[Article] Elliotte Friedman: “WE KNEW WE HAD SOMETHING” This is the story of how the greatest team in Vancouver Canucks history was built. In the words of the people who were there.

[189lb enforcers?]

I wish that Canucks team had that one guy; that one iconic leader who could win a series by himself. The 2011 roster achieved greatness, but couldn’t push through the wall when it came down to it. 
 

Zdeno Chara was that guy for Boston, perhaps Thomas was too, but in a different way. 
 

Time to give some credit to the opposition that 2011 Canucks team faced down, especially their captain. 
 

What I remember most about that Canucks team in 2011 was how it was absolutely physically dominated and without PPs to help balance out the score, were soundly beaten in an all-out, 7-game Street fight. Nobody was willing to go through this guy, not that they didn’t try, they just couldn’t.
 

Chara was the main reason that the Bruins beat the “best Canucks team ever“, IMO. He kept the Canucks intimidated and on the perimeter. Can you blame the Canucks and their offensive stars for the failure to create offence against this guy? They didn’t stand a chance... 
 

 

 

 

 

 

That one guy, a guy we still don’t have, has to be in place prior to our next Cup run. 
 

I have a lot of respect for the winners of every Cup. It’s a brutally hard thing to win and that’s why it’s considered the toughest trophy to capture in sports. 
 

It was an incredible run. I only wish the 1994 team could have been in that series. Bully vs Bully. 
 

Long Live Playoff Hockey! 
 

[morgo]

58 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

It's been 9 years. Time to move on appreciate the positives instead of still hanging on to the negative feelings.

I know but I just can't let it go .  That was our year and we were robbed.  It's not so much that they won, it's how they won.  I've never hated a team more than that Bruins team in my 26 years of following the sport.

 

[kloubek]

They were an excellent team, and I maintain if the reffing had been even, we would have won the cup.

 

But excuses are for losers, so I will instead say that we just couldn't match the heaviness of the Bruins. The team was great in every way, but when push came to shove (literally) we fell short.

[Kevin Biestra]

5 hours ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

 

Aw man, that picture says it all.

 

Henrik:  Ouch, that's against the rules!!

 

Chara:  What ya gonna do about it?

[stanleysteamersmyl]

6 hours ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

I wish that Canucks team had that one guy; that one iconic leader who could win a series by himself. The 2011 roster achieved greatness, but couldn’t push through the wall when it came down to it. 
 

Zdeno Chara was that guy for Boston, perhaps Thomas was too, but in a different way. 
 

Time to give some credit to the opposition that 2011 Canucks team faced down, especially their captain. 
 

What I remember most about that Canucks team in 2011 was how it was absolutely physically dominated and without PPs to help balance out the score, were soundly beaten in an all-out, 7-game Street fight. Nobody was willing to go through this guy, not that they didn’t try, they just couldn’t.
 

Chara was the main reason that the Bruins beat the “best Canucks team ever“, IMO. He kept the Canucks intimidated and on the perimeter. Can you blame the Canucks and their offensive stars for the failure to create offence against this guy? They didn’t stand a chance... 
 

 

 

 

 

 

That one guy, a guy we still don’t have, has to be in place prior to our next Cup run. 
 

I have a lot of respect for the winners of every Cup. It’s a brutally hard thing to win and that’s why it’s considered the toughest trophy to capture in sports. 
 

It was an incredible run. I only wish the 1994 team could have been in that series. Bully vs Bully. 
 

Long Live Playoff Hockey! 
 

This guy will help.

 

 

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

7 hours ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

 

I wish that Canucks team had that one guy; that one iconic leader who could win a series by himself. The 2011 roster achieved greatness, but couldn’t push through the wall when it came down to it. 
 

Zdeno Chara was that guy for Boston, perhaps Thomas was too, but in a different way. 

 

Thomas was the difference, in my mind.
 

Swap the goalies in that series and the Canucks probably sweep the Finals 4-0. He was that good. Arguably the best goaltending performance in a generation.

 

Of course, there were other factors. A healthy Canucks team would’ve solved any goalie, even Thomas at his absolute best. The 2011 Canucks at full power would’ve beat the Bruins in 5 or 6 games. 
 

But I think you’re right that with a Chara type on our back end, we could have gutted out the series, even with the injuries and shenanigans. That’s no slight to Hank or his leadership. But having that freak Slovak anchoring our back end probably would have been enough to hold our injured squad together and provide enough D in front of Luongo to win one more game.

[Battlemonger]

That 2011 team absolutely dominated every game by far. Would have won the cup if we had a B on our Jerseys, no doubt about it.

[-DLC-]

9 hours ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

Aw man, that picture says it all.

 

Henrik:  Ouch, that's against the rules!!

 

Chara:  What ya gonna do about it?

This really doesn't say it all though.  

I mean Chara's a 19 foot tall tree that not many "win that battle" against so don't make it about Henrik in a negative way.  If we didn't have him there'd be no playoffs.

 

Chara and his monkeys get away with FARR too much....I mean Daddy was part of the NHL's disciplinary team.  How much more corrupt can it be?  If we had a Marchand?  We'd be thrown out of the league.  Some teams are "allowed" to do what they do...others are not.

 

I agree (re Thomas)...was going to post that.  He had a cockiness, though, that comes with a bit of immunity that not all were granted.  He, too, got away with murder.  Stick swings after the fact that, if Lu did it?  Not sure it goes unnoticed.

 

Big bad teams only go as far as the league allows.  Some get more leash than others...can even run off off leash.  Bruins were those off leash dogs.

[Baratheon]

13 hours ago, morgo said:

I know but I just can't let it go .  That was our year and we were robbed.  It's not so much that they won, it's how they won.  I've never hated a team more than that Bruins team in my 26 years of following the sport.

 

Don't worry!  I'm even worse than you lol.  I hate the entire city of Boston.  I wish nothing but the worst on ALL of their teams, not only the Bruins.

 

I think people are afraid of looking like "homers" but we straight up got screwed even looking at it objectively.  We were told for years that the league was gonna be a called a certain way and that certain things would no longer be tolerated.  Vancouver built their team accordingly and we went on to dominate the league.  Then when the Bruins had a shot to win the league said "just kidding!" and stopped calling anything they did.  Romes hit was absolutely unacceptable behavior though! lol.  Realistically we probably should have had about 40 minutes of powerplay time per game.

 

People talk about our "lack of push-back" but it was the league that failed.  There should have been no reason to "push back"

Likely it is difficult for most of you to re-watch that series.  If you can manage to do it then it really is wild to watch the officiating completely fall apart in that series.  The refs clearly had no control or else chose not to.  

[Kevin Biestra]

35 minutes ago, debluvscanucks said:

This really doesn't say it all though.  

I mean Chara's a 19 foot tall tree that not many "win that battle" against so don't make it about Henrik in a negative way.  If we didn't have him there'd be no playoffs.

 

There's a picture from the 1982 playoffs of Tiger Williams standing off against Willi Plett, who seems a full foot taller.  I wish I could find the picture online, but it's like Rocky staring down Drago.  There's no "this guy is bigger so give him some space" or "I know I can't take this guy down so I'll wait for a power play."  Tiger just looks ready to start chopping down the tree.

 

I love Henrik.  I want him in the rafters and in the Hall of Fame.  But these were the two captains and that picture really says everything about the whole series.  Yes, it encapsulates the Bruins getting away with murder.  But it also shows the Canucks letting them get away with murder and the two different styles of "playoff leadership."

 

Henrik was no complainer, I'll give him that.  But Smyl wouldn't be down on the ground wincing.  He'd already be to one hand and knee so he could jump at Chara swinging.

 

The 2011 Canucks were a team that was willing to take crap.  It worked well against San Jose because they roasted them on the power play.  Against the Bruins, they just let themselves get slapped around.

 

I'm mostly with you when it comes to having predominantly positive memories of the 2011 run.  It was a great time and a fantastic showing overall.  But the showing for game 7 in 2011 was a night and day difference from 1994.

 

 

Edited April 20, 2020 by Kevin Biestra

[-DLC-]

8 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

There's a picture from the 1982 playoffs of Tiger Williams standing off against Willi Plett, who seems a full foot taller.  I wish I could find the picture online, but it's like Rocky staring down Drago.  There's no "this guy is bigger so give him some space" or "I know I can't take this guy down so I'll wait for a power play."  Tiger just looks ready to start chopping down the tree.

 

I love Henrik.  I want him in the rafters and in the Hall of Fame.  But these were the two captains and that picture really says everything about the whole series.  Yes, it encapsulates the Bruins getting away with murder.  But it also shows the Canucks letting them get away with murder and the two different styles of "playoff leadership."

 

Henrik was no complainer, I'll give him that.  But Smyl wouldn't be down on the ground wincing.  He'd already be to one hand and knee so he could jump at Chara swinging.

 

The 2011 Canucks were a team that was willing to take crap.  It worked well against San Jose because they roasted them on the power play.  Against the Bruins, they just let themselves get slapped around.

 

I'm mostly with you when it comes to having predominantly positive memories of the 2011 run.  It was a great time and a fantastic showing overall.  But the showing for game 7 in 2011 was a night and day different from 1994.

Did Tiger produce points like Henrik?  Different eras, different deals.

 

"The 2011 Canucks were a team that was wiling to take crap".  Not sure "willing" as much as "had to" because we always had the book thrown at us.  And it was costly.  It was lopsided and should have never been.  Again, two words:  Colin Campbell.   If you don't think this was a factor in a huge conflict of interest way, think again.  Funny he left the role immediately after that SC win of his son's.

 

Bat a puck out of the air and we got a game.  

 

The Bertuzzi deal really handcuffed the Canucks moving forward.  We were to get away with nothing and that stuff lingered.  Don't blame the players, blame the game.

 

Henrik and Daniel engaged in some tough battles and I hate that some pick and choose those pictures.

[Baratheon]

4 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

There's a picture from the 1982 playoffs of Tiger Williams standing off against Willi Plett, who seems a full foot taller.  I wish I could find the picture online, but it's like Rocky staring down Drago.  There's no "this guy is bigger so give him some space" or "I know I can't take this guy down so I'll wait for a power play."  Tiger just looks ready to start chopping down the tree.

 

I love Henrik.  I want him in the rafters and in the Hall of Fame.  But these were the two captains and that picture really says everything about the whole series.  Yes, it encapsulates the Bruins getting away with murder.  But it also shows the Canucks letting them get away with murder and the two different styles of "playoff leadership."

 

Henrik was no complainer, I'll give him that.  But Smyl wouldn't be down on the ground wincing.  He'd already be to one hand and knee so he could jump at Chara swinging.

 

The 2011 Canucks were a team that was willing to take crap.  It worked well against San Jose because they roasted them on the power play.  Against the Bruins, they just let themselves get slapped around.

 

I'm mostly with you when it comes to having predominantly positive memories of the 2011 run.  It was a great time and a fantastic showing overall.  But the showing for game 7 in 2011 was a night and day different from 1994.

I think if they had won (and the league hadn't dropped the ball) everyone would have been talking about how disciplined the Canucks were.  "See they didn't get caught up in the stuff after the whistle and take bad retaliatory penalties"  I've heard that kind of thing so many times throughout my life.

I still think the Sedins played the way they were supposed to play. 

We shouldn't make excuses for the league.  No reason to blame the victim of a crime.

[-DLC-]

People REALLY put Henrik under the microscope but let's just see what he was up against in a league that wasn't always as "fair" as it likely should have been.  If you ignore this it's convenient.  You don't realize that the Canucks HAD to tread lightly but they certainly did.  Dad was overseeing things.  Yes, pure emotion sometimes takes over in those who do erupt/disregard all else.  But Hank and Danny were unselfish enough to NOT want to put their team in a position to lose them.  Without them?  Doubt this team goes anywhere.

Daddy's boy won the cup before he ducked out the back door.  Surprise!

Quote

On November 15, 2010, TSN and various other media outlets reported on a string of emails from Colin Campbell.^[7] The email correspondence became a matter of public record in the wrongful dismissal case of referee Dean Warren against the NHL and the emails were entered into evidence in the case, although specific references to names and dates were blacked out. In these emails, Campbell calls Boston Bruins centre Marc Savard a "little fake artist" after Warren assessed Colin Campbell's son, Gregory Campbell, a high-sticking minor on Savard and sending further emails to director of officiating Stephen Walkom complaining about the work of referees who gave Gregory a late-game penalty that resulted in a tying goal.^[7] In a follow-up interview with TSN, Colin Campbell admitted "it (the email content) was inappropriate. But no one told me or maybe told you five years ago that you can take your emails and read them all.".^[8] Despite the controversy and the admission of inappropriate content and accusations of bias, the NHL posted a strong backing of Campbell on their website and he continued in his role as the Senior Vice President until stepping down on June 1, 2011

 

[Kevin Biestra]

15 minutes ago, debluvscanucks said:

Did Tiger produce points like Henrik?  Different eras, different deals.

 

"The 2011 Canucks were a team that was wiling to take crap".  Not sure "willing" as much as "had to" because we always had the book thrown at us.  And it was costly.  It was lopsided and should have never been.

 

Bat a puck out of the air and we got a game.  

 

The Bertuzzi deal really handcuffed the Canucks moving forward.  We were to get away with nothing and that stuff lingered.  Don't blame the players, blame the game.

 

Henrik and Daniel engaged in some tough battles and I hate that some pick and choose those pictures.

 

Yes, Tiger actually did, you could argue.  He scored more goals in his career than Henrik Sedin did, in far fewer games, and his best season had more goals than Henrik's best.

 

As to the 2011 final, I blame the officiating largely.  But the team is also to blame.  The game 7 effort was not something to be proud of.  I won't pretend that it was.

 

As to the photographs...  Well, one could also pick Sedin getting his face slapped around for 15 seconds by Marchand with no consequences.  Henrik and Daniel worked hard to hang onto the puck and not have it taken off them in the corners, etc.  But they also let their faces get slapped like a speedbag in the Stanley Cup final.  It's not like one couldn't find pictures of Henrik and Daniel looking determined and gritty...but at the same time why should pictures of them getting pushed around be disallowed?  We both know that's exactly what happened and that it was the theme of the final.  One isn't making fake news if they choose pictures that represent the theme of the whole series.  You yourself are complaining about the Bruins getting away with infractions and no consequences, so how is it cherry picking to show the very thing you're complaining about?

 

 

 

Edited April 20, 2020 by Kevin Biestra

[-DLC-]

10 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

Yes, Tiger actually did, you could argue. 

 

 

 

 

You really CAN'T argue it but I'd love to hear the math/formula you've used that's clearly slanted in a way that fits your ideas.  

 

And the fact that Hank spent entire seasons, back to back, without missing a game?   You have to be tough to endure the kind of "attention" that he got.  There are different forms of toughness and not all are IN YOUR FACE brashness but it doesn't mean these guys were "lesser".  

I hate people who don't give the Sedins the respect they deserve/earned.

[Kevin Biestra]

2 minutes ago, debluvscanucks said:

 

 

 

 

You really CAN'T argue it, and I don't even care to hear you try because your formulas/math are clearly slanted in a way that fits your ideas.  But good try?

 

You don't care to hear MY attempt?  You are the one that just took a single sentence out of context in a paragraph I wrote about Tiger's goals vs. Henrik's.  And even still you posted a chart that supports what I said about goals in a season.

 

My math and formulae are slanted?!?  I didn't even use math.  I pointed to two totals: career goals and goals in a season, and my claims are both true and supported by the simple number.  Jeez, how hot button are you about anybody questioning anything about Henrik Sedin?

Edited April 20, 2020 by Kevin Biestra

[-DLC-]

2 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

You don't care to hear MY attempt?  You are the one that just took a single sentence out of context in a paragraph I wrote about Tiger's goals vs. Henrik's.  And even still you posted a chart that supports what I said about goals in a season.

Can you please just directly answer the question.  How is it that "Tiger did produce points like Hank"?  It's a simple explanation without deflection that I'm after.  Deflection will speak volumes though.

 

(I'd already changed my "don't want to hear it" to "do want to" before you posted.  Because I'm quite interested in how you've concluded this)

[-DLC-]

And I fail to see where, other than slamming the Sedins even further, you've put anything here that demonstrates and supports "Tiger's MORE goals than Henrik's".  Not a word about Tiger but yes, you did write a paragraph.  One season is cherry picking.

 

Anyhow, you don't have to acknowledge the Sedins in a respectful, appreciative way but most do. So it's ok, they'll be fine without your support.  Won't change who they are even if they weren't rock 'em sock 'em.  They will go down as two of the NHL's best.

 

Quote

Yes, Tiger actually did, you could argue.  He scored more goals in his career than Henrik Sedin did, in far fewer games, and his best season had more goals than Henrik's best.

 

As to the 2011 final, I blame the officiating largely.  But the team is also to blame.  The game 7 effort was not something to be proud of.  I won't pretend that it was.

 

As to the photographs...  Well, one could also pick Sedin getting his face slapped around for 15 seconds by Marchand with no consequences.  Henrik and Daniel worked hard to hang onto the puck and not have it taken off them in the corners, etc.  But they also let their faces get slapped like a speedbag in the Stanley Cup final.  It's not like one couldn't find pictures of Henrik and Daniel looking determined and gritty...but at the same time why should pictures of them getting pushed around be disallowed?  We both know that's exactly what happened and that it was the theme of the final.  One isn't making fake news if they choose pictures that represent that theme of the whole series.  You yourself are complaining about the Bruins getting away with infractions and no consequences, so how is it cherry picking to show the very thing you're complaining about?

 

[Kevin Biestra]

1 minute ago, debluvscanucks said:

And I fail to see where, other than slamming the Sedins even further, you've put anything here that demonstrates and supports "Tiger's goals vs Henrik's".  Not a word about Tiger but yes, you did write a paragraph.

 

I don't get it.  I state in my reply that you quoted that Tiger scored more goals in a season and in his career than Henrik.  What more do I need to do to support that?  If it was false, you would have dug it up and posted it by now.  We both know it is true.  The stats are out there.

 

You actually need demonstration?  You demonstrated the goals in a season claim yourself in the chart you posted yourself.

 

And saying that Tiger scored more goals isn't slamming the Sedins.  It's a factual claim about goals scored.  I'm not harping on you for "slamming Tiger Williams."

 

What do you want me to do, pretend Sedin DIDN'T let his face get slapped around by Marchand?  We all know it happened.  It's not slamming Sedin to actually acknowledge the event.  Trevor Linden got his ass kicked by Joel Otto.  Oh no, do I now need to be reprimanded for remembering an event in Linden's career?  We all know Linden wasn't a good fighter.  It's just a fact of his career.  Do we have to pretend things were otherwise?

[-DLC-]

6 minutes ago, Kevin Biestra said:

 

I don't get it.  I state in my reply that you quoted that Tiger scored more goals in a season and in his career than Henrik.  What more do I need to do to support that?  If it was false, you would have dug it up and posted it by now.  We both know it is true.  The stats are out there.

 

You actually need demonstration?  You demonstrated the goals in a season claim yourself in the chart you posted yourself.

 

And saying that Tiger scored more goals isn't slamming the Sedins.  It's a factual claim about goals scored.  I'm not harping on you for "slamming Tiger Williams."

 

What do you want me to do, pretend Sedin DIDN'T let his face get slapped around by Marchand?  We all know it happened.  It's not slamming Sedin to actually acknowledge the event.  Trevor Linden got his ass kicked by Joel Otto.  Oh no, do I now need to be reprimanded for remembering an event in Linden's career?  We all know Linden wasn't a good fighter.  It's just a fact of his career.  Do we have to pretend things were otherwise?

I'm not even reading "more of the same".  This is a thread to look back in admiration...not to resolve people's unresolved issues.  Mostly (likely) based in them watching from home and criticizing others for not doing it right.  Armchair tough only goes so far.

 

This isn't boxing or the MMA.  But some expect it to be.  It's hockey and the name of the game is to score and to win games and the Sedins were pretty good at that.  The rest is just player's attempts to get there by scratching and clawing but they (the Sedins) had great skill on their side and it wasn't their game.  Not everyone can play THEIR game and when they ran circles around teams, yes, they'd resort to goonery.  And my stance won't change that the Bruins had free passes to take it a little further with it going unnoticed.  Thomas, alone, got to hack and whack and Lu got trampled on.  But yeah, it had nothing to do with the Bruins having a Dad sitting in a high place.  Marchand STILL gets away with murder.

 

Had it been an even playing field I don't know that the big bad Bruins could have gathered momentum as they did.  Yes, the Canucks were shellshocked...happens.  Games get away.  Series get away.  But a bunch of goonery wasn't going to change things in our favour.  No way in hell.

 

Let's get back to "we knew we had something special", shall we?  That's the topic and the rest is just staying stuck.