Canucks' D May Get A Minor Facelift / Grabner Close

by Sean Zandberg on Dec 17, 2009 2:04 PM PST in Canucks News Comment 31 comments

Thanks to Missy for passing on the link.

Jason Botchford from the Province reports that Alexander Edler is practicing with the team and is close to returning. Botchford also states that the way Aaron Rome was practicing with the team, he will probably replace Mathieu Schneider for Friday's game against the Capitals. Schneider is looking bewildered out there and is a step behind most of the time. We are also not getting the production from him on the power play.

I'm all for Aaron Rome jumping in. He's quicker and hopefully more steady in the defensive zone. It won't hurt to get Edler back either.

**********

Also, Michael Grabner is close to returning. He is saying he feels no pain right now after skating. Alain Vigneault has said today that sending Grabner to Manitoba for a conditioning stint would be "logical."

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grabner might be going back to manitoba?
no surprise there. (for me, anyways)

"If Chuck Norris was up against 7 Rangers, he'd call Ryan Kesler."
GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Dec 17, 2009 3:24 PM PST reply actions

Just for conditioning. I think he may have a spot on our Canucks roster when he gets his lung capacity back

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Dec 17, 2009 4:33 PM PST up reply actions

Grabner was playing well when he got hurt and earned a chance to continue that performance after he recovers. I also think he makes a better line out of Kesler and Raymond and frees Sammy to play w/Demo when Demo returns.

The opposite of serious is not funny; the opposite of serious is unserious.

by casual on Dec 17, 2009 5:03 PM PST reply actions

You mean frees Sammy to play on line 3 with Demo? It will get interesting to say the least when both Grabner and Demo are back. Who plays on line 2 and 3? What are the combos?
I think Demo will play with Kesler guaranteed, but who will play on their wing? Grabner, Son of Sam or Raymond?

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Dec 17, 2009 6:56 PM PST up reply actions

I dunno. Kes & Demo play well together but, well, Kes & just about anyone else play well together, and the Raymod-Kesler-Grabner line made a better player outta Grabner, too. Prior to that, he struggled.

Will we have a pair of #2 lines splitting the ice time, less left over for #4. Either that or we trade quantity for quality, if a trade can be arranged, and give up some depth in order to get a sniper.

Look at this, presuming everyone healthy:

Burrows-Sedin-Sedin
Raymond-Kesler-Grabner
Hansen-Demo-Sammy
Glass-Rypien-Bernier

Hordi, Welly, Shirok, Johnson?

Can’t play ‘em all. Plus we have lots of D-men, incl’g Luko in the minors, so I wonder if we’ll trade some guys for a sniper. Gotta stay under the cap, so at least one guy is prob a D-man (Bieksa?) and the fw has to be making a few bucks, too (Bernier?, Demo?) Plus we might have to package in an extra player as a sweetener, you never know.

But when healthy, we’re just plain overstocked with guys who can play in this league but won;t get ice time if they’re all here together and won’t fit under our cap. We faced this situation in pre-season but the injuries “solved” it for us for a time. It’s back.

The opposite of serious is not funny; the opposite of serious is unserious.

by casual on Dec 17, 2009 7:08 PM PST up reply actions

move bernier to 3rd line, johnson to 4th line and hansen to press box in case something happens.
wellwood and hordichuk are bye-bye, and shirok stays in manitoba for the season.

"If Chuck Norris was up against 7 Rangers, he'd call Ryan Kesler."
GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Dec 17, 2009 7:13 PM PST up reply actions

Hansen to the press box! I really wanted to avoid that.

The opposite of serious is not funny; the opposite of serious is unserious.

by casual on Dec 17, 2009 7:40 PM PST up reply actions

I would really like to see what Hansen can do with more offensive oriented players before banishing him to the press box. He had that stint with Kesler and Raymond in Carolina. He scored a goal, but was generally crap that game, although so was the entire team.

by ThomasPratt on Dec 18, 2009 8:32 AM PST up reply actions

Luko’s not coming back, he’ll be snatched up as soon as he’s on waivers. He’s a good defenceman, just not worth his salary under the cap system.

by thelastjohnny on Dec 17, 2009 7:19 PM PST up reply actions

I’m gonna guess that, other than L1, we’ll see tons of combinations for L2-L4 when everyone is healthy.

Insert Johnson for Rypien and I like casual’s line-up. Use Rypien/Hordi for when the opposing team ices some hooligans.

by cyxj on Dec 17, 2009 7:36 PM PST up reply actions

Grabner

played well because he was finally given a chance in a scoring role, same as Raymond.

I agree with Sean; Kes, Demo and one of Sammy, Raymond, Grabner, Hansen or even Burr, especially if they get a real sniper to play with the twins (not likely unless it comes from within).

by yoata on Dec 17, 2009 8:37 PM PST up reply actions

Demo on the 3rd line? I can almost guarantee that won’t happen. Not at $4 million

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Dec 18, 2009 1:23 AM PST up reply actions

I don’t understand that logic at all. The salary is done, done, done and costs exactly the same whether he plays 1st line or 3rd and whether he scores in bushels or not at all. You put together the lines that give the team the best chance of winning, period, and who cares about the “embarrassment” of “overpaying” for a 3rd liner?

Besides, we’ve got the horses to have a pair of 2nd lines after Demo returns. 4th line might lose some ice time, but what are 4th lines for?

The opposite of serious is not funny; the opposite of serious is unserious.

by casual on Dec 18, 2009 1:49 PM PST up reply actions

OK then…we shouldn’t put a guy with his offensive caliber on line 3. He’ll get a shitload less minutes. Demo can rack up 50 points in 60 games. Leave the fails on line 3

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Dec 18, 2009 3:42 PM PST up reply actions

doesn’t sound like demo will be back for a while……

"If Chuck Norris was up against 7 Rangers, he'd call Ryan Kesler."
GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Dec 18, 2009 3:33 PM PST up reply actions

guess what ohlund did tonight…….

"If Chuck Norris was up against 7 Rangers, he'd call Ryan Kesler."
GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Dec 17, 2009 7:27 PM PST reply actions

To his own countryman too, potential ouchy for the Olympic team.

by cyxj on Dec 17, 2009 7:30 PM PST up reply actions

and more of this bullshit about trying to start a fight after a clean hit.

Please allow me to adjust my pants, so that I may dance the good time dance, and lead the onlookers and innocent bystanders into a trance.

by Smoboy41 on Dec 17, 2009 9:14 PM PST up reply actions

At least Eaves got a penalty for it.

by marcness52 on Dec 18, 2009 3:41 PM PST up reply actions

Perfectly

clean hit.

by yoata on Dec 17, 2009 8:38 PM PST reply actions

i know.
i just thought it was of interest since it was ohlund, and he took out a fellow Swede that is expected to be on the Olympic team.

"If Chuck Norris was up against 7 Rangers, he'd call Ryan Kesler."
GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Dec 17, 2009 8:51 PM PST up reply actions

Despite the cleanliness, there was (of course) a scrum.

I honestly think the league needs to start penalizing players who start a scrum after a hit where there is no penalty. It often negates a chance for the team that made the hit (Mitchell’s destruction of Toews is a recent Canucks example).

by Jevant on Dec 18, 2009 10:27 AM PST up reply actions

Yeah, they should be able to stick up for their buddy without paying for it.

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Dec 18, 2009 11:04 AM PST up reply actions

what i think i saw happen was that, after the hit, the puck went straight for the goalie who took the puck and stopped play. that other guy who went after ohlund for vengeance ended up with a roughing penalty.

"If Chuck Norris was up against 7 Rangers, he'd call Ryan Kesler."
GO CANUCKS GO!

by missy on Dec 18, 2009 11:27 AM PST up reply actions

I still haven’t seen it yet

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Dec 18, 2009 11:32 AM PST up reply actions

OK, now I just saw it! Wooo! Beauty hit! I like how he cranks his own countryman. Fuck Zetterberg. The Lightning need to start winning and quick! Ohlund is thinking in the “now”.

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Dec 18, 2009 11:35 AM PST up reply actions

Ohlund still hates Red Wings! I love it!

Nucks Misconduct

by Sean Zandberg on Dec 18, 2009 11:35 AM PST up reply actions

Also

a perfect example of not needing to contact the head in order to ring somebody’s bell.

by yoata on Dec 17, 2009 10:04 PM PST reply actions

It’s amazing what whiplash can do.

Now drink with me deeply of the bourbon, scotch, and rye until such time as we are fighting drunk.

by Steckel Me Elmo on Dec 18, 2009 2:38 PM PST up reply actions

Stop with the Manitoba conditioning,

already!

by Bobby Canuck on Dec 17, 2009 11:17 PM PST reply actions

comment

I think is not appropriate decision of Alexander Edler is replace by Mathieu Schneider for Friday’s game against the Capitals. I think the Alexander is the best one and there is no alternative required. He is matchless. I also want to establish my own team after my testking 650-175 and the other two exams such as testking 642-661 as well as the testking 70-448. So wait and watch.

by jessca on Dec 31, 2009 8:21 PM PST reply actions