needtogetswole Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Canucks' culture perfect fit for Higgins, Lapierre BY ED WILLES, POSTMEDIA NEWS APRIL 4, 2012 VANCOUVER - If you believed everything that comes out of an NHL locker-room, you'd be convinced every team promotes a winning culture and every team is comprised of character players who exude only the most positive energy and confidence. But, if that were really the case, 30 teams would make the playoffs every year and 30 teams would make a deep playoff run. There's a reason some of those teams are in 12th place, just as there's a reason some teams are battling for first overall and it isn't chance. This brings us around to the Vancouver Canucks, but instead of pontificating about their many glorious qualities, we refer you to two examples. The first is Chris Higgins. The second is Max Lapierre. Higgins and Lapierre are currently key contributors on a team that is vying for the Presidents' Trophy, but when they arrived in Vancouver at last year's trade deadline, their career arcs - how shall we say? - weren't at their absolute apex. Higgins was joining his fifth team in two seasons and trying to outrun a party-boy image he built in Montreal. Lapierre was joining his third team of the season and was viewed as something of a sideshow around the league. But, despite their checkered resumes, both players have slid seamlessly into the Canucks' fabric and are now indispensable parts of a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Higgins has been the Canucks' most consistent forward this season. Lapierre has played a vital role in the bottom half of the forward rotation and demonstrated a deft scoring touch since moving on to a line with Henrik Sedin. For the organization, both players represent found money and you might write it off to luck. But there's also something about the culture the Canucks that has allowed Higgins, Lapierre and others to find themselves when they looked lost. ``Last year when I came here I wasn't feeling very good about myself and my game,'' Lapierre said. ``But I felt right at home after two days. You feel like they're doing everything to make you better. '' ``Maybe some teams don't know how to win,'' says Higgins. ``This team knows how to win and you see it in the way guys carry themselves.'' What that means, of course, is open to interpretation, but if you were to analyze the chemistry in the Canucks' room, you'd come up with a couple of things. The leadership group, for starters, has been in place for the last five years and enjoyed considerable success together. They've also grown accustomed to playing under the intense scrutiny of a Canadian market without being distracted, as Higgins puts it, by the ``three million GMs on Twitter who tell you what to change after every game.'' As it happens, the Canucks' best players are also their hardest workers, which creates a powerful peer pressure. Most of those players signed for under market value, creating what management terms a ``covenant.'' The organization, for its part, pours resources into the team in the form of everything from chefs to sleep doctors to sensory deprivation rooms. The significance of that commitment is not lost on the players. ``Our way to say thank you is to perform well,'' Lapierre said. ``When you come in here you see the (Sedin) twins and all our leaders working hard every day,'' said defenceman Keith Ballard, who had stops in Florida and Phoenix before Vancouver. ``That's one of the first things I noticed. There's a workout every day and everybody does it. Nobody complains. Even if it's the middle of February they still put the work in. ``It's the environment that makes you want to get better every day.'' Higgins and Lapierre have found their place in that environment. Both players, to be sure, had success earlier in their careers and they deserve most of the credit for reclaiming that success. But they also arrived in the right place at the right time. The Canucks needed help up front, but they didn't need anyone to be Howie Morenz. Both players were allowed to slide into the lineup without a great deal of pressure. Both players were also smart enough to identify their roles and understand how to best fill them. Maybe it helped that they'd been humbled by the game and were ready for what the organization offered. It's hard to say. What's clear, however, is they've made the Canucks a better team. ``I don't think (Higgins and Lapierre) came to Vancouver and a magic wand was waived,'' says Ballard. ``They're both guys who came in and worked hard and they fit in.'' Which might not be magic but whatever it is has been pretty good. Vancouver Province © Copyright © Postmedia News I spaced it out so it wouldn't be all clamped together - I thought it was a great read on just how the organization is first class - they don't mind spending the money to make their players better and actually care about their players and it's not all about business - it's one big family! Their's been topics where people claim will free agent's want to come here? There have been so many articles on how much the canucks put into their team with one of the sickest locker rooms - to sleep doctors/ sleep patterns - it creates a winning enviornment - the canucks would be the 1st on my wish list if i was a player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustNazzy Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 great read, ty for sharing. =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skates_with_a_stick Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I remember seeing a thread about unsung heros and my two top guys were Higgins and Lapierre. I'm glad those 2 picked up the program and ran with it. Let's hope everyone can get on the same page for this years play offs and bring back to this city the Stanley Cup! Show the Millionaires how it's done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Singh Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Higgins and Lapierre are unsung heroes. This moment is just just like the start of the season when everyone was crazy about schneider. Then Luongo silenced them all. Now please do it again lou. We know you are the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking Paradox Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I remember when people, or CDC "coaches" would slot Higgins on the 4th line... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCammer Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Quickly have become two of my favourites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Money Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 As much as I agree with the gist of the article, I never have been a of Ed Willes. Here's a couple of examples why: But, if that were really the case, 30 teams would make the playoffs every year and 30 teams would make a deep playoff run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diesel_3 Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Gives me hope that the Canucks will have Higgins and Lapierre in the lineup for a long time, great role players....love them both! (some homo) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
needtogetswole Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 I can see higgins just getting better and better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwnstar Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 stay classy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McMucus Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I remember when they came to the Canucks people used it as another piece of ammunition to bash the Canucks with but boy have they been proved wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sixteen W's Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 The organization, not the fans. Even most of the fans are pretty amazing for this team. Hopefully more top class players consider playing for Vancouver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad_Duck Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 As much as I agree with the gist of the article, I never have been a of Ed Willes. Here's a couple of examples why: But, if that were really the case, 30 teams would make the playoffs every year and 30 teams would make a deep playoff run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sting Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Great pick-ups by MG that were considered depth moves at the time. Higgins and Lapierre have been amongst this years most consistent Canucks. Would love to see Lappy get a shot with Kes when Daniel comes back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariWanna Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 The genius of MG and his management team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyacry Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I hope they keep both of them for long term ^^ both are great players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeDreamOfStanley Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 " They've also grown accustomed to playing under the intense scrutiny of a Canadian market without being distracted, as Higgins puts it, by the `three million GMs on Twitter who tell you what to change after every game.' " Hahahahaha. That's just awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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