The Daily Twigg Vol. 1 No. 38 April 11, 2012
Canucks could and should go all the way
By John Twigg
Though my newsletter broadcasting is in abeyance I can't resist putting my hockey playoffs prediction onto the record via this blog posting because this IS the year that the Vancouver Canucks could, should and WILL go all the way to winning the first Stanley Cup for the city in the modern era, not forgetting that the Vancouver Millionaires also did that rare feat in 1915.
The main reason that this year's vintage of the Canucks will "win it all" is because it's such a strongly team-oriented team.
There are no individual megastars on this team, no Gretzky or Mario or Crosby, but there IS a great group of far-above-average talents who have formed a sort of egalitarian juggernaut that can prevail against whatever storms arise against it.
The statistics argue that in terms of points they were the best team in the league two years in a row and they are the first team to do so in the age of free-agency and salary caps, as captain Henrik Sedin pointed out to the media, which subtly reminded everyone that he and his twin brother Daniel and more than a few other players, notably linemate Alex Burrows, left money on the table in their contract negotiations so team management could recruit some better supporting players for other positions and lesser lines.
People wonder why the Canucks reputedly are so hated in other hockey markets and by other teams and that's probably one of the top reasons: money.
Not only is the team one of the most financially successful now in the league, with more than 400 consecutive home regular-season sell-outs and huge licensing revenues, its star players (apart from goalie Roberto Luongo who already had a sweet long-term deal) dared to also undermine the NHL Players Association's bargaining strategy a bit by informally taking less money to stay than they might have got through individual free agency, which was a de facto collective sharing of the pay cap space.
That is a rarity in modern-day pro sports but it may have been aided by the unique situation of having two co-stars who are twin brothers who get along well not only on the ice but off too and so sign for equal salaries and produce about equally too, but such sharing is also something quite in keeping with British Columbia's occasional socio-political tradition of caring and sharing, of co-ops and trade unions and of other enlightened self-interests even seen in various political parties.
Interestingly the Canucks' unusual pay structure apparently had little adverse impact on the team's game results because a study found the Canucks finished seventh in the league with 1.71 points per $1 million or salary (see link below), which wasn't as efficient as low-budget over-achievers like the Blues, Preds, Senators and Coyotes but it was close to the venerable Rangers and Red Wings franchises and it was ahead of the Penguins, Blackhawks, Devils, Bruins, Flyers, Kings, Capitals and others, especially most other Canadian teams.
The Canucks' two-goalies story is quite interesting too and I think the defining moment of the season was on April 3 at home when the Canucks were down 4-2 to the playoff-hungry Anaheim Ducks when coach Alain Vigneault yanked Roberto Luongo in the second period and sent out backup Cory Schneider, who pitched a shutout while the team rallied to 4-4 then won it in a shootout, which two points were the difference in winning the President's Trophy for top team two years running.
It was a test of character that the team passed with flying colours and set them on a path to a long and deep run in the playoffs. And lest anyone doubt, they finished the season with a 3-0 shutout of Edmonton with Luongo back in top form in goal.
The team now has a huge luxury in the form of two #1 goalies, both in good form, plus it is very deep at defence, very deep at centre and able to play four strong lines even when a top player goes down with an injury, as was the case with Daniel Sedin out with a concussion in the last week or so.
The team has no floaters, no wackos or weirdos, no serious head cases and dozens of guys willing to block shots and all willing to play the kind of defensive two-way game that prevails in the playoffs.
"Most of these people are better people than they are players," said coach V in his season-end media conference, obviously quite pleased that the team still won the most points in the league even though some of the key players such as Kesler and Salo seemed to have been pacing themselves so they'd have more energy remaining for the playoffs.
Even when the scores are low they are a team that has been, is and will be a treat to watch and cheer for. Thank you all for a great season, regardless of how the playoffs go.
Oh yes - how will the playoffs go?? Well anything can happen, and God help us there be no serious injuries, but the differences could come from anywhere in the lineup on any given night, even Jannik Hansen on a good-looking third line and/or Manny Malhotra playing wing on a fourth line centered by tough-guy Byron Bitz!
The team will win more than its share of faceoffs, take fewer penalties and this year not be bullied by anyone, and when injuries do happen or if Luongo turns sour then the management deserves credit for stocking the team with many capable replacements - for a playoffs process that could take several months to complete!
I'm watching for big plays from the likes of Alex Burrows and Sami Salo (who at ages 31 and 37 are amongst the older leaders on the team) but I'm also expecting strong steady two-way play from centre Ryan Kesler and defenceman Dan Hamhuis - the latter one of the few B.C.-born players on the team and who quietly posted the sixth-best plus-minus among league defencemen, but overall I have great expectations which I believe are deservedly so now.
So let's say Canucks in five over the Kings and after that the series could go longer, like seven games in the Western final.
But you can never tell for sure in sports whereas in politics it is perhaps easier to know what will probably happen, but I have a hope and a feeling that this year's playoff run could become something great for the Province of British Columbia too.
Whereas last year Premier Christy Clark as a rookie was shooting her mouth off about the Canucks, this year she and Opposition leader Adrian Dix are more maturely restraining themselves so as to not energize the opponents, which is another good portent.
And of course there is the riot question, which I would be remiss to not mention, but here I have a good feeling too. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson sounded well on top of the file when he was interviewed on CKNW and if a few hotheads do try to spark another riot I predict they will quickly be shut down not only by police but by citizens and hockey fans too.
It's a hard and often cruel world out there but it's stuff like this that illustrates we as a Province may be growing up, which is reflected as well in the Grey Cup won at home by the Lions and now the Whitecaps contending in Major League Soccer too.
What was once the farthest-flung and last outpost in the British Empire is now a significant centre of society and commerce in a continental and global context and to prove it we have a dominant hockey franchise and some other good sports teams too.
So Go Canucks! eh.
http://vancouver.openfile.ca/blog/curator-blog/curated-news/2012/canucks-spent-171m-every-point-year-bmo-report
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