Whether you're feeling the effects of a big win and the celebration that followed, or you're just crushing as much caffeine as you can to make it through the day, everyone needs a good buzz in the morning. Here are your links, images, bad Photoshops, out-of-context quotes and wild generalities for Tuesday, February 21, 2012.
Vancouver Canucks News & Notes
Alex Burrows will play in his 500th game tonight against the Predators. Congrats to the guy no one thought would turn into the player he has. [Canucks Army]
CBC preview's tonight's match against the Preds. [CBC]
After posting 27 road victories last season, the Canucks have again been dominant away from Rogers Arena this season. Kevin Bieksa explains. [Vancouver Sun]
"Some teams change their style of play, maybe get pucks deep, do this, do that. We play the exact same way at home and on the road...and I think beyond that we're a pretty mentally strong team. I don't think a whole lot fazes us. Regardless of what the polls say, we don't get intimidated, we don't shy away from things, we just go out and go about our business and do our jobs."
Throughout the week CHB will be profiling players the Canucks may be targeting for the deadline. Here's Travis Moen. [CHB]
Three points for Canucks fans to consider, on the team's record, Byron Bitz and Chris Tanev. [The White Towel]
Sami Salo scored two big goals over the weekend, ending a long slump for him. Here's how the one against Toronto came to be. [PITB]
Ah, the misunderstood Manny Malhotra. Great piece by Cam. This is the kind of analysis and rational thinking that Canucks Army excels at. Hopefully it changes the way some fans view the roles of certain players. I know it has for me. [Canucks Army]
Much like the bloggers that write about this team, Cory Schneider has learned to ignore the trade rumours. [The Province]
A Q&A with Byron Bitz, he of the sore hip flexor. [The Province]
Exciting news: Dr. Recchi has some out of retirement and signed on with The Province's Legion of Blog. He'll be great to have around to help diagnos those mysterious playoff injuries.
Canucks staff writer Derek Jory recounts the team's trip from Edmonton to Nashville. [Fort Nucks]
The latest Heart of a Canuck featured my main man Dan Hamhuis. Here's Part 1, the rest are up on Canucks TV.
NHL News & Notes
There were only two games in the NHL last night, and they were both blowouts. It took the Senators less than two minutes to chase Islanders goalie Kevin Poulin:
The Predators have extended GM David Poile's contract until the end of the 2014-15 season. Now he's free to drop the ball on Suter and Weber. I kid, I kid. [NHL]
2008 Red Wings draft pick Max Nicastro has been brought into custody on a rape charge. Yikes. [PHT]
Elliotte Friedman's 30 Thoughts for this week. Always a must-read. [CBC]
It appears the Phoenix Coyotes won't be trading anyonoe off their roster at the deadline. Hard to blame them since they're right in the thick of the playoff hunt. Still, Ray Whitney would have been a dream fit for the Canucks IMO. [PHT]
Martin Brodeur has changed his pads for the first time in his career, and has won 4 of his last 5 games. [NJ]
Tim Thomas and the controversy that just won't go away. [Puck Drunk Love]
Despite the tragedies over the summer and the continued assurance from pundits everywhere that it is on its way out, it appears NHL players still overwhelmingly oppose taking fighting out of the game. [Puck Daddy]
Theo Fleury continues his battle with former junior coach Graham James, who has a hearing in Winnipeg on Wednesday after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual abuse. [CBC]
A few of the latest trade rumours from around the NHL. [TSN]
Don Cherry confused Cam Charron on February 18th. [Legion of Blog]