[Strutz]

N_Fiddledog N_Fiddledog:

They were whining about the trade all day in Ottawa because, of course - Ontario - they don't hear about about anything that happens west of the Manitoba border.

Sounded like they didn't know what Alex Burrows could bring to their team.

They know now. Alex just popped in 2. 2-0 Senators over Colorado.

That'll shut em up.

Yeah, I saw that. Good for Alex. He'll have a better chance to get a shot at a ring there than here this year.

[Strutz]

N_Fiddledog N_Fiddledog:

Hyack Hyack:

Whether anyone wants to admit it, the Canucks are definitely into a rebuilding phase.

Yeah it's kind of cute isn't it? The way Benning/Linden keep calling it "transition", but everybody knows it's a rebuild.

Haven't we always been in a rebuilding phase?

[Hyack]

The Canuck's 6 game winning streak in San Jose came to a screeching halt with their 3-1 loss tonight. The only pluses tonight were a PP goal by Horvat in the 1st period, the teams first PP goal in the last 7 games, and denying Joe Thornton his 1,000th career assist. The Canucks next play back to back games Saturday in LA followed by a game Sunday in Anaheim to end this short 3 game road trip.

[Hyack]

Strutz Strutz:

N_Fiddledog N_Fiddledog:

Hyack Hyack:

Whether anyone wants to admit it, the Canucks are definitely into a rebuilding phase.

Yeah it's kind of cute isn't it? The way Benning/Linden keep calling it "transition", but everybody knows it's a rebuild.

Haven't we always been in a rebuilding phase?

It surely does seem like it at times doesn't it.....

[Hyack]

Sedins left feeling ’empty’ as Burrows, Hansen pack their bags

$1:

In the aftermath of the latest bombshell to hit his team, Daniel Sedin stood in a corner of the Canucks’ dressing room on Tuesday night.

He was alone. That seemed like a good place to start.

“I don’t know if it’s lonely,” Daniel said, reacting to the late news that Jannik Hansen had been dealt to the San Jose Sharks a day after Alex Burrows was moved to Ottawa.

“It’s empty. I think it’s empty.

“Those are guys who came into each and every game and they gave you so much because of who they are. You enjoyed coming to the rink because they’re here. That’s what you’re going to miss.”

He paused.

“It’s tough to realize but it happens. We have to move on. They were teammates for so long and good friends. That’s the tough part.”

This week, the bill came due for the Canucks’ staggering ineptitude over the last two years, and the price for the Sedins was steep.

Hansen, gone. Burrows, gone.

They could see it coming. Hell, everyone could see it coming. But it’s one thing to read the rumours and hear the conjecture. It’s another when Hansen is pulled from the lineup minutes before a game with the Detroit Red Wings, then tells Henrik he’s been traded away in the second period.

No, this one will leave a mark. The Sedins and the entire team know this is the only way out for the Canucks. They know they acquired two good young prospects for the two veterans, and, from a hockey perspective, this was a win for the organization.

But, as Daniel put it: “That doesn’t make it any easier.”

“They realized what it took to become NHL regulars,” he said, speaking of Hansen and Burrows.

“They did whatever they could to stay in the lineup the first few years and they became very, very good players. You have to respect that.

“They gave you energy when you came to the rink. Those are the guys you want to see every day. I think that’s friendship.”

Friendship. Such a powerful word. But now it’s up to the Sedins to provide leadership as the Canucks try to navigate the difficult waters ahead. On Tuesday night, GM Jim Benning said they were excited about this opportunity.

Funny, they didn’t sound too excited.

“There’s nothing we can do about it,” Henrik said. “You know where the team is going, and when you’re not winning this can happen. If we would have been in the playoff race they might still be here.

“Change is going to happen. But to see (Hansen) take his gear off and walk out of here, that’s tough.”

And that was residue left behind as the two fine veterans, two great Canucks, were traded away. In time, the hockey aspect of these deals will reveal itself and, even today, the twins know these trades will help the club down the road.

But they also saw Burrows come to this team a dozen years ago as a no-hoper from the East Coast league, watched as he willed himself into an NHLer, and watched him play on their line when they were the best in the NHL.

They watched Hansen arrive as a ninth-rounder from Denmark — a ninth-round draft pick from Denmark?? Are you kidding?! — and turn himself into a 10-year Canuck. They were both kids when they arrived. Now they’re family men whose own kids played with the Sedins’ kids, who took up a place of importance in the twins’ lives.

Lions boss Wally Buono likes to say nothing good ever comes from losing. The twins can officially relate.

“We’ve seen them grow up, go from call-ups to first- and second-liners on this team,” said Henrik. “That’s something for our young guys to learn, to understand you can’t be happy to be here.

“You’ve got to try to get better. That’s what those guys did. I don’t think they had much more talent than a lot of these guys.”

Later Tuesday night, Benning revealed he sat down with the twins on Monday after the Burrows trade and “explained” the Canucks’ decisions and the direction they were now headed. It was a courtesy to the twins, but Daniel said they still wanted to sit down with Benning and Trevor Linden this offseason and talk about their role with the new Canucks.

That will be an interesting conversation. In all likelihood, nothing will change for the Sedins. They’ll still be counted on to be the conscience of this team; the two players who’ll set an example for all the kids, the two players they can turn to when the losses start piling up.

Again.

But maybe this was the most difficult part of the last couple of days for the twins. They were staring down a tunnel and seeing a day when it was their turn to pack up and leave, when they’d outlived their usefulness on a losing team.

They know that day is coming. They know, after 15 seasons and everything they’ve given to this organization, it might be their turn. They know this can be a heartless business and, sooner or later, it gets everyone.

But, as Daniel said, knowing that doesn’t make it any easier.

http://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/ed-willes-sedins-left-feeling-empty-as-burrows-hansen-pack-their-bags

[N_Fiddledog]

Hyack Hyack:

Strutz Strutz:

Haven't we always been in a rebuilding phase?

It surely does seem like it at times doesn't it.....

I wonder what's left to be needed in a rebuild...

Maybe just time for the parts to percolate; develop into position. 2 - 3 years maybe.

It would be nice to have an elite center. Bo might work, but he's more the ideal 2nd. Hey...I hear John Tavares is a free agent in 2018.

OK, that's not going to happen. Next best thing then.

[Hyack]

Vancouver at Los Angeles

64

CANUCKS (26-30-7) at KINGS (31-27-6)

Forward Nikolay Goldobin is expected to make his debut for the Vancouver Canucks, who acquired him and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft from the San Jose Sharks for forward Jannik Hansen on Tuesday. The 21-year-old, selected by San Jose with the No. 27 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, has two points (one goal, one assist) in 11 NHL games. "It's great, feeling good," Goldobin said after the Canucks morning skate Saturday. "I'm ready to go for the game." Forward Sven Baertschi had an assist after returning to the lineup Thursday in a 3-1 loss to the Sharks. Baertschi, who has 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists), missed nine games with a concussion from a hit on Feb. 7 by Nashville Predators forward Cody McLeod. The Canucks, who have lost four straight, defeated the Kings 2-1 on Dec. 28 at Rogers Arena. Goaltender Ryan Miller (16-19-4), who made 36 saves in the win, will start. Vancouver is nine points behind Los Angeles for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference. The Canucks are 2-2-1 in their past five games against the Kings.

Puck drop at 7:00pm PT

[Hyack]

And once again some idiot "singers" brutalize O Canada......

and don't do much better with the US anthem either....

[Hyack]

Goals by Baertschi and Hank Sedin, playing 4 on 4, give the Canucks the dreaded 2 goal lead going into the 2nd period.

[Hyack]

Horvat makes it 3-0 with the Canuck's first shot of the period at 6:38 into the period.

[Hyack]

Nikolay Goldobin scores his first goal as a Canuck, his 2nd in the NHL, to make it 4-0 at 12:43 of the 2nd period

[Strutz]

Hyack Hyack:

Nikolay Goldobin scores his first goal as a Canuck, his 2nd in the NHL, to make it 4-0 at 12:43 of the 2nd period

The new guy looks good!

Quite the game so far but another 20min to go.

Also very cool to see the "A" on Horvat tonight.

[Hyack]

Out shot 9-7 in the 1st and 25-9 in the 2nd the Canucks still take a 4-1 lead into the 3rd, no thanks to a PP goal by Anze Kopitar at 16:40 into the 2nd period.

[Hyack]

Badly out shot, 44-21 and badly out played, especially in the last half of the 3rd, the Canucks hung on to win it 4-3, despite giving up 2 PP goals and a shorthanded,empty net goal by the Kings. I just hope they managed to keep something in reserve for tomorrow's game in Anaheim.

[Strutz]

Hyack Hyack:

Badly out shot, 44-21 and badly out played, especially in the last half of the 3rd, the Canucks hung on to win it 4-3, despite giving up 2 PP goals and a shorthanded,empty net goal by the Kings. I just hope they managed to keep something in reserve for tomorrow's game in Anaheim.

Me too.

Good one tonight anyway.