Vancouver's future looks bright
Friday, May 4, 2007 | 01:58 AM ET
The first thing Canucks fans should remember is this: If, before the season, someone walked up to you and said, “Your team will win the Northwest, beat Dallas in round one before losing to Anaheim,” you would have thought you were lost on the city’s East side.
This year was an unexpected success.
The Roberto Luongo trade may be the best in the NHL since, well, the last time he was traded. (Two Mad Mikes in action.) Not only did he make an enormous difference on the ice, but in the room as well. Several players and coaches said both he and Willie Mitchell changed the culture in the room with their professional attitudes.
That was probably Vancouver’s biggest need coming in – an attitude adjustment. After last year’s train wreck, it was clear that there were a lot of people in that room/on the coaching staff who were sick of looking at each other. This team worked hard, harder than any Canuck team in years. Excellent along the boards, they made you earn every inch on the ice.
There is a lot to like about Vancouver heading into the future. Luongo is signed three more years. Their top four defencemen are taken care of: Sami Salo until 2011, Mitchell until 2010, Mattias Ohlund 2009, and Kevin Bieksa through next year, and he’s only a restricted free agent. (What a year for Bieksa. And what a call by Trevor Linden. Before Game 1 in Detroit, I asked Linden who would be Vancouver’s breakthrough player. He picked Bieksa. Not bad.)
There’s good value on that blue-line.
However, the Canucks need scoring. Their 222 goals were worst among playoff teams in the West and second-lowest overall, only ahead of New Jersey. Aside from Game 1 against Dallas, they probably couldn’t have scored with a fistful of hundreds at the Chicken Ranch. Dave Nonis is one year away from superb salary-cap flexibility, when the contracts of Markus Naslund, Brendan Morrison and Marc Chouinard expire. They eat a combined $10.3 million.
Since they were right at the $44 million cap figure this season, the assumption is the Aquellini brothers will spend money when they’re not in court fighting for control of the club. By my math, they will have approximately $10 million to spend – assuming the cap goes up to 48, as expected.
Trevor Linden will get a bit of that. It will be interesting to see what Nonis does with Ryan Kesler – a restricted free agent whose value was inflated by a Philadelphia offer sheet – and Taylor Pyatt. The sometime Sedin partner scored a career-high 23 goals, but is he worth more than the $700,000 he made?
Nonis is in a good position because he doesn’t need to worry about goaltending or top-level defencemen. Plus, he has good third- and fourth-line forwards already on the roster. So, he can go out and look for goals.
So, who’s out there? The first name that jumps out at me is Ryan Smyth. Vancouver was called by Edmonton when Smyth was available for trade. Could you imagine him with the Sedins? Three great workers along the boards, all of whom can score?
Sounds good to me.
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About the Author
Elliotte Friedman is the host of the CFL ON CBC. Prior to being named host in 2006, Friedman worked on the CFL on CBC broadcasts for the three seasons as a sideline reporter. A Toronto native, Friedman is well known for his additional work on Hockey Night in Canada, as well as his presence on the Torino 2006 Winter Games telecasts as a hockey reporter. Prior to joining the CBC, Friedman worked at The Score network and was widely regarded as one of the best reporters in the country. Friedman used his reporting skills to break stories and file feature reports for high profile events including six Stanley Cup Finals, four Grey Cup Championships, two World Series and one Olympic Games. He is also a regular on the nationally syndicated Prime Time Sports radio telecast, hosted by Bob McCown.
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Comments
dave
phoenix
VANCOUVER NEEDS AN NBA TEAM!!! it is sad what happened to a great sports city
Posted March 30, 2008 08:10 AM
Glen
All I have to say is I'm very proud of the team. They were awesome. I agree work needs to be done on the offensive side of things. Getting someone like Smyth would be absolutely amazing.
Posted May 4, 2007 02:40 PM
Bill
Vancouver
One thing is clear - it is time to move Naslund - at 6 million he eats up too much room for the 60 points and little effect he has in the playoffs. Even though he has a NTC maybe he can be convinced to be moved to wherever Bertuzzi signs. Don't look for anything more than a draft pick in return....use his money to sign a harder working, grittier type guy that might become available.
Also clear that the Sedins are not playoff performers - can't go into another playoffs with these guys as your #1 threat.
Posted May 4, 2007 01:50 PM
Chris
Surrey
Imagine getting Paul Kariya!! Although Ryan Smyth sounds great too.
Posted May 4, 2007 01:21 PM
jmal
calgary
Smyth would be unreal...Please get him!!!!!
Posted May 4, 2007 12:28 PM
Dan
Vancouver
The future does look bright for the Canucks. They have many promising youngsters coming up in the next few years as well, including Hansen, Bourdon, Raymond (led his college league in scoring), Balej, Edler, Schneider (one of the top goaltending prospects out there), Rahimi, Grabner (scored 50 for Spokane this year). But I think the key one for next year is Kiril Koltsov, who has said he wants to play in the NHL next year. As arguably the top offensive defenseman and PP quarterback in Russia, he fills one of the Canucks' most glaring needs.
Artem Chubarov might be coming back as well, who has developed into a semi-superstar in Russia. This gives the Canucks another option at centre should they wish to trade Morrison or Kesler to free up some cap room.
All in all, this season has been a resounding success for the Canucks, and Dave Nonis has many options to build on it next year.
Posted May 4, 2007 11:38 AM
Brandon
newy
the mention of smyth was like a sudden orgasim
Posted May 4, 2007 10:10 AM
Bruce Jupp
Westcoast
For the Canucks, tonight's game was the end of an unfullfilled dream. Doesn't every team, ever player, every year, dream that dream realized by so few: this season will be the one. Whether Bantam, or NHL, nothing changes. At season's end, we will be victorious. Of course, in the bright glare of TV lights, and international audiences, defeat, and the cold reality of lost dreams is very difficult to bear. The postgame pain was obvious on every face, in every interview. Perhaps on that two hour plane ride home tonight, away from the lights and microphones, they can take solace with a few cold ones, and look forward to some time away - away from the harsh, physical and emotional demands of playoff hockey.
However, not winning is not always the same as losing; this was a stolen season. Already, after all is finished, the 2006-2007 Canucks are a far better team than anyone expected last training camp. Not even with the amazing transformation brought about by Roberto has this team changed. Dave Nonnis stepped into the sunlight, and away from the over-egoed shadow of Mr. Burke - may he rest elsewhere for ever.
Do not fear; despite the pain they all fear as they still fly north, the planning, and building, will begin to reignite their hopes, and dreams. Our Canucks do not need us to tell them what went wrong, and what needs to be done. These men are members of an elite organization, and they know full well the demands of training camp, only four months away. Not all will return, but a new team will emerge, and it will be even better than this years'.
Posted May 4, 2007 03:57 AM