It's a spectacular Christmas Eve day here in Vancouver: sunny and six degrees, with more of the same expected for tomorrow.
Hope you've all finished your shopping and can take some time to relax with family and friends.
What better way to combine hockey and the holidays than with some Canucks Christmas Carols?
I'm feeling pretty good about the fact that our Canucks are sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference at the holiday break. As a point of reference, after their fantastic December last season they went into the break...sixth in the Western Conference, although they were fourth in the Pacific.
Assuming the wheels don't fall off the wagon again and that Vancouver can take advantage of its games-in-hand when they come around during busy months of February and March, that goal of making the playoffs remains very much in sight.
Things are also looking pretty good when it comes to Vancouver's prospects. In case you missed it, Jake Virtanen scored a sweet goal on Tuesday night in Canada's final tune-up game against the Swiss:
Here's
more on Virtanen from Cam Tucker at Metro. Here's Jim Benning's assessment:
You know how we give players terms, well, he’s a power forward in the truest sense. He’s physically strong, he’s physical but he’s got the ability to play in both styles of the game.
If it’s a fast, skilled game, he can play that style of game. Or if it’s a physical game where you don’t have a lot of room out there … he can play that style, too.
Virtanen will be fun to watch when the tournament gets underway on Boxing Day.
Thanks to its five channels, TSN is televising every game this year, from all countries. Here's the
full schedule.
So, in addition to Virtanen, we'll also be able to keep an eye on Canucks prospects Thatcher Demko, in goal for Team USA, and Gustav Forsling, patrolling the blue line for Team Sweden.
In his first draft, Jim Benning has already made an impressive mark on the proceedings, placing three of his seven players.
Cole Cassels was a late cut from a deep Team USA. It was originally speculated that he'd be ineligible for early tournament games due to his ongoing OHL suspension, but Brian McNair of DurhamRegion.com
reported that the final game might have been rescinded if Cassels had made the team.
Still, Cassels got some great experience in the pre-tournament games. Not a bad way to spend a suspension!
World Junior action gets underway on Boxing Day, with Canada's first game against Slovakia that day.
One final holiday note to wrap up today. I'm sure you've always wondered how many reindeer Zack Kassian can name:
Merry Christmas to all you HockeyBuzzers! Hope Santa is good to you.
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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