YoungBloods

Whats up bro, I finally signed up to reply to one of these things, I have been faaar too lazy ( "preoccupied" while reading them ) since I found out about this. Anyways, good read as always although I do have a few comments. Also, I was sitting front row right next to the Nucks penalty box game 6, so I can offer some insight from the game being so close to the action. Your comment early on about the Canucks not being able to match Chicago's drive or talent was spot on. I think the "Drive" side of it is linked to our captaincy issue, which I will comment on later. I think the lack of talent simply came down to injuries. I hate to use them as an excuse, so I wont. I do firmly believe that if the Canucks had come out and played our style of hockey, and not conformed to Chicago's style, we could have pulled this series out. That being said, injuries played a large role in our inability to implement our style. Mitchell's devastating concussion, a result of a devastating and shockingly dirty/unpunished hit by one of the league's "big three" Evgeni Malkin, has been overlooked. While contributing little to our run and gun offense, Mitchell has proved to be one of the better 'defensive' defensmen in the league. He has one of the most active and effective sticks in the game, and could have been very useful shadowing Johnny Toews. Kesler and Burrows were both nursing injuries to their shoulders/arms. Watching the Chicago series, this clearly affected their ability to impose their high paced, grind 'em out style. I didn't see Kesler throw one big fore check, or get in Ladd's grill at all. I heard some rumors of a Samuelsson groin injury and a possible Sedin injury as well. I can't really comment because I don't know if they are true. The Salo injury also CLEARLY effected his play during that game six. Despite the chants of "Balls of Steel" raining down from the stands, Salo was visibly impaired. He couldn't pivot or even back check. On one play he carried the puck into the Chicago end and laid a decent fore check. On his way back down the ice he skated very close to my seats; the grimace on his face was awful, he was giving 100% effort, but only skating at 50-60% speed. Moreover he couldn't shoot, which kind of messed with our PP because he kept on getting thrown out there. The Edler injury was also a huge factor in that game six. That first period was back and forth, a great period of playoff hockey. However I noticed a definite deflation among the Canucks players in the minutes following Edler's injury and then into the 2nd. It seemed like many of the players just gave up. At least, that was the impression I got sitting where I was. You mentioned that in the playoffs, everyone plays hurt. This is true. However I think that many of the Canucks were playing injured, which is an important difference. Luongo's Captaincy is definitely also in question after this. To be honest I was kind of on the fence when he was named captain. To me, the biggest problem with the current situation is in the post-game interviews. Not necessarily that he wont answer questions, but that he cant. As a goalie he cant really say "we had too many turnovers" or "we just didnt play tough enough". Statements like those come off a little bad when coming from the mouth of a goalie. It gives the impression of blaming his teammates. Luongo is not a skater, he is not the one turning over the puck, or not going into the dirty areas, and yet he is asked to comment like he is. Slap the 'C' on Kesler. That guy oozes heart and grit. He is a Canadian birth certificate away from being a Mike Richards twin. Like you, I was also disappointed with the Canucks after the game. I stayed, I waited through that 5-1 embarrassment, I cheered when the horn sounded, I was swinging my towel... and yet as soon as the handshakes happen the team is off the ice and down the tunnel. I dont want to bash Luo, but he dropped the ball here. He is the teams captain, and he let down the fans by not giving them a little love for all the love they have been giving all season. I was pumped when LA was eliminated at home because it gave the players the option of saluting their fans one more time. Not surprisingly they did, and the Staples Center went crazy. That being said, Salo did do a little skate for the fans, and even threw his stick into the stands. Had I been 2 rows back and 3 seats to the left I would have caught it, oh well. Another frustrating end to a good season. On a side note, WOW MONTREAL. I'm glad Sutter gets to wake up every day and see Cammelleri's mug on TSN. -cheers steve b.