[PGT] Vancouver Canucks at Chicago Blackhawks // December 17, 2023

[Rusty Shackleford]

2 hours ago, PhillipBlunt said:

This team is coming together beautifully. 

 

[PeteyBOI]

23 minutes ago, Goal_thecup said:

Hmm, imagine that, all those who said we didn't need a player such as Zadorov.

You must be purdy dern smart see'n' howz yer smarter than Elias Pettersson.

too be fair to myself... I just thought they were overpaid by like 750k as did alot of other teams reportedly... the canucks were the only team that didnt ask for retention, or at least moved off retention be required... But i clearly nailed the value of zadorov, we just got lucky cause Bedard lied about Perry and then suggested that he always looked up to Beauvillier...

 

Kidding aside I suppose there is a good chance ill eat crow twice on this trade. 

[I.AM.THE.WALRUS]

4 hours ago, coolboarder said:

It will catch them up with tough stretch.  They haven't gone through a meat grinder of a schedule just yet. It will happen after Christmas break.  2nd half will be a grind.

Absolutely will… 

[I.AM.THE.WALRUS]

6 minutes ago, Rusty Shackleford said:

 

 

Don't let this distract you from the fact that in 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team.

[Rypien-Punch]

I missed the game, how was Kuzmenko's play? Is he worth keeping around or trade him for a 4th liner with more sandpaper 

[PeteyBOI]

7 minutes ago, Rypien-Punch said:

I missed the game, how was Kuzmenko's play? Is he worth keeping around or trade him for a 4th liner with more sandpaper 

i dont think kuzmenko even touched the puck

[wai_lai416]

31 minutes ago, Lemon Face said:

Huggy is also in slump last 3-4 games

he's been in a slump analytically for the last 6 weeks or so now. his advance stats plummetted during that span..to the point where the canucks actually have a higher xGF% when he's not on the ice.. maybe he's fatigue? or maybe teams are figuring out how to play against them. i know they looked good early on in the season but they were mostly playing weaker opponents compared to the last 6 weeks. the QH and FH pair is still getting production.. but i've been saying since day 1 they need to be split and find a partner for each one.. i don't think 2 offensive minded offence first defenceman playing on the supposively top shutdown line is a recipe for success.. or maybe i'm just blowing air out of my ass and hughes is injured/fatigue affecting his play.

[Lemon Face]

9 minutes ago, wai_lai416 said:

he's been in a slump analytically for the last 6 weeks or so now. his advance stats plummetted during that span..to the point where the canucks actually have a higher xGF% when he's not on the ice.. maybe he's fatigue? or maybe teams are figuring out how to play against them. i know they looked good early on in the season but they were mostly playing weaker opponents compared to the last 6 weeks. the QH and FH pair is still getting production.. but i've been saying since day 1 they need to be split and find a partner for each one.. i don't think 2 offensive minded offence first defenceman playing on the supposively top shutdown line is a recipe for success.. or maybe i'm just blowing air out of my ass and hughes is injured/fatigue affecting his play.

We need RD top 4 to separate them.I think is fatigue.EP was in slump to.Who knows maybe playing injured.

[I.AM.THE.WALRUS]

16 minutes ago, wai_lai416 said:

he's been in a slump analytically for the last 6 weeks or so now. his advance stats plummetted during that span..to the point where the canucks actually have a higher xGF% when he's not on the ice.. maybe he's fatigue? or maybe teams are figuring out how to play against them. i know they looked good early on in the season but they were mostly playing weaker opponents compared to the last 6 weeks. the QH and FH pair is still getting production.. but i've been saying since day 1 they need to be split and find a partner for each one.. i don't think 2 offensive minded offence first defenceman playing on the supposively top shutdown line is a recipe for success.. or maybe i'm just blowing air out of my ass and hughes is injured/fatigue affecting his play.

 

They aren’t the biggest guys… They’re probably completely burnt out already from our intense schedule… Or playing with an injury 

Edited December 18, 2023 by I.AM.THE.WALRUS

[Curmudgeon]

6 hours ago, Sophomore Jinx said:

It cannot be stated enough in the value that JTM is bringing to this team. Cups are won with players like him. We are very fortunate to have him, and even more so that he committed to us long term, and without crippling us financially.

 

Amen. Just because I've been a keen student of this game longer than most of you have been alive, that doesn't make me any smarter than anyone else. I just have a deep inventory of memory regarding specific developments in the game and the players whose careers I have watched being born, flourishing, ebbing and flickering out. So from the perspective of someone who has seen a lot players, I believe JT Miller is in a special category of athletes that can maintain a high level of performance deep into their thirties. Guys like Chelios, Jagr, Crosby, Malkin, Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Claude Giroux and a few others have all performed well at 35+. I think of Miller in terms of a guy who knows exactly who he is, what he has to do to prepare himself the be the best he can be, and the sheer strength of character and will that it takes to perform at a high level. Will he always be in the Top Ten league scoring? Probably not always, but he'll be a dedicated leader and player as long as the Gods of Hockey allow. But JT Miller is committed to Vancouver because it is the place where he became what he has become: a top five scoring leader in the NHL 30 games in. With his approach and understanding of what it takes to prepare for a long season, he will do his damndest to play out the full contract. And I am here for it.

[wai_lai416]

2 hours ago, I.AM.THE.WALRUS said:

 

They aren’t the biggest guys… They’re probably completely burnt out already from our intense schedule… Or playing with an injury 

it's possible.. but unless they are able to find each of them a partner where u can split them up and each pair plays like around 22-23min ish they are going to keep trotting them out and play them 25-26mins a night and eventually run them to the ground.. yes i know there are defenceman that plays 28-29 mins a night.. but i don't think any of them are as offensive as QH and skates around as much as him.. like some players are very positional and rarely rotate out of his spot unlike QH who will straddle the line go down the wing etc etc and then having to cover the ground to get back on defence.. if there's a stats that tracks how much distance a player covers per game.. i'm going to bet QH is near the top.. but if fatigue is already an issue now.. it's only going to get worse as the season goes on.. so they need to figure something out and not burn out the player

[CanucksJay]

What we're starting to see is us winning games when we don't put our best foot forward against lesser teams and then us coming out much sharper against better teams. 

These guys aren't machines though so we'll still lose some games we should win (San Jose, NJD etc) and we come out flat against some good teams (vegas) instead of being ampd for the game. 

I do worry whether we are able to switch on and off. I felt this same concern after the win in Ottawa where we won but didn't play all that well. We then went on and played 500 hockey throughout Nov but that may have been more so due to Soucy injury and the tough schedule. 

Im hoping it guys bear down and finish strong and then take a well deserved rest for Christmas

[Sativika]

3 outta' 4 points in back to back matinee games in another time zone? We'll take that anytime! Slow starts, but they got their legs going to make it work.

Can't wait til Soucy gets back and we've a full roster. I'm excited. 

 

I wonder if Bedard quietly irks inside when he hears that Chelsea Dagger tune. Must've hated it viewing the 2011 run as a 5-6 year old.

[WillisD]

8 hours ago, Jaimito said:

 

 

 

Exactly why fighting is still very relevant in the nhl. 

[I.AM.THE.WALRUS]

3 hours ago, wai_lai416 said:

it's possible.. but unless they are able to find each of them a partner where u can split them up and each pair plays like around 22-23min ish they are going to keep trotting them out and play them 25-26mins a night and eventually run them to the ground.. yes i know there are defenceman that plays 28-29 mins a night.. but i don't think any of them are as offensive as QH and skates around as much as him.. like some players are very positional and rarely rotate out of his spot unlike QH who will straddle the line go down the wing etc etc and then having to cover the ground to get back on defence.. if there's a stats that tracks how much distance a player covers per game.. i'm going to bet QH is near the top.. but if fatigue is already an issue now.. it's only going to get worse as the season goes on.. so they need to figure something out and not burn out the player

Exactly - they better figure it out… we need more goals - we need a much more offensively engaged Quinn…

[Alflives]

18 minutes ago, I.AM.THE.WALRUS said:

Exactly - they better figure it out… we need more goals - we need a much more offensively engaged Quinn…

Allvin and company are building a great club. They have a group that wins games when some guys aren’t going. That’s a fantastic job by new management. 

[spook007]

13 hours ago, Captkirk888 said:

Sleepless in Seattle…..

 

Waiting for Brocks goals to dry up.....

 

 

[KoreanHockeyFan]

Feels nice to win games that we definitely would've lost just a year ago. 

 

Good teams know how to pull wins out of their asses. 

[Captkirk888]

10 minutes ago, spook007 said:

 

Waiting for Brocks goals to dry up.....

 

 

 

[Hairy Kneel]

7 hours ago, Rip The Mesh said:

Like to congratulate the Canucks for getting on DROP YOUR GLOVES !  Its been a while..

 

 

 

These assholes still have a hard on for the Canucks every chance they get. Fk Chicago.

[NewbieCanuckFan]

10 hours ago, PhillipBlunt said:

This team is coming together beautifully. 

 

[stawns]

Didn't get to watch it until late last night.  It was a masterclass on how to win on 12 mins of decent hockey.  Once again, they can thank Demko for that one.  Still, two points is two points........put it behind them and move on

[-dlc-]

13 hours ago, Rekker said:

I don't think it can be understated the positive effect Tocchet is having on JT. Two peas in a pod and will work well together to win. JT will always have some moments that may not look great, but way, way more good than bad. So happy to have him here. 

Oh I agree, 100%.

 

It's so important for coaches to "get" their players and know how to work "with" them not against them. (By that I mean by not simply disciplining them and yelling to get results). Poke them as you yell in their ear (yes I love that coach but he wasn't getting the point across like that). Generally, if you want to teach people something you have to get them to buy in first. To listen. To want to hear what you're saying. Don't just coach them as a team, but as individuals with different personalities.

 

With a strong personality like JT, it's important to connect not just coach. I think there's an obvious mutual respect between the two that allows for coaching without condemnation. A perfect fit, really. Rick knows what he's got in JT and, clearly, knows how to extract the best out of him. Can read the body language/clues and react accordingly. When he sat JT it was a cooling off period that he needed. Not a benching or alpha dog move to send a message that would hurt the team by keeping him out....it was a momentary time out that allowed JT to vent off some steam and refocus. Some coaches may have further aggravated that situation by going "at" JT. Tocchet worked with him and is awesome.

[NucksIn50]

3 hours ago, Sativika said:

3 outta' 4 points in back to back matinee games in another time zone? We'll take that anytime! Slow starts, but they got their legs going to make it work.

Can't wait til Soucy gets back and we've a full roster. I'm excited. 

 

I wonder if Bedard quietly irks inside when he hears that Chelsea Dagger tune. Must've hated it viewing the 2011 run as a 5-6 year old.

Bedard was still in diapers in 2010-11 listening to lullabies in his crib

 

Go Canucks 

[Jaimito]