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Another 2015-16 Hockey Night in Canada, another Vancouver Canucks loss. And while there are some positives -- Nikita Tryamkin is probably better than we had a right to expect him to be, Andrey Pedan looks like he could stick next year -- Daniel Sedin is upset at what he perceives as a lack of effort.
Daniel Sedin: "From some guys right now, the effort is not there. I think those guys know who they are. I think it’s embarrassing."
— Iain MacIntyre (@imacVanSun) March 20, 2016
Both Ryan Miller and Willie Desjardins agree with Daniel, evidently.
Miller and Desjardins concurred w Daniel. Willie: "I don’t know exactly what they’re thinking, but I know there’s more to give."
— Iain MacIntyre (@imacVanSun) March 20, 2016
More Desjardins: "The one thing you have is (your identity). We have guys, sometimes it’s like the game’s too hard." #identitycrisis
— Iain MacIntyre (@imacVanSun) March 20, 2016
In other worrying Canucks news, it appears they may be in the market for a new goalie coach, as Rollie Melanson seems poised to take his whiteboard back east, according to Kevin Woodley.
Since my radio slip went national, G coach Roland Melanson will talk with Canucks after season but summer exit was long + widely expected
— Kevin Woodley (@KevinisInGoal) March 20, 2016
Melanson’s pending departure one of worst kept secrets in G coach community; Don’t believe Cloutier wants job. Alex Auld good candidate ...
— Kevin Woodley (@KevinisInGoal) March 20, 2016
lastly, no secret Bill Ranford would love to come home to Vancouver but the year left on his deal with the Los Angles Kings may be an issue
— Kevin Woodley (@KevinisInGoal) March 20, 2016
OK, one more "lastly," before everyone piles on Canucks management, there is also a personal component to leaving Vancouver for Melanson
— Kevin Woodley (@KevinisInGoal) March 20, 2016
Perhaps Los Angeles will let Ranford out of the last year of his deal as thanks for the excellent work he's done with their goaltending. Either way, while Melanson has done an amazing job in Vancouver, he is far from irreplaceable.
Craig Custence of ESPN spoke to Jim Benning this week about drafting and free agency this year. Benning seemed to pour cold water on the rumors that the Canucks are after Milan Lucic or Loui Eriksson:
"We’re going to shift our focus in our market to drafting well and developing our own players," Benning said. "We’re going to sign some younger players we’ve had in the system before, and we’re going to get younger and continue to get faster and hopefully be more competitive."
Anton Rodin, come on down!
Around the League
Last night's Saturday Headlines had more on the Draft Lottery and the World Championships.
TSN is publishing regularly updated odds at the first overall draft pick. After last night, Vancouver was at 9.5% chance of getting the first overall pick.
James O'Brien of Pro Hockey Talk brought together some links spitballing on NHL expansion draft scenarios.Bruce Garrioch also talks about the expansion draft in his weekly rumors column, and he suggests the following top three in the amateur draft:
One league executive’s take on the first three picks in the 2016 NHL entry draft in Buffalo: 1. RW Auston Matthews, Zurich (Switzerland). 2. LW Patrik Laine, Tappara Tampere (Finland). 3. RW Jesse Pulujarvi (Finland). From there, it will get interesting because those three are widely believed to be a lock to go top-three
The Boston Globe's Fluto Shinzawa talked about how teams are trying to get better at using analytics, based on some proceedings of the Sloan Conference last week. He also mentioned some goalies who are caught in a market correction, the NHL's desire to redress the imbalance in the number of teams in each conference, and the Anaheim Ducks.
The NCAA Men's Frozen Four brackets were unveiled this morning. Four teams compete in each of four regions next weekend to determine which four teams compete in the Frozen Four final April 7 & 9 in Tampa Bay, Fla. Craig Dilks of SB Nation College Hockey analyzes the brackets here. The tournament Web site is here, US Television listings are here, Canadian TV and streaming listings are here. Playoffs in the WHL, the OHL, and the QMJHL also begin later this week.
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