Canucks nine to Five: Penultimately preseason
The Sedins need a winger. Who will it be.
Updated: October 7, two thousand sixteen 11:13 AM PDT
Canucks nine to Five: Penultimately preseason
There are two games left. Tonight the Canucks face the Flames (7 p.m. Rogers Arena, Sportsnet, TSN 1040).
There’s still more than a week to go until they commence playing for real.
At least we’re almost there.
Ok, folks, think we’ll wrap this one up for the week. As noted, Botch has filed a Game Day Preview for the big game tonight.
He’ll have a game story from that of course.
For those of you who are Lions fans, Mike Beamish has filed his preview for Saturday, as has Marc Weber on the Whitecaps’ kids, who are in the playoffs.
Honestly, this sounds indeed good.
Tune into @opeecheestars Friday embarking at Noon ET as, together, we will determine the greatest OPC set by the end of Cdn Thxgiving Monday.
Throwback Thursday, inspired by Corey Hirsch:
Two of my private favorites that weren’t ever indeed seen. @NYRangers 1month before I got traded, and @DallasStars
Let’s take an afternoon stroll around the blogs:
— J-Pat’s written for Canucks Army about Chris Tanev’s Blue Jays fandom (hey, the Jays are presently crushing the Rangers!)
— The Canuck Way wonders which line best suits Anton Rodin.
Ex-Canuck Cory Schneider spoke to AP:
“If guys are providing up goals leaking through their arms that are kind of ugly goals and that increases scoring, is that a good thing? I suppose,” said Cory Schneider of the Fresh Jersey Satans. “But if you’re still only getting twenty shots a night each way, then I don’t think smaller gear is truly going to make a difference. I think it’s a two-fold issue. You want to create goal-scoring by creating a better flow and more shots.”
The Penguins visited the White House today. President Obama went back to his device shed utter of zingers:
Obama said a lot has switched since the Penguins very first visited him in the White House in 2009. Back then, the colour of his hair was more like a hockey puck. Now, it more closely resembled the colour of the ice, he said, and Sid “the kid” was still a kid. When a baby began to sob, Obama said, “don’t worry, I don’t have any more bad jokes.”
Botchford’s filed his Flames vs. Canucks preview. Lots of stuff from Henrik on the fresh pp.
Henrik had much to say on this set up, and you can absorb that right here.
“Last year, we weren’t indeed moving the puck or people. Now with (Brandon Sutter) in the middle, they’re going to have to respect that. It will open up the point a lot more.
“Last year, we didn’t have a righty in that position.
“Daniel was no threat from there. They played off him. They played closer to Eddie up top and it indeed was raunchy to get point shots through.
Movies from your trustworthy Province staff:
On the powerplay
And the comeback of the Sedins
Take note, readers. Press release just landed in our inbox:
Shark Club scores with NHL Kick-Off Party
Vancouver location to host Canucks meet-the-players event
Vancouver, BC (Oct. 6, 2016) — Shark Club Vancouver will host the final stop of The Fourth Period’s Season Opening Tour on Thursday, Oct. Thirteen at 7pm.
Following hugely successful events in Winnipeg and Calgary, Vancouver’s NHL Kick-Off Party is the last of three meet-the-players events in Western Canada hosted by the Shark Club sports bar chain.
The Fourth Period’s Season Opening Tour is where hockey fans can touch elbows with some of their favourite players and usher in the fresh NHL season — all with no admission price, tickets or cover charge.
Vancouver Canucks players attending the Shark Club NHL Kick-Off Party include: Right Wing Emerson Etem, Centre Michael Chaput and Defensemen Chris Tanev and Luca Sbisa.*
Fans and attendees can look forward to prizes and special consideration provided by Shark Club and sponsors Crown Royal, True Rivalry Sports Apparel and movie game maker EA Sports.
Shark Club NHL Kick-Off Party
Meet Vancouver Canucks Emerson Etem, Centre Michael Chaput and Defensemen Chris Tanev and Luca Sbisa.*
When: Thursday, October 13, 7pm
Where: Vancouver Shark Club (180 West Georgia St.)
Free admission, reservations strongly advised to secure attendance
*Players in attendance subject to switch.
This could turn out to be a very defensive event.
Via canucks.com, Jake Virtanen movie ahead of tonight’s game:
Cool news about our own Steve Ewen!
Surrey, B.C. – One of Vancouver’s most engaging storytellers is also one of Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s (KPU) most distinguished alumni.
Vancouver Province sports reporter Steve Ewen has been named a Distinguished Alumni by the KPU Alumni Association and will be honoured at the university’s fall convocation ceremony Oct. 6.
Ewen, a Fresh Westminster resident, graduated from Matthew McNair Secondary in Richmond in one thousand nine hundred eighty eight and enrolled in journalism at Kwantlen in 1989. At the time, it was a one-year program, based out of the Richmond campus.
Ewen did his two-week practicum at the NOW newspapers and was hired full-time upon graduation. He eventually became the sports editor of the Coquitlam NOW.
He moved to The Province newspaper in 1994, very first taking on the high school sports hit and eventually covering the Whitecaps, Vancouver Canadians, BC Lions and Vancouver Canucks full-time.
He was named to the Vancouver Canadians broadcast and journalism hall of fame in 2014, won the Tom Borelli Award as National Lacrosse League media person of the year in two thousand fifteen and a Paul Carson Media and Broadcast award for leadership and courage in 2016.
But the greatest story Ewen has ever told – and indeed the one that means the most to those around him – is how he kicked cancer in the butt in 2010. He spent six months in hospital, had twenty sessions of radiation and underwent eight operations, all the while chronicling his fight – the story of a lifetime – in his typical style on his blog.
“I hate that everyone hates talking about cancer and there are so many stigmas about the disease, so much misunderstanding. It’s not an automatic death sentence,” said Ewen. “Amazing things are happening.”
Ewen proceeds to bring hope and inspiration to others through his blog and public speaking engagements. He has also taken part in the Rail to Conquer Cancer, raising thousands for the BC Cancer Foundation.
Asked how Kwantlen contributed to his long and very successful career as a reporter, Ewen said, “Kwantlen gave me the implements and the contacts to have success in journalism. Instructors like Charlie Giordano, Ian Mulgrew and Neil Graham were able to pass along what life was indeed like at both the community newspaper and daily newspaper level. That proved invaluable.
“That said, what I’m most proud of, as a Kwantlen journalism graduate, is the students the program is turning out now. They’re ridiculously advanced. It’s a credit to the all-star journalism faculty that the school has put together.”
KPU Alumni Association chair Lindsay Civitarese lauded Ewen’s numerous passions for journalism, for KPU, and for his tireless support of cancer research.
“I’m fairly proud of Steve. His is a story of courage and success, and on behalf of the KPUAA, I’m so grateful we can be part of it. Not only has Steve excelled in his career as a sports journalist, he has remained connected to KPU, taking time to connect with students who want to pursue their desires, just as he pursued his.”
Fresh gig of the always-excellent PDOcast:
Reminder: The Pat-casters have determined to wait until tomorrow to release their newest gig.
Also, further thoughts from Mark Spector on a possible Yakupov to Chicago trade
More from Kuze, this time on the other big Russian. The question, from Nathan Robinson: “Do you think Tryamkin needs another year in KHL or will #Canucks cut him arguably undue extra slack or ask him for AHL stint?”:
#Canucks must coax Tryamkin, who’s a No.7, he can develop in AHL to prep for NHL. But he has European clause, can bolt back to KHL. https://t.co/CgutS6LE0l
Tryamkin reminds me of Pedan a year ago at training camp. Thought he had the team made. Nope. Tryamkin looks the same this year. #Canucks
Praise for Troy Stecher:
Never heard a coach so proud of player than when Berry talked about Stecher. Calls him an all-time favourite. #Canucks
A joy Stecher-related what-if game from Jason Brough:
In other words, trading Forsling may have permitted the Canucks to sign the greatest d-man of all time.
Meantime, the dude the Canucks *didn’t* pick is set to stick:
While not earth-shattering news, Glen Gulutzan suggested it’s safe to say that Matthew Tkachuk will embark regular season with #Flames.
Philip Larsen had three goals and nine assists in thirty games with the Oilers in 2013-14.
Notable question being answered by Kuze on Twitter: what has Larsen done to win Five/6?
They’ve obviously made a PP1 commitment to Larsen, even tho’ he’s been outplayed by Stecher. Tryamkin has thick upside, hasn’t shown it. https://t.co/RiOUxeLPjE
Down Goes Brown has his latest season preview up.
Outlook: The Canucks may very well be the worst possible thing you can be in the NHL: A bad team that doesn’t know it’s bad. Yes, there’s talent here, but most of it is old and declining, and at some point this thing is going to collapse. That point may already be here. And no, it’s not entirely out of the question that they get one last big year from the Sedins, a nice boost from Eriksson, a make-the-leap season from Bo Horvat, and it all adds up to challenging for the playoffs. It’s also not out of the question that they finish dead last.
Raffi Torres has been released by the Hurricanes from his PTO.
The ex-Canuck spoke with John Matisz before training camp. He still believes he’s an NHL player, but you have to wonder if anyone will spring for him. It’s become more and more of a youthful man’s game after all.
Yakupov on the stir?
Bob McKenzie reports the winger could end up in Chicago. Nothing imminent, however.
Meantime, Andrew Berkshire has ranked his top twenty defencemen for Sportsnet. Flash: no Canucks.