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IBatch

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Everything posted by IBatch

  1. NYI in six. Why! Because it would be fun to cheer for someone. You know that guy who hates us fans.
  2. Met Demko when he was injured playing against Laval (Burrows was also coaching at the time as an aside)...came out of a side door when me and my brother were in line for some beers. He was all smiles and happy to be recognized. Nothing at all like the frowny face at the pressor. We all know this guys an intelligent fellow - why he'd answer that question with something that totally flies in the face of what Tochett is selling did give me some pause.
  3. One thing i found a little odd - was Demko's remark about the off-season training. And his general demeanour was kind of sulky, sure didn't look like he wanted to he there.
  4. Absolutely. If Demko has a career like Anderson, I for one, will be stoked.
  5. You are aware our star players love Tochett and his coaching staff right? Not that they didn't like Bruce - but they prefer been taught things from these pros ... QHs year end pressor. They aren't going home to spend the summer golfing.
  6. Podz plays the game the rigid way so sure Tochett will like that. I'm not convinced he's headed for top six anytime soon though. As long as he keeps working on it .,, maybe. I have doubts he's going to be anything more then a responsible middle six player though.
  7. Sooooo. Podz becomes a HHOFer for his later work and becomes an Admiral! That's awesome. Nah. He's a great example of 2000 or so guys that didn't have his pedigree, but worked hard to carve out a 500-700 game NHL career. There is a reason why draft age used to be 20 years old. By then, for the most part, what you see is what you get. Oh and by the way - that's a great career. Podz has a ton of work to do, to become a Raffe Torres or a Mahloltra, or even a Richardson. To me his floor is pretty high but his ceiling is low. If it wasn't we'd already have seen more from him. Hope i'm wrong. But at this point that's more likely as best case.
  8. You can't bring Jagr into this. He wouldn't have come if we drafted him. And Nedved was a stud, just was a dick about his contract. As for MT ... i've wondered if his lineage played into that. Sure wasn't a fan of his Dad his big head and big bully rep when in WNP... would only fight Murzyn or so it seemed. Never one of our better fighters. MT well even with some Messier rub, i still hated not picking him. But can understand why maybe we didn't pick him. Caufield? Who cares I sure don't. Let's see how he does with some playoffs ... not that it's likely for awhile. Not a big deal ... Debricant 2.0 maybe.
  9. That's certainly what the scouts believed. That said i'm going with Boldy to have the better career. Really thought that would be our pick, Podz pulled a Zadina, and we just would have been roasted at the time if we also let him pass by. Something to think about this draft, if a top 3-4 consensus guys slips to us and we take someone else.
  10. Also Craig Adams although much later lol. Confusing. Pretty sure there were a couple Scott Thornton's too.
  11. VAN-CAL was by far the best rivalry i've ever seen with the club circa 89-96ish. EDM and CAL was of course one of the best all-time, but VAN took their spot. VAN - WNP was also pretty close. Both those rivalries made the VAN-COL WCE era and especially the VAN-CHI Sedin era ones look like exhibition all-star games in comparison (ok a little hyperbole, but not a lot ...) Kruse was one of CAL better fighters back then...McCarthy (Sandman) was a beast. Antoski was one of the better heavyweight fighters the Canucks ever had. You'd be hard pressed to find a fight he lost, at least decisively, and his quality of competition was up there. Diduck, Dirk, Stajanov, Hunter, Antoski, Gino, Momesso, Murzyn, Stern for a while (lol ex Flamers). ... and even guys like Courtnal (pest who would drop them), Babych (didn't fight because he didn't want to hurt anyone ... leagues strong man though - "legs like sequoia trees" ) lol was something the announcers would say at times, one armed so many huge forwards while with us, basically put them where he wanted, whomever lined up with Babych ended up in a bear hug and out of the fight. Murzyn couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag but was a gamer, and cleared the net better then most we've ever had. Kruse was a tough kid. Diduck had a reputation before coming here, like McQauid in Boston or Guddy now, just don't mess around with him. Edit: Next up id go with COL. Remember a game I was at, Chris McCallister was going at it with Parker, who at the time had a reputation of becoming the next Probert or heavyweight champ. A little earlier Brashear had his way with bandaid nose ... right infront of me lol. Wow he could really throw his lefts fast. Odjers face was swelling right away. Chris M more then held his own. It's tough when you're at a game and two or three fights happen all at once. Happened to me watching WNP too, also front row, and couldn't decide which one to watch. And no big screen just a scoreboard. That's a problem fans likely never have to worry about anymore, it's all available on the internet...but too bad most back then and not much in the 80's is. Edit: Thanks for sharing. Diduck-Babych ... was my favourite line to watch back then. Lumme Murzyn -and for a short while Hedican Brown ... that was a solid top six. Going to see if I can find Babych's reverse hit on Probert behind the net...was something, poetry on ice! Diduck versus Scott Thornton ... that's a typical Diduck fight - maybe if someone could add that .... Stajonov was also pretty decent even though not here long. What a tough team, and not only tough, giant sized compared to any team in the league right now, and that's with Ronning and Bure lol.
  12. If Miller gets the C, don't see it as a problem at all. Believe he will take that very seriously, and even if he's on the third line by year 5, it won't matter. Doubt he's traded. Also think with this coaching staff, they can keep JT relevant in the latter years of his deal. Will only be 36. Maybe he's like Pavelski and we don't have much to worry about. We haven't had a player like Miller since Jovo was around. QHs is for sure another great option. Personally, ok with either guy. Don't think either will disappoint. This has been Millers team now for a year and a half though.
  13. QHs said he knew a coaching change was coming very early on. And said a lot of positive things about the new coaching staff. Tochett's "energy" is infectious and how the 3 of them help players with their craft. They appear to be teaching staff and very detailed. Tochett is refreshing too with the media. First off pretty sure he scares them into being careful about their stupid questions lol, but also is very candid win lose or draw about what was good about the game, and what wasn't. Not a big fan with the media circus around the Canucks, but it comes with the territory. Demko didn't look super happy sitting there. None of that group really did. QHs and Miller certainly can handle them though. OEL not having a summer to work out for sure affected his play, same with his foot not healing. He was fine his first year 5 x 5. Hronek is an unknown, but Detroit sure sunk in the standings without him. That's probably the best metric we have (aside from four games he wasn't ready to play) in determining his value, aside from the stat sheets which also are a positive. IF OEL can play at least as well as he did his first year with us, and Hronek is a legit top four, our D is way way better then it was this season. Scoring goals for sure wasn't a problem. Our PK was a lot better ... for sure reasons for optimism. Miller was very good too. Brock was also better away from the puck. Mikheyev was also playing hurt, and despite that one of our best 5 x 5 guys. If nothing happens, and we squeeze the same team under the cap (using LTIR), and Tochett keeps these guys focused on getting better in the off season (love that he says teams that don't make the playoffs need to work on their craft, not treat it like a 4 month holiday), they should be in a playoff spot in December.
  14. Best part was how he discussed Bruce and how after being with Tochett, Foote and Gonchar, and how they help teach players ... was very telling. Also loved how he keeps working on his craft, and has things he wants to work on this off season.
  15. Pretty sure Tochett is going to love Mikheyev. That's who's going to do that job.
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