Playoff Hockey : Still a street fight. CANUCKS ARE YOU WATCHING ?

[IBatch]

10 hours ago, ButterBean said:

Agreed. We can barely make it through a regular season without a crap load of injuries. Going through the Western Conference will be a gauntlet like it always has been. We will need bigger bodies playing with the likes of Boeser, Petersson, Dahlen, etc. There will be players on other teams taking runs at our players and you never know how these games will be officiated.

Sign your handle, put him on skates and park him infront of the net.  Or bring him out for face offs to murder somebody off the hop every couple games.

 

[spook007]

4 hours ago, bloodycanuckleheads said:

He didn't do it for the money.  At all.  The opposite in fact.  The rumour is that he earns far less now than he would be earning here.  He literally gave up millions of dollars to leave our team.  Think of how badly you'd have to hate it to give up millions of dollars playing a sport you love, just to get away from your team.

What I meant was, he did not want to play in the AHL to start with, as he didn't have to according to his contract. He might even have had the same salary Playing in AHL as the NHL, but he blankly refused.

Had he started in the AHL, he might have been happy with our then AHL coach (Green), and thus might have stayed to have a long and prosperous career with the Canucks.

 

He had the potential to be one of the missing links... potential...

Loved him when he played, majorly disappointed with him leaving, just because he didn't get it his way. Believe there was more to it than just WD and management.

 

Time will tell...to be continued.

[spook007]

3 hours ago, Kevin Biestra said:

Kind of a shame that we lost Sbisa and Tryamkin really through no fault.

 Kind of funny to hear people bemoaning us not having Sbisa.... Pizza man wasn't exactly flavour of the day while here. But yeah do miss his agreesion.

[spook007]

2 hours ago, N7Nucks said:

Why would you choose to not get pushed around, which lets be honest isn't even a thing that teams do to us it's just an overreaction to Marchand slapping our Captain silly 7 years ago, over trying to score more? 

Partially right but definitely a one of the reasons..

Still have to have some sort of pushback available....

[JeremyCuddles]

1 minute ago, spook007 said:

Partially right but definitely a one of the reasons..

Still have to have some sort of pushback available....

True, true. I am more frustrated watching teams skate circles around us, more so than them shoving players around in scrums. Teams all up the intensity in the playoffs. I don't doubt we'll see more pushback in games that matter. We do need to replace what Dorsett brought though. 

[JAVA-1]

18 hours ago, Fanuck said:

Not saying playoff hockey isn't intense but I see Nashville,  TB,  VGK doing just fine relying on mainly speed/skill.

Then your not watching many games. Nashville games are physical and Vegas last night matched LA shot for shot and I'm not talking about the puck.

[hammertime]

19 hours ago, Alflives said:

Totally agree.  We need some heavy, mean SOBs who can actually play the game to insulate our smaller skilled guys.  Plus, our smaller skilled guys need to be mentally tough, because they are going to get put through the meat grinder. 

Shane O Brian?

[NHTyrany]

Getting tougher won't help this team if they need to play against the Refs as well. I'm hoping there will be productive NHL/Nucks secret discussions to help ensure a no surprises and equitable approach. The Nucks were doomed in 2011 for a number of reasons including: Gillis calling out the Refs in the Chicago series, Burrows, Toronto media (it's OK, even Canadians hate the Nucks), Bettman's corruption. Unlike the Chicago series, the Refs ballanced the penalty calls in the Boston series, but after the games were out of reach. 

 

Sorry to say but unless the league changes its ways, I think the Nucks will only win if and when the NHL wants them to. Perhaps a devalued Cup is better than no cup... 

[Nucker 67]

Watching these playoffs, I'm reminded what it takes to go far, even win a series. It's awesome, fast, physical hockey. Seeing this, no way the Canucks would be able to compete how they are now. But let's look at the future core. Could these players form a team that could one day win it all? Is this team tough enough? I don't think so (yet).

 

Horvat

Boeser

Gaudette

Pettersson

Dahlen

Goldobin

Virtanen

Lind

Gadjovich

 

Stecher

Gudbranson

Juolevi

Brisebois

 

Demko

 

I still think they need to add skilled grit (eg. Tkachuk?), but they also need to get bigger and nastier on D.

 

[aGENT]

14 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

Watching these playoffs, I'm reminded what it takes to go far, even win a series. It's awesome, fast, physical hockey. Seeing this, no way the Canucks would be able to compete how they are now. But let's look at the future core. Could these players form a team that could one day win it all? Is this team tough enough? I don't think so (yet).

 

Horvat

Boeser

Gaudette

Pettersson

Dahlen

Goldobin

Virtanen

Lind

Gadjovich

 

Stecher

Gudbranson

Juolevi

Brisebois

 

Demko

 

I still think they need to add skilled grit (eg. Tkachuk?), but they also need to get bigger and nastier on D.

 

People need to stop worrying about the team today. It's not going to look like today next fall, let alone in 2 years when we're hopefully flirting with even playing in the playoffs again. 

 

Sign a Kane, draft a Tkachuck and/or trade for a Jenner and *poof* not much to worry about there when added to Horvat, Virtanen, Gadjovich etc (never mind PITA players like Gaudette, Lind etc).

 

Likewise, Tryamkin comes back and gets added to Gudbranson, Edler and a two year older OJ and I'm not terribly worried about having a smaller Stecher in that group.

 

The team is not static. It's not set in stone. We will draft, trade and sign more players over the next couple years as we build towards being a playoff team again.

[Emmetts]

21 hours ago, Fanuck said:

Not saying playoff hockey isn't intense but I see Nashville,  TB,  VGK doing just fine relying on mainly speed/skill.

Thays because they are not playing against physical teams yet. 

And OP had used nash as example actually as he had a clip of forsberg 

[-DLC-]

Said it before and I'll say it again....it's all good and well to have a guy or two who can be physical but it's better if the entire team is prepared to be.  Be strong enough on your skates to be manhandled...doesn't have to be a punch up kind of tough, but durability tough.  Not shy away in the corners or the crease tough.  Stand your ground toughness (I like how Vegas is not backing away from the Kings as they try to bully them).

 

I saw the Kings unravel a bit because they were going over the edge and losing focus last night...so it's a fine line.  You have to be able to play tough, not stop play and lose focus because you're caught up in that side of things.  Doughty, in particular...he was flying, but also was ready to crack so it has to be contained.

 

You do need a response if someone goes after you, however, suspensions aren't doing teams any good either.   Kadri's hardly doing his team any good and remember, as the Canucks, things tend to weigh more heavily on us.   So there's definitely a balance to be struck and it can't be reckless abandon.  LOVE the playoffs and the intensity, but I don't know that the guys pulling some of this stuff are having success with it...their teams are losing at the moment so we'll see how it plays out in a series (Kings, Leafs).

 

Stecher is a good example of how a small guy can still be "tough" to manage.  He is gritty and determined and that's the sort of toughness I want every single player to have.  Don't laugh or tell me how he'd get eaten alive by this guy or that guy...I'm talking in general.  The resilience factor.

[Nucker 67]

Deb, I agree about Stecher. For a small player, he plays like he 6'2". Gutsy. I also think Gaudette is going to be a very good playoff player one day. Tenacious, size and fast.  But then there's players like Goldobin and Baertschi. I just don't see these guys being difference makers when they go to war. Seeing Byfuglien hammer opponents, made me think of Larsson when he got pulverized by Hall behind the net. Skilled player, but not really suited for the brutal NHL playoffs IMO. Hoping MacEwen can take another step, maybe eventually centre the 4th line. Maybe Archibald makes a few improvements and plays well next year.

[189lb enforcers?]

I... am watching.

Took a beating for stating the obvious and being glad the Sedin Era is over.

 

I like playoff hockey because of HOW it’s played.

Its all that’s left of the original sport, itself. 

 

These days are over:

 

 

 

 

 

I will stop there, but there are plenty more of those available. 

Viking, my But. 

 

[189lb enforcers?]

4 hours ago, NHTyrany said:

Getting tougher won't help this team if they need to play against the Refs as well. I'm hoping there will be productive NHL/Nucks secret discussions to help ensure a no surprises and equitable approach. The Nucks were doomed in 2011 for a number of reasons including: Gillis calling out the Refs in the Chicago series, Burrows, Toronto media (it's OK, even Canadians hate the Nucks), Bettman's corruption. Unlike the Chicago series, the Refs ballanced the penalty calls in the Boston series, but after the games were out of reach. 

 

Sorry to say but unless the league changes its ways, I think the Nucks will only win if and when the NHL wants them to. Perhaps a devalued Cup is better than no cup... 

Just don’t have a bunch of hair pullers, biters and divers on the team to embarrass the refs and the sport and it will work itself out. 

[BCNeil]

There are tough teams and finesse teams. Both can have playoff success or failure.

Winnipeg looked great the first 2 games.  It's working for Boston.  It's not working for LA.

 

With the current roster and players in the system expected to make the team.....we will have a hardworking finesse type team.

But unless we make some big changes, not a very physical team.

[NHTyrany]

47 minutes ago, BCNeil said:

There are tough teams and finesse teams. Both can have playoff success or failure.

Winnipeg looked great the first 2 games.  It's working for Boston.  It's not working for LA.

 

With the current roster and players in the system expected to make the team.....we will have a hardworking finesse type team.

But unless we make some big changes, not a very physical team.

I don't think we are that far away from a physical team. I agree with other posters herein that the physicality will be available/brought in soon. I would have preferred earlier in the "down turn" (i.e. the Winnipeg model) but that probably would have resulted in a schizophrenic culture whilst the Twins were leading. Management has no more excuses. If they don't address it quickly I will be critical.

[Junkyard Dog]

1 hour ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

I... am watching.

Took a beating for stating the obvious and being glad the Sedin Era is over.

 

I like playoff hockey because of HOW it’s played.

Its all that’s left of the original sport, itself. 

 

These days are over:

 

 

 

 

 

I will stop there, but there are plenty more of those available. 

Viking, my But. 

 

Sedins are still tough af.

 

last 3 they tried to sell first two they got wrecked.

[xereau]

1 hour ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

I... am watching.

Took a beating for stating the obvious and being glad the Sedin Era is over.

 

I like playoff hockey because of HOW it’s played.

Its all that’s left of the original sport, itself. 

 

These days are over:

 

 

 

 

 

I will stop there, but there are plenty more of those available. 

Viking, my But. 

 

Lots of diving there. But you can't be a weakling and play your entire career on the boards AND be at the top of the ironman rankings.

[mikeyman109]

Again its not really about fighting , its about not being afraid to go into the dirty areas. its about not being afraid to go into the corners and retrieve the puck.Its about not skating blindly past the net and not being afraid to stop there and pounce on the rebounds and chances. Some players get it others never do. We can have softer skilled players on the roster. Its ok to have a few players that are the play-makers. We cant try to have 22 of them.We need some hard nosed players that make life miserable for the other team. Its a balance. I don't think anyone wants to trade Petterson, but put someone on his line that can skate with him , understands the game and will go to the net, retrieve the puck for him to make another play, stand up when he gets pushed around. Just hold the other players accountable. Not looking to bring back Brashear. Just want a John Tonelli  type to play with some of the skill players. All players need to be able to play today.Despite the need for grit up front i still believe our biggest need is on D and bigger guys to absorb the punishment the playoffs dish out. Pittsburgh has gotten away with it without some bigger D but they do play in the East and that hasn't been the style out there for a while. The west is much different. Its a survival test. By the time a team gets out of the west they are tenderized pretty good.