Kukla's Korner Hockey

Category: Vancouver-Canucks

Hansen Suspended One Game

by Paul on 02/20/13 at 08:38 PM ET
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Brendan Shanahan explains the cause of the suspension, an illegal forearm to the head.

 

Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: jannik+hansen

Jannik Hansen/Marian Hossa Collision

by Paul on 02/19/13 at 11:52 PM ET
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Early twitter talk is some calling it a collision with both players reaching for the puck, others say hea dshot.

Hansen received 2 for roughing.

 

Filed in: NHL Teams, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: jannik+hansen, marianhossa

How Good Are The Canucks?

by Paul on 02/19/13 at 10:39 AM ET
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from Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province,

There are 25 other NHL teams who'd kill to have the Canucks' problems but, for this team, the issue this season is the same as it's been for the last four seasons.

They're good, but are they good enough to win the Stanley Cup?

You know they're close and, this half-season, they've addressed some big areas of concern. They're about to add David Booth to their lineup, which makes them deeper than the teams of 2009 through 2012. They're also bigger and tougher, and there is still the tantalizing prospect of what a goalie trade might bring.

But, for everything that's changed about the Orcans, there's still something about them that makes you wonder. Is Alain Vigneault the coach who can bring out the best in this team? Is Mike Gillis the GM who can make the killer move that puts them over the top? Are Henrik and Daniel Sedin exceptional regular-season players but lacking the stuff of a Cup champion? Is Ryan Kesler really the player we saw in 2010-11 or was that simply a career year?

It's the same for virtually every member of this organization. They're good but are they good enough? The Canucks have four tough road games coming up over the next six days against teams from the Central Division. It won't tell the whole story of their season but it will tell us a lot about this team.

read on

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Video- Waiting 101 Years Before Attending Your First NHL Game

by Paul on 02/18/13 at 11:23 AM ET
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Herb Dawe did.

 

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Vancouver Needs The Good Kesler

by Paul on 02/15/13 at 11:40 AM ET
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from Jason Botchford of the Vancouver Province,

Vigneault said he has Kesler in the lineup, on the second line, on the team’s first power-play unit, and will need him to pick up the faceoff slack left by Manny Malhotra, who was, well, told to go home.

Is that all? Good luck with managing those minutes.

Kesler said he wouldn’t come back unless he’s 100 per cent. So, he must be ready to reprise his role as the team’s heart and soul. Right?

He doesn’t plan to change the way he plays, either. You know, the often daring-but-reckless, gutsy-but-risky style that, when he’s on, can look like he’s driving a stock car and taking turns just a little too fast.

It’s made him oh-so productive when he’s healthy, but oh-so disappointing when he’s injured. Quite the quandary. But Kesler said he doesn’t see any other way.

“The way I play is the reason I’m successful,” Kesler said. “I’m not one of those guys who is going to get by on their skill alone. I have to be one of the hardest-working guys out there.”

more

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  Tags: ryan+kesler

Vancouver Canucks Place Manny Malhotra On IR

by Paul on 02/14/13 at 03:47 PM ET
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Vancouver, B.C. – The Vancouver Canucks announced today that centre Manny Malhotra has been placed on Injured Reserve and will miss the remainder of the 2012.13 NHL season.

“The long term health of Manny Malhotra is of utmost importance to our organization,” said Michael D. Gillis, President and General Manager, Canucks Sports & Entertainment. “Throughout his career Manny has showcased his indispensability through skilled play, being a consummate professional and leader in the room while also continuously giving back to the community. Manny will continue to be a valued member of our organization.”

Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: manny+malhotra

Mike Gillis On His Goaltenders

by Paul on 02/12/13 at 04:01 PM ET
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from Jeff Simmons of Sportsnet,

The Canucks president and general manager has been thrilled with the play of Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider but says it may be unrealistic that both will be on the roster beyond the shortened 2013 season.

"I really think there will come a time where the right thing for both of them is (for us) to only have one and develop another young goalie," Gillis told Daren Millard, Doug MacLean and Nick Kypreos on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Tuesday. "That’s at the forefront of our thought process. We managed to work out the money and we can do it in the future, but that's not the pressure. We need to always do the right thing for our players. If we get to the summer with both of them here, I think it would be time to do something."

While Gillis did point to the summer as a time they could move one of Luongo or Schneider, they have worked out salary cap scenarios where they could keep both of the two on the roster.

Right now, the team isn't aggressively looking to make a move and is happy with the status quo as the Canucks have won five games in a row and lead the Northwest Division.

more

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Luongo Unplugged

by Paul on 02/10/13 at 07:51 AM ET
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I watched the full After Hours segment on HNIC and thought Scott Oake did an outstanding job with the questions he directed at Roberto Luongo.  I've never seen Luongo more relaxed and at peace with himself than during this 25 minute or so interview.

You can watch it below and Kevin Bieksa also appears after the Luongo segment.

Continue Reading »

Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: roberto+luongo

The Latest On Roberto Luongo

by Paul on 02/08/13 at 10:21 PM ET
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from Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun,

"There is a lot of talk going on," Gillis said in an interview Friday, which was a day off for the players. "But there is this presumption that you pick up the phone and make a trade. Well, it doesn't happen that way and there is usually a long process building up to it and I think Roberto has come in here and has continued to show what a quality person and quality goaltender he is. And if you want to acquire that, you have to pay a price for it."

In other words, in Gillis's opinion, Luongo's solid play so far this season has only served to increase his value on the trade market.

"Every team is discussing options all the time and we're just like them, we are discussing different possibilities all the time," he said. "We're open to those discussions if they can improve our hockey team. Right now, we have two great goalies, we're perfectly happy if we continue this way right through to the end of the playoffs. If something comes our way that we think improves our team in a different way which allows us a better opportunity to win the Stanley Cup, we are going to look at it."

Gillis continues to dismiss suggestions that having both goalies here is, or could become, a significant distraction for the team. He seemed to suggest that in some ways keeping both goalies makes perfect sense, at least for the remainder of this season. A major cut in next year's salary cap would make it nearly impossible next season.

read on

Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: roberto+luongo

Afternoon Line

by Paul on 02/06/13 at 03:53 PM ET
Comments (1)

Filed in: NHL Teams, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals, | KK Hockey | Permalink
  Tags: alex+ovechkin, roberto+luongo

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