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 
March 10, 2011
The World According to Wellwood

In the mind of ex-Canuck Kyle Wellwood, his former teammates still have some hurdles to overcome before ascending to a championship calibre level.  In a revealing column in today’s Globe and Mail, Matt Sekeres provided a peek into the mind of the spurned Wellwood and his take on the playoff fate of the NHL’s top team.

Yes, the diminutive Wellwood, always refreshingly candid, is not off base with his assessment of the Canucks’ two successive playoff failures.  As noted here often, the Canucks’ exits were more attributable to self destruction than they were to a dominating performance by the Chicago Black Hawks.

And this perspective is seemingly shared by both Ryan Kesler and Henrik Sedin if you believe the Sekeres piece.  But that’s where the agreeing with Wellwood ends.  In the mind of Wellwood, this team will continue to fail come playoff time for a few more seasons where the locals are more afraid to make mistakes than anything else.  Yes, there is tremendous pressure in this market, but this team is different so say the on-ice leaders of this year’s Canuck edition.

But in the mind of Wellwood, who is no doubt still stinging from the Canucks’ refusal to re-sign him despite his solid playoff play, the Canucks still have lessons to learn.  Lessons that he maintains his new team, the notorious choke artists also known as the San Jose Sharks, have learned. 

As our readers know, we were Kyle Wellwood backers when he was here.  His so-so regular season performances aside, he managed to raise his game come playoff time, something that the rest of his more esteemed mates failed to do.  Despite this, the Canucks wanted a third line that was tougher to play against - a goal they have certainly achieved to date and a direction that is difficult to question at this point.

So while this little appraisal of his ex-mates may be honest, it’s not really rational and more likely an emotional response than anything.  Wee Wellwood maintains that he’s happy in San Jose with a team that has learned its lessons from its many playoff failures. 

But are we really to believe that a Shark team led by Surfer Joe Thornton and the malingering Dany Heatley are about to morph into Stanley Cup playoff warriors?  Does Antii Niemi really have the good fortune to ride passenger on another Stanley Cup winner?

Of course, the proof will be in the proverbial playoff pudding as to which of these playoff underachievers is ready to take a step forward to the ultimate prize.  At any rate, a playoff encounter between the two would provide no shortage of choice sound bites from the perpetually intriguing Wellwoodian one…

4:09pm
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(Notes: 4)
  
Filed under: Vancouver Canucks San Jose Sharks Kyle Wellwood Matt Sekeres Ryan Kesler Henrik Sedin 
January 19, 2011
Canucks vs. Sharks - Manny vs. Welly

An interesting sidebar to the Canucks’ next game, a home match against the oft disappointing San Jose Sharks, could well be a comparison of last year’s Vancouver third line centre with this season’s version.

You, of course, will recall Kyle Wellwood, who was so popular around here after last season’s playoffs that our completely unbiased poll results showed him as the only incumbent unrestricted free agent that the Canucks ought to retain.  In the end, despite Wellwoody having led all Canuck forwards in ice time by the close of the playoffs, Mike Gillis decided it was time to take his third line in a new direction.

So in came Manny Malhotra, initially renowned for being yet another New York Ranger 1st round pick flub but now known as face-off whiz extraordinaire.  And at 6’2”, 220 lbs he was clearly a size improvement over the wee Wellwood, the leader of a third line that was responsible defensively but by no means tough to play against. 

And while each have remarkably different skill sets; Malhotra, the face-off winning, penalty killing speedster versus Wellwood, the dimunitive hockey nerd with hands of butter and a belly to match, it’s difficult to not want to compare the two.

Especially with the latest development in Wellwood’s bizarre odyssey of a hockey career.

After getting released from a tryout contract with the Phoenix Coyotes, everyone’s favourite dough boy found himself playing in the KHL.  And a after a handful of games and a coaching change, he found his abundant ass comfortably stapled to the bench.

Last week, it was revealed that the St. Louis Blues had rescued Wellwood from hockey purgatory by agreeing to a one year deal.  As always, in Wellwood’s world, there was a catch.  He had to clear waivers first.  And he didn’t.

So Welly finds his way to San Jose just in time for a rematch with his former mates and Manny Malhotra, the man who took his job and the man who is starting to feel the heat from the burden of the heavy riches handed to him by Mike Gillis. 

Bizarrely, the perennial underachieving Malhotra was offered a three year, $2.5 million per contract that could have got the Canucks three Kyle Wellwood’s, or at least two serviceable NHL centres. 

After 46 games, Malhotra has been pretty much as advertised - a face-off expert, and strong penalty killer with a good work ethic but an inconsistent point producer and player who does not play to his physical dimensions as often as you’d expect.

Something else that is particularly odd about contrasting the two players is their playoff results.  In 24 playoff games, Manny has compiled 2 goals, 0 assists and a minus 2 rating, despite seeing over 15 minutes of ice-time per night.  Wellwood?  22 games, 3 goals, 10 assists, minus 2 with identical ice time.  This is arguably a limited sample size, but a shockingly different result.  And as everyone knows, the Canucks are not looking for players to get them in the playoffs, but for those who can elevate their play at that time. 

In the end, we don’t disagree with Gillis’ desire to reshape his third line.  But we commented at the time that the money being thrown to Malhotra didn’t make much sense.  And that has been proven this season.  Wellwood, by the way, has a one year deal that pays him $650K this season - barely above the league minimum.  It’s also worth noting that he’s surprisingly 3 years younger than Manny, the one trick pony.

And in the end, this offering to Malhotra has hamstrung the team from having a real NHL centre on the fourth line (you’ll recall the Canucks lack of cap space allowed Brendan Morrison to walk to the Calgary Flames).

To be fair to Gillis though, we suspect it was his plan to have Cody Hodgson play full time at the NHL level at some point this season (though given his injury history that was a questionable plan) and in time (perhaps not this year, but next) inherit the third line duties with Maholtra demoted to fourth line and penalty kill status. 

When it comes to Thursday’s encounter, we’ll be backing our Canucks, but we’ll still be hoping that Wellwood sticks it to his former team.  Everybody loves an underdog.   

9:55am
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(Notes: 5)
  
Filed under: Vancouver Canucks Manny Malhotra Kyle Wellwood Mike Gillis 
June 30, 2010
Free Agent Frenzy?

Most hockey fans anxiously await July 1st.  Not because it’s Canada Day, but because it’s the official start of the summer free agent market.  For many teams, this represents an opportunity to drastically change their fortunes.  We, for one, will not be glued to the tube or on-line streaming coverage.  We just don’t see this as a bumper crop.  All that said, we’d like to offer up a little food for thought…

There has been talk of the Canucks’ interest in Dan Hamhuis.  We’re just not sure how he fits with the Keith Ballard pick-up unless there is a taker for Kevin Bieksa (and we can’t imagine why there would be).  And if Hamhuis was considered signable, why not have traded for his rights for a 3rd round pick rather than 3 first rounders for Ballard?  While it’s nice to have defensive depth, it’s not clear how any team can afford to have six defenders each making over $3 million per.

When the Canuck season ended, we ran a little poll here asking for your input about which of the Canuck UFA’s should be retained.  The most popular selection was Kyle Wellwood.  And why not.  Somehow he had morphed into our number one centre by the season’s final game (if ice time is any indication).  But there has been little mention of Wellwood recently and the Canucks clearly can’t count entirely on Cody Hodgson’s wonky back to carry the 3rd line centre responsibility.  So if Wellwood is gone (and we’re not proposing he should be, but if he is), why not consider Mike Modano?  Many would balk at this move given his age.  But what this team needs most is some veteran leadership.  Hasn’t he captained a Cup winner?  No matter his age, he’s got more foot speed than Kyle Wellwood.  Looking at the other potential free agent forwards out there, you won’t find another with near this kind of winning pedigree…

Enjoy your Canada Day, Critically Canuck will be spending our day, in typically Canadian fashion, in the great outdoors far away from 21st century technology so you’ll have to wait until the weekend for more of the good stuff from us…

10:31am
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(Notes: 1)
  
Filed under: vancouver canucks kyle wellwood dan hamhuis mike modano 
June 3, 2010

Anonymous asked: do you own any canucks jerseys?

We’re not much for fashion at CC, but we do confess to a small collection of Canuck attire.  Our favourite is a vintage autographed Harold Snepsts jersey.  There’s a Kyle Wellwood jersey that was benched for most of the season, until he found his game late.  There’s the Martin Gelinas jersey (the Orca Bay era logo) that used to get lots of play back in the day.  The autographed Trevor Linden jersey is a recent edition (thanks, Pete) and will be saved for something real special.  And an original stick-in-the-rink logo home white with number 26 - we have no idea why.  And there’s one more, but it’s not really a Canuck jersey - it’s a game worn Philly Flyer jersey worn by none other than Donald Brashear - that gets lots of action these days.  This jersey is dear to our hearts since we outbid cocky Matt Cooke at a silent auction to get it.  That’s if you call paying $150 for an autographed game worn jersey “outbidding”.  Poor Donald gets no respect.  And to no one’s surprise, Matt Cooke is a cheap f*cker.

9:56pm
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(Notes: 2)
  
Filed under: harold snepsts kyle wellwood martin gelinas trevor linden donald brashear vancouver canucks matt cooke 
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