Cody has been playing great for us. He's performed above and beyond all reasonable expectations and has been a difference maker in many games. I'm absolutely in love with this kid, and I think he's destined to be a star. But nonetheless I think we should try and trade him this season, with more focus than we should be trying to trade Schneider (that I would delay until the off-season).

Why? Because he's not a star yet, but assuming he does become the all-star caliber player as I expect, he's not going to be able to fit on a team that already has Ryan Kesler and Henrik Sedin up the middle. Not in terms of ice time and not in term of capspace. It's possible, although so far a failed experiment, he could be converted to a winger, but that will likely further prolong his development process. And in any event, the Canucks are a team that has a maybe 2 or 3 year cup window. I don't think the expectation is that Hodgson will be a star within that timeframe. But he may be able to fetch us one in exchange. It's that simple. And with the numbers he's put up this season, and some particularly impressive highlights to boot (every GM watched that Boston game), his value right now is high, especially for a team in rebuilding mode.

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So both Dan Wagner at PITB and Cam Charron here at Nucksmisconduct have given their two cents each about Cody Hodgson's minutes today, and I thought, hey, I've got some change in my pocket too, why don't I throw in two cents more. (And if we combine our 6 cents, maybe we can get together and split a 5 cent candy? I vote for one of those gummy-on-one-side-marshmallow-on-the-other frogs, but I could accept a sour key as a compromise, so long as it's a sour key that has at least one purple segment).

Anyhoo, I took a look at the rookie scoring race, and noticed the discrepancy in time on ice per game (TOI/G) amongst the top 10, ranging from 18:23 for Buffalo's Adam Henrique to 12:32 for our boy Cody. The range was wide, with only around half of the players on the list playing top 6 minutes. Which made me come up with a little thought experiment--what if these players kept up their current points-per-ice-time pace, but actually played the same minutes per game as the top forwards in the league? What would the rookie scoring race look like then? Well let's go find out!

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Now that I've trolled the Flames here on Nucksmisconduct (and enjoyed every moment of it), I thought I should be equal opportunity and take advantage of this very very very very VERY rare period in history when the Canucks have been the best of the bunch for a sustained period of time and go ahead and troll all the other Canadian NHL franchises. Today's target: the Montreal Hockey Club, les Canadiens!

This one will be short and sweet.

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Hey gang! So I don't know if I mentioned this before, but for Christmas 2009 my parents got me this super cool Canucks journal for a gift, and I've been using it ever since to keep a diary of my thoughts on every Canuck Game. And I was thinking, one of my favourite things about being a Canucks fans is all the awesome and tough rivalries we have and how great it is to play against all of our tough, big rivals. Since we just played the Calgary Flames, another Northwest elite team and perhaps our biggest divisional rival of all time, I thought it might be fun to take a stroll down memory lane! Who wants to come with me!? I can only imagine how fun this will be, with all the back-and-forth tough play, there's sure to be plenty of grind-it-out wins and heartbreaking losses, because it's such a big and elite rivalry between two perpetually solid teams! Here it goes...

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Yes ladies and gentlemen, it's everyone's favourite game that I just made up... "WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE FAIL?"  The game where you, the faithful followers of Nucksmisconduct, determine which example of fall-flat-on-your-face after douchable boastery filled you with the most chortles.

Today's contestants:

Dan "Crapdildo" Carcillo

vs.

Darcy "HolycrapIsuck" Hordichuk

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Many times on this here interwebs us Canucks fans have bemoaned how the Canucks regularly and uncannily surrender goals in the last 10, 5 or 1 minute of the third period in games in which, prior to that point, they had been posting a shutout.  It does not seem to be a Luongo thing, it does not seem to be a Schneider thing (unless it’s weirdly a thing for both of them separately), it seems to be a team thing.  The good gentlemen at PassItToBulis have dubbed this tradition the "snack goal".  I don’t know if this is a uniquely Canuck experience, since I don’t really follow any other team, but I had a look at the numbers for the Canucks, and clearly this phenomenon is not imagined.

Here’s what I found, looking at the 119 games that make up last season (including playoffs) and this season combined:*

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If Boston makes the SCF, much like that stupid Predator Lodge changed its name in round 2 and the Shark Club changed its name in round 3, there's no fucking way I'm going to hang around here with a name like "Beantown Canuck".  So, since it appears SBN  doesn't allow you to change your name (or does it? anyone?)  I'm going to create a second a SBN account to use during the finals.  So what name should I pick?  If Boston wins tonight, whichever choice has the most votes by the end of tomorrow shall henceforth be my new name.  So vote away!

Nothing new to tell you about this guy.  I just wanted to say how incredible it is, how absolutely incredible, to have a single player who would be your first choice to have on the ice in absolutely any scenario.  Two men short?  Put Ryan Kesler out there.  Have a powerplay?  Put Ryan Kesler out there.  Important faceoff in your own zone?  Have Ryan Kesler take it.  Need to defend a one goal lead with 2 minutes to go in the game?  Put Ryan Kesler out there.  Need to score a goal to tie the game with 2 minutes left?  For god's sake, put Ryan Kesler out there!!!

Never before have we had a player like this, and there are probably only two or three such players like that in the league.  ALL HAIL THE KESLORD!

I was trying to create an ultimate list of the hockey writers that just flat out piss us off the most with their douchery, and I think I've come up with a plausible top six.  Let me know if you think I've missed anyone, but I thought I'd poll the Nucksmisconduct faithful to see who you guys think wins the crown as the most rotten of the bunch?  I know I'm having trouble deciding who I'd vote for!

So this correspondent "MacGregor" that the Globe and Mail has covering the Canucks has been REALLY pissing me off with the ridiculous trolling Canuck-hate he seems to have.  I've been bugging mirtle about it one twitter for a while and Mirtle keeps telling me I should email the guy.  So I decided instead to email the sports editors at the Globe as well as MacGregor to express my displeasure.  I'll update you if I get any good response, but here's the letter:

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Alright alright alright.

I know you're all waiting for my perspective on the whole Chara thing.  And it's this: what Chara did was sketchy, but, outcome aside, it was well within the norms of regularly accepted you-get-a-penalty-for-that NHL sketchiness.  I see no strong evidence of any heightened malice, and although there are plausible allegations out there, I've seen no explanation that has evidence suggesting it is likely to be more correct than "he just happened to hit him a little bit late, and it happened to be a perfect storm of a hit which resulted in an atrocious injury".  So, based on the rules and the precedent, I don't think he should have gotten a lengthy suspension, but I agree with the logic that he should have gotten a game or two or three just because people would (and clearly have) gone batshit if they don't.

But honestly, the problem is simply that the rules vis-a-vis violence and player safety in the game have not kept pace with the times.  Players are bigger and stronger and faster, as are their pads, all of which clearly contribute to the severity of potential injuries when things go awry.  But I think the bigger issue, and one that is equally valid, is that the public appetite for violence in sport has changed, and concern about safety in sport has increased.  And an increased expectation of professionalism amongst high-paid athletes influences how we think about the way they play the game.  It seems these are far more salient issues today than they have ever been in the past.  I'm not sure exactly why this is the case, but probably part of the reason is youtube and bloggers.

So what do we do?  Either the NHL changes how the game is policed, and therefore how the game is played, in response to changing public attitudes, or it doesn't.  That's basically the long and short of it as far as I'm concerned.  There's no other way I can think of that will change player behaviour- and how the NHL polices the game clearly will influence decisions made on the ice.  Just compare today's game to the game of 8 years ago (obstruction anyone?).  

It's taken me a while to admit this, but I think it's time, I've had enough.  Let's change the rules.

My proposals:

1. Fighting.  Gone.  It's not necessary.  The only argument I've heard is that it allows players to police the game themselves.  Well they've done a shitty job of it, so done.  No more.  I enjoy it personally, but it's not necessary, and players do get hurt, both in the short term (Hall) and long-term (Probert).  And it really does send a bad message to kids.  It really does.

2. No blindside hits, or hitting from behind, ever.  Automatic game misconduct.  Automatic multi-game suspension.  The main argument against such a rule (or so I understand) is that this will encourage players to turn their back to the opposition when playing the puck, especially along the boards, because they know that either the other team will get penalized for hitting them, or they'll be free to maneuver.  But you know what?  I don't care.  Players will adjust.  At worse, we're encouraging pussies to be pussy, but no one gets hurt because of it.  It also clearly gives an advantage to the person playing the puck, i.e. offense, over the person trying to knock him off the puck, i.e. defense.  It'll be different to what we're used to, but it will become the new normal.  And increased offensive output isn't a bad thing.

3. No anything-to-the-head.  No elbows, no knees, no sticks, no pushes.  You may not intentionally touch another player's head in any manner whatsoever, even something as simple as a facewash. This is to hit home the point that the NHL is serious - the head is a no-go zone.  Never acceptable.  Automatic game misconduct.  Automatic multi-game suspension.

And the NHL needs to enforce these rules vigilantly and without apology.  That's my two cents.  It's time to get radical.

Now if you came here thinking my punny title was cute, and you now feel ripped off by the serious tone, sorry!

So I went over to C&B to respond to some typical Derek Zona douchery, as he was basically shitting on the Colorado Avalanche in an "I told you so post" about how their fans are just irrational and blind to the reality that when you achieve things when there's a huge statistical anomaly in your favour, you shouldn't be shocked when the stats return to normal and your team seems to drop like a rock.

Now the actual article, besides the fact that, being the asshat he is, Zona always feels the need to shit on someone to make his point, is a good article.  The analysis and research he provided made for a well-presented and interesting argument.  

But I was annoyed that he needed to single out one team's fans in particular to make his point, particularly at a point in the season where I can imagine how frustrated those fans must be based on their expectations coming into the season.  And I wanted to throw the shit back in his face.  So I tried to point out a little bit of a inconsistency in his holier-than-thou "I am the only rational fan" approach by once again bringing up his dickish half-baked hit piece where he castigated Canucks fans as the worst in the country as a headline post on From the Rink.  Anyway, push comes to shove, Zona banned me and deleted most of the discussion.  So I'm reposting it here.

Note, I am aware that I was being a huge a dick in my original comments, and that I'm a bigger dick for making this post, but he went ahead and tried to delete the whole discourse and that pissed me off.  And it's goddamn Zona.  That guy is the taint of SBN's hockey coverage.  I. Dislike. Him.  So I don't care.

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Ed. Note: This was a thoughtful and comedic FanPost created by Beantown earlier today. It sums up my thoughts and is very well done! All it needs is.....

Canucks injury squad starting d-men:

Edler-Ballard
Hamhuis-Bieksa
Alberts-Sweatt
...with Baumgartner as a 7th man

Canucks actual starting d-men:

Ehrhoff-Rome
Salo-Sauve
Tanev-Oberg

Some fun facts:

THE BAD

1. 5 of the 7 d-men on our starting roster, and 2 potential callups, are injured
2. Ehrhoff has played more NHL games this season than the other 5 d-men who will dress for the canucks tonight COMBINED
3. Aaron Rome is the second highest scoring d-man on our roster right now... with 3 points (all assists)... no d-man on our current roster other than Ehrhoff has scored this season!

THE GOOD

1. All of our top 6 d-men are projected to return before the playoffs.
2. We're still 1st place in the league, and better yet first place in our conference by 9 points, and even more better yet, 15 points in first place in our division (with two games in hand)... bitches.

THE UGLY

1. Ben Kuzma.  Dude tweeted that 'nucks had gotten white... then when he's wrong, deletes his tweet and makes no apology. One day later, dude tweets that he had talked to Bieksa's agent and that Bieksa will play tonight.  Deletes that tweet and makes no apology.  Kuzma has the journalistic integrity of Eklund!  He now officially overtakes Gallagher for the number spot on the Vancouver Province list of "Seriously??? That guy?"

ENEMY TERRITORY GAME THREAD: On The Forecheck

Sami Salo also practiced, pairing with Christian Ehrhoff, but don't read anything into that, Vigneault said.

"That was just the way the [practice jersey] colours worked out today and I was trying to spread out quality practice time," the coach said. "He's making strides every day and in the next little while we may put a plan together to get him back to game shape."

From today's Province.  Suck on that Section- BEANTOWN LOOKS TO SURELY BE RIGHT.  Mwahaha.  Oh he just happened to be paired in practice with the guy who was paired with Edler all season but "don't read anything into that".  Of course.  Mwahahaha.

Hey everyone!  So now that Edler is out, Salo can return at any time from LTIR and the Canucks don't have to move anyone around.  Yay silver lining!  Which means it's time to play the "WHEN WILL SALO PLAY HIS FIRST GAME" game. So below is the schedule for the rest of the season.  Everyone guess what game he returns- first come, first serve.  As a tie-breaker, also guess in which game he scores his first goal.  Note- you can also guess playoff games for the return or for the first goal, and if so, say something like "round 1, game 3", etc.  As always with these little games, our fearless leader Sean "second place to Dan Hamhuis in official pride-of-smithers-bc rankings" Zandberg will give the winner a fabulous prize- possibly some tube socks or a coupon for 15% off any purchase* $50 or greater at any participating Canadian Tire, or who knows what else. 

If he doesn't return (I find this scenario very unlikely), nobody wins, which means Zandberg will just donate the prize to the charity of my choice, since I make the rules.

*Fishing supplies, hardware, or lawn furniture not included.