Dog Days of a Canucks Summer: Questions Surround Mitchell, Bieksa

While time has flown by over the last year, the dog days of summer are upon us and the hockey calendar has drifted into the slowest time of year for hockey fans.

If Brian Burke had his way, resurrecting hockey’s World Cup would spice up hockey’s summer slumber.

For now, Twitter will have to entertain the starved hockey fan.

While there may not be any games being played or big trades being made, The Canucks and numerous other teams still have positions to fill on their hockey clubs before the seasons start.

What blue lines will Willie Mitchell and Kevin Bieksa be patrolling next season? How long will Alex Burrows’ rehab take, and who will play on the third line? Troubling still, how will we watch the team Mike Gillis brings together if Sportsnet ONE is still unavailable in BC?

A myriad of questions face Canucks fans as the season slowly approaches, however just as there are numerous questions, so too are the possible answers many.

As mentioned in two of the links above, Thomas Fleischmann of the Washington Capitals has been rumoured to be heading West lately. Vancouver and Edmonton are likely candidates, with Kevin Bieksa and Sheldon Souray likely on the table opposite the 26 year old Czech.

Rogers and Shaw will likely play million dollar chicken until just before the season begins (or the first PPV game) and this nonsense will be over with. Who caves first, or takes a financial hit to settle is anyone’s guess.

The Brothers Sweatt

After signing defenceman Lee Sweatt earlier in the season, The Vancouver Canucks have signed his brother Bill Sweatt a 2^nd round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2007.

Sweatt is a speedy forward known for his fast paced offensive skills, over 67 games at Colorado College Sweatt has tallied 53 points.

Bill Sweatt is also on Twitter, follow him @billysweatt if you are on twitter with all the other cool kids.

Speaking of cool kids, theflyingv.com now has its own Twitter account. For easy access to all the Canucks news, links, media and banter follow @The1FlyingV and don’t be a stranger; I’m open to hockey talk 24/7.

News and Notes

• If Twitter really is for the cool kids, then David Staples list of the most followed hockey media members on Twitter really is a collection of the coolest hockey people out there. Who’s cooler than cold? Darren Dreger at 61,602 followers.
• Kevin Connauton is so talented both he and the media can’t help but wonder, is he a power forward in defenseman’s skates? Nope, Kevins are just naturally gifted like that.

• NHL teams aren’t exactly kicking down Kyle Wellwood’s door at the moment, I hope Wellwood finds an NHL home this season, the pudgy little warrior played his heart out in the playoffs for the Canucks.

• It was the Vancouver Canucks turn on Puck Daddy’s “Mount Puckmore” series early this week, Linden, Bure, Smyl and Naslund are the faces on Vancouver’s virtual mountain as chosen by the Kurtenbloggers. The Mount Puckmore images for all NHL teams are created by HockeyIndependent.com General Manager BD Gallof. Check it out.
• NOT SAFE FOR WORK: Rap’s greatest Hockey references of all time, if you aren’t into rap, click the link for Lil’ Wayne in a Leafs Jersey, it’s worth it.
• In case you missed it earlier this week, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Peter Forsberg and Markus Naslund were all featured in a Swedish Pizza commercial at their favourite restaurant Mammamia.

I wonder if the cycle works in a kitchen environment, what is Swedish for “behind”?