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Another day, another game and another performance that was not very Vancouver Canucks like. I thought about writing a recap of the game, but I'll leave that to Brad. Instead, today I'd like to compare the roster of the team that went to the final to the team that played last night.
When I look at these two teams, I will agree that the 2011 team is by far a better team. However, the roster that was iced last night is still, in my opinion, a top-10ish team in the NHL. Because of injuries, they may not be fully ready to go with the big dogs, but this is a team that is capable of beating Minnesota and Columbus.
3 Big Differences
1- A complete lack of depth at centre. The '11 team had four pretty good faceoff guys. If one guy wasn't available there was always someone to step in and fill the role. Today's team doesn't even come close to having depth. You can't play a puck control system if you can't win faceoffs.
Blame- Gillis. We knew back in June that the Canucks could be in rough down the middle because Kesler wasn't going to be ready and there was a certain level of uncertainty around Manny. Gillis didn't do anything to counteract this issue. We knew we needed a centre in June and we're still looking for one in March. What a joke.
2- Lack of roles on the team. When you look at the '11 team you clearly knew what was expected out of each and every player. This year's team is a clusterfuck when comes to knowing who should be doing what. They have one of the smallest centres in the NHL playing on the fourth-line. Who thinks that is the role for him? They have a mish-mash of second and third-line players who aren't really checkers and they aren't really high-end scorers. After the Sedins, the forwards are a bingo machine on ice. If the fans don't know who should be slotting on for roles, you can better believe there is some confusion on that bench.
Blame- 25% Gillis and 75% AV. Gillis hasn't really found players to fill some of Vancouver's needs but at the same time I'm not sure AV would know how to use them even if the talent was there. Like I said, Schroeder is the weirdest role that I have ever seen on a team. He's not a fourth-line player now and he isn't going to be one in the future. Only an idiot would use him in that capacity. Vancouver and Schroeder would be much better off to call up a guy like Alex Friesen who isn't really any bigger, but he plays with a lot more grit and is suited for the fourth-line.
3- No motivation. I'll keep this one short. The last time I saw the Canucks play like they are now it was down the stretch in '08. That team, was a team that was good enough to make the playoffs but they were a team with no motivation what so ever. This team is really starting to remind me of that team.
Blame- AV. When the players don't want to play (and it happens to everyone), it is up to the coach to get the most they can out of them. This group's work ethic is at a D- on the season and that all falls on Vigneault's head.
Solutions
-Fire AV, hire Lindy Ruff.
-Trade for a centre
-In the mean time, send down Kassian, call up Friesen
-Ice this as the lines
Sedin/Sedin/Hansen
Raymond/Schroeder/Burrows
Higgins/Lapierre/Booth
Weise/Friesen/Sestito
Feloins Vs Vikingettes
That's a wrap
Ian
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