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IBatch

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Everything posted by IBatch

  1. Every now and then I’m surprised by the complete naivety of some fans and can’t tell if this is sarcasm. The league has changed and we won’t see any pre-cap powerhouses ever again. The closest we will ever get is from teams with no state tax like Vegas and Florida and even then the advantage pales in comparison to pre-salary disclosure teams. EDM, NYI and MTL would have half the marquee players in today’s game if they were lucky. Like PIT has managed (3/5). It’s vanilla all around for everyone now - yes JB is building a good team for us. No he’s not building a dynasty it’s virtually impossible in today’s game. No Wayne Gretzky if that’s not enough - no Messier (and hate to have to say that) no Coffey (sorry QHs won’t be that good) no Kurri even - well maybe but doubtful. Then you have guys like Linsman and Simpson. Miller? maybe but still yet to do it. Who’s Lowe? Huddy even? They sent 10 guys to the all-star game one year....back when only deserving guys went. Not only did they have the best to ever lace them up they had killer support guys. Oh yeah Anderson too. We’d be lucky to have a guy as clutch as he was. Only Mr. Game 7 has a case to surpass what he did.
  2. Remember a radio station in Quebec City pushing the big baby theme - then providing the team fans with soothers...grown men in the stands wearing nothing but diapers...death threats and effigies and the whole thing..probably a good thing for his personal safety the Nords relocated. Lindros was an absolute beast...Stevens may have levelled him but the hits he layed out the league has rarely seen before or since - guys 220lb guys literally flying 20 feet into the boards. Like giving a linebacker skates and wheels to go with it and the hands to go with it. For anyone who’s forgotten or never saw him play - watch some video it’s very entertaining...many against Stevens himself. Too bad he never figured out he should keep his head up (think he didn’t need to growing up so had to learn it the hard way). Some say Forsberg for Lindros was enough - and they’d have a good case. But if he never had concussions and played 20 years I’m confident he’d be up there in Howe, Lemieux, Orr, Gretzky territory in how reverent discussions would be about his career. Even with the tarnished start. Edit: my wife tutored math in high school (about the same age) and says he was polite, nice maybe even shy. Sometimes people forget these guys are kids and the expectations on the best of them must be enormous.
  3. Nice read - well done AJ. I thought the Rockies had cool uniforms when I was a kid ... several of these teams were relocated and it took me a long time to see PHX now ARI as a different team and not WNP. Not so much with the Nords surprisingly - they seemed to get an new identity as soon as they arrived (Roy changed everything for them but have to wonder if they could have won a cup without him in Quebec too) plus having a connection to the Rockies was glad they got a franchise back - but of course wasn’t happy we lost a great rivalry and a Canadian team...should have just expanded...Do people look at the new WNP Jets - see Wheeler and think ATL still (maybe fans from that city?)....good stuff! Also eternally grateful that Quin wouldn’t have any part of both changing our name to the Orcas or re-locating the team to Seattle...we came dangerously close to losing that team...even if we got another one it would have changed things forever.
  4. After reading the first 8 pages I skipped to the end. My wife and I saw a news story about this a couple of days ago with Zajac - the main target - who’s absolutely beautiful - and had to wonder why Leipsic and his buddies found this funny or whatever in the first place. The internet isn’t a private place so don’t agree with anyone who’s upset this was leaked, fair game. Had to think really hard if I’d ever called anyone fat before - can’t say I have or haven’t sure I said some stupid things as a kid, it’s sad for several reasons including a young mans career is now in the toilet, and that this shame will definitely follow him around probably forever. He’s definitely getting a reality check on what is and what’s not appropriate behaviour and paying a very steep price for his actions - words in this case are so serious that he’s lost his career. Nothing Cooke did on the ice had as much impact and he ended careers. As far as the “native” comment goes, of course it’s inappropriate too. Growing up and to this day some of my best mates aren’t white and I love different cultures. What I don’t love is overreactions when it comes to this topic as it can do more harm then good - and really this site didn’t take long to blow it completely out of proportion. Anti-semitism came up - like wow. Also perspective is required - we don’t know for sure if it was racially motivated (it does appear that way though) and for anyone on this site identifies as an Indian, Native American, First Nation or now Indigineous People that took offense I’m truly sorry. One of my buddies was the middle weight kick-boxing champion of the world, one of the best the sport has ever known around 3 losses and 30 wins most by knockout and fought until he was 49 - he’s Native American and that’s how he identifies himself - his mother identifies herself as an Indian (given her age and doesn’t consider it a bad word). A young man my family knows would definitely be insulted by this - and prefers the name his people chose over First Nations - and maybe I’m not very good with sensitivity but don’t have a racist bone in my body and never have - love everyone based on who they are not the skin colour (which is so stupid I can barely understand it) - point is the adjective used in this case has some screaming and saying horrible things they’d like to happen to Leipsic - like die. Wow. If girls were caught making these comments it wouldn’t make the news. Same thing if it was a group of regular young men. Apollo had a point - not that these things should remain private - nothing is on a device and not that the hacker should be punished - but that the hate is spread by giving it air time as does the negativity. Nobody needs a story like this to understand that racism exist or that boys-young adults could be misogynistic. It’s a sad sorry and I feel for Zajac and anyone directly and indirectly affected by it. It’s happened to my daughters online too (body shamed) and they are great looking slim teenagers. By both sexes. Why’s this story news and there’s are not hmmm. This doesn’t need to turn into a hyperbole of negative girl hating racists- and I’m glad Zajac is taking the time to show that the human form is beautiful in many shapes. Maybe keep the pitchforks in the shed - and be mindful that person you might be replying to has had something far worse happen to them and that we are all fighting the pandemic and might not be the best version of yourself at the moment (stop personal attacking) and that nobody got shot, raped or beat to a pulp, - its not like our grandparents fighting to free the world from Nazis’ or white people slicing up and conquering North America bad is it - and just maybe it’s a bit re-stimulating for those who have suffered from those things too. This is not meant to make it ok or breed intolerance because I do detest that and will never understand why in this day and age in this continent it should still exist. Leipsic is going to pay dearly for this for the rest of his life. I believe that’s enough - and same with the positive spin Zajac put on it and how she is working hard to promote positive behaviours.
  5. You bet. Very good point. If we all agreed on everything then life and this forum would get dull pretty quickly. I do appreciate others viewpoints and as a result have altered my own viewpoint to allow for changes in my personal rankings ... also like to echo what 189lbs mentioned a day or so ago - a big clap for AJ for starting this thread in the first place - very grateful for it and the others who have daily or occasionally contributed. It’s been a great distraction and miles ahead of looking on NHL.com to get an idea of when things will start up again. My only disappointment is it’s going to stop soon - and on the flip side the five years or so we’d have to wait to do a proper do-over given who’s just starting or only played a few years....hope to see yours and everyone else’s posts then too.
  6. That should do it. Lanz looks to be finally getting his due, about 10 spots too late ... but it is what it is. Next up Murzyn guys/gals - played with us until he retired (almost the entire decade and lost half a year to a lockout ) and did what Tanev did in good times and bad...beat Lumme and Babych for a Pratt award which at the time and until the Sedins came around (Ward too they tied that year) a team best plus 34 which also is better then a lot of other franchises records ... only a minus once in the dark ages of Keanen goalie graveyard era (minus one) - fought some of the toughest guys of his era and a regular combatant of a tier below that would whoop the best that’s left ... blocked shots without Kevlar and special gear (or wood shoved down his shin pads like Ludwig did) ... did anything and everything for his team to win....regularly had an A on his sweater...etc. Might be the last time he’s in the top 50 with the new core emerging and a deserving choice at this point.
  7. I have an old Young Stars book that includes Modano and Linden from the early 90’s that predicted that both these guys would eventually end up in the HHOF. That’s how good Linden was - it’s not often that a player has his best offensive seasons before he’s 24. He’d already established himself as dominant force by then - one of the leagues youngest and most respected Captains. Moving to the center position was a selfless act and he took it on with moxy When he came back he also embraced a bottom six role when his points per 60 was still pretty decent. PK specialist...scored a lot more goals then Cooke over the same period and in a similar role.
  8. Yes I was going to add Tallon in that sentence and actually thought I did - will go back and edit it. Done.
  9. Linden unlike QHs and EP went straight from the draft to the NHL at 18...did pretty darn good for sure and helped the team face CAL in a top three all-time Canuck series. Sometimes wonder where his career numbers would have ended up if he wasn’t pigeon-holed into a two-way center role because we didn’t have an answer for Otto (who was also a great player IMO). He definitely started strong and ended up top 100 in scoring all-time when he retired. Don’t think 400 goals and 1000 points would be out of the question if he remained a scoring winger his entire career.
  10. Definitely could do just that - if he stays for three complete contracts and plays a decade or so for us anything’s possible. At this point if I could only keep one of EP or QHs it would be an extremely difficult choice - both could have exceptional careers - so far are surpassing everyone but Bure and maybe Lindens and Tallons first couple seasons. Have very high hopes for both of them they already have huge roles in the new core that’s emerging and with BB don’t mind seeing their names getting mentioned one bit.
  11. Bingo! His playoff heroics were the best thing or greatest thing he did while on our team for sure. That said his teammates were tired of his shenanigans before he was done here - as were a lot of fans I knew at least. After he left was hung out to dry by Mario Lemieux and Guerin on his own team ... and ended careers. Could be the most hated NHLer in league history. Oh and for defenders of his shame / yes he did have around one fight per year with us - and later on dropped then a little more - but does it really count when it’s not mutually consented and your just getting beat up for dirty played like headshots or kneeing?
  12. So Brashear? Ha ha. A little ironic that one of our teams best fighters and one of our teams smallest and most skilled players look to have the same nickname...Q Hughes will looks to have the chops to be a top 20 all-time Canuck by the time he’s finished his second contract with us - so glad we have him..
  13. Solid pick and nomination. Murzyn is next up on my to vote list - once Lanz is in really he’s the front runner but would be completely ok with an inverse order (changed my vote to Murzyn last time once it was apparent Lanz wasn’t going to get in). Those two guys are still top 50 greatest Canucks in my mind and the experts regardless of how things turn out. Rypien had a heart of a lion -as did Murzyn, taking on guys much bigger in size and for Murzyn at least fighting ability regardless of personal safety (Berube was a top fighter with titantic battles with Brown, Probert, Twist and Crowder during his time - and rarely lost a fight decisively - not unlike Rypien dropping them with Carkner) Protected their teammates - instilled energy - and didn’t scurry away looking for a big brother to pay for their mis-deeds.
  14. Yes I’d agree - definitely would have Sandlak ahead of Cooke. Ha ha. It’s ok Cocunuts - in trying not to start anything (again I think ha ha) but I can’t help defend the other players on this list - and some yet to get in (Sandlak is a perfect example) when it’s suggested Cooke should make it in before the rest and really it’s not even close simply on a games played note...Aucoin is another guy I had as 50 in my original list who slipped to 51 when I added Tanev - not everyone can make it in. These things are subjective - and I’d expect that a lot of people can’t help but weight those they’ve watched higher then things like games played, how good they actually were/are - impact to the fan base etc. Butcher had to wait a very long time to get in too...Murzyn is still outside looking in. Both held important positions for us and were part of the leadership group while here. Lanz was too. Fraser was a top scorer on our team and a top fighter in the league at the time. And part of a run to the final where he scored 10 points and also had 98 PIMS...
  15. When it comes down to a couple of extra seasons worth of games for players with five or more seasons other things should be considered too. Leadership (did they wear the A?) Position - top six - middle six - top pairing - top four - playoffs if applicable and ......PGP - Cooke is way down the list ... below Roussel, Sutter and LE on the current team for example - Gaudette too. 187th all-time... Murzyn was with the team for most of the 90’s - his body of work stands up easily...Fraser - well 67 points one year - and a top fighter. Cooke scored 10-14 goals three times - and that’s it. Lanz scored 18 one year and not many players did what he did offensively for us. 400-566 games played yes there is a difference. But based on this logic if LE plays another 240 games with us and scores around the same amount - does that make him a top 50 great Canucks too? Maybe he should be on this list - maybe not - but very good arguments can be made for most of the remaining candidates too.
  16. Voted Lanz ... congratulations Oddliefson... nominate Pederson too..
  17. Too bad there aren’t any HHOF caliber guys that we could pull a MG and pay 15 million for one season before they retire - and go for it. And then have to listen to how QH or EP or BB learned so much in 40ish games and it was a paramount pivotal point in their career etc. Maybe they can entice Jagr out of retirement (Sundin tells the twins to play the same way in the regular season as the playoffs and he’s Buddha or something - and really did it work?). Anyhow - in all seriousness AP is probably staying where he is and won’t sign for under 7 years no matter where he ends up. Why would he risk having a mediocre or so so year for an extra couple million at this point instead of a gauranteed contract? Sure would be nice to pick him up for the long term - our top pairing would be one of the better ones for 5 years or so at least. LE needs to retire or be stuck in the minors ala Ladd, Redden until he does just that. Maybe we get a compliance buy-out, maybe we don’t. OJ needs to win his spot and so far he hasn’t been able to make that work. He will for sure get some chances but I wouldn’t pencil him into our lineup as a permanent guy yet. I do love the idea of shedding payroll / and winning the AP sweepstakes- but it will have to be a huge offer and not sure we can do that. Nobody wants Bear or Sutter - we can go our separate ways with Tanev which I think is probably the best option - even at 5 million pro-rate that to average games played - minus the average games played by top four guys in general and his cost goes way up. Need another defender 20/40 games a year when he’s out. Same thing happened when Salo was here and it gets tiresome. Think you’re on the right track and sure JB feels the same - he wants to win now and in the future. All we have to do is endure the remainder of the rebuild placeholders...each year more will be done and really we don’t have that many better options internally so a high profile UFA would be a big boost. Who though? It’s a gamble ... unless they are top tier a lot can go wrong (See LE, Okposo, Lucic, Ryan, Ladd, Backes, Neal etc). and looks like last years top guys Skinner and Duchene aren’t off to a hot start either. Might be ok with going with TO’s experiment on the blue line this year - his stock is low and Barrie is proven and might get a good deal for him. AP is going to get a massive, massive pay day. Think in the 70 plus million area.
  18. But why not Lanz, or Oddliefson - or IMO because Tanev is in, comparatively more then anyone else on this list can’t be more deserving then Dana Murzyn. Does anyone remember Scott Melanby, or Berube or Odgers? Well he fought those guys when he first came here - some of them multiple times. Berube was the first guy to beat Troy Crowder when he came into the league and proceeded to lay a beating on every guy he fought (which was often) including Probert in a titanic battle with his first fight and TKO’ed Coxe right after that. Would be like Tanev fighting Brashear and doing alright. Randy McKay was also on his fight card - not a bad fighter either. Anyone remember Donnely and Kimble? Or Kelly Chase? Or Poeschek? Or Stern? Or KT ( a regular dance partner) or Matt Johnson (a good heavyweight)...he fought 8 times in half year lockout in 94-95...Rychel and Corson are also on his fight card - and fought Odgers pretty much every year until he was done. Murzyn is by far a greater Canuck then many guys on this list. I’d rather see him in the top 50 then anyone else but voted Lanz simply because he was more skilled and we hadn’t seen anything quite like him - think Salo but even better. That said not many guys bled for the Canucks for as long as him or would do absolutely anything for the team to win. Was a staple for long time in good times and bad. Screw it im changing my vote. He shouldn’t be lost in the mix. Sure Larionov was a legend before him came here ..... but three years compared to a decade? No way. BB is now second fiddle to career middle six forward TT in a lot of posters minds ... But is a voting option nonetheless. In five years yeah Murzyn will probably get bumped - but at this point in time he’s still a top 50 greatest Canuck for sure. Edit: And if BB gets in why not Pedersson?
  19. A little early but he has had one of the best starts of any Canuck draft pick for sure... Lanz and Murzyn are deserving for sure - length of tenure with us - Lanz one of our all time best offensive defensive guy with three 48-57 point seasons - higher PGP then Edler, Ohlund, Salo, Jovo etc...almost the same as Oddleifson and Horvat..scored 18 goals for us one year too... high Murzyn ten years with us - part of the longest pairing in our history with Lumme - wore the A ... won the Pratt over Lumme with one of the highest plus minus showings in our history (plus 34), only a minus one year of the Keenan year (-1) - IMO equal to or better career then Tanev who’s already in. Votes are spreading out quite a bit now - looks like BB or Oddliefson might take this one...
  20. It was the “not even in an all-star game lol” comment that pricks me the most. I’m sure Phillips and Sutter meant something to their franchise...and back then the Oilers hogged up to ten spots a year .... wonder if in 20 or so years someone will look at Lindens stats too and wonder why his number is retired. It is what it is - Smyl and his family meant a lot to Vancouver for a long time - at least we don’t have cup banners hanging in the rafters like OTT right? Don’t sweat it - I probably should have just not hit submit reply.
  21. Ha ha ... even I recognize that’s social suicide and I sometimes can’t keep my mouth shut when I probably should. I like both these guys... (Momesso/Gelinas)
  22. LOL .. really the disrespect is pretty uncalled for. First you make it about the points - then your called out about it and then make little remarks next to each player that he outscored, now it’s funny? I’d give you a shovel but you started with one when you mentioned Smyl is undeserving and instead rented a backhoe with your replies.
  23. So I get it - your not a fan of Smyl - all 5’7” and 175lbs of him that would do anything for his team too. Ugh. If he played on the Islanders or Oilers he’d be posting Glen Anderson numbers. I’d take him on my team before Naslund - but hey continue your dialogue.
  24. Don’t forget Bob Gainey. You know with his 40ish points per year and all.
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