Clutch and Grab! Clutch and Grab! (via www.capitalareafootball.nb.ca)

There has been some chit, and chat, around the internet watercoolers the past few days about the decrease in goals since the lockout and why that might be. First, I saw this tweet by Neil Greenberg on how powerplays per game are at a three decade low. Then, Ed Willes penned (typed?) this article on the same subject, theorizing that defensively minded teams are also contributing to the lack of scoring. He tapped the Sedins for some quotes. Finally, SkinnyPhish at Pension Plan Puppets slammed Willes' piece, saying that the only reason for the decrease in scoring was an increase in the skill of goaltenders, taking some uncalled for swipes at the Sedins just for fun in the process.

The trend of goals per game decreasing back to levels right before the lockout intrigued me, so I decided to really look into what is going on.

Continue reading this post »

You guys, leave me alone! You're all out to eat me alive!
(this was an early job, so kind of poor)

Yankee opened up some scabs that may never heal with that link to the Hockey Prospectus article on Luongo. Which was great, by the way. It reminded me of one of the most common, and well worn, knocks against Roberto Luongo out there: He can't win the "big game". The pressure gets to him and he chokes. 

So let's take a look at his results in "big games". 

Continue reading this post »

The Sedins reviewing tape from round 1 against Chicago
(via Zandberg)

Since the head honchos around here have decided to forgo taking a retrospect at the Canucks past season, stat wise, I've taken it upon myself to do their job for them! Of course, I'm going to look at things in a slightly different way than might be normal, because that's how I roll. 

I'm going to look at the stats for each line as one unit, as a lot of what I'll be talking about is line dependent. I'll be looking at both regular season and playoffs, so be forewarned there may be cuss and punching your monitor inducing stats on the way

Continue reading this post »

What a great song

Canucks Nation (or Army, or Country, or Posse, or Gang or whatever) is decidedly split on Christian Ehrhoff taking his talents to Northern Western New York. I think it's fair to say his offensive abilities and powerplay quarterbacking will be missed, while his wonderful tendency to blow coverage between the hash marks won't be. Or his pivoting at the blueline to make no look backhanders into the zone as opposed to just taking the damn forehand. Yeah, that's a bit of a pet peeve.

Tearful goodbyes notwithstanding, I've seen a certain theory bandied around that Ehrhoff is the main reason that the Sedins are now Art Ross winners and 100+ point players. As many of you probably would, I took exception to this, and wanted to prove it wrong. I will present my argument and let you decide.

Continue reading this post »

On the eve of what is probably the biggest game of this franchise's existence, while taking out some stress on hapless pylons in NHL 11, I came to the realization that tomorrow was the last game of the 2010-2011 NHL season. No more games to look forward to. No more cursing at your favourite whipping boy for bobbling the puck at the blueline on the powerplay, or for flying in and circling the net only to lose the puck at the half boards, or for making one too many passes and giving up a wonderful scoring chance. No more beers slamming down on the table in disgust or joy. No more late-ish nights (for us east coasters or those even further east) where you lie in bed trying to drift off, but can't because the excitement of the game still lingers. No more hockey for 3 months.

Continue reading this post »

Sing Along Here

He comes out, dressed just for the track
The coach says when you gonna get your sight back
Oh Alain Vigneault he's just messing around
And Manny, he wants to have fun
Oh Manny, just wants to have fun

The GM tells him to keep it quiet
The media won't be able to contain this riot
Oh Mikey G you know you're still number one
But Manny, he wants to have fun
Oh Manny, just wants to have-

[Chorus]

That's all he really wants
Some fun
When the practice time is come
Oh Manny - he wants to have fun
Oh Manny, just wants to have-
Manny - he wants, wants to have fun Manny, wants to have-

[Wood Block Solo]

Some teams take an injured player
And hide him away from the rest of the league
Manny wants to be the one to skate on the ice
Oh Manny, he wants to have fun.
Oh Manny just wants to have fun.

[Repeat Chorus]

He just wants to, he just wants to (Manny, Manny wants to have fun)
He just wants to, he just wants to (Manny, Manny wants to have fun)

Daniel! Come back, I don't want you to disappear on me again!
Photo: Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images

Unless you've been hiding in a cave in Afghanistan like Osama bin Laden okay that joke doesn't work anymore, and saying "hiding out in a mansion in the middle of a suburb" just doesn't have the same effect. 

Back to the point - if you're following this team, and have some sort of connection to the news, whether online or in print/TV form, you've most definitely heard the deafening roar of the masses/some journalists over the so-called Houdini act our beloved Swedish twins have been performing all post season.  

Continue reading this post »

It also says that's he bucking some (previously) disturbing trends. Let's check it out

Continue reading this post »

To tide us over until Wednesday, I figured I'd put some stuff that I'd been thinking of doing together into some fan shots.

First up: Looking at the goals scored in every game played this year for Vancouver. I initially thought of this idea after a game a couple weeks ago where it seemed like the Canucks got behind and couldn't come back to win it.  My initial idea was to look at all the games, and see how they faired when trailing. That turned out to be somewhat of a tough thing to quantify for losses(if you lead, then give it up and lose is that considered blowing a lead or not being able to come back?), but a bit easier for wins (you can always tell if you came back from behind and won it).

Continue reading this post »

From this article

Northwest Division: Vancouver Canucks

Burnside: Pretender
The Canucks are the sexy pick to advance at least to the Stanley Cup finals, and there are many who think the Cup will come home to Canada for the first time since 1993. We're not one of those folks. Yes, goalie Roberto Luongohas been very good for the most part, and the offense is intimidating, especially with Ryan Kesler having a breakout season with 27 goals. But the loss ofAlexander Edler on the blue line is a big loss. Suddenly, a team that had a glut of defensemen is now looking more vulnerable.

Sami Salo should return from injury, but he is injury-prone, to say the least. The Canucks should get out of the first round (unless they face arch-nemesis Chicago), but we're still not sure Luongo has the internal fortitude to get the Canucks much farther.

Hey Burnside, get bent!  We know you have a hate on for the Canucks, as evidenced by his other jab when they bumped us of the top of the power rankings.  And I didn't know losing one guy reduces "a glut" to "vulnerability".

Isn't the point of "a glut" to allow you to lose one or two and still be strong?  I guess logic doesn't apply.

At least LeBrun isn't a complete tool

Bettman points.  The shootout.  Loser points.  Call 'em what you want, but the extra points added to NHL games by Gary Bettman in an attempt to "increase viewership" are probably one of the most oft-discussed and maligned additions to the NHL this side of Sean Avery.  While Bettman has claimed the extra points don't affect the actual standings at the end of the year, they have the tendency to create the false sense of parity, or just a sense of parody as I read someone comment somewhere (might have been here, don't remember who).  So, you must be saying, do they actually affect the standings to a significant degree?  Or is Mr. Bettman correct that things would "all work out in the wash" as I hear people say (my mom).  Let's take a look at the situation now...

Continue reading this post »