I wrote awhile ago about how this preseason was about taking a different approach for the Canucks, a new year a new strategy and certainly new and loftier expectations. TSN has placed the Canucks in the top 2 of it's 30 teams in 30 days with the Washington Capitals, last year's President Trophy winner. Lofty expectations indeed.

The challenge for the Canucks is that this group has yet to play with this kind of pressure and expectation upon them. Two lackluster second round series still sting in the minds of many yet the pundits seem to be oblivious to recent history and feel necessary changes have allowed the stars to align for the Canucks.

With two preseason games left before final cuts and preparation for opening night against the LA Kings, where does this team stand with identity and roster? Have the fans and followers learned anything more about the team which they were oblivious to at the start of prospects camp?

There have been surprises good-the Sweat brothers, Jeff Tambellini, Dan Hamhuis, Raymond, bad-SOB, Sauve, Rypien, Hodgson and ugly-Ballard and Bieksa. It could have been worse but in essence we fans should come to accept this team is pretty much where most expected it to be better than last year but still with question marks.

The good surprises as listed above are ones I didn't expect. The Sweatt brothers have been consistent and solid since prospects camp. Lee has shown skill and intelligence which time in the AHL will only improve. Bill has given reason to believe that the loss of Grabner may not sting so much in two years should he keep his development on course.

Jeff Tambellini seems to have seized this moment and shed the shackles of Long Island purgatory. In some ways he is more evidence that throwing even a relatively 'green' yet skilled player with the Sedins is a successful strategy but that same player has to be able to do more than receive. JT has provided some hope for the club, and himself, of better things to come.

Dan Hamhuis impresses me a bit more each time he plays. I'm not saying he is Norris Trophy material- Keith and Doughty will battle for that title many years over before a Canuck ever gets a nomination- but he is bringing more to the team than I expected. He has been steady and quietly doing his job defensivley while helping the attack and special teams. His style of play is one which fits well with AV's puck possession style. I'm already increasing my expectations of Dan this year for points and overall impact.

Mason Raymond has come to the preseason with more strength in his core and legs than last year's significant improvement. He still looks quick on his feet and the puck along with better balance against the boards and checkers. With a break out season last year playing with Kesler and Samuelsson I see no reason to see why Raymond will not match his totals from last year and have just as important role on the team. On a side note a colleague of mine had the chance to meet Raymond this past summer in a family setting, away from hockey. He said that Raymond is about as polite and honest a young man as they come. He spoke very highly of his character and personality and summed up his impression by stating "he could come work for me if he gets tired of hockey". Somehow I don't think that is going to happen soon.

The bad parts of the preseason have less to do with bad play for some and more about unfortunate situations-enter Cody Hodgson. CoHo is supposed to be the wunderkind draft pick the Canucks have not seen since Bure, that is if you exclude reigning Hart Trophy winner Henrik Sedin. With a CHL player of the year award and huge performances for the Canadian Word Junior Team Coho has been the focus and target of fans, media and at one time AV alike. So many of us were hoping this would be his year.

Although he is not officially sent down to Manitoba, it seems all but a formality and that is not a bad thing. Let's not forget that CoHo is not the same kind of skater as Stamkos or Duchense, nor is he like Tavares in style-recent peer draftees. CoHo also played a handful of games last year through two injuries. It's hard to believe but since last year's training camp and the 100+ games of hockey played the previous season CoHo has barely played more than the Chicago Blackhawks did during the entire 2010 post season. He's gone from one extreme to another and only the truly naive and foolish would believe he can bounce back and make an impact. I think CoHo has a great future but it starts now and he knows it. We just have to accept it and lay off for a bit.

Shane O'Brien has not helped himself this pre-season and my bet is that we see him waived or traded for a low pick. With Andrew Alberts being on the roster and Rome signed cheaper, SOB should have looked at some tea leaves from his hangover cure to see what he needed to do coming into camp and preseason. This year he was challenged and I'm not so sure he rose up to claim his rightful spot as the #6 defenseman. With two new rear guard additions I'm not sure he even realized that he was pushed even lower on the depth chart. Did he go to Finland and whack Salo in hopes of stopping his natural descent? With the up and down season from last year gone it was time for SOB to make a new start. Instead it appears he cleared his bar tab from Malone's felt all was good.

Rick Rypien also had some pressure on him with the increased amount of players competing for spots on the 4th line. I have a soft spot for Rypien as anyone with his size and that amount of fight in them is going to win me over all the time. I want Rypien to succeed as much as anyone but I can't help but wonder if injuries will consistently keep him from being a true disrupting pest.

The ugly is pretty ugly and talked about before but I might as well bring it up again. Where does Kevin Bieksa go from here? Can he go anywhere right now? I see one solution for Bieksa and that is to be pissed off and play with that same feeling every shift. It's the borderline a-hole attitude which made him a favourite for fans and I hope he can bring it back this season for the Canucks and himself.

Keith Ballard has a new excuse for what some are calling outrageously sloppy play- hip surgery in May. I feel that he will find his game as AV starts solidifying pairings but until then it has been anything but pretty. When looking at Ballard I see a guy with all the tools to be the kind of player the Canucks need on the back end, but almost all aspects of his game are completely out of synch right now. Time will tell for Ballard but it couldn't get any worse could it?

There's a brief wrap on some thoughts about a few players who have caught my interest for one reason or another. It's not a complete team review but that will come later.

I have a few thoughts on the Peca comments that I want present. First off why is club President Ken King coming to defend the player? How unusual? It's not the coach, GM or new appointed press friendly assistant GM, but club President calling in twice to a radio show and going on TSN, then talking to Peca. Why?

I will throw out a wild ass conspiracy theory- Sutter's reigns are held so tight right now that there can be no more miscommunication form the organization or Bouwmeester was never Sutter's guy. It has been presented the two deals Sutter made last year with Phaneuf and Jokinen were so out of character that they may not have been his deals. Is it possible Bouwmeester wasn't either and Sutter wasn't going to or didn't feel he had to protect a player he didn't bring in? Who knows but the situation in Calgary still stays just as curious as it was last season.

Enjoy the final games and I will hopefully have a few more things on Winnipeg and pre-season wrap-up/NW preview in the next blog.

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