Maniwaki Canuck
Members-
Posts
3,900 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Gallery
Everything posted by Maniwaki Canuck
-
Absolutely right, Deb. Of course they act like it's no big deal because they've struggled pretty hard not to be defined by that loss. But as Weise said earlier in the week, they were amped, and it came out the right way: focus, intensity, sharpness of play. Clearly it was a big deal to some of the Bruins, starting with rat-boy, but including Lucic, who talked about what an emotional final it was. Let's face it, this is an emotional game and there's no point pretending otherwise. Tortorella plays with fire sometimes, in both senses of the phrase, but we needed something different from robotic AV. For now, Torts is just what the doctor ordered.
-
Yeah, who knew that Hammer could or would do that? Looked pretty good at it too!
-
Booth's goal was absolutely huge- definitely the turning point. Without it, Torts' time-out doesn't mean so much. I think Booth will not get bought out like everyone has been saying. When he plays like this, he's a force. Santorelli was also amazing: not just the Tanev set-up, but the consistent puck-hounding and going to the net against a tough team like Boston. There's no fear in his game and something contagious about the way he plays. Lou had a great game. We were outshot and Boston had plenty of chances. The difference in this game was goaltending and finishing. From a possession point of view, we could have lost. Lou deserves lots of credit for this result. Weber played a really solid defensive game and showed what a weapon his shot is. I'm hoping he's got Torts' attention now, and that we see more of him from here on in. But the whole team was great really. We hit just the right balance of emotion, physicality, pushing back, with skill and skating. We didn't beat these thugs at their own game, but didn't backk away from it either. That's right where we need to be.
-
4th line was amazing. Welsh was super-fast last night, on top of the Soil at every turn. Dalpe is looking a lot more comfortable and showing some skill. Weise with the goal. This is a credible 4th line, something we haven't had for a very long time.
-
I strongly agree: Booth seems to bring out the best in Kassian, and the two of them together are a physical force. Schroeder's size won't be an issue with those two on his wings, but his speed and playmaking will make them a lot more productive. Kassian is coming along. Torts was talking about him making good decisions last night. That and consistent effort have been the two knocks against him, but he's working on it and getting better. With a bit more experience, he's going to be a really effective player for us.
-
Thanks again- that settles it!
-
Thanks, that does seem pretty legit. So it would have been the Dalpe/Welsh deal that changed things, or was he already sent down by then? I know that was the case with Shinkaruk but can't quite remember the timelines for Bo. Whatever the case, he clearly has kept developing in junior this year, so I'm okay with him being there, even though I agree that he could have handled at 4th line role for us. When he does make the jump, he'll be bringing more offense, which can't be wrong.
-
Glad to see him doing so well. Yes, he was injured a lot of the time at Chicago but it still speaks poorly of the AHL that it destroys the offensive potential of so many players.
-
Would love to see him next year on a 3rd line with Horvat and Kassian. That's some serious power and intimidation, with the possession and offense to back it up.
-
Interesting, what's the source on Torts? I'm not doubting, just legitimately curious. He certainly does look ready for a classic 3C role in the NHL right now, which is going to make things interesting. I see a forward or two being shipped out in the off-season.
-
No question that he's been the bargain of the year so far, the best bang for buck signing in the league last summer. Also no question that he brings a lot of versatility to the team: more than comparable players like Hansen or Higgins. So signing him to a Hansen/Higgins kind of deal is not out of the question, as long as there's no NTC. At some point, though, we do need to look at converting some of our depth at forward into an upgrade in quality: ideally a top six sniper, but maybe a chance to move up in the draft or fleece some team looking to make a run at the trading deadline for a top prospect. Having another controlable and dealable asset can only help make that happen. Maybe Hansen goes instead, as suggested above, or maybe several such players are bundled for something better. Maybe there's no deal to be had and we end up with a stacked 4th line. Whatever the scenario, it's never a bad thing to have this kind of player in the lineup at the right price.
-
It's impressive, alright. His ceiling is starting to look like a slightly better version of Kesler. His shutdown skills and size are comparable, his faceoff dominance, playmaking, leadership and attitude look better, and his skating and scoring are close.
-
Too Early to call Kassian a dissapointment?
Maniwaki Canuck replied to Go Go Canucks Go's topic in Canucks Talk
You walked into that one, Chalky: might want to get a tuneup on your irony detector. If you've been following the thread, I'm not missing Cody at all. Kassian looked decent last night, as he has many times this season. At this stage, he's inconsistent, but when he's on, he's a pretty good player. -
Too Early to call Kassian a dissapointment?
Maniwaki Canuck replied to Go Go Canucks Go's topic in Canucks Talk
Okay, but where do we project all of our anxieties and insecurites in the mean time? -
Too Early to call Kassian a dissapointment?
Maniwaki Canuck replied to Go Go Canucks Go's topic in Canucks Talk
I agree. Of course we'd all like Kassian to be further along in his development, but it's not like we gave up a particularly great player to get him. Yes, we could still end up losing the deal but it was a risk worth taking. The deal cost us more with injuries last year than it has this. There is no point in getting all impatient and scapegoating Kassian for the bigger problems with this team. Those who don't like him should be happy with the treatment he's getting. Those of us who do are the ones who should be complaining. I remember when the Sedins were breaking in, they endlessly got 2nd unit power play time that they hadn't "earned" strictly speaking, and that a lot of people hated that. Seems like it worked out in the longer run. Sometimes you have to put people in places where you're projecting them to succeed, and help them grow into the role. That's what I'd like to see a bit more of with Kassian. Not full-time, but some carrot to go with the stick. -
Tough news for Burrows and the team. This is not rounding out to be our year, so I hope we don't sign any bottom-of-the-barrel free agent to take his place. It would be better to call up Grenier or Archibald instead, and get a leg up on the future. Hopefully Booth and Kassian get some time with the Sedins. Booth has earned it, but his game may not be a very good fit with theirs and he's doing well where he is now so it may not happen. That would leave Kassian, Hansen or Kesler as possible RW for the top line. Although the first two have been in the doghouse recently, I hope they get first shot at it. Whatever happens, I hope it's about building towards the future.
-
It certainly could and I hope it does. Before the invitees were announced, though, they made it clear that this is not going to be an all-star team but one based on a well-rounded approach to the game. To me, that sounds like Bo in something of a shut-down role, and Shinkaruk on a faster line designed to score on the rush. Hope I'm wrong- we'll see.
-
Horvat makes the cut- no surprise. Would love to see him play some with Shinkaruk, but doubt that will happen due to different roles on the team.
-
CBC continues to ignore West and the Canucks
Maniwaki Canuck replied to Slegr's topic in Canucks Talk
I hear you and totally agree, but the problem is what the CBC, HNIC in particular, became. It didn't act like a national institution, didn't reflect mainstream Canadian values, so I'm not going to miss it, even though I first started watching it in 1964. If it had acted differently than all the corporate crooks you rightly mention, I would feel differently about it.