Opmac

Why aren't the 41st Ave and Broadway routes trolleys? Like most of the route has the wires, why don't they extend them and switch to trolleys? Anyone know?

<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2008/01/011308_blues09_tt.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The Vancouver Canucks received two bits of news on the injury front today with Swedish defenceman Alex Edler probable to go. In the same tweet, Murphy reports that Alex Edler will be paired with Christian Ehrhoff, Shane O'Brien with Kevin Bieksa, and Willie Mitchell with Sami Salo. This means both Aaron Rome and Mathieu Schneider will be sitting out tonight's contest as healthy scratches. However, Canucks public relations officer @TC_Carling is calling Edler a game-time decision. Whether or not Edler plays tonight, it is good news for the Canucks as it was originally feared that Edler may have suffered a separated shoulder. With Edler's return to the lineup, Kevin Bieksa cannot afford to have another sub par game as Edler logs 20:51 minutes a game on average and O'Brien has played exceptionally well and shown enough discipline to play more than the 15:43 he averages. Ryan Johnson is also expected to play tonight after missing practice yesterday and nearly missing Sunday night's game against the St. Louis Blues. Good news on the Pavol Demitra front as well. While it was initially suggested by the media that winger Pavol Demitra had suffered a setback after he traveled to Slovakia to see a specialist two weeks ago, now it appears it was not a setback and he's back in Vancouver skating. "My range of motion is 90 per cent," he said, referring to his surgically repaired shoulder, "as good as it needs to be. "Strength is the issue now." Demitra is expected to make his return to the lineup in three to four weeks. <img src=" http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/10/oct25_schneider2_rr.jpg" class="imageFloatRightFramed">Defenceman Mathieu Schneider is still away from the team for personal reasons and coach Alain Vigneault would not divulge on the details. Just speculation here, but could Schneider be taken a leave of absence from the team to consider his playing future? It's a possibility. Thus far, Schneider has not been the factor on the power play the Canucks had hoped and in the defensive zone he is often beaten to the puck or is easily muscled off of it. Shane O'Brien has also played exceptional since being inserted into the lineup on December 2nd after sitting out seven straight games and doesn't appear to be slowing down. Schneider's a veteran and a team player, if he believes he cannot play in the NHL anymore, he knows that it would be of his best interest of him and the Canucks to leave the team and retire which would take his cap hit off the Canucks payroll and his spot on the roster. Earlier in the year, Brendan Shanahan had his contract terminated by the New Jersey Devils after he decided to leave the team and retire. Known as insubordination. Could something similar happen with Schneider? Update: Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis was asked by a member of the media about whether Schneider was considering his playing future, he replied by"I'm not going to say." Based on Gillis's comments, I have to believe that Schneider is in fact contemplating is playing future as he could have just flatly denied it. With files from Gordon McIntyre/The White Towel, Elliott Pap/Vancouver Sun, playboi19

<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/images/upload/2009/04/alexBurrowsa4.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The no-goal For the second consecutive game, the Vancouver Canucks had referee Mike Leggo assigned to their game after refereeing the Washington Capitals game in which he called a questionable unsportsmanlike penalty to Tom Poti for making a diving hand gesture. Then he proceeded to call a penalty shot on the Canucks after Canucks defenceman hauled down Alexander Semin on a partial breakaway if you can even call it that. Tonight, Mike Leggo and the hockey operations department in Toronto made the call that Canucks forward Alex Burrows had kicked the puck into the net when replays showed that the puck was directed in my Burrows' skate before the kicking motion was made and then deflecting off the Blues defenceman Barret Jackman into the net. Kicking motion or not, should the goal have been allowed since it deflected off Jackman? If icing was called and it hits a player's leg at centre ice, the call is waived off. Right? So why not waive the kicking motion and allow the goal to stand? Jackman's Cheap Shot Alex Burrows took an extra whack at goalie Ty Conklin for a loose puck and received a nice knuckle sandwich from Blues defenceman Barret Jackman who had his glove off somehow. The punch is similar to the one that Dan Carcillo thrown at Matt Bradley in which Carcillo received a five minute major for fighting, two minutes for instigating, two minutes for crosschecking, a misconduct, and a game misconduct for a grand total of 19 penalty minutes and a four game suspension of the NHL. Bradley and Carcillo were about to engage in a fight, so Bradley probably should have expected a punch coming. In this case, Jackman had his gloves off for whatever reason and fired a punch to the face of an unsuspecting Burrows, resulting in a bloodied nose. Jackman received a minor roughing. The referees do not have the luxury of slow motion, video replays so they cannot be blamed for not giving the Canucks a nine minute power play as it appeared to be just any old hockey scrum with the face washing. Burrows has a reputation for embellishing calls in hopes of getting a penalty and it was something I thought he was doing. Colin Campbell and the National Hockey League hockey operations department have the luxury of replays, but unfortunately Barret Jackman is not Dan Carcillo and Alex Burrows is Alex Burrows. Do not expect anything more than a one game suspension, if anything at all. <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/08/aug0709_bieksa01_b.jpg" class="imageFloatRightFramed" width="320" height="180">Bieksa Bieksa....Bieksa.... On the second goal, Blues forward David Backes walked around him and then Luongo to tuck the puck into the net. Bieksa had great position on Backes, yet somehow managed to let him walk around him.... Also worth pointing out that for the second consecutive game, Bieksa finished the game with less time than Shane O'Brien who struggled to get into the lineup earlier this month. Bieksa had just 16:02 of ice time while O'Brien had 17:02. On the season, Bieksa averages 22:14 a game, behind Willie Mitchell's 22:27. Looks like the chat with Alain Vigneault in which he broke his stick in frustration didn't do anything to change his game for the better. Ryan Johnson injured Heading into Sunday night's game, forward Ryan Johnson was questionable after blocking a shot and injuring himself on Friday night against the Washington Capitals. Johnson only saw 6:52 of ice time and the only time he was noticed on the ice was when Tanner Glass missed him with a drop pass and the Blues went back the other way to score. We will keep our eye on this story. Glass + Hit = Goal For the second consecutive game, rugged Canucks forward Tanner Glass delivered a bone crushing hit only to have the opposing team scored. On Friday, Brooks Laich was sent into the Canucks bench by Glass, only to have Alexander Semin score glove side on Roberto Luongo. Tonight, Glass flattened the diminutive Paul Kariya only to see Kariya's shot deflected in front of the goal by David Backes. Maybe Glass needs to pick his spots better, or Luongo gets distracted easily by big hits. Remember Game 5? <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/07/canucks_fans_painted_w_cup.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">O'Brien's First in 166 Congratulations to Shane O'Brien on getting his first goal in 166 regular season games. Tonight, O'Brien was everything the Canucks had hoped he'd be. A physical stay-at-home defenceman who could put up the odd goal, make simple passes or plays out of the defensive zone, make smart pinches, and clear the crease. By the looks of his celebration, it seemed like he had scored the Game 7, Stanley Cup clinching goal in overtime. Fan Appreciation Night You may know, or you may not know. Tonight was the annual Fan Appreciation Night, hosted in the middle of the NHL season once again. Much like last year, it does not appear anybody was even aware it was Fan Appreciation Night as the stands were completely empty as players took their jerseys off their backs. After a bitter loss to the St. Louis Blues, who would stick around anyways? Still puzzled as to why they moved this from the last game of the season as it is perfectly fitting players take off their jerseys at the last home game and give it to the fans.

<img src="http://scarlet.capitals.nhl.com/uploads/Poti_80277508_497e034c7cbc9.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed" width="250" height="163">In the Canucks-Capitals game, defenceman Tom Poti simply gestured that he believed Burrows dived, was given an unsportsmanlike penalty on top of his crosschecking penalty on his hit-from-behind; a weak call no matter which team you are cheering for. In the ensuing power play, Mason Raymond cashed in with his second goal of the game and 14th goal of the season. On the bench, we saw Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau clapping sarcastically on the bench and yelling "F***ing good job" to the referees. Moments later, Capitals forward Alexander Semin was sent in on a partial breakaway, only to be hauled down from the side by Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa. Semin was awarded a penalty shot by referee Mike Leggo, the same referee who called the unsportsmanlike penalty on Poti. A make-up call? Perhaps, since penalty shots are usually not rewarded unless the player has a clear path to the net before being hauled down from behind. On a different note, Vancouverite and Chinese-Canadian forward Brandon Yip was recalled by the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. The Avalanche have injuries to Milan Hejduk, Marek Svatos, and Chris Stewart and should make his NHL debut tomorrow night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Yip, drafted in the 8th round in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, would be only the second Chinese-Canadian to play in the NHL after Larry Kwong who played in one game with the New York Rangers against the Montreal Canadiens in 1948. He tallied no points. Other players who have Chinese ancestry in their blood that have played in the NHL are center Mike Wong, of Chinese and Native descent, who played in 22 games with the Detroit Red Wings in 1975. Goaltender Peter Ing, of Chinese and Jewish descent, played in 74 games over four NHL seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Detroit Red Wings. More recently, goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu, of Chinese and Afro-Jamaican descent, played in one game on February 21, 2008 for the St. Louis Blues.

<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/10/oct2509_grabmas_rr.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">After being cleared to begin skating by himself last week, Michael Grabner joined the team for their practice today at General Motors Place and looks poised to return to playing hockey by the end of December. But the question is where? The first choice appears to the Canucks farm team, the Manitoba Moose. The Moose do not have the sexiest top six in the AHL on paper and with the re-addition of Grabner should be a spark a team that is three games above .500. Prior his call up, Grabner also displayed great chemistry with Russian winger Sergei Shirokov. But at the same time, Grabner could be a spark to the Canucks who are four games above .500 and displayed great chemistry on a second line with fellow speedsters Mason Raymond and Ryan Kesler. How the Canucks play in the time between now and until Grabner's activation of injured reserve will determine where he goes and if the game against the Anaheim Ducks last night was just a blip. The fact that the Canucks are at the 23-man roster limit with Pavol Demitra still on injured reserve will definitely play a role. All players presently on the roster are waivers eligible and all hold one-way contracts with the exception of Tanner Glass and Jannik Hansen. Grabner on the other hand is not waivers eligible and is on a two-way contract which puts him at a disadvantaged position. The popular consensus among Canucks fans is that Grabner has played well enough in his nine games thus far with the Canucks this season and should be given a spot on the team upon his return and Darcy Hordichuk should be dispatched to the minors because he's a floater and is useless. <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/08/aug1309_hordy03_b.jpg" width="300" height="257" class="imageFloatRightFramed">Are we expecting too much from Hordichuk? I tend to think so. Yes, he was hailed by Mike Gillis as this great fourth line enforcer who could play a regular shift, bring energy, and be a deterrent to extracurricular activities on the ice. Much like how Dave Nonis hailed Tommi Santala as the league's best fourth line centre. But he is an enforcer after all, is he not? A floater, a four minutes a night guy, dumb penalties, questionable hits, and a bench warmer in the third period is what you get for an enforcer in the NHL. Hordichuk brings a decent skating to the table, something many enforcers in the NHL are unable to do. 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. So, in short, I believe Darcy Hordichuk has a place on this team and I would say his job is safe on the team. <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1_glass2_rr.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">As well as Tanner Glass has played this year and as bad as Hordichuk has played this year and his reluctance to get into a fight, I would say Glass's job is in danger, if not more than Hordichuk. After surprisingly making the team out of training camp, Glass has played exceptionally well so far this NHL campaign and already setting career highs in goals, assists, and points in a single season. But two things are working against Glass. Waivers. If the Canucks choose to put Darcy Hordichuk on waivers to clear the requisite roster space for Michael Grabner or Pavol Demitra's return in January, he will most likely get claimed by a rival NHL club. Carolina, Detroit, New York Islanders, and Washington are all without a heavyweight. Surely, any one of these could put a claim in or any of teams that already have a heavyweight could as well as it is not easy finding one that can skate. Even if Hordichuk manages to clear waivers and gets sent to the minors, he will be subject to re-entry waivers if the Canucks ever want to bring him back up at which point you run the risk of having a rival team claim him and have half of his cap hit count towards the Canucks' cap. Glass has the higher probability of clearing waivers and is a player not subject to re-entry waivers. Redundancy. Both Tanner Glass and Rick Rypien are similar players. They both are quick on the forecheck, like to run guys through the boards, great middleweight scrappers, decent puck skills, and solid defensively. Needless to say, I think Rypien wins. Whatever the decision is, when Michael Grabner returns and Pavol Demitra in January, it is a decision for Alain Vigneault and staff to make, and not ours.

Was out driving today, and noticed the #8 Fraser/Downtown is now using articulated trolleys. Is there a plan to convert all the routes to articulated trolleys? Started with Victoria, then Main, now Fraser.

So true.

Aren't these things just going to blow the snow on top of people's cars?

Maybe they'll cancel my exam. Or postpone it at least.....

More expected?!?!?!

Probably both? Since InTransitBC contributed $750 million to the Canada Line?

<img src="http://www.nhl.com/photos/mugs/thumb/8471303.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Wednesday Night Update: The White Towel is now reporting that early indication is that Edler will miss two weeks with a shoulder injury. This means Mathieu Schneider will get back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch. Defenceman Aaron Rome could have his two-week conditioning stint to the Manitoba Moose end early as well. Wednesday Morning Update: The White Towel is reporting that Edler will be re-evaluated today and also speculates it is an injury to his left shoulder. Tuesday Night Update: In Tuesday night's game, Canucks defenceman Alex Edler was crunched into the boards by Nashville Predators defenceman Shea Weber with 11:31 left in the period. Edler left the ice with discomfort holding onto his arm. While initially suspected to be a hand injury, it was pointed out by Canucks commentator John Garrett that it may be a shoulder injury. The update received in the first intermission was that Edler suffered an upper-body injury and would not return for the rest of the game. After the game, it was reported by @NHLSourcesSay that Edler suffered a separated shoulder and will miss a significant amount of time. The report was refuted by Sportsnet Pacific host for Canucks games, Dan Murphy's Twitter (@sportsnetmurph), that when Edler left the rink he was "not wearing a sling or anything." It is anybody's guess what injury Edler suffered, but it was obviously serious enough to keep him out of the game. But we do know that Edler was not seen with the sling following the game which would suggest he did not suffer a separated shoulder, which means he should not be out long, if any games, unless he suffered a serious injury to his wrist or any other part of his upper-body. <img src="http://www.nhl.com/photos/mugs/thumb/8473546.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Grabner: @TC_Carling reports that injured forward Michael Grabner has been cleared by the Canucks medical staff to begin light skating. Grabner broke his ankle while warming up on November 1st in preparation for a game against the Colorado Avalanche at General Motors Place. Upon his activation off injured reserve, it is expected he will be re-assigned to the Manitoba Moose right away as the Canucks are at its 23-man roster limit despite having a strong showing in nine games with the Canucks. Side Note: Martin Biron of the New York Islanders goaltender Martin Biron was run over by Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Hartnell in Tuesday night's game and this past June's 1st overall pick John Tavares was right there taking exception to what Hartnell had done before a teammate took over. Great to see.

It will be two zones so it will be $3.75. Starting in January, you will need to pay an extra $2.50 (airport fare) in addition to the $3.75.

Hey, TSN used them in a report. http://www.tsn.ca/story/print/?id=295838 Although, it seems like @NHLSourcesSay was wrong about that as Demitra is aiming for a Christmas return or January at the latest.

It's a rapid transit system....why waste your money on making it all sexy looking. Whose actually going to stop and admire the nice architecture? I'd be in a hurry to get home, not caring what the station looks like.

So.....in the future all of the United States will be linked by street car with a couple of routes to Canada?

http://www.news1130.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20091207_232843_9096

More info on the street cars: http://www.news1130.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20091206_114513_4420

Get your L. Then wait another year, two, three, five or whatever to take your Class 7 Road test. Why waste the time between now and whenever you will need to drive.

What's with the sign itself. It appears there are two of them?

If they can read it.....

They have Merry Christmas now? I thought it was Happy Holidays. When these flash on the sign, they don't have the route number like you say. I personally love these things, but yes it gets annoying when there are too many of them. 99 COMM'L 99 BWAY STN B-LINE GO CANUCKS GO SORRY, BUS FULL Can be annoying.

Just horrendous abbreviations by whoever does the signs. Thought there was an error on the signs.... Could they not have done.. 99 COMMERCIAL- 99 BROADWAY STN B-LINE on the sign.

Hadn't ridden the B-Line in a while until today. I see a 99 B-Line and the sign reads: COMM'L- BWAY STN Took me awhile to figure out what it was suppose to mean.

Wikipedia says 400.