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Canucks Team Chemistry at a Crossroads!

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

With the Canucks placing Curtis Sanford on Waivers today, the team chemistry is now at a crossroads for either a positive or negative outcome.

With Roberto Luongo coming back from injury the team has shown the door to Sanford and gave the backup job to Jason LaBarbera who is 2-1-2 in his last 5 starts with a above GAA of 3.

What is concerning here is the impact that may occur when the likable teammate of the Canucks leaves the team if claimed or traded (one of the two will happen) for a relatively unknown commodity in the backup position who realistically will only get 3 or 4 games from this point forward if Captain Roberto Luongo stays healthy.

When the Canucks choose to start Rookie goalie Corey Schneider on a HNIC game instead of Sanford who deserved that start, it really showed in the teams poor response to that game and saw Calgary win (and possibly start their current ridiculous winning run).

Team Chemistry is incredibly important in any sport and most importantly in hockey. The balance between being an immensely talented team but not close knit and one with average talent but incredible team chemistry is night and day.

Take the New York Rangers the years they choose to sign every big name talent in the book to try to buy their way to the Cup and failed miserably year and year compared to the year the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes played in the Stanley Cup Finals. 2 teams who had average talent but solid goaltending and team chemistry.

Because that is what the Canucks are an average talent team with an extraordinary goaltender and had for a while good team chemistry. It showed when Sanford got his first win of the season and his first shut out with the teams hooting and hollering to cheer their teammate on.

Will this happen with LaBarbera? It is tough to say as he is a likable guy for a team, that being said the team cannot be happy with seeing Sanford get thrown to the side because of injury and the same inconsistent play plagued but both backups.

Sanford was liked and it may show how much in the coming games.

Add to that Sundin who took 99% of the media spotlight and is being looked upon as their saviour with Luongo we could have a time were egos may push their way to the top and affect the chemistry of the team.

You see with the media and fans all thinking that this team can only succeed with Luongo hurts, and hurts bad. Both in the fans turning on other players faster than you can sneeze (such as with Sanford last night) and other players losing all confidence in important situations. Sadder part is that it is now proven that without a goalie of Luongos calibre or at least close this team cant win. They are sub .500 and its shown in the standings.

Lou is back and we will make the playoffs Im certain. that being said anything less than a 6th place finish is a straight 4 game out against Detroit or San Jose. They have not shown enough as a team with Lou in the lineup (unless he is playing November like all season) and with him in the lineup to expect a strong Run in the playoffs. They could win a round yes against the other teams not named Detroit or San Jose. The teams mental strength is not steel enough to do that.

yes things could change but 7 weeks of the hockey we just saw is a strong indicator that this team is not a contender but a wanna-be.

Lou changes everything I know but he cant win it by himself. The teams needs chemistry

Chemistry that is at a crossroads!

Posted in Canucks, Canucks Trades, Canucks Transactions, Mats Sundin | 2 Comments »

Shark Attack claims another victory.

Sunday, January 11th, 2009

Mats Sundin Finally scores. Mats Sunding takes a second penalty that causes a 2nd game winning goal.

I didnt watch the full game

Canucks cant beat San Jose

I won $250 bucks

Thanks Canucks.

Oh knock knock?

whose there?

9th place. . . . . . .

Posted in Mats Sundin, Post Game Review | No Comments »

Canucks Win an incredibly boring game but pick up 2 huge points – Huge Power Forward Wins Game

Thursday, January 8th, 2009

The Canucks picked up a huge 2 divisional points and increased their lead over 8th place to 8 points (however 8th place has 3 games in hand) and LaBarbera again shows consistency and solid play to keep his record to undefeated in regulation for the Canucks to 2-0-2.

But neither LaBarbera and his solid play or Burrows and his 3 points were the story here.

It was the Big Power Forward the Canucks acquired this year that won the game.

yes we are talking about

Steve Bernier. 1 day earlier I thought he should sit in the press box for one game to get an idea what was going on on this ice. Then he comes out with a 2 goal 1 assist performance including the game winner. He almost had a hat trick but his rebound shot hit the post on the outside.

Sundin played 15 mins and was a non factor winning only 50% of the faceoffs and as predicted received some of the top shutdown guys ice time to allow the Bernier/Kesler/Burrows line to take control of the game.

Sundin picked up steam over the game and should get better and better as he gets more NHL ice time. next up the St Louis Blues on Friday Night.

Posted in Mats Sundin, Post Game Review | No Comments »

The Sundin Factor

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

What does Mats Sundin do for the Canucks?

At first you would probably think “I’m not sure as he hasn’t suited up since April 2008″. However the factor here is an immediate impact for the Sedins. With the addition of big 13 both Daniel and Henrik should immediatley be affected in a positive manner as the big Swede will demand more attention off the sedins.

The PP should also have an immediate surge as welll. Teams will be hard pressed to challenge the Sedins with Sundin or even without Sundin who may play on a different unit entirely.

The last benefit of Sundin finally playing will be the entire team will get a boost..

Historically teams start to slump after the first half of the season ends. Mats will add needed energy to other Canucks players and emotion to their fan base starting this Friday for home games.

Some Canucks should also improve slightly in points prdouction and for a team that is already doing alright for scoring the Canucks should be even stronger and more dangerous.

Add to that the eventual return of Captain Roberto Luongo and this team could (and this is not a gaurantee or prediction as the game of hockey and its gods don’t allow perfect scenarios) challenge Detroit and San Jose (and sheesh even Calgary right now) for top of the Conference maybe even the league while to you this may seem a lofty expectation it is very very possible if they gel.

All we can say now is let the Sundin era begin and hopefully it will be at the expense of the Edmonton Oilers tonight!

Posted in Canucks, Mats Sundin, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Canucks @ Oilers Sportsnet HD 7PM PST – “The Sundin will suit up”

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

STATS LLC
Center Mats Sundin is expected to make his Vancouver debut soon. It can’t come soon enough for the slumping Canucks.

Sundin believes there’s a “good chance” he’ll make his highly-anticipated season debut Wednesday night, when the Canucks will be aiming to avoid a third consecutive defeat as they visit the Northwest Division rival Edmonton Oilers.

After considering retirement at the end of last season, Sundin decided Dec. 18 to sign a one-year contract with Vancouver (21-15-5). The former Toronto captain participated in two morning skates with the Canucks prior to joining them for full practice on Monday and Tuesday.

Despite not appearing in a game since March 9, the 37-year-old Sundin is optimistic he’s ready. The nine-time All-Star is Toronto’s all-time leading scorer with 987 points, and has a total of 555 goals and 766 assists in 17 NHL seasons — the first four spent with Quebec.

He has 20 goals and 44 assists in 41 career games versus Edmonton (19-16-3).

“If nothing changes until tomorrow morning I think it should be a good chance I’ll play tomorrow,” Sundin said Tuesday. “If not, then obviously Friday” at home against St. Louis.

Whenever Sundin does play, he’ll try to re-energize a Vancouver squad that has dropped five of its last seven games and is 7-9-3 following a season-high four-game winning streak from Nov. 19-24.

The Canucks’ last two losses have come in shootouts, 4-3 at Atlanta on Friday and 3-2 at home to Dallas on Sunday. Vancouver has lost five of its six shootouts this season. The Canucks have also dropped seven of their last 10 road games, and three of their last four visits to Rexall Place.

These division rivals have split the first four games of their season series. Edmonton took the most recent matchup, 3-2 in Vancouver on Dec. 26. The Oilers also won their only previous home game in the season series, 3-0 on Dec. 13 behind Dwayne Roloson’s only shutout of 2008-09. He made 23 saves in that contest, and 25 on Monday night in a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders.

Andrew Cogliano scored the decisive goal midway through the third period as the Oilers improved to 2-0 on their five-game homestand and won for the fifth time in seven games overall.

“It was a big win for us and a confidence boost going into our next game against the Canucks, which I feel is one of our biggest games of the season,” said Cogliano, has four goals in his last seven games to move into a tie with defenseman Sheldon Souray for the team lead with 12.

Edmonton’s top scorer Ales Hemsky (35 points) has missed the last four games and remains day-to-day with a concussion.

Vancouver continues to play without injured goaltender and captain Roberto Luongo (strained groin), but Jason LaBarbera — acquired from Los Angeles in a Dec. 30 trade — has been a bright spot, compiling a 1.90 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage in three starts for his new team.

LaBarbera has won four of five career games against Edmonton with a 1.05 GAA and .966 save percentage in those outings.

Posted in Game Day Previews, Mats Sundin | No Comments »

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