Reality…….time to face it.

Injuries have decimated the defensive core of the team. There is no quick fix. The call-ups are doing a great job, for call-ups. Ehrhoff , Salo and Rome are not my idea of a top 3 anything but they will do a great job. And in the end, until Ballard, Hamhuis, Bieksa and Alberts can come back, we will lose more than we have been used to this year. (Notice I don’t mention Edler…..I don’t think he will be back this year.)

I can live with this. Luongo will steal a game or two for us even with this defense. What really burns me about last nights debacle was the play of the forwards. Besides the obvious, shooting at Renne’s logo, the forwards gave the puck away far too often. Particularly in their own end. The best way to handle this shaky back end is to have the front end do their job.

I hear the call for trades, but I ask this question. If there had been no injuries, would there have been any screaming for a trade? I doubt it. A trade for a defenseman right now only gets rid of a piece (like MayRay) who has helped the Canucks get this far. A trade would therefore in a best case scenario fill a hole in the backend but then create one up front.

We will have to ride this one out. Maybe the Canucks end up second in the west if the Wings stay hot….or we end up in the familiar 3rd spot. As long as we get the majority or the D back to play a couple weeks before the playoffs, to get their legs back, I have faith this team can make it past the second round.