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THN.com Top 10: Excuses for the Canucks

After scoring a whopping seven goals last season, Jeff Cowan hasn't scored once yet this year. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)

Brian Costello
2008-04-02 14:45:07

The Vancouver Canucks will need a couple of clutch wins in their final two games if they are to make the playoffs – and even that may not be enough.

Projected by most experts as a top-six team in the Western Conference with exceptional goaltending and a 105-point season last year, the Canucks have critical games against Edmonton Thursday and Calgary Saturday. If Vancouver fails to qualify for the playoffs, here are 10 excuses they can use.

10. We haven’t been the same since losing all-star Rory Fitzpatrick.

9. 21st in the NHL in offense would be OK if the league had 90 teams.

8. Just not enough confidence in Curtis Sanford to start him in that key March 28 game in Minnesota.

7. Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison just can’t bring it on like the good old days.

6. Nashville wasn’t supposed to be this good – 88 points should have been enough.

5. We wanted Mats Sundin, but he doesn’t like the rain.

4. Maybe summer acquisition Ryan Shannon wasn’t the answer offensively after all.

3. The hockey gods just won’t let the Todd Bertuzzi curse go.

2. Goal-less Jeff Cowan didn’t go on the six-goal in four-game binge like he did last year.

1. Golf courses in greater Vancouver are far too inviting this time of year.

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COMMENTS (16)

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shags102496 Posted
(2009-04-30 06:10:20)

maybe the canucks shouldn't be so worried about taking runs and cheapshots at players and maybe they should start worrying about scoring since that is how you win. Also why is that everytime someone wants to fight a canuck they either turtle or have three guys jump in. The canucks blow

,kjkxdfj` Posted
(2009-04-30 06:09:21)

another excuse linden's retiring

Andre Posted
(2009-04-30 06:09:15)

"21st in the NHL in offense would be OK if the league had 90 teams." How is that is an excuse?

Andre Posted
(2009-04-30 06:09:15)

"Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison just can’t bring it on like the good old days." Again, how is this an excuse??? That is actaully a legitimate reason.

tom grant Posted
(2009-04-30 06:09:04)

All great post but Kaspar cuts through the chase.Once again another nhl coach who thinks the fans are their to see his Xs and Os.Sorry this is not the NFL.

Mike Stone Posted
(2009-04-30 06:08:48)

Sigh, I believed the team had what was needed to do better. For whatever reason it just wasn't meant to be. For the last umpteen seasons there have unfortunate circumstances and situations that seem to dismantle all team spirit, The Bertuzzi incident, multiple poorly timed Cloutier injuries, this year Luongo overstretched by family life and work on top of a battered lineup. One can say these are all excuses and they are but the cold hard truth is, someones gotta lose. Every team in the NHL has to work through these situations and the Canucks ended up on the short end of the stick. I love Markus Naslund and he has done wonderous things for the canucks but I think it's time for some new leadership. If anything, just to give the guy a break from carrying Vancouvers woes. Have you ever seen the guy smile in the last 3 years? I feel like someones got to hug the guy and let him know everything will be alright! I felt there was a moment when the Canucks finally cracked and it was to the sound of Willie Mitchell's ( I think ) stick when it broke on a good scoring chance during tje last Colorado game. The Avs came back the other way and scored to make it 2-1. When they scored their second minutes later I saw a team that looked like they were saying to themselves "Oh no, not again!" and hanging their heads, visibly playing like they had already lost. Even though a few shifts of hard work by the Kesler and Burrows line pumped them up slightly. The main guys just can't handle the pressure, stopped skating hard and gripped their sticks too tightly. My point of all of this is we need guys in the line-up ( especially in the leadership role ) that really give a damn. These players ( and I'm not trying to slag any other country ) are Canadian. I thought the acquisition of Willie Mitchell and Byron Ritchie were great. Local guys have so much more they are playing for, they have to represent. Look at all of the great Captains over the entire span of the NHL. There's a reason there has only been one European captain that has made it to the big show ( and he had two top Canadian scorers behind him ). It's not like the Canadian players have any more talent. When there's a world cup or the Olympics, European players shine in front of their home crowds like never before. There's only one reason - pride. I sure hope the Vancouver Canucks don't completely dismantle because I see so much promise in the club. We just need someone to take the helm and give Markus Naslund a well deserved break.

bertl Posted
(2009-04-30 06:08:42)

you´re right craig. my bad. i thought naslund and morrison still would have a year. so what let´s move on. first of all, i never wrote to trade for iginla!!!! i wrote "to get some jarome iginla type of players". you can´t clone iginla and no sane is trading him away. but you can get players who are similar and have his work ethic. that´s my point: WORK ETHIC (i hope i don´t sound like good old don *fg*). despite knowing that none of them has the talent iginla has, they have what it takes! i´m talking about guys like doan (i think he would fit great in vancouver and it isn´t impossible to get him), getzlaf (a trade would be tough), morrow, maybe horton (i guess a little bit early to name him a leader), perhaps stoll is available after this season (rfa). these guys don´t grow on trees, for sure. lust but not least: i didn´t criticize nonis directly. in the past, his work was solid. luongo was a steal! no one of us does really know what he tried to do in the weeks of the deadline. obviously nothing really worked out. this can happen! but i will criticize him if he doesn´t recognize what´s on the line right now and doesn´t act. but i´m sure and hope he will. focus on these typ of players when trading, drafting and signing and it will work out for the canucks. AND: bring back jovo!!!!

Jay R Posted
(2009-04-30 06:08:33)

Once again you missed the boat.This is an offensively challenged team to say the least.But injuries to the defense have taken a toll.Bieksa half the season,Ohlund 15 games,Miller,Kraijcek....this list goes on.Nonis hasn't adressed the scoring problem,but Sundin?? Come on,he's 37,done for the year,and will probably retire.They still have a shot,unlike the Leafs.

Craig Posted
(2009-04-30 06:08:33)

First off Naslund and Morrison are free agents, you can't trade free agents so you wont get anything for them. Secondly not long ago other GM would have traded their first borns for Naslund, so people need to back off, his production went down only when the system shifted away from scoring, and his numbers are not as bad as everyone makes out, he is outscoring Brad Richards, the vaunted "superstar" pick up Dallas made, and Naslund makes less annaully, with a significantly better plus/minus rating. Morrison was the league wide Iron Man until this year, so how anyone with even half a sense of what they are saying could suggest he is injury prone has as much Hockey sense as Mike Milbury. On top of that all the Bertl who thinks Nonis should have traded Naslund or Morrison or the Sedins for Iginla, your right... only why in the sweet high heavens would Calgary want to trade Iginla for any of them? Only Boston would be stupid enough to make that kind of trade. If we're going to criticize Nonis for not completing another miracle (the aquisition of Luongo for Oscar the Grouch was his first, and likely last) then why don't we blame him for not cloning Guy Lafleur and Gordie Howe and making them the top line, while we're at it maybe we could smaple the DNA of Bourque and Orr. GET REAL PEOPLE! Nonis may have made his bed when he resigned Naslund after the lock out, and reassemble Burke's roster for one last run, but the entire city of Vancouver would have burned down GM place if he hadn't. and that Manitoba express your all bashing is the reason we have Edler and Bieksa.

bertl Posted
(2009-04-30 06:08:31)

harry is right! get rid of the sedin sisters (cause they´re playing like cute und shy girls), naslund (use him for a good trade and save some money), of morrison (too vulnerable to injuries, which stops him playing good hockey we have seen a couple of years ago) and bring in some hard working players who know how to put the puck behind the line! to my opinion the canucks' problem has always been the lack of passionate, hard working play. there´re a couple of guys (i.e. bieksa, kesler, pyatt, ohlund, burrows) who play the way hockey should be played but if your leaders don´t !? use the sedins, morrison and naslund to get some jarome iginla type of players and you will see the canucks with the best goalie on earth will be a serious contender! AND: bring back jovo!!!!

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