All Entries in the "Vancouver Canucks" Category
Hockey Independent Playoff Roundtable: 2013 First Round Predictions
With the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs set to begin just a few hours from now, four members of the Hockey Independent writing staff have come together to predict each and every first round series of this year’s postseason. The contributing authors to today’s piece will be Cris Cohen (New York Rangers), Seth Levin (New Jersey Devils), Bill Philp (Tampa Bay Lightning) [...]
Rink Recollections: Jeff Odgers, NHL, 1991-2003
By Brian D’Ambrosio Jeff Odgers played every NHL game as if it were his final. He never took a game for granted –scared that his career could fade away at any moment. Odgers scrapped and gritted his way onto the roster and he made sure he never provided his coaches with a sufficient reason to [...]
Brendan Witt: A Life of Old-Time Hockey, New Beginnings
By Brian D’Ambrosio Brendan Witt knew one of the Philadelphia Flyers would approach. After all, the bruising fourth line tended to drop the gloves. Slightly after the six-minute mark of the first period, the “Dan Line” -consisting of Dan Kordic, Daniel Lacroix and Scott Daniels - hoped to send a message. “Philly put these guys [...]
Honey, I Lost the Kids (part 2 of 2)
In the first part of this epic, we promised three pieces of evidence to explain how Garth Snow does things with the sole intention of job preservation. We pointed out how he is relatively awful at drafting in part one. Part two will speak to other shortcomings, starting here: Two- Garth Snow uses salary cap [...]
Honey, I Lost the Kids – part one of two
It’s almost like a reflex when you ask hockey fans about the best way to build a winner “It’s the draft!” Drafting allow you to develop players or trade for established ones. Since the Isles have had no playoffs since 07-08, they’ve been in rebuild mode. We’re going to look at this draft rebuild with [...]
Hockey Myths Exposed – Defensemen Need Time to Develop
Anyone who has watched more than a handful of hockey games gets serenaded with statements that are undisputed in the hockey world, but in reality it doesnt make a lot of sense. We’ve already disproved the myth that power forwards need years to develop in our article “Ninogate,” in which we use the “talent is [...]
Rink Recollections: Chris Tamer, NHL defenseman, 1993-2004
By Brian D’Ambrosio Dearborn, Michigan native Chris Tamer grew up watching Bob Probert play hockey. Tamer even had a picture of the rugged Detroit Red Wings battler on his wall when he was attending college at the University of Michigan. It was the only photo on his wall, he says. Probert will always evoke memories [...]
Jim Agnew: Ex- NHL Tough Guy Turned Missoula, Montana Sheriff
By Brian D’Ambrosio Jim Agnew is a man in uniform who is most deeply proud of being a wholehearted team player. These days, he buttons up a beige and brown shirt before excitedly starting his work time as a deputy sheriff in Missoula, Montana. In earlier years, he wore another type of distinguishing outfit, [...]
Destination Unknown, Part 3
Part Three: Free Agents aren’t actually Free Chronicling the failures of the Garth Snow regime takes time, energy, and ideally, beer. In fact, watching the Islanders play is best done through a haze of sudsy goodness. We suggest that if you’re looking for a Belgian Style ale that’s full of deliciousness, you’d be good to [...]
Destination Unknown, part 2
Part Two: Does it feel drafty in here? Snow inherited a team that made the playoffs with regularity, and had a polarizing but successful head coach. Theorizing that the playoff team handed to him was underwhelming, Snow started what is lovingly referred to as a rebuild by fans, and a disaster by anybody else’s standard. [...]
Destination Unknown, part 1
When it comes to the Islanders, there are two storied histories. One is the epic run including 19 consecutive playoff series wins, something not done by the likes of Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Terry Bradshaw, or whatever teams you associate with winners. Speaking of associating with winners, one team that is universally not associated [...]
Hockey Independent Roundtable: Preseason Stanley Cup Predictions
Hello everyone and welcome again to the Hockey Independent Roundtable. In today’s piece, five HI writers will provide you all with their early picks for the playoffs ad the Stanley Cup. This piece will double as Part III of my five-part 2013 NHL season preview. Part I –> Northeast Division Preview Part II –> Eastern [...]
Hockey’s Christmas: 10 Predictions For 2012 Free Agency
In many ways, July 1 and the opening of unrestricted free agency is much like Christmas for hockey fans. Puck heads wake up early and rush to their living rooms early in the morning. But instead of checking underneath a Christmas tree, they’ll make a beeline straight towards the nearest computer. As the clock strikes [...]
Hockey Independent Offseason Predictions: Joker’s Wild; Four Big Name Players On The Move?
Members of the Hockey Independent crew have come together again for another series of offseason articles for your reading pleasure. The contributing authors to today’s piece will be Cris Cohen (New York Rangers), Seth Levin (New Jersey Devils), Alex Muscat (Detroit Red Wings) and myself, Benjamin Woodward (Boston Bruins). Each of us have taken on [...]
2012 Hockey Independent Mock Draft: Final Wrap-Up
The Hockey Independent crew has come together again; this time to piece together a 2012 NHL Mock Draft for your reading pleasure. The contributing authors to today’s piece will be Cris Cohen (New York Rangers), Seth Levin (New Jersey Devils), Alex Muscat (Detroit Red Wings), Bill Philp (Tampa Bay Lightning) and myself, Benjamin Woodward [...]
2012 Hockey Independent Mock Draft: Selections 26-30; The First Round Concludes
The Hockey Independent crew has come together again; this time to piece together a 2012 NHL Mock Draft for your reading pleasure. The contributing authors to today’s piece will be Cris Cohen (New York Rangers), Seth Levin (New Jersey Devils), Alex Muscat (Detroit Red Wings), Bill Philp (Tampa Bay Lightning) and myself, Benjamin Woodward (Boston [...]
Canucks to Embrace the Hate, Even Strength Play vs. Confident Kings in Game Two
The sky is falling in the city of Vancouver, and spring has barely sprung. Following with the seasons, the Vancouver Canucks have taken only a few strides out of the starting gate but have had a tough start to the Stanley Cup Finals, dropping their Game One matchup against the Kings for the first time since 2007 against the Anaheim Ducks.
Hockey Independent Playoff Roundtable: Conference Quarterfinals Predictions
— With the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs set to begin in just over forty-eight hours, four members of the Hockey Independent writing staff have come together to predict each and every first round series of this year’s postseason. The contributing authors to today’s piece will be Cris Cohen (New York Rangers), Alex Muscat (Detroit Red [...]
Speed and Skill Trumped by Aggression and Intimidation in Today’s NHL?
The garage league is back, and with Matt Cooke in the good graces of the hockey gods it’s about time league owners like Mario Lemieux stood up once again and protected the people they employ before another body ends up motionless at center ice.
Is It Just Me: Or Should Roberto Luongo Start in Minnesota?
Alain Vigneault is expected to start Cory Schneider for the second straight game tonight in Minnesota, giving Roberto Luongo a rest to begin Vancouver’s last road trip of the regular season. Traditionally a little time off this late in the season would be great for a goaltender who has been relied on so much so [...]
