<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/10/116x66_1_103009.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">A break in the schedule and with 21 games already in the books equals a good time to review the first quarter of the Vancouver Canucks 2009.10 season.
At the outset of the season, if told the Canucks would be sitting at 11-10-0 after the first 21 games, there may have been cries of outrage among those in Canuck Nation. After all, this was a team that had stated from the beginning
Can't wait until tomorrow to read the Canucks.com Tale of the Tape preview? Here's a sneak peak of the scouting report versus the Blackhawks.
After a bit of a sluggish start to the season through October and the early part of November, the Chicago Blackhawks are starting to recapture the form and swagger of the team that made it all the way to the Western Conference Final last season. In typical Blackhawks fashion (at least over the last year or so), they've done so by intimidating opposition
It's celebration week for Number Crunching as we, along with the rest of Canucks Nation, congratulate Henrik Sedin for becoming the first ever Vancouver Canuck to capture the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading point scorer. In honour of Henrik's achievement, we crunch the numbers on some Art Ross history and make a case for why Hank is better than Sid and Ovie. And as a wrap-up to the regular season, we present the Number Crunching Super Stats Pack.
TODAY THE ART ROSS, TOMORROW THE WORLD?
It was a Debbie Downer sort of week in Canucks Nation with just one victory in three games to celebrate and Number Crunching continues with the theme by presenting the stats you'd least like to hear about. But of course we do have one bright spot and that's our Number Crunching Player of the Week Award, which figures to be a Ray of sunshine in an otherwise dreary week in Canuckland.
THE 100-POINT CURSE?
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For those of you who aren't familiar with what I do, I write the Game Notes for Canucks.com (aka Tale of the Tape) which you can read every game day at canucks.com/gamenotes.
Of course a big part of Tale of the Tape is statistics. Some of them are easy to find (Canucks.com and NHL.com), some I get from researching the official game notes packages sent out by the various media relations department around the league, but the majority of them are ones that I keep track of myself throughout the s
The first of a weekly feature. Each week, I pull out the most eye-popping or unusual statistics in relation to Canucks hockey and share them with the members of the Canucks Community.
GREY CUP AND GRAY SKIES?
<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/10/oct.07_sedin_t.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The biggest groans after the Saskatchewan Roughriders knocked off the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL's West Division Final on Sunday did not come from fans in Cowtown, but
The Canucks suffered a letdown in their game against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday night to wrap up a 2-2-0 week but we won't disappoint in this week's edition of Number Crunching. Read on to find out who takes home the coveted Number Crunching Player of the Week Award.
I MAY BE A BACKUP BUT DON'T CALL ME NUMBER TWO
<img src=http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/12/dec1009_hansen_t.jpg class="imageFloatLeftFramed">For most teams, getting to face an opposition's backup netmind
It was a good week in Canuck Nation if your name was Ryan and appropriately in this week's edition of Number Crunching, we pay tribute to the Ryans as we look back at the best and worst statistics in the week that was. Read on to find out who takes home this week's Number Crunching Player of the Week Award...could it very well be Ryan's for the taking?
THE BEST OF KES
<img src=http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/03/van6_031410.jpg class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The big news o
Can't wait until tomorrow to read the Canucks.com Tale of the Tape preview? Here's a sneak peak of the scouting report versus the Avalanche.
It seems that midnight may be about to strike for the Avalanche's Cinderella start to the season if it hasn't already.
<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1409_faces_t.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The Avs have just one win in their last five games and, for the most part, have not looked good in the losses. One posi
This week's inaugural playoff edition of Number Crunching explores the statistical oddities from the first week of action in the NHL post-season and looks into the wacky tacky officiating from the first two games of the Canucks/Kings series that leads us to wonder out loud if in fact the NHL really does have a bias against the Canucks.
FLYING SAUCERS? OR JUST ZEBRAS ON THE SAUCE?
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It is a contemplative week for Number Crunching as we look towards the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs for the 2010 Northwest Division Champions Vancouver Canucks. As part of our reflection, we take a trip down memory lane and revisit our mid-season award predictions and give our final thoughts on which Canucks should walk away this season with some hardware.
WHAT IF DANIEL SEDIN DID NOT MISS 19 GAMES THIS SEASON DUE TO INJURY?
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People of Fanzone: After a week-long negotiation with CDC, Number Crunching is officially being put on hiatus until post-Olympics after this final blog (our settlement, unlike Conan's, was only worth 32 cents and a Churro). When it returns, Jay Leno will be taking over as your new Number Crunching blogger.
Okay, so I kid...but Number Crunching is going on an Olympic break after this blog but before we go dark, we review the best and unusual statistics from the week that was in Canucks hockey
Between Ref-gate, Fight-gate and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (whoops, wrong forum), there was certainly no shortage of controversial topics this past week. Here on Number Crunching, we certainly don't shy away from controversy as we take a look at the best and worst statistics from the week that was in Canucks hockey and answer that burning question of just whether the refs really do hold a grudge against the boys in blue. And as always, read on to find out who takes home this week's cov
The Canucks are on a high after picking up seven out of a possible eight points (3-0-1) but Number Crunching is going to take a page from Flo Rida's book and tell you about the "low, low, low, low, low, low" from this past week of Canucks hockey. But one thing that's definitely not low is the recipient of this week's Number Crunching Player of the Week Award, who will be revealed if you read on.
THE BIG O
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It is not quite the same as winning a Gold medal but a 3-1-0 record for the Canucks in their first week back is definitely reason for celebration in Canucks Nation. And another reason to celebrate is because Number Crunching returns for edition No. 12 as we look back at the best stats from the week that was in Canucks hockey. As always, find out who earns this week's honour as the Number Crunching Player of the Week.
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
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Canada captured an Olympic Winter Games record of 14 Gold medals in Vancouver and in honour of the Canadian Olympic Team, Number Crunching tries for a Gold medal performance in this first blog back since the Olympic break where we look back at the best of the Men's Ice Hockey tournament as well as ahead to the NHL's Trade Deadline on Wednesday. And of course, find out who takes home the Gold as the Number Crunching Player of the 2010 Winter Games.
MEDAL HAUL
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Throughout the Canucks' first round series versus the Kings, your truly will be sharing some news and tidbits regarding the Kings courtesy of Los Angeles Kings Examiner Jonathan Moncrief.
Moncrief is an accredited reporter who follows the Kings and provides feature stories, game summaries and opinion pieces on his site. He also serves as a Featured Contributor on the fan-interactive portion of the LAKings.com website called "Hockeywood, L.A." and is the sports radio talk show host on the Spor
We're doing the happy dance at Number Crunching this week after the Canucks completed a successful 4-2 first round series victory over the Los Angeles Kings but before we talk about Vancouver's next dance partner, we take a look back at the best numbers from round one in the Canucks/Kings series and in the NHL.
NO EARLY BIRD SPECIAL
<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/04/apr2310_quick_t.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Conventional wisdom and statistics suggest
With just one Canucks playoff game to dissect this week, Number Crunching takes a page out of the playbook of our road warriors and gives Game 1 the full court press with the best stats from the Round 2 series opener. And because we're just so darned nice out here on the West Coast, we decide to give a shout out to a long-lost friend who just couldn't be here with us.
BALANCING ACT
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A win in Game 5 at the United Center keeps the Canucks' hopes of re-writing history alive as their quest to avoid having a similar fate this year against the Blackhawks as they did in 2009 continues for at least one more game. And since this year's theme for the playoffs is History Will Be Made, Number Crunching explores some of that history that has already been re-written so far in the 2010 playoffs for the Canucks.
SPEED KILLS
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Two of the most dynamic offensive superstars in the National Hockey League. Two young, All-Star defencemen patrolling the blue-line. A relatively unknown starting netminder but one who has shown an ability to stand on his head from time to time. A coach who is considered one of the best hockey minds in the League. All together on a team that just a few short years ago was immersed in a period best described as the franchise's Dark Age.
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It's been a while since I've blogged in this space. Hope I still remember how. Thought I'd share my thoughts on what I think the All-Star Game format should be.
<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/05/may0310_hawks19_t.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">So the NHL is changing their All-Star Game format to let captains pick out their teams. I like it. It's novel, it's unique, and as far as I know no other league has tried it before.
But what I'd really like to see is
I got some pretty decent feedback when I posted my Stats Package at the end of the regular season so I thought I'd do it for the playoffs as well. Here's Vancouver's updated playoff statistics through the opening round.
Don't forget to read my Tale of the Tape Game Notes on the front page of Canucks.com on every game day and also my Tale of the Tape Series Preview for the Canucks vs Predators.
You can also find me on Twitter @daniel_fung or drop me a line at dfung_sports@hotmail.com.
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Once again, for all you stats junkies, here's the Playoff Stats pack updated after the second round series against the Predators. For the stats pack after the end of Round One versus Chicago, click here.
Don't forget to read my Tale of the Tape Game Notes on the front page of Canucks.com on every game day and watch out for my Tale of the Tape series preview against either the Sharks or Red Wings which will be up shortly.
You can also find me on Twitter @daniel_fung or drop me a line at df
A more aesthetically-pleasing (i.e. shots, shots, shots, shots, and goals, goals, goals goals) means some major updates to the Playoff Stats Pack compared to after the first round and the second round.
Below are the updated numbers through the first three rounds of the playoffs. And of course, don't forget to read my Tale of the Tape Game Notes on the front page of Canucks.com on every game day and be sure to watch out for my Tale of the Tape Series Preview against either the Bruins or Lightn
