Critically Canuck

Despite training camp being just around the corner and the weather having us thinking it’s November, these are still the dog days of summer when it comes to Canuck coverage.  So much so that both the Sun and Province today featured stories about Victor Oreskovich, the seeming throw-in in the Keith Ballard deal.

Of course, the word is that Oreskovich is much more than that, a player that was coveted by Mike Gillis.  His is an interesting story and again establishes that Gillis is prepared to think outside of the box when it comes to player development.  Typical pro player progression does not often accommodate those players who were late bloomers (physically or otherwise) or those who decided to drop out of the game in their seemingly formative years (as Oreskovich did despite being a 2nd round pick - to obtain a finance degree).  At 6’3” and 225 pounds, the 24 year old will certainly have a literal leg up on other up-and-coming players.

Which brings us to the question of where he will fit on his new team.  With Alexandre Burrows sidelined to start the season, you can likely pencil in Raffi Torres along with Mason Raymond, Ryan Kesler, the Sedins and Mikael Samuelsson to get top 6 minutes.  That leaves Oreskovich battling it out with the likes of Darcy Hordichuck, Rick Rypien, Manny Maholtra, Jannik Hansen, Tanner Glass, Alex Bolduc, Jeff Tambellini, Cody Hodgson and Jordan Schroeder.  And there could be others in that mix, too.  Remember last year when the unheralded Sergei Shirokov and Tanner Glass made the team to start the season.  The point, of course, is that there could be at least a dozen players vying for the bottom 6 forward spots. 

Oreskovich clearly has the size you’d like, but there’s nothing to indicate, at this point, that he’s got much offensive upside - as his 6 points in 50 NHL games last season, albeit on the 4th line, will attest.

So how will this story spin in another month with the regular season just around the corner?  At his age and size (and cap hit), we expect you’ll see him on the ice on opening night.

Today, “The Hockey News” (“THN”) released their ranking of the all-time top 10 Canuck players (thanks to valued reader Steve M. for the heads-up).  These listings are never without controversy and while it’s easy to quibble about placing, what’s most important is did they get the right 10?  Of course, “The Hockey News” are hockey experts, but they’re not really Vancouver Canuck experts.  Thankfully, we are.  Below we’ve listed their rankings with our predictably candid commentary.

10. Harold Snepsts- If you’ve been around here any length of time, you’ll know of our undying man crush love for Harold.  As such, you’ll get no arguments here.  For all you youngsters out there, Snepsts logged more games on defense than any other Canuck defender and was legendarily tough.  If he had played this past season, there would have been no pissing and moaning about what Dustin Byfuglien was up to.  And remarkably (though a truer measure of the Canucks’ ineptitude than anything else), he played in two NHL All-Star games.

9. Tony Tanti- We got to see this guy play every home game as an impressionable youth back in the day and while he was durable and a most dependable scorer, he played in the highest scoring era ever and got to play along side silky smooth Patrik Sundstrom.  On that basis, he wouldn’t make our top 10.  His ‘82 Camaro does though.

8. Kirk McLean- At this point, he’s the all-time franchise leader for many goaltending categories and until Roberto Luongo can come up with a lengthy (Stanley Cup Final) run of his own has every reason to be on this list.  Poor Kirk was never the same after Jeff Brown slept with his wife.  Or was it after McLean stole Bruce Allen’s wife?  Yes, before Tiger Woods, there was Kirk McLean.  And Jeff Brown.

7. Mattias Ohlund- As the all-time highest scoring defender, it’s hard to argue against his inclusion on this list.  Even more so when you combine that with his feared hitting ability.  We will quibble about him being more highly ranked than Snepsts though.

6. Stan Smyl- It’s no surprise that “Steamer” is on this list as the first Canuck to have his jersey hung from the rafters.  Some would argue that he should be ranked higher based on his heart and soul contributions, but his offensive numbers are likely inflated due to the high scoring era in which he played. 

5. Markus Naslund- As the third nominee for roster retirement and all-time leading scorer, this one is a no-brainer.  Given his lack of playoff success, we are okay with him being ranked in the middle of the top 10.

4. Daniel Sedin - It’s hard to believe that Henrik and Daniel now rank 6th and 7th respectively in all-time games played and 4th and 6th respectively in points.  On this basis, it’s hard to argue their inclusion in the top 10, but without any significant playoff success, this ranking seems a little high.

3. Trevor Linden - Johnny Canuck.  A class act.  And often overlooked as one of the best clutch players of his generation.

2. Henrik Sedin - See Daniel.

1. Pavel Bure- Duh.  You know our thoughts on the Rocket, probably ad nauseam.   This selection again reinforces the idiocy of his exclusion from the retired jersey club.  Seriously, if an objective hockey expert from “The Hockey News” sees fit to name him as the greatest Canuck ever, why can’t the damn franchise do the same?

So it seems we are generally happy with THN’s top 10 (seeding aside) save the Tony Tanti selection.  It’s hard to imagine a top 10 list that doesn’t include Thomas Gradin, who after Pavel Bure and perhaps the Sedins was the most skilled player ever to play for this sorry squad.  If not Gradin, then original Canuck Andre Boudrias deserves more consideration than Tanti.  During the Canucks’ first run at respectability in the mid 70’s he was their leading scorer.  Another possible replacement for Tanti could be defensemen Doug Lidster, who was shipped out of town just before the ‘94 Cup run (luckily for him to the Cup winning Rangers), but was the best defensemen on the team for the decade leading up to that point.

Some are whining about no Todd Bertuzzi.  Really?  This is top 10 Canucks, not top 10 Malcontents.  Bertuzzi could have been top of this list if he’d embraced the opportunity to be the best power forward of his generation instead of sulking and complaining all the while getting paid a kings’ ransom to play a kids’ game.  And some old schoolers will complain that the exclusion of Richard Brodeur is unforgivable.  But objectively speaking, aside from the famed ‘82 Cup run and his lovable persona, his numbers weren’t that good.  He does host a fine golf tournament though.

We look forward to your takes on this.  Who do you think should be in and out?

Back on April 16, we offered up our opinion that Willie Mitchell had played his last game in a Canuck uniform.  Today, it was confirmed as Willie accepted a 2 year deal at $3.5 million per from the Los Angeles Kings.

Make no mistake (despite what you might have heard) Mitchell’s fate in Vancouver was sealed long ago.  Long before he got hurt.  As a pending free agent, Willie was looking at a significant raise before the dirty hit from Evgeni Malkin.  Had the Canucks wanted him as part of their future, they could have locked him up before last season started.  They chose not to.  And why not, Willie and his big stick were reasonably effective, but essentially one dimensional and past prime. 

As much as his injury hurt the Canucks’ fortunes this past season, it opened the possibility that they might be able to resign him as damaged goods with a further hometown discount.  But his surprisingly quick summer recovery changed all that.

Credit goes to Willie and his agent for their dog and pony show that convinced a number of quality teams that he’s ready to play.  So long for now, Willie.  We’ll be seeing plenty of you this season.

Word is that the Canucks have inked gritty winger Raffi Torres to a one year one million dollar deal.  At CC, like most, we have commented on the need for just this type of player.  Torres is tough, can score and has some decent playoff experience.  In theory, he could slot in on any of the Canucks’ top 3 lines.  Though at this price and this term, there must be baggage.  Despite scoring 19 goals last season in just 74 games between stops in Columbus and Buffalo, he was scratched twice by coach Lindy Ruff during last year’s playoffs - a perplexing move given Torres’ renowned grit and character.

At any rate, he seems to be just the kind of player that coach Alain Vigneault loves, and, at worst, will seemingly replace the lost 3rd line grit of lead footed Steve Bernier.  This move has the potential to work out in similar fashion to the Anson Carter pick up a few years back - a player, seemingly down on his luck, but with a decent track record, at a bargain price.  Indeed, with Alex Burrows on the shelf until at least November, Torres could remarkably find himself alongside the twins and perhaps that was motivation enough for him to accept a one year deal for what amounts to chump change.  Unlike the $2.5 million per season commitment to Manny Maholtra for 3 years, there seems to be little down side with this move.

The Canucks, who were already over the salary cap limit for the coming season, are likely not done dealing.  However, with both Burrows and Sami Salo sidelined, we may not see any more significant player moves until they return from injury.

With that, we’re long overdue for another poll question.  Mike Gillis has been a busy boy this off-season.  He’s upgraded his defense without sacrificing his offense and has been able to add some size and grit to his collection of forwards.  Has he done enough?  We ask you, dear reader.

Now that we are officially 100 posts old, it’s time to celebrate with a little walk down memory lane to the darkest days of Canuck history. Enjoy the ride, but watch your back - the Moose is on the loose.

Three years removed from their brush with brilliance (the famed 1994 run to the Stanley Cup Final), by the summer of 1997 the Canucks had seemingly become perpetual underachievers, having not advanced beyond the 2nd round since ‘94 and missing the post season entirely in the spring of ‘97. Despite adding speed and skill with the likes of Alexander Mogilny, Markus Naslund and Russ Courtnall to an already deep group of forwards, the Canucks just couldn’t seem to gel. And after a 1996 summer dance that almost netted them Wayne Gretzky (save a poorly judged late night phone call ultimatum), the Canucks were determined once again to find the missing piece to the puzzle.

When it was announced that the Canucks had managed to lure Mark Messier away from New York (and his pal Gretzky), the delirious faithful were all but planning the parade route. After all, Messier was the “greatest leader in professional sports”. And despite being 36 years of age at the time, was only one season removed from a near 100 point season. And really, no one was expecting him to light it up, but only lead this skilled but possibly uninspired squad. And he was the best at that, right?

Upon arriving in Vancouver, Messier’s first move was a sign of things to come - an act that was light on leadership but heavy on ego. By 1997 the Canucks’ 27 year history was marred by mediocrity with a couple of heroic, some might say fluky, runs to the Stanley Cup Final every decade or so. This tradition, or lack thereof, was evidenced by the fact that only one jersey was hanging from the rafters (plumber Stan Smyl) and only one other was retired (Wayne Maki, a young skilled winger who died tragically from brain cancer while still on the active roster). Messier thought so little of this precious little tradition that he took it upon himself to contact the Maki family and request their permission to un-retire Maki’s #11. Placed in this most uncomfortable position, the family relented. And the Moose was only getting started.

Before the start of the much anticipated regular season, incumbent Canuck captain (and Johnny Canuck himself) Trevor Linden respectively gave up the captaincy to the legendary Messier. It wasn’t long before Linden regretted the move. As the dressing room camaraderie changed for the worst, the team struggled mightily from the get go and by early November had lost 10 straight games. This ineptitude cost President and GM Pat Quinn his job and shortly thereafter coach Tom Renney was also out. And in was Messier’s previous partner in crime, Mike Keenan.

At this point, the local faithful were completely stunned. Pat Quinn, after all, was the man that had finally brought respectability and stability to the franchise. The arrival of Messier was supposed to be the icing on the cake of the most successful chapter in franchise history, not the dawn of a new era. However, if we’d been able to distance ourselves from the furor, we’d have seen a pattern emerging.

Let’s flashback to Messier’s arrival in New York where the Rangers finished first overall in his first season with veteran coach Roger Nielson at the helm. In his second season in the Big Apple, a power struggle erupted between the two, with Messier leading a mutiny that remarkably left the Rangers out of the playoffs and Nielson out of a job. You all know who the replacement was. Yes, Iron Mike. And the result of course, too. That damn ‘94 Stanley Cup.

In Vancouver, as was his calling card, Keenan quickly began his mind games, particularly with Kirk McLean, who apparently did not impress Keenan with his fitness level. Despite suffering only one overtime loss in the first six games of the Keenan era and McLean stopping 92% of his shots during that period, he was yanked at the first sign of trouble in his seventh game, after allowing 2 goals on 9 shots. Seven starts and 3 Keenan hooks later, his days as the starting goalie were over, commencing Vancouver’s status as a goalie graveyard.

McLean along with heart and soul grinder Martin Gelinas (who played his best hockey here and never wanted to leave) were quickly dealt. And weeks later, Trevor Linden after being repeatedly shamed by Keenan was mercifully dealt, too.

With that the house cleaning was complete and a new era dawned. An era that featured horrid defensive play and inconsistent efforts from the offensive stars. Despite all the optimism of the pre-season, it became clear (at least to those watching) that the franchise was commencing on yet another rebuilding project. The logic of having this squad led by a washed up hall-of-famer eating up quality minutes was seemingly lost by those now in charge.

Throughout this period, the official word from the team and from players was what a fantastic leader Messier was and how much he was teaching the team. Future captain, Markus Naslund often credited Messier‘s influence. Via the media however, the Messier sound bites were pathetically laughable. To the loyal fan base, the charade was sickening and, in very short order, season ticket holders were leaving in droves.

As potentially crippling to the franchise as the Messier era was, it was blessedly brief. In reasonably short order, the ownership group would see the error of having given the keys of the car to the diabolical Keenan (and, perhaps, Messier), hiring Quinn apprentice Brian Burke to oversee the team. Burke after toying with Keenan briefly, inserted Marc Crawford. And within a year, the young team appeared poised to become a playoff contender once again. Of course, by the time the Canucks did make it back to the post-season, Messier, Moose size ego still intact, had retreated back to New York for a final three years of futility.

In the end, the Messier era in Vancouver can be looked upon in a manner of ways. Some will say it tragically marked the end of the most successful era in team history. Others will say it planted the seeds for future success (Linden became Bertuzzi and McCabe who became Luongo and one of the Sedins; the futility of the team in Messier’s second season got them the other Sedin). The truth, of course, is somewhere in the middle. Clearly, the team that Messier joined, despite having some great offensive talent, had a defensive core (McLean, Jyrki Lumme, Dana Murzyn, Dave Babych) that suddenly had their best days behind them. And of course, to credit Keenan and/or Messier for what Burke and Dave Nonis were ultimately able to do with future trades and draft picks is ludicrous.

Ultimately, Messier left a bad taste in the mouth of the Canucks’ faithful. Whether the quality of the supporting cast was overrated, he seemingly had his fingerprints all over the exits of many of the most popular Canucks ever. This could have all been forgiven had things worked out differently then or since. But with hockey in Vancouver, things always seem to work out the same…

With an “independent” arbitrator having ruled in the NHL’s favour regarding the rejection of the long term contract between the New Jersey Devils and this year’s most coveted free agent Ilya Kovalchuk, the word now is that the books are still open on other similar deals (including the Canucks’ contract with Roberto Luongo).

Clearly the contracts of Kovalchuk and Luongo and Chris Pronger and Marc Savard are all very similar.  But with all but Kovalchuk, the cat is already out of the proverbial bag.  How can these other deals possibly be rejected now?  Those teams have made other salary commitments on the basis of those particular contracts being good.  What happens if they are not?  Why are deals that were registered with the NHL over a year ago now suddenly circumventing the collective bargaining agreement?  Do these players get thrown back in the free agent pool like Kovalchuk?  So many questions and, as usual, so few answers.

We suppose that this should be no surprise in Gary Bettman’s NHL where seemingly arbitrary rulings are the norm whether it be determinations regarding player discipline or franchise relocations or now long term player contracts.

But think of the upside, if Roberto Luongo’s contract gets rejected, the Canucks can save some $ and pick up the defending Stanley Cup winning goalie for a third of the price.

Mike Gillis has announced that assistant coach Ryan Walter has been shown the door.  We have no insight as to why nor much knowledge of his replacement, Newell Brown.  Since the season ended, there has been rampant speculation that one of the coaching staff would be walking the plank.  And it looks like Walter has drawn the short straw.

We find this a curious call for a few reasons.  Gillis made it known that this was his decision.  We stand to be corrected on this, but you’d think that it would typically be up to the head coach to determine who gets to be his assistants.  So this seems to be another example of the unique relationship between Mike Gillis and Alain Vigneault.  A further curiosity here is that Ryan Walter was the most recent addition to the staff so you’d think would be deserving of a little more rope to strangle himself; particularly considering the ample yardage of hangman’s noose that Coach Vigneault has been extended.  Rick Bowness, in his 21 years of coaching (either as a head coach or assistant) has virtually nothing to show for it, despite a valid reputation as being one of the good guys.  Presumably Walter gets the blame for the lame penalty kill.  Though you’d think that the goalie coach ought to get all the blame for that (and he already has).   

In the immediacy, from a fan’s perspective, the most troubling element to this firing is that it opens the door for Walter to return to his broadcasting career.  His awkward grimacing was ungodly unpleasant, and only matched by his sunny but predictable colour commentary.