Just picking up after a long weekend (I didn’t die, I’m sure you’re proud Sean!) and it looks like a fun ass weekend. Cool Cup pics; definitely looks like Terrace was a blast.

As for the game: glad to know facepalm did well, but I’d still like him in Manitoba. Also awesome is my Shirokov and Rypien mancrushes can continue unabated. The shot totals are depressing, but whatever.

And damn it’s nice to have some hockey back.

I thought both Canuck goaltenders looked very sharp all things considered which is a good sign. The better preseason Schneider the goalie has the better for his trade value. Not that we need to move him anytime soon but it is nice to see him performing already. If his value is high then Gillis can wait for the right time to pull the trigger on a deal to get the maximum back for such a promising young goalie. Just don’t trade him in our division.

Shirokov looked pretty good at times although I thought he took a bad penalty and his positioning in his own zone seemed off. One of the things I look at in young players is the little things, like making sure you get the puck out past a pinching D man or getting pucks in deep so your mates can change, and he seemed to be doing those things which I think is a good sign. It seems like the desire to be a good two way player is there and that is all it takes. The coaches can work with a player like that.

I know I am going to hear about this but I don’t like Rypien and I don’t see what he brings to the team. Oh yeah he fights. But if you ask me he fights too much and we already have guys who can fight on our 4th line. Rypien brings very little offensively and at times I feel like he is the main reason his line gets trapped in it’s own zone so much. Maybe I am wrong because I have never liked him as a player and I am trying to find reasons to dislike the player but that’s how I see it.

It was the first preseason game so I don’t think anyone played their way onto or off of the roster but Scatchard looked well off the pace. He is going to need to step up if he as any chance of making this team.

wellwood at one end (and i don’t think he was overfancy, that’s how he played most of last season and if he doesn’t turn the puck over [he didn’t] i’m totally fine with it), and rome and sauve at the other. did not like most of the defense in that game. SOB was disappointing in that he didn’t dominate in his own end and made some dumb decisions with the puck, not as dumb as the aformentioned rome and sauve, but he looked like someone trying to catch on with the big club, not a starter all last year. lukowich on the other hand was polished and always did the right thing. a well deserved 3rd star for him. oberg had some moments but didn’t look ready to play in vancouver. i didn’t notice baumgartner much, but being average in that group isn’t going to get you a job in the nhl.

for the forwards wellwood’s line dominated the puck all night. they continually cycled in the offensive zone, looked quick to the loose pucks and worked well together. grabner looked solid manning the point on the power play as well, which was new to me and interesting. walsky did some nice things, he has some offensive skills. shirokov looked good, great skater and hustles all the time he’s out there. i think he’ll start in manitoba but believe he’ll get at least one callup during the season to fill in. scatchard looked like a rougher taylor pyatt. he’s a big guy that can hit but not sure about the wheels. rypien showed some nice offense and i have to think his spot on the 4th line is secure. that second fight was vintage. surprised he couldn’t do better than a draw against reich. hansen was ok, seemed good with the puck but got nothing for it, which is what he did last year on the big club. i just don’t think he’s a finisher. the rest of the forwards were not worth commenting on. there were some nice plays sprinkled in with a lot of ineffectiveness.

overall i thought there was a lot of promise for the future on display, but very few players that will impact the roster this year.

Welcome back, Mike! Not swimming with the fishies…good to hear. Yeah it was insane here. So much going on around Hockeyville and training camp and all. Terrace was a good time on Sunday. I don’t get to meet legends all that often.

headspace: Agree! I thought OBrien looked like the best defenceman overall. Oberg was out of position several times. It’s disheartening because I’m really pulling for the guy.

Section 312: I’ll take Rypien on the team over Hordichuk. I see more overall skill from Ripper. He was walloping guys all night. He seemed tireless out there.

What did you guys think of Grabner’s play?

I thought he was overshadowed by Shirokov and held on to the puck too long often.

Shirok (apparently that was his nickname in Russia) looked good. I like how he can both give & take hits effectively.

Offensively, he already knows what to do and has the tools to do it, he’s quite intuitive. Gotta be tough to learn defence, though, when you can hardly speak the language.

One last comment on Shirok before I get back to work, tho: he’s adjusting to the rink size and the N. A. game awfully quickly, isn’t he? I get the impression of a fast learner, and once he gets past the language barrier it will only speed up from there.

I also remember watching his first goal last nite … we all saw him get the puck … and was I the only one who kinda mentally paused and thought “OK, this is it. This is just where guys like Raymond and Hansen and Bernier drove me nuts last year when they’d find a way not to score; now what’ll this kid do?”

And now we know. On both his goals he looked every inch a finisher. I wonder if he could improve our record in shootouts?

Oh yeah, I think Shirokov would/could be a master at the shootout. The guy looks like he could call which butt cheek on the goalie he could bank the puck off and into the net. He just could become the 3rd Sedin but we’ll see about that soon enough

:-)

Yergh