The Vancouver Canucks got pumped by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night In Canada. The Leafs sprinted out to a 5-0 lead before Brock Boeser took a bite out of the bagel with a power play goal late in the third period. The Leafs crushed the Canucks 5-1 and improved to 9-2-1 while the Canucks sunk to a 6-9 record.
There is real trouble brewing in Vancouver where GM Jim Benning and head coach Travis Green have vultures circling over their heads.
The Canucks defense is a mess right now and has been all season long. Vancouver have allowed an NHL-worst 60 goals against in their 15 games played. Their -11 goal-differential is ranked third worst (29th) in the NHL. Their four goals against per game is second worst only to the Ottawa Senators (4.33 GA/GP).
The Canucks defense corps and goaltending have been putrid all season long.
I’ve been watching #Canucks games this season and there is a big problem amongst they’ve D corps, forwards and goalie Braden Holtby. Last night, it came to a head when after a goal against Holtby beaked then had words with one of his D-men. It was anger and hostility.
I have watched many of their games on TV this season and have watched their forwards and defensemen loaf it on the back check and play terrible gap control in their own zone. The Canucks are one of the most gifted and talented teams in the NHL in terms of sheer talent and creativity. Their fatal flaw is that their talent is refusing to work hard.
Travis Green is an excellent head coach who will be forced to unfairly walk the plank because Benning and the Canucks owners refused to extend his contract after last season. The vultures are circling Benning’s head. Trading Holtby now may stabilize his team while bringing in veteran puck moving defenseman that can break the puck out and feed tape to tape passes to Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser and the Canucks forwards.
On Saturday night, Braden Holtby (.877 SV%) threw his teammates under the bus on more than one occasion after their repeated turnovers that led to high danger chances against the Leafs.
Holtby is pissed off beyond words. He has resorted to tantrums. Watch as Holtby gives the gears to Jalen Chatfield and J.T. Miller. Holtby beaking and throwing the stink eye at his teammates is the ultimate tipping point because the optics can be divisive.
Holtby’s body language screamed anger, disgust, and frustration after Auston Matthews scored his second goal of the game on a play where the Canucks failed to keep the puck in the Leafs o-zone and it led to an aerial pass that Quinn Hughes should have played better than he did.
Holtby knew what he was doing by throwing his teammates under the zamboni live on Hockey Night In Canada where 15-20% of Canada's 30 million people tune in to watch the Leafs play each Saturday night. The HNIC platform is equal to center court at Wimbledon or home plate at Yankee Stadium.
Holtby is better than this. He’s a Stanley Cup winner. He had no business sewering his teammates with his dirty looks and negative body language. His teammates are like: “OK, buddy. We get it. We need to play better in front of you. Feel free to mix in a save or five, why don’t you?!”
Holtby was furious. Totally out of character for the Stanley Cup winning goalie who is usually cool and calm in his cage. Last night was the tipping point. It appears to my eyes that Canucks players would rather have Thatcher Demko on the drum kit rather than Braden Holtby
It’s getting personal now that the disgruntled goalie is showing his displeasure publicly. Its no longer a matter that is being worked through in the room. Its on social media and the court of public opinion is not being kind to Holtby and the Canucks.
Holtby says 'disconnected' Canucks must hold each other accountable after he beaked and through the stink eye at J.T. Miller and his defensemen #Canuckshttps://t.co/wjb2kO17ln
Holtby looks like he wants to pack his bags and head out of Vancouver. Were I the Canucks, I would grant Holtby that wish.
“Everything looks difficult for our team,” Canucks head coach Travis Green said after the loss to the Leafs on HNIC. “It’s not coming easy and maybe that is something of a mental thing.”
In October, Holtby signed a two-year contract with Vancouver with a neat and tidy $4.3M AAV. Holtby’s dollars and term make him an attractive trade target this season.
Why would the Canucks trade Holtby after they just signed him as a UFA?
Two words.
Thatcher Demko.
Though he is 3-5 this season with a 3.81 GAA and .897 SV%, Demko is the present and future goaltender for the Canucks. When the Canucks tighten up their D structure, limit high danger shots against and give a damn about their own end of the rink, the goaltending will improve dramatically.
Give Demko the net and let the boys battle for him every other night.
Demko proved that he was the man while the Canucks were battling in the bubble last summer.
Demko was brilliant in his playoff performances last summer posting a 2-1 record with 0.64 GAA and .985 SV%
The Sabres and Canucks can itch the scratch of one one another by making a trade. The Sabres have the NHL defenseman that the Canucks need while the Canucks have the goaltender the Sabres covet.
Were I Kevyn Adams, I would trade for Holtby, 31, and his $4.3M AAV (x 2 ).
The Sabres currently have seven players and their head coach Ralph Kruger in COVID quarantine. They will play again on February 11.
In their 10 games played, the Sabres have allowed just 31 goals against (3 ENG). Their 3.10 goals against average places them at 21st in the NHL.
IF the Sabres can re-engage with a red hot goalie tandem leading the way, the Sabres will earn one of four playoff berths in the East Divisioon.
Sabres defenseman Colin Miller ($3.875M AAV) and Carter Hutton ($2.75M AAV). The Sabres can also take Jake Virtanen’s $2.55M AAV. Holtby and Ullmark would be the bridge to Ukko Pekka Luukonen.
The Sabres have been searching for an upgrade at the goaltending position since last summer when Adams accepted the general manager office in Buffalo. Linus Ullmark has been outstanding this season while Carter Hutton has struggled since he took heavy contact to his head in Philadelphia three weeks ago. Hutton will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end.
Buffalo Sabres Blogger • 
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