what is even a bigger head scratch is slowly integrating him on the first line with practice WITH the sedins AFTER TDL. I am not sure if its just a bit of rehab to get him skating again in practice but he should have been on that top line months ago...
- Codes1087

was vrbata really skating with the sedins?

or at least put one of our young wingers with the sedins, in the hopes they might explode offensively... anyone know if its hansen again tonight?
- Crazybagoham

I think it is Hansen.
Vrbata was alternating line rushes with Hansen in practice, but I believe it is just to get him skating again and touching the puck after his injury.

Yep. That might prove to be a Millbury-esque deal for Jim Nill there.
- BINGO!

yeah but since we're all about conjecture it seems (not saying you personally), let me post my thoughts from my "anonymous source," (who may or not be in my mind.)

I have it on good authority that the animosity between aquillini and gagliardi is not a one way street. for the same reason that it is reported that aquillini wouldn't accept the reduced offer at the end b/c he didn't want gagliardi to get a discount, i've been told that gagliardi told nill to make the deal with calgary over vancouver.

gagliardi told nill to get the deal for russel done irrespective of cost b/c he wanted to drive down the price on hamhuis (by showing that they didn't absolutely need hamhuis).

conjecture is fun!

frustrating situation all around.

can also place some blame on willie d for not giving him the sedins.

frustration upon frustration.
- RealityChecker

Do you think he would have done as well as Hansen on that line? I think this is a defining season in the NHL that is showing that older players just don't belong anymore (with a few obvious exceptions).

So which is it? WD only plays veterans and doesn't trust rookies (who are all doing poopty) and he was brought in because he's so good with kids? Or he's whacko and doesn't know how to coach and his saving grace is how hard his rookies are working making his stupid decisions look less stupid?

You change your tune more then an elephant playing a guitar.
- 1970vintage

both, the rookies MADE WD keep him in the lineup (I mean hutton/mccann/virtanen) because they are honestly better players than vey/burrows/vrbata/weber/bart/edler but every single time WD trots out those guys. Either poop or get off the pot, stop scratching McCann to lift weights while plugs like cracknell/vey are playing.

or at least put one of our young wingers with the sedins, in the hopes they might explode offensively... anyone know if its hansen again tonight?
- Crazybagoham

Apparently Vrbata was practising with the Sedins.

Do you think he would have done as well as Hansen on that line? I think this is a defining season in the NHL that is showing that older players just don't belong anymore (with a few obvious exceptions).
- 1970vintage

me or you can score 20 goals in a season with the sedins, this is proven. if Vrbata played up there all season, he would have comparable numbers.... Vrbata puts everything on net, despite all his other issues.

Apparently Vrbata was practising with the Sedins.
- Marwood

that's redonk, but WD in a nutshell.

-30 isnt acceptable for a "two way player"
what does mcdavid have to do with Horvat being poop in the FO?
- Crazybagoham

Really? Have a look at Bergeron's 2nd year In BOS...-28

Horvat in his sophomore year is putting up big mintues vs top 6 players and has done so with little or no support for almost a half year until baertchi got going.

Read between the lines and bit and give the kid a break.

what is even a bigger head scratch is slowly integrating him on the first line with practice WITH the sedins AFTER TDL. I am not sure if its just a bit of rehab to get him skating again in practice but he should have been on that top line months ago...
- Codes1087

that would be the ultimate troll job.

We are all [s]Canucks[/s] Trolls

both, the rookies MADE WD keep him in the lineup (I mean hutton/mccann/virtanen) because they are honestly better players than vey/burrows/vrbata/weber/bart/edler but every single time WD trots out those guys. Either poop or get off the pot, stop scratching McCann to lift weights while plugs like cracknell/vey are playing.
- Crazybagoham

Are you suggesting that if a young player hasn't played well enough to earn a spot a coach should gift it to them?

yeah but since we're all about conjecture it seems (not saying you personally), let me post my thoughts from my "anonymous source," (who may or not be in my mind.)

I have it on good authority that the animosity between aquillini and gagliardi is not a one way street. for the same reason that it is reported that aquillini wouldn't accept the reduced offer at the end b/c he didn't want gagliardi to get a discount, i've been told that gagliardi told nill to make the deal with calgary over vancouver.

gagliardi told nill to get the deal for russel done irrespective of cost b/c he wanted to drive down the price on hamhuis (by showing that they didn't absolutely need hamhuis).

conjecture is fun!
- RealityChecker

source? I find that calgary bit hard to believe.

yeah but since we're all about conjecture it seems (not saying you personally), let me post my thoughts from my "anonymous source," (who may or not be in my mind.)

I have it on good authority that the animosity between aquillini and gagliardi is not a one way street. for the same reason that it is reported that aquillini wouldn't accept the reduced offer at the end b/c he didn't want gagliardi to get a discount, i've been told that gagliardi told nill to make the deal with calgary over vancouver.

gagliardi told nill to get the deal for russel done irrespective of cost b/c he wanted to drive down the price on hamhuis (by showing that they didn't absolutely need hamhuis).

conjecture is fun!
- RealityChecker

Owners need to learn to largely keep their hands out of hockey transactions and let staff do the jobs they were hired to do.

Are you suggesting that if a young player hasn't played well enough to earn a spot a coach should gift it to them?
- 1970vintage

are you suggesting that Mccann hasnt outplayed most on this roster? Linden Vey dude...... a prime example. gifted ice time.

source? I find that calgary bit hard to believe.
- Crazybagoham

Please read the first couple sentences again.

i think that it has more to do with the accepted wisdom that nucker is a troll.

he is absolutely not a troll. he is actually more rational and intelligent in his posts than many who call him troll.

you and i would agree that criticizing the team does not automatically make you a troll.

so let it be known from this day forth that nucker is not a troll. as belch correctly put it, we can put him at the intersection of rational hockey mind avenue and drama queen boulevard.
- RealityChecker

me or you can score 20 goals in a season with the sedins, this is proven. if Vrbata played up there all season, he would have comparable numbers.... Vrbata puts everything on net, despite all his other issues.
- Crazybagoham

I disagree, Vrbata isn't willing to go to the places where any old plug can score from with the Sedins. That's why Burrows / Hansen etc have been successful. They get in hard on the forecheck, turn pucks over and go to the net. Vrbata shoots from the top of the circles and would never win the puck in the corner.

Please read the first couple sentences again.
- BINGO!

there's making a point, and just talking out of your ass though lol, I've seen nothing that suggests that treliving went out of his way to drive the price down on hamhuis, what a dumb use of his time, he had a solid deal regardless.

I disagree, Vrbata isn't willing to go to the places where any old plug can score from with the Sedins. That's why Burrows / Hansen etc have been successful. They get in hard on the forecheck, turn pucks over and go to the net. Vrbata shoots from the top of the circles and would never win the puck in the corner.
- 1970vintage

then how did he score 30 goals with the sedins?

Really? Have a look at Bergeron's 2nd year In BOS...-28

Horvat in his sophomore year is putting up big mintues vs top 6 players and has done so with little or no support for almost a half year until baertchi got going.

Read between the lines and bit and give the kid a break.
- LordHumungous

His shot suppression IS atrocious, though.

Boone freakin Jenner


Ok I think I'm ready now. I spent yesterday golfing in a little mini-tourney with the boys, blind partners, lowest net scores win….Rob and I won


Good to see some of you old posters back posting, please continue, some may not agree with me but it makes for better conversation when we have differing opinions. I like debate because to others points of view has actually swayed my opinion…yes I've been wrong before.

But I still know the X's and O's better than Nucker ever will lol

are you suggesting that Mccann hasnt outplayed most on this roster? Linden Vey dude...... a prime example. gifted ice time.
- Crazybagoham

Yes, I am stating as a fact that Jarred McCann has not outplayed most of his teammates on the current roster. Ask anyone who knows anything about hockey and they will tell you the same thing.

You flip flop more then my flip flops.

i think that it has more to do with the accepted wisdom that nucker is a troll.

he is absolutely not a troll. he is actually more rational and intelligent in his posts than many who call him troll.

you and i would agree that criticizing the team does not automatically make you a troll.

so let it be known from this day forth that nucker is not a troll. as belch correctly put it, we can put him at the intersection of rational hockey mind avenue and drama queen boulevard.
- RealityChecker

priceless, and aptly described

Do you think he would have done as well as Hansen on that line? I think this is a defining season in the NHL that is showing that older players just don't belong anymore (with a few obvious exceptions).
- 1970vintage

it's absolutely becoming a younger league that's for certain.

i think that vrbatta would have had similar success to last season playing with the sedins. they are all similar players in the sense that they play a strong mental game. vrbatta can think the game at the sedin level. he knows where to go and when so i honestly believe he would have done well again with them.

then how did he score 30 goals with the sedins?
- Crazybagoham

He didn't