For those who were seeing my twitter feed last night, yes I did watch some of the game between the Canada-NZ rugby bloodbath. Now onto business.

Last night saw what may have been the opening night roster for the Vancouver Canucks as they played their last game of the pre-season. Is this a better or equivalent group to the 2010-11 Stanley Cup runner up squad?

The most glaring issue will be replacing 50 points by Christian Ehrhoff. No matter how many jokes we make about his defensive inadequacies and soft touch in his own end 50 points is 50 points. The team had the best PP and Ehrhoff was a large reason for that and Samuelsson on the point is just not the same. Factor in the liability concerns on speed and defensive coverage and we may well see more shorthanded goal opportunities from Canucks opposition.

The team is also not as tough as some would like it. Toughness is not a singular pugilist style but an over all team resiliency and attitude but was it ever going to be changed? Raffi Torres made guys keep their heads up. Plain and simple. Is that role being fulfilled now?

The other reality Canucks fans must come to accept when considering the team and lack of toughness is what was really going to change? Kesler is injured as is Raymond and only the latter had a chance of being moved. There was no reason to divide one of, if not the best, lines in hockey with the Sedins and Burrows. The third line has two players Mike Gillis worked hard to sign in Higgins and Hansen along with Malhotra, then add Lapierre as a signing for the fourth and it's easy to see there was little wiggle room for moves. Just two spots.

So what Canucks fans have is a team which has to improve within itself. The players have to muster the inner strength and the attitude to 'fight back'. It's like the dumb bully who finally has the weaker kid stand up to him. The Canucks are the kid who now has to stand up to all the teams looking to capitalize on their weakness, an obvious one at that. As for that dumb bully, he's still trying to figure out how to fix the spelling mistake on his tattoo.

Enjoy the day!

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