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Mozy

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Blog Entries posted by Mozy

  1. Mozy

    Two Is Better Than One

    By Mozy,

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_chbsmall_smallt.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Two is better than one. That applies to most things in life and the Sedins have certainly proved that as of late. I've always known the Sedins were good. Anytime a player can produce at a point per game rate for the regular season and the playoffs, play in over 300 straight games, and lead your team be it at the NHL level or the international level you know he's good. In the case of the Sedins you know they're good. With that in mind though, I had no idea how much this team relied on the two of them as a unit and how crucial that unit was to the functioning of this team. While Daniel was out of the lineup Henrik continued to produce at a point per game pace, in fact at one point in 17 games missed by Daniel Henrik had 17 points. However, Henrik was a one man show and that showed in the increase of his goal total as the center that's known for his playmaking, started to find the back of the net.

    When the Sedins are out there as a unit they not only control the play, they dominate it. They also seem to have a much bigger effect on the whole team than I thought previously possible. It may have been his return was coincidentally timed with the team's resurgence as they begun to find their game, but I beg to differ.

    Daniel's return was the sole reason Alexandre Burrows' play was turned around. Burrows was on the verge of finding a permanent spot back on the 3rd line until Daniel returned. The Sedins need a trigger man and Burrows is that guy.

    Daniel's return has also seen a shift in the way AV's been playing the lines. While Daniel was out of the lineup, the games towards the end of his recovery saw a lot of playing time given to the checking lines. The 3rd and 4th line got so much playing time Tanner Glass started scoring and Johnson had a 3 assist night. The Sedins work so well on the first line and their play complement the second line's speed to form the perfect one two punch. Since Daniel returned the Sedin line hasn't had nights where they've looked invisible, and our offensive lines have regained that ability to control and dominate the offensive zone.



    I knew the Sedins were good. I knew they were point per game good. I didn't know that as a unit they were so important to keeping this team's offense together. Daniel's return has proven just how much this team needs both the twins together. Other team mates that have chemistry complement each other's individual play. The difference with the Sedins is that their play complements the team. There's a reason that the Canucks record when both twins score a point is 182-59-25. There was a lot of talk about whether or not the Sedins can take their game to the next level and reach the 90-100 point level. Daniel's not likely to get there this season, but if Henrik continues his iron man streak of games through the end of the season he could get there. He's already averaging over a point per game and doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon.




    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_mozy_small.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Richard Loat writes for Canucks Hockey Blog and is a fan of the underdog – first Bryan Allen, then Alex Burrows, and now Jannik Hansen. His passion for the Canucks led to the Canucks Hockey Blog and a lot of #Canucks tweets on his Twitter account.
  2. Mozy
    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_chbsmall_smallt.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">After last night's display of near perfection in New Jersey the Canucks look to have finally gelled and found that team chemistry they have been looking for all season. The Canucks managed to stay afloat while battered and bruised, but it looks like all the hype from the off season is finally coming true. The Canucks are playing as a team and all facets of the team are operating in full swing.

    What's been most impressive is how the Canucks have now started rolling four lines regularly and not relying solely on the top two lines to get us through a game. While we once had a potent top two lines, the third line has stepped up and has started becoming a scoring threat despite being considered a checking line. The offensive grinders have been led by the return of Jannik Hansen who said in the pre-season he wanted to prove to this team that he wasn't one dimensional and that he could be more than just one of the dime-a-dozen checker. He's improved his skating and his play looks even better because he's making the small plays to get out of the zone and turn the play back up ice.

    The Canucks defense that was lackluster at best to start the season has exploded offensively lately. Ehrhoff who's led the Canucks blue line this season is now joined by the offensive presence of Edler who has been racking up assists. With the blue line finally clicking and getting into an offensive groove the Canucks attack takes on another dimension. The great thing the defense has proved is that they can score from all over the ice be it from Salo's point shot, Edler's pinching shot, or Ehrhoff's half boards wrist shot.

    The Canucks are playing as a team and we're finally seeing on ice, what makes them look so good on paper. While the Canucks rattled off a win against New Jersey they need to start being consistent. While they have a hot power play their penalty kill needs work and the Canucks are not going to prove they're a contender until they can string together convincing wins consistently that set them apart from the league. With all the pieces of the puzzle falling in place and the team clicking offensively they need to regularly turn that offense into wins otherwise showings like that against New Jersey become nothing but one hit wonders and the Canucks remain an inconsistent threat.



    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_mozy_small.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Richard Loat writes for Canucks Hockey Blog and is a fan of the underdog – first Bryan Allen, then Alex Burrows, and now Jannik Hansen. His passion for the Canucks led to the Canucks Hockey Blog and a lot of #Canucks tweets on his Twitter account.
  3. Mozy

    Wait Till Xmas

    By Mozy,

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_chbsmall_smallt.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The bandwagon's been restless lately. With the Canucks play feeling at time like it's taking one step forward and two steps back, this city with such high expectations unrealistically subconsciously expects the team to go 82-0-0 and sweep the playoffs every season. I guess they miss the memo every year. With that in mind, the Canucks have been playing .500 hockey as of late. Largely in part due to a great home record, the Canucks are better off than they should be when you consider their road record.

    Good teams win on the road. That's what everyone says and that's what's gone around while the Canucks road record remains well under .500. The problem is that people look at the end result from the year before (I refer to things like winning the NW Division) and expect it to continue on to the start of the following season (trampling all over teams as we did down the stretch) after a long off season. However the Canucks are slow starters. We always hope it will be otherwise, but it's the same case every year. When I say slow starter though, I don't just mean a poor October, I mean the first half of the season.



    There's fans, sportscasters, and Nick Kypreos (if there is a god, please remove him from Sportsnet… the effect of his concussions never really wore off) who talk about how the Canucks "aren't in the playoffs". We're only 27 games into the season. Last I checked being "in the playoffs" meant you'd finished an 82 game schedule and your team was amongst the top 8 teams in either the Eastern or Western Conference.



    The Canucks have proven time and again that their slow start extends from October 1st until December 26th. Year in and year out they're hovering around .500, usually above .500 by a few games and year in and year out we see them just charge their way to the finish of the regular season and challenge for the division title. The Canucks slow start is something that goes past Luongo and is something the Team has done for a while.



    While the West is a tight conference, the Northwest a tough division, there's no reason for people to imply a "must-win" mentality to games this early on in the season. I'd start worrying around the Olympic break. If by then the Canucks haven't gotten in gear you have a problem and at that point you have to start evaluating the team's shortcomings and where to bolster them at the deadline. It's just frustrating to hear sportscasters talk about a team "not being in the playoffs" when you're hardly a quarter through the season. Now's the time to enjoy games. After Christmas you can pull out the defibrillator for the roller coaster ride to the finish that ensues.




    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_mozy_small.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Richard Loat writes for Canucks Hockey Blog and is a fan of the underdog – first Bryan Allen, then Alex Burrows, and now Jannik Hansen. His passion for the Canucks led to the Canucks Hockey Blog and a lot of #Canucks tweets on his Twitter account.
  4. Mozy
    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_chbsmall_smallt.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">When looking at the standings this season thus far, there's one thing that's become overwhelming and that's the fact that more teams are finding a way to force overtime and get an extra point out of a loss. When you look at the current standings the Canucks sit in 11th and every single team ahead of them has benefited from the extra point awarded to a team that makes it to overtime. In fact the Canucks are the only team in the Western Conference without a loser point, and the only other team in the league that doesn't have a loser point is the Penguins.

    When you look at the standings in the West right now they are as follows:

    SJS - 19-6-4 -- 42 points
    CHI - 17-6-3 -- 37 points
    CGY - 17-6-3 -- 37 points
    COL - 15-8-5 -- 35 points
    LAK - 16-10-2 -- 35 points
    NSH - 15-10-1 -- 31 points
    PHX - 15-11-1 -- 31 points
    CBJ - 13-9-5 -- 31 points
    ---------------------------
    DAL - 12-8-7 -- 31 points
    DET - 13-9-4 -- 30 points
    VAN - 14-12-0 -- 28 points
    STL - 10-10-5 -- 25 points
    ANA - 10-12-4 -- 24 points
    EDM - 10-13-4 -- 24 points
    MIN - 10-12-3 -- 23 points

    In the East:

    WSH - 16-5-6 -- 38 points
    PIT - 19-9-0 --38 points
    BUF - 15-7-2 -- 32 points
    NJD - 17-6-1 -- 35 points
    ATL - 14-7-3 -- 31 points
    BOS - 13-8-5 -- 31 points
    OTT - 13-8-4 -- 30 points
    TBL - 10-7-8 -- 28 points
    ---------------------------
    PHI - 13-10-1 -- 28 points
    NYR - 13-13-1 -- 27 points
    NYI - 10-10-7 -- 27 points
    MON - 12-13-2 -- 26 points
    FLA - 10-12-4 -- 24 points
    TOR - 7-12-7 -- 21 points
    CAR - 5-17-5 -- 15 points

    Now take a look at the East and West after you take away that loser point:

    SJS - 19-10 -- 38 points
    CHI - 17-9 -- 34 points
    CGY - 17-9 -- 34 points
    LAK - 16-12 -- 33 points
    NSH - 15-11 -- 30 points
    PHX - 15-12 -- 30 points
    COL - 15-13 -- 30 points
    VAN - 14-12 -- 28 points
    ---------------------------
    CBJ - 13-14 -- 26 points
    DAL - 12-15 -- 24 points
    DET - 13-13 -- 26 points
    MIN - 10-15 -- 20 points
    STL - 10-15 -- 20 points
    ANA - 10-16 -- 20 points
    EDM - 10-17 -- 20 points


    East:

    PIT - 19-9 --38 points
    WSH - 16-11 -- 32 points
    BUF - 15-9 -- 30 points
    NJD - 17-7 -- 34 points
    ATL - 14-10 -- 28 points
    PHI - 13-11 -- 27 points
    NYR - 13-14 -- 26 points
    BOS - 13-13 -- 26 points
    ---------------------------
    OTT - 13-12 -- 26 points
    MON - 12-15 -- 24 points
    TBL - 10-15 -- 20 points
    NYI - 10-17 -- 20 points
    FLA - 10-16 -- 20 points
    TOR - 7-19 -- 14 points
    CAR - 5-22 -- 10 points

    As you can see this changes the playoff implications considerably. Teams like Tampa Bay who have benefited from 8 extra points despite losing the games aren't even in the playoff picture when you recrunch the numbers. In the West it means the difference between the Canucks making a playoff spot and sitting in 11th in the West. You can argue that while the bottom end of the standings change the most that they don't matter, however the bottom end of the standings effect the draft and how teams order in picking players. In certain cases there might be case for argument that it means the difference between home ice advantage come the playoffs, or even the difference between top of the division or not.

    You can argue that this is the observation of a fan bitter about his team not being in the playoffs, but at this point it's too early in the season to worry about rankings like in this fashion. It's been overwhelming to see how many teams are taking it to OT and stealing a point night in and night out despite a losing effort. Too many teams sit on a tie game and force OT just to walk away with one point.

    Last season on average every team was the fortunate recipient of 9 OT points, the numbers being skewed by the likes of Tampa Bay who benefited from 18 "loser points" and still came 14th in the East. Last year teams averaged 9 loser points (OTLs) last year, (the Canucks had 10) and this year already more than half the league have at least 4 OTL points and we're about a quarter through the season. That means teams are on pace to get about 16 points this season from games they've lost. 16 points is the difference between a lot of things: home ice, playoffs, division title etc.

    If the loser point is something that is so instrumental to the league and they can't remove it then they need to do something to change the point structure because the rate at which teams are accumulating loser points is trivializing the value of a 2-point win. The only thing I've come up with is a solution preached before which is 3 points for a regulation win, 2 points for an OT win, and 1 point for an OT loss.

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_mozy_small.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Richard Loat writes for Canucks Hockey Blog and is a fan of the underdog – first Bryan Allen, then Alex Burrows, and now Jannik Hansen. His passion for the Canucks led to the Canucks Hockey Blog and a lot of #Canucks tweets on his Twitter account.
  5. Mozy

    Team Canada Goalie Duel

    By Mozy,

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_chbsmall_smallt.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The Canucks head out on an Eastern road trip and their first stop is going to be in the Devils' den against Martin Brodeur. A lot of people think, myself included, that that game is going to be a really good indicator of where both goalies are at, and also which is the better goalie. The debate over who is starter is starting to heat up, in part because of the Olympics nearing but also because this game is going to showcase two of the best goaltenders in the league auditioning for the starting role at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

    When looking at the two goaltenders it's hard to say who I would choose. My heart lies with Luongo, but the numbers don't lie and unfortunately Luongo's haunted by the fact that he isn't able to win the big games. Case and point that painful series against Chicago. The fact that Brodeur has broken records that were at one point untouchable speaks volumes about his play. He's the all time wins leader, he's about to be the all time career shutout leader, and just the other night he broke the record for most minutes played by a goaltender in his career. He's one of the most decorated goaltenders of all time accomplishing everything from Stanley Cups to Olympic Gold Medals. He's been there before and he knows what it takes.

    The question of age comes to mind next. While Luongo is 7 years younger than Brodeur, Brodeur has played in 3 Olympic games already and with the pressure on this Canadian National team to win it all, the question then becomes one of whether Luongo can handle the pressure or not. In the few big pressure games Luongo's faced, he's come up on the short side and the Olympic games isn't a time to take a gut check. There's so much more that factors into this debate, but for now let's let the goalies do the talking and see what happens come puck drop tomorrow.

    The Canucks game against the Devils is going to be an excellent indicator of where both goalies are at. You can be sure that those in charge of picking the Olympic team are going to pay close attention to the game, I for one just hope that the game doesn't turn out to be a 0-0 affair.

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_mozy_small.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Mozy is a fan of the underdog – first Bryan Allen, then Alex Burrows, and now Jannik Hansen. His passion for the Canucks led to the Canucks Hockey Blog and a lot of #Canucks tweets on his Twitter account.
  6. Mozy

    Hansen Playing His Role

    By Mozy,

    <img src=http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/08/thumb_1249503644619_600724.jpg class="imageFloatRightFramed">It's no secret that I have been a Hansen fan. I fell in love with the guy from the moment he was called up and played his first game as a Canuck in the playoff series against Dallas. It's been an interesting journey watching him battle injury and overcome adversity at some of the most inopportune times to place himself where he is today as he's grown as a player.

    During the preseason Hansen was considered to be a "bubble player" and after being convinced to sign a two way contract his roster spot was all but guaranteed. What at this point can only be seen as, as fortuitous, was Hansen's fist shattering fight with the face of Gilbert Brule. After missing the first 19 games of the season and slotting in amongst those others returning from injury, Hansen has proved that he deserves a roster spot. Since returning he's been a noticeable player night in and night out and has even managed to produce offensively in the few games he's had to play notching 2 goals, 2 assists and a rating of +3.

    He's making the little plays that are helping the Canucks turn up ice. He's mastered the chip-and-go, he's one of the best Canucks checkers on the ice, and the important thing is he's not invisible. Far too often in this season that is still young, the Canucks checking lines have been invisible. Be it even strength or the penalty kill, very time Hansen is on the ice he's visible and making the right play. He's even demonstrated he can turn up ice on a dime and is creating the odd man advantage. Hansen was at one point on the bubble, however his consistent play and versatility as a role player has for the time being solidified his position on the team. You need to be able to roll four lines to be a contender, the fact that our 3rd line is getting in on the secondary scoring is a bonus that can certainly be linked in part due to the smart plays Hansen is making and attempting to create.

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_chbsmall_smallt.jpg" class="imageFloatRightFramed">He's over looked quite often because of the other drama surrounding the team, however night in and night out he's making the most of his ice time and the fact that he's going unnoticed, while being visible on the ice and making his presence known attests to the fact that he's doing his job.

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_mozy_small.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Mozy is a fan of the underdog – first Bryan Allen, then Alex Burrows, and now Jannik Hansen. His passion for the Canucks led to the Canucks Hockey Blog and a lot of #Canucks tweets on his Twitter account.
  7. Mozy
    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_chbsmall_smallt.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">With all the injuries at the start of the season the Canucks managed to get out of a sticky situation with too many players on the roster. They didn't have to deal with the bubble players, and they tapped the Manitoba Moose dry of NHL worthy players. With players gradually returning from injury, the question of who deserves a roster spot has to be revisited. The Canucks blue line has been stocked full of players and fortunately hasn't been hit by the injury bug, however when you look at the forwards roster, it looks like now is the time to figure out who's earned a spot on this team. As far as players on the injury list, there's one player who doesn't factor into the issue and that's Alexandre Bolduc. With the return of Jannik Hansen and the way Hansen has been playing, Bolduc's playing on a team where there's a lot of depth at his position. Unless Rypien or another one of the bottom six goes down to injury, Bolduc will be sent down to the Manitoba Moose.

    In past years, Vigneault has made it very clear that he has no problem benching a player that doesn't deserve to be on the ice. He showed that earlier in the season by benching Darcy Hordichuk and it payed off. With Grabner approximately 3-4 weeks through a 4-6 week ankle injury, now's the time to start thinking about what to do upon his return. With complete and utter lack of production from Wellwood on all fronts, it seems ridiculous not to bench Wellwood, or send Wellwood down to the farm team in favour of the Austrian Canuck. In Grabner's 9 games he's amassed more points (5) than Wellwood (2) has in 23 games. He also proved to have great chemistry alongside Kesler and Raymond. Wellwood needs someone to light a fire under him, and Grabner's return would be just that.

    With that in mind, it looks like Burrows has found his game with the Sedins which means he'll likely stay with Henrik and Daniel if he can regain that offensive touch now that Daniel's returned. With that in mind though, A Canucks team with one more Grabner and one less Wellwood is a more offensive team. Burrows was, and can still be a 3rd liner. To allow for Grabner's return I would be willing to see Burrows return to the 3rd line and play alongside Bernier and Johnson leaving Samuelsson to join his compatriots, the Twins. This opens up a spot on the second for Grabner to return and play with Raymond and Kesler. He has the speed, and it's clear there was chemistry. Wellwood needs time off the ice, and although he earned a roster spot with his play in the pre-season, we're 23 games removed from that audition and it's time to re-evaluate if the Canucks want to start playing something more than .500 hockey.

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_mozy_small.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Mozy is a fan of the underdog – first Bryan Allen, then Alex Burrows, and now Jannik Hansen. His passion for the Canucks led to the Canucks Hockey Blog and a lot of #Canucks tweets on his Twitter account.
  8. Mozy

    Eins, Zwei, Ehrhoff

    By Mozy,

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_chbsmall_smallt.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">The native German and German Olympian has came to Vancouver from San Jose in a trade that Gillis would have been stupid not to make and with little expectation on a player no one knew much about Ehrhoff has certainly surpassed any expectation I had set of him. He is the most versatile defenceman on the Canucks and his play at both ends of the ice this season makes him the most consistent defenceman. His vision on the ice has led to him contributing offensively in a capacity that was expected by Salo and Bieksa, not the new guy.

    Ehrhoff is on pace to put up career numbers. His career high in goals is 10, he has 5 right now. His career high for points and assists is 42 and 34 respectively. He sits at 5 Goals, 10 assists and 15 points through 23 games. He also is a +11 which puts him well clear of the rest of the team. The German's shot also brings another dimension to the Canucks offense. Not only does he boast a cannon that is on par with Salo, and last years super skills winner Edler, but he also has an accurate wrist.

    Ehrhoff sees the ice so well and knows when to pinch in. His presence on the power play makes him more than just a point shot. The top four blue liner has come onto the team and established himself as one of the top Canucks defenceman at exactly the right time. There was a hole that needed to be filled after Ohlund left, and with a struggling Edler, a Salo that's had difficulty getting offensively started, and injury, Ehrhoff has stepped up and established himself on this team as more than just another defenceman.

    In a time when the Canucks defence, and the Canucks offense has struggled Ehrhoff has come in and established himself as a staple on the blue line. He's defensively responsible, knows when to pinch in on the rush, and he's responsible on the ice. His penalty numbers are few and once this Canucks defence finds it's niche and fixes some of the problems it's having on an individual level the Canucks defense is going to take that step to the next level largely in part to the addition of Christian Ehrhoff.

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_mozy_small.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Mozy is a fan of the underdog – first Bryan Allen, then Alex Burrows, and now Jannik Hansen. His passion for the Canucks led to the Canucks Hockey Blog and a lot of #Canucks tweets on his Twitter account.
  9. Mozy

    The Sedin Experiment

    By Mozy,

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_chbsmall_smallt.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">With Daniel Sedin out, Henrik has found a way to keep up his point per game play, something that people didn't think he was capable of. For their entire careers the Sedins had played together, and rarely missing a game, no one really knew just how talented the twins were individually. In 17 games without his brother Daniel on his wing, Henrik Sedin has had 17 points, capped with a hat trick night against the Avalanche.

    While Henrik has struggled without his brother, there's been a positive side to his time with different line mates. Henrik's biggest struggles have been in the face-off dot, but when you look at the numbers that have come out of his time away from Daniel the Canucks are going to come out on top when Daniel returns to the line up. One of the biggest criticisms of Henrik was his pass first mentality.

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_sedin2_t.jpg" class="imageFloatRightFramed">Since Daniel went down, Henrik's had to adapt his style of play and start shooting more and it's finally paying dividends. The perfect example was his hat trick goal against the Avalanche. He was wide open at the side at the net, and in year's gone by we've seen him wide open in similar fashion, and he's elected to pass. He's starting to shoot more, he's starting to go to the net, and without the cycle, we're starting to see some of the real talent Henrik Sedin possesses. Most importantly, he's proved to us that he doesn't need his brother to continue being a point per game player.

    With Daniel's return, what happens to Henrik's play? Does he go back to his pass first mentality since his brother will be there to do all the shooting? Daniel needs someone to set him up. Anyone can set him up, and he can find the back of the net. That's why he's led the Canucks in goals the last couple of seasons. With that in mind, the Canucks could use another player with a shoot first mentality and now would be the perfect time to experiment with splitting up the Sedins.

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/10/skate_with_canucks_pic1_t.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">With Daniel's return, I'd be interested to see how the team would fare if Henrik started and centered the first line with Samuelsson and Burrows, while Daniel joined Raymond and Kesler. It's a gamble worth a try, and with the way Henrik's found his own, certainly if there was any time to try this, now would be the time.

    The only downside to the gamble is if it pays off Burrows would likely resume his spot on the 3rd line. It's clear that Burrows just isn't the player he was last year without both the Sedins to play with. If splitting the Sedins results in more goals for this team, for the time being I'd certainly entertain the two on separate lines. Even if Daniel returns and joins his brother Henrik, the Canucks are going to come out on top because this time apart has shown Henrik that he doesn't always have to pass the puck. Why have one offensive-minded, shoot-first twin, when you can have two?


    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/11/nov1709_mozy_small.jpg" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">Mozy is a fan of the underdog – first Bryan Allen, then Alex Burrows, and now Jannik Hansen. His passion for the Canucks led to the Canucks Hockey Blog and a lot of #Canucks tweets on his Twitter account.
  10. Mozy

    5 on 5 and Crease Crashing

    By Mozy,

    The Canucks so far this season have relied on a powerplay that was top 3 in the league and they were making teams pay for taking penalties. As the red hot power play has cooled so have the Canucks winning ways and goal scoring. In games the Canucks haven't had a chance to work the man advantage, they have struggled to find the back of the net because of their lack of aggression in getting the puck to the net.

    Riding a hot powerplay, the Canucks 5 on 5 offense was non-existent and they weren't aggressive. Time and time again we watched other teams crash the crease and as a result, good things happen. The Canucks looked to have finally learned that last night as their scoring woes were thrown out the window. The Canucks offense right now with out Daniel Sedin and the host of others injured is one dimensional and plays an overly defensive game. The Canucks conservative play has been their detriment on nights where one player doesn't stand out and single handedly win the game.

    Against the Avalanche the Canucks finally figured out for themselves that crashing the crease, going to the net, and not backing off is the key to victory. It seems whenever a goalie faces the Canucks they get hot. Or have an outstanding game trying to out duel Luongo. The Canucks key to victory is crashing the net. They don't have to be dirty like some teams, but they're a fast team that utilizes their speed to get back up ice and then fall short by not going into the crease. Henrik got two of his three goals by going to the net, Bernier was left wide open in front, and Hansen potted his in similar fashion.

    The Canucks showed us a glimpse of the offense and the style of play that we've come to expect from a team which on paper is one of the best and well balanced teams in the league. With players finding their own while injuries run rampant, the Canucks have to find a way to win 5 on 5. The Canucks in their recent three game losing streak would get frustrated without the man advantage and it showed in their lack of goals. In the 3 game losing streak they managed to score just 3 goals. The Canucks, victims of a terrible schedule have a week between games and have lots of time to take what they did in Denver, and make sure they utilize that same play, mentality, and style of play to victimize the Avalanche in what stretches the definition of a "home and home".
  11. Mozy

    What's Up With Wellwood?

    By Mozy,

    A quarter way through the season and Wellwood has struggled to say the least. He sits with one point in 17 games, an assist he got in his eighth game of the season against the Oilers. He's missed 4 games because of a foot injury he suffered, however Wellwood should be contributing offensively significantly more than he has so far. With the injuries to some of our major players, Wellwood's role elevated and he still didn't produce. Wellwood's game has struggled on a whole, and it's certainly not for lack of playing time, or a result of the players he's playing with.

    Wellwood's game has struggled on a whole though. He's getting time on the Power Play, on the Penalty Kill, and everything from his play in the face-off dot, to his stats on the score sheet are suffering. He has the lowest face-off winning percentage of the four centers on the team, and averaging 14 minutes of ice team a night, he's got less points than a handful of players getting substantially less shifts and minutes than him per game. He's been inconsistent all season and now's the time to start doing something about it. His face-off performance has been spotty and inconsistent, and in 17 games he's averaged as shot per game, however he's gone without a shot in 5 of his 17 games played this year. It factors that if he's not shooting he's not going to get the chances. Wellwood's gotten play on the Canucks PP, and with it's effectiveness in the early part of the season, the excuses for Wellwood's sub par play are slowly disappearing.

    Seven players have played less games than Wellwood this year and have point totals equal to or greater than him. He's playing with line mates that are finding ways to provide offense, and yet he's not getting in on the play. Something has to be done to get Wellwood motivated again. Last year after he was publicly lashed by Vigneault's comments his motivation showed results. This year, coming into camp ahead of the game having dropped a number of pounds it seems the former Maple Leaf just doesn't have that hop in his step. Wellwood needs an awakening. Hordichuk was benched and came back looking better. He made an impact and was actually visible on the ice even though his role isn't to get on the score sheet. With the Canucks depth and bodies, if the injury list shortens and we have a few extras Wellwood needs some time in the press box to get his head together because he's struggling on all fronts and the Canucks need him to be a part of the secondary scoring this team expects.

    The Canucks have a lot of motivated players in the bottom six who look a lot better than Wellwood. Hansen's return has been charged and in his two games so far he's making his case to get off the bubble. Pettinger has come back a man reborn to fight for a roster spot after doing a tour of the Canucks minor league affiliates, and with players like Bolduc and Rypien, both capable centers, Wellwood has to start earning his spot or he's going to find himself in the press box ordering delivery during the games.
  12. Mozy

    Hovering at .500

    By Mozy,

    The Canucks are hovering at .500 hockey and as players return off the injury reserve a lot of people expect things to click and this Vancouver Canucks team to explode to the top and be the team that TSN picked to make the cup final and win the whole thing. This is a Canucks team that time has shown me is horribly inconsistent and the one thing they are consistent about is making it to the Christmas break a few games above .500 and then crushing the second half of the season.

    There's always the question "When is it late enough in the season that you can stop saying 'Oh, the season's barely started, just wait and see what happens'". Sitting 20 games into the season we're fare enough in that we can start criticizing the team for things that they've done right or wrong for the first quarter of the year, but realistically, this is an 82 game grind, and the Canucks have proven time and time again that they start their season at Christmas. Sure they've looked great one night, and looked like the ECHL Salmon Kings the next night. Sure they've played games they've deserved to win, and won games they've not deserved to be in. But when do you start to seriously look at the team and worry about their chances of turning play around and going on winning streaks and making the playoffs?

    My only problem with waiting until Christmas to evaluate them and then hope for yet another Christmas Miracle turnaround and stretch drive is that the Canucks face the unfortunate obstacle of the Olympics. Sending nearly 9 of their top players to the international games is going to be taxing in itself, but with the way the Canucks road record stands, that 14 game road trip looks daunting. There's a time where fans can start worry about the record, a time when you can start worry about not being in division contention let alone playoff contention, but 20 games in isn't that time. The Canucks are lucky they have a record at 10-10 and don't have a record that looks more like the Leafs record considering the plague of injuries they've faced. With players coming back, if they can keep their heads above water and not dip below .500 they're on the right track. As players come back and start to re-gel with their line mates we should have something to get excited about soon.

  13. Mozy

    Blue Line Breakdown

    By Mozy,

    The Canucks blue line is supposed to be one of the best in the league. With names like Salo, Bieksa, Mitchell, Edler and Schneider, the Canucks on paper boast a blue line that should be amongst the leagues best. Gillis builds his teams from the net out and on paper this team is rock solid, but as we approach the quarter way-mark of the season, the Canucks defense has been shaky at best, and the odd injury aside, the Canucks blue line has been the one of the healthiest parts of the team. Gillis stocked up on blueliners in the offseason in anticipation of losing many a man game to blue line injury, but with the exception of Salo, no blue liner has had an in season injury that’s kept him out. (Schneider was out before the season started).

    Edler has been having an off season. He’s pocketed a handful of assists, but his play lacks confidence, and he’s making mistakes we never would have seen him make last year. Routine gaffs at the blue line, getting caught up ice, and the biggest problem is as a puck moving defenseman, he’s not moving the puck. His breakout passes are suffering and his whole game is off kilter because of his lack of confidence. He’s taking bad shots on the PP, and it doesn’t help that he’s counted on to be one of the defensive leaders on the team. After a career year last year it can be expected that he wouldn’t necessarily repeat, but his sub par play has really been amplified by a defense that’s been sub par as a whole.

    Salo is the only blue liner that’s gone down to injury this season. It was expected though, so it’s not really a surprise. When he’s out, the Canucks PP suffers, and it’s record suffers, and the numbers show that when the Finn is in the game he brings stability to the power play and his shot provides the Canucks offense with another dimension. With that in mind, the Canucks blue liner hasn’t scored in over 25 regular season games. It’s great to have a shot, but offensively he’s not contributing like he’s expected to.

    Bieksa has done what Bieksa always does. He’s been an offensive defenseman who needs to work a little more on being defensive. His play is fine, it’s unlikely he’s ever going to change into some mind blowingly good shut down guy, but the Canucks need him to turn back up his physical game. This is a team that isn’t stacked with tough guys, grit, or bone crushers and the reality is he falls into that category. The Canucks don’t need him fighting all the time, or taking stupid penalties, but Bieksa needs to throw the body some more and change his physical game. The Canucks don’t have the size other teams do and they need their physical players to be even more physical than before.

    Schneider has come in and he’s done what’s expected of him. He’s shooting the puck well, he’s not a defensive liability, but his plus minus is speaking louder than his play right now. He hasn’t had enough games in my opinion to really succeed or fail.

    Mitchell our shut down defenseman has been anything but that this season. He’s backing off the puck, and as we saw in St. Louis, he backed off one play and when you give a player the open shot from the top of the circle you’re just asking for trouble. Willie’s struggles are a result of the struggles of the entire defence.

    Ehrhoff has been a diamond in the rough. Offensively and defensively he’s not what I expected when we snagged him in that steal from the Sharks. He’s cooled off offensively of late, but his smooth play makes him one of better defenseman so far this season. I like everything I’ve seen from him so far and the fact that we have him locked under contract for another couple of years means when Mitchell is a FA this season, Ehrhoff might replace him.

    O’Brien is doing what O’Brien does. Doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. He never scores, he rarely picks up any points, and he’s hardly hitting. So why are we keeping the 1.7 million dollar wonder around? O’Brien’s job needs to to be physical. He can’t be taking stupid penalties, and poking his stick where he has no business poking it, but O’Brien has to be part of the Canucks physical presence, he needs to hit and he needs to get gritty.

    The Canucks defense in general need to step up in more ways than one. Each player has their own issues to overcome, but if the defense can start to click this team’s dynamic changes instantly.


  14. Mozy

    Forsberg vs Sundin

    By Mozy,

    With the Canucks amongst the fore runners courting Forsberg, there's been a lot of comparison between the success, or lack of, from Sundin, and what Forsberg will likely bring to the table. I for one was against Sundin for a whole whack of reasons, but did come around and realize that in the playoffs, especially against the Blackhawks when it mattered most, he was our best player on the ice. With that in mind, these top 6 forwards, that are just available, do not come along that easily. You're not going to find top 6 guys like this, of such calibre, who come for literally nothing (just salary, you're not giving up picks, or trading anyone) any time else. It's this reason you have to take a gamble on them, or at least try to take a gamble on them.

    Forsberg while he comes with his problems, also comes with certain factors that Sundin never had. One of the biggest problems with Sundin was that he was off the ice for an entire off season and the first 42 games. While Forsberg's been out of the NHL, he's been training in the SEL and is in as near a game condition as he can be considering he's playing in a tournament representing Sweden at the moment.

    My other knock on Sundin was that he was 39. Forsberg checks in 3 years younger than that, and won't creak every time he steps on the ice. Forsberg's numbers are also volumes better than Sundin. Sundin's numbers were a function of longevity, and no doubt the man was one of the best players the NHL has seen in his time. However, Forsberg's put up considerably better numbers relative to the number of games he's played in the NHL, and it was clear upon his return to NHL in his last go around that he can be a difference make on whatever team he plays be it the rock-em-sock-em robot Flyers have, or the we're-always-just-a-hair-shy-of-the-playoffs Predators. He's played in the Northwest, he knows the Northwest, and the way the Avalanche have changed, they're no longer the team he played with, and they're no longer a team he can go back to.

    Forsberg's foot is always a concern, and so was Sundin's health, however with the caliber of player that he can be, it's a gamble you can't pass up on. Especially when you have a team with so many of the right pieces to be a contender. I'd liken him to Marian Gaborik. Gaborik is slated as almost more injury prone than Sami Salo, and yet when he's healthy, as he is right now, we're seeing him earn his 8 million dollar salary picking up points from all angles of the ice. Top 6 forwards don't come for free. When they do, you can't pass up an opportunity to snag one. The Canucks are a contender, we have a super star goaltender, we have a blue line amongst the NHL's best, we have an offense that is firing on all cylinders, Forsberg has every reason to sign with us, and Gillis (if he's as interested in Forsberg as he says he is) needs to make every play to get him.
  15. Mozy
    Cory Schneider was sent down today to allow Luongo to get back in the lineup, but Cory on his trip up with the big team did something he's failed to do in all his other appearances. He shone. The goaltending prospect stood on his head to do everything he could to ensure a win for the Canucks and the Canucks let him down in his one and only showing against the Stars.

    Schneider likely won't have many other opportunities to impress, especially if Luongo stays healthy for the remainder of the season. Last year when Schneider got called up he did not look ready. He had a record below .500 when starting for the Canucks and there were many times when he looked clearly out of place in the NHL; One particular instance being a shootout against Colorado where he let in all 3 shots in a loss to the avalanche. This however his only chance may have changed his fate with the team.

    Raycroft's play, indicative of what he's really capable of, is an indication that he's not the same Andrew Raycroft that played in Colorado last season. In fact, as is the case with most backups to Luongo, they have one year on the bench and then go on to find bigger and better things a la Labarbera, Sanford, and Sabourin. My money is on him walking after the season on numbers which will earn him a salary he'd much rather have than the league minimum he's earning right now.

    If Schneider gets any other opportunities it could be his key to a roster spot with the Canucks. Cap issues aside, Schneider needs to be eased into the NHL. His contract is up after this season, and if the Canucks are backup-less come July, which is very likely, and Schneider has made his case that he's a legitimate NHL goalie, the youngster might still be able to make the team on a one or two year deal. Now fitting him under the cap becomes a totally different story, especially with key free agents like Kesler and Mitchell taking priority this off season, but Schneider's showing against Dallas just might have been the last chance he'll get to make a case for himself.
  16. Mozy
    Last night it broke that the Canucks are one of two teams (the other being the Rangers) currently interested in acquiring the services of Swede Peter Forsberg. The amusing thing is watching the fans almost unanimously cry out against signing the 36 year old play maker. The thing is when you look at his numbers, injury prone or not, the numbers are so overwhelmingly convincing I don't see why we wouldn't want him a part of this team if we could afford to have him.

    The center who has 13 NHL seasons under his belt has struggled with foot problems his career, but despite those injuries he's been able to put up numbers that speak for themselves. In 706 NHL games he has 885 points, and in his tenure with four different NHL teams he has averaged over a point per game, and more impressively averages 0.9 assists per game in those 706 games played. The number which says the most to me though is Forsberg's +/-. In 13 seasons the veteran center has never had a minus regular season, and in his career he's a whopping +242. Even in Forsberg's recent brief return to the NHL he managed in 9 games to get 14 points (1G and 13A) and was +7.

    What makes this even more compelling is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Gold_Club#Members">Triple Gold Club</a> member's tie to the Sedins and fellow Triple Gold member Mikael Samuelsson. The Canucks Swedish contingent has the same pull they had with Mats Sundin. In the past Forsberg's return to the NHL was influenced by the Avalanche a team he won two Stanley Cups with. However, with the retirement of Joe Sakic, and the Avalanche rebuilding, the Avalanche seem out of the equation which opens up the floor for other teams including the Canucks.

    It's no surprise that Gillis wants to go after Forsberg. He prescribes the theory of a fast and young team, but he also builds his team around one big name star to lead the team both on and off the ice. Last year he went after Mats Sundin, and this year it makes sense that he's going after Forsberg. On a team that has only 2 players (Samuelsson and M. Schneider) who have gone past the second round of the playoffs, Forsbergs two cup rings and playoff experience is exactly what this young and fast team needs. While Luongo, Kesler and the Sedins have emerged as the leaders of the team, Forsberg's addition in an offensive capacity with less pressure to lead, would expand the Canucks offensive capacity to a level that makes them a stronger contender.

    With Demitra out indefinitely there's an extra 4 million dollars floating around which could be used to entice Forsberg back into the NHL. With the injury problems the Canucks have been having, Forsberg could slot into the lineup without bumping a player that deserves a roster spot, out. If Forsberg goes down for any long period of time his hit comes off the cap and the Canucks lose nothing. They would gain only the play of a heavily decorated hockey player, and at that point if Forsberg were to go down it could not be any worse than the injury mess the Canucks find themselves in right now. Think of Forsberg as a better, cheaper, Marion Gaborik. It's a gamble you'd be stupid not to make. The numbers speak for themselves. While a lot of people are already jumping to say "No" to Forsberg, I for one see the pros heavily outweighing the cons in this situation.
  17. Mozy
    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/10/oct28_samuelson_t.jpg" align="left" hspace="8" vspace="2">There was expectation that Samuelsson upon inking a 3 year deal in the off season, was going to be the next Marc Chouinard, or Jan Bulis; the general feeling about him was that he was going to under perform. In fact he's done the complete opposite.<br /><br /> After finding his way onto the Canucks, his 6th NHL team, the Swede has stepped up and led this team offensively through it's plague of injuries. Samuelsson in Detroit was hampered by the fact that he wasn't going to get top minutes because of the quality of depth Detroit has always had. Put him on a team that needs some offense, add skates and watch him go.<br /><br />

    I had high expectations for the Swede, and so far he's certainly living up to them. He leads the team in goals, and is third in team scoring. He typifies what the Canucks needed coming out of the offseason, and that's a player with a shoot first mentality. He's tied for 7th overall in the league in shots, and in the company of players like Ovechkin, Parise, Crosby, and Nash. The Canucks needed a player that was more aggressive on the puck, and he's finding ways to get himself open, and get the puck on net. It's one of the reasons he's getting the puck in the net. <br /><br />

    In this time of injury, Samuelsson's bringing a sense of calm to the team. With your leading goal getter for the last few years out, your captain injured, a injured list that looks better than the Leafs starting roster, and so many injuries that your team signs players that started the year on your second tier affiliate the Salmon Kings, (Matt Pettinger started the year in Victoria before heading to the Moose, and then back on to the Canucks) players need to lead by example. Kesler has stepped up and taken the reigns of this team, but he hasn't been alone, and offensively he's recruited Samuelsson to be his sidekick.<br /><br />

    <img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2009/10/oct27_group_t.jpg" align="right" hspace="8" vspace="2">The Swede's quietly been scoring goals, and scoring clutch goals. He's established himself as one of the best players on the ice for this team night in and night out, and even when the injured personnel return, he will continue to be a key part of this offense simply because the Canucks have always lacked a shoot first guy. The Swedish contingent on the team is a passive one that is not aggressive on getting pucks to the net, and Samuelsson's the key to fixing that trend. He's already showing us that he's ready to play. Once you're past 15 games in, you can't keep saying "oh it's just the beginning of the season", or imply that it's streaky play. He's come up big in several games now, most notably against Chicago, and recently against the Rangers. He's on pace for a record year, and his play not only gives the Canucks a chance, but by shooting the puck from all over he's creating chances all over the ice be it in the form of rebounds, or lucky bounces. Samuelsson is all over the ice most nights, and it's something the Canucks have missed badly in the past. <br /><br />

    Samuelsson's signing is paying dividends now, but this isn't the best of him we've seen yet. He comes from Detroit which means he comes from a tradition of winning. The bandwagon in Vancouver is bad, but the pressure in MoTown to produce a cup every year is nothing comparable to the pressure the players in this city feel. He's been deep in the playoffs in back to back years, and he's one of two players on this team that's gone past the second round. The way he's leading offensively right now is one thing, but once the Canucks get rolling, get their injured players back, and reach the second season, Samuelsson's going to be relied upon to lead this team in a way no one else can. <br /><br />
    Twitter.com/mozy19
  18. Mozy

    From Size to Speed

    By Mozy,

    One thing that's been clear this season, is the Canucks are not a bumping and bruising team. Fifteen games into the season they've faced teams that have taken the body to them and they've been horribly out done. With the Canucks looking like an episode of The Biggest Loser coming into the season, a lot of the Canucks forwards lost weight like the new look Wellwood and Bernier, but some of the wrong Canucks also lost weight. The Canucks don't have a lot of grit, but when your grit players are slimming down you run into some problems. Shane O'Brien and Darcy Hordichuck were two more of the returning participants on The Biggest Loser, and on a team that's young, fast, and light, the heavy weights are not supposed to follow suit.

    Hordichuk in particular was brought in to be the Canucks tough guy. Since coming to the Canucks his physicality has been in steady decline and he now looks like an environmentalist Jeff Cowan on the ice hugging it out, minus the bras and the 7 game goal streak. This year the Canucks have had to rely on Glass, and Rypien, two guys that are far from heavyweights, and they're getting pushed around.

    The Canucks most important games against the Northwest Division have been games they've been pushed around in this season. The Flames batter and bruise the Canucks, and the NW division is not a small division to play in. When it comes to Luongo, the Canucks get pushed around their own offensive zone and when you let the opposing team player get in behind your goaltender on a consistent basis you have a problem.

    The Canucks don't all necessarily need to get nastier, but they need to get smarter. The role players need to do exactly that, play their role. Hordichuk and O'Brien need to get tougher, and the Canucks really need Bieksa to clear the crease when the other team comes into the offensive zone. The Canucks can't all get tougher, but they can get smarter, and they need to. It's been clear all season with the speed of Raymond, Kesler, and Grabner, when the Canucks out skate their opponent they win games, and when they skate to the net they create opportunities.

    In the two losses to the Flames this year, the resounding similarity was that the Canucks go pushed around and weren't skating away from the Flames. They were skating straight into the Flames physical game and they were beaten at nearly every opportunity. Gillis wanted to build a youthful, fast team and as a result it's resulted in a finesse game. The Canucks aren't a team that's going to win teams by physically beating their teams, but they can win games by out skating the other team. The Canucks skated their way to wins against the Blackhawks, and the Avalanche, they now need to apply that to the teams that build their team around battering their way to victory.
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