Wake With Elias: Kadri Now in Division and Miller Talk

Canucks News

• As pre-season and training camp inch ever closer, JT Miller’s agent threw the idea that contract negotiations could come to a close once the season begins. Is he saying this for leverage? Does he mean it? Does he not want JT being distracted? Who knows, but it raises the stakes of Miller situation.

• Kevin Woodley on Spencer Martin being the Canucks’ backup this coming season. Certainly, it’s a risk, but it’s a relatively low-stakes one given the cost. Personally, if Martin isn't a story next year, I’ll take it.

• Patrick Johnston with a look back not he 2016 draft. It’s a depressing retrospective, given the current state of the Canucks’ blue line and the names left on the board.

• An all-access video looking at development camp, presented by the Canucks themselves.

• A noteworthy milestone in Canucks history, recognizing the most significant all-star candidacy in Canucks history. As a fanbase, we will never forget Vote for Rory.

• And a happy birthday to former Canuck, Geoff Courtnall. His name’s been thrown around in discussions in the past in terms of joining the management group, so we’ll see if anything comes of it. I’m a baby so I don't remember Courtnall’s time, but a happy birthday to him.

Hockey News

• The big news of the day was the Nazem Kadri signing. Finally, the high-profile centreman has a contract, and it’s with the Calgary Flames (meaning, of course, he’s in the Pacific Division with the Canucks). Frankly, the dollar number seems a little low here, but it’s in a weird middle ground where this could still age quite poorly for Calgary given that Kadri is 31. It’s certainly been an eventful off-season for the Flames, and despite losing both Tkachuk and Gaudreau, they come looking pretty dangerous, for next season at least.

• And to make the trade work, they shipped Sean Monahan off to Montreal to clear some cap space. I used to think Monahan and Bo Horvat were quite comparable players. They were taken right near each other in their draft year, after all. Thankfully, Bo’s trajectory has been better. Also, read the conditions here at your own risk. There are a lot of them.

• The leadership group for Canada U18 women’s team was announced ahead of their series with the United States. Check out the video below.

• And on a bit more of a big picture note, Islanders fans are mad! Lou Lamoriello hasn’t done much, and after people thought they would get Kadri, the Isles fanbase appears to have lost its mind. Could it lead to the Islanders making a desperate trade for JT Miller? Hopefully, and possibly? They have done quite literally nothing all off-season, and it’s becoming a story. After a letdown of a 2021-22 campaign, there was hope they’d rebound. In my estimation the only way of improving is trading Noah Dobson for Miller.

BC Place Bulletins

BC Place Bulletins is a Friday WWE feature summarizing scores and major news from Vancouver’s other sports teams, including the BC Lions (CFL), Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS), and Vancouver Giants (WHL).

• The BC Lions (finally) have some buzz going for them, with a 7-1-0 record, a 41-40 comeback win over the Calgary Stampeders, and a star Canadian quarterback in Nathan Rourke. It may be time to pay attention! Lions play the Saskatchewan Roughriders tonight at 7:00 PM.

• Ryan Gauld talks after a 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday. The Whitecaps currently sit 7th in the Western Conference with a 9-11-6 record.

• And Bowen Byram, a Vancouver Giants alumni, takes his turn with the Stanley Cup, alongside Giants general manager Barclay Parneta.