Man2Man's Quarter Pole Grades

After 21 games of the 2009-2010 season, the Canucks are sitting in 10th in the Western Conference with a record of 11-10-0. Some would say that the Canucks could be satisfied with that record considering their injury situation, although the Canucks are not the only team in the NHL battling the injury bug.

At the 21 game mark of the NHL Regular Season, here is the Quarter Pole Report Card:

Defense:

Alexander Edler - 0G, 10A - 10Pts/-5

The young swedish blueliner has yet to find his stride this season. His inconsistent play has lead to a number of nights when you're left wondering if GM Mike Gillis' only regret of his tenure in Vancouver could be his arguable premature signing of Alex Edler to a nice raise. Edler has started to play better in recent outings, looking like he has more confidence and is cutting down on the turnovers, but he needs consistency in his game and to be more responsible in his own end before he gets a better grade.

Grade: C

Kevin Bieksa - 1G, 10A - 11Pts/-1

When Bieksa first entered the league and showed a gritty, hard-nosed, physical game he quickly became a fan favorite. That Kevin Bieksa has been hard to find in recent years, especially this season. We've seen spurts of it, as he's dropped the gloves on a few occasions to stick up for teammates, but too often we are seeing Bieksa not playing with enough energy or emotion. He also has a terrible time in own end some nights and doesn't exactly fill fans with confidence when he is handling the puck in his own zone. Bieksa hasn't scored a goal since the first game of the season, not being able to get his shots through from the point could be a big reason for that.

Grade: C

Sami Salo - 0G, 2A - 2Pts/-1

Widely considered the Canucks best defender (when in the lineup) he can definitely be a force when on his game and controlling the play in the Canucks end(when in the lineup). Salo has been a tale of two different players this year, in his own end, he has been one of the better Canucks blueliners defensively (when in the lineup) but offensively and on the Power Play, Salo has not been able to contribute enough. With no goals and just 2 points in 14 games, Salo needs to start shooting the puck more, especially with the man advantage. The Canucks need his great first pass and his booming shot to show up soon.

Grade: C+

Willie Mitchell - 2G, 5A - 7Pts/+3

The Canucks best and most consistent defenseman so far this season has to be Willie Mitchell. Not only has he been effective on the Penalty Kill and against the opposing teams best players, but he's also contributed offensively more than usual. Mitchell stepped up and played some of his best and most responsible hockey when captain Roberto Luongo went down with a rib injury, helping Andrew Raycroft and Cory Schneider to some solid outings.

Grade: B+

Christian Ehrhoff - 3G, 9A - 12Pts/+9

Christian Ehrhoff is battling Mikael Samuelsson for the title of best newly acquired Canuck. Ehrhoff has looked poised with the puck and has made an impact on the score sheet often this season. He is a team leading +9 and has been as good defensively as he has been offensively. Despite a couple of nights when the entire Canucks squad pulled a no show, Ehrhoff has been more than a pleasant surprise.

Grade: B+

Shane O'Brien - 0G, 0A - 0Pts/+3

The rough and tough O'Brien has had to fight to keep his spot in the lineup on most nights for the Canucks. With the addition of Mathieu Schneider and Aaron Rome solidifying a roster spot in training camp, O'Brien has had to stay steady in the defensive zone to make sure he stays out of the press box. For the most part, O'Brien has been pretty hard to notice in his own end this year, which is probably a good thing for his chances of keeping a spot in the lineup. He's been solid defensively and has stood up for his teammates a few nights this season too.

Grade: C+

Mathieu Schneider - 2G, 1A - 3Pts/-4

The veteran blueliner missed the first batch of games with injuries - and it showed in his first few outings. Schneider looked slow and easy to fight off the puck in the early going, but in the past few games he's looked more calm and accustomed to the Canucks system. Offensively, he's put up 3Pts in 8 games and a Power Play goal. Schneider seems to be getting better and making better plays with the puck with each passing game.

Grade: C+

Aaron Rome - 0G, 1A - 1Pts/-4

After a pretty impressive Preseason earned him the number 7 spot on the Canucks blueline, Rome has looked out of place when in the Canucks lineup. He has had trouble filling in spot duty on the back end and is surprisingly only a -4. The Canucks are healthy right now on the blueline, so don't expect to see too much of Aaron Rome barring injuries.

Grade: C-

Forwards:

Henrik Sedin - 12G, 11A - 23Pts/+1

The Canucks leading scorer has been consistently contributing offensively despite having more than a few different line mates this season. With Daniel suffering from a broken bone in his foot for 6 weeks, Henrik has been playing with Ryan Kesler, Mason Raymond, Mikael Samuelsson, Alex Burrows, Steve Bernier, Michael Grabner and even Tanner Glass at times this season. Being a 6 million dollar player, it doesn't matter who you're playing with, you need to put up points, and Henrik has done that pretty well in his brother's absence. There have been a few games when Henrik has looked slow and behind the play, but for the most part this season, his production has been there.

Grade: B+

Daniel Sedin - 0G, 4A - 4Pts/E

Since he's only played 4 games this season, we can't really give him a grade. At the moment, the Canucks just want him back in the lineup.

Grade: N/A

Mikael Samuelsson - 8G, 7A - 15Pts/-2

The former Red Wing has been a welcome addition to the Canucks lineup. When Daniel Sedin went down with a foot injury for 6 weeks, Samuelsson chipped in offensively and is now up to 8 goals on the year with 2 of them being game winners. Samuelsson has been bounced back and forth between the top two lines but has remained quite consistent with his play. He seemed to have most of his chemistry with Ryan Kesler and Michael Grabner, a combination that may be reunited when Grabner is back from an ankle injury.

Grade: B

Alex Burrows - 4G, 8A - 12Pts/+1

The feisty, agitating Alex Burrows we're used to seeing has been absent for the 2009-2010 season. He started off well offensively, but has cooled down considerably in the past 6 - 8 games. Questions were circling as to whether Burrows was 100% healthy, and it is now being reported that Burrows suffered a groin injury after a check from Drew Doughty in October. Burrows has not been the player that Canucks fans have come to love in recent years, and his injury has explained why he has not been involved in scrums, drawing penalties, and taking opposing players off their game. Hopefully with his groin injury behind him and Daniel Sedin's return imminent, Burrows can regain his form.

Grade: C

Ryan Kesler - 5G, 14A - 19Pts/E

The Canucks most valuable player from last season has picked up where he left off. Ryan Kesler has been the Canucks most all around player through 21 games this year. Defensively, he has been a force on the Penalty Kill and against the oppositions top line, and offensively he has found chemistry with fellow speedster Mason Raymond. Kesler is probably the Canucks most important forward, as he goes, the Canucks go it seems. His ability to increase the tempo of his linemates and a solid work ethic makes him a leader on this team.

Grade: A-

Mason Raymond - 8G, 5A - 13Pts/+1

Mike Gillis said last year that Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows stepping up to be consistent offensive contributors was critical to his team's success. Gillis stated before the season started that he needed new players to take the next step and be consistent offensive producers at an NHL level, Mason Raymond is doing his best to be one of those players. The young forward can flat out fly, he has been all over the ice at times this season and is finally starting to finish his chances. Raymond's ability to go straight to the net with speed frees up his linemates and can lead to a lot of rebound opportunities. So far this season, Raymond has been a big factor in the teams 11 wins.

Grade: B+

Steve Bernier - 6G, 4A - 10Pts/-5

It's been a mixed year for Steve Bernier. After losing 15 lbs in the offseason in hopes of improving his conditioning, the Canuck forward has started off relatively well offensively. His goal total is definitely a positive for the Canucks but his physical play has been lacking. Bernier was among the Canucks most physical and gritty forwards last year, this season has been different though. Bernier needs to start finishing more of his checks, his offensive game would improve even more if he was more noticeable on the forecheck. Overall though, with the amount of injuries the Canucks have had this season up front, Bernier's 6 goals have been a big help.

Grade: C+

Kyle Wellwood - 0G, 1A - 1Pts/+1

One of the biggest, if not the biggest disappointment this season has to be the play and production of Kyle Wellwood. Coming off an inspiring performance in the playoffs last year, many expected Wellwood to be a solid contributor for the Canucks. The argument going around defending Wellwood is his lack of quality linemates this season, Tanner Glass has been a mainstay alongside Wellwood this year. Although, he has also had his fair share of Power Play time and hasn't garnered any results. Wellwood is dangerously close to losing his roster spot and needs to start shooting the puck more. Time and time again he passes when he is in prime scoring position.

Grade: F

Tanner Glass - 2G, 1A - 3Pts/+3

Glass scratched and clawed his way onto this Canucks team with his solid effort in training camp and an unfortunate injury through training camp to Jannik Hansen. Although at times you wonder if Glass is an NHL calibre player, his work ethic and defensive responsibility has kept him in Alain Vigneault's good books. Once the Canucks are healthy though, it remains to be seen whether Glass will still be in the lineup.

Grade: C

Rick Rypien - 2G, 1A - 3Pts/-2

Even though he deserves an A for staying healthy for the bulk of this season so far, Rypien has been an effective 4th liner for the Canucks and has replaced Darcy Hordichuk as the Canucks most frequent fighter. Rypien has continued to finish his checks but unfortunately has been part of the Canucks 4th line that has been consistently outplayed by the opposing teams 4th line on far too many nights. It may not all be Rypien's fault, and he probably has been the best 4th liner this season for the Canucks, but since he's on the line, he takes some of the blame.

Grade: C+

Ryan Johnson - 0G, 4A - 4Pts/+3

A slow start to the season really hurt Ryan Johnson and the Canucks fourth line. Johnson's specialty is supposed to be the Penalty Kill which struggled to start the year. He suffered a pretty horrific crash into the boards but returned to the lineup soon after, thankfully not seriously hurt. Johnson's play has been indifferent, don't let his 4 assists fool you, 3 of those came in 1 game in the Canucks 8 - 2 rout of the Avalanche.

Grade: D

Darcy Hordichuk - 1G, 1A - 2Pts/E

Skating has been a really big problem for Hordichuk this year, he has been badly outplayed by opposing team's enforcers for most of the season and is usually spending his entire shift in the defensive zone chasing the puck. Not only is he not playing well, he doesn't seem to drop the gloves when necessary for the Canucks. There have been times this season when the Canucks have needed some energy or a game changing shift, Hordichuk has rarely been the player to provide that this year. Basically, when your coach would rather dress two defensemen as forwards over you, I think the writing's on the wall that your game isn't up to snuff.

Grade: D-

Michael Grabner - 2G, 3A - 5Pts/-1

It was a tough training camp for Grabner who was sent back to Manitoba after a disappointing string of exhibition games. After being sent back to the Moose, Grabner turned his game up a notch, he was Manitoba's most dynamic forward for a stretch of games and when Daniel Sedin got hurt, Michael Grabner was given an opportunity to make an impact at the NHL level. Grabner's speed and shot are his bread and butter, although he wasn't quick enough to get away from the injury bug. Grabner suffered a tough luck injury playing soccer with his teammates before a game and is expected to stick with the big club when he returns. He (finally) showed the potential to be a 20 - 30 goal scorer at the NHL level.

Grade: B-

Goaltending:

Andrew Raycroft - 2.18, 4 - 2, .916%

A solid preseason won Andrew Raycroft a spot with the big club and a front row seat for 70+ games of watching Roberto Luongo stop the puck - or so he thought. Luongo went down with a rib injury and Raycroft was thrust into action and played fairly well. He was calm and poised in the crease and made few mistakes. The Canucks tightened up defensively to help Raycroft who was he was more than solid when counted upon. Despite a few tough outings (namely St. Louis and Anaheim) when his teammates abandoned him in goal, Raycroft has been impressive and reliable as a backup.

Grade: B

Roberto Luongo - 2.69, 7 - 7, .906%

The numbers are not very Roberto Luongo like, but the Canucks captain has started to show signs of rounding back in to form after coming off a fractured rib injury that sidelined the netminder for 2 weeks. Luongo got off to his typical and on schedule slow start in October, and just as he was beginning to turn the corner, he got hurt. Now that he's back and has had an extra week to rest with this odd break in the schedule, Roberto should be re-charged and eager to start stringing wins together. With the Team Canada Olympic announcement just over a month away, expect Luongo to start ratcheting it up. So far, he's been above average, but that's not good enough for the Canucks leader, best player, and highest paid player.

Grade: C+

K-mode's quarter mark rankings and grades

Goalie's

Roberto Luongo - C+ - Luongo got off to an awful start - even worse than usual. He seemed to have turned his play around just when he was got injured and missed a few weeks. Since his return, Bobby Lou has been very good and seems to be back to his top form.

Andrew Raycroft - A - No-one could have predicted that Raycroft would step in for an injured Roberto Luongo and outperfrom him. Raycroft was at one stretch, leading all goalies in GAA, and was right up there in save %. Considering his expectations (very low), Raycroft must be commended for his play.

Defense

Willie Mitchell - A- - Mitchell has been an anchor of consistency on an otherwise inconsistent Canucks blueline. He is rarely out of position and rarely turns the puck over, something that we couldn't say for the previous couple of years. He has also chipped in offensively a little more, especially at the start of the season.

Christian Ehrhoff - B+ - Ehrhoff has been almost exactly what I was expecting - a solid D-man with some offensive ability that can make some nice outlet passes and generate some offense from the backend. I was expecting a bigger presence on the powerplay but overall I am quite happy with him. Other than the odd turnover and defensive gaffe, the german blueliner has at least met my expectations.

Shane O'Brien - B- - O'Brien, at least in my eyes, hasn't been nearly as bad as many Canucks fans are portraying so far this year. He hasn't taken nearly as many dumb penalities as last year and has limited his turnovers dramatically. I think his good play has been quiet because he doesn't bring much to the table offensively, but I think he has been pretty solid all year.

Sami Salo - C - To no-one's surprise, Sami Salo has already missed a significant period of time with an injury, and although he has been pretty solid defensively, he hasn't brought much to the table offensively. With his booming shot he is usually a factor on the powerplay, but not so much so far this year. Here's to hoping he can stay off the IR and start contributing with some goals.

Alex Edler - C- - Edler's defensive gaffe's and awful turnovers have greatly outshone his signs of potential. There's no doubt Edler has the tools and ability to be a top 3 d-man on any team, but his consistently poor defensive play has really cost the team at some crucial times. He is prone to bad turnovers in his own zone that leave us wondering what the hell he sees out there. His offensive ability is nice, but overall he has to turn it around in his own zone in order to get a better grade.

Mathieu Schneider - C- - For a guy of his age to come off major surgery and get a late start on the season, it's no wonder he is off to a rough start. He has been average defensively and average offensively, but I expect him to keep improving as the year goes on. One thing I do like about him, which is different than almost every other D-man on this team, is that he can hit the net with his shot resulting in rebounds and scoring chances. I expect his grade to keep rising slowly.

Kevin Bieksa - D+ - I have always been a huge Bieksa supporter but my god has he been bad this year. Between mindless defensive turnovers in his own end, terrible decisions to pinch resulting in him getting caught deep and his forgetfullness to take the open guy in front of his own net - Bieksa's defensive play has been horrendous. He was more affective as a winger on the forecheck than he has been on the backend. And where has his physical play gone? Argh, he is frustrating!

Aaron Rome - D+ - It must be tough for a guy like Rome to get comfortable in the lineup considering how sporatically he plays. Also, he has played forward just as often as he has played defense, his natural position. With that said, he hasn't been overly affective at either position and needs to turn his play around in order to get more time.

Forwards

Mikael Samuelsson - A - I for one thought this guy would be a bust, but up until this point he has been a pleasant surprise. He loves shooting the puck, which is a great asset and has resulted in lots of points by rebound or tip shots. He has been pretty affective and 30 goals isn't out of the question.

Ryan Kesler - A - This guy is Mr. Everything for the Canucks. He can score, he is very good defensively and he is a leader and plays tough. Even when the points aren't there, the guy is affective. Mike Gillis better lock this guy up long-term, and do it fast because I think all 30 teams would have interest in a stud like Kesler.

Henrik Sedin - B+ - Despite being invisible for a couple games this year, and not having his brother, and lifelong linemate by his side, Henrik has put up some pretty incredible numbers. He is currently tied for 9th in league scoring, and also tied for 9th in the NHL in goals. Yes, Henrik Sedin, not Daniel is tied for 9th in the NHL in goals! Imagine how many goals he would have if he shot the puck as much as he should or if he could raise the puck off the ice!

Mason Raymond - B+ - We have seen the flashes of brilliance before from Raymond, but he has been consistent all year which has been his biggfest problem since becoming a regular NHLer. His speed makes him a threat everytime he is on the ice, and he has added some much needed finish to his game. The best thing about him might just be that he is still young and can probably only get better from here.

Michael Grabner - B - Who would have thought after his horrid pre-season that he would even be discussed in this thread? Grabner really gelled on a line with Raymond and Kesler, and found his hands and confidence and played remarkably well for a 3 week stretch before getting injured. Like Raymond, his speed makes him a threat whenever he is on the ice, and this kid has a rocket for a shot! He rarely hits the net, but he has shown signs of greatness that Canuck fans can only pray he can continue upon his return from the IR.

Matt Pettinger - C+ - He was signed as a temporary injury replacement and has been a pleasant surprise. He has been much more affective than he was a couple years ago as a Canuck. He has played his role very well, and has also killed penalties affectively and netted a few points as well. When everyone is back from injury, and someone has to be waived, Pettinger might just make a case for himself to stick around a little longer as he has outplayed the likes of other 4th liners like Darcy Hordichuk or Tanner Glass.

Rick Rypien - C+ - This grade might be strictly refelcted on him kicking dudes asses! He is one of the best fighters in the league, especially considering his diminutive stature and his willingness to scrap anyone, including guys twice his size. Defensively he has been average as our 4th line has often been outplayed by the opposition's 4th line, but his physical play and speed have been a factor. Regardless of production (or lack thereof), he is an exciting player and deserves to stay in the lineup.

Steve Bernier - C- - With the amount of chances this guy gets, he should have at least 15 goals by now, no joke. Bernier came into camp in great shape and with high expectations, and to this point it is fair to say that he has been a major disappointment. He has been invisible most games, and other games he is in the right places and gets the opportunities but for the life of him he cannot finish. A very frustrating player so far but shows signs of turning it around. Here's to hoping!

Tanner Glass - C- - Glass has been decent. That's about all you can say. He plays a pretty physical game and has surprised me with his willingness and affectiveness in fighting. However, he along with the rest of the 4th liners on this team have been getting outplayed quite dramatically and aren't producing offensively.

Alex Burrows - C- - Coming off a great year and signing a new long-term extension, expectations were high for Alex Burrows. Needless to say he hasn't met those expectations and is very much a disappointment to this point. He started the year with the Sedins on the top line and was pretty much inaffective in that short stint. It seems like he isn't sure of his role anymore as he isn't scoring, nor is he being the pest that originally worked for him when he entered the league. Burrows needs to find his place and work on being affective at that specific role.

Ryan Johnson - C- - Johnson is a good penalty killer and one of the best in the league at blocking shots, but aside from that he isn't particularly useful. He has zero offensive ability and his faceoff percentage isn't anywhere near what it should be. He is a member of the aforementioned 4th line which is getting badly outplayed consistently.

Kyle Wellwood - D+ - Wellwood is very frustrating mainly because we know how talented he is and he should be able to put up some decent numbers. He has 1assist all year and has passed the puck on so many good scoring attempts that it is mind boggling. With that said, he has been a pretty solid defensive center all year and is quite noticeable as a deep back-checking forward however Wellwood recieved a raise this year with expectations of raising his point stats too. Clearly this hasn't happened so Wellwood must be considered a disappointment to date.

Darcy Hordichuk - F - This guy is in the lineup to provide energy, hit and fight. I don't know if he has done any of these on a regular basis and when he does fight.....he usually gets dropped. Also a member of the now infamously hated on 4th line, Hordichuk has my vote for the waiver wire.

Daniel Sedin and Jannik Hansen - N/A - Neither player has played enough games to acquire a grade but both guys are important parts of the team and are expected to be valuable when in the lineup.

Canucks Explode for 8 Against Avs

The Vancouver Canucks were coming off a 3 - 1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings in a game in which many would feel they deserved a better fate. The Canucks played extremely well but had problems finishing their chances in recent contests. There was no such problem in Colorado on Saturday night as the Canucks exploded for 8 goals on their way to an 8 - 2 victory in the mile high city.

Henrik Sedin scored the first two goals of the game and Jannik Hansen made it 3 - 0 Vancouver midway through the first period. Mathieu Schneider increased the Canucks lead to 4 - 0 in the second period. The Avalanche had trouble generating many chances through the first two periods, the Canucks looked good and were forechecking well but the Avs looked far from the team that was sporting one of the best records in the Western Conference.

In the third period, the Avalanche started to get things going, they drew some penalties as they finally started moving their feet in the attacking zone, and Marek Svatos scored on the Power Play to get them on the board. 5 minutes later Matt Hendricks inched the Avs closer making it a 4 - 2 hockey game. The Canucks didn't waste any time answering back as 25 seconds later Steve Bernier scored his 5th of the season to restore the 3 goal lead. Henrik Sedin notched his first career Hat Trick later in the period on a beautiful cross seem feed from Alex Edler.

Steve Bernier scored another and Tanner Glass added a goal to help the Canucks cruise to an 8 - 2 win. The Canucks needed this effort. They needed to get their confidence back in the offensive zone, Mason Raymond was all over the ice and if it weren't for Henrik Sedin's effort, he would have been the best Canuck on the ice.

Alexander Edler and Kevin Bieksa have started to improve on the back end as well, which is definitely a positive for the Canucks as they like to roll their top 4 defensemen throughout the game and rely on Bieksa and Edler heavily to log important minutes. Whether they continue to play well remains to be seen, as the knock on both of the blueliners is their lack of consistency.

The Canucks have hit another strange lull in their schedule and don't play until they host the very same Avalanche at GM Place on Friday night.

Despite good Vancouver effort, Wings beat Canucks 3-1

It was a disappointing loss for the Vancouver Canucks Thursday night in Detroit for a few reasons, but the toughest aspect of the 3-1 defeat had to have been that they just may have played their best game of the year. They outworked, outshot and outplayed the Red Wings but were unable to beat Jimmy Howard who stopped 31 of 32 Vancouver shots. Henrik Zetterberg danced between Kevin Bieksa and Willie Mitchell, and shelfed a gorgeous backhander behind Roberto Luongo for the game winning goal, eight minutes into the final frame. Tomas Holmstrom scored in the 1st period for Detroit who also got an empty-netter off a goofy bounce from a Niklas Kronwall clearing attempt late in the game. Mason Raymond continued his hot hand, scoring a goal in the 2nd to tie the game.

The Canucks complete their 5 game road trip Saturday in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche.

Our take: What a tough game to lose but with a depleted lineup and a bunch of guys who are struggling to put the puck in the net what do you expect? Kyle Wellwood played well but still has only an assist to show for it all year. Steve Bernier was inaffective and quiet once again. Kevin Bieksa was back on defense and was on the ice for both Detroit goals (with a goalie in net), completely forgetting to put a body or stick on Holmstrom in front of the net. Alex Edler was very good which was nice to see, but he will have to put a string of nice games together before we can say he has turned it around.

All in all Vancouver is simply icing a lineup that will have trouble scoring. They are essentially playing with two seperate 4th lines and 2 seperate 2nd lines - a concoction that is certainly not in the recipe for success.

Daniel Sedin has setback, will not play remainder of road trip

Daniel Sedin has flown back to Vancouver and will not play tonight in Detroit or Saturday in Colorado as originally planned. Sedin reported pain in his foot after skating for three days straight and the Canucks were expecting him back in the lineup tonight after missing the last month with the break in his foot.

It appears that Daniel will aim for next Friday's home game against the Avalanche, but at this point it may be too early to tell. Stay tuned for the latest info. (source)

Blues score early and often, throttle Canucks 6-1

The St. Louis Blues scored four times in a 7:36 span to open the game en route to shelling the Vancouver Canucks6-1. David Perron with his first career hat-trick, Brad Boyes with 1+3, Andy McDonald with 1+2 and Erik Johnson with his first of the year scored for the Blues. Henrik Sedin potted the Canucks lone goal.

Chris Mason was strong when he needed to be, but unfortunately (for Canuck fans) that was not very often as Vancouver came out flat and remained that way for much of the game. Roberto Luongo was supposed to get the night off but was called upon after 20 minutes when Alain Vigneault decided he had seen enough of Raycroft's poor play. In Raycroft's defence however, the team was plain and simply not good enough in front of him and the goaltender didn't have a chance on a couple of the goals.

The Blues snapped a 3 game losing streak with the win and improved to .500 while the Canucks fell to 10-9 on the year. Vancouver is back in action on Thursday night in Detroit, where Luongo will get the start and Daniel Sedin and Jannik Hansen are expected to dress for their 1st game back from injury.

Our take: Is it just me or do a lot of teams and players break their slumps (and players with their 1st ever NHL goal, while we're at it) against the Canucks? Both David Perron and Brad Boyes snapped their slumps while the Blues also snapped their 3 game losing streak.

Injuries or not, a performance like that against a struggling young team is just not acceptable. Vancouver was rested and should have been the fresher team and they came out sloppy allowing a goal in the first 16 seconds, and then a bunch more at quick intervals for a few minutes after. The Canucks will have to come out strong and play a solid overall game to get a win against a smart, experienced Red Wings squad, and a trip back to .500 would be tough to swallow.

Canucks set for battle with Blues

The Vancouver Canucks are in St. Louis tonight to battle the Blues in what will be the first meeting between the two teams since Vancouver swept St. Louis in the first round of last year's NHL playoffs. The Canucks are coming off a 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Friday while the struggling Blues are trying to snap a 3 game losing streak.

The Canucks will have Roberto Luongo back in the lineup after missing 2 weeks with a fractured rib, but because of a bout with the flu (seasonal, not H1N1) he will be backing up the NHL's GAA leader Andrew Raycroft. Luongo is expected to get the start on Thursday in Detroit.

Along with Luongo, Vancouver is expecting to have both Daniel Sedin (foot) and Jannik Hansen (hand) back in the lineup Thursday night barring any setbacks. Hansen hasn't played a game all season as he was injured in the pre-season while Daniel Sedin has been out since Oct. 10th.

The lines for tonight are as follows. (source)

Burrows Sedin Bernier
Raymond Kesler Samuelsson
Glass Wellwood Rypien
Hordichuk Johnson Pettinger

Ehrhoff Bieksa
Edler Mitchell
O'Brien Salo

Raycroft
Luongo

Healthy Scratches:
Bliznak
Rome
Schneider

Our take: Definitely some positive news with Luongo, Sedin and Hansen nearing their returns to the lineup, and it's been almost miraculous that they have managed to stay above water with those key guys out. Luckily Andrew Raycroft has been marvelous and he is - at least statistically - the best goalie in the NHL this year.

With Luongo back in the lineup, Vancouver sent Corey Schneider back to the Moose. Also, once Sedin and Hansen are back, the Canucks will have to waive someone in order to be roster compliant. Matt Pettinger is the likely candidate despite playing quite well as an emergency injury signing.

Luongo and Daniel Nearing Return

The cavalry is on its way for the Vancouver Canucks. Captain Roberto Luongo is close to making his way back into the Canucks lineup and is targeting to see action either on Tuesday in St. Louis or Thursday in Detroit. The Canucks feel they are solid in goal for the time being after strong play from Andrew Raycroft and Cory Schneider which is why a Thursday start is more likely for Luongo, to avoid rushing him back from a case of the flu and his recovery from a hairline rib fracture.

Daniel Sedin has been skating hard and is coming off an intense practice which saw the elite winger experience some soreness in the injured toe but stated that it was not a step backwards and that he feels he will need to play through some discomfort for a few games upon his return.
Daniel will most likely not play Tuesday against the Blues but will be questionable for the Canucks in Motown on Thursday.

Winger Jannik Hansen also has a shot at making his season debut for the Canucks after a training camp injury forced the Danish winger into the press box for a few months. Hansen's status will be decided closer to game time in St. Louis.

Canucks Chasing Forsberg

The Vancouver Canucks are looking to make a run at 36 year old Swedish free agent Peter Forsberg. After facing years of nagging foot problems, the big Swedish center has been working out and is currently playing with the Swedish National Team at the Karjala Cup in Sweden and Finland.

The Canucks are believed to be in competition with the Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, and the Montreal Canadiens. Canucks GM Mike Gillis has admitted his interest in signing the big free agent center, and believes the Canucks would be on his short list of teams. Russian powerhouse AK Bars Kazan was reported to be interested and pursuing Forsberg but they have refuted those reports and stated they are not planning to pursue Forsberg.

Forsberg has also stated his interest in playing for Sweden in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics slated for February in Vancouver. The free agent centre is expected to announce his decision as soon as his stint in the Karjala Cup is over, which could be as early as this week.

Canucks shell Wild, win third in a row

The Vancouver Canucks won their third straight game, and seventh in their last nine with a 5-2 stomping of the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night. Darcy Hordichuk scored his 1st goal on his 1st shot of the year, Matt Pettinger scored his first of the year while Mason Raymond, Henrik Sedin and Alex Burrows on an empty net completed the scoring for Vancouver. Kyle Brodziak scored both goals for the Wild.

Niklas Backstrom was pulled after the 2nd period in favour of Josh Harding, while Andrew Raycroft was once again spectacular in net for the Canucks making 28 saves and keeping his GAA to a league leading 1.60.

Vancouver is right back at it tonight in Dallas for a meeting with the Stars. Corey Schneider is expected to get his 1st start of the year for the Canucks.

Our take: It's quite amazing that the Canucks are still finding ways to win considering their incredible injury woes. If they can remain over .500 without Luongo and other key parts - then the future looks bright for when they arrive.

Also, how nice is it that Kevin Bieksa is playing forward? No more turnovers from the backend and his forecheck is actually pretty good. I would seriously consider keepeing him there going forward, or at least while we still are short bodies up front.

Canucks Beat Slumping Blueshirts

The Vancouver Canucks went right back to Andrew Raycroft against the visiting New York Rangers who were coming to town for the one and only time this season. Coming off a 3 - 0 shutout of the Colorado Avalanche, the Canucks were hoping to get another win on home ice before heading out on a five game road trip.

The Canucks had some chances on the Power Play in the first period but couldn't capitalize and were victim to some good Ranger penalty killing. After feeling some heat for not having a goal in his past few contests, Mikael Samuelsson stepped up and opened the scoring with under 2 minutes to go in the first period. Wade Redden committed a brutal turnover and Samuelsson was alone in front of the net and was able to beat Henrik Lundqvist to give the Canucks the 1 - 0 lead.

The second period was back and forth with both teams having opportunities on the man advantage, especially the Rangers who had a 4 minute Power Play that was unable to generate many shots or scoring chances. In the third, Andrew Raycroft was at his best, he seemed very comfortable in the crease and was calm and collected when needed. He made key saves as the Canucks were shorthanded and then things got physical and some emotion entered the game when an innocent looking altercation between Ryan Kesler and Marion Gaborik set off a chain reaction. The incident took place in the middle of a line change for both teams and saw 10 Rangers in a shoving match and a scrum against 7 Vancouver Canucks.

The scrum lasted for quite some time and saw Kevin Bieksa and Dane Byers get into a war of words which lead to Bieksa and Byers almost coming out of the penalty box and fighting immediately, but they were interrupted and separated by the linesman. Bieksa was furious and the Canucks, despite having 3 less skaters on the ice during the scrum, ended up shorthanded, and it didn't sit well with Alain Vigneault. To add insult to injury, the Canucks gave up a goal just as the penalty ended to Chris Higgins, who scored his first goal of the season and finally broke out of a monumental goal scoring drought.

With the game tied 1 - 1, Bieksa was then charged with a penalty while still inside the penalty box, but the Canucks were able to kill the penalty and then Ryan Kesler made a nice play to find a trailing Rick Rypien who buried a shot over the shoulder of Lundqvist to give the Canucks a 2 - 1 lead in the third. Mikael Samuelsson added his second of the night on a Power Play and Henrik Sedin scored an empty net goal to seal the 4 - 1 victory for Vancouver.

The Canucks head out on the road for back to back games on Thursday and Friday in Minnesota and Dallas.

Raycroft Leads Canucks to Shutout of Avs

Andrew Raycroft and the Vancouver Canucks bounced back in a big way after a beat down in Southern California at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks. The backup goaltender got his first shutout as a Vancouver Canuck and it was over the red hot Colorado Avalanche.

The Canucks came out and generated a number of scoring chances on Avalanche netminder Craig Anderson, who has been the MVP for the Avalanche so far this season. Mason Raymond beat Anderson off a rebound in the slot midway through the first period and Ryan Kesler slid a loose puck in the crease into an empty cage to double the Canucks lead in the second period.

The third period saw the Canucks shut it down - they played smart defensively and the Avalanche had trouble generating chances all night, especially in the third. The Canucks got a boost and some insurance when Tanner Glass, an unlikely candidate scored his first goal as a Vancouver Canuck at 9:25 of the third period to give the Canucks a three goal lead.

Andrew Raycroft stopped all 18 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season and further helped his goals against average and save percentage to remain at the top of the goaltending statistics in the NHL - despite his small sample size.

Corey Perry and Ducks Rout Canucks

The injury riddled Vancouver Canucks were no match for a struggling Anaheim Ducks team that had their core players bump offensive slumps on Friday night. Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan all did their parts to help the Ducks to a 7 - 2 thrashing of the Canucks.

Steve Bernier opened the scoring early in the first on a deflection and Mason Raymond added a goal on the Power Play to double the Canucks lead. The Ducks got a big goal late in the first from Corey Perry and evened things up early in the second as George Parros took advantage of a bad Canuck turnover and slid one through Andrew Raycroft.

Once the game was tied at 2, the Ducks took over. They attacked in waves and the crippled Canucks had trouble generating many chances and were hemmed in their own end for most of the second and third period. Corey Perry scored again and gave the Ducks their first lead of the game late in the second period and his linemate Bobby Ryan owned the third period as he beat Corey Schneider, who came in to relieve Andrew Raycroft, twice in the third period. Joffrey Lupul added the final goal of the night to add to the 7 - 2 rout.

Kevin Bieksa and Alexander Edler were the two Canucks who struggled the most, Bieksa was fighting the puck for most of the night and was caught out of position, turning the puck over, and made some poor decisions. Alex Edler was again slow to move the puck out of his own zone and had trouble handling the Anaheim forecheck.

The Canucks faceoff against the red hot Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night back home at GM Place.