Two reasons for the Canucks success...

[Maury Beniowski]

No. 1 - Alain Vigneault

No. 2 - Roberto Luongo

A good coach, like Jacques Lemaire (among others) has proven year after year, can extract achievement from mediocrity...

Match that up with the top goalie in the NHL, and I rest my case...

Now let's see where that takes us!

 

[KYG]

No. 1 - Alain Vigneault

No. 2 - Roberto Luongo

A good coach, like Jacques Lemaire (among others) has proven year after year, can extract achievement from mediocrity...

Match that up with the top goalie in the NHL, and I rest my case...

Now let's see where that takes us!

Geez, obviously Luongo is a big part of the Canucks success along with a coaching change. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. Aside from that it's really the special teams that have helped. Penalty killing is best in the league and their power play is decent. Naslund has 29 points in his last 24 games and they're better defensively all around.

 

[no3]

Funny how Dave Nonis is forgotten in all of this...without Nonis there is no #1 or #2

 

[LonelyGhost]

aside from that, Buttoozi is gone and took the whole 'attitude'
and circus atmosphere with him ...

ironic that buttoozi, cloutier, special-ed, and auld are all out
with injuries ...

 

[Smother]

I gotta be honest here. All summer long last year I pegged Vancouver to not make the playoffs. And I pounded the table on that.
I Knew that Loungo was good but I didn't realize thow many games he would actually win or steal for the team. Quite a few games that's for sure.

Even the team and the coach say that. He's an incedible Goalie and that you can bank on.
We're lucky to have him.

Nonis made an awesome move unloading those players in order to bring in Loungo. It had to be done though considering the amount of money going to him and the meeting the Salary cap.

We all know that rebulding a team you start from the Goalie.

Now we have 4 years with Loungo to build an amazing team going forward.

Hopefully the cup can make it's way here real soon!!

 

[SilkyJohnson]

they still suck....

 

[LonelyGhost]

I Knew that Loungo was good but I didn't realize thow many games he would actually win or steal for the team. Quite a few games that's for sure.

Even the team and the coach say that. He's an incedible Goalie and that you can bank on.
We're lucky to have him.

35 wins and 3 away from the Canuck's record!

the only thing i was hoping with Luongo in Vancouver is that
he would face fewer shots than he had in Florida ... it almost
seems like he is facing more!

but the up-side is that the team is winning, so i guess shots
on goal doesn't count for as much in hockey as it does in pooning!

 

[LonelyGhost]

they still suck....

so does your mom, but we're still happy to pay $20 to see her!

 

[LonelyGhost]

I think the coach and the goalie are doing a fantastic job! Even the Sedin's are playing with passion...which I never thought I would see! Now all they need to do is unload Naslund for the trading deadline and free up some salary cap money.

won't happen now. if the team was in the basement he might
agree to a trade, but he still figures this team owes him a cup
and will stay and suck salary until hell freezes over or they
actually win one!

 

[BDAClub]

No. 1 - Alain Vigneault

No. 2 - Roberto Luongo

A good coach, like Jacques Lemaire (among others) has proven year after year, can extract achievement from mediocrity...

Match that up with the top goalie in the NHL, and I rest my case...

Now let's see where that takes us!

Maybe he cab get them to overachieve but they'll run out of gas and do what they always do in the playoffs.....bow out!!

 

[KYG]

they still suck....

Pretty intelligent post. Why don't you tell us which team you like?

 

[sirlickheralot]

Funny how Dave Nonis is forgotten in all of this...without Nonis there is no #1 or #2

Don't forget Mike Keenan for taking that huge underacheiver off our hands and giving a franchise player with heart in return. Sure was nice of him.

I think the coach and the goalie are doing a fantastic job! Even the Sedin's are playing with passion...which I never thought I would see! Now all they need to do is unload Naslund for the trading deadline and free up some salary cap money.

I'm not suprised at the Sedin's performance, I predicted they would play well when people were lamenting the loss of that parasite Anson Carter. As for Naslund, he isn't going anywhere this season. What GM in his right mind is going to screw with the chemistry of a winning team this close to the playoffs. Naslund may not be performing at his past level but he has still been involved in 31% of the teams offence which makes him a key player on the team. You don't dump key players at this point in the season you just try to add depth.

 

[pokerplaya]

trade nazzy??

"Now all they need to do is unload Naslund for the trading deadline and free up some salary cap money."

Obviously you haven't been watching the Canucks play since Xmas...
Trade him for what? Draft picks? Whatever dude!!!
The Canucks are buyers not sellers...

 

[littlejimbigher]

I gotta be honest here. All summer long last year I pegged Vancouver to not make the playoffs.

Hopefully the cup can make it's way here real soon!!

I got to agree. I bet money with a friend against the Canucks making the playoffs. Looks like I lose money and gain watching playoff hockey.

 

[LittleAsianGuy]

I like this team cause they are giving more blue collar type effort than the previous bunch.

 

[coca_cola_bj]

I agree with LAG ... good deals were made by Nonis, coach has them working as a team with a good work ethic, blocking shots, and everyone contributing to defence, great goal tending and goals coming from most of the team ... I would much rather watch this group working hard than a few previous years with high priced talent coasting on the ice .. it was great to watch Bure, then Naz, Bert and Morrison but we never won the cup ... hopefully Nonis can add one or two more pieces this year or next to make it happen .. who knows maybe this group can get it done .. it would be over achievement and some luck, but so was 84 and 94 !!!!

 

[WalterMitty]

the only thing i was hoping with Luongo in Vancouver is that
he would face fewer shots than he had in Florida ... it almost
seems like he is facing more!

Actually, he is facing about 10-15 fewer shots in Vancouver than he did in Florida. Vancouver has the 2nd highest shots against in the league, but still a lot lower than what Luongo faced in Florida.

There is an interesting interview with Luongo in The Hockey News. He says one of the reasons he struggled a bit early on was getting used to fewer shots per game...he found it hard to keep his focus when he wasn't always getting shots.

Walter

 

[Smother]

I got to agree. I bet money with a friend against the Canucks making the playoffs. Looks like I lose money and gain watching playoff hockey.

Don't feel so bad. I have a friend at work who bet 7 ..real Lunches that they wouldn't make the playoffs too. He's not happy.....lots of money Lost.

 

[LonelyGhost]

Actually, he is facing about 10-15 fewer shots in Vancouver than he did in Florida. Vancouver has the 2nd highest shots against in the league, but still a lot lower than what Luongo faced in Florida.

There is an interesting interview with Luongo in The Hockey News. He says one of the reasons he struggled a bit early on was getting used to fewer shots per game...he found it hard to keep his focus when he wasn't always getting shots.

Walter

thanks for the stats ... i was under the impression it was about 35 a night
in Florida and about the same here ... good to know different.

yeah, he REALLY seems to thrive on the competition ... good to have ...
too many prima-donnas on the team before who were above giving it
a shot at some effort ... Luongo only seems happy when he is standing
on his head, but how long can he do that?

 

[The Lizard King]

Naslund is a key part of their recent run and has been their most consistent point producer, despite playing with stiffs, over the past 25 games when they've been 19-3-3. He's had points in 19 of those 25 games. The fact he makes what he does poses cap issues but other than that, I have no problem with him. He hasn't been the same since the Moore hit and if the Canucks would have reacted that night like the Sabres did when Drury got clocked on Thursday, they would have been a much better "TEAM" for it.