Canucks Offseason

THIS MONTH HOCKEY FANS IN VANCOUVER WERE ONCE AGAIN REMINDED OF THE PRICE OF FAILURE IN THE NHL…
MISSING THE PLAYOFFS COST CANUCKS GENERAL MANAGER DAVE NONIS HIS JOB…
NONIS WAS THE FIRST TO GO…BUT HE CERTAINLY WILL NOT BE THE LAST…
HIS REPLACEMENT MIKE GILLIS HAS ALREADY MADE IT CLEAR THIS TEAM WILL LOOK VERY DIFFERENT COME TRAINING CAMP IN SEPTEMBER…
WITH THAT AS A BACK DROP…NOW TRY AND IMAGINE THE PRESSURE THE SAN JOSE SHARKS ARE FEELING…
TONIGHT THE DALLAS STARS CAN SWEEP THE SHARKS…SOMETHING THAT HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE IN FRANCHISE HISTORY…
THAT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN…
AT THE TRADING DEADLINE GENERAL MANAGER DOUG WILSON SENT STEVE BERNIER AND A FIRST ROUND DRAFT CHOICE TO BUFFALO FOR BRIAN CAMPBELL…
IT APPEARED TO BE THE FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE…
THE SHARKS WERE THE HOTTEST TEAM IN THE NHL AT THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON…
BUT IT DID NOT TRANSLATE IN THE PLAYOFFS…
IN THE FIRST ROUND CALGARY PUSHED SAN JOSE TO 7 GAMES…
IN THE SECOND ROUND…NONE OF THE BIG NAMES ON THE SHARKS ROSTER HAVE SHOWN UP…
AS A RESULT SAN JOSE HAS LOST BOTH OF THE OVERTIME GAMES THEY’VE BEEN IN…
IN ALL THE SHARKS HAVE FOUND THEMSELVES IN 6 GAMES DECIDED BY A SINGLE GOAL…THEY’VE WON JUST 2 OF THEM…
IN THIS SERIES WITH DALLAS…THE SHARKS HAVE MANAGED TO SCORE A MERE 5 GOALS…
HEAD COACH RON WILSON IS CERTAINLY GONE…BUT WHAT ABOUT GENERAL MANAGER DOUG WILSON???
THIS IS HIS TEAM…
IT WAS DOUG WILSON WHO TRADED FOR JOE THORNTON AND SIGNED PATICK MARLEAU TO A LONG TERM DEAL…
COMBINED THOSE PLAYERS MADE OVER $11 MILLION DOLLARS THIS SEASON…AND WILL MAKE A COMBINED $13 MILLION FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS…
THAT’S A LOT FOR PLAYERS WHO HAVE AVERAGED LESS THAN A POINT A GAME IN THESE PLAYOFFS…
HERE’S THE TWIST…
BOTH HAVE “NO TRADE” CLAUSES THAT KICK IN ON JULY 1ST OF THIS YEAR…
IN THE END THE FATE OF ALL THESE PEOPLE IS IN THE HANDS OF THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE SHARKS GREG JAMISON…
RIGHT NOW IN SAN JOSE IT DOES APPEAR THERE IS BLOOD IN THE WATER…

World Hockey Championships

THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS SEASON ENDED WEEKS AGO…
YOUR HOCKEY POOL IS IN THE TOILET…
THE ENTRY DRAFT IS NOT UNTIL JUNE 20TH…AND FREE AGENCY DOES NOT ARRIVE FOR MORE THAN 2 MONTHS…
RIGHT NOW IT’S TOUGH FOR MOST HOCKEY FANS IN THIS CITY TO GET EXCITED ABOUT ANYTHING…
THAT’S ABOUT TO CHANGE…
ON FRIDAY THE WORLD HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP GETS UNDERWAY IN BOTH QUEBEC CITY AND HALIFAX…
IT’S THE FIRST TIME THE TOURNAMENT HAS BEEN PLAYED ON CANADIAN SOIL…
AND CANADA COMES IN AS THE DEFENDING WORLD CHAMPIONS…
BUT IT’S WHO’S PLAYING IN THIS TOURNAMENT…THAT SHOULD JACK UP YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE…
UP FRONT TEAM CANADA HAS A ROSTER WHICH INCLUDES…
ERIC STAAL…MARTIN ST. LOUIS…RICK NASH…DANY HEATLEY…JASON SPEZZA…RYAN GETZLAF AND JONATHAN TOEWS…
THE DEFENCE HAS ED JOVANOVSKI…BRENT BURNS…MIKE GREEN AND JAY BOUMEESTER…
AND IN GOAL THERE’S CAM WARD AND PASCAL LECLAIR…
GENERAL MANAGER STEVE YZERMAN HAS NOT MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO HIDE HIS ENTHUSIASM…
QUOTE…”I REALLY LIKE OUR CHANCES”…
THIS EVENT WILL HAVE LOTS OF STAR POWER…
ALEXANDER OVECHKIN…ILA KOVALCHUK AND SERGIE FEDEROV WILL PLAY FOR RUSSIA…
THE CZECHS WILL BRING PATRICK ELIAS…AND TOMAS KABERLE…
TEAM FINLAND WILL INCLUDE OLI JOKINEN…
THE SWEDES WILL HAVE NICKLAS BACKSTROM…
AND TEAM USA WILL HAVE DUSTIN BROWN…PATRICK KANE…PHIL KESSEL…PETER MUELLER AND ZACH PARISE…
ON PAPER…IT WOULD APPEAR THE AMERICANS POSE THE GREATEST THREAT…
HOWEVER THE BIGGEST CONCERN VANCOUVER FANS SHOULD HAVE…IS THE LACK OF CANUCKS IN THIS TOURNAMENT…
ALEX EDLER ON TEAM SWEDEN IS THE ONLY ONE YOU’LL SEE…
THAT’S NOT TO SAY TEAM CANADA WAS NOT AFTER ROBERTO LUONGO…OR TEAM SWEDEN WOULD NOT HAVE MADE ROOM FOR THE SEDINS…
BUT IT DOES SUPPORT THE BELIEF OF NEW GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS…THAT THIS TEAM…IS…”NOT CLOSE”…
IN THE MEANTIME…THE WORLD HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS COULD ALLOW FANS ON THE WEST COAST THE OPPORTUNITY TO SALVAGE SOMETHING OUT OF THIS SEASON…
TIME TO GET EXCITED…

Mike Gillis

MEET THE NEW BOSS…NOT THE SAME AS THE OLD BOSS…
TODAY THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS SHOWED OFF THEIR NEW GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS…
AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE THE MESSAGE WAS CLEAR…
THIS IS TEAM IS NOT CLOSE AND THERE WILL BE CHANGES…
GILLIS POINTED TO THREE MAJOR CONCERNS HE HAS ABOUT THIS ORGANIZATION…
SCOUTING…PLAYER SELECTION AND PLAYER DEVELOPMENT…
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH…
CHIEF SCOUT RON DELORME AND HIS STAFF…ALONG WITH THE DIRECTOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT STAN SMYL ARE ALL NOW ON A VERY SHORT LEASH…
SO ARE THE SEDINS…
GILLIS REFUSED TO ENDORSE THE TWINS…
INSTEAD HE WOULD ONLY SAY…QUOTE…”I DON’T KNOW IF THEY’RE PLAYERS THE TEAM WILL BE BUILT AROUND MOVING FORWARD”…
YOU DO NOT NEED TO READ TEA LEAFS TO SEE THAT TRADING THE SEDINS IS NOW A VERY REAL POSSIBLITY…
WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE STYLE OF THE CANUCKS…
GILLIS POINTED TO UPGRADING BOTH SPEED AND GRIT…
NEITHER ARE STRENGTHS OF THE SEDINS…
ACCORDING TO GILLIS THE PRIORITY IS GOALTENDER ROBERTO LUONGO…
WHO HE REFERED TO AS “THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS”…
THE PLAN TO KEEP LUONGO IN VANCOUVER APPEARS TO BE SIMPLE…”WIN NOW”…
GILLIS STATED THE CANUCKS WOULD BE VERY AGGRESSIVE IN ITS APPROACH TO IMPROVE THE TEAM…
WHICH MEANS THEY WILL BE ACTIVE IN THE FREE AGENT MARKET…
THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT EITHER HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT OR ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER STEVE TAMBILINI ARE IN TROUBLE…
GILLIS MET WITH TAMBILINI TODAY…AND WILL SIT DOWN WITH VIGNEAULT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE…
HOWEVER HE MADE NO GUARENTEES…
ACCORDING TO GILLIS THE DECISION ON WHO COACHES THIS TEAM WILL BE “THE” MOST IMPORTANT DECISION HE MAKES…
RIGHT NOW ALL WE KNOW FOR SURE IS THIS…
AS OF TODAY…WHEN IT COMES TO THE BUSINESS OF THE CANUCKS…
IT’S NO LONGER BUSINESS AS USUAL…

NHL Playoffs

NOBODY AT THE HEAD OFFICE OF THE NHL WILL ADMITT IT…BUT…
TONIGHT THEY ARE ALL CHEERING FOR WASHINGTON AND SAN JOSE…
LET’S START WITH THE CAPITALS…SHOULD THEY KNOCK OFF PHILADELPHIA…
THAT WILL SET UP A SECOND ROUND PLAYOFF BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND PITTSBURGH…WHICH MEANS A SHOWDOWN BETWEEN SYDNEY CROSBY AND ALEXANDER OVECHKIN…
“LAST YEARS HART TROPHY WINNER…AND THIS YEARS HART TROPHY WINNER…”
SINCE EXPANSION IN 1967…RARELY HAS THE LEAGUE SEEN ITS TWO BEST PLAYERS GO HEAD TO HEAD IN THE PLAYOFFS…
THE LAST TIME WAS IN 1990…WHEN THE KINGS MET THE OILERS IN THE SECOND ROUND…
WAYNE GRETZKY VS MARK MESSIER…
IN 1977…IT WAS MONTREAL AND PHILADELPHIA…
GUY LAFLEUR VS BOBBY CLARKE…
AND IN 1974…IT WAS BOSTON AND PHILADELPHIA…
PHIL ESPOSITO VS BOBBY CLARKE…
FOR A LEAGUE DESPERATE TO KEEP ITSELF ON AMERICAN TELEVISION…CROSBY AND OVECHKIN IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS…
BETTMAN AND HIS CREW IN NEW YORK WILL ALSO STAY UP LATE TO WATCH THE SAN JOSE SHARKS AND THE CALGARY FLAMES…
THE SHARKS ALSO HAVE A FORMER HART TROPHY WINNER IN JOE THORNTON…
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY…THEY PLAY IN SAN JOSE…
THE LAST 3 STANLEY CUP FINALS HAVE INCLUDED THREE SMALL MARKET CANADAIN TEAMS…
OTTAWA…EDMONTON…AND CALGARY…
SPORTS FANS IN AMERICA COULD NOT FIND THOSE THREE CITIES WITH A G.P.S…
A SHARKS WIN WOULD LEAVE THE NHL WITH SOME OF ITS BIGGEST TV MARKETS IN THE WEST…
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA…DALLAS…DETROIT…AND DENVER…
IN THE EAST…THE LEAGUE HAS ALREADY CLAIMED ITS BIGGEST PRIZE WITH NEW YORK…
THE RANGERS HAVE A GOOD SHOT TO ADVANCE TO THE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE GRETZKY TOOK THEM THERE BACK IN 1997…
BUT LET’S BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING…
THE NHL SUITS WILL NOT BE THE ONLY ONES WATCHING TONIGHT…
SO WILL THOSE WORKING FOR NBC AND ESPN…
WITH A LITTLE LUCK…TONIGHT IN AMERICA THE NHL CAN ACTUALLY GET ITSELF BACK ON THE MAP…

Habs vs. Bruins

IN JUST A FEW MINUTES…
IT’S GAME 7 BETWEEN MONTREAL AND BOSTON…
ALL THE GHOSTS ARE OUT TONIGHT…
THIS WILL BE THE 7TH TIME THESE TWO TEAMS HAVE MET IN A GAME 7…
THE CANADIANS LEAD THE SERIES 4 GAMES TO 2…
BUT IT’S 1979 THAT IS BEST REMEMBERED…
THE COMPARISONS BETWEEN THESE TWO SERIES…IS DOWN RIGHT SPOOKY…
IN 79 THE HABS FINISHED THE REGULAR SEASON WITH THE BEST RECORD IN THE CONFERENCE…
EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID THIS SEASON…
THE SERIES OPENED WITH MONTREAL TAKING THE FIRST TWO AT HOME…
BOSTON WON GAME 3…MONTREAL GAME 4…AND THE BRUINS BOUNCED BACK TO WIN GAMES 5 AND 6…
EXACTLY THE ORDER OF VICTORIES IN THIS SERIES…
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE TONIGHT’S GAME COULD MATCH THE DRAMA OF GAME 7 IN 1979…
AFTER THE FIRST TWO PERIODS…THE BRUINS LED 3-1…
BUT IN THE THIRD THE CANADIANS CAME OUT AND SCORED TWO QUICK GOALS TO TIE IT…
THEN WITH LESS THAN 4 MINUTES LEFT RICK MIDDLETON TOOK A SHOT FROM BEHIND NET…
IT HIT KEN DRYDEN ON THE ARM AND SOMEHOW WENT IN…
THE BRUINS WERE ABOUT TO PULL OFF THE SINGLE GREATEST COME BACK IN TEAM HISTORY…
THEN THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED…
BOSTON WAS CAUGHT WITH TOO MANY MEN ON THE ICE…
GUY LEFLEUR SCORED ON THE POWERPLAY AND YVON LAMBERT WON IT OVERTIME…
THE HABS WENT ONTO WIN THE STANLEY CUP…
AFTER THE GAME…DON CHERRY TOOK THE BLAME…
IN HIS WORDS…”THAT WAS MY FAULT…I HAD TO GRAB TWO OTHER GUYS OR WE’D HAVE HAD 8 OUT THERE.”
THAT GETS US TO GAME 7 TONIGHT…
IN THE 84 YEAR HISTORY OF THE BRUINS…THEY HAVE NEVER TRAILED 3-1 IN A SERIES AND MANAGED TO COME BACK TO WIN…NEVER…THEY ARE A PERFECT 0 FOR 20…
AS FOR THE CANADIANS…THEY ARE A PERFECT 26-0 AFTER LEADING 3-1…
BUT THE ONLY HISTORY THAT WILL MATTER TONIGHT…IS WHAT’S LEFT ON THE SCOREBOARD…

Canucks GM

DO THE MATH…
IN THE 38 YEARS THE CANUCKS HAVE BEEN IN THE NHL…THEY HAVE NEVER WON THE STANLEY CUP…
IN FACT IN THE LAST 14 YEARS…THE TEAM HAS WON A TOTAL OF 3…COUNT’EM…3 PLAYOFF ROUNDS…
THESE ARE THE SAME CANUCKS THAT HAVE MISSED THE PLAYOFFS 2 OF THE LAST 3 SEASONS…
AGAINST THAT BACK DROP ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE…
THE HOTTEST RUMOR MAKING THE ROUNDS RIGHT NOW IS THIS…
ROBERTO LUONGO TO OTTAWA FOR JASON SPEZZA…
THE SIMPLE FACT THE RUMOR IS OUT THERE…
CONFIRMS WHAT EVERYBODY IN THE CANUCKS ORGANIZATION ALREADY KNOWS…
NOBODY’S JOB IS SAFE…
TODAY ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER STEVE TAMBELINI RETURNED HOME FROM A SCOUTING TRIP IN RUSSIA…
TAMBELINI IS ON THE LIST TO REPLACE DAVE NONIS…
BUT HE COULD JUST AS EASILY BE OUT OF A JOB…
RIGHT NOW TAMBELINI IS NOT TALKING UNTIL AFTER HE MEETS WITH OWNER FRANCESCO AQUILINI…
OTHER EMPLOYEES WITHOUT JOB SECURITY NOW INCLUDE…
HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT…AND HIS ENTIRE COACHING STAFF…
CHIEF SCOUT RON DELORME…AND DIRECTOR OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT STAN SMYL…
IT ALL DEPENDS WHO THE NEW GENERAL MANAGER IS AND HOW HE PLANS TO MOVE THIS FRANCHISE FORWARD…
RIGHT NOW IT’S LITTLE MORE THAN A GUESSING GAME…
BUT THE SHORT LIST APPEARS TO INCLUDE…
BRIAN LAWTON…MIKE GILLIS…JIM NILL…AND DOUG ARMSTRONG…
NOW BEFORE YOU HIT THE PANIC BUTTON…
GRAB YOUSELF FOR A SECOND AND GIVE YOURSELF A SHAKE…
IF INDEED THE AQUILINI FAMILY DECIDES TO MOVE OUTSIDE GM PLACE AND GO IN A COMPLETELY NEW DIRECTION…
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THAT???
IT’S UNDERSTANDABLE TO BE AFRAID OF THE UNKNOWN…
BUT UNLESS YOU’VE BEEN LIVING IN A CAVE FOR THE LAST MONTH…
THIS SEASON THE CANUCKS MISSED THE PLAYOFFS…AGAIN…
IN THIS BUSINESS THE ONLY LOYALTY A GENERAL MANAGER CAN HAVE…IS TO THE OWNER AND TO THE FANS…
SOMEHOW THAT GOT LOST IN THIS ORGANIZATION…
NONIS PAID FOR THAT MISTAKE WITH HIS JOB…
HE MAY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST…BUT CERTAINLY…HE WILL NOT BE THE LAST…

Dave Nonis

IN ANY DIVORCE…THE FIRST THING THAT GETS PACKED IS THE EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE…
ONCE THAT’S DONE…
IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THINGS BLOW UP…
FROM THE MOMENT THE CANUCKS FIRED GENERAL MANAGER DAVE NONIS…
THERE REMAINED ONE UNASWERED QUESTION…
WHAT WAS THAT DEFINING MOMENT THAT ENDED THIS RELATIONSHIP…
BOTH AND NONIS AND OWNER FRANCESCO AQUILINI HELD THEIR OWN PRESS CONFERFENCES THIS WEEK AND NEITHER WERE WILLING TO GET INTO THE REAL NITTY GRITTY…
ON TUESDAY AQUILINI WAS TO SAY THE LEAST VAGUE…
POINTING TO THINGS SUCH AS…”LEADERSHIP AND VISION”…
ON WEDNESDAY NONIS ALSO TOOK THE HIGH ROAD…
BUT IF YOU WERE ABLE TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES…HE DID GIVE SOME INSIGHT…
QUOTE…
“I WOULDN’T TRADE AWAY OUR BEST YOUNG PLAYERS TO SAVE MY SKIN.”…
WHAT NONIS REFUSED TO SAY…WAS...WHICH PLAYERS…
TODAY TSN MAY HAVE PRODUCED THE ANSWER…
ACCORDING TO THE NETWORK…
AT THE TRADING DEADLINE…NONIS AND AQUILINI WERE AT ODDS OVER MAKING A DEAL FOR BRAD RICHARDS…
NONIS HAD OFFERED TAMPA BAY…LUC BOURDON…CORY SCHNEIDER…AND A FIRST…SECOND AND THIRD ROUND DRAFT PICK…
THE LIGHTNING WANTED RYAN KESLER AND ALEX EDLER…
NONIS REFUSED…
COMBINE THAT WITH MISSING THE PLAYOFFS…AND THE EMOTIONAL BAGAGE WAS COMPLETELY PACKED…
UNFORTUNATELY IF WHAT TSN IS NOW SAYING IS INDEED TRUE…
THEN IT WOULD BE A SERIOUS RED FLAG FOR ANY QUALIFIED PERSON WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN TAKING THE JOB…
IN THE MEANTIME…IT DOES NOT LOOK AS IF NONIS IS GOING TO BE OUT OF WORK FOR LONG…
WORD OUT OF TORONTO IS…ONCE THE ANAHEIM DUCKS ARE OUT OF THE PLAYOFFS…
BRIAN BURKE WILL BECOME THE LEAFS NEW GM…
ACCORDING THE GLOBE AND MAIL…BURKE WILL BE OFFERED A 5 YEAR DEAL WORTH $25 MILLION DOLLARS…
BURKE IS NOT TALKING…
HOWEVER IF IT’S TRUE…THEN NONIS WOULD BE AN AUTOMATIC CHOICE AS THE LEAFS NEW ASSISTANT GM…
THAT’S THE GREAT THING ABOUT FRIENDS…YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU NEED THEM…UNTIL YOU’VE GONE THROUGH A DIVORCE…