For the accidental kind, a rumor from the well-reasoned minds at HockeyBuzz.com who apparently have this notion about Jaromir Jagr for next season:
“...if Jagr is remaining in North America a few other teams including LA, Edmonton and Vancouver are rumoured to have interest as well.”
Nice, huh? That’s almost enough to incite a Mark Messier flashback and drop an innocent Canucks’ fan into the fetal position.
For a much more accurate (and awesome) assessment of how to improve the Canucks this summer, the Bleacher Report’s ‘Elbow Murderpants’ has a prescription for the future titled, “Vancouver Canucks: Their First Steps to Greatness!”
These are things the Canucks MUST do to even think about future success:
- Give up hope that Tony Tanti will somehow return to the line-up.
- Make a concerted effort to find NHL caliber players.
- Make an even bigger effort to find players that realize there is no invisible force-field at the opponent’s blue-line.
- Explain to the team that the Goaltender is the “LAST” line of defense, not the “ONLY” line of defense.
- Begin realization that although it’s quite polite to offer the better player in the draft to the teams behind you, it’s not necessarily the best thing for your franchise.
- Embrace the concept that you should always trade for a GOOD player.
- Be suspicious! If another team offers you one of their players for any Canuck (Except for Luongo) then it’s a good sign there’s something wrong with the player they are offering. Check for terminal cancer.
- Understand the word “TEAM” means you have to have more than one decent player.
- Take into account that if the puck goes in the net, it’s possible that 5 other players on the ice at the time may bear some responsibility.
- Throw away the team model that states every player on your team should remind you of Thomas Gradin.
- There’s no point protecting a player as a future prospect if they… how shall I put this? ...Ah, STINK?
It’s all about baby steps, Vancouver. Start with these and you may have a chance… in about 26 years.
Intended humor, yet that list almost isn’t funny… far too much truth there.
Dear god...just because the West Coast is a favourite retirement destination, doesn’t mean we need to extend that thinking into our hockey team.
Posted by Devin from Victoria on 05/20 at 01:09 PMAnd frankly I resent the implication that we’re waiting for Tony Tanti...clearly it’s Gary Lupul that would give us our much needed offensive punch.