Hey!  Love the site!  I was just gonna tell you, when you write new blog posts, go over to BeTheRef.com and post a link to your story, and hopefully get a few extra readers for your blog.  Take care and keep up the great work!

Posted by Justin from Alabama on 07/04/07 at 07:25 PM ET

Yea I really hope this isn’t true cause morrison is looking like a bargain right now.

I dont think there was a 20 goals scorer that didnt pull in 4 million in this “free agent frenzy”

Like come on, we had ppl crying about Nazzy contract imagine outcry after Elias puts up another medicocre season as he will in a defensive system. Like he’s done over and over again in NJ.

I’m not even going to start on Ohlund’s value to this team

Ditto

Posted by Tyler from Langley on 07/04/07 at 08:00 PM ET

I am hearing reports from mediocer sources that word has come out of new jersey saying that lou is interested to land ohlund but not morrison because of the issue they had 6 yrs ago and thats why morrisson is here right now. ohlund, and draft picks are going to be headed to nj for elias, i am also hearing that the canucks are getting too close to the situation and might land this deal as early as next week

Posted by kodboy from coquitlam on 07/04/07 at 08:29 PM ET

I was going to give a little truth out there that dave nonis is really interested in the new jersey deal and ohlund is going to be traded along with corey schneider to nj in exchange for elias and eric rasmussen or draft picks.
May be down as early as tomorrow afternoon (e3)

Posted by hockeybuzzofficial from philadelphia on 07/04/07 at 08:32 PM ET

Justin - Thanks for the love! I’ll be sure to check out your site.

Tyler - Thank you for agreeing with me. I love it when hockey fans agree with me!

Kodboy - You nailed the issue right on the head: their history dictates that Lou would not be easily interested in Morrison.  He ditched the kid a few years ago, and (must I remind the world?) Lamoriello is a hard-ass.  If he were to take Morrison back into the fold, it would ONLY be if he was screwing the Canucks in a MAJOR way. (Oh, yeah… I forgot: if he gets Ohlund in the deal, that qualifies as “screwing the Canucks in a MAJOR way.")

Godalmighty, this deal would be dumb for Vancouver.

Hockeybuzzofficial - Are you suggesting ("truth out there") that Morrison (?), Ohlund, and Schneider might go to NJ for Elias, Rasmussen and/or draft picks?

Sweet Jesus. Kill me now.

Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 07/04/07 at 09:35 PM ET

Elias and Rasmussen for Morrison Ohlund and a pick looks good to me!

Why are people over rating Morrison? His salary has to go!  Ohlund leaving will depend on how contract negotiations for an extension go. If they are far apart, then *#$%@& him, he can leave too.

Nonis needs some cap space soon. He’s running out. But I still don’t expect him to do much more than sign some cheap players, or maybe flog Ohlund for a better-than average center.
If he doesn’t do that, he’ll sit and wait until the desperate players come to Vancouver and sign for less.

Posted by Zanstorm from Smithers on 07/04/07 at 10:42 PM ET

What, exactly, are the Canucks going to do with ~another~ left handed shot (Elias), and who would center him?  Kesler?  I like Elias a lot, no question, but I just don’t see how he fits on this team, unless Nonis is looking to next year, thinking he can sign a top centremen to play with Elias after Naslund’s contract is up.

I’d be surprised if Nonis pulls the trigger on this one.

Posted by Mike from Victoria on 07/05/07 at 03:10 AM ET

absolutely agree with you alanah, this would be a stupid move to make. better to sit tight with the team we have, and wait until next summer to make big moves. but, judging from (1) nonis not walking around in a jacket tied up at the back and (2) this rumour gaining the hockeybuzz seal of approval, i somehow don’t think anything’s going to happen here. touch wood…

Posted by fredster on 07/05/07 at 08:56 AM ET

The kicker to that deal was the addition of a first round pick.

NONIS IS PATIENT!!!!

I have to trust that he wouldn’t do something stupid here.

Posted by The Chief Canuck from Vancouver, BC on 07/05/07 at 02:45 PM ET

Uhm, Alanah, note that Mr. Hockeybuzz didn’t say Ohlund, Schneider AND Morrison—just the first two. If we keep Morrison (which we should, I doubt Lamoriello wants him back after the fiasco a few years ago), that deal looks much better to me.

Not that I would give much credence to HB rumours, mind you. A couple of days ago we were doing some kind of deal with NYI.. nothing since then either. His batting average on rumours is pretty low unless TSN’s already announced it (e5).

Rasmussen looks relatively useless to us, considering we already have about 17 guys who can play on the 3rd and 4th lines.

-n

Posted by nick from vancouver, bc on 07/05/07 at 06:44 PM ET

Zanstorm -- Sure, we could use the cap-space of Morrison’s salary. But the Elias salary is DOUBLE Morrison’s. And if you throw Ohlund in there, well, then you’re giving up two guys for one (*forget Rasmussen, please).  And how do you replace Ohlund with the spare nickels? You can’t.

I don’t get the logic. 

Mike -- I agree. If Naslund could be a factor in such a trade (which unfortunately he can’t be) it would be a different story. But as things are, it’s hard to figure this working.

Fredster -- Thanks for the agreement. And hell, maybe this deal will happen; who knows at this point.  Nonis does have to do something desperate to deal with scoring for this October—and I don’t envy the crunch he’s in with this cap situation—I just don’t like this particular plan much.

Chief Canuck -- Well, Nonis has certainly has proven to be anything but stupid, so I have to agree with you.  Whatever he finds, I think it’s fair to say it was the best deal he could make.

Nick -- Thanks for pointing that out, and I realized it (hence the question mark in my comment), but since my whole point was about a Morrison trade, I thought I’d make an assumption about his meaning.

I don’t think the deal gets much better without Morrison + throwing in the goalie, though. We would lose a hot prospect (Schneider) who’s not even affecting our salary cap right now, and a top-2 defenceman.  Plus we would have added about $3 million to the payroll. 

Geez, so much to speculate about.  One thing’s for sure… we all know that SOMETHING is coming down soon. But who knows what.

Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 07/05/07 at 08:07 PM ET

Doesn’t Ohlund have a NTC anyhow?

Posted by nick from vancouver, bc on 07/05/07 at 08:09 PM ET

I believe you’re right, Nice. But I suppose he might be persuaded to waive it. Seems doubtful, though.

Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 07/05/07 at 08:12 PM ET

“And how do you replace Ohlund with the spare nickels? You can’t. “

Alex Edler.

Ohlund has one year left on his salary. If there have been any talks with him for an extension and they have gone awry...you never know. Ohlund could be on the block.

Given Morrison’s performance last year...I’d say Elias and Rasmussen for Ohlund, Mo, and a pick is fair.
But yeah...I don’t see Nonis doing something that rash.

Posted by Zanstorm from Smithers on 07/06/07 at 03:46 AM ET

Nonis is an intelligent GM. He was Burke’s apprentice, I see all these teams throwing cash at all these free agents. Dont think Nonis had any intension, he will pull the trigger, his next big deal after Luongo is on its way!

Posted by kelly from new zealand on 07/07/07 at 02:47 AM ET

get rid of morrison, hopefully nazzy too.  Who cares about the cap.  Our offense has been stale for 2 years and it’s time to nail the “Big Line” coffin shut.  Elias might be a good start because he HAS A FEW CUPS unlike Nazzy or Mo.  But agreed that the key will be aquiring hungry-gritty-talented-career-prime offense next year.  Hopefully the Sedins will be culled then as well.

long live the new regime!

Posted by dave from pg on 07/08/07 at 04:21 AM ET