Alain Vigneault

IF ONLY THE CANUCKS WERE AS ENTERTAINING AS THEIR HEAD COACH ALAIN VIGNEAULT…
YESTERDAY VIGNEAULT HELD COURT WITH THE MEDIA TO EXPLAIN WHY THE SEDINS ARE NOT PRODUCING…
HE COMPARED THEM TO THE STOCK MARKET…
QUOTE…”HISTORY SAYS THE STOCK MARKET SOONER OR LATER COMES BACK UP…I HAVE TO BELIEVE THE TWINS ARE THE SAME WAY…BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SHEET ON THE STOCK MARKET…I’M LOSING MONEY AND THEY’RE NOT GETTING POINTS”…
IN THE LAST 7 GAMES THE SEDINS HAVE PRODUCED A MERE 4 POINTS BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM…
THOSE STATS MORE THAN ANY OTHER HELP TO EXPLAIN WHY THE CANUCKS HAVE LOST 5 OF THEIR LAST 7 AND FIND THEMSELVES IN 12TH PLACE IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE...
WHAT MAKES THIS SLUMP SOME WHAT SUPRISING IS THE TIMING…
THE SEDINS ARE IN THE LAST YEAR OF THE THEIR CONTRACTS…NEXT SUMMER BOTH ARE SCHEDULED TO BECOME UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS…
ACCORDING TO A REPORT ON TSN…NEXT MONTH GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS PLANS TO SIT DOWN WITH THEIR AGENT J.P. BARRY TO TALK CONTRACT…
THEIR NUMBERS OVER THE LAST 3 SEASONS WOULD INDICATE THAT BOTH PLAYERS ARE WORTH AT LEAST $6 MILLION DOLLARS PER SEASON…NEARLY TWICE WHAT THEY ARE MAKING NOW…
THEY WOULD ALSO WANT A MINIMUM OF 5 YEARS WITH A NO TRADE CLAUSE…
THAT’S A BIG COMMITMENT…ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT THEIR PLAYOFF NUMBERS…
IN 86 COMBINED GAMES THE TWINS HAVE PRODUCED A MERE 38 POINTS…
TO HELP SHAKE THINGS UP…VIGNEAULT HAS GIVEN THE SEDINS A NEW LINEMATE FOR TONIGHT’S GAME…DESPITE THE FACT HE INSISTS STEVE BERNIER HAS NOT BEEN THE PROBLEM…
THE JOB NOW BELONGS TO MASON RAYMOND…
IT MAY ALL COME BACK TO WHAT GILLIS SAID ABOUT THE SEDINS AT HIS VERY FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE…
“I DON’T KNOW IF THEY ARE THE PLAYERS THE TEAM WILL BE BUILT AROUND MOVING FORWARD”…
LAST MONTH GILLIS TRIED TO RE-TRACK THAT STATEMENT BY SUGGESTING…”IT JUST CAME OUT WRONG”…
SO WHERE DO THE CANUCKS NOW STAND ON THE SEDINS???
TO GET THE ANSWER THINK OF HOCKEY AS THE STOCK MARKET…
“TO FIND THE TRUTH…SIMPLY FOLLOW THE MONEY”…

Thanksgiving

WHEN YOU GOT UP THIS MORNING…DID YOU NOTICE THE SUN WAS SHINNING???
THE BIRDS WERE SINGING…
YOUR ORANGE JUICE TASTED A LITTLE SWEETER…
EVEN THE PERSON DOWN THE HALL…YOU KNOW THE ONE THAT HAS NOTHING TO SAY BUT WILL JUST NOT “SHUT UP”…
YOU KNOW WHO I’M TALKING ABOUT…
EVEN “THAT” PERSON COULD NOT RAIN ON YOUR PARADE…NOT TODAY…
LASTNIGHT THE CANUCKS THUMPED CALGARY 6-0…AND LOOKED GREAT IN DOING SO…
THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT WINNING SPORTS TEAMS THAT CONNECTS A CITY…
IT IS A SHARED COMMON EXPERIENCE THAT TRULY DOES ELEVATE THE QUALITY OF LIFE…
TONIGHT THE B.C. LIONS TAKE ON THE ESKIMOES…
THAT WOULD BE THE “FIRST PLACE”… B.C. LIONS…WHO HAVE NOW WON 5 STRAIGHT…
ALSO TONIGHT…THE VANCOUVER GIANTS TAKE ON KELOWNA AT THE PACIFIC COLISEUM…
THE GIANTS HAVE THE BEST RECORD IN THE ENTIRE WESTERN HOCKEY LEAGUE…
SATURDAY THE CANUCKS ARE IN CALGARY…
AND ON SUNDAY AT SWANGGARD STADIUM…THE VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WILL PLAY PUERTO RICO IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL…
FANS IN THIS CITY HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO BATHE IN ALL THIS…BECAUSE IN THE PAST THE SPORTS GODS HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN KIND…
EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO TONIGHT…
THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS CAME INTO TOWN AND KICKED SNOW INTO THE FACE OF THE CANUCKS…
THE FINAL COUNT WAS 8-2…
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT WAS WORSE…THE SCORE OR HOW THE CANUCKS WERE PUSHED AROUND IN THEIR OWN BUILDING…
A FEW WEEKS LATER THE LIONS LOST THE WESTERN FINAL ALSO IN THEIR OWN BUILDING…
THIS SEASON THEY HAD A LOSING RECORD BY THE HALF WAY POINT…
AS FOR THE CAPS…LAST YEAR THEY FINISHED 7TH IN THE REGULAR SEASON AND WERE BOUNCED IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS…
YES WE HAVE SUFFERED…BUT IT PALES IN COMPARISON WITH WHAT SEATTLE FANS ARE GOING THROUGH…
THE MARINERS FINISHED DEAD LAST IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE…THE SEAHAWKS ARE 1 AND 4…THE HUSKIES ARE 0 AND 5…AND THE SONICS HAVE MOVED TO OKLAHOMA CITY…TALK ABOUT A BAD YEAR…
SO AS YOU SIT DOWN FOR YOUR TURKEY DINNER THIS WEEKEND…
TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK OF THE CANUCKS…THE LIONS…THE GIANTS AND THE WHITECAPS…
RIGHT NOW WE ALL HAVE PLENTY…TO BE THANKFULL FOR…

Hockey Canada

TEAM CANADA HAS BEEN GIVEN SOME VERY BAD NEWS…
WAYNE GRETZKY WILL NOT BE THE GENERAL MANAGER IN 2010…
PRESIDENT OF HOCKEY CANADA BOB NICKOLSON MET WITH GRETZKY IN TORONTO OVER THE WEEKEND…
GRETZKY HAS DECIDED THAT HIS PRIORITY MUST BE THE PHOENIX COYOTES…
ALTHOUGH HE DID THE LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN TO ACT AS A CONSULTANT TO HELP CHOOSE THE PLAYERS AND COACHES THAT WILL FORM TEAM CANADA…
GRETZKY WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED AS A COACH…
HOWEVER WE SHOULD NOT BE ALL THAT SURPRISED THAT GRETZKY DOES NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH ALL THE PRESSURE THAT GOES WITH RUNNING THE TEAM…
TO SAY THE LEAST…HIS EXPERIENCE IN TORINO WAS A NIGHTMARE…
IT BEGAN WITH THE GAMBLING SCANDAL INVOLVING HIS ASSISTANT COACH IN PHOENIX RICK TOCCHET AND HIS WIFE JANET…
GRETZKY WAS ALSO OPENLY CRITIZED FOR HIS LOYALTY TO PLAYERS WHO CLEARLY WERE NOT THE BEST THIS COUNTRY HAD TO OFFER…
TODD BERTUZZI MADE THE TEAM…ERIC STAAL AND SIDNEY CROSBY DID NOT…
TEAM CANADA WAS SHUTOUT 2-0 BY BOTH FINLAND AND SWITZERLAND…
FINALLY WHEN THE RUSSIANS ELIMINATED CANADA…GRETZKY TOOK ALL THE BLAME…
QUOTE…”I’LL TAKE ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR NOT WINNING…IT’S NOBODY ELSE’S FAULT”
HE ALSO SAID AT THE TIME…”I’M GOING TO RE-ASSESS WHERE I FIT”…
18 MONTHS LATER…WE KNOW…
STARTING NEXT MONTH NICHOLSON WILL BEGIN THE PROCESS OF FINDING A NEW GM…
THE GOOD NEWS IS…HE’LL HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE LIST OF CANDIDATES…
ON THE TOP WOULD HAVE TO BE KEN HOLLAND IN DETROIT…
AS FOR A HEAD COACH…MIKE BABCOCK WOULD HAVE TO BE THE FRONT RUNNER…
ALTHOUGH BOTH KEN HITCHCOCK AND BRENT SUTTER WILL BE CONSIDERED…
WHOEVER TAKES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PUTTING THIS TEAM TOGETHER…
IT’S CLEAR THE PRIORITY WILL BE TO PUT TOGETHER THE BEST TEAM POSSIBLE…
FORGET ALL THE MISPLACED LOYALTIES AND POLITICS…
WHEN IT COMES TO PRESSURE…VANCOUVER IN 2010 WILL MAKE TORINO LOOK LIKE TOFINO…
ANYTHING LESS THAN GOLD…WILL BE CONSIDERED A COMPLETE FAILURE…
IF NOTHING ELSE…IT DOES HELP EXPLAIN WHY GRETZKY NO LONGER WANTS THE JOB…

The Canucks

THE LAST TIME THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS PLAYED A GAME THAT MATTERED WAS APRIL THE 5TH…
THAT’S 5 MONTHS AGO…
THE SEASON ENDED WITH A WHIMPER…NOT A BANG…7-1 TO CALGARY…
IT COST GENERAL MANAGER DAVE NONIS HIS JOB…
ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER STEVE TAMBELINI IS NOW THE GENERAL MANAGER IN EDMONTON…
MARKUS NASLUND IS IN NEW YORK…
BRENDAN MORRISON IS IN ANAHEIM…
TREVOR LINDEN HAS RETIRED…AND THE ORGANIZATION SUFFERED THE LOSS OF LUC BOURDON…
NEVER IN CANUCK HISTORY HAVE HOCKEY FANS IN CITY HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH SO MUCH DRAMATIC CHANGE…
SO IT SHOULD NOT COME AS ANY SURPRISE THAT THESE FANS HAVE REAL CONCERN ABOUT WHAT LIES AHEAD THIS SEASON…
TO MANY THE NEW CANUCKS LOOK PRETTY MUCH LIKE THE ODD CANUCKS…
NASLUND AND MORRISON HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY…PAVOL DEMITRA AND STEVE BERNIER…
80 POINTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH 87 POINTS…
ALL THE EXCITEMENT THAT SURROUNDED THE $20 MILLION OFFER TO MATS SUNDIN ON JULY THE 1ST…TURNED OUT TO BE AN ENDLESS SOAP OPERA THAT IS NOW USED BY DOCTORS TO HELP CURE INSOMNIA…
TOMORROW THE CANUCKS WILL OPEN THEIR PROSPECTS CAMP…
IT WILL BE THE FIRST REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR FANS TO SEE THE TEAMS FIRST ROUND DRAFT PICK CODY HODGSON…
AND CERTAINLY THERE WILL SOME ATTENTION SPENT ON MICHAEL GRABNER…WHO HAS SO FAR BEEN ANOTHER SWING AND A MISS FOR THE SCOUTING STAFF…
NOW COMPARE THIS TO WHAT THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS PULLED OFF YESTERDAY…
SIDNEY CROSBY AND 8 OTHER PLAYERS HAND DELIVERED SEASON TICKETS TO 35 CUSTOMERS…
THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WENT TO THE STANLEY CUP FINAL…
QUITE SIMPLY THE PENGUINS ARE NOT TAKING THEIR FANS FOR GRANTED…
IT’S A MISTAKE THE CANUCKS CAN NOT AFFORD TO MAKE…
YES…THE TEAM HAS SOLD OUT 215 STRAIGHT GAMES…
AND YES…THERE ARE 8 THOUSAND NAMES ON THE WAITING LIST FOR SEASON’S TICKETS…
BUT…AS GREAT AS THE HOCKEY FANS ARE IN THIS CITY…THERE IS A LIMIT TO WHAT THEY’LL PUT UP WITH…
IT’S EASY TO FORGET THAT JUST 10 YEARS AGO THE CANUCKS AVERAGED A MERE 14 THOUSAND FANS A GAME…
THAT’S 5 THOUSAND EMPTY SEATS PER GAME…
WHAT THESE FANS NEED NOW IS A REASON TO BELIEVE…
THE SOONER THEY GET IT THE BETTER…

Mats Sundin

RUMORS CAN BE A VERY UGLY THING…AND I THINK IT’S ABOUT TIME WE HAD ONE…
THE HOTTEST RUMOR SURROUNDING MATS SUNDIN GOES LIKE THIS…
THE NEW YORK RANGERS ARE SAID TO BE SHOPPING AROUND SCOTT GOMEZ IN AN EFFORT TO GET ENOUGH CAP SPACE TO SIGN SUNDIN…
ON THE TOP OF THE LIST IS SAID TO BE…THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS…
NOW BEFORE YOU DISMISS IT AS LITTLE MORE THAN THE RAVINGS OF SOME BLOGGER ON CRACK…
LOOK AT THE FACTS…
GOMEZ HAS A LIMITED “NO TRADE” CLAUSE…
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH IT MEANS AT THE END OF THE SEASON HE HANDS THE RANGERS A LIST OF 3 TEAMS THAT WILL NOT ACCEPT A TRADE TO…
AS FAR AS WE KNOW…THE CANUCKS ARE NOT ON THAT LIST…
FOR THE RECORD…CHRIS DRURY HAS A “NO MOVEMENT” CLAUSE IN HIS CONTRACT WHICH MEANS HE’S NOT GOING ANYWHERE…
GOMEZ HAS 5 YEARS LEFT ON HIS DEAL WITH THE RANGERS AND WILL MAKE $8 MILLION THIS SEASON…
THE CANUCKS ARE ONE OF ONLY A FEW TEAMS THAT HAVE THE CAP SPACE...THE ASSETS AND THE OWNERSHIP TO MAKE THIS DEAL WORK…
THE KEY IS THE ASSETS…
HOW MUCH WOULD VANCOUVER GM MIKE GILLIS GIVE UP FOR A 29 YEAR OLD CENTER WHO SCORED JUST 16 GOALS LAST YEAR AND COLLECTED A MERE 70 POINTS…
CERTAINLY NOT A FIRST ROUND DRAFT CHOICE…
BUT THAT IS PROBABLY WHAT GENERAL MANAGER GLEN SATHER IS LOOKING FOR…SO THERE’S THAT…
BUT THE REAL ISSUE IS SUNDIN…
SO FAR HE STILL HAS NOT SAID HE WANTS TO PLAY THIS SEASON…LET ALONE PLAY IN NEW YORK…
BUT WITH TRAINING CAMP JUST A FEW WEEKS AWAY…CLEARLY A DECISION IS ONLY A FEW DAYS AWAY…
THAT WAS THE CASE WITH JOE SAKIC…
TODAY SAKIC SIGNED A ONE YEAR DEAL WITH THE AVALANCHE…
OTHER UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW…
BRENDAN SHANAHAN IS TALKING TO ST.LOUIS…
GLEN MURRAY IS TALKING TO NASHVILLE…
AND MARK PARRISH IS TALKING TO THE CANUCKS…THE DEVILS…THE ISLANDERS AND THE SENATORS…
20 YEARS AGO WHEN THE OILERS TRADED WAYNE GRETZKY WE LEARNED TWO THINGS…
THE FIRST IS ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE…
AND SECOND…EVERY TRADE STARTS WITH A RUMOR

Mats Sundin

IT’S OFFICIAL…
OLIVER STONE HAS AGREED TO WRITE AND DIRECT “THE MATS SUNDIN STORY”…
THIS SAGA HAS NOW PRODUCED MORE CONSPIRACY THEORIES THAN THE MOON LANDING…
HERE’S THE LATEST…
SUNDIN WILL PLAY THIS SEASON WITH THE NEW YORK RANGERS…
THE STORY COMES FROM LARRY BROOKS OF THE NEW YORK POST…WHO SAYS SUNDIN HAS…IN HIS WORDS…”DECLARED HIS INTEREST IN PLAYING FOR THE RANGERS THIS SEASON”…
HOWEVER BROOKS DOES NOT NAME HIS SOURCES…ONLY THAT THEY ARE…QUOTE…”WELL CONNECTED”…
ACCORDING TO BROOKS THE RANGERS PLAN TO PLAY SUNDIN ON A LINE WITH MARKUS NASLUND AND NIKOLAI ZHERDEV…
THERE’S JUST ONE LITTLE PROBLEM…
THE RANGERS HAVE ONLY ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN CAP SPACE…
THEIR TWO TOP CENTERS SCOTT GOMEZ AND CHRIS DRURY EACH MAKE OVER $ 7 MILLION A SEASON…BUT THEY BOTH HAVE NO TRADE CLAUSES…
IN THE SUMMER THE RANGERS SIGNED WADE REDDEN AND MICHAL ROZISVAL TO ANCHOR THEIR BLUELINE…
BOTH WERE UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS…AND BOTH GOT LONG TERM CONRACTS…
REDDEN WILL BE PAID $6.5 MILLION A SEASON…ROZISVAL WILL GET $5 MILLION…
SO UNLESS THE RANGERS ARE WILLING TO BLOW UP THEIR TEAM IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS…SUNDIN IS NOT GOING TO NEW YORK…
BROOKS ALSO CLAIMS HIS SOURCES TELL HIM…PHILADELPHIA IS SUNDIN’S SECOND CHOICE…
HOWEVER THE FLYERS HAVE MORE CAP PROBLEMS THAN THE RANGERS AND WILL HAVE TO DUMP AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS IN SALARY BEFORE THE START OF THE SEASON…
THE STORY HAS ONE MORE TWIST…ACCORDING TO BROOKS…
SUNDIN HAS NO INTEREST IN PLAYING FOR THE CANUCKS…THE LEAFS OR THE CANADIANS…
THE AGENT FOR SUNDIN…J.P. BARRY DENIES ALL OF IT…
ACCORDING TO BARRY...MATS SUNDIN HAS STILL NOT DECIDED IF HE IS GOING TO PLAY THIS SEASON…AND THE TWO HAVE NOT EVEN DISCUSSED WHICH TEAM HE WANTS TO PLAY FOR…
IN THE MEANTIME BARRY NOW SAYS THERE ARE NOW JUST 5 TEAMS IN THE RUNNING…INCLUDING THE CANUCKS…
IF IT ALL FEELS LIKE YOU’VE SEEN THIS MOVIE BEFORE…YOU’RE RIGHT…YOU HAVE…
SO UNTIL SUNDIN FINALLY MAKES UP HIS MIND…WE’LL ALL BE A LOT BETTER OFF SPENDING OUR TIME WATCHING BATMAN

Hockey Hall of Fame-Class of 2008

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ARGUE WITH GLENN ANDERSON OR IGOR LARINONOV GETTING INTO THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME…
JUST AS IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE LAST YEAR TO ARGUE WITH MARK MESSIER…RON FRANCIS…SCOTT STEVENS AND AL MACINNIS…
HOPEFULLY THIS IS A SIGN THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME WILL ADOPT THE SAME KIND OF STANDARDS FOUND IN BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL…
IN THE PAST THAT HAS SIMPLY NOT BEEN THE CASE…
TWO YEARS AGO THE SELECTION COMMITTEE INDUCTED DICK DUFF…
283 CAREER GOALS SHOULD NOT GET ANYBODY IN ANY HALL OF FAME…
BUT DUFF PLAYED MOST OF HIS CAREER IN MONTREAL AND TORONTO AND WON STANLEY CUPS IN BOTH OF THOSE CITIES…
IN THE LAST 20 YEARS THE HALL HAS WELCOMED…
BUN COOK…HARRY WATSON…WOODY DUMART…FERNIE FLAMAN…AND HERBIE LEWIS…
ANY OF THOSE NAMES RING A BELL…
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN ARE…
PAVEL BURE…DINO CICCARELI…DOUG GILMOUR…AND ADAM OATES…
IN 1989 THE HALL GAVE THE GREEN LIGHT TO VLADISLAV TRETIAK…
IT WAS CLEARLY A POLITICAL MOVE IN AN EFFORT TO BRING SOVIET PLAYERS INTO THE NHL…
ON THE OTHER HAND THE HALL HAS ALSO REFUSED TO RECOGNIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE WHA…
BIG NAMES SUCH AS BOBBY HULL AND GORDIE HOWE HAVE BEEN INDUCTED…
BUT BORDERLINE PLAYERS SUCH AS…MARC TARDIF…J.C. TREMBLY AND PAUL HENDERSON REMAIN OUT…
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF JUST HOW POLITCAL IT CAN GET…
IN 1993 NHL PRESIDENT GIL STEIN GOT L.A. OWNER BRUCE MCNALL TO NOMINATE HIM…
IT CREATED SUCH A STINK THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION AND FINALLY STEIN WITHDREW HIMSELF FROM THE NOMINATION…
SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY HOCKEY FANS GET A LITTLE NERVOUS WHEN THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES ITS YEARLY INDUCTEES…
FORTUNATELY THIS YEAR…THEY GOT IT RIGHT…