CanucksLegacy Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Canucks all agree something’s missing MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. — A rough loss against the Chicago Blackhawks couldn’t do it. Neither could a blowout at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings. Maybe it will be the overtime loss to the surging doormats, the Columbus Blue Jackets, which helps kick start a Canucks season that’s been, at best, meandering. Either that, or it could be the 160 pushups. Winners of just three of 11 games, the Canucks have been missing something. You could say it’s centres and a power play, and you’d be right. But Cory Schneider called it urgency. And Henrik Sedin said it was desperation. Whatever it is, it inspired one of the Canucks’ first closed-door meetings of the season Saturday. “We need to get a little bit more desperate,” Henrik said. “We can’t just go about our business and think not getting wins is good enough just because we’re playing well. “We need that little extra. “That’s what you saw in our games against L.A. and San Jose where we pushed ourselves a few more per cent. That’s the difference sometimes in getting two points or losing in overtime.” Maybe you can’t measure desperation, but Henrik said the fact the Canucks have had more than two power plays in just one of their past seven games reflects a lack of it. “When you’re playing desperate hockey, that’s usually when you get a few more power plays,” Henrik said. “For sure that’s one thing, when you have to battle a little harder to get to the net so they have to haul you down. “That’s something we have to start doing.” A Canucks season never officially starts until the first players-only meeting. Sometimes they go nowhere, and another needs to be called in a few weeks. Other times they seem to have some impact, like in the 2010-11 season. The Canucks were tortured 7-1 on Nov. 20, 2010 by the Hawks. What followed was a players-only meeting, some moments of self-reflection and the coming together of 23 men, give or take, making it a memorable, if convenient, turning point. “I don’t think we’re desperate yet, but we need that desperation,” Schneider said. “I think urgency is the better word. We have to realize that ‘Hey, tomorrow is the halfway point of the season and usually the second half is the playoff push.’ “It’s one thing to be in games, but I think we need to have that urgency and that instinct to either separate ourselves during the game or to put teams away instead of hanging around and being in a game. “I think we need to be dominant in games at some point.” Dominant is one thing the Canucks have not been, other than three games, which were wins over Minnesota, Calgary and a beatdown of the Anaheim Ducks. But there hasn’t been a game like that in a month. While the players are handling the current swoon with meetings, the coaching staff chose a more direct, draconian approach. “Punishment,” Henrik Sedin said. That’s what the Canucks got served at practice Saturday when head coach Alain Vigneault rolled out his power play practice. The units, which didn’t have personnel changes, had a drill where the power play had to get shots on net and retrieve the puck three straight times. If they did it, they were good. If not, they had to do pushups. “There were 160 pushups; yeah, it was tough,” said Henrik, who counted every single one. Schneider said: “They’re either going to be really strong (Sunday), or really tired.” Vigneault has either been patient with his alignment or stubborn. He’s continued to have Jordan Schroeder on the point for his first power-play unit, while Jason Garrison, who had nine power-play goals last year, is on the second unit. When will his patience run out? “That’s a good question,” Vigneault said. “I’m going to be patient enough to start (Sunday’s game) way. “How long that’s going to last, I don’t quite know.” twitter.com/@botchford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackberries Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 at least they do recognize there is an issue. Or is it just lip service? Players only meetings don't always work... minnesota had one and continued to have a massive losing streak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoneypuckOverlord Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 TAke Ehrhoff and Salo away from the 2011 Vancouver Canucks and you have a totally different hockey team. Thats what the team is looking like right now in 2013. You took away the player that made the Sedins back to back Art Ross winners, followed by a lethal power play, and not really replace him with anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Biestra Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyzer Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Hopefully it will wake them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackberries Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 TAke Ehrhoff and Salo away from the 2011 Vancouver Canucks and you have a totally different hockey team. Thats what the team is looking like right now in 2013. You took away the player that made the Sedins back to back Art Ross winners, followed by a lethal power, and not really replace him with anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Forget about the first half of the season. The real season begins now and into the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallstreetamigo Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 OMG.....what about the other threads saying there is nothing wrong, the Canucks are better than ever, and that they will flip a switch and dominate in the playoffs?????? Wasn't anyone who thought there was anything wrong a bandwagoner? Does that mean our entire team are bandwagoners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 TAke Ehrhoff and Salo away from the 2011 Vancouver Canucks and you have a totally different hockey team. Thats what the team is looking like right now in 2013. You took away the player that made the Sedins back to back Art Ross winners, followed by a lethal power, and not really replace him with anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJDDawg Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Took them two months to figure out what we've been seeing? About freaking time somebody on this team got pissed off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apples Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 About time. Players need to step up and start being accountable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuckler87 Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 I like the sound of this.. AV showing tough love, bout damn time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIBdaQUIB Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 OMG.....what about the other threads saying there is nothing wrong, the Canucks are better than ever, and that they will flip a switch and dominate in the playoffs?????? Wasn't anyone who thought there was anything wrong a bandwagoner? Does that mean our entire team are bandwagoners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackberries Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Yeah, it's pretty funny how we get called bandwagoners and delusional for posting how lethargic and uninspired the team has played and yet here the team is admitting to precisely that. I alway sthought Hank was a bandwagon fan!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnews Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 HAHA! Henrik and the guys been trollin botchford. Went in the room, closed the doors, and cracked a pint. Nice to finally shake that flu bug, heh guys. "No need to get excited, we got this." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Yeah, it's pretty funny how we get called bandwagoners and delusional for posting how lethargic and uninspired the team has played and yet here the team is admitting to precisely that. I alway sthought Hank was a bandwagon fan!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIBdaQUIB Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Saying the team sucks and they're a write off isn't exactly fair criticism. Not saying you did that, but there was certainly alot of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoneypuckOverlord Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 they did, its just they're not trusted. Ballard(puck mover) and Garrsion(supposed bomber from the point). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackberries Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 noooo.....That was the arrogance of Mike Gillis thinking the team can do without Ehrhoff. Props to him, the team still won the Presidents trophy without him, but look at the Sedins... 75 point players. We are not the same good offensive team we were in the past until we find the players that "made" the 2011 team so special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Boudreau Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 That something extra is that they have been missing a pp qb ever since Ehrhoff left. Trade for Visnovsky from the Islanders. Ballard and a 4th round pick should be enough for a guy who doesn't even wanna play for the Islanders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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