April 13, 2011
We’re One, Canucks are Number One

Here at Critically Canuck, we are officially one year old.  And after nearly 200 posts, our legion of followers continues to grow.  Thank you for your support and keep checking this space for riveting playoff commentary unsurpassed by the drivel you will find in the mainstream media.

On a related and not-so-newsworthy note, the Canucks are number one.  We say that now one final time because once the puck drops tonight, we’ll have to wait until mid June before we can say it again.  Yes, we are as cocksure as we are modest.

We present some tidbits to mull over before the real season begins tonight:

  • Let’s take one more opporutnity to celebrate the brotherly brilliance of the Sedins.  Yes, they have become the first sibling combination to each lead the league in scoring.  But more remarkably, they join the likes of Lemieux/Jagr, Orr/Esposito, Geoffrion/Beliveau, Hull/Mikita and Howe/Lindsay as the only teammates to lead the league in scoring in back-to-back seasons.  All of those names are hall-of-famers (though technically Jagr is not yet in) and Stanley Cup winners.  Despite their dominance, in this market, they still wallow in the shadow of so many others.
  • Ryan Johnson, reknowned shot blocker with the hands of granite, has joined ex-Canuck Kyle Wellwood in proclaiming that the Canucks are not yet ready for post season success.  Only time will tell if they are right, but at this point it sounds more like the words of bitter exiles who are lucky to still have NHL jobs.
  • The decision to dress Cody Hodgson as the third line centre is a real head scratcher.  We say it is about time that Hodgson got some prime time play.  But after only 8 games under his NHL belt (and all on the 4th line), we have to question the timing, particularly with all the opportunity there was to test his worth in the final meaningless weeks of the season.
  • Sports Illustrated released their playoff predictions last week (under the headline of “Vancouver Has the Best Damn Pests in the West”) and have predicted the Canucks will reach the Stanley Cup Final only to lose to the Flyers.  Arguably the biggest reason for the Canucks dominance this year was their commitment to clean and determined play backed by the best special teams in the league - it had nothing to do with their “pests”.  And really, the Flyers will prevail in a 7 game series against Vancouver?  With their plodding defense and untested goaltending?  Last we recall, they got beat down 7-1 by the Canucks who were not the least bit intimidated by the Flyers’ typical antics.  Just goes to show you that the esteemed SI will allow any hack to write their hockey pieces.  Where do we apply?
  • In related news, noted hockey prognosticator Christy Clark has predicted a Stanley Cup for the local team.  Is there anything the perpetually perky Chrispy does not know?  At least she had the good sense to defer on proclaiming a province-wide “Canuck Day” unlike the civic politicians (we’re looking at you, Gregor Robertson) who have rolled out two such days in less than the last year.

And that is the end of today’s levity, check back tomorrow for the serious business.

9:14am
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(Notes: 1)
  
Filed under: Vancouver Canucks Sports Illustrated Christy Clark Ryan Johnson Kyle Wellwood 
May 17, 2010
Should He Stay or Should He Go?

The Canucks have a number of pending free agents; 5 of the restricted variety and 5 that are unrestricted.  We expect that most, if not all, of the restricted guys will be back (even everyone’s favourite party boy, SOB).  As for the unrestricted guys, who knows?  With that our next poll question (anyone that picks Pavol Demitra is banned):

9:09pm
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Filed under: canucks kyle wellwood pavol demitra willie mitchell andrew raycroft ryan johnson 
April 29, 2010
Ryan Johnson, the Missing Link…

No, this is not another story heralding the return of the oft-injured fourth liner and the impact he’ll have on our woeful penalty kill.  Frankly, forwards who play 10 minutes per night and are 82 games between goals, are NOT difference makers. 

Make no mistake, we like Ryan.  He works hard and skates well.  He understands that he has hands of stone.  Not being a tough guy, he’s opted to carve out a career for himself as a renowned shot blocker.  Crazy, but cagey.  But let’s not overstate his value to the team.  Since he’s been here, he’s missed more games to injury than the ridiculously unfortunate and much maligned Sami Salo.  During his two years here, the Canucks penalty kill has been middle of the pack at best.

His return will help, but not in any significant way.  Our penalty kill sucked in the first round for 2 reasons.  Firstly, and most importantly, the Kings got lucky.  Really.  How else do you explain them getting dominated at 5 and 5 and yet be completely controlling on the power play?  It was mostly a statistical aberration.  The Canucks could have pulled their goalie for the extra attacker and opted to pressure the Kings in their own end and had more success.  Secondly, your greatest penalty killer is your goalie.  Yes, it’s a hockey cliche.  But it’s not tired and old.  It’s completely true.  The last time the Canucks penalty killing was top of the league was during Luongo’s brilliant first season here four years ago when Ryan Johnson was toiling in St. Louis.  As Luongo got better in the last series, so did the penalty kill.

Our penalty killing will be better against Chicago.  No matter who is in the line-up.  Statistically speaking, it can’t get any worse…

4:21pm
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Filed under: ryan johnson luongo canucks nhl playoffs