Schedule

January 10, 2021

Hey everyone,

Here's a look at top Vancouver Canucks prospect Nils Hoglander's performance in the team's final scrimmage before the 2020-21 NHL season. The intrasquad event took place on January 9, 2021. The video broadcast itself featured no audio in the first period. Play-by-play was restored in the second period.

Hoglander represented Team White and spent the match on a line with center Bo Horvat. Look for #36.

October 30, 2020

Hey everyone. I've been working on a few different creative projects this month. Today, I'm excited to share with you my latest work.

This one is titled EriksSonata.

Enjoy.

September 22, 2020

https://canucksarmy.com/2020/09/22/loui-eriksson/

Quote

Loui Eriksson was the Canucks’ least engaged and productive forward of the 2020 playoffs, and he’s signed for another two seasons
September 22, 2020, 8:00 AM | Kevin Wong

...

One can not help but notice just how slowly Eriksson moves the puck. There are numerous instances in our footage when he gains control of it in his own end, but then decides only to chip it into the neutral zone or guide it in the general vicinity of a teammate while not executing a tape-to-tape pass. He makes low-percentage plays that do not advance the Canucks’ attack and instead give the opponent chances to regroup with possession of the puck. He does not offer any significant degree of transition ability as far as puck distribution is concerned.

Eriksson hustles with an adequate degree of effort at both ends of the ice. However, once he is near the opposing puck carrier, he does not then engage aggressively enough with his stick or his body. His stick checking is often passive, and he does not force the opponent to battle for possession. When there are opportunities to poke the puck away from the opponent, he hesitates and provides them with too much space to maintain control.

As a result, his average number of takeaways per 60 minutes of ice time in the 2020 playoffs was lower than that of any of the other regular Canucks forwards. He recorded just one takeaway over a span of ten matches, an average of 0.37 per 60. The only regular roster member with a lower takeaway average was Alex Edler, but Edler’s position excuses him to some degree because his style of play as a blue-liner involves eliminating the opponent from the play and letting his defence partner retrieve the puck.

Loui Eriksson, as a forechecker, is expected to pressure the opponent and generate opposition turnovers, especially in the offensive zone. This does not occur on a regular basis. He utilizes his frame to tie up the opposing player and to impede them, but he does not often engage to the point of being able to win his battles. He can sometimes free the puck for a nearby teammate, but he needs significant support. Eriksson was the Canucks’ least physical forward and the second-least physical among the team’s regular contributors. His five hits in ten games equated to 1.88 hits per 60. Of the Canucks’ regular skaters, only 5’10”, 170-pound Quinn Hughes threw fewer hits per 60 minutes than Eriksson.

...

Read more at Canucks Army.

September 10, 2020

Let's go back in time to January 2012.

21-year-old Cody Hodgson was in the midst of a successful rookie season in the NHL. He scored six goals and 10 points in 11 games that January while playing mostly on the Vancouver Canucks' third line alongside Mason Raymond and Jannik Hansen. It seemed he was the team's answer to their center depth and secondary scoring issues. He was the NHL's January 2012 Rookie of the Month.

https://www.nhl.com/canucks/news/cody-hodgson-named-nhl-rookie-of-the-month/c-614816

In total, by January 31, 2012, he had scored 14 goals and 30 points in 50 games with an average TOI of 12:42.

Canucks fans had enormous expectations for their 10th overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft. Only one month later, at the trade deadline on February 27, the biggest news of the day broke: Cody Hodgson had been traded.

Canucks Nation let out a collective gasp.

September 7, 2020

Now that the off-season has begun, here's a look at one of the Canucks' top prospects in his performance against the KHL's Neftekhimik last week.

September 4, 2020

Hughes surpasses Jeff Brown, who previously held the record with 15 points in 24 games (1994).

August 4, 2020

If anyone is looking for answers as to what happened in Game 1, here's a look at all of Vancouver's offensive opportunities against Minnesota (Aug. 2, 2020).

Part 1:

https://streamable.com/bvaw84

Part 2:

https://streamable.com/z0pkab

The Canucks were stuck on the perimeter all night and couldn't generate many high-percentage opportunities at all. Minnesota clogged up the middle of the ice and stayed back to prevent rush chances. They forced the Canucks to play their game.

Vancouver needs to create more pressure in the lower half of the offensive zone and try to get to the inside. They need to get Stalock moving laterally. Canucks players need to be cutting through the middle of the ice or setting up passing plays with the puck going through the middle. There needs to be more happening on the inside. Once Stalock shuffles, he becomes exposed. He is an aggressive goalie with good puck-handling abilities, so the Canucks' dump-ins are that much more difficult with him back there.

Right now, the Canucks are playing exactly the way the Wild want them to. As long as Alex Stalock is sharp, he can pick off the one-and-done chances from the perimeter. Vancouver's point shot-rebound opportunities were contained by the Wild's blocks and quickness to the rebounds. The team also couldn't set up any one-timers at all in the slot.

July 11, 2020

The Vancouver Canucks are undoubtedly one of the more exciting teams to watch in the National Hockey League. Their high-tempo, north-south style has made their games must-watch television for any fan of the sport. Anyone who appreciates the sport’s elements of speed and skill will be dazzled by such players as Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson. The team’s emphasis on swift, up-and-down offence is evident throughout the lineup with rapid skaters such as Bo Horvat, J.T. Miller, Jake Virtanen, and Tyler Motte, among others, whose ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone have helped to shape the identity of this squad.

There was once a lack of clear direction. However, a seemingly hopeless, disjointed situation only a few seasons ago has now given way to a much more cohesive vision. Astute draft selections have accelerated this group’s development. Some of the team’s recent acquisitions have been terrific, although a few have been detrimental. At this moment in time, it is apparent just which players do not fit the team’s philosophy. The organization seemingly knows what type of team it wants. Those who do not belong must be moved.

In light of the Canucks’ upcoming 2020 Stanley Cup qualification series against the Minnesota Wild, we can contrast the two teams.

The Minnesota Wild are an east-west club who rely on lateral passing plays through the neutral zone and a high degree of coordination between the players. They move up the ice as a synchronized unit and attack in the offensive zone by sending the puck from side to side. Sometimes, one entry into the offensive zone features three or four lateral passes just passed center ice. The now-KHL-bound Nikolay Goldobin, an east-west player whose passes often led to turnovers or disrupted the flow of the Canucks’ transition plays, may have found more success in that system than that of the Canucks. The Wild lack the same degree of speed and one-on-one skill that the Canucks possess. Their most important line driver is Kevin Fiala, whose contributions in transition and on the backcheck are quite significant. The team relies heavily on precision and passing plays.

For a compilation of every goal scored by and against the Minnesota Wild in 2019-20, refer to these two resources:

Every 2019-20 Minnesota Wild Goal: YouTube

Every 2019-20 Minnesota Wild Goal Against: YouTube

For a look at the performances of some of the players as well as the team’s entries and strategy against opposition entries:

Kevin Fiala shift highlights vs Nashville (Mar. 3): Visual Scouting Report: Kevin Fiala [#22, Minnesota Wild] (from Mar. 3, 2020 vs NSH) - Shift Footage

Alex Stalock saves vs Los Angeles (Mar. 7): Visual Scouting Report: Alex Stalock [Goaltender, Minnesota Wild] (from Mar. 7, 2020 vs LA) - Includes Six Goals Against

A

Minnesota Wild zone entries vs Washington (Mar. 1) – Part 1: Visual Scouting Report: Minnesota Wild Zone Entries Part 1 of 2 (from Mar. 1 vs WSH)

Minnesota Wild zone entries vs Washington (Mar. 1) – Part 2: Visual Scouting Report: Minnesota Wild Zone Entries Part 2 of 2 (from Mar. 1 vs WSH)

Washington Capitals zone entries vs Minnesota (Mar. 1) – Part 1: Visual Scouting Report: Washington Capitals Zone Entries Part 1 of 2 (from Mar. 1 vs MIN)

Washington Capitals zone entries vs Minnesota (Mar. 1) – Part 2: Visual Scouting Report: Washington Capitals Zone Entries Part 2 of 2 (from Mar. 1 vs MIN)

I wrote a brief analysis of the 2019-20 Minnesota Wild that readers can access here.

The Vancouver Canucks are a different beast. Their attack strategy revolves around speed, one-on-one skill, and full-throttle, north-south movement. The majority of the forwards possess the quickness and talent to carry the puck out themselves and put pressure on the opposing defence with a puck maneuver. One of the organization’s greatest successes in 2019-20 was the acquisition of J.T. Miller, who this year was a heavy contributor to the team’s forecheck and attack off the rush. His ability to knife through the opposing defence, retrieve the puck in the corners of the rink, and fire dangerous shots on net made him a tremendous asset to the Canucks this past season. He finished the season as the team’s leading point scorer. He was exactly what the team needed — a highly-skilled, high-tempo player who could actively apply pressure to the opposition and create plays on a solo basis.

...

The Canucks’ style of play requires the forwards to drive the puck up the ice and attack the opposing defence individually. Unlike the Wild, who move up the ice as a unit, the Canucks often try to pierce the opposing blue line at full speed on solo dashes. The puck will often remain on the carrier’s stick. They like to punch holes in the opposing defence with their north-south carry-ins. If the forward can not carry it in, then they will likely chip the puck past the defender and try to retrieve it in the corner. The forwards then circulate the puck along the perimeter with the defence until two opportune plays become available.

Having compiled and observed all of the team’s goals and their best scoring chances of the season into the presentation at the top of this article, it is clear exactly which plays the Canucks prefer to attempt once they have established their forecheck. When the puck is sent to the point, the defence will frequently try to loft the puck towards the net. Two Canucks forwards will then swarm the net in an attempt to deflect or jam the puck into the net.

When the puck is down low in the offensive zone, the primary strategy is for one of the forwards to sneak into the low slot with one in the corner and the other behind the net. In this triangular formation, the puck will go behind the net and then to the shooter in the middle of the zone. The team has no shortage of shooters on the top two lines: Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, Tyler Toffoli, and J.T. Miller. Tanner Pearson, the other consistent member of the top-six forward group, scored all of his 21 goals in 2019-20 off of deflections, point-blank opportunities and empty-net chances. Among the six forwards, there is one whose style does not completely suit the Canucks: Boeser.

...

Below, shift highlights of Brock Boeser from January 4, 2020 against the New York Rangers:

Part 1: https://streamable.com/hk48c2

Part 2: https://streamable.com/6uw0eh

...

The full, 4,000-word article is at Canucks Army. It features shift highlights of J.T. Miller, Tyler Toffoli, Jake Virtanen, as well as the player I think the Canucks should target, Nikolaj Ehlers. Thanks for reading.

Canucks Army - Every Vancouver Canucks goal and great play of 2019-20, plus the reason to trade Brock Boeser – from a scout’s perspective

June 20, 2020

In preparation for the 2020 playoff qualification series between the Minnesota Wild and the Vancouver Canucks, I decided this week to take a look at the Wild from numerous angles and create a resource for anyone looking to become familiar with this team.

Every shot faced by Alex Stalock vs LA Kings (Mar. 7): https://streamable.com/m7azck

Shift highlights of Kevin Fiala vs Nashville (Mar. 3): https://streamable.com/x79dae

Minnesota Wild zone entries vs Washington (Mar. 1) - Part 1: https://streamable.com/qps7ow

Minnesota Wild zone entries vs Washington (Mar. 1) - Part 2: https://streamable.com/uufjub

Washington Capitals zone entries vs Minnesota (Mar. 1) - Part 1: https://streamable.com/499d3t

Washington Capitals zone entries vs Minnesota (Mar. 1) - Part 2: https://streamable.com/661wq7

The Minnesota Wild are an east-west team. They'll go up the ice in numbers, pass off, and enter. The best thing Vancouver can do is offer defensive support and clog the blue line. Slow the Wild down and take those passing lanes away.

Compare the Wild's zone entries with those of Washington. The Capitals are much more of a north-south team up the ice. They attack with speed and punch holes through their opposition's defence. They more often attempt one-on-one rushes, and when that fails, the puck goes into the corner to be retrieved. Against the Wild and Stalock, it was important for them to get the puck into the corner and not behind the goal line because he likes to come out to play the puck.

The Wild don't have quite the arsenal to be effective individual attackers along the lines of the Capitals. They are more of a passing team than a grinding team. The key line driver is Kevin Fiala; he plays an aggressive style and is always pressuring the opponent at both ends of the rink. He led the team in shots this year with 175, and was also their leading point scorer. If Vancouver can force dump-ins from Minnesota, they will significantly hamper their ability to establish their attack in the offensive zone.

The Wild are very unit-oriented moving up the ice. Vancouver need to take away neutral zone passing lanes. The Canucks' defence will need to maintain blue line gap control, and they need forward support.

They like to force turnovers in the neutral zone and counter. In the offensive zone, they rely on east-west passing plays and deflections in the crease. Likewise, in the offensive zone, they attack in an east-west manner with quick passes through the middle. The most effective defence against the Wild is to take away their passing lanes.

In the Stalock footage, the Kings primarily took advantage of Minnesota off the rush.

The Canucks, one of the NHL's faster teams, will want to use a lot of speed and play an aggressive game. They can not play a tentative style or lapse into over-passing tendencies. They should not be afraid to carry it up and pressure the opposing defence. Like the Capitals, they can muscle the puck into the corner if their rush attempt fails.

Upon viewing all 217 of the Wild's goals against this year and taking into account their play against Washington, it's clear that Minnesota have issues containing opposition speed. Vancouver will want to play with aggression and speed. They need to avoid over-passing. Pace is key.

One of the Canucks' biggest issues is their tendency to become complacent offensively. There were times this season when the team's secondary scorers slumped. Additionally, the Canucks have trouble of their own defending against rush attempts.

On paper, the Canucks are the better team. However, they need to play aggressively and relentlessly. They have north-south attackers and numerous high-velocity shooters.

April 14, 2020

https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/2020/4/14/21208191/brogan-rafferty-ahl-analysis-cambiekev

There appears to be an expectation among followers of the Vancouver Canucks that this upcoming off-season will present some vacancies throughout the team’s defence corps. Chris Tanev and Oscar Fantenberg are pending unrestricted free agents, while Troy Stecher is slated to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2019-20 National Hockey League campaign.

Much discussion has revolved around the future of Tanev, Fantenbeg and Stecher in Vancouver with the common conclusion being that salary cap constraints will force difficult decisions with regards to their status as members of the team. This has been expedited by the recent expressions of interest from the 6’7’’ former Canucks defenceman Nikita Tryamkin about a potential return to the roster as well as the emergence of 2019 college free agent signing Brogan Rafferty as one of the Utica Comets’ best players this past season. Rafferty, in particular, was the Comets’ American Hockey League All-Star representative in 2019-20, serving as a substitute at the event for the team’s offensive leader, Reid Boucher.

The 24-year-old Rafferty was Utica’s most important blue liner in 2019-20. He was third among all AHL defencemen in league-wide scoring with seven goals and 45 points in 57 games, three points behind the lead held by Carolina Hurricanes prospect Jake Bean. Also of note was that he was four and six points ahead of former Canucks Adam Clendening and Derrick Pouliot, respectively, in the AHL scoring race. No other Utica defenceman was anywhere near as prolific as Rafferty this season; the second-highest scorer on the team among defenders this season was Olli Juolevi with two goals and 25 points in 45 games.

One of the most pressing questions concerns the potential for either Tryamkin or Rafferty to become adequate replacements for the possibly-outgoing defencemen. In a previous article, we looked at Nikita Tryamkin’s performance this season in the Kontinental Hockey League and offered a sample of recent footage. To provide an idea of the type of game that Rafferty plays, we have an opportunity today to examine his American Hockey League performance on March 4, 2020 against the Buffalo Sabres’ farm team, the Rochester Americans.

Read the full article at Nucks Misconduct: https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/2020/4/14/21208191/brogan-rafferty-ahl-analysis-cambiekev

April 3, 2020

Vasily Podkolzin is developing terrifically for the Vancouver Canucks. Supporters of the team should be thrilled with his development. There were some concerns about his trajectory this season after he struggled to find ice time in the KHL at the start of the year, but all doubts should be put to rest. He was a divisive prospect at the 2019 NHL Draft last June. While some analysts considered him to be a top-five prospect in that class — he began the year as the consensus third-best prospect —, he dropped to tenth overall. The Canucks, who should not have been able to draft a player of this caliber, were once again the recipients of good fortune.

Podkolzin’s quality of play at Russia’s highest professional level is evident in today’s edition of Eight-Minute Insights. Our presentation features his performance on March 5, 2020 in Game 3 of the 2020 KHL playoffs against Vityaz.

This game is just one of many towards the end of 2019-20 KHL campaign in which Podkolzin thrived. He scored 11 points in his final 17 games, regular season and playoffs combined, all while averaging approximately twelve minutes of ice time per night. The improvement of his offensive totals is not the only good news for Canucks fans, however. He has successfully been able to adapt his overall game to the KHL level, implementing into his performances the intelligent, two-way style of play he has become known for throughout his career.

Read the full article at Nucks Misconduct: https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/2020/4/3/21206888/vasily-podkolzin-khl-analysis-cambiekev

April 2, 2020

Nikita Tryamkin deserves an opportunity to prove his worth to the Vancouver Canucks — plain and simple. His previous tenure with the team tantalized observers. His rare combination of size, strength and mobility left Canucks fans in awe of what the then-twenty-two-year-old was capable of becoming. At 6’7’’, 250 lbs, he intimidated opponents like few could, and he obliterated numerous victims with his incredible strength.

Many were shocked, but not surprised when he departed from the Canucks. He believed that he had been misused. He desired more ice time than he received, and so he rejoined his KHL team, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg. Always known to be vocal, he received the team’s “A” as an alternate captain for two seasons before being stripped of the honor this past season. Recently, his agent has been adamant that Tryamkin wants nothing more than to return to the Canucks.

The Vancouver Canucks struggled defensively in 2019-20. They bled scoring opportunities and were often rescued by the MVP-like play of Jacob Markstrom. Although the team’s offensive play has improved significantly since Tryamkin last represented the team, they continue to be inept once the opponent begins to carry the puck back up the ice. The organization would be wise, thus, to explore all of its options, including the enigmatic former prospect.

He was not so polarizing as a player for the team. He offered exactly what he was expected to provide. His physicality overwhelmed some opposition players, and yet he could transition the puck through the neutral zone quite confidently and naturally. He has done the same for his KHL team.

Today, we have an opportunity to look at one of Nikita Tryamkin’s most recent performances: Game 4 of the 2020 KHL Quarterfinals against Sibir Novosibirsk on March 8, 2020.

Read the full article at Nucks Misconduct: https://www.nucksmisconduct.com/2020/4/2/21190235/nikita-tryamkin-khl-analysis-cambiekev

March 27, 2020

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/canucks-hockey/the-lost-shifts-ep-3-cliff-ronning-the-undersized-and-under-appreciated-canucks-star-2202080

When one thinks about the most noteworthy players in Vancouver Canucks history, few ever look past the names that adorn the rafters of Rogers Arena and the Ring of Honour. Many are left out of the fanbase's collective remembrance. As the years progress, the fan favorites of each generation begin to become obscure to their children and their grandchildren. Alas, history is selective, and everything that is not catalogued for present and future audiences will start to become forgotten over time despite how vivid that information is today.

Too many players who were at one time integral to the Canucks have become underappreciated and underrated in terms of their talent and ability. Some have remained in the public eye as ambassadors for the Canucks. Those players who have remained active in the local community should be applauded for their efforts to give back to their neighbors. However, this unfortunately does not prevent their on-ice stories from slowly slipping from the consciousness of the general populace.

Even the team's most skilled supporting cast members may eventually only be remembered in name, whereas in an ideal scenario, visuals and stories would preserve their legacies.

Thus, today we present a look at one of the offensive leaders of the early 1990s Canucks who defied all odds to play in the National Hockey League: Cliff Ronning. He was an underdog of the highest order, constantly battling naysayers at a proud height of five-foot-seven inches and a weight anywhere from 155 to 170 pounds (Frank Orr, Toronto Star, 21 Jan 1987). Although undersized players remain uncommon in the current NHL, the league has become much more hospitable to those who lack the size or strength to overcome the game's most monstrous behemoths.

This is Episode III of The Lost Shifts featuring Ronning's performance from Game 3 of the 1992 Smythe Division Final against the Edmonton Oilers.

Read the full article at Vancouver Is Awesome: The Lost Shifts Ep. 3: Cliff Ronning, the undersized and under-appreciated Canucks star - Vancouver Is Awesome

I am @CambieKev on Twitter. I write for Nucks Misconduct, Last Word On Hockey, Pass It To Bulis, and now scout with the Dobber Prospects team.

Enjoy the video!

March 12, 2020

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/canucks-hockey/the-lost-shifts-ep-2-mark-messier-the-anti-canuck-video-2156705

In the storied mythos of the Vancouver Canucks, Mark Messier is undoubtedly the team's greatest villain. No coach, no general manager, nor any other player remains as reviled as the notorious Messier. If one were to consult any lifelong Canucks supporter for their opinion of their team's captain from 1997 to 2000, the responses would be unanimous: he epitomizes the injustices that have maligned the team throughout their fifty-year history.

He was always known for his gritty style. He was a talented playmaker, and he also possessed an excellent wrist shot. He was intelligent with the puck and reliable defensively. However, he punished opponents with vicious elbows, body checks and a malicious, physical approach. He was the ideal two-way forward.

In Vancouver, his physicality was absent. From the very beginning, commentators noticed a complete lack of intensity from the player frequently regarded as fierce and passionate. He was passive and lethargic. His words were hypocritical. His conduct destroyed his reputation in Vancouver.

In Episode II of The Lost Shifts, we examine Messier's play in one of his earliest performances with the Canucks: a home game against the Detroit Red Wings on October 26, 1997. It became clear within only a month that this acquisition was a blunder of catastrophic proportions.

Our format today deviates from that of our Pavel Bure episode (Episode I). In order to illustrate Messier's apathetic conduct in the most effective and concise fashion, today's presentation features every piece of footage from the match in which he appears on-screen as well as a few extended shifts where his absence from the frame should be considered troublesome.

Interview audio from Dan Russell's CKNW 980 show Sportstalk, as well as the insights of numerous commentators can be heard throughout the video. Episode II concludes with a five-minute montage feature.

Read the full article detailing his story of betrayal and sabotage at Pass It To Bulis: https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/canucks-hockey/the-lost-shifts-ep-2-mark-messier-the-anti-canuck-video-2156705

I am @CambieKev on Twitter.

March 2, 2020

Dryden vs Smith: How Gary "Suitcase" Smith Became a Hero to a Generation - A CambieKev Presentation

By Kevin Wong | Mar 2, 2020, 11:48am PST

Gary Smith was terribly exhausted. He had been in Vancouver for less than a year, but his feelings reflected the chaos occurring within his team’s front office.

In early 1974, the Vancouver Canucks were in a state of crisis. The team’s owner and president, Tom Scallen of Medical Investment Corporation. Ltd. (Medicor), had been charged with the theft of three-million dollars, alleged to have utilized the team’s finances to cover the debt of its parent company.

The franchise’s first-ever National Hockey League coach, Hal Laycoe, was now their general manager, assuming the previous managerial duties of an ailing Bud Poile.

Poile had fallen ill in 1972 — officially diagnosed as “exhaustion” on November 21, 1972 —, but he returned the next season as the assistant manager (“Poile Leaves”). Upon his recovery, he refused to work with Laycoe and feuded with his former subordinate.

Another member of the board, assistant to the vice president Walter “Babe” Pratt, had once publicly criticized Laycoe as a coach in 1972 on a radio broadcast and was now expected to work alongside him (Beddoes). This tense, uncomfortable dynamic infiltrated every corner of the Canucks’ front office.

Meanwhile, the newly-minted, on-ice product was a relative disaster. Wins were scant. The Canucks lacked goaltending depth, and following an injury to starting net-minder Dunc Wilson only a few months prior to Smith’s arrival, the team floundered without an adequate backup (Proudfoot, “No More”).

At one point during the 1972-73 season, the organization offered a tryout to Long John Henderson, a 40-year-old former goaltender who had last played in the NHL in 1956 (Proudfoot, “No More”).

The Canucks’ farm system was barren and the swift decay of the franchise only continued the following season. At the midpoint of the 1973-74 campaign, the Canucks fired Bill McCreary, the third coach in their four-year NHL existence.

Gary Smith arrived in a May 1973 trade between the Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks that sent Dale Tallon, the team’s two-time All-Star representative, the other way. The conduct of their superiors left the players feeling demoralized, and Smith was particularly distressed. His experience with this team had so far been miserable. He commented on the difficulty of working in “such an unbelievably screwed-up atmosphere” (“Canucks’ Hall”).

Interim president Coleman E. Hall, serving while Scallen appealed his sentence, contributed similar thoughts to the press, bluntly stating that “this club should be run as a business but it never has been” (“Canucks’ Hall”). Coach McCreary, following his dismissal and subsequent offering of a new role within the organization, corroborated these reports:

”There has been friction on this team right from the start at [the team’s 1973-74] training camp. The two factions on this team have made it difficult to coach, and staying with the organization may be the wrong thing for me.” - Recently-fired Canucks coach Bill McCreary, January 15, 1974 (“Canucks Fire McCreary”)

Furthermore, Coley Hall was under scrutiny for operating from his winter home in Hawaii rather than in-person. Such an arrangement led to the perception of an absentee ownership situation, which the team’s followers quickly cited as one of the contributing factors to the disarray of the four-year-old franchise (MacLeod).

According to the infamous Toronto-based lawyer and agent Alan Eagleson, upon speaking with Laycoe and Smith: “There’s a lot of problems in Vancouver because of the absentee ownership. Players like Don Lever, Don Tannahill and Andre Boudrias are wondering about their future” (Proudfoot, “Eagleson”).

Gary Smith wondered the same. Numerous roster members required new contracts. The threat of poaching by the World Hockey Association seemed particularly real for the meager Canucks.

Smith was nicknamed “Suitcase” due to his tendency to travel between leagues in the early days of his career, but it seemed now that several other Canucks would be packing their bags.

In Smith’s words, “We had 18 guys in the front office — millions of them, it seemed, and none of them had any power to do anything... nobody from the Canucks was even talking to [the players] about signing new contracts... When Pittsburgh put Bryan Hextall on waivers, we could have used him, but nobody was in a position to exercise our rights to take him” (Proudfoot, “Gary Smith”).

There were too many executives and none had enough authority to effectively accomplish any administrative operations.

...

Read more at Nucks Misconduct: Dryden vs Smith: How Gary "Suitcase" Smith Became a Hero to a Generation - A CambieKev Presentation

February 23, 2020

https://streamable.com/3oiuv

This article features a ten-minute video presentation highlighting Tyler Toffoli’s performance against the New York Rangers on February 9, 2020. In the footage, he wears #73 for the Los Angeles Kings. If the video above is unavailable, view it here.

A sense of tentative buzz blanketed the Vancouver Canucks' supporters when the team unexpectedly acquired Los Angeles Kings forward Tyler Toffoli last Monday. The Canucks have been desperate for offensive support in recent weeks, as the team's regular forward group has managed to provide little help for the team's star scorers. With a playoff position potentially slipping away, this dire concern required immediate treatment, especially in light of the recent news about top-line scorer Brock Boeser's rib injury and his estimated eight-week recovery period.

Some have suggested that the price to acquire Toffoli was high: the Canucks' 2020 Hobey Baker nominee Tyler Madden, depth forward Tim Schaller, a 2020 second round pick, and a conditional 2022 fourth-round pick. There were certainly naysayers who questioned this acquisition, but also many curious spectators who merely wished to learn exactly what type of player the team had acquired. Those familiar with Toffoli will confidently state that the Canucks have stumbled upon a gem.

Five days have passed since that pivotal moment, and Toffoli has paid immediate dividends for the Vancouver Canucks. In his debut against the Minnesota Wild, he tallied one assist and directed four shots on goal. In his follow-up performance against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, Toffoli scored two goals, recorded an assist, and was named the game's first star -- an impressive start in Vancouver for a player who had, for nearly a decade, feasted upon the Canucks with 13 goals in 28 career games as an opponent. These point totals are among the accomplishments of a player who has been relatively underrated throughout his career. He is a three-time twenty-goal scorer who once achieved a 31-goal season in the NHL -- a campaign in which he received six votes for the Selke Trophy as the league's best two-way forward. An exploration into his style of play will reveal whether these votes were warranted.

With Toffoli slated to become an unrestricted free agent, the Canucks must decide whether they should re-sign him. Depending on his performance this spring, it will become obvious whether or not he and the team are a proper fit for one another. One very encouraging takeaway from his two performances in blue and green, however, is that he played exactly as he did in Los Angeles.

Many of Tyler Toffoli's contributions to his team have received little attention. His reputation is that of a goal scorer, but his smart defensive game requires some discussion. To further elaborate, let us consider some footage from one of his performances with the 2019-20 Kings just prior to the trade: a match against the New York Rangers on February 9, 2020. That evening, Toffoli was featured on a line with center Anze Kopitar and winger Alex Iafallo. He recorded seven shots on goal that night. A busy evening such as that in which he was effective and yet recorded no points requires an investigation to determine the on-ice situations that best suit his style of play and the combination of linemates that would best complement this player.

The full breakdown of Toffoli's game is available at Nucks Misconduct:

You can find me @CambieKev on Twitter. Follow if you like this article and want to stay up to date with my content.

February 20, 2020

In association with Pass It To Bulis, I present today Episode 1 of a new series: The Lost Shifts. This project began in 2012 and continues now with a new format, focusing on numerous players. We will look at the forgotten, yet often incredible elements of their games. Today's topic: Pavel Bure.

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/canucks-hockey/the-lost-shifts-ep-1-the-incredible-but-forgotten-sides-of-pavel-bure-video-2105002

On March 15, 2020, 17 years will have passed since Pavel Bure last graced the ice of a National Hockey League rink. Memories of Bure continue to be shared to this day -- fables of a figure whose sublime displays of skill and immeasurable popularity changed the landscape of the NHL one stride at a time. There were thousands of rushes, all of which compelled audiences to rise from their seats and opponents to relent to whatever brilliant, creative maneuver he had crafted within his imagination. He was a king of style, though not at the expense of results.

Bure was an innovator and a uniquely-dynamic force -- especially when he was healthy. He was in a special class as a Vancouver Canuck -- phenomenal each time he stepped on to the ice, and a celebrity off of it, even among non-hockey fans. He attracted fans from everywhere, his popularity transcending the confines of the hockey world. Without him, Canucks nation as we know it would not exist.

Tragically, he was injured for the majority of his career and his skating was never quite as effortless after his anterior cruciate ligament was torn in a match against the Chicago Blackhawks on November 9, 1995. Numerous surgeries were required to treat this damage and he never truly recovered. In spite of this major injury and the subsequent setbacks that would prematurely end his career, Bure was considered to be the NHL's most fearsome goal scorer throughout his time in the league and might have been one of the most prolific ever if not for the injuries. He was the sixth-fastest player in NHL history to reach 400 goals at the time of his accomplishment, eclipsing that plateau in 635 games.

His career ended with a total of 437 goals scored in a span of 702 games. Upon joining his final team, the New York Rangers, in 2002, he scored 12 goals and 20 points in 12 games -- he retired with so much left to offer. Alexander Ovechkin, now heralded as potentially the greatest goal scorer of all time and in many ways Bure's successor when he entered the NHL in 2005, scored his milestone 400th goal in 634 games -- one game fewer -- and matched Bure's career total of 437 goals in 711 games. Ovechkin is now on his way to breaking Wayne Gretzky's record.

Vancouver briefly had a player of that luminous quality, as every time Bure was healthy he was capable of 60 or more goals, achieving such grand totals primarily without the support of other elite players. Who knows how much more plentiful his career totals would have been with a centerman who could alleviate some of his burden. He was majestic, even without help. From his debut on November 5, 1991 against the Winnipeg Jets to his final game against the New Jersey Devils in March 2003, the hockey world was treated to a show so spectacular that to inform new hockey fans about this legendary player with words alone would never suffice.

Most words and stories about players from days of yore originate from memory, but such recollections are prone to distort over time and details have a tendency to become obscure. Before social media, comprehensive television contracts and online video allowed moments to become instantaneously accessible and virtually imperishable, only few could truly witness the brilliance of Pavel Bure on more than just an occasional basis: the CBC and local television networks such as BCTV might have aired a game a few times per month, whereas most home matches could only be seen live at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.

Highlight packages on CKVU's Sports Page and TSN's SportsDesk attempted to offer glimpses of every goal, but would sometimes skip moments to save time in their broadcasts. In other words, to really understand the inner workings of a player's game was essentially extremely difficult for anyone but the most dedicated fans of the sport. One could not study a player through on-demand viewings as they can now.

Such little relative coverage caused the dissemination of often vague and sometimes inaccurate reports about players; in Bure's case, he developed a unfair reputation as a one-dimensional, moody breakaway artist when he was anything but that. He was fearless, relentless, and willing to push his physical limit to cover as much ice as possible and separate the puck from his opponent. To ensure that truths about Bure's game are preserved in history, I present to you now, in association with Pass It To Bulis, the first episode of a brand new series detailing not only the style of play and nuances of Bure's game, but the way in which other historical players contributed on the ice as well.

Very little is remembered about the specific styles of so many former NHLers, and so throughout numerous installments we will explore and revisit their games with footage and analysis. This project began in 2012 and has now been relaunched with remastered audio, video, and a brand new series format for your viewing pleasure. Each episode will examine one game and capture the essence of that player's performance within a condensed, four-to-five minute video presentation. This is Episode I of The Lost Shifts. Today's topic: Pavel Bure.

In this episode, we examine Bure's performance in Game 7 of the Smythe Division Semi-Finals between the Vancouver Canucks and the Winnipeg Jets. Pavel Bure was a rookie that year, amassing 34 goals and 60 points in 65 games. Most notably, however, he finished the regular season with 22 goals in the final 23 games of the schedule and paved a clear path to the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year -- the first Canuck to accomplish this feat. At this stage in his career, he was still lighter and not quite as strong as he would be in later years, although his tenacity and courage were still exceptional.

Read the breakdown of Bure's game at Pass It To Bulis: https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/canucks-hockey/the-lost-shifts-ep-1-the-incredible-but-forgotten-sides-of-pavel-bure-video-2105002

Enjoy the video and follow @CambieKev on Twitter to stay up to date with my latest videos!

February 10, 2020

Quinn Hughes has been a revelation — a truly transformative on-ice presence whose rare skill set deserves the full attention of the hockey world. One might fairly argue that, aside from avid followers of the Vancouver Canucks, few could accurately express just how masterful the first-year NHL defenceman has been for his team. Canucks fans, some skeptical before his arrival in Vancouver, have been left speechless and astonished as the young phenom has completely rewritten their team’s playbook and contributed to the restoration of reasonable belief in the team’s playoff potential. A team of stagnant players has suddenly become one of the fastest squads in the league, all thanks to the puck movement of their new superstar defenceman — a master of motion.

From his own goal line, Hughes routinely moves the puck up the ice with precision for the Canucks, either slicing through the opposition’s defensive structure with patience and deception, or firing a crisp stretch pass across two lines to a high-speed target. In the offensive zone, the team now runs its plays through him, no longer working from the half-wall as it once did; when loose pucks manifest in open areas of the ice, his extra gear activates, at which point one can often expect him to aggressively pirouette, dodge and weave between obstacles to ensure that the Canucks continue to attack the opposing net.

He has, with each stride and every pass, propelled the team forward via a combination of offensive intelligence, inimitable agility on his skates, pure puck skill, and a proactive sense of motion, and has provided a degree of puck-moving expertise as well as possession savvy unique among players currently in the league.

...

The rest of the article is at Nucks Misconduct. Enjoy the presentation! Please follow @CambieKev on Twitter for updates about future content. More is on the way.

January 22, 2020

In 2012, I had the pleasure of working with Mr. Wyatt Arndt on a project I will never forget. When he announced that he was doing Fake Canucks Hockey, I volunteered immediately to provide video production and live stream services. I helped with the Fake SportsCentre assets, as well as produced and edited the live stream content -- the introductions, warmups, spoof advertising, pre-game features, audio, visuals, among other things; I moderated the live stream chat, posted game day threads on CDC, and also offered a few technical tips about how to improve the Fake SportsCentre and in-game production on Wyatt's channel, i.e., adding music to the background, adjusting the in-game NHL 13 HUD, puck shadow and other features for a more realistic presentation.

This project filled the void left by the 2012 NHL lockout not only for myself, but I think for many others as well. It was a wonderful, fun experience, and I can't thank him enough for letting me be a part of it. I promised him that I would release this content one day.

Today is that day. Included here is Wyatt's TEAM 1040 interview with Sekeres and Price on October 11, 2012.

January 21, 2020

This is Life in Technicolor, a montage I produced for the Vancouver Canucks' 40th anniversary. It features primarily footage from the 2009-10 Canucks season, one in which Henrik Sedin won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP. The 2010 Winter Olympics had just been hosted in Vancouver, and a powerful sense of regional pride filled the streets. Entering the 2010-11 NHL season, the enthusiasm and buzz around the city was electric -- everyone had a feeling that the campaign would be special.

The video was featured on the Rogers Arena jumbotron during the pre-game of the 2010-11 Canucks season opener.

Wayback URL of the original discussion on canucks.com:

https://web.archive.org/web/20101023133817/http://forum.canucks.com/topic/287306-1080p-presentation-the-vancouver-canucks-life-in-technicolor/

Featured on the Pass It To Bulis (Vancouver Courier) blog:

http://passittobulis.blogspot.com/2010/08/amazing-fan-video-vancouver-canucks.html

January 17, 2020

Tonight, the University of British Columbia hosts its 2020 Winter Classic vs the University of Manitoba Bisons. The UBC team is coached by former NHL defenceman Sven Butenschon, and the roster is mostly comprised of WHL/BCHL/AJHL players. Butenschon played 140 NHL games, primarily with the New York Islanders. He was a prospect of the Pittsburgh Penguins for several years, and spent time with the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks. He also played in the AHL, IHL, and DEL -- he was the Manitoba Moose's All-Star representative in 2006 and won the DEL and IHL championships.

I decided to create a montage about his team.

November 25, 2019

9 hours ago, the grinder said:

nice video or movie as you called it , did you get permission or anything ? just wondering I surprised you haven.t received a cease and desist order from the nhl or from the artists songs you used since you called it a movie , you don't own the footage or songs you can use a clip but you cant put thousands of clips together and call it your own

Thanks for your concern and for asking about this,

YouTube has a unique feature called Content ID, which allows copyright holders to receive ad revenue whenever their work is used in a YouTube video. Copyright holders can submit their work to YouTube and have it added to the system; they then decide whether the copyrighted material should be blocked by YouTube or monetized for the rights holders. In the case of the former, the video simply becomes unavailable. Some content is blocked on YouTube by default because of this. In the case of the latter, the rights holders are compensated for the use of their work. In effect, it serves as a provisional licensing arrangement on YouTube, which is how YouTube protects itself from infringement. In choosing to allow the monetization of their copyrighted material on YouTube for themselves, the rights holders are in spirit allowing the use of their material by others on YouTube. Another rule of this is that I can not personally monetize the video.

Rights holders can still manually request the removal of a video by YouTube at any time, so they can take the video down if they wish for it to happen. I have clarified that this video is only to be available on YouTube where this Content ID system is in effect. It's a film in the sense that it is a lengthy presentation of sound and images, but it is not for profit and is intended only for educational purposes.

The following is an example of what I see on my end. Both video and audio content are listed in this menu.

Video content is included in the Content ID system as well.

YouTube also identifies and publicly lists all of the music rights holders in the video description:

youtube-contentid-example2.jpg.1880695d164623af973b7711b2990522.jpg

The Content ID system keeps everyone happy, and as soon as someone is not happy, the video is removed.

November 23, 2019

Thank you all so, so much for your kind, generous words. I had dreamed about bringing this video to life and wanted to help remind everyone about the magic of Pavel Bure. I am so glad now that it's out there for everyone to enjoy. It was a blast to make.

A few of you have messaged me about the music selection. You can find a list of all of the songs used in the credits at the end of the video. Thank you all again.

I'm excited to continue working on new projects. I hope to have something new for you all soon.

November 17, 2019

This is a presentation I have wanted to create for quite a long time. I am proud to finally be able to share it with everyone. The film, titled Pavel Bure: A Rocket Through Time, is an 85-minute retrospective about the career of one of the NHL's most dynamic, electrifying, compelling figures of all time, Pavel Bure -- The Russian Rocket. There are many hockey films that communicate the history of their subjects through interviews and narration, but often a lack of footage of the players undermines the illustration of their impact on the sport. In the case of Pavel Bure, more often than not, people are only ever told about Pavel's tenacious, mesmerizing ways on the ice; most highlight reels only capture a small fraction of Bure's brilliance. Words and phrases such as "electrifying" and "he could bring people out of their seats" need to be reinforced with a corresponding visual representation. This feature is a non-stop show-and-tell of Bure's abilities as a player and his effect on the hockey world.

Over 300 of his goals at the NHL and international levels are on display here, as well as a plethora of other defining plays and attributes including his end-to-end rushes, assists, explosive body checks, forechecking, creative, improvised plays and intelligent decisions in all three zones. He was the complete package -- a sniper, playmaker, end-to-end rusher and warrior on the ice with a lethal goal-scoring instinct and an ability to elevate his game to even greater heights when the stakes were high. There were many additional nuances in Bure's game that were often overlooked during an era when the odd late-night highlight may have been all that many people saw of him. Many of those lesser-known elements are on display in this presentation.

Each stage of Bure's career is highlighted during the film, from his days with CSKA Moscow to his final days with the New York Rangers. The images are accompanied by a soundtrack of carefully-chosen excerpts from film scores and popular recordings of songs from the 1970s to 2000s designed to reflect the themes and tone of the events throughout Bure's story. It's a soundtrack for a star whose presence and aura transcended the sport. He became an idol to an entire generation and had a transformative influence on the hockey culture of the cities he played for, especially Vancouver. The phenomenon was known as Pavelmania, and the on-ice reasons for it are fully exhibited here.

Pavel Bure was a special player, once called unstoppable. He was the sixth-fastest player in NHL history to score 400 goals and continued to be a dominant force to the very end in spite of the injuries and challenges that robbed one of hockey's all-time greats of consistent opportunities. His jaw-dropping brilliance was a unique gift to the sport, and thus his legacy must not be lost with time.

Enjoy the presentation.

September 3, 2019

The Vancouver Canucks are entering their 50th year in the National Hockey League. To mark this special occasion, fans of the team, new and old alike, deserve a concise, accessible retelling of the team's history since its inception into the NHL in 1970. There have been heartbreaking experiences and periods of despair; despite all of the hardships, there have also been bright, beautiful, irreplaceable moments.

Over these past 50 years, we have witnessed the growth of a fanbase from humble, fair-weather beginnings to an exemplar of unwavering loyalty and pride. Although the wait has been lengthy and arduous for a trophy most elusive, a different history is incomprehensible, for this journey and the precious relationships forged along the way are the features of our identity that shall make that summer of glory all the greater. This is an ode to the Vancouver Canucks, a team both blessed and cursed. I hope you enjoy it.

Subscribe to the channel if you like the video. You can find me at @CambieKev on Twitter as well. There will be future presentations like this one. Thanks for watching.

Encoded in 4K resolution to preserve fidelity.

Sign In

Profiles

Forums

Events

Blogs

Gallery

Posts posted by TrickOfShapes