Carol Schram: Vancouver Canucks Game Review: A Win, Manufacturing Hope, Torts' Fate? The Vancouver Canucks beat the Calgary Flames on Saturday night at Rogers Arena, but big questions linger about changes to improve the team's prospects for next season.

Morning Carol. I didn't hate Jensens game as I did last year.I have no problem with him staying around and trying to win a spot or showcasing him as part of a package. As someone said last night he has a knack to find the open areas.

As Chompsey said in the last blog ,get rid of Torts and this suffocating style should follow suit. This team is painful to watch, and does not compete hard enough in front of the net. That needs to change.

Lack was outstanding and I think management finally made a smart move this year by trading LU.Lu was a great guy but let's admit he had his job stolen by understudies two years in a row.

First line stinks and will be big problems down the road.I am not sure how UFAs will feel about signing with a team that blindly hands out prime minutes to a line that hasn't scored this year and doesn't deserve the quality opportunity.They should earn their minutes just like anyone else.


When this team is struggling Bieksa is standing up to the plate and saying Fuc you we are not going down ,while Henrik says we have to take advantage of our opportunities. I personally like Bieksa s leadership more. The cream always rises.

I don't see this as the coach's fault at all. Everyone on the Canucks board was crying about A.V. being to much of a player's coach etc. and now you guys get a guy with some grit and some heart and the team basically folds under his pressure.

I am all for a re"tool" in Van, I would even cheer for the team a bit. I don't follow that closely but it seems that there are some decent young players on the shelves finally. Get the selfish, bad attitudes out and focus on the youth I say. Kesler, Sestito, Kassian, Hansen...get em out of there. Those bad attitudes are like cancer. Many people (myself included in the past) have criticized Burrows and Bieksa for their cheap play, but I think it's more like "passionate play" that might come close to crossing the line. That's fine, that's great actually. Kesler should go in my opinion, he's just a jerk. There are a few more of those types of guys too.

Anyway, most of this was caused by injuries so people shouldn't be too critical of the Canucks. It's a bit scary for the organization though that the fanbase seems kind of "fairweather". There is no need for a rebuild...re"tool" is the word. I'd start with Kesler.

Schneider would have been nice to retain, but Horvat is awesome and Shinkaruk isn't so bad either. Watch Markstrom shine next year too...I'm jealous.

Fire Torts and Gillis.
Trade Kesler and Edler.
Play Jensen and Corrado.

not sure if it was mentioned but they said on after hours that if canucks had lost that game last night, something would have happened (torts or gillis being let go). I am guessing there are a few people on thin ice.

not sure if it was mentioned but they said on after hours that if canucks had lost that game last night, something would have happened (torts or gillis being let go). I am guessing there are a few people on thin ice.
- anavar

They said may have not would have.

They said may have not would have.
- VANTEL

lol wut.. ok got it. Had to read a few times. Yeah, sorry they were under the impression that something may have happened. Speculation, sure.

Bieksa showed a lot of heart yesterday, very much a class act

http://youtu.be/XuyUYCbsHag

They said, may have, not would have.
- VANTEL

WTF does that mean

Edit: fuggin coma's brother, got it now.

Bieksa showed a lot of heart yesterday, very much a class act

http://youtu.be/XuyUYCbsHag
- LeftCoaster

thanks was looking for this, the cbc one was cut short for some reason.

Fire Torts and Gillis.
Trade Kesler and Edler.
Play Jensen and Corrado.
- Scooby_Doo

Let the rebuild begin.

not sure if it was mentioned but they said on after hours that if canucks had lost that game last night, something would have happened (torts or gillis being let go). I am guessing there are a few people on thin ice.
- anavar

LMAO that the Aquillinis held up the season ticket renewals waiting for a more opportune moment. Not sure if they'll find it this season.

thanks was looking for this, the cbc one was cut short for some reason.
- anavar

I'm in an other airport waiting, HB kills a lot of time for me.

I'm in an other airport waiting, HB kills a lot of time for me.
- LeftCoaster

Going anywhere exotic?

Going anywhere exotic?
- AlexF

Calgary

Calgary
- LeftCoaster

I was greeted in Edmonton the other week to -25 temps. Hopefully AB has warmed up a bit since then.

Bieksa showed a lot of heart yesterday, very much a class act

http://youtu.be/XuyUYCbsHag
- LeftCoaster

Got mad love for that guy, anyone advocating that we move him is an absolute moron.

"I'm a Canuck at heart and I'm going down with the ship"

Its a shame that we don't have more of these personalities on this team, let alone league wide.

After this season, give him the god dam C already, Henrik is not able to pull his general "lead by example" show and it could take the pressure of him to regain his form next season without all the extra media hassle.

Got mad love for that guy, anyone advocating that we move him is an absolute moron.

"I'm a Canuck at heart and I'm going down with the ship"

Its a shame that we don't have more of these personalities on this team, let alone league wide.

After this season, give him the god dam C already, Henrik is not able to pull his general "lead by example" show and it could take the pressure of him to regain his form next season without all the extra media hassle.
- Whiskey-Tango

I like the part where he says "I've never been asked to waive my NTC, I've never asked to waive my NTC, I'm here until the end" or something to that effect.

Devils will take 2 1sts and a top prospect for Shneider

Devils will take 2 1sts and a top prospect for Shneider
- cdjaakkola

So Lack is worth 3 1sts, a roster player and top prospect then.

Play Markstrom.

A win is a win, but wow only 14 shots against Calgary. Either Torts has lost the locker room faster than we thought he would or his system just flat out sucks. 14 shots against a team like Calgary is a disgrace, even in a win.

Good bounceback game for Lack, he's definitely mentally tougher than Luongo. A lot of goalies would nervous as hell after Brian (frank)ing McGrattan scored from center ice. Once he adjusts to the starting role, he'll be just fine. I'm not a big fan of spending too much of a team's cap hit in net anyways(yes 5.3 for Luongo was solid, but that term sucked). Anything at 4 million or less for a solid starter is great, hopefully Lack develops into that. Markstrom working with Melanson has me intrigued, I've read that he had basically no goalie coach in Florida.

Josh Rimer tweeted that there's expected to be a firesale of Canuck players at the draft. Maybe FA blocking the trades now had more to do with potentially firing Gillis because FA isn't sure if he wants to keep him around yet? I hope that's the case instead of him just flat out refusing trades because he doesn't like them or thought this team had a chance this year.

I'd keep Bieksa around to help the younger players coming up. I'm fie with Kesler and Edler going. Garrison probably won't waive, but I'd be perfetly fine with him getting traded at some point as well. Keep Hamhuis, Bieksa, Tanev, Stanton around and maybe acquire or sign a player while giving Corrado a full time top 6 spot next year to fill out the defense. Higgins is another guy I'd sell high on, keep Hansen around since he's still relatively young and brings some speed to the team. Higgins works his ass off and is a very good puck possession player, but the guy's offensive IQ/vision is not good enough for a top 6 player and I don't see him as a long-term piece here.

I hope Jensen gets a chance to play some good top 6 minutes for at least a few games on either Henrik's or Kesler's line, it'll be good for his development IMO.

Buyout burrows
Booth on waivers kill 2/3s of contract
Use almost no cap space next year play youth
Trade Kesler For Etem and a 1st or Teravainen and a 1st

We have prospects

Jensen, Horvat, Shinkaruk, Teraveinen or Etem, Kassian, Corrado, Stanton, and 2 1sts thies year and a good pick next year.

Sedin Sedin Jensen
Shinkaruk Etem Kassian
Higgins Horvat Hansen

Plus those 2 firsts this year and next and all the cap in the world. GET A PP QB with the money. All great teams have one stud dman.

Fire Torts and Gillis.
Trade Kesler and Edler.
Play Jensen and Corrado.
- Scooby_Doo

Dshiddys a real asshat but youre ok...

Buyout burrows
Booth on waivers kill 2/3s of contract
Use almost no cap space next year play youth
Trade Kesler For Etem and a 1st or Teravainen and a 1st

We have prospects

Jensen, Horvat, Shinkaruk, Teraveinen or Etem, Kassian, Corrado, Stanton, and 2 1sts thies year and a good pick next year.

Sedin Sedin Jensen
Shinkaruk Etem Kassian
Higgins Horvat Hansen

Plus those 2 firsts this year and next and all the cap in the world. GET A PP QB with the money. All great teams have unreal d
- The_Kuze

Too early to play shink or horvat.....let them season another year....Gaunce could be ready tho.....

Also regarding the poll, If Torts is fired and Gillis stays that could be FA admitting his mistake and letting MG hire his own guy which I'd love to see. That's a long shot though IMO. But if Gillis is fired, I doubt many quality candidates would want to walk into a situation with a hands-on owner and having Torts as your head coach.