Canucks & Beyond

Category: vancouver-canucks

Canucks Notes & News

by Alanah McGinley on 06/11/07 at 10:16 AM ET
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Lee Goren says goodbye to North America to learn Swedish:

Lee Goren is going to Sweden, but this has nothing to do with a European vacation.

Goren, a Winnipegger who spent much of the past three seasons playing for the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League, has signed a lucrative one-year deal with Skelleftea AIK of the Swedish Elite League.

“I’m not going over there to retire by any means,” Goren said in a telephone interview from his off-season cabin in Minnesota yesterday. “I feel like my best years are ahead of me. People say I can’t skate and it’s a skating game over there.

 

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Taylor Pyatt’s Canucks Life Continues

by Alanah McGinley on 06/01/07 at 01:10 PM ET
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From TSN:

CKNW radio in Vancouver reports that the Canucks and forward Taylor Pyatt have agreed on a a two-year deal worth over $3 million US.
Pyatt, 25, was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
The two sides talked earlier this season but were far apart with the Canucks reportedly offering $1.2 million per season and Pyatt looking for a three-year deal worth $1.5 million per year.

I said yesterday, make it $1.2 for three years. $1.5 for two is a reasonable option. Everyone’s happy.

And I couldn’t be more freakin’ bored with it all.  Next…!?!

 

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Canucks World Updates

by Alanah McGinley on 05/30/07 at 11:52 AM ET
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Some Vancouver Canucks news to feed on.

Taylor Pyatt Wants Some Legitimacy
From TSN yesterday:

It appears Taylor Pyatt and the Vancouver Canucks are getting closer.
According to CKNW radio in Vancouver, the Canucks have offered Pyatt a two-year deal with Pyatt’s agent saying it’s a “legitimate offer”.
Pyatt is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

Apparently MySpace wants 3 years at $1.5 million per, and the Canucks wanted to sign him up for $1.2 million.  My solution? $1.2 for three years.  Just make it happen.

Vancouver Still a Goalie Graveyard
From 100 Mile House Free Press:

Let’s say you’re Cory Schneider. It isn’t a stretch to say the last place you’d want to be is in the Vancouver Canucks’ organization.
That’s because Mr. Schneider is a goaltender, a top-rated puckstopper at that. The problem is, Schneider wants to be a starter, and we all know that job is taken in Vancouver.
This is where the plot thickens. Schneider understandably wants out, but of course he isn’t saying that. He is a highly-heralded 21-year-old just coming out of Boston College. He’s good enough to play for the good old Eew-Ess-Eh in international competition, but the fact is, Schneider has yet to stop a single puck as a pro.

Ah yes, Corey Schneider… the goalie with the misfortune of playing for the organization with the $6 Million Man. 

Corey’s future nickname: Could it be “Trade Bait”?

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Sportsnet Takes 47 and Goes HDTV

by Alanah McGinley on 05/25/07 at 02:22 PM ET
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The Canucks announced that they’re continuing their relationship with Sportsnet television through the next four seasons, giving the broadcaster 47 games for air this year.  The deal also means a commitment to HDTV to the Vancouver market, so I imagine a lot of people (those who can afford hi-definition televisions) are going to be well-pleased.  From the Canucks:

The team’s primary broadcaster since 1998, Sportsnet will televise 47 Canucks games exclusively in British Columbia and the Yukon during 2007-08. During the term of the agreement, high definition telecasts of the Canucks on Sportsnet will be introduced, increasing each year to a total of at least 95 HD telecasts over the next four seasons.

For all the things I don’t enjoy about Sportsnet on a regular basis (i.e. bright ideas like their handling of trade deadline day this season come to mind) I’ve largely been pleased with the network’s Canucks’ coverage. In addition to decent pre- and post-game coverage, shows like “Canucks This Week” are solid programming for the addicted Vancouver hockey fan.

However, one of the best parts of Sportsnet’s coverage comes down to the commentators, being Jim Hughson and John Garrett. Hughson is nothing short of excellent, and Garrett has grown on me considerably over the years as well, and I sincerely hope the network can lock them down for years to come. Otherwise I fear that one day CBC will swoop down and steal Hughson from us completely.

And then who would call the games on Sportsnet?  Considering a couple of the other hockey ‘experts’ on their payroll, it sort of frightens me to think about it.

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Ryan Kesler Sentenced to 3 Years

by Alanah McGinley on 05/24/07 at 03:00 PM ET
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...of hard time, scoring for the Canucks.  I’m SO pleased that Bobby “The Home Wrecker” Clarke wasn’t anywhere nearby when it happened—this deal is for almost exactly what I always said it should have been for:

The Vancouver Canucks have signed centre Ryan Kesler to a new three-year contract worth $5.25 million US, or an average of $1.75 per season, The Province has learned.

I’m telling you, I’m wasted in the blogging world. The Canucks should be BEGGING me to negotiate contracts for them.  I’d have had this done a year ago and long before Bobby screwed up the team’s salary cap last year.  Live and learn, Canucks. You have my phone number.

Although if he keeps up this recent habit of injurious self-destruction, the deal ain’t gonna look so good…  But I seriously doubt that will be the case; and regardless, he’s worth the risk.

Update 12:50pm PST:
From Grant Kerr a the Globe & Mail, these comments—

Kesler believes his offensive totals can increase dramatically next season if he’s used more in offensive situations, rather than just being cast as a role player on checking lines. [...]  Now that he has security, Kesler figures the goals will come because he’s healthy and doesn’t have to worry about his financial future.

I guess we’ll see, but I’m not too worried about it. He’s always had offensive upside and a 3-year contract gives us a pretty good chance of experiencing it for a good price. But if not, we can’t complain about locking down a guy who’s become such a steady, reliable checker and penalty killer.

Next up? We need to find someone who can score on the power-play against tight-checking teams… or even against minor league teams, frankly. I’ll take what I can get.

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Van/Man News

by Alanah McGinley on 05/14/07 at 12:11 PM ET
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While Vancouverites goes about their hockey-less lives, some Vancouver-related players are fighting their way through the second round of the playoffs for the AHL’s Calder Cup.  The Manitoba Moose are currently trailing the best-of-7 series 2-3, and are heading into game #6 tonight.  Exciting times in Manitoba, anyway.

In other Moose news, rumors about Brad Moran’s career are getting the Eurohockey.net overly excited:

 

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Self Pity and Hockey Hate

by Alanah McGinley on 05/08/07 at 01:22 PM ET
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A comment from Colin S. earlier today:

Hmm no new posts in a few days….

Has Alanah taken this loss a little harder than expected?
Has she hit the bottom of the bottle yet?
did she drink the worm?

These are the questions that I want answered

God.  You’d think after a lifetime of far worse moments, the death of the Canucks after a great season and a well-fought playoffs would be reasonably easy to cope with. Well, you would be wrong:  I still get intensely bitter and waaaaaaaay too emotionally involved on behalf of this team.  It really does take a few days to shake the violent hatred from my heart (and watching Hasek win the Wings series for them didn’t help that much) but I think I’m ready to come out of my cave.

Also, getting this photo in my email from a reader cheered me up considerably this morning. Sometimes it’s the little things that mean so much…

Back in action tomorrow with Deep Thoughts on the Conference Finals.  Well, not that deep. But perhaps I’ll reveal some disturbing new reasons why small children and old ladies should steer clear of Dominik Hasek.

Stay tuned.

_____________________
*Photo by David Guralnick at The Detroit News

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Congratulations, Duck Fans

by Alanah McGinley on 05/04/07 at 02:10 PM ET
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I’m going to keep this brief in an effort to avoid being a sore loser.  I’m not a sore loser, really… just a Canucks’ fan with a bitter hatred of hockey at the moment.  This shall pass, as it always does.  The Ducks earned that series and I wish them well.

I’ll confess to being fond of that team before we faced them in this playoff round. I love scrappy hockey players and I’m a huge fan of Brian Burke.  (Plus the mere fact that Edmonton hates Pronger so much sort of compels me to like him).  So I didn’t go into that series with my usual bitterness, though I did manage to summon enough hockey-hate to get by.

But now they’ve kicked us out.

So here is the tricky part.  I usually dream of horrible, unpleasant things happening to teams that knock the Canucks out of the playoffs, as evidenced by the special places of hatred in my heart for the Avalanche, the Wings, the Wild, and so on. But not this time. 

I won’t go so far as to say I’m going to be cheering for the Ducks, but I won’t pray for a comet to slam into their home arena and incinerate them, either.

Perhaps this is a sign I’m “maturing”? Not really.  I still wouldn’t mind them all getting food poisoning… I’m just holding off actually wanting to attend their funerals.

Yes, that’s mature enough for now. Good luck, Anaheim Ducks.

Hockey coverage will continue here, year round as always. Just give me a day or two to shake the bitterness. And for those of you who won’t be back till October, I’ll hope to see you then…

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Game #5 Vancouver vs Anaheim

by Alanah McGinley on 05/03/07 at 04:25 PM ET
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I had a chance—with Paul Kukla—to interview Jim Hughson early this afternoon.  He’s been doing the play-by-play duty for CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, covering our Vancouver Canucks during these playoffs, and was nice enough to speak to us briefly immediately after the pre-game skate today, from sunny Anaheim.

P.S. He says that Luongo is in a “surly, surly mood today.”  Guy doesn’t like losing, as we know. (I figure it’s a good sign!)  You can download the audio file here, or play it on the video player below. 

Game Day Updates

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We Win in 7—Then and Now

by Alanah McGinley on 05/03/07 at 02:00 PM ET
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On Tuesday night, Dev won the “prize” for the best freaked-out comment from the game thread. His prize/penance was to write Canucks’ fans a few words of encouragement as Vancouver faces Anaheim in tonight’s must-win game.  Good sport that he is, Dev dug deep and found inspiration for us by flashing back to the past, to predict the future.

I’ll put up some game notes later, but I loved Dev’s contribution to start the day.

By Devin S.

Ok…so I’ve started drinking early in preparation for tonight’s game.  And I still find words that restore my faith in the hockey gods hard to find….so instead, I’ll just write the result of game 7 on May 8th and maybe some special voodoo will make it a reality.

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