Vancouver Canucks

DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THAT BRIGHT SHINY OBJECT IN THE SKY…
SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER…
ALL THE SIGNS ARE THERE…
THE BLUE JAYS ARE OUT OF THE PENANT RACE…
AND NHL PLAYERS HAVE MIGRATED BACK TO VANCOUVER AND ARE NOW SKATING AT UBC…
AS DIFFICULT AS THIS IS TO BELIEVE:
THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS WILL PLAY THEIR FIRST EXIBITION GAME IN LESS THAN A MONTH…
AND LAUNCH THEIR REGULAR SEASON JUST 18 DAYS AFTER THAT…
A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THE CANUCKS WERE BOUNCED OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS BY CHICAGO ON MAY 11TH…
TO START WITH…GM PLACE IS NOW…ROGERS ARENA…
TOM LARSCHIED ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT…HIS LAST GAME WILL BE THE OPENER ON OCTOBER THE 9TH…
LARSCHIED WILL NOT BE THE ONLY FAMILIAR FACE MISSING…
TODAY WILLIE MITCHELL SIGNED A 2 YEAR CONTRACT WITH L.A.…
THE RECENTLY DEPARTED ALSO INCLUDE…PAVOL DEMITRA…KYLE WELLWOOD…MICHEAL GRABNER AND ASSISTANT COACH RYAN WALTER…
THE NEW FACES INCLUDE…DAN HAMHUIS…KEITH BALLARD…MANNY MOLHOLTRA…AND RAFFI TORRES…WHO JUST AGREED TO A 1 YEAR DEAL…
BUT THE STARTING LINE ON OPENING NIGHT COULD ALSO INCLUDE…
CODY HODGSON…JORDAN SCHROEDER AND JEFF TAMBELLINI…
THIS SEASON THE CANUCKS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE A NEW CAPTAIN…
GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS PLANS TO SIT DOWN WITH ROBERTO LUONGO NEXT MONTH…
THE SMART MONEY IS ON “HENRIK SEDIN” TO GET THE JOB…
HENRIK WILL BECOME THE TEAMS’ THIRD CAPTAIN…IN 4 YEARS…
ALL THIS SHOULD NOT SURPRISE HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY…
WHEN GILLIS TOOK OVER 2 YEARS AGO HE PROMISED CHANGE…AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE HAS DELIVERED…
FROM THE ROSTER GILLIS INHERITED IN THE SUMMER OF 2008…THERE ARE NOW JUST 9 PLAYERS LEFT…
SO AS WE PREPARE TO SAY GOODBYE TO OUR “FLIP FLOPS” FOR ANOTHER YEAR…
THE ONLY QUESTION THAT REALLY MATTERS IS THIS…
ARE THE CANUCKS FINALLY READY TO COMPETE FOR A STANLEY CUP???
WE ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT…