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Are The Canucks Better Than We Think?


danjr

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OK have been thinking this for a while, but want to discuss it.

Early this calendar year Van started with all the tight defensive games and the power play went on hiatus.

Is it probable that the Canucks as a team decided to snowball the league? By this I mean they shut down the power play. ("Just go out there and make it look like you are trying")

Do they want other teams to buy into all the media reports that Vancouvers power play and scoring have failed them? It would make sense to do this, so the officiating won't deny them power play time. You look at how the reffing benefitted the Canucks opposition, long lulls with no power plays, and then power plays when the game is out of hand.

I wont be surprised to see the Canucks light teams up on the power play in the playoffs this year, well until the refs catch on that the Canucks power play is still as lethal as they want it to be.

Kind of reminds me of the old Oilers, who'd show up when the whim hit them.

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OK have been thinking this for a while, but want to discuss it.

Early this calendar year Van started with all the tight defensive games and the power play went on hiatus.

Is it probable that the Canucks as a team decided to snowball the league? By this I mean they shut down the power play. ("Just go out there and make it look like you are trying")

Do they want other teams to buy into all the media reports that Vancouvers power play and scoring have failed them? It would make sense to do this, so the officiating won't deny them power play time. You look at how the reffing benefitted the Canucks opposition, long lulls with no power plays, and then power plays when the game is out of hand.

I wont be surprised to see the Canucks light teams up on the power play in the playoffs this year, well until the refs catch on that the Canucks power play is still as lethal as they want it to be.

Kind of reminds me of the old Oilers, who'd show up when the whim hit them.

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While I like the angle you found on this topic, it sounds like wishful thinking to me. My take is that teams have taken the Canucks PP more and more seriously, studied it and found better ways to defend. The drop pass, Kesler's shot from the left etc - not that difficult to anticipate.

Hope you're right though :picard:

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I don't know. I'm seeing a lot of dump and chase on the PP right now, which is bizarre. Never used to see that. They definitely haven't looked as threatening, not hustling as much, not cycling as well.

The PP was a problem in the finals last year too though, which is why it was so great to see them absolutely tear into the Bruins with the man advantage back in January, remember that? Not sure what happened since then.

We all know how deadly the Canucks can be on the powerplay, and they know it too. I'd really like to see them return to their old ways on the powerplay during the playoffs, and would love it if they've added some new tricks that they have hiding up their sleeves.

^- I tend to agree with the above post, but only to an extent. Our failures on the powerplay have been equal parts sloppiness and the other team playing against it better. If we fix the sloppy, we should start to see a lot of success again. After all, our best powerplays are when we cycle the puck quickly and accurately until we pull someone out of position, and then capitalizing on that error.

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of course the canucks are better than most fans think, if you listen to our fans we have the worst starting goalie, one of the worst second lines and a a couple of bums on the first line and a few pylons on the backend. Even with all those problems we are still tied for 1st in the league. Id hate to see the problems & deficiencies other teams would have if our fanbase was sicc'd on them.

^ (obviously being oversarcastic)

as for the PP, id say its not a bad thing at this point, we are winning without it and we all know the canucks have the skill to turn the PP around at anytime. If it comes alive in the playoffs lookout.

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What is nice is that instead of using the PP on our crutch we have it as a bonus.

Our game plan (stated as such by multiple Canucks) last year was to basically get beat up and take the penalties. Made sense, we had a deadly PP and not all that much expendable toughness (Bieksa was tough but you don't want him hurt, suspended or in the box often). The only problem was that we developed a reliance on it. We needed it to be an elite team and to win a majority of our games.

The latter part of this year, we have been able to win as much but without our power play. That means that even if the officiating is turned against us, we shouldn't have that much of a problem as we don't rely on it to win games. When we play well enough to win AND we get a couple PP goals... Unstoppable.

I like that we have lost the crutches and I think we will be a force to be reckoned with (barring the uncontrollables.. Knock on wood).

Go Canucks.

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the Canucks are better than it would seem from all the complaining...but the pp isn't right now. Teams are onto that deep drop pass in the neutral zone, and if we try it in the playoffs when teams are even more aggressive, it will lead to shorthanded chances. We need to get back to basics on the pp, get shots through and crash the net. too much overpassing. Henrik, I'm looking at you!

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That's a stretch...wishful thinking. I could see them suffering from a lack of motivation in the reg season, but purposely playing bad to throw off other teams? No. Sounds almost as ridiculous as the "lose the playoff game on purpose so they can make more money" theories.

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The power play is useless in my opinion in the playoffs, the refs don't call ANYTHING, or barely something compared to regular season, so it is better that we are getting 5 on 5 production more rather than the power play, we'll be more suited for the upcoming post season!

GO CANUCKS GO!

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What is nice is that instead of using the PP on our crutch we have it as a bonus.

Our game plan (stated as such by multiple Canucks) last year was to basically get beat up and take the penalties. Made sense, we had a deadly PP and not all that much expendable toughness (Bieksa was tough but you don't want him hurt, suspended or in the box often). The only problem was that we developed a reliance on it. We needed it to be an elite team and to win a majority of our games.

The latter part of this year, we have been able to win as much but without our power play. That means that even if the officiating is turned against us, we shouldn't have that much of a problem as we don't rely on it to win games. When we play well enough to win AND we get a couple PP goals... Unstoppable.

I like that we have lost the crutches and I think we will be a force to be reckoned with (barring the uncontrollables.. Knock on wood).

Go Canucks.

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The canucks pp is so complex that it was so hard to shut down in previous years, they could score and attack in so many ways, I think teams are begining to study there pp more and more. The easiest way to stop there pp is take away passing lanes from the half way and down low, as the pp hasn't been as succesful from the top.

Also with kesler having a down year it significantly hurt the pp, he doesnt seem to be as much as a threat in front of the net.

The best way for them to get back on track is to have salo and edler shoot more and more so teams will have to respect them more opposed to henrik and daniel.

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