Vigneault gets it right in the third, Laraque, Canucks jerseys
Entry posted by Opmac
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<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/01/jan1710_skills17_rr.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Jersey change?
It was brought to our attention by Icethetics.info in blog posts on both December 1, 2009 and December 3, 2009 that the Canucks may be switching to their modernized stick-in-rink jersey as their home jersey for the 2010-11 NHL campaign.
It's interesting to note that on Sunday at the team's annual SuperSkills event, Team Blue wore the team's third jersey featuring the modernized stick-in-rink as the main crest and the Johnny V logo on the shoulders as opposed to their home jersey with the orca on the front and the modernized stick-in-rink on the shoulders.
If something isn't up, it's a bit weird that the Canucks would choose to wear their thirds as opposed to their home jersey. Needless to say, we know which one the Canucks like better as an organization.
However, the Canucks mascot Fin and the player's kids were wearing the home jersey. Maybe it's an attempt to throw the fans off and make the switch less obvious, but also ever so slightly hinting towards a possible switch.
The colours of the Canucks are awesome, but the logo needs to change. The orca logo was designed with blue-silver-red in mind, not the blue-white-green of our current jersey.
<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/12/dec0709_nashville36_rr.jpg" class="imageFloatRightFramed">Vigneault gets it right in the third
I don't like to question the coach's decision because he is the one getting paid the big bucks to do it, but it completely puzzled me as to why the plan Wednesday night was scratch Kyle Wellwood, move Steve Bernier to the second line, move Demitra to centre on the third line, and drop Samuelsson down to the third line.
Glass has been a great story this year, coming to training camp this year, he was expected to be with the Manitoba Moose all season long and probably won't even get a sniff at the NHL with the Canucks. He defied the odds made the team and has set career highs in every statistical category. However, Glass is not a third line player; he has four goals and five assists all season. Glass is a banger and is not going to snipe any passes he gets from Demitra.
News broke late that Rick Rypien had the stomach flu and they could not get Ryan Johnson of long-term injured reserve in time, Wellwood had his spot in the lineup salvaged. Vigneault puts the fourth line player in Glass on the third line and puts the third line player in Wellwood on the fourth line. Puzzling.
The lines of Raymond-Kesler-Bernier and Glass-Demitra-Samuelsson all looked lost out there especially Glass. Thankfully, Vigneault saw that and reunited the Raymond-Kesler-Samuelsson unit and formed the dream third line of many Canucks fans of Demitra-Wellwood-Bernier.
Wellwood's played with Steve Bernier for the most part in their times as Canucks and Wellwood has displayed the ability to put up points when put with skilled players. Raymond, Kesler, and Samuelsson are a line that have been together all season long. It ain't broken, why fix it?
The second and third lines didn't generate the goal to tie the game, but they were a threat to score and put on pressure in the offensive zone.
Tonight's going to be an easy decision on whose going to come out of the lineup for Ryan Johnson's expected return. Tanner Glass, Jannik Hansen, and Darcy Hordichuk then didn't see a single shift five on five in the third period, so it's easy to say one of them will come out.
<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canadiens/images/upload/2009/04/laraque_bruins.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Nylander treatment for Laraque
News broke this morning that the Montreal Canadiens will part with veteran enforcer Georges Laraque because head coach Jacques Martin has lost confidence in Laraque and thinks the team will be better off without Laraque.
At this moment, it doesn't appear Laraque will be placed on waivers or traded, but rather will be getting the "Michael Nylander treatment." Which is we will continue to pay your salary, but you are not welcomed to be near the team at all and you can just sit at home all day.
I personally believe that you need an enforcer in the NHL despite the fact this is the post-lockout era. Just take a look at last night for the Canadiens, Carey Price gets run over by Cam Janssen (or you could say Janssen got run over by Price), but would that have happened had Laraque been in the lineup? I would like to lean towards no.
Take the Washington Capitals for example, who are without an enforcer, star defenceman Mike Green gets hit from behind by David Koci and gets blindsided by Colton Orr, and their captain Alex Ovechkin almost had to fight Steve Downie of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
From a previous blog post of mine:
Having an enforcer is important and look no further than the last four Stanley Cup champions coming out of the lockout.
Last year, Eric Godard was there to serve and protect for the Pittsburgh Penguins. In 2008, there was Aaron Downey on the Detroit Red Wings. In 2007, there was of course George Parros and Shawn Thornton on Brian Burke's Anaheim Ducks. In 2006, there was Jesse Boulerice for the Carolina Hurricanes, albeit for four months of the season before being traded as part of the Doug Weight deal.
Questionable hits so far this year in the NHL this season have also been committed to mostly teams that have lacked a heavyweight enforcer.
Both Jarkko Ruutu and Alexander Ovechkin's respective hits on Patrick Kaleta of the Buffalo Sabres, David Koci on Washington's Mike Green, Ovechkin on Tim Gleason of Carolina, Mike Richards on David Booth of Florida, Carcillo's cheapshot on Matt Bradley of Washington in a fight, or Georges Laraques knee on Niklas Kronwall of Detroit.
Oh noes!
This briefly appeared on the TSN.ca Ice Chips page:
The whole Canucks team is injured and will be missing tonight's game!
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