It seems like only yesterday that my team, the Vancouver Canucks, suffered a complete collapse and were swiftly booted out of the rink and onto the golf course. It was actually last Spring. And the Spring before that. And the Spring...well, you get the message. It's never been easy being a Canucks' fan. I guess there's a reason why Prozac is a bigger seller in BC than any other Province in Canada.(Allegedly) I guess there's a reason why my Mother (the self-proclaimed number one Canucks' fan) has black Lungs, an enlarged Liver and no fingernails. I have a feeling in the next few weeks, she may need a Pacemaker.
I will leave the sordid history of the Canucks (the Gilbert Perrault fiasco (wipes tear), Dale Tallon, Bill Laforge, Mark Messier, Chuck & Bobby, Cam Neely, the Canuck Duck, Lars Lindgren, Todd Bertuzzi etc...) for another time and another blog. Right now let's focus on this season and more importantly, this post-season.
For the first time in Canucks' history, we actually have a team that can score goals in bunches AND a great goalie. (I know some of you will disagree, but more on Luongo a bit later. One thing at a time, sheesh.) Unfortunately we are seriously lacking on defense, that is unless Willie Mitchell makes a miraculous comeback. Andrew Alberts is not a replacement for Willie Mitchell, and he is the sole reason my Mother might need that Pacemaker I was taking about.
Looking at the 16 teams in the Playoffs this year, I would say that Vancouver is the only team that you could not only make a really good case for them winning the Cup, but you could also make a pretty good case for them getting swept in the first round. The glass is half full guy would say Luongo is the best goalie in the league and he knows he has to prove it in the Playoffs, not in the regular season. The Sedins are much, much better than last year and they are unstoppable. No team can match our speed. Our defense has held up reasonably well down the stretch and will get the job done, kind of bending without breaking. Kesler and Burrows have had career years. Samuelsson has won a Stanley Cup, an Olympic Gold Medal and a World Championship. Demitra was the top scorer in the Olympics in Vancouver and an all-star. These 4 will step it up in the playoffs and we'll have a big parade down Robson in June. Again, that's coming from the glass is half full guy.
Now the glass is half empty guy would say Luongo is mentally tired and has lost confidence and cannot just flick a switch and play well in the Playoffs. The Sedins do not show up in the Playoffs and can be shut down over a 7 game series. Salo has had a great season, but he's a ticking time bomb. He won't make it through the first round without an injury or a sore throat or a hangnail. The defense is way too thin. You can't expect guys like O'Brien and Edler to play top 4 minutes. And Andrew Alberts is quite possibly the worst defenseman in the playoffs. The glass is half empty guy predicts they will get swept by LA and Vigneault will be fired. I'm not really sure who is more accurate, maybe somewhere in between, but as my Mother always says I don't care if the glass is half empty or half full, as long as it contains some Grey Goose.
While the LA Kings are a good young, talented team and not to be taken lightly, that is the team the Canucks wanted to play in the first round. Flying to LA is a lot easier than flying to Detroit or Nashville. Not to mention, I think Detroit and Nashville are better teams. On paper the Canucks are a better team, plain and simple. Unfortunately that was true against the Black Hawks last year and we all know what happened there. The Canucks are a much faster team with a lot better goaltending. On paper. If Luongo plays even just average for him, I think this series is over in 5. Of course he didn't play average most of the year. He's had a little bit of time to rest now which is a good thing. Not very often do the Canucks get a chance to cruise through the end of the regular season and rest some players so that is always a great bonus. I do wish that Vigneault had played Raycroft more after the Olympic break though. Luongo played the equivalent of 4 game 7's in a row and that has to take a toll mentally. I would have called up Schneider from the Moose to back up Raycroft and told Luongo to stay home for a week or so. Raycroft was playing well enough and with a rested Luongo who knows, maybe we could've won the Western Conference. Not that that matters anymore. It's all about winning one thing. The Hart Trophy. (Kidding)
At the forward position it's great to see that Vigneault actually has some options. If Burrows is struggling with the Twins he can bring in Samuelsson. If the Kings are having trouble with our speed, he can dress Grabner and put him with Raymond and Kesler. If they are playing tough, he can bring in Hordichuk. Options are only good if you are a good bench coach though, and I'm still not sold on Vigneault. I probably never will be until this team goes all the way. I think he was badly outcoached by Quenneville last season against the Hawks. (Why do I keep bringing that series up? I think I may need counselling.) Either way we have 3 solid lines that can score and a pretty good checking line although we will miss Ryan Johnson's shot blocking and penalty killing.
Our defense is the biggest concern. People have been freaking on Luongo since the Olympic break, but really I blame our defense the most. Of course when Luongo loses his trust in his defense, then he looks like the bad guy. I'm just glad Mike Gillis was able to steal Ehrhoff from the Sharks or we would likely not have even made the playoffs. If Salo can stay healthy (I wouldn't bet 2 cents on that happening) and Rome, O'Brien and Alberts can just keep it simple, they might be able to keep the puck out of their own net just enough to outscore their opponents. I would expect that no matter how far the Canucks go, there will be the odd blow out against them. And then my Mother will hit the bottle yet again.
I'm picking the Canucks to win in 5 games and of course they will go on to beat Detroit, San Jose and then the New Jersey Devils. I just want to see them play to their potential and give it their best. If they are beat by a better team, I can live with that. Though I will still be bitter for the whole Summer. It's an exciting time right now to be a Canucks' fan and it should be very exciting hockey. We've been spoiled this year with the play of the Sedins. Hard to believe that Luongo did anything but carry the team this year and they still won their division. If he gets hot, lookout.
For game one I will be putting on the authentic Jersey, wearing my Canuck touque, flying the Canuck flags, waving the Canuck towel and I'll have my Coke Zero and Baked Cheezies for good luck. With all of that how could they possibly come up short? I know I know. For 40 years they've found a way. But it's time to look ahead, not behind. It's time to go all the way for the first time in our history. Or my Mother just might end up in intensive care.
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