Maniwaki Canuck

Convincing win, brought across the line by Bruce calling time out exactly when it was needed. Gotta believe in this team: we can play with anyone.

Had the Calgary feed tonight, unfortunately: they were well down that road by the end of the game. In any other game it would have been an indignity, but when we were sticking it to them that badly it just made it that much better.

Doesn't get much sweeter than this. Okay, there was that time in the 90s when we got 11 on them.

Agreed. One of the things that is missing is a sense of urgency. They stop moving their feet, stop supporting the puck, start getting sloppy with their passes. Some of it is pressure from the other team, but the rest is just laziness. Our abysmal pp is exhibit A: everyone executes at half speed and nobody drives hard with the puck or otherwise does what it takes to make space. Our forwards are capable of playing really well. In the first they were dissecting the Sharks' D with pace, really smart positioning and precise passing. After that, our slow motion power play infected our 5 on 5 game. This feels like a leadership as opposed to a coaching issue but if they can't take responsibility for their complacent play, maybe they need someone to yell at them.

Amazing first period: crisp, creative passing. Then there was the rest of the game. Even Demko wasn't very good. God, Meier is ugly.

Wow, pretty impressive hire. We've come a long way from Weisbrod and Benning.

Big test for our offense tonight. Great to see our goal scorers score goals against Arizona, but the Islanders will be all over them. Looking for some more magic from JT!

That would be good for us, definitely. I've supported Hamonic during his time here and he had stretches of good play for us, but his commitment has been shaky this year and it's time to move on if we can. Capfriendly shows an 8 team no-trade clause, so it should be possible.

I like Schenn, Burroughs and Juulsen a lot too. We actually have incredible depth at RD, despite the tired narrative to the contrary. Juulsen looked great last night except for getting walked by Keller, but that's something Keller does. Burroughs is a keeper. Not at all sure about dealing Schenn. For a second, sure, but I doubt that's on offer. Would rather move Hamonic or Poolman at this stage. We need to get our cap hit down on D and these mid-range salaries might be the best option.

It's a given that Miller may not want to re-sign, otherwise he would have said he's interested (like Toffoli did) and there wouldn't be this amount of smoke around him right now. As for the return, yes, it could be disappointing. You hardly ever win trading away a franchise player. But there will be a market for him, and that will ensure that we get at least 3 good pieces. If the Rangers don't want to give up Schneider, they better come with something else that's enticing. Because someone else will. Unlike the majority here, I don't think an RD has to be part of the package. We can more than get by for the next couple of years with Myers, Hamonic, Poolman, Schenn, Burroughs, Juulsen, Keeper and Woo. A "succession plan" for Myers is a luxury with that kind of depth. What we really need is scoring. Not a better transition or possession game, but actual scoring. So I'm hoping for some good young forward prospects.

I also get the sense that Miller may not want to re-sign, but there's a lot of smoke, mirrors and misdirection at this time of year as part of the bargaining process over trades and extensions. The recent addition of Garland to the rumour mill is particularly hard to read. Does management really not like the player, or the player at that salary? Hard to believe given their stated quest for speed up front, but maybe. Is it a way of creating leverage in prospective Miller trades (i.e. "fine, we won't trade him then and can move someone else to get what we want")? Or of creating cap space to sign him? A straight-up hockey trade might be the least likely scenario with Garland.

Homerayan Singh and the Edmonton crew are worse. Going full Latin American soccer on the goal calls. It's so degrading that we have to put up with the other team's commentators in our games. Either there have to be two different partisan game calls or one that is reasonably neutral. I felt like I needed to take a shower after listening to that.

Agreed: the guy hit his head against the boards but it wasn't obviously the primary point of contact.

Defense is the least of our problems and shouldn't be considering ours is the second most expensive in the league. Offensive ineptitude is the real issue and it was on open display in this game. We cannot crack a real defense or get set up on a pressure oriented PK.

What a puke of a game. Biased refereeing, biased commentary, even a biased shot clock. Still pissed about Hanafin's slew foot on Highmore. That was Sutherland level bs.

I'm glad Rutherford has publicly praised Miller as our best forward and that NYR are having to deal with our "astronomical" ask of 4 pieces. He isn't going to bend over for Schneider, Chytil and a 1st so better get real if you want him. Losing this prospective trade isn't the way we're opening our window of contention in a few years.

Time to sort these mullets out. The angry elf vs. Johnny gnome: cage match.

Man, would people please stop referring to Lafreniere as AF. He's not Adam Fox and it gets seriously hard to follow.

I've been arguing against trading the guy for a long time too but am sick of butting heads with people over it. It's actually really simple: you talk to his agent and find out what he wants. If you can't do it, you trade him, but if you can, you get it done as soon as possible (i.e. the summer). Because this is a guy you win with.

On second thought, make that J.T. f'n Miller.

Speed, skill, depth: we've got it all. It's never been even half this good before.

About the only thing that trumps watching the Canucks! Helluva game tonight.

It's not obvious from a quick web search that Canada and Russia have an extradition treaty. So getting him back here for trial could be a challenge.

Yeah, none of this is close to what NYR could offer. Debrusk, Fiala ... pass.

Where is Sean Avery when you need him?