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All over again.. Are Canucks Tough Enough?


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To play in the NHL you need to be tough, whether it be mental or physical. What I worry about for this team is the mix. The past two cup champs had a nice mix of skill and size throughout their lineup. When it comes to playoff hockey and the opposition views you as mentally or physically not up to the challenge, they will try to take advantage of that.

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Are we tough enough to win the cup? Yes.

Could we stand to be tougher? Sure.

We lost to LA because their defence was excellent.

All playoffs they were clinical defensively.

We cracked before they did.

Back to toughness....

Ideally we'd have one more tough, big body in the top 6.

The Sedins are tough, but are NOT physical nor agressive.

An imposing presence to compensate would be excellent.

But finding such a player is easier said than done.

If Kassian is ready for a top-6 role, that'd be brilliant.

But rest assured AV, is not going to put him there if he ain't ready for a top-6 role.

Also, if we had a real bruiser, tough customer, crease clearing d-man (think Engelland), that'd be ideal.

Vandemeer is step in the right direction. Alberts is so so.

Neither are skilled enough to be in the regular line up.

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Sure, we're good. It wasn't toughness that was problematic against Boston, it was size, they wore us out over the seven games. Anyways that was years ago already, it's in the past. Between Volpatti, Wiese, Kassian, Lapierre, Bieksa and Alberts I think we are just fine toughness-wise. We could stand to be bigger on the bottom pairing, Ballard and Tanev aren't exactly the Matt Carkner types some teams have there.

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We have gotten a bit toougher and nastier on the backend but up front it is same old same old. Kassian might have the potential, we are about to find out. The guys in the locker room all know that team toughness has been an issue (Hamhuis stated it) and I bet we see the Canucks more feisty and willing to stand up for each other this year. We'll need another big hard hitting forward to go anywhere in the playoffs, though.

Bringing Cloutier back adds to the toughness also, he doesn't have anything to teach Schneids or Lu except how to put up your dukes!

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The more important question should be are they deep enough up front to consistently win games and burn their undisciplined opponents on the PP? I'm not sure I'd trust Ebbett in his ability to consistently do that once the Twins get off the ice from the PP (unless they play the full two minutes? :blink:) Hopefully Raymond proves that his play during scrimmages weren't a fluke!

Barker, Vandermeer, Garrison are plenty tough in terms of having goons and if Kassian could stick and really become the space-creating power forward we'd be okay. Au contraire, without Kes and Booth the team is both thin up front physically and in terms of skill. Replacing them while their out should be objective #1, not toughness.

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Vandermeer, Kassian, Booth, Beiksa, Lappy, Garrison, Volpatti and even Ballard, plus hard hits from Edler i think we are pretty tough.. not full of goons tough but can hold our own.

Plus with Some tough guys in the system i think we are fine.

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Try to keep up with the changes Canouver.

Haven't you heard?

Lapierre is a gawdamn hulking beast of a manhandler now.

Kassian exudes alpha masculinity.

Jim Vandermeer is the kinda guy who makes grown men feel safe.

The Sedins have been secretly training with ninjutsu warriors.

And Mike Gillis is cooking up a nice little deal to make Chris Neil a Canuck.

Just by osmosis my adrenals are feeling much much less stressed.

Hope that helps you feel a little better as well.

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Try to keep up with the changes Canouver.

Haven't you heard?

Lapierre is a gawdamn hulking beast of a manhandler now.

Kassian exudes alpha masculinity.

Jim Vandermeer is the kinda guy who makes grown men feel safe.

The Sedins have been secretly training with ninjutsu warriors.

And Mike Gillis is cooking up a nice little deal to make Chris Neil a Canuck.

Just by osmosis my adrenals are feeling much much less stressed.

Hope that helps you feel a little better as well.

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Zack Kassian can help in this situation, as he would drop the gloves with a Marchand or Bolland as soon as they got out of hand, and of course he could then handle the reprocussions of someone like Lucic or Ladd coming back after him. I just hope the canucks don't completely destroy what he has and turn the pittbull in him into a crapzu. They need to just accept what he is and not push the whole vegan/yoga/hippy/weightloss/super discipline/no fighting Vancouver philosophy on him. lol

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Duncan Kieth's dirty elbow was the major blow to our LA series,what if any answers there are with our team toughness begins with protecting our star players. Heading into the season as a one line team I expect more of the same especially in the playoffs.

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LOL at people using that argument. That is only ONE team with that kind of softness winning them cups.

We are still incredibly soft but I am happy that at least we have 3 legitimately capable fighters in Patti, Vandermeer and Kassian.

And NO Lapierre, Weise and Bieksa are not established fighters.

Weise, with plenty of evidence, is a punching bag against anyone with skill in that department.

Lappy strictly takes on completely non fighters and Bieksa reeaaaaallly picks his spots, has some skill but in no way can take on the heavies.

The top 6 is the problem, and has been for years, no grit....

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