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PROJECTED LINES IF SEASON STARTED TODAY: Sven Baertschi - Bo Horvat - Brock Boeser Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Loui Eriksson Sam Gagner - Markus Granlund - Thomas Vanek Derek Dorsett - Brandon Sutter - Jake Virtanen (Extra forwards: Reid Boucher, Nicolay Goldobin, Anton Rodin, Michael Chaput, Jason Megna, Alex Burmistrov, Scotty Upshall) Alex Edler - Chris Tanev Michael Del Zotto - Troy Stecher Ben Hutton - Erik Gudbranson (Extra Defensemen: Olli Juolevi, Alex Biega, Patrick Wiercioch) Jakob Markstrom Anders Nilsson (AHL Goalie: Thatcher Demko + Richard Bachman) ***Brendan Gaunce out until November at the earliest according to Jim Benning*** THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD With 1 more year left on their contracts and careers (possibly), the Sedin era should be coming to a close in 2018. There is much confusion these days however for Canuck fans over where this team is headed. We had been spoiled in the Alain Vigneault and Marc Crawford era’s of this franchise. We have to go back before the West Coast Express to remember a time of consistent losing, which came shortly after a failed Mark Messier acquisition that turned out to be the worst signing in Canuck history. Honourable Mention: Loui Eriksson. Markus Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi, and Brendan Morrison owned the team in 2002 through 2006. It was the start of some very fun and high paced Canucks hockey teams. The Canucks also had a sell-out streak of 487, falling just 13 games shy of the NHL record of 500 straight sellouts by the Colorado Avalanche, who attained their mark in the Patrick Roy, Burnaby Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Adam Foote days. It was a time when the Colorado vs. Vancouver matchup was fun to watch. After the West Coast Express, the Canucks transferred over to the Sedin’s, who eventually became annual contenders to be in the top 5-10 in league scoring. Plus, we finally stopped our goalie graveyard of Arturs Irbe, Felix Potvin, Sean Burke and a host of others with the acquisition of Roberto Luongo. Fast forward to 2011 and being a Canucks fan was pretty fun. We watched the likes of Kesler, Bieksa, Burrows and Hamhuis grow into leaders of the team. Then 2013 hit, and the wheels on the bus stopped spinning round and round. In an era of salary cap management and solid drafting, the bus that had carried so many Canuck fans started coming apart. And so began the Canucks new direction of Trevor Linden and Jim Benning. The men who promise to restock the cupboards with high quality draft picks while keeping a competitive hockey team on the ice. We can't dismiss the cupboards are getting better, but the competition hasn't been fierce with a 28th and 29th place finish in each of the last 2 seasons. The top teams are changing in the NHL, and most would agree it was a good run by an organization that had previously had it’s share of tough times since it’s inception into the league. Now we are stuck having to watch Toronto and Edmonton steal the majority of TV time. The sad part is, those teams are overdue for some winning. It’s their turn. For the next few years, we will get our championship from the draft lottery. We load up with kids we believe will be capable of hoisting the Stanley Cup, and in 3-5 years we should have a decent team. It’s a long process. But we are OVER DUE for that next wave of elite Canuck players. Bo Horvat will be the Captain next year. The Sedin’s will want to pass the torch eventually and let the kids take the top job. Why not allow the kids to play and learn to be the new face of the franchise. Did the free agent signings affect their growth?

Connor McDavid just arrived at the 82 game mark in his NHL career and it got me wondering how he compares to other great starts in an NHL career. Although Connor is no longer considered a rookie, he has played a season's worth of games. I scrubbed the NHL.com database to find the top 10 NHL rookie seasons of all time. SPOILER ALERT: I've included Bo Horvat and the Sedin's rookie campaigns at the bottom. Meaning they aren't in the top 10. But you already knew that. Coming in at #10, believe it or not Senators fans, Alexei Yashin starts a trend of Russian players with amazing first seasons. Yashin finished his rookie campaign with 30 goals and 79 points in '93 -'94. Sadly he finished with a -49 rating. That's a minus for every assist he had. In the very same year however, another player would crack the top 10 in rookie scoring. At #9, a fellow Russian in Sergei Fedorov finished with the same 79 points Yashin did in his rookie year. But he comes in at #9 because he finished with a +11 rating. He did not win the Calder trophy as both Russians were beat out by goalies. Ed Belfour had a stellar year with the Chicago Blackhawks and took home the award for top rookie in 1990. The '93 -'94 season was not only great for Canucks fans, but it boasted some big rookie performances. At #8, Mikael Renberg of the Philadelphia Flyers scored 38 goals on 88 points, beating out Yashin that year in points. Renberg was still the 2nd best rookie the year the Canucks went to their 2nd franchise appearance in the Stanley Cup final. A kid by the name of Martin Brodeur took home the Calder Trophy that year. At #7, Evgeni Malkin continued the streak of players coming from overseas and dominating the NHL in their first year. He scored 33 goals and finished with 85 points for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2006-2007. Also winning the Calder trophy as top rookie. #6, Sergei Makorov. Probably the least notable name on the list, he finished with 62 assists and 86 points with the Calgary Flames in '89 -'90. No other player on the list had less than 32 goals, and Makorov finished with 24. He was also the Calder winner that year. With the 5th spot, and half way through our list, comes Joe Nieuwendyk. Another Calgary Flames player on the list who had a solid rookie campaign. It was a few years earlier in '87 -'88 when Nieuwendyk scored 51 goals and 92 points. at #4, Joey Juneau surprised many when he started with the Boston Bruins in the '92 -'93 season. He had 32 goals and 70 assists for 102 points. Meaning only 4 players have ever cracked the 100 point mark in their rookie seasons. But he did not win the Calder. That player is in one of our top spots. #3 is no surprise unless you hate him. Sidney Crosby had 102 points in his first campaign. He had more goals than Joey Juneau by finishing with 39, which is why we rank him ahead, even though they are tied in rookie point totals. But he was beaten out by a Russian that year in both the rookie scoring and the Calder trophy. With the 2nd best season in NHL history in a rookie year, Alex Ovechkin strikes big with 52 goals and 106 points in 2005-2006. This was the last time we've seen a top 10 rookie season. And finally at the top spot. No, it's not Gretzky, he was never considered a rookie. The top NHL Rookie season belongs to the '92 -'93 Calder cup winner Teemu Selanne. Selanne had a year like no other, amassing 132 points. What was even more amazing was more than half of those points were goals, with 76. Can you imagine Brock Boeser getting 76 goals in his first season with the Canucks? Our honourable mention goes to the aforementioned Wayne Gretzky, whose records seem unbreakable. Unless of course Jagr had played his entire career in the NHL. "The Great One" had 137 points in his first NHL season, scoring 51 goals and 86 assists. Not much more than Teemu. So where does McDavid fit in? in his first 82 career NHL games, he has 90 points. 90 points would put him into 6th spot all time. The top Canuck is Pavel Bure in '91 -'92. Bure finished with 34 goals and 60 points his rookie season. Bo Horvat's rookie season was decent. He amassed 13 goals and 12 assists in 68 games. Henrik Sedin played all 82 games in his first NHL season, scoring 9 goals and 20 assists. His brother Daniel finished with 20 goals in his rookie campaign, adding 14 assists.

Canucks Coach Willie Desjardins comments regarding his current state with the Canucks

How do you win a Stanley Cup? I asked Trevor Linden that in Penticton, when the young stars were playing the week before NHL training camp opened up. He said, "Build a playoff team, then get them through the regular season." Well, the playoffs have been confirmed. Now we see if this team has what it takes. Here is how the lines will look, heading into the postseason: Because we do not know when Zack Kassian or Brad Richardson will return, we still need to factor them into the lineup for next week. 1. Sedin - Sedin - Burrows / Sedin - Sedin - Burrows 2. Higgins - Bonino - Vrbata / Matthias - Bonino - Vrbata 3. Dorsett - Richardson - Kassian / Kenins - Horvat - Hansen highlighted means currently injured 4. Higgins - Horvat - Hansen / Matthias - Vey - Dorsett Where does Kenins fit in once Richardson and Kassian return. Maybe Kassian and Kenins take turns in and out of the lineup. On Defence, Alex Edler must be with with Chris Tanev. Edler is at his best when he has a solid stay at home defence partner like Tanev to cover his mistakes. 1. Edler - Tanev 2. Hamhuis -Weber 3. Bieksa - Sbisa What do you think the lines should be? Have your say below...

There is a new statistical number on NHL.com that they have just added, called SAT. It's supposed to rank players by how they benefit their team on the ice. It includes a players goals and shot attempts. Here is the equation they use to define this number: SAT (shot attempts 5-on-5) has the following equation: (Goals + Shots + Missed Shots + Team Blocked Shots) - (Goals Against + Shots Against + Missed Shots Against + Opponent Shots Blocked) when player is on the ice. Which is actually a bit more filling of a stat than the famous plus/minus rating system. A player is awarded a "plus" each time he is on the ice when his Club scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal. He receives a "minus" if he is on the ice for an even-strength or shorthanded goal scored by the opposing Club. The difference in these numbers is considered the player's "plus-minus" statistic. So using this new stat called SAT, we should be able to determine if a player is beneficial to his teammates while on the ice. Think of the Sedin twins. They play most of their game in the opponents end. As we have seen for most of their careers, they are more opportunistic goal scorers. Meaning they don't shoot as often as they probably should. On the flip side, they sure don't get many shots against either while they are on the ice. So they should be on the positive side of this stat. And they are. If you are interested in where the Sedin's stack up against the rest of the league, you might be surprised. Henrik Sedin is the top Canuck in the league with a total SAT score of 115. Not bad right? Compare that to the best in the league and you will find Henrik in 114th place in the NHL. The next best Canuck is his brother Daniel who sits with a score of 93. Good for 145th place. Still not terrible in a league that has had over 800 players play at some point this year. The current leader in the entire league surprised me. I know I shouldn't be shocked, but I have never given this player enough respect. Probably the fact that I am with the Canucks has swayed my emotion, and rightfully so. It's Drew Doughty who tops the list by a pretty wide margin with a score of 331. Only 3 players have an SAT score over 300. The other two players are Duncan Keith of Chicago and Jake Muzzin, who also plays for the same team as Doughty, L.A. Rounding out the top 10 players: Patrice Burgeron, Boston Tomas Tatar, Detroit Mike Ribiero, Nashville Nick Leddy, NYI Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Anze Kopitar, LA John Tavares, NYI Lots of big names on that list. Tells more of a story than some of the other stats out there. I'm still trying to wrap my head around Corsi. 7 of the worst 30 players in the league in SAT points are from Colorado. You can start to understand why the Avalanche have had such a poor year. Do you think this stat may stick around for awhile or is it just another attempt to sell the fans on numbers that don't mean much at all? Which stat means the most to you? Would love to hear your thoughts below. Take a look at all the new stats on NHL.com by going here: http://www.nhl.com/stats/advancedstats?fetchKey=20152ALLSAASAll&viewName=advancedStatsSkaterShooting&sort=playerFullName&ord=asc&gp=1&pg=29

3 points up on 9th place L.A. + 14 Games Left Can the Canucks make the playoffs? As we all know, this years version of the Vancouver Canucks is very unpredictable. They have beaten some of the best teams in the league like St. Louis, Anaheim, Pittsburgh, the Islanders and the Rangers. But they have lost to some of the worst teams as well. Buffalo, New Jersey and Arizona to name a few. So why do I think this years version of the Canucks can make the playoffs? Because of the mix of young and old that this team was missing the last 2 seasons. And I don't mean the young players that don't stick around in the NHL. I'm talking about the youth that is the future of this team. Yes, the've sat out Ronalds Kenins, but this team liked him enough to bring him up before Nicklas Jensen, or Hunter Shinkaruk. Kenins brings energy this team has been lacking. Bo Horvat can't do it alone. And speaking of Bo, how inspiring has his play been? I am almost forgetting that we exchanged Cory Schneider for the pick that led to Horvat joining the Canucks. Mike Gillis is somewhere saying, "I did that! I got that kid!" Frankie Corrado is in there too as part of the young core. Chris Tanev was another Mike Gillis free agent who picked up the undrafted Tanev out of school. His energy counts, and you can tell how difficult it has been for the defence without him. Makes you wonder about Nick Bonino, and how he fits into this team. Here is a guy with great hands, and great potential, but for some reason can't seem to get emotionally into the games. How often do you see him hit a player or get into the scrums. It happens at times, but he is never the one causing them. We still judge Nick when we compare him to Ryan Kesler, whom he was traded for. We did get Luca Sbisa and a solid pick in Kellan Lain. At least when Ryan wasn't scoring, he was being a jerk to someone on the other team and ruining their night. Teams do not like playing against him. He gets boo'ed every time he touches the puck, as a visitor to Rogers Arena. With Kassian, you are getting a young big body that is still developing. Plus he is not afraid to cause problems on the ice. Don't tell me you don't enjoy when he gets emotional in a game. His version of "Beast Mode" when he punched Toronto Maple Leaf Dion Phaneuf was well worth the game misconduct, which he received for not tying down his jersey. Guess what, players and fans on both teams feed of off that energy. When the crowd gets into it, the players get more into it. That's why energy guys like Derek Dorsett are so valuable to a team. Do you care how many goals he has right now? I don't. I love how he plays the game. He keeps people honest and works hard every shift. The biggest question mark of all is in goaltending. We all believe that Eddie Lack is a great goaltender. He is big, mobile and gets into position very quickly. But he lets in the bad goal once in awhile. I think all goalies do however. What do they do when Ryan Miller comes back. It's unknown if he can still handle the playoff grind anymore, if his days in St. Louis last year were any example. I can honestly say I feel a bit more comfortable with Lack in net than I do with Miller. I feel like Lack has played better overall, with less games. For now we trust in Eddie Lack and the rest of his teammates. Only a handful of games remain. Can this team make the playoffs?

What do you think? do the Stars owe Vancouver an apology for insinuating that the Sedin's sleep together?

Just a few thoughts from the Canucks team, along with Sid the Kid (aka. Captain Mumps).

When the Canucks played against the Oilers on Friday night, there was another Canadian team making a presence in the Edmonton building. GM Dave Nonis was also in attendance at Rexall Place in the Alberta Capital, and speculation is already running rampant in Leaf land. Nonis was seen talking with Canucks GM Jim Benning as well as Canucks President Trevor Linden. This on the heels of an embarrassing loss at home for the Leafs who fell 4-1 to the Detroit Red Wings. The toxic fan base in Toronto is continuing to show their displeasure on what looks like another losing season. A leafs jersey thrown on the ice after the game against the Wings represents the distaste of a team that is looking for similar answers as the Oilers. The questions is, why was Nonis talking with the Canucks brass? Well, from another blog writer out of Edmonton, it's believed they were speaking of a trade that would involve a couple Canucks roster players and a prospect for a few of the Leafs roster players and a high draft pick. Nonis is in the market for a puck moving defenceman. Currently Toronto boasts a fairly week back end, with no real potential candidates to step up. Toronto Maple Leafs Defence: Phaneuf - Gardiner Franson - Robidas Polak - Reilly 7th D - Percy The talk between the two teams, which is more just a beginning point in potential negotiations could see a trade that would help both teams. The Maple Leafs could be looking for a trade that would include Alex Edler, Eddie Lack and Frankie Corrado in exchange for Nazem Kadri, Jake Gardiner, goalie James Reimer and a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick. Yes Edler would have to agree to the trade, but it is not out of the question. The Canucks were able to move Jason Garrison who has spoken out since, saying he really did not want to leave the Canucks organization. His wife is currently working in BC making TV shows, and Garrison is from BC. He spoke with TSN 1040, saying he was not happy to leave the Canucks, especially after such a difficult year. Dave Nonis is not flying out to Edmonton to meet with his counterparts just to see how they are doing in their new roles. No. There is a reason Nonis is talking to them, especially when you consider how much his Maple Leafs team is struggling. Keep in mind, he has a coach in Randy Carlyle who just signed an extension. Nonis is on the hot seat with Toronto President Brendan Shanahan and will need to pull the trigger on a move to prove his worth to the club. For Nonis, doing nothing will surely end in his demise in the centre of the hockey universe. What trade would you like to see the Canucks make with the Maple Leafs?

Me with Trevor Linden, wearing a #17 Vrbata jersey. See below picture for the proof. With last years triumphant end to a disappointing season somewhat in the rear view mirror, the memory of not making the playoffs lingers like the smell of grandmas perfume hours after she left. This summer was by far the busiest the Canucks organization has been in quite some time which showcased an assortment of moves. Ones which have finally brought us to this years training camp. An unsettling feeling resounds in the hearts of Canuck nation, for those who felt the promise of excitement exactly a year ago when John Tortorella came in promising change, after two quick playoff exits under then head coach Alain Vignault. All that promise delivered absolutely nothing. We won't be taken as fools again. At least not this season. What was once a promise and glimmer of salvation amongst this aging core with Torts, now gives us an undecided feeling of little expectation for this team entering in a season with its new leadership group. Canucks President Trevor Linden, GM Jim Benning and newly minted head coach Willie Desjardins do not have the pressure to deliver this year as the old regime did. No, this year, if the Canucks put out an exciting product but fail to make the playoffs, there will still be disappointment, but no one would be shocked by the outcome. Which leads us to a much different feeling, this year over last, and the reason why it's ok to be quietly optimistic. The assembled group has the makings of delivering an exciting brand of hockey with the additions of Radim Vrbata, Linden Vey, Nick Bonino, Luca Sbisa and Ryan Miller. Also on the plus side, there are two missing "headline headaches" that have plagued this team the last few years. First is the Roberto Luongo saga. As much as Lou was an integral part of this team, the drama that followed him to no fault of his own, was a burden on the team and it's fans. Second, is the negativity that surrounded Ryan Kesler who was reportedly ready to hold out on the Canucks by not showing up for training camp if he didn't get traded to the only team he allowed a trade to, in Anaheim. There is no questioning Kelser's desire to win with the Canucks. A Stanley Cup seems to be the only thing that will calm down the spirit that burns within him. Unfortunately, Kesler became frustrated with the direction of the team and wanted out. Who can blame him. He was paramount in the original rebuild and has no aspirations to start it all over again. All this leaves us with a Canucks equation that doesn't appear too bad on paper. A core group that went to the cup final subtracted by Kesler and Luongo. Minus another two big names gone from last year in Jason Garrison and an injured Mike Santorelli. Add in Miller, Vrbata, Bonino, Vey and Sbisa, and you get something that equals a decent looking squad. One that could surprise, or completely bust. D. Sedin - H. Sedin - Vrbata Higgins - Bonino - Kassian Vey - Matthias - Burrows Dorsett - Richardson - Hansen Tanev - Bieksa Hamhuis - Sbisa Edler - Stanton Miller Lack Mix in a new coach who apparently respects his players, which is the opposite of what we've heard of Torts. Toss in a sprinkle of a qualified GM who can foresee players futures that the past GM could not. Finally, blend it all together with a franchise President, and you have yourself a future that doesn't look so bad. At least there is something to cling to. No longer can we boast about how good our team is to all the Canuck haters. No longer can we offer our condolences to the other Canadian teams whose struggles were somewhat comical to us on the West Coast. Now we sit patiently, like a cat ready to pounce. Telling everyone that our team won't make it this year, even though deep down we know this group might just make a splash. Quietly optimistic.