Now That Morrison is Gone, Let's Try to Gather Our Wits

Did you hear the news? Like many of us suspected he might, Brendan Morrison has signed with the Calgary Flames. Their sudden dearth of quality made the move a no-brainer for Flames GM Daryl Sutter, and thank goodness. That's about the only way Sutter makes a smart move; this offseason, he's appeared so brainless he might be zombie-proof. Morrison's contract in Calgary is a happy ending to an alarming moment of silliness for Vancouver fans, who seemed to lose all sense, reason and perspective after learning of Morrison's player tryout.

There was never a place for Morrison in Vancouver. The Canucks' big weakness in the bottom-six last year was lack of size and defensive ability. Was Morrison going to fill that void? Only half of it. Vigneault has long preferred a fourth-line that can crash and bang over one that can score. Problem was that last season's 4th line crashed and banged with utter disregard for whether or not the puck was going into their net. AV wanted better energy guys, not bottom-line offense. Morrison couldn't be that.

I gave in to the local hype not long after Skeeter tried to quell it, arguing that Morrison might be the ultimate depth guy. This was Morrison's argument as well. But wing depth is not something we were lacking either. Jannik Hansen and Jeff Tambellini are already going to be fighting one another to be the official utility winger. They're just as fleet of foot as Morrison, capable of offense, much more likely to throw a body-check, and already under contract. They showed they could play, and Morrison was superfluous there too.

One could argue that, if you play well enough, the team makes room for you. This is true, but Morrison didn't play well enough. He had one great game, one good game, and the others were forgettable. And yet, despite the reality (which I suspect most of us saw and ignored) that Brendan Morrison didn't deserve a contract here, the city of Vancouver was up in arms this weekend when he didn't get one. The Canucks message board exploded with doom-and-gloom posts so dumb I can't quote most of them without dulling my wit to comprehend them. If you're feeling brave, there's a lot of fun stuff in here. Even the media couldn't help but frown and bluster: "With Morrison out, looks again like Canucks have 4th line that wont score. Vigneault will love it. Then playoffs. Madden was CHI 4th line C," Iain MacIntyre tweeted dourly. Everyone was pissed. I had a slough of Vancouver fans tell me that the Canucks were stupid not to sign him, but they were speaking from their hearts, not from their heads.

Ian Walker summed it up nicely:

The 35-year-old former Canuck wasn't expected be out of work long, and I for one am glad it happened sooner than later. The dude is a class act all the way and it was hard not to feel for the guy throughout training camp. Here he was trying to extend his career while his wife was at home, schooling his three young children out of the family's rented two-bedroom townhouse. Now I know I'm going to get skewered for saying that as a lot of people wish they had Morrison's problems. But those people are missing the point. As anyone with a family can attest, you want the best for them. And when they're missing out on things because your job is up in the air, well, I'm just saying I'm sympathetic to the cause.

Despite our best efforts to pretend he did, Morrison didn't fit here. We just refused to face it because we liked him so much. B-Mo? He was that friend from back in the day who needed a place to stay. We didn't have a room for him, but we felt so bad for him we almost let him crash on the couch. Yes. Brendan Morrison was Dupree, and we narrowly lost sight of ourselves with him around.

Folks, let us finally let Brendan Morrison go. Be glad he's moved on to Calgary because, just like when an old college buddy visits from out of town, we all got a little silly with him around.

Canucks Training Camp Roster VII

Apparently unaware that the Sabbath is a day of rest, Alain Vigneault and his staff answered a lot of questions on Sunday about the opening night lineup. Sent to the minors were Victor Oreskovich and the Sweatt brothers (forward Billy and defenseman Lee), and Brendan Morrison was released from his player tryout. And if that wasn't enough for you on a weekend afternoon, AV went on the record, stating that the Canucks' would open the season with a fourth line consisting of Alex Bolduc between Guillaume Desbiens and Tanner Glass.

It's no surprise about the Sweatt brothers. I wold argue that both Billy and Lee have NHL talent, but neither is quite ready for regular action. Ironically, Lee the defenseman needs to work on his defensive coverage, and Billy the forward needs to work on his hands. Still, Billy's checking speed and Lee's poise and puck-moving ability are excellent assets to have down on the farm. They're sure to make that team better, as well as push one another to see which can get to the NHL level first. Here's hoping we see another brother tandem on the Canucks someday soon. We seem to have good success with brothers.

Victor Oreskovich's demotion was a disappointment, but he'll play games with the Canucks this season. Count on that. He has great skating ability and he hits like a truck, but his defensive coverage was suspect. Oreskovich is a real wild-card and could have paid off in spades, but I like that Vigneault and the coaching staff avoided the risky, sexy pick and went with big guys they were confident weren't going to get scored on.

Brendan Morrison's release is really disappointing, both for fans and for B-Mo himself. But, like Skeeter said earlier in the preseason, the only available job is one he wasn't quite cut out for. He could have brought wing depth, but so can Jannik Hansen and Jeff Tambellini, who were already Canucks property. Unlike Edmonton, Vancouver is aware you can only have so many small forwards under contract, and Morrison's lack of a contract coming into training camp made it easy not to give him one. Here's hoping he can land on his feet somewhere. As much as it pains me to say it, Calgary would be a good fit for him.

There are a few more questions, but they're all likely be resolved in exactly the way we think they will. Joel Perrault, Eddie Lack, and Cody Hodgson are more than likely headed to Manitoba. Peter Schaefer is more than likely being released. But, if Alex Burrows goes on LTI, and with Rypien hurt to start the season, the Canucks could keep 15 of the 17 forwards below. Something to think about if you're wondering, like I am, why Hodgson hasn't yet been spotted at YVR. Here are the 28 guys who remain in training camp.

Forwards (17)
Alex Bolduc, Alex Burrows, Guillaume Desbiens, Tanner Glass, Jannik Hansen, Cody Hodgson, Ryan Kesler, Manny Malhotra, Joel Perrault, Mason Raymond, Rick Rypien, Mikael Samuelsson, Peter Schaefer, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Jeff Tambellini, Raffi Torres.

Defensemen (8)
Andrew Alberts, Keith Ballard, Kevin Bieksa, Alex Edler, Christian Ehrhoff, Dan Hamhuis, Aaron Rome, Sami Salo.

Goalies (3)
Eddie Lack, Roberto Luongo, Cory Schneider.

Canucks Training Camp Roster VI

In this visual metaphor, Ryan Hollweg is Darcy Hordichuk, and Darcy Hordichuk is the harsh reality of the new NHL.

We're a little late on the draw here but I just found out that, before the Anaheim game, the Canucks sent two more players down to Manitoba: Sergei Shirokov and Yann Sauve. As well, since our last roster update, Shane O'Brien and Darcy Hordichuk were put on waivers in what might have been the most shocking moves of the preseason, for some. Skeeter and I kinda figured. I don't think the Canucks were ever happy with Shane O'Brien's play here, and his ticket out of town was punched when Andrew Alberts proved he could provide what the Canucks acquired him for. Hordichuk lost his job two years ago when the NHL changed and he didn't, but, like Office Space's Milton Waddams, he somehow stuck around doing nothing. We wish he and his red Swingline stapler all the best in Manitoba. Skeeter has more on these two big-time demotions.

Shirokov and Sauve's causes for demotion are completely opposite. Sauve never even got a chance: he was in a car accident that left him unable to play for the time being. It sucks for him as he never got a chance to show the Canucks what he could do or how he'd improved. On the bright side, it was the sort of car accident one can walk away from and, as car accidents go, that's all you can really hope for.

Shirokov, on the other hand, was given every opportunity. It seems to me the Canucks figured he'd make the opening night roster, much like he did last year. The hope was that a year in the AHL had given him a new defensive awareness and ability to play North American-style hockey. The Canucks gave him a training regimen to follow over the summer, optimistic he'd follow it. Unfortunately, Shirokov didn't, instead becoming the fourth player in the Gillis era to have his conditioning publicly decried. Like Cody Hodgson (who spent the summer rehabbing his back rather than eating Arby's on it), he'll have to get himself back to NHL shape before he can challenge for the right to live in a hotel in Vancouver.

This leaves the Canucks with 32 guys on the training camp roster, below, and now the real questions begin. You'll notice that Alex Burrows and Sami Salo are still on these lists. That's by design, as they have to be put on the original 23-man roster before they can be put on Long-term injury and gives the Canucks the cap relief. You have to believe that's the plan.

On defense, that means that the opening night seven are basically set. Lee Sweatt will be sent down to Manitoba, and Aaron Rome will occupy the pressbox. The other six are the six you'll see. We can only hope that, among those six, Juice and Hips find different partners than one another.

At forward, questions continue to linger. Alex Burrows aside, the Canucks can keep twelve forwards with the club. The rest have to be sent down or waived before one of them can be brought back up. We know that Kesler, Malhotra, Raymond, Samuelsson, the Sedins and Raffi Torres are safe. The other five spots are a toss-up. I'm sure there will be at least one decision in the next week that will stir a hearty debate between Skeeter and I. For example: it could be argued that one of Peter Schaefer and Brendan Morrison could be offered a contract. Who and why?

Here are the remaining 32 guys:

Forwards (20)
Alex Bolduc, Alex Burrows, Guillaume Desbiens, Tanner Glass, Jannik Hansen, Cody Hodgson, Ryan Kesler, Manny Malhotra, Brendan Morrison, Victor Oreskovich, Joel Perrault, Mason Raymond, Rick Rypien, Mikael Samuelsson, Peter Schaefer, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Bill Sweatt, Jeff Tambellini, Raffi Torres.

Defensemen (9)
Andrew Alberts, Keith Ballard, Kevin Bieksa, Alex Edler, Christian Ehrhoff, Dan Hamhuis, Aaron Rome, Sami Salo, Lee Sweatt.

Goalies (3)
Eddie Lack, Roberto Luongo, Cory Schneider.

I Watched This Game: Canucks at Ducks, October 1, 2010

I Watched This Game is a recurring feature on Pass it to Bulis that chronicles that insights and observations of two guys who watched a hockey game.

For those of you who balk at our preseason record, consider that, if the Sedins are in the preseason lineup, we win, and when they aren't, we don't. They were in the lineup tonight. If you knew this advance, and you were following the if A, then B model of philosophy (Modus Ponens, for you amateur forward chainers), you knew we were going to win.

I apologize to multitude of readers (actually, just one guy in the comments) who were clamoring for this last night and didn't get it. Skeeter and I both had busy evenings, relegating this one to the PVR. Let me just say that I hate watching games the next day. Part of the joy of being a Canucks fan is knowing that, when the Canucks score, my joy is shared by thousands of people I don't know, and when the Canucks scored on, I am part of a secret collective of groans. By the next day, however, all those emotions have faded, and I know that I'm alone. It's hard to be nearly as excited. Nevertheless, here are my thoughts:

• I wasn't the only one struggling to get excited about this game. Neither the Canucks nor the Ducks seemed particularly interested in playing hockey for sixty minutes. As a result, the best part of the game was probably the lively stick-checking. Good job, Canucks, at breaking up cycles and rushes with good sticks.
• Cody Hodgson was nearly invisible in this game, and by now, I'm downright happy about it. He'll go to Manitoba and hone his game, and, likely be the first callup if one of our top two centers goes down with an injury.
• What is up with the Sedins taking so many slap shots? Daniel took about five today, which is all I need to prove, unequivocally, that he is out for blood. And, if you think there's no friendly competition between brothers, I saw Henrik take a slapshot as well, which is not unlike seeing a unicorn mating with a chimaera while a triad of suns are setting at the edge of the flat world.
• Andrew Alberts put Shane O'Brien on waivers with his play tonight. Alberts has been a steady defensive presence, caused forwards to think twice before making a play, and broken up chances by taking the body. In one particular instance, Bobby Ryan (who was great tonight) made a little inside-outside move and put the puck past Alberts. Rather than being made to look silly, as we saw last year in a similar play by Jason Spezza, Alberts simply stepped into Ryan and took him off the puck. It was perfectly played.
• I just killed a fruitfly. Just now.
• Alex Bolduc's play tonight might have settled the question of who will be the fourth-line center. Bolduc isn't a sexy pick, and he's not the right fit as a guy to fight John Scott, but he showed tonight that he can be good defensively, and reliable in the last minute of a game. He set up the empty-netter by skating hard onto the puck, holding onto it under pressure, and centering to Kesler. It was poise we haven't seen by a fourth-line center for quite some time.
• Against my wishes, the Ballard-Bieksa pair continues to be a possibility. AV is likely thinking of them as old-school Starsky and Hutch: unorthodox, but kinda badass. Problem is, they're new-school Starsky and Hutch: a frustratingly inept comedy duo. While Starsky and Hutch didn't get burned tonight, it will, and nearly did when Bieksa made a dumb pinch and the Ducks went back on a 2-on-1. Nothing came of it, but still.
• Cory Schneider was very good tonight. He's not a flashy goalie by any means, but he's big and he cuts off angles. When you do that, you don't have to dive all over the place. I look forward to seeing Schneider in a Canucks uniform all season. I'm also enjoying his neck beard. Speaking of beards, I have a theory: if you're a young prospect, but you can grow a beard, do it. Grow that beard. It will confuse the coaching staff and make them think you've matured as a player.
• John Garrett: "125 seconds left." Passive aggressive Shorty: "Two minutes if you don't want to do the math." Shut up, Garrett.
• I love that Ryan Kesler and Corey Perry hate each other. Don't ask me why. It's just great to see a couple guys have such ostensible, unbridled hate for one another, like my ongoing feud with Justin Bieber's backup dancers. Mind you, mine is driven by jealousy. #iwannadanceforyoubieb
• Aaron Rome is such a seventh defensemen. He does nothing overly well, never stands out, is the worst person to pass to on a 4-on-2, but he's steady. It's possible that, when Alberts locked himself in at that sixth spot, Shane O'Brien got bumped to eighth, simply because Rome is the very essence of a seventh defenseman.
• Mason Raymond's shorthanded goal was a thing of beauty. Think Burrows is choked that MayRay bogarted his deke?

I Watched This Game: Canucks at Sharks, September 29, 2010

I Watched This Game is a recurring feature on Pass it to Bulis, chronicling the insights and observations of two guys that watched a hockey game.

I'm not sure why, but I honestly thought last night's game was going to be closer. Before puck drop, Skeeter told me it was going to be like the Edmonton game. I goaded him into a prediction of an identical 8-2 score. Then I laughed to myself, and told him it was going to be low-scoring, tight-checking. Indeed, the Canucks were going to lose, but not by the laughable margin he thought they might. 8-2, I said? Come on, Skeeter! I hypothesize that you are a fool, and tonight's score will likely support this, I said. Unfortunately, exactly halfway into the game, it was 4-1. After that, I was much less sure of myself.

Unfortunately, last night's incarnation of the Canucks were in about the same headspace. It was a crummy, disjointed effort from a bunch of guys who, I would have assumed, were going to bring a lot more considering the stakes. I know it's just the fourth-line, but I feel like nobody's' really stepped up and claimed a spot. The next game needs to be a tune-up for the regular season, and a lot of these guys let their last shot at a roster spot slip away by sucking an orange peel last night. Here are some things:

• I know Raffi Torres scored both Canuck goals last night, but Jeff Tambellini might have been the best forward. He and Jannik Hansen simply seemed to have more skill than everyone else (probably because they do). The problem is that both Hansen and Tamby have similar skill sets and would likely be used as in a sort of sliding capacity as the third forward with AV's duos. You've got to think Hansen's got an edge because of familiarity, but I feel like Tamby's been the better forward these past few games. And if they both make it, what does that do for Brendan Morrison?
• I want Morrison on this team, but I wonder that has more to do with my concern he won't have a job. If he signed with another team, I'd be ecstatic, not upset. Ask yourself if you want him on the team because he's a good fit or because you like him.
• Last game, Skeeter suggested The Rog Mahal as a possible nickname for this place after Shorty called it the Rog. I think he's on to something with "Rog" puns, but I've got a few more. How about, the Jolly Rog? Rog al Ghul? Rog-stafarianism? The GaRog? That one would be an easy transition for fans. Rog Hashanah? Nah, too sacrilegious. I feel like these are getting worse, and they were terrible to begin with.
  
• Shane O'Brien had a weird game tonight. I hesitate to say it was bad, because I love Shane O'Brien, but it wasn't always good. His odd attempt to cover a loose puck in the first was hilarious as he laid down with his head nestled into Lack's torso. He looked like a piglet after its breakfast. Even he knew it was ridiculous. That huge smile of his was priceless. And later, during attempt to bring the puck across the blue line, he had a Lack-ian brain cramp and forgot what the lines were for. He crossed the line, then stopped and brought the puck across. After the whistle, he wore an "Oh-no-I-think-I-just-cut-myself" sort of cringe.
  
• As a scientist of sorts, I can pinpoint the precise moment Darcy Hordichuk got waived. It was just over five minutes into the first when he took a hooking penalty in the offensive zone.
• Guillaume Desbiens and Mike Moore had a spirited scrap in the first period. The announcer commented that they know each other pretty well from their time in the AHL. Well, they'll have plenty of time to see where that relationship is going this season, in the AHL.
• Is it safe to say James Duthie didn't read the Team 1040 handbook of dos and donts for interviewing Mike Gillis? He lost MG's respect early on when he asked, effectively, if any trades were brewin'. After that, it was all condescending lip curls and pat answers for Gillis. Tip for Duthie and all others who might interview a Canucks GM: if you want him to love you, start by ripping Dave Pratt, lob a few softballs, then tell him the mind room was a great idea.
• Skeeter pointed out that this is the first year we've heard anything about the 50-contract limit, and now we hear something nearly every day. Odd how that happens.
  
• Cody Hodgson needed to play like a superstar in the making last night in order to be here for the season opener, and instead he played like a guy who has plenty of skill, but needs to get back to game speed in the AHL. That's fine. There are so many examples of current superstars needing some seasoning I feel like I shouldn't even have to make the argument. Go elsewhere for that.
  
• The Canucks' penalty-killing was atrocious last night, which might be the only cause for concern. All of these guys are bottom six guys. That's going to be their job come mid-October. They need to be good at it.
• I'm a lot more enamoured with Lee Sweatt than Skeeter is, but I thought he was okay last night. He won't be making the team (he was in the lineup for this shellacking and the 8-2 debacle, so he's done), but he's going to push for a spot next year. Both Sweatts are, and that's awesome.
• Dan Hamhuis made one small mistake, by overcommitting himself on the beautiful Dany Heatley goal. Other than that, he continues to seem downright holy.
• Keith Ballard had good and bad moments, as usual. His footspeed is starting to look better, though. On a sidenote: Skeeter's been tagging posts that mention him as "Hips." Is this his attempt at a brand new nickname? If so, I'm on board. I love nicknames that are just body parts. Ryan "Balls" Johnson. Sami "Ball" Salo. I hereby declare Keith Ballard "Hips".
• "Hips" had good and bad moments, as usual.
• Skeeter and I made notes and there was more to say, but I forgot my notebook at home and now I'm at work. Sorry, Skeeter. Anything you want to add?
  

Why yes, Harrison, I do have things I want to add:

• Harrison and I pinpointed 4 times that Guillaume Desbiens was cut from the Canucks of our hearts. Fortunately, he will only need to be cut once for real. Still, he performed better than I expected and he made a decent argument for being a call-up if someone on the 4th line goes down with an injury. He hits and can fight in a pinch and isn't as useless as Hordichuk at the other elements of the game, but guys like Glass and Oreskovich are more likely to start the season as 4th-line wingers.
• Eddie Lack was reasonable, given the lack of support in front of him, but his biggest deficiency appears to be his lateral movement. He had trouble moving across his crease quickly to react to the passing of the San Jose powerplay. His save percentage was .890 at even strength and .600 on the penalty kill. I like Lack a lot, but he will definitely need some time in the AHL to adapt to the North American game and get a larger number of starts after being a perennial backup throughout his career.
• I hate that the referees don't get to use their discretion on delay of game penalties. Both Torres and Ehrhoff took them after batting pucks out of mid-air in the defensive zone and seeing them flutter over the glass. That's not a penalty, that's bad luck.
• I have some thoughts on the role of fighting and enforcers in the NHL (look for a post tomorrow), but both Harrison and I were thoroughly annoyed when the refs jumped in between Ehrhoff and Pavelski after both had dropped the gloves. There was a legitimate fight brewing for legitimate reasons (Pavelski had just hit Ehrhoff from behind) and it was broken up for no reason other than that they are not "designated fighters." To quote the Arrogant Worms, "Please Mr. Linesman, let the players fight."
• Also annoying, the fact that Ehrhoff got an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for dropping his gloves. Are you kidding? Not only had both players dropped their gloves, making it ludicrous that one would get a penalty and not the other, but how is it unsportsmanlike to drop the gloves in preparation for a fight? Back in March of 2009, the NHL took action to eliminate "staged fights," but fighting after a cheap shot or illegal hit was considered to be okay. So why did the linesmen step in between Ehrhoff and Pavelski to prevent them from fighting and why did only Ehrhoff get a penalty for dropping the gloves?

I Watched This Game: Canucks vs Sharks, September 28, 2010

I Watched This Game is a recurring feature on Pass it to Bulis, chronicling the insights and observations of two guys that watched a hockey game.

Know what I like to see? Antti Niemi losing. I also like to see a near-regular season lineup for the Canucks look so poised and ready for action. It was a solid performance all-around, but all eyes were on the fringe players, the ones doing their best to make the team. Players like Cody Hodgson, Jeff Tambellini, Tanner Glass, and Alexandre Bolduc. Here's what we saw tonight:

• Shorty attempted to nickname Rogers Arena "The Rog" before the game. I'm not sold. Perhaps "The Rog Mahal"?
• Teams should use duos or trios more often for the national anthem. Harmonies help fill out the sound and can cover up the occasional flat note.
• Cory Schneider answered all the questions that were raised after getting shellacked for 8 goals against Edmonton. It's amazing what he can do when he's not facing poorly defended 2-on-1s every single shift. John Garrett, who made his return to the broadcasting booth after Burrows was sent to the minors, pointed out that he has a reputation for bouncing back from weak performances; I don't know about that, but I'm sure he appreciated having an NHL-level defence in front of him. He made most of his saves simply by being sound positionally and controlling rebounds, though he moved well when necessary, especially on the penalty kill.
• Cody Hodgson started off well enough and didn't look out of place with Kesler and Raymond, but he was also nothing special. He managed to draw an early penalty and made a couple decent plays defensively, but he got demoted in the third period to the fourth line, while Torres skated on the second. He'll likely get one more chance with two pre-season games left, but it looks like he'll be starting off the season with the Moose, which is probably better for him. It's tough to lose an entire year of development.
• Jeff Tambellini, on the other hand, really improved his stock, scoring the Canucks third goal with a beautiful snap shot over Niemi's glove. It's his go-to shootout move and he showed that it works just as well on a 2-on-1. Also note, Jannik Hansen freeing up the puck for Tambellini with some strong work on the boards. The guy's got speed to burn and looked good enough on the fourth line that he got bumped up to the third line in the final period. He skated hard on the forecheck and definitely made a good argument for his versatility.
• While Tambellini showed off his great shot, Glass showed why he should never be on the third line, not by missing an open net, but by completely missing the puck with an open net. On the other hand, he did blow up Joe Pavelski with a big open-ice hit and stood up to Douglas Murray with a smile on his face afterwards, so he's plenty suited to the fourth line. Only the fourth line.
• Bolduc? He was merely okay. Nothing particularly stood out from him, which likely means he's Manitoba Moose-bound.
• That's that for the bubble players. The rest of the team was largely fantastic.
• I'm loving the look of the powerplay under new assistant coach Newell Brown. Every player on the ice is in motion, causing plenty of confusion to the penalty killers and opening up numerous shooting lanes. I have the feeling the Sedins will thrive under this system. It only led to one goal, a classic example of wizardous sedinerie, but it seemed to constantly bamboozle the Sharks' penalty killers and the second-unit looked just as good.
• Bieksa had a strong game skating with Dan Hamhuis. The two seem well-suited together, especially on the penalty kill, though it could just be that Hamhuis is so damn good that it doesn't matter who he's paired with. He could be paired with Taylor Ellington and I'd be praising Ellington for having a great game. Actually, that's extremely unlikely. Never mind. In any case, Bieksa hit hard, created offense, and limited his mistakes. That's all I ask of him.
• Mason Raymond's goal, in the video at the top of this post, is all sorts of beautiful, roofing a backhand while making Dan Boyle look extremely silly. Lovely. It was a great shift for the entire line, including some nice work from Bieksa.
• Jannik Hansen has solidified his spot on the third line, in my mind. He was great with Manny Malhotra on the penalty kill, forechecked effectively, and drew an interference call in the third period just by skating hard and keeping his feet moving.
• I'm still not seeing enough from Raffi Torres. He threw a few hits and managed an effective cycle with Kesler and Raymond in the third period, but he was mostly invisible and seemed to stay on the perimeter. He was the only minus player for the Canucks in this game. One of the main criticisms he has faced throughout his career is inconsistency, so I'm hopeful he'll be better in the regular season. Quite frankly, as a third-line winger, he just needs to be competent most nights and chip in some scoring when possible. But if he's asked to fill in on the top-six with Burrows out, he'll need to be better.
• How nice was it to see a hipcheck from Ballard? So nice. He absolutely obliterated Wallin against the boards. Speaking of hitting, it was good to see Edler continuing his physical play from last year's playoffs. He had a nice solid hit on Setoguchi in the first period and wasn't afraid to engage physically in his own end. I'm thinking this could be a big season from the blond wonder.

I Watched This Game: Canucks at Oilers, September 26, 2010

I Watched This Game is a recurring feature on Pass it to Bulis, chronicling the insights and observations of two guys that watched a hockey game.

Eight goals for the Edmonton Oilers. Eight. What in tarnations?

That was, suffice it to say, a terrible game. If I were coach of the team, I'd cut everyone in this unit and start the season with the squad that beat the Ducks last night. Mind you, that's why I'm not the coach of the team. I have faith that AV will be able to sort through this mess and send the guiltiest parties back to Manitoba (ex: Kevin Bieksa). Thankfully, I won't dwell on this too much. It was a preseason game, and Dexter's on in half an hour. Let's make this quick.

• We watched this game with our wives. During the anthem, they commented on the size of Horcoff's nose. Skeeter's response: "Horcoff has a heck of a honker." Weird.
• Hodgson looked reasonable in his first preseason game, quickly getting into the game with some physical play. He looked strong and confident, though not confident enough to try anything especially creative. He played a safe, responsible game and did not look out of place with Kesler and Raymond. With a couple more strong performances, this could actually be a line we see at the start of the season, with Samuelsson starting with the Sedins. In any case, it's hard to gauge Hodgson's performance given that the team collectively sucked.
• As mentioned above, Bieksa did not have a good game. He wasn't alone, as the defense was just plain bad. Lee Sweatt was arguably the best defender, but he made several mistakes as well, notably a poorly advised pinch on the Oiler's fourth goal. There was a wealth of odd-man rushes for the Oilers to take advantage of, mostly caused by poor positioning by the defense. It's comforting to note that Ehrhoff, Edler, and Hamhuis weren't in this game, but Ballard, Bieksa, and SOB were and they were not good. At all.
• While he didn't have much support in front of him, Cory Schneider had a poor game. He let in 8 goals, there's not much more to say. Quite frankly, Eddie Lack has outplayed Schneider in the preseason. There wasn't a battle for the backup role heading into camp, but 8 goals opens up the debate.
• The following Canucks were not terrible: Oreskovich, Morrison, Kesler, Raymond, Hodgson, and Malhotra. The rest were terrible or, at best, unnoticeable.
• I desperately want to make a drunk Khabibulin joke, but Skeeter's the one typing this (awkwardly writing in the third person), so it's not happening.
• Funniest part of the game was Hordichuk trying to steal Volpatti's fight and getting a penalty. "No, Volpatti, you're not making the team by fighting, I am! That's my job!" Guess what, Hordi, it's not going to be your job in the future. As in, this season.
• Hordichuk did manage to get in a fight with Zack Stortini, but the real highlight was after the fight, when the penalty box camera captured him watching his fight on the Jumbotron and making some sweet reaction shots. The video above stops just before the first of these.
• Burrows claimed that the Canucks' sluggish play might be due, in part, because they flew in that day and didn't get to indulge in their pre-game nap. That puts hockey alongside kindergarten as the only place where a nap makes or breaks the success of the day.

I Watched This Game: Canucks vs. Ducks, September 25, 2010

I Watched This Game is a recurring feature on Pass it to Bulis!, chronicling the observations and insights of some guys who watched a hockey game.

Every now and then I'll hear a Canucks fan gripe that the game they just watched wasn't very good. Not that the Canucks didn't play well, or even that the other team didn't--simply, it wasn't a very good game. If you hear somebody say that, chances are the Canucks lost the game and the analysis is dripping in fan disappointment and bias. I have never watched a Canucks game where they've won and thought, "That wasn't a very good game." If the Canucks win, it's good. But if they lose? Well, maybe, outcome aside, I just wasn't entertained. Yeah, right. We all know that if a game failed to entertain us, it's because we lost. I say this because I found the last two preseason games really uninspiring. I found this one quite exciting. Surprise, surprise, we lost those two and we won this one.

Now, there were other factors. The Ducks are a mean unit of big, dumb goons and Anaheim-Vancouver tilts are always spirited. That this one took place in the preseason, when everybody seems meaner and dumber was an added bonus. Plus, watching the Canucks beat the Ducks will always fill me with glee, as I'm still sore over their playoff series in 2007, which the Canucks would have won if they'd passed it to Bulis more often. Anyway. Let's get into the stuff I noticed.

• Jim Hughson, early in the game: "Their third line is out. Alex Bolduc, with Tanner Glass..." Does anybody listen to me? I don't care that the Canucks essentially dressed two fourth lines tonight. Under no circumstances should Glass ever be on the third line. Haven't you seen how I tag my posts? When will we learn? When!?
• I love the new Canucks power play. The way that everybody's in motion, the passing lanes that open up... I know the power play was decent last season, but at times it seemed really static and predictable. This new machine seemed tailor-made for a strong passing team like the Canucks.
• Early on, after an especially strong shift, I wrote "Morrison wants it bad." After that, I added an exclamation point every time I noticed him doing something awesome on the ice. At the end of the night, my notebook looked like this. "Morrison wants it bad!!!!!!!!!" Suffice it to say, he had a great game. I've been a little concerned that fans want him on the team for his niceness rather than his goodness, but he was very good tonight, and may have earned his contract. Gillis's post-game comments sounded encouraging.
• Darcy Hordichuk and George Parros have a pretty good little thing going, don't they? They make a living fighting each other, and they know it. Parros is really something. It's incredible that a guy who has a degree in economics from Princeton University, and wrote his senior thesis on the West Coast longshoremen's labour dispute chooses to make a living punching Darcy Hordichuk and having a moustache.
• My wife keeps hearing Jeff Tambellini as Jeffrey Tambor. Think that if he gets put on waivers, he claims he was set up by the British?
• Jonas Hiller's mask is awesome. It really does look like he spray-painted it himself, as Ji Hughson suggested.
• Hughson on Joel Perrault: "He's trying to win himself a job and he just ran into his winger."
• What sort of cruel joke is it that, in the only game Burrows isn't calling, Koivu gets called for a blatant slewfoot?
• Daniel Sedin scored on a slapshot, then tries another one right after. Daniel slapping the puck? Sounds a lot like he might be OUT. FOR. BLOOD.
• Luongo was incredible tonight. Made some enormous saves, looked big, got across his crease well, validated the early work of Rollie Melanson that's been getting so much press. He deserved the shutout, but Ian Walker jinxed it. Look at this timeline! 9:15, Walker says shutout. 9:18, Josh Green scores. That is bogus. Ian Walker, if this wasn't the preseason, I might march over to your house and trample your azaleas.
• I have been loving Andrew Alberts this preseason. He seems to make a big hit almost every shift and he's limiting his mistakes. Underrated battle: him and Shane O'Brien for that sixth spot. The more I think about it, the more I think Shane O'Brien might be the guy on the way out. Everything he does well, someone else does better.
• Other guys that looked good: Jordan Schroeder, Peter Schaefer, Guillaume Desbiens, and most of the veterans. The Sedins were wonderful as usual, and I thought Dan Hamhuis and Christian Ehrhoff were incredible tonight, Hamhuis especially.
• Other guys that looked less good: Chris Tanev was invisible and I thought Evan Oberg was the only guy who really played badly tonight. I have pinpointed exactly 2:30 into the second period--when he shied away from taking a hit and sheepishly turned the puck over in the defensive zone--as the exact moment he got himself cut.
• Finally, Luongo blockered away a lazy blooper from center ice and the audience looed. We got a bad rap last year for looing some really mundane saves, and this one, in a preseason game, was among the worst I've seen. Let's save the looing for loo-worthy saves, please? We're like the Double Rainbow guy with our exuberance.
• How unimportant is the outcome in these preseason games? Well, I watched every second of this one and, most of the time, had no idea what the score was.

I Watched This Game: Canucks vs Oilers, September 22, 2010

I Watched This Game is a recurring feature on Pass it to Bulis!, chronicling the observations and insights of some guys who watched a hockey game.

After two games featuring a paucity of veterans so complete that Darcy Hordichuk wore an A on his sweater, the Canucks sent out a more legitimately NHL lineup against the Oilers tonight. The Sedins lined up with last year's preseason wunderkind, Sergei Shirokov, while Raymond, Kesler, and Samuelsson skated as a unit on the second line. The bottom six featured a plethora of potential bottom-six forwards battling to be noticed by Canucks coaching and management: Schaefer, Bolduc, Desbiens, Volpatti, Perreault, and Oreskovich. The defence was a solid combination, with Edler and Hamhuis skating together as the top pairing, a pairing that we might see often throughout the regular season. Ehrhoff was paired with Alberts, who has done quite well for himself in the preseason. The defensive corps were rounded out by Sweatt and Connauton, who may end up being the top pairing in Manitoba. Luongo and Schneider shared the goaltending duties.

Here's what I saw:

• The first goal came early, as Luongo gave up a juicy rebound out to Ben Ondrus, who buried it in the open net. Hard to blame it on Luongo, however, when three Canucks skaters (I believe it was Connauton, Oreskovitch, and Volpatti) followed the puck carrier, Whitney, and no one took Ondrus, who was wide open.
• Sergei Shirokov looked pretty comfortable with the Sedins over the first couple shifts and made a simply gorgeous between the legs pass to Daniel at the blueline towards the end of the first period that was positively Sedin-esque, but he didn't do enough to set himself apart. He'll need a couple more good performances in the preseason where he clearly outplays his competition in order to stick with the team to start the year.
• Connauton and Sweatt looked good as a tandem; Sweatt especially made some beautiful passes and showed his Rafalski-like tendencies. He also made a great defensive play on a Horcoff breakaway, catching up to him and poking the puck away without taking a penalty. He's making an argument to be the first call-up from the Moose. Connauton seemed to simplify his game from Monday and was significantly better.
• Volpatti acquitted himself nicely during the first fight of the game, but he hasn't been as impressive in the NHL preseason as he was with the prospects. He's in tough competition with a sizeable guy like Oreskovich in the running for the fourth line. Oreskovich has wheels to go with his size and hits with conviction.
• Henrik was out on the penalty kill in the first period, which is an odd choice in the preseason; most teams would want to keep their Hart and Art Ross trophy winner away from situations that might cause an injury...
• Both goals on Luongo were a bit ugly; the rebound on the first goal wasn't great, even if Ondrus shouldn't have been open in the first place, but even though the puck was deflected on the second goal, Luongo came off his post too early. Other than that, he was solid. He played confidently, challenged the shooters, and moved swiftly from post to post. No panic about the goals; it's the first game of the preseason.
• Desbiens likes to throw hits and he plays well on the boards, but there were times he looked confused on the ice, like he had no idea where to go. Still, he destroyed Eberle with a solid hit halfway through the third.
• Hamhuis and Edler looked great together. Edler's slapshot was in mid-season form and he rung a laser off the post with one beauty. Hamhuis looked like he was everywhere on the ice, jumping into the rush effectively and responsibly.
• Kesler, Raymond, and Samuelsson looked like what they are: one of the best scoring lines in the NHL. No results, but the forechecked effectively, swarming the Oiler's defence like bees around Nicolas Cage's head.
• Bolduc just doesn't seem strong enough to play at the NHL level, especially on the fourth line. He got muscled off the puck far too many times in this game. Still, he made some effective plays on the penalty kill, especially on the 5 on 3 in the third period.
• At one point during the broadcast, Shorty goaded Burrows into saying "slewfoot." Awesome.
• Giroux targetting Daniel's knee in the third: ugly. Shirokov attempting to stand up for Daniel: admirable. Daniel coming right back out for the next shift and scoring a goal: relief.
• Speaking of Daniel's goal, that was a fascinating powerplay. It looks like Newell Brown has brought some new powerplay strategies with him. It was essentially an umbrella formation, but every player on the ice was constantly in motion, with the defencemen cycling down low and forwards replacing them at the point. This style really seems to play to the Sedin's strengths. Henrik made a great play to keep the puck alive, then Edler slipped a diagonal pass through the penalty killer's box to Henrik, who flipped it in front for Daniel to bat in.
• Schaefer's short-handed goal was an odd one, a slapshot from the point that evaded Dubnyk. Just prior to the goal, Shorty and Burrows were talking about the curve on Schaefer's stick, that it can cause a curve to his shot. It looks like that's what happened here. Schaefer's hard work on the penalty kill is what caused the goalscoring chance to begin with.
• Unfortunately, the prototypical Canucks comeback was not to be, as Ehrhoff and Edler had a rare mental mistake after a change while on the penalty kill, allowing Gregory Stewart in behind them, who made no mistake on Cory Schneider, the only goal Schneider allowed.

Overall it was a decent game. The Sedins had moments of synchronicity, the Kesler line was solid all night, and the defence was generally very good, but something was missing. It's comforting to think that likely only two of the bottom-six forwards playing tonight will actually start the year with the Canucks. Judging from training camp and the preseason thus far, Oreskovich and Perreault are the likely frontrunners. Schaefer is in a tough spot as he needs to not only outplay the other potential bottom-six forwards but also Brendan Morrison, as the Canucks only have room for one more contract. His strong play on the penalty kill, decent speed, and short-handed goal show that he can still play, but there doesn't seem to be room in the Canucks lineup.

I Watched This Game: Canucks at Flames, September 21, 2010

Some highlights from the game we didn't watch.

I Watched This Game is a recurring feature on Pass it to Bulis!, chronicling the observations and insights of some guys who watched a hockey game.

Tonight was a slow-burning torture for two diehard Canuck fans like Skeeter and I, and not because the Canucks lost two games concurrently. Rather, because we knew that, the whole time we were watching them play, we were also missing them play somewhere else. The reason this was so painful is because we have spent the entire summer waiting for a Canucks hockey game, only to miss a Canucks hockey game as soon as one occurred. To wit: it's like those old-school popsicles that were actually two popsicles, and while you're eating one as fast as you can, the other is melting in your hand. Let's move on to the game. The one that we watched. The one played in Calgary. The one shown on television.

We watched that game. We watched it hard. Here is what we observed:

• Jannik Hansen was outstanding in the first period and invisible for most of the rest of the game. Perhaps he misread the calendar in the dressing room and thought the 2nd period was in October? The goal he scored was pretty nice, though. Tambellini made a nifty back-pass to give Hansen the yawning cage, and he didn't disappoint. He also didn't disappoint in his intermission interview, in which he sounded and looked like a baby bird clamoring for a mother bird to vomit worms into his mouth.
• Tanner Glass was on the powerplay, which is almost inexcusable, but better there than the third line.
• Marco Rosa looked pretty good and played a solid two-way game. His defensive work was overshadowed by his wrap-around goal and the stickwork he did to get himself there. I saw a couple other dangles as well. Did I forget about this guy in my centers that could make the 4th line post? Probably not. I'm very thorough, and he doesn't have a contract with the Canucks. That means he'll have to outplay Brendan Morrison to get one. Unlikely.
• Shorty: "There's a problem with the Glass in the Canucks zone." At least he's not on the third line.
• Eddie Lack was outstanding tonight. He earned first star honours in only two periods of play. His positioning was solid and his size did the rest. The Stork, as he is nicknamed, brought a bundle of joy to our hearts.... I just fired myself.
• Underrated preseason battle: Alex Burrows vs. John Garrett for the color man job. Garrett better watch it, or he'll be riding the bus in Victoria.
• Glass was decent on the penalty kill, which is a much better place for him than, say, the third line.
• Joel Perrault didn't really do much tonight. That's unfortunate, as he was on the top line, and he's supposed to be fighting for that fourth-line center spot. He's already losing the battle of goodwill to B-Mo. He might need to lose some teeth and doctor his birth certificate so it looks like he's from Pitt Meadows or something. Skeeter: "Are you saying people from Pitt Meadows don't have teeth?" Me: "Not the ones I've dated." Gimme some!
• Andrew "Give Us Barabbas" Alberts and Shane "Pain Lion" O'Brien both had good games tonight, and it wasn't just because all the other NHL defencemen weren't in the lineup. Keith Ballard was there, and he was kind of awful tonight. It was a sobering performance which is good, because there were beers aplenty and someone had to drive home. He was especially bad on the Backlund goal, where he backchecked like Todd Bertuzzi and skated about as fast as, well, me. Which is to say, deceptively slow.
• Tanner "Anywhere But on the Third Line" Glass has a nice mullet. Also: he shouldn't play on the third line.
• Darcy Hordichuk played like a man possessed tonight. Sadly, a man possessed with a spirit. Not with skill. He played like it was the playoffs, but fought the puck like it was George Parros. He had an opportunity with a wide-open net, on a rebound, and put it wide. Also: he hits like Tanner Glass (who, in case you're skimming, has fourth-line potential only.)
• I've liked what I've been hearing about Adam Polasek leading up to this game, but I definitely didn't like his brutal misplay on a cross-ice pass that let Jarome Iginla walk in and score the game-winner on poor, defenseless Tyler Weiman.
• Raffi Torres apparently scored a goal in the other Canucks-Flames game. I sincerely hope he makes that third line, because it might stop Tanner Glass from doing so.