HockeyCanucks fans cautiously optimistic

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The Sedin twins have been a big part of Vancouver's success this season and are primed for a post-season run. (Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press)

Don't spend as much time in Vancouver as in Toronto, Montreal or Ottawa, but my occasional trips out west reveal a certain vibe. Canucks fans are different than those of the other Canadian teams. They are passionate, absolutely. But they are more pessimistic than their Northern brethren.

"We're fighting ghosts," one player said a few years ago, talking about (now) 40 years of playoff frustration and failure. You certainly feel it, even in a 48-hour trip. While there is excitement about Vancouver's first-ever Presidents' Trophy and a statistically dominant season, there is still a "yeah, but ..." philosophy.

"Yeah, but...Chicago in the first round?" "Yeah, but...can we really beat Anaheim?" They don't like it when Kyle Wellwood or Mike Babcock or anonymous Blackhawks ask the same questions, but they have the same doubts.

If the Maple Leafs, Canadiens or Senators (the three teams I deal with most) were having this kind of season, their fans would feel bulletproof. They wouldn't just be planning parade routes. They'd be betting on how many playoff games it would take to get 16 wins. (Obvious answer: 17. Duh!)

The players, though, are remarkably secure. In years past, there was a "we don't get enough respect" complaint. Now, it's "we're here to do business." It starts with the Sedins, who set the tone by preparing for every game the same way, which is critical for success on any team in any league.

It continues with Alain Vigneault, who embraces challenge. He had the great line: "I don't mind those odds," when asked about the fact only 30 per cent of Presidents' Trophy winners follow up by snaring the Stanley Cup. And, on After Hours, when I said players felt Montreal and Vancouver were the toughest Canadian cities to play in, he completely disagreed with the premise of the question.

"As a player I think you've got to love the attention that you're getting and the feedback you're getting from the fans and the media," he said. "If the New York Yankees, with all of the attention they are getting in New York, can win World Series, I don't think that this is a negative."

During the regular season, there were few negatives. The Canucks used more players than anyone else, including 14 defencemen. They continued a strong late-season run despite Manny Malhotra's emotional eye injury. Lesser games meant a better year for Roberto Luongo and Ryan Kesler learned that winning is the sweetest retaliation.

But, in the playoffs, it all reverts to zero. The No. 1 question to the After Hours Twitter feed? Some variation of "Do you want to play Chicago, or avoid them?"

Luongo: "Of course we want to play them ... Believe it or not, I love playing the Blackhawks."

Vigneault about the team in general:  "We feel this group is ready for this opportunity, this group is ready for this challenge."

The old saying is, "Be careful what you wish for." But maybe the Blackhawks are exactly what Vancouver needs. You cannot exorcize your demons without slaying the biggest one.

30 THOUGHTS

1. Team Canada GM Dave Nonis contacted Oilers GM Steve Tambellini about Taylor Hall's availability for the worlds. The Oilers thought about it, but decided to keep Hall at home. Hall told Mark Lee that he probably wouldn't be in good enough game shape to go.

2. Kevin Weekes has an interesting theory on Ryan Miller's injury. He's surprised the Sabre hasn't been hurt before by shooters because Miller is so thin. He's tried to add weight and muscle, but can't. Hadn't thought of it, probably because I haven't been skinny since 1989.

3. Bad weekend for Anaheim with losses to San Jose and Dallas. If Jonas Hiller is up to it, I'd bet the Ducks would love to get him into one of their last two games against the Kings - provided they've already clinched. If the Ducks need those games, I'm not sure you can start him. And, a return during the playoffs is really risky.

4. Bill McCreary was supposed to retire in 2009-10, but stayed an extra season at the league's request. Sounds like the NHL asked him to stay once again, but the family thought it was time.

5. Last week, a few of the Red Wings were suggesting that Henrik Sedin became a much better player after Daniel was injured last season. He agreed: "Now I have the confidence I can produce points without him ... I've said this before, but when I struggled, I would always look for him. Now I know I don't need to do that."

6. Ask if he was surprised the Wings noticed, Henrik said, "Of course not. They're Swedes ... Well, most of them are."

7. Mentioned it earlier this season, but Jim Hughson and I were wondering if Henrik's Hart Trophy motivated Daniel Sedin's monstrous season. While Daniel was very proud of his brother, they are extremely competitive. Asked him about it, and he denied the theory. "What it did was show us the possibility that one of us could be the MVP," Daniel said. They'd never thought about it before.

8. The Ducks were watching Vancouver/Nashville when Henrik set up Alex Burrows's first goal of the game. Anaheim reaction: "How the [bleep] did he do that?"

9. Devan Dubnyk had a really interesting point about playing goal against the twins. Have to keep your feet planted, because they love to make the extra pass. If you're moving, they can make you look bad.

10. Huge season for Cory Schneider. Clearly showed he's ready for a No. 1 job. Asked him when he felt "the breakthrough moment." He said it was in the exhibition season, following an 8-2 loss to Edmonton. "I was thinking, 'Here we go again.' But Rollie (Melanson) met with me, showed me everything that went wrong because I was too far out of the net. The next game, I won 3-1 [against San Jose]. That's when I realized I was ready."

11. Schneider added that you sit on the bench (or watch on TV) and think, "How am I going to stop a Dany Heatley shot?" Then, you get in a game, actually do it a few times and gain real confidence. He does admit, with a laugh, that RJ Umberger still owns him. Luongo, sitting next door, said his killer is Tim Jackman.

12. With Luongo starting Tuesday night in Edmonton, Schneider may not get the 25 appearances necessary for the Jennings Trophy. Unless, of course, Alain Vigneault does what Lou Lamoriello did to prevent Mike Dunham from hitting free agency: put Schneider in two games - for about 30 seconds each.

13. There's angst in Edmonton (even in the organization) about the Oilers potentially finishing with their fewest points ever. Seriously: who cares? Is that really important? What should matter is growth. The first-year players - Hall, Eberle, Paajarvi, Omark, Hartikainen, Petry, Vande Velde, Dubnyk - all have shown improvement. That's what counts. Fans may not like it, but the Oilers are probably two years away from even contending for a playoff spot. Patience isn't easy, but it's crucial.

14. Then, there's Ryan Jones. He said that when he finished his first NHL game (as a Predator), Barry Trotz told him, "You looked like a deer in the headlights out there." Now, he's such a star that "a small Canadian company" wanted to pay him to use its shampoo. (He wouldn't say which one.) Got to think he'd do a better commercial than the Troy Polamalu/Joe Mauer debacle.

15. Gross story of the week: Ryan O'Marra took a shot Where No Man Wants To at the morning skate. Asked him if he was OK, and he replied it wasn't even the worst he'd been hit. While killing a 5-on-3 in Oklahoma City, he moved to his left to defend a D-to-D pass and took one from close range. After trainers peeled him off the ice, he returned to the game in front of incredulous teammates.

16. Was sitting with Ducks goalie consultant Pete Peeters before rolling tape on an interview for our Ray Emery piece. He mentioned that young shooters could really learn from Teemu Selanne's hat trick goal last Monday against Colorado. See Selanne bring the puck from forehand to backhand, and how it puts Brian Elliott off-balance.

17. When Corey Perry left junior, there was plenty of doubt he'd be able to do his "toe-drag move" at the NHL level. Uh, wrong. Jason Blake said he's never seen anyone do it off the goal-line as well as Perry. Here's evidence from the second goal of his Feb. 5 hat trick against Colorado. The first try sets up Bobby Ryan with a great pass, the second undresses TJ Galiardi for the goal.

18. Emery's getting a ton of attention - and it is certainly deserved - but Daymond Langkow's comeback is just as incredible. Last week in Calgary, I was asking him if he was absolutely coming back next season even if he didn't get back into a game. He said yes, but he probably knew he'd be playing this season at the time.

19. He'll be 66 in September, but Jacques Lemaire still loves running practices. Very enthusiastic.

20. Did a piece with Ilya Kovalchuk last week. Got the sense that while he's morphed into more of a complete player, the Devils believe this is not a finished project. He's a complex guy. People who know him better than I do say he really wants to win, but his worst habit is reverting to a one-man game when things go badly. Lemaire is trying to get him out of that.

21. Kovalchuk says Lemaire is the best coach he's played for, beating out Bob Hartley. He added he's surprised Hartley hasn't received another NHL shot. He did deny a previous story I've mentioned - that he teared up when the coach was fired in Atlanta. Kovalchuk laughed and only admitted to being disappointed.

22. Look for him to have a better year next year. His family stayed in Florida this season and separation is tough for any player.

23. Didn't talk to Zach Parise about it, but the sense around Jersey is the Devils will do whatever it takes to keep him. Question is: Does he want to stay?

24. Max Lapierre with a common comment about the move from Eastern Conference to Western Conference: "There is less room to make a play here ... [Opponents] are on you much faster."

25. Somehow, don't think there will be any meeting this summer between Jarome Iginla and the Flames discussing whether or not he should stay in Calgary.

26. Understand there's a little bit of "be the bigger man" sentiment for Islanders GM Garth Snow when it comes to allowing Evgeni Nabokov to play in the worlds. However, if I was Snow, I'd prevent Nabokov from going. First of all, you have to protect your asset. Second, there is no guarantee the favour would be repaid.

27. Andy Miele got lost in the Stephane Da Costa sweepstakes last week (my fault as much as anyone's), but Phoenix snared a solid player.

28. Reader Trevor Burton came up with another great suggestion for the "Dedication to Hockey Award" mentioned last week - Jeff Bes. Didn't even realize Bes, 38 in July, is still playing, but is in his eighth year with the CHL's Laredo Bucks. (He's now a player/coach.) Since junior, it's 17 teams (!) in seven leagues for him. And I thought for sure Bes appeared in an NHL game, but no.

29. As requested, the tease to Saturday's Oilers/Canucks game, featuring "Move" by Bruce Oake.

30. Non-hockey: no way Dennis Rodman's Hall of Fame Speech can be half as good as the line he threw at my wife two weeks ago. Asked if her ring was real, and when I answered yes, he said, "I'm not talking to you, I'm talking to her." Great player, real piece of work.

Got a question for Elliotte? Drop him  an e-mail at cbchockeyonline@cbc.ca. He'll be answering five reader questions every week in his column. And, as always, you can send comments to Elliotte via his Twitter account @friedgeHNIC.

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