#1 made 28 saves and ended with a .893 save %. We scored zero goals in the shootout giving the Pengs the extra point when they scored twice.

 Maybe I should warn you before you proceed.. I am not one to sit and complain about all the things Canucks did wrong, for more than one reason, so if that is what you enjoy, stop reading right about now :) Not everyone in life finds the need to focus only on the negative.. some of us prefer to seek out the positive ... I am one of those types. I form my own opinion, I make my own choice on which team I am a fan of and I don't always agree with the main stream.. so shoot me .. or read me, the choice is yours ! ;)
I can agree, Luo allowed 2 not so great goals & his tummy flop thing on the last shootout goal was Luo-ish,  the team came out way sluggish, Coho was caught in slow motion a few times, Bieksa became a screen at one point, Samuelsson on the shootout?, Coach AV didn't play the vets enough in pre season waa waa etc... but I also saw a Higgs who was playing very well, I saw many great saves made by Luo, I saw the twins dominate many times, I saw a few nice hits , some good passes and 3 great goals ! I mean heck even Ballard scored a goal... that in itself is one huge bright side for Ballard fans.
I'm horrible at remembering specifics and I am not the biggest stats person, stats do not always tell the story & it's too easy to copy & paste a stat, so I write from my recollections for the most part and to my recollection, I got the chance to say LUUUOOO many times during the game, which means he made good saves because I only LUUUOOO when he makes a save . I also recall cheering on Higgins an awful lot, saying " Damn this guy is on a mission", I remember Lapierre playing killer .. and I recall thinking how good Ballards goal looked ( can't believe I have to admit that ;) ) so yes, there were good aspects of the game. The fact that we came back from 2 goals down, twice, is something to be optimistic about as well.. much better than not coming back at all right ;)
I could complain about all the hate from Canucks fans that gets spewed so often, but what's the point ? I'm sure those fans also have some good aspects about them... I am also sure that those fans can make the choice to stop following a team which makes them so unhappy, just like I can make the choice on what I focus on.. The Bright Side !

We lost to the Penguins in a shootout.. imagine if we lost to the Leafs by a shutout ? ;) Yes, there is always a bright side :)
If fans are condemning the Canucks to a horrible season because of one game, those same fans must be thinking the Leafs will win the cup and that Boston sucks !
Suck it up or hop off the wagon.. it's your choice . :)

Wednesday 5 October 2011

One More Sleep ...

It's the day before our Canucks play their first game of the regular season.. are you ready ??  I Know I am ! Jerseys are ready, cheering voice is rested and ghosts of 2011 game 7 are a thing of the past.
It's time to move onward and upwards !

Will Ryan Kesler be ready to come back before November ? Having undergone surgery not too long ago, word was he would not be back in game form before November, but we got news today that he is cleared for contact .. good news in my books :)

Oreskovich was sent down to the Wolves ( cleared waivers )  while new guy Dale Weise ( pronounced Weese) will take his place. My opinion on Oreo was that he was not physical enough and didn't protect our players enough, so I am not devastated he is gone and I am looking forward to seeing how Weise fits with the guys. He will play on 4th line with Max Lapierre and Aaron Volpatti.

Will the Canucks get off to their usual slow start ? I think not ! Cup run hangover ? Nah.. leave that hangover for the fans;).. The boys tasted that cup .. I think that will give them extra motivation. Even with new faces on the team, I think the boys will do okay to start.

Which Canuck will be the next to pose naked for us ? Can anyone top Kesler ? Luongo was asked but turned down the offer and Bieksa is finding the whole naked Ryan thing pretty funny. I would pay to be a fly on the locker room wall on any given day but today especially !
Cut or what ! Wowsers !

 Buckle up folks, I think we are in for another amazing ride. Go Canucks Go !

Sunday 2 October 2011

NHL and the Head Hits

Even before the season has begun, there have been many suspensions handed out due to head hits. The NHL is trying to crunch down on these type of hits as it is causing much damage to many players.
While I do agree, something needs to be done, I have to wonder if all aspects are being looked at .
Players today may be bigger and faster, has anyone gone back and averaged out the size and speed of players from 10, 15 and even 20 years ago compared to now ?
Has anyone even considered it may have something to do with the new equipment the players wear today ?
For example, take an elbow pad, and a hammer.. see how many hits it takes you to crack the pad. Then take that pad, and have your buddy smack you over the head with it. Let's see if it causes damage ;)
Before the padding became so damn hard, a player would hurt his elbow if he laid a head hit, probably more hurt than the head being hit.  The less padding on the elbows and shoulders , means that player may think twice before hitting a solid helmet/head with a shoulder or elbow hit .
I realize, all the new padding and equipment is to keep a player safe, but it also means more damage to the guy being hit with said equipment.
Before we start making so many new rules, before we start changing the game of hockey.. shouldn't we look into every aspect possible ? One of those aspects being the new equipment the guys wear .

The game of hockey has been around for so many years, and as times change, so do rules.. but stop for a second and think of the game without hits, without fights... it will no longer be the hockey game we have grown up watching and loving.
I am all for keeping players safe, I feel visors should be a must, and I feel many head shots should be suspendable, but I also feel the equipment needs to be taken into account and possibly altered to save many players from being injured.

I am putting this out there because I have yet to see this aspect of head hits being addressed. I am not an expert , just a fan, so I can not offer a solution, just a suggestion :)


EDIT - There is a video HERE of Shanahan talking about the equipment issue.. but why does he not address it in his 'hit' video explanations ? When going over a hit and suspension, why is the equipment not being taken into account ? Why is it not being discussed and looked into NOW ?  Why are commentators, media and fans not bringing up this subject with every hit ?

Thursday 29 September 2011

Canucks vs Ducks - My Take ...

Last night found our Canucks in the Duck pond, facing the Ducks for the second time this pre-season. The difference bewteeen game 1 and game 2.. we actually had a solid line of vets in game 2! Daniel, Henrik and Burrows showed why they are top line, dominating on 99% of their shifts. Burrows had the first shot on net , which did not go unnoticed by my Alex of course ;) Luongo was in net and looked rather spiffy in his new mask & pads. This being their first game since that dreaded and not to be spoken of game, there had to of been some nerves going on amongst the boys, but they came out looking pretty solid.

Ducks opened the scoring with a shot off of Mancari , into our net . Oops . Second goal was the Ducks as well. Alberts was screening Luo so let's not lay the blame on Luo for that one. He couldn't see shit with Albs there.. maybe Albs needs to take jumping lessons from Burrs ? ;) Third goal, was ours ! Henrik deflected a Juicey shot to put the Canucks on the score board. The comeback kids were at it again when Salo scored a slap shot goal to tie it up. Unfortunatley the Ducks scored in the third with a shot that Luo could have and should have stopped and the boys couldn't sink one to tie it up, not from lack of trying tho.


A few things stood out to me in this game.
1. Alberts aka Pickle. What's up with him? Skating down ice with the puck and getting shots on goal ? Stealing the puck and looking very solid he sure the heck impressed me last night. Of course I am an Alberts supporter and I have said he will only get better and if last night was an indication of what's to come , I'd have to say " I'm right !". Alberts looks much improved thus far . WTG Pickle !
2. Cody Hodgson started in center on the 2nd line between Strum and Samuelsson and was kicking butt on face offs. he looks to be much quicker this year , and instead of making a play and stepping back, he is following through, not giving up and sticking with it. Huge payouts for Coho who is fighting for a starting roll.
3. Marco Sturm. That man is in on every play when he is on the ice. He gets shots on net, makes some great passes and seems to have a good head for hockey . Some people think he won't be able to keep up the pace, I feel differently, like I usually do :P
4. #FreeDuco !

The Canucks lost 3-2 but overall it was a pretty good game and from the looks of twitter, many people were happy to see more vets on pre season ice.


Next game is tonight, Thursday September 28, in San Jose. Puck off is at 7:30.



Luongo Quote - 
"All things considered, it was my first game. I think it went all right," Luongo said. "Obviously I'd like to have at least one of those (goals) back but the feeling in general was pretty good."

A Juicey Tweet -
Kevin Bieksa

Great to be back on ice tonight! Missed an epic night of baseball however! Interested to see my boy naked in ESPN mag...really?

Wednesday 21 September 2011

The Rundown - Pre Season vs Calgary

Finally ! Canuck hockey talk !! Last night was our first Pre-season Canucks hockey, with the split squads playing against the Calgary Flames. Before the games started, I called a win at home and a loss away. I would have preferred two wins, but hey, when the Flames dress 80% of their vets & we dress 10%, it's almost a sure win for them. I found it rather difficult to follow both games and twitter, so this is not an in depth by me.. just a run down for people who missed the game. :D

The Away Game Notes - Final score was Flames 5 Canucks 1. Mark Mancari scored the lone goal for our Canucks. In goal to start was Lagace , with Climie coming in half way through the 2nd period. The Canucks got a total 13 penalties with the Flames only taking 4. ( wtf is up with that ?? !! ) Shots on goal were 32-24 for Calgary.
Not much else to report .. Cody didn't get the minutes many were expecting him to have, Alberts dropped the gloves, Duco dropped the gloves... and we lost .

The Home Game Notes -  Canucks won this game in the 3rd period. The comeback kids strike again ! Final score was 4-3 with Jensen scoring the winning goal. Marco Sturm (1st) Christopher Tanev (2nd), Jordon Schroeder( 3rd & the tying goal) and Niklas Jensen (4th and winner ) were the goal scorers for the Canucks. Aaron Rome got himself an apple off the Strum goal. ( yes i had to get that stat in there, it doesn't happen often :P)  The final shots on goal were 32-22 for the Flames.
A few guys stood out last night in the home game. Sturm being the top in my books. Pinizzotto had a very good showing as did Tanev, Jensen and Schroeder. Eddie Lack, who shared goalie duties with Schneider , played solid in net, at times looking extremely agile and smooth for a guy of his height. Ballard got good ice time and played a solid game, so does that blow the whole 'lack of ice time because AV hates him' theory out of the water ? For those keeping track.. Ballards ice time = 21.04 and Romes = 20.37.  Mark it down ;)

 Next Canucks game is Thursday , Sept.22 in Edmonton @ 6pm

Monday 19 September 2011

Fan Etiquette and Respect

As an avid Canucks fan , I tend to get out to many events and I read, discuss & debate  much Canucks hockey on social media. After seeing some rather disturbing and disrespecting behavior by some fans, I want to take a moment to express my opinion on this subject and maybe put out a simple reminder :)

1. Respect - respect goes a very long way. Respect to the players and other fans. If you see a player on the street, say hi or thank you or even you're my hero.. but whatever you do, do not mob him ! Do not go in for a hug thinking he is your bestie. Unless of course, he is your bestie ;)
When at Canuck events, don't shove fans out of your way to get a better position. Let the little ones up front .. if you have 500 pics and siggys from a player, why not let others in so they can get a single pic or a single siggy.
Why be so greedy ? Why not share and be happy that other fans get the opportunity that you get ? Why not share in others happiness ? I've seen some fans tell others to F-off when they ask a simple Canucks question, I've seen some fans literally block the players from other fans.. This behavior just says one thing...disrespect.  Do we seriously want Canucks fans to be known that way? Don't we get enough crap thrown at us, that we need these disrespectful fans feeding the fodder ? I think not :P

2. More Respect - so you run into some fans that you do not care for.. it's a big world, a HUGE Canucks fan base, so why not just ignore them. Never try to make other fans uncomfortable, or make them feel like they do not have the right to be at the same event as yourself.  We are not all alike, we come from many different lifestyles and we all have our reasons for being a fan.. let's try to remember this and show respect for each other.

3. Social Media & the Players - do you want Canucks players on twitter ? How bout ya chill out on the begging for retweets & follows and just appreciate the fact that we are lucky enough to get the twitter interaction from them. I'm not saying don''t tweet to them, or don't try for a retweet/follow, but to spam their timeline begging them is probably not the best way to keep them on Twitter ;) Give the guys the respect and space they deserve.
The new NHL rule, players can not tweet on game days makes sense, especially when they get hatespam and lovespam all over their walls. Many jobs do not allow twitter while at work.. game days are the Canucks work, so let's try to respect that fact.

4. Don't Beg - please try to refrain from begging the players for their equipment ! This just reeks of desperation and lack of class. The players choose when and who they give their sticks,pucks etc away to.. maybe one day you will be that lucky person but until then, don't put the guys on the spot and beg them for it.  It's so wrong on so many levels should I even have to say it ? lol

5. Remember.. the players are not obligated to share their free time with us fans, they choose to and they can very well choose to stop sharing that time with us. Let's not give them reason to revoke fan interaction.. because damn that would suck !

6. Appreciate the Players.. as humans, with families and feelings. Don't be out there disrespecting the family members because you are jealous you are not them ;) haha.. I know 'fanism' is part of what comes with being an NHLer and the wives know what they are in for when marrying an NHLer, but that doesn't make it right to disrespect them.


Let's make this a year that the Canucks and Vancouver can be proud of their fans ! After what some 'fake' fans did to our city in June, I think we owe ourselves & the players at least this much.

A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference 
~Winnie the Pooh~

I should add that I see more happy, sharing, decent fans than not, but I think i've seen enough disrespect to voice my opinion on it, and because I blog, that is exactly what i did. So here ya have it. :)

Thursday 15 September 2011

Canucks in September

Welcome back to Canucks hockey ! This is it folks.. the long wait is over and Canucks hockey is pretty much here. Starting the weekend of September 17th, we fans can once again enjoy our Vancouver Canucks.  
On Saturday September 17th and Sunday Sept. 18th, you can head down to Rogers Arena to see the Canucks open practice. More info Here. Head out and show the boys some early fan support ! 

Pre-season games start on September 20th with 2 games. Half the team will play against Calgary in Vancouver and half will play against Calgary in Calgary.
September 22, the Canucks play in Edmonton.
September 24th the Canucks come home to host the Mighty Ducks in Rogers arena .
September 25th the Canucks kick the Ducks out and invite the Sharks in.
September 28th the Canucks visit the Ducks in Anaheim.
September 29th the Canucks head on over to San Jose to play the Sharks.


It may just be pre-season but it is Canucks hockey ;).. and a great chance to see the guys and what they are bringing this season.
Buckle up folks... it's going to be another amazing ride ! :D

Ready for more Rome goals ? ;)

Monday 12 September 2011

Back to the Basics - 3 - Hockey Terms, Lingo & Phrases

In this Back to the Basics post I will cover some of the terms, lingo and phrases you may hear while watching a Canucks game.   There are terms one needs to know to follow the game of hockey and there are phrases and hockey lingo that one should know if they enjoy talking hockey with those who do know ;) ( Say that 5 times fast :P ha )
Some of you may know most or all terms I will list , but let's help those who don't know them get ready for the season ! Remember... A helpful Canucks fan is a good Canucks fan ! :D haha  If i have left any off the list that you feel should be known, please feel free to add them in the comment section .


Between the Pipes - in the net  - Example : Kesler sinks one between the pipes to give the Canucks a 1-0 lead !
Coast to Coast - this is when a player carries the puck from his own net, down ice to the opposing teams net and he scores.
Chirp - trash talk
Cherry Picking - when a player hangs out behind the play, waiting for an outlet pass to send him on a breakaway. 
Five Hole - the area between the goalie's legs... when he is in net. 
Hat Trick - this is when a single player scores 3 goals in one game. Fans throw hats onto the ice in celebration of it .
Gordie Howe Hat Trick - a goal, an assist and a fight by a single player in one game. Not too sure what we throw on the ice for this celebration ;)
Drop Pass - when a player passes the puck behind for his teammate to pick up. I personally love watching this play.
Puck Bunny - a person who is more interested in the players than the game.. *editors note - if you are a puck bunny, you may not enjoy my blog.. I don't much cater to puck bunnies .. I love the hot sexiness that comes with hockey but I also love the game itself. :P
Sieve - a goalie who lets in a lot of goals  (backoff with the Luo jokes ya haters!)
Sin Bin - the penalty box.
Slapper - a slap shot
Slot - the middle area in front of the net .
Top Shelf -  where gramma keeps the cookies ;) - this is when a player scores the goal in the upper part of the net.
Zebra/Stripes - referee.
Bread Basket - the goalies chest area. A player is not very likely to score if he is shooting at the bread basket .
Spin-o-Rama - a term i can not stand ! I believe it is when a player gets turned around, spins around, puts 1 foot in and shakes it all about. :D In my opinion, this term has no spot in the NHL world. Tough guys do not do 'spin o ramas'.. *sigh*
Breakaway - Kesler steals the puck from Marchand and skates it down ice all alone .. he shoots, he scores !!!! << thats a breakaway ;)
Dive - when a player embellishes a hit on him and takes a dive hoping to draw a penalty to the opposing player. An obvious dive will get a penalty tho so a player really shouldn't do this .
Forechecking - when a player is checking in the offensive zone trying to gain control of the puck so he can set up a scoring chance.
Saucer Pass - when a player makes a pass and the puck sails over the ice , not on the ice.
Split the D - when a player skates between the 2 defending defensive players, usually using skill and fancy foot work.
Wrap Around - when a player skates comes behind the net and tries to wrap the puck around the goal post to put it in the net.
Butterfly - a style of goaltending.. when the goalie tends to cover the bottom of the net by 'butterflying' his legs.
Chicken Wing - when a player holds the opposing players stick under his arm, making it so the opposing player cannot skate away.. without leaving his stick behind.
PK aka Penalty Kill - this is when we are down a man  or two ) due to a penalty.
PP aka Power Play - this is when we are up a man ( or two ) due to a penalty.
Poke Check - when a player uses the blade of his stick to jab/poke the puck off the opposing players stick.
Get it Out - no that is not what she said.. haha that's what I say when the opposing team has the puck down in our end of the ice. 
Swagger - watch Kesler out there on ice.. THAT is swagger ;)




This list may get added to as time goes.. Laurie, if it does, I'll be sure to update you ;)








Tuesday 6 September 2011

Training Camp

Training camp is just around the corner and that means we get to see how injuries are doing, how the short summer effected the guys and we get to check out the newest signings and the invitees. I was going to pick one thing I am most excited about seeing, but that is impossible. I want it all !
So many questions come with the new season, new faces to see, new names to learn and new anxiety .. waiting to see how it all plays out. Don't ya just love it ? !! 

The New Guys :

Marco Sturm - 32 yrs old, left winger, played his last game for Washington in May 2010/11.  Possibly a new beginning for Marco, if his knees hold up. Can he be a 20+ goal scorer with those knees ? I'm rooting for him ;) Hmm , I wonder if he can talk Ovi into coming to Van ! (justkidding.. kinda )
Mark Mancari - 26 yrs old, right winger, played his last game with Buffalo in April 2011. Mark will have to get gritty and play hard if he wants a spot on the Canucks roster. Is he possibly just some more padding for the Wolves ?
Byron Bitz -   27 yrs old, right winger, played his last NHL season in 2009/10 with the Panthers. We want this guy just for the 'bitz' jokes ;)  Biggest problem I see with Byron is the fact he played for the Bruins once upon a time. Hope he got the Bruin cooties out of his system ;)
Andrew Ebbett - 28 yr old, Center, played his last NHL game with Phoenix in April 2011.  Not the biggest guy, we'll see where he fits come Oct but my guess is he will be with the Wolves.
Steven Pinizzotto - 27 yrs old, right winger, played for the AHL Hershey Bears in 2010/2011. Steve hasn't played in an NHL game yet , looking forward to seeing what this guy is bringing... other than a name that will be fun to nicname. Is Steve going from a bear to a wolf ? 
Alexander Sulzer - 27 yrs old, defenceman, played with Florida in the 2010/2011 season. Alexander is the only dman on this list .. what's up with that ? That means we have an awesome defensive core unit and Alex has his work cut out for him.
Mike Duco - 24 yrs old, Right winger, played his last NHL game with Florida in March 2011.  Already a fan non-favorite due to his twitters about our twins and the Canucks, this guy has a tough road ahead of him.  I forgive him but do you and thousands of other Canucks fans ? #freeduco




Invitees :

Owen Nolan - 39 yrs old, right winger, spent his 2010/11 season in the Swiss league. I know many may feel due to his age, this isn't someone we need right now. I beg to differ.  Either way, this is Owens chance to get his butt back into the NHL and I am very excited to see him in training camp. Kudos to the Canucks for this invite. 
Manny Legace - 39 yrs old, Goalie, spent 2011 playing in Germany for a team called the.. Roosters ( haha ) . When Canucks invited Legace to training camp, the talk started. Why another goalie ? Is MG planning a goalie move ? My take - let's have a vet backup goalie for Lack and when trade deadline comes, MG has the option of using Schneids as trade fodder and we will have a vet backup for Luo in the playoffs. All we can do for now is speculate and see how close we come to being right.
Todd Fedoruk - 32 yrs old, left winger, played his last game in the NHL in Tampa Bay 2009/10.  This tough guy has been involved in some legendary fights, including one with Boogaard in 2006 which shattered his face. Todd has admitted to having a drug and alcohol issue in the past but says he is now clean and sober and ready to roll. With the support from the Canucks organization , could this be Todds chance to make a comeback into the NHL ?
Steve Begin33 yr old  agitating winger , spent his 2010/11 season in the AHL.   Will having Steve there, fighting for what he feels may be his last chance to play in the NHL as a winger, make Vichy ( Oreskovich ) step up. Vichy sits unsigned at the moment and Max Lappy needs a 4th line winger at his side. Can Steve begin again ? ;)

* I've not covered every new guy or invitee.. so for a complete list click Here ;)

Training camp also gives us the chance to see how our boys & their injuries have progressed/healed. Mason Raymond, Mikael Samuelsson, Ryan Kesler, Chris Higgins, Henrik Sedin, Alex Edler, Kevin Bieksa, Mannys eye.... Wow we did get beat up last season didn't we ?! :( Get well quick guys !



Prospects Young Stars Tournament - Penticton B.C - Sept. 11- Sept 15
Training Camp -  Sept. 16 - Sept. 19
First Pre season Game - Sept. 20th !!!!! :)

Saturday 3 September 2011

Canucks are in the House !

Finally ! The boys are back . Well, some of them are anyways and that is a damn good start because any Canucks hockey is good for me.  It's been a long summer with no hockey & seriously, very little Canucks news but finally, this past week I got myself a little fix.
Wednesday found myself & my girls at UBC to watch the Canucks practice. I wasn't expecting many vets to be there yet but was excited to watch the prospects.

Daniel .. smiling of course
Day 1- Alex Edler, Daniel Sedin & Marco Sturm were the vets of the bunch . Some of the prospects we watched were Jordan Schroeder, Darren Archibald, Kevin  Connauton, and Anton Rodin.The boys hit the ice shorly after 11 and from then on, its all a blurr. I do remember feeling like I was in heaven... me, my girls and my Canucks.. yes, all was right in my world again :)  After the boys were done on the ice, they were ever so kind enough to stop and share their time with us. We had Daniel Sedin sign our Canucks cap and told him to say 'Hi' to Henrik for us. Henrik was due to land today ( friday ).  I also remember thinking Sturm looked pretty darn good out there for a guy with 2 bad knees. There was no notice of soreness , he kept pace with the rest of the guys and uhoh he won a place in my Canucks heart. *sigh*
As we were heading out after practice & saying our goodbyes, our friendly equipment manager told us he would see us tomorrow.. and that led to day 2.

Day 2 - We make our way to UBC, same rink as the day before, not knowing who we will see on ice and honestly, not really caring because any Canuck is a good Canuck ;)  We got lucky .. Samuelsson, Edler, Daniel and Sturm along with the prospects. I was excited to see Samuelsson skate , anxious to see how his hip held up. It seemed to hold up just fine :). He was stretching it a lot but that isn't a shocker I would think. Watching #26 out there, confirmed in my mind what a great loss it was for us when he went down and out early in the playoffs.
Edler , who is still dealing with issues stemming from his playoff war wounds, was at times favouring his hand but looked pretty sharp to me. I don't claim to be an expert but I'd tell you's if i thought it looked bad, and it didn't. :P 
Sturm looked good still. Keeping pace with the rest , showing no signs of knee issues.
Daniel didn't stop smiling. I swear he smiled through the whole practice and I will admit, it made me giggle like a teenager. My 6 year old loves the twins and can tell who's who quicker than I can most times,  so when Daniel shot a puck over the glass, my lil one raced to snag it. Of course, the boys are amazing and Daniel signed it for her after practice. We also got signatures from some of the prospects, and the girls got pictures with them.
Kevin Connauton .. amazing kid & I am sure he will be a great addition to any NHL team one day, preferably ours ;)
Darren Archibald ( the kids call him Archie ) .. friendly guy, hard shot & fast on his feet. I was impressed. Actually, I was impressed with many of the young guys but this post will be long enough as is so I best not get into all of that . lol
Alex and Jordan
One thing I do want to mention tho, from day 2.. Dave Babych ! He was co-coaching the guys during practice and that alone was exciting to me. After practice was over and the girls were getting autographs, I stopped Dave and asked for his autograph. He was so friendly and didn't hesistate. My mom would have loved to meet Dave.. sure hope she wasn't too busy up there and was watching down at that moment ;)
When we were getting pictures with the prospects, we asked if they were practicing again the following day.. which leads us to today and Day 3.





Day 3 - I was sooo tired when I woke up this morning but I couldnt not go. There was no way I was disappointing the kids like that and skipping out on the last practice before school starts, so off we went.  We got to the rink and parked our butts in a good spot to see the boys come out onto the ice. We heard the door open, looked up and I swear every single person there, dropped their jaw. Manny Malhotra was there !! And he was not in full cage. He was wearing a visor, just like the good ol days :) Like Daniel, Manny smiles a lot when on the ice and is a joy to watch . When Manny shot a puck over the glass, not 5 feet from us, the teen and I went for it .. I threw a wicked bodycheck and beat her to it ! I Am The Champion ! or maybe not. We share any memorabilia we get so we both win either way :P
My 6 year old spent the last 30 minutes of practice, figuring out what she was going to say when she asked Manny to sign her Canucks cap. " Mr Manny Sir, can you sign my hat please" was what she came up with and she repeated it at least 50 times.. then her chance came. Manny was heading to the locker room after signing autographs and taking pictures with other fans at the practice, he had his  hand on the door when lil one popped up and said her thing. Manny didn't just sign her cap, he also signed my teens jersey and took a minute to get a picture with the kids. We also got pictures with Samuelsson and Sturm, and again bugged the prospects for pictures and a bit of chit chat. They may think we are crazy but they , like the vets, take the time and it is much appreciated.
Marco Sturm
Sturm looked good on day 3, but at times looked to be rubbing his knees. The guy has not missed a practice, and we need to remember, these practices are optional, so it speaks volumes to see him on the ice every day, giving us his all. Got to admire a guy like that :)

The smile says it all ... Thank You Manny
I can not emphasize enough how great these guys are. Tired and sweaty after a solid 90 minute skate and they still stop to take the time for us.  I always let them know how much we appreciate what they do and once or twice I even apologized for holding them up. The minute or two they take for us fans means more than they could imagine. These are some of the best family outings we have. Me, my girls & our Canucks :)
Taking it all in







Welcome back Canucks.. Oh how we have missed you !










Friday 26 August 2011

Also Known As ...

  Okay so I am pretty sure everyone and anyone who watches hockey has nic-names for some players. My kids and I have come up with some pretty good, and not so good nic-names for the guys over the past few years. I'll share some of the nic-names we use for our Canucks, and some we have come up with for opposing teams players.
  Some of the nics I list are commonly used amongst fans and you may recognize them. Feel free to comment and add your own player aka's in the comment section below.
~We also make up little 'play on words' for some of the guys, I'll share a couple of our best .. or worst :P .

   ***Keep in mind, we are not professional nicnamers, nor do we get paid for creating the nicnames, we do it for fun & giggles. ;)



Ryan Kesler - Superman, RK-17 , Frick( or is he Frack ?) Kes, RyRy , Kesala(my 6 yr old calls him this)
Play on Words - Ryan coke
Alex Burrows - Burrs/Burr, Frack ( or is he Frick ?)
 Play on words ( and not one of our best ) - A gopher Burrows deep
Mason Raymond - Mase, MayRay,
Jannik Hansen - JanHan, The Great Dane
Maxim Lapierre - Lappy, Lapps, Sexy Mofo
Christopher Higgins - Higgs, Higgy
Play on words - Gettin Higgy with it
Viktor Oreskovich - Vichy, Oreo, The Big O
Cody Hodgson - CoHo, Hedgehog
Daniel Sedin - Dank, Dani, The/A Twin
Henrik Sedin - Hank, The/A Twin
Mikael Samuelsson - Sammi
Kevin Bieksa - Juice, KB3, Bieksellent, Boom Boom Bieksa, Sexy Beksi ( this one, i am sure he would love haha )
Aaron Rome - Romer
Play on words - When in Rome.. ( or even better, When On Rome.. ;) )
Dan Hamhuis - Hammer, Hammy
Alex Edler - Edsy, Eddie
Sami Salo - The Frail Fin (Ouch)
Play on words - Salo can you go.
Andrew Alberts - Albs
Keith Ballard - Bally, Mr. Thighs
Play on words - Ballard Duck (..long , funny story behind this one ) 
Nolan Baumgartner - The Baumer
Cory Schneider - Scneids, Ging 
Roberto Luongo- My Man, Robbie Luo, LUOOOOO, Bobby Luo, Lulongo ( Don Cherry at his finest )

The newest Canucks need nicnames too - any suggestions ?
Marco Sturm - Sturmo
Steven Pinizzotto - Otto, Pin
Andrew Ebbert - Ebbs, ebbi
Mark Mancari - car ?
Alex Sulzer - Seltzer
Mike Duco -The Tweeter
Matt Climie - ?


When watching the games, the teen and I tend to get a good hate on for the opposing team, which sometimes leads to some not so nice nic-names & comments. I'll share the nicest of them ;)


Bryan Bickell - Pickle
Shane Doan - The Domer, Dome
Brad Marchand - Inspector Gadget, Ratman
Shane O'Brien - OB, SOB, Loserface
Kyle Wellwood - Donut boy
Dustin Byfuglien - Buttfuglin, Butt(rhymeswithduck)in
Johnny Boychuck -  Upchuck
Cal Clutterbuck - Clusterf*ck
Simon Gagne - Simon Gagme
Nathan Horton - hears a who, cry baby, Romes Biatch

( in light of  Mike Duco twitter drama, and just in case any of these players ever come to the Vancouver Canucks, please remember, I'm a Canucks fan... and until a player is a Canuck, he is fair game :) )

Monday 22 August 2011

#37 - Forever a Canuck

 The hardest post I have had to write thus far. I'm not even through the first sentence and I'm stuck. *sigh*
Rick Rypien wasn't a goal scoring superstar. He wasn't a game saving goalie.. he was a scrapper. He only played 119 games with the Canucks,  but the impact he made on his fans is bigger than any game winning goal and harder to comprehend than a 7th game final loss.
The NHL is full of goons.. players whos main goal is to goon it up, put fear into opposing players, use their size to protect their teammates & fight anyone they deem a threat. Rick Rypien was not a goon. Our Rypper was a hockey player who could, and did, fight anyone he needed to but he could also skate and score. Rick never backed down or failed to protect his teammates and he always made us proud.

Goodbyes are not forever.
Goodbyes are not the end.
They simply mean I'll miss you
Until we meet again!

~Author Unknown

A week ago today, Monday, Aug 15th, 2011, we lost not just a great hockey player, but an amazing man.  The fight for Rick wasn't just on the ice but off the ice as well.. and many may think he lost the fight, but I like to think that he just needed a rest from it.
When I read the news on Monday,  I think I stopped breathing for a moment. My heart hurt to think that our Rypper was gone . My thoughts went to his family, then to his teammates and then to Rick.  I won't get to deep into my thoughts & feelings because I do not know his whole story and I can only begin to imagine what he was going through and what his family is going through now.
One thing I do know, is that I am not alone as a fan in my pain and sadness. The outpouring of love, respect & tears I have been a witness to in the past week is simply amazing.  The Canucks, as people, have so many fans who care about them , who worry about them, who consider them as their own family and it is heartwarming to see.  It doesn't ease the pain of losing our Rypper, but it does bring some comfort.
My 6 yr old told me not to be sad, because now Rick is up there with the Hockey Gods and he will hear us when we pray to them.  She's a smart cookie and i figure she is right.. so Rick better be ready .. I talk to those Hockey Gods an awful lot ;)

Some Rick Stats - Rick came to us via the Manitoba Moose in March of 2005. His first game as a Canuck was in the 2006/07 season. He played a total of 119 games in a Canucks uniform, scored 9 goals and had 7 assists.

Rick Memories -
He wasn't just a scrapper...
Oct 16, 2009 - Ricks 1st goal of the season vs the Flames. 
Nov 3, 2009 - Ricks game winning goal vs the Rangers.. nice pass from Kes & great heads up goal by our Rypper.
March -2009 - Rick showing off with a short handed goal vs the Flames :)
but when he did fight, he sure did it well...
Rick vs Gill -
vs Selleck as a Moose - the video says 'Rick Rypien Last Fight", but I tend to disagree...
vs Eager - I think we could have used Rick in the Stanley Cup Finals .. he would have set those Bs straight ;) 

To live in hearts we leave behind
Is not to die.
~Thomas Campbell


RIP #37 Always Remembered... Forever a Canuck




~ Let your soul and spirit fly.. into the Mystic - Van Morrison

Monday 15 August 2011

NHL and Social Media

Social media plays a huge part in the NHL world nowadays. As silly as it sounds, it's a fact and something we never had to deal with until recent years.
When a team makes a signing you can be sure to find it on Twitter within moments of it being announced. When a player ( not naming any names coughOBcough ) takes a topless picture with sexy women sitting on his lap, the world of social media will be sure to have the scoop .. and picture, within minutes of it happening. If you sign into Facebook and search for most NHL players, you will be sure to find at least one account under his name. Some players have 4, 5, and 6 accounts under their names.

When I first found some Canucks players on facebook, I was over the moon. Then I noticed all Canucks players suddenly opening Facebook accounts, and they would accept friends, update statuses and post pictures all at the same time.. One player updated his status on FB during the games, a couple players opened accounts with various versions of their names.. this, plus other clues, made me realize that there was a good chance that none of these accounts were the real deal. I never deleted them...  I wanted to keep my eyes on them, just in case ;) . There are a few players who could very well be the real deal, and I hope they are,  but until I have confirmation, I can not believe 100% that they are real... and that sucks ! All because people have nothing better to do than impersonate hockey players ? A harmless game in their minds maybe, but in reality it becomes a problem.

One day while surfing through my facebook, I saw this.
an Open Public letter on FB. NOT the real AB14

 The person pretending to be Burrows, has come clean. Now I don't feel he should be punished, and many people are leaving nice , supporting comments to him, but I do feel that fans and players need to be aware of these impersonations. Not only could it hurt a players reputation, but it could also make it difficult for the real players to use social media, which really isn't fair because as it is they are away from their friends and family for long periods of time. Facebook & Twitter could be options for players as a way of communication with loved ones, but not when so many issues arise from it.

Facebook does not verify accounts like Twitter does, but even being verified doesn't always help. Just a short while ago there were some Canucks fans/bloggers trying to lure Kevin Bieksa to Twitter, which brought out a few fakes. The fakes eventually admitted their wrong doing and deleted the accounts but for a short time it caused rumours & speculation. It also casts doubt in one's mind the next time they do see a players account.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to social media issues concerning NHLers. How about the whole Duco issue.. #freeduco is still trending on Twitter *sigh*. Not every person has common sense, not every fan knows how to show respect and not every player thinks ahead... which makes for a dangerous combination.  In a perfect world, none of this would matter, but we all know how perfect our world is ;)

Let's appreciate , respect and do our part in making the social media world a little easier for the guys to use. Kudos to the Burrs Facebook impersonator for coming clean publicly.. let's hope this prods a few more of the fakes to close their accounts & show some respect :)






Thursday 11 August 2011

2011 Young Stars Tounament - Penticton BC

The Vancouver Canucks will be hosting the 2011 Young Stars Tournament in Penticton BC so any of you fans up that way should get out and support the guys :)
It's a round robin tournament, starting on September 11th and ending on September 15th.
For all the information, game times & ticket options go to Canucks.com


Get out there & support our Canucks Young Stars ! Who knows, one day we may be watching those young guys hoist the Cup in a Canucks uniform ;)

Caption The Canuck

UBC Practice 2011

These pictures were taken a second apart.... 
Great set to caption sooo.. get at it ! Caption Kevin :)









Kev - " see my stick ? You want it where ? ! "










Who is the Canuck bent over waiting for Kevs stick ? There will be no prize if you figure it out but you will def get bragging rights ;)

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Getting to Know You - Ryan Kesler

Our Flavour of the Week - #17 Ryan Kesler aka RK17, Kes, RyRy ( we won't say who calls him RyRy ;) ). Our tough, gritty, amazing Selke winning center will be turning 27 on August 31 and is originally from Livonia, Mi, U.S.A. Ryan came to the Canucks in the 2003 entry draft.


 Kes Stats - Ryan played 82 regular season games scoring 41 goals & assisting 32 times. In the playoffs, Ryan was a workhorse, playing 25 games, scoring 7 goals while assisting on 12 others.


Kesler Vids -
Interview Bomber - probably one video that everyone has watched, but so worth watching again :)
Kes & Iggy Scrap -  first thing i noticed in this vid was Ryans jersey number.. 2nd thing was his hair ! LOL 
Hat Trick for Kes - It's a bird, it's a plane.. no it's SuperKes !!



 Kes Tidbits -  It's been said that Ryan is grumpy in the mornings but he showed a big side of his humor in the 2010/11 season when he took on the roll of the Interview Bomber .....so we know he isn't always a grump :) . Ryan played for the 2010 U.S Olympic team, winning silver after being defeated by his teammate Robbie Luo and the Canadian team. Kes has his own clothing line which you can check out at www.rk17.com . Kes also has his own swagger ;) ... it oozes confidence on and off the ice. His swagger is also part of what makes the ladies crazy for him .. swag away Kes ! :)
Ryan Kesler has proven to be a very important part of the Canucks and we can count ourselves lucky we are playing with him and not against him. Even with his silly bomber antics and his messy styled hair, we know we can count on Ryan to be all business when it comes to hockey & his game play.
Congrats to Ryan on an amazing season and the hardware... Get Well Soon Ryan !!!











Sunday 31 July 2011

Getting to Know You - Cory Schneider

Our Flavor of the Week - #35- Cory Schneider aka Schneids. Cory is 25 years old and is a very reliable backup goalie for the Canucks. He is from Marblehead, Ma and was drafted by the Canucks in 2004.



Cory Stats -
Cory played 25 games in the 2010/2011 season, winning 16 of those games. He had 1 shutout and got himself 3 points which helped win him and Luongo the William M. Jennings trophy. Cory proved himself to be a mature, hard working, solid backup /tandem goalie this past season and we are lucky to have him on the team. 


Cory Clips - 
Cory Mic'd up for the Win - this video is amazing for so many reasons. Cory says there was a lady screaming into his mic;).. I think he was just so damn excited !
Cory .. or Jannik ? - the vid speaks for itself.. haha
Cory in Action - his confidence shines through. Great saves !


A Few Cory Facts -
In 2009 Cory won the Aldedge Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL's outstanding goalie. Out of all the Canucks players, Cory would least like to face Kes in a shootout.  Cory is a mature guy with an awesome sense of humour and if ever on American Idol his song of choice would be " We Didn't Start the Fire' by Billy Joel.  I wonder .. can Cory dance ?








~ No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.  - John Donne
















Due to Corys great goalie skills, he has caused quite the controversy amongst fans over who should be the starting goalie for the Canucks.  I tend to lean with Luo.. and will be posting on this subject in the future :)

Friday 29 July 2011

Caption The Canuck

Backup goalie Cory Schneider looks like he was saying something interesting in this shot...
I know he was definitely not talking bad about Robbie Luo ;)



~ "Ooooh look, sparkle!"
    - by FireflyFaery ( Province Sports' Legendary Canucks Chat)

~ "Did you SEE that save Luo made ? !! Amazing !!
    - by Me :P  


~ " I swear it was the woman behind me screaming like a girl when i was mic'd in game 7 "
    - by Me 


~ "you talking to me?"
    - by Canucklelion 


Add your caption for Cory in the comment section below !! :)

Thursday 28 July 2011

Jannik Hansen Signs !

Good news for Canucks fans !

Jannik Hansen will remain in a Canucks uniform !  Today, just a day before his arbitration date, JanHan re-signed with the Canucks... 4.05 million over 3 years. :)

It is said that Mike Gillis does his best work on Thursdays, so why change it up .. Happy Thursday to us !!

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Canucks Rumour of the Day

I woke up this morning to the rumour that the Canucks are close to signing another big winger.
Brad Winchester- 30 yrs old, 6'5, 230 lbs. Left wing but can also play right.  In the 2010/2011 season Brad played 57 games in a Blues uniform and 19 games as a Duck , with a total of 10 goals and 6 apples.


This is just the rumour of the day , it has not been announced nor confirmed .. I will update as needed.
Do you hope this rumor is true ? Would Brad be a welcome addition to the Canucks ? .. stay tuned & find out if the rumour is true.. or false ;)