No, I actually did

If I'm not watching sport, the TV is typically on either HGTV or Food network.

And in case you're wondering, the folks on "Love it or list it" decided to love it
- lumlums

Love it or list it

But if you like the Food network, seriously check out Gusto. The cooking shows on that network are amazing.

And before anyone starts on me for talking cooking shows, I've learned more about BBQ and grilling from those shows than any other source. Serve folks a good BBQ and they will love you forever.

Being Italian do you think Aquilini used his hands when he talks about the Canucks.

Love it or list it

But if you like the Food network, seriously check out Gusto. The cooking shows on that network are amazing.

And before anyone starts on me for talking cooking shows, I've learned more about BBQ and grilling from those shows than any other source. Serve folks a good BBQ and they will love you forever.
- bloatedmosquito

This

Love it or list it

But if you like the Food network, seriously check out Gusto. The cooking shows on that network are amazing.

And before anyone starts on me for talking cooking shows, I've learned more about BBQ and grilling from those shows than any other source. Serve folks a good BBQ and they will love you forever.
- bloatedmosquito

I'm on the wrong side of the border for that sadly

I hear you about bbq though. I recently discovered how good Dutch ovens (don't! ) are for cooking meat... Did some ribs in there yesterday, 250F for 5 hours and they were to (frank)ing die for. Last week I did a brisket in there too, and it was awesome

- lumlums

Has he PMed you yet?

This
- A_SteamingLombardi

It's weird. With all the advances in technology and most of us still prefer caveman cooking. Something raw and fire.

Has he PMed you yet?
- A_SteamingLombardi

Nope... has he been PMing the rest of you?

1) Because when you get that superstar, you want to be able to take advantage of them while they are an their ELC deal and try and win before they eat up a good portion of your cap space to keep them.

2) You want to be able to be close enough that with just a move or two will put you into contention, not wait for 2 or 3 years when you have to pay your superstar 7 or 8 mil for 8 years and then have less money to go after impact free agents (if there are any) or trade picks and prospects to get the type of players like a Burrows or Higgins or Lapierre or whoever you want to deem complimentary players.

3) Just because you get a superstar, doesn't automatically mean you're going to be a good team, look at the Islanders, and look at the Lightning, Tavares isn't thinking of resigning because of how bad the team is around them and it took several years to get Stamkos to get to be in contention for the Cup and they almost lost him too.

4) There's a lot of luck involved and more importantly, Vancouver has 3 or 4 handicaps that it will never overcome for potential superstars here:

- The team has the worst travel schedule of all the teams in the NHL, the team closest to us is Calgary and is roughly 1 1/2 hours away by plane so injuries due to wear and tear and overwork are more prevalent than in another city.

- The fanbase (mostly casual, but even some hardcore fans) and especially the media is both fickle and tend to be both impatient and schizophrenic when it comes to players on the team. One bad game can turn them against a player even if a bad game is simply not scoring a point or even a goal. The weight of expectations on the players in this city is almost worse than what it is in bigger markets like say in Toronto or Montreal which have had multiple Cups and where the fans aren't quite as fickle as they are here. More importantly, those markets have also existed for a century or so and have a long history of winning that this team does not.

- The city also has plenty of distractions for a young player to get into, especially players that come from small town backgrounds or haven't had the maturity to know that there's a time and place for everything and that no matter how much money you have in your pockets, it spends pretty quickly here which leads me to my last handicap.

- The city and region has the highest standard of living in North America and the taxes here are some of the worst and housing is beyond expensive if you want to live nearby Rogers Arena (that's IF you can find a place that's for sale).

5) Again, this year there's no real superstar to get, Nolan Patrick projects to be a Matt Duchene or Anze Kopitar type 1C which is fine, but he isn't going to be the flashy, sexy player like a McDavid, Matthews, Tavares, Stamkos or Crosby.
- DariusKnight

Which teams have won while their superstars are on ELC?

It's weird. With all the advances in technology and most of us still prefer caveman cooking. Something raw and fire.
- bloatedmosquito

...and a well crafted wine.

Why would I do that? i want us to pick as high as possible, if I take out the highest picks of course drafting high doesn't seem like a good idea
- neem55

Well if you're defending trading up to 4 or 5, then picks 1 and 2 are inconsequential.

1) Because when you get that superstar, you want to be able to take advantage of them while they are an their ELC deal and try and win before they eat up a good portion of your cap space to keep them.

2) You want to be able to be close enough that with just a move or two will put you into contention, not wait for 2 or 3 years when you have to pay your superstar 7 or 8 mil for 8 years and then have less money to go after impact free agents (if there are any) or trade picks and prospects to get the type of players like a Burrows or Higgins or Lapierre or whoever you want to deem complimentary players.

3) Just because you get a superstar, doesn't automatically mean you're going to be a good team, look at the Islanders, and look at the Lightning, Tavares isn't thinking of resigning because of how bad the team is around them and it took several years to get Stamkos to get to be in contention for the Cup and they almost lost him too.

4) There's a lot of luck involved and more importantly, Vancouver has 3 or 4 handicaps that it will never overcome for potential superstars here:

- The team has the worst travel schedule of all the teams in the NHL, the team closest to us is Calgary and is roughly 1 1/2 hours away by plane so injuries due to wear and tear and overwork are more prevalent than in another city.

- The fanbase (mostly casual, but even some hardcore fans) and especially the media is both fickle and tend to be both impatient and schizophrenic when it comes to players on the team. One bad game can turn them against a player even if a bad game is simply not scoring a point or even a goal. The weight of expectations on the players in this city is almost worse than what it is in bigger markets like say in Toronto or Montreal which have had multiple Cups and where the fans aren't quite as fickle as they are here. More importantly, those markets have also existed for a century or so and have a long history of winning that this team does not.

- The city also has plenty of distractions for a young player to get into, especially players that come from small town backgrounds or haven't had the maturity to know that there's a time and place for everything and that no matter how much money you have in your pockets, it spends pretty quickly here which leads me to my last handicap.

- The city and region has the highest standard of living in North America and the taxes here are some of the worst and housing is beyond expensive if you want to live nearby Rogers Arena (that's IF you can find a place that's for sale).

5) Again, this year there's no real superstar to get, Nolan Patrick projects to be a Matt Duchene or Anze Kopitar type 1C which is fine, but he isn't going to be the flashy, sexy player like a McDavid, Matthews, Tavares, Stamkos or Crosby.
- DariusKnight

You missed Toews - who combines with Kopitar to have 5 Cups. Everyone else you mentioned combines to have 2(both from Crosby)

Shink sent back to AHL
- VANTEL

As much as JB gets bent over for his trades, I think he did ok in both his dealings with Cal. Baer is worth the 2nd and Granlund is better then Shink.

Well if you're defending trading up to 4 or 5, then picks 1 and 2 are inconsequential.
- golfingsince

Well, it's a good thing I've never done that

Let's not get started on the Anze Kopitar. I screamed at the TV when the canucks made their pick and LA drafted Kopitar with the very next pick. I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to drafting prospects but even I knew that kid was going to be a star. Still angery about it.

I swear my team is cursed.
- bloatedmosquito

Didn't we pick a defenseman that(if he did not pass away tragically, RIP) projected to be a #1 Defenseman, and could have been the best one we ever had? Our pick wasn't bad, it was a good pick, but tragedy struck.

Which teams have won while their superstars are on ELC?
- neem55

Wasn't Crosby still on ELC when Pens won their cup? I forget TBH. Too lazy to look it up as well.

Greetings all,

Noob in the house so I felt it would be appropriate to give a bit of an intro while dispelling the immediate 'alt' account warriors.

Believe it or not have been reading Canuck's/Carol's blogs on Hockeybuzz for about 5 years and only today (finished) setting up an account as I'm long overdue to post a comment or 2. Every time I think I should complete the registration and post, I come across another post shredding nighthawk or some other poor schlep and I back off (kinda like not being able to P before a long road trip because someone knocked).

I am very familiar with the crowd, more than you would think but that's how lurkers roll. I know CanucksDon isn't really a Don and is the captain of the Vegas cheer leading squad. I'm familiar with Marwood's Jazz cigarettes and ASL's woodshed (or wood pile whichever you prefer) these play significant roles in my own ability to cope in these dark Canuck times. I know that Vantel is Jim Benning and Redmile is Michael Ferklund (I made that last one up but he does remind me....). Speaking of nighthawk, I promise to spell out every word and keep that grammer tight. Makita, in my mind's eye is really just the old guy from the Karate Kid - at least that's the vision. He and Vantel sure like their grape. Codes, Leftcoast, Lord Huge, Golfing Since, Retinalz, Belcher, etc etc etc.

I'm going to probably look for my chance to flag someone right away here and get that out of the way and then wait for a pm from Makita on the reality that someone saying "flagged" doesn't mean click the little flag icon.

I follow Carol on Twitter so I know immediately when the new blogs are up. I'm @bowel_auger "Opiated Nucksfan" on Twitter. I am a Canucks season ticket member 4 years running and plan to be again next year. I don't gauge whether I'll renew on someone else's sob stories about asset management or whether the GM is better at drafting than they are at GM'ing. I'm old enough to say I've followed the team since inception into the league and have done hard time along with everyone before things got rolling (I survived the Troy Gamble years) I'm a canucks fan and a hockey fan. Period. This year I find myself entertained by the team which is the purpose of season tickets in the first place. I'm not expecting playoffs this year per se, but I will gladly do 1 round and out in the playoffs only because it makes this blog so much more interesting I'm not a draftist or a tankster, just let the dam chips fall where they may.

Ok - that's about it, let me have it...and No, this is not nighthawk.
- Bowel-Auger

Hello Novel4U

It's weird. With all the advances in technology and most of us still prefer caveman cooking. Something raw and fire.
- bloatedmosquito

Yeah, and real ingredients, herbs, honey, lemons, garlic etc.

Hello Novel4U
- golfingsince

Nope... has he been PMing the rest of you?
- lumlums

some of us, it's (frank)ing annoying.

Well, it's a good thing I've never done that

- neem55

I just mean defending the idea.

Belcher said he didn't want to move those guys to move top 5. I'm pretty sure if it's top 1 then he might see it differently. That said, i'm not sure it's the best year to trade up for 1st overall, and in a good year those guys don't get it done.

Also, teams holding the 1st overall generally don't want vets.

Wasn't Crosby still on ELC when Pens won their cup? I forget TBH. Too lazy to look it up as well.
- Retinalz

No, first yr after the ELC was over.

some of us, it's (frank)ing annoying.
- A_SteamingLombardi

I find the best remedy is to simply post the PM for everyone else to see. Kind of takes the private out of private message.

No, first yr after the ELC was over.
- Kaynine

So basically one of those smaller short deals they handed out players just off an ELC back then.

Nope... has he been PMing the rest of you?
- lumlums

I know you guys are going to probably have something to say about this, but I would like to ask a favour.

When Nuck4U returns on Dec 07th at 12:30 pacific, could you please give him another chance, I have had a conversation with him and he has stated he will try to blend in without antagonizing others here.

Please, if there is a post that you feel is a "WTF" post could you please ignore it and not try to bait him, and he will do the same. There are times that he has some valid points and insight.

As humans we do for the most part try to be socially inclusive, but I do understand when someone gets under your skin and they have to redeem themselves.

Thanks

I know you guys are going to probably have something to say about this, but I would like to ask a favour.

When Nuck4U returns on Dec 07th at 12:30 pacific, could you please give him another chance, I have had a conversation with him and he has stated he will try to blend in without antagonizing others here.

Please, if there is a post that you feel is a "WTF" post could you please ignore it and not try to bait him, and he will do the same. There are times that he has some valid points and insight.

As humans we do for the most part try to be socially inclusive, but I do understand when someone gets under your skin and they have to redeem themselves.

Thanks
- Makita

I'll make sure I bait him right away.

Regards,

GolfingSince