Carol Schram: Vancouver Canucks Game Review: 4 Straight, Grading the Forwards The Vancouver Canucks opened a homestand with their fourth-straight win as they defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Monday night. I also grade the forwards' performance so far this season.

Thanks for the write-up Carol

It can get really frustrating watching the powerplay at certain points. Especially when you see them posses the puck like they did in the lead up to Daniel's goal.

Torts on Kassian's performance last night: " Good at times, crappy at times. But he's coming. He still has to work on his consistency".

Love the bluntness of Torts remarks, it could have a positive impact on Kassian's development as he has, in my eyes been getting better over the last few games.

Kassian still hasnt proved to be consistant....i still have him same grade.......nothings changed, sure he had a goal last night, will see.......

Canucks have got to be the favourites for the Stanley Cup now.

Carol Schram: Vancouver Canucks Game Review: 4 Straight, Grading the Forwards
The Vancouver Canucks opened a homestand with their fourth-straight win as they defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 on Monday night. I also grade the forwards' performance so far this season.
- Carol Schram

Solid effort, Carol. Thanks.

Thus far I'm pleasantly surprised by this team and I'm really beginning to like Torts more & more. Love his honest approach.

Canucks have got to be the favourites for the Stanley Cup now.
- dshiddy

Vancouver/Toronto final.

The Canucks are a surprise this year with all the doom and gloom talk surrounding the "aging, soft Sedins" and the start of the Tortorella era. At what point are fans not on the left coast of Canada going to watch a full (frank)ing game and realize that the Sedins are far from soft. Tortorella has been a breath of fresh air. Personally, I enjoy most his apparent allergy to bulls*@t.

Loving your blogs Carol. Great information and stats to go along with insight backed up by fact, not just conjecture.

The highlights from last night do a bit of a disservice to the Canucks last goal by not showing the entire shift. That goal was diiiiirty in the best way possible. For all of you that play video games, that reminded me of when the playstation just decides that the computer is going to score a goal on you in NHL'14 and you can see the goal coming for a solid minute and theres nothing you can do about it, and then of course you're left yelling at an inanimate object. (maybe the yelling part is just me!


see you at the Commodore, Carol!

Good read, Carol.


I really liked Hamhuis and Tanev defensively last night, both were rock solid. Burrows had a decent return, it made the top 6 look a bit better. Higgins continues to work his ass off and play very well, very under-appreciated player, if he were a new addition to the team and more eyes were on him I think everyone would really notice how wells he's been playing. Also like Welsh and Archibald last night in their few minutes played last night, had some good shifts in the offensive zone and used their size well.

Henrik for team MVP so far! The guys is still one of the best players in the world and he's battling harder and throwing a few more hits as well under Torts. He has half as may hits in 11 games as he had in 48 games last year.

I was a bit sceptical of Torts myself when he was hired and though that maybe AV took too much blame/heat here, but with each passing game I'm starting to think that maybe AV/Bowness were really holding this team back more so than I originally had thought.

Was thinking the exact same thing. Would love it if they could get Ott at a decent price.

Unfortunately, a top 6 playmaker is IMO still a bigger need, and I don't think they have the assets to get both, without absolutely gutting the prospect pool.
- Fosco

Agreed, but I actually think we could do both. The Top6er will likely require one of our top 4 D going the other way, whether we like it or not. If we're talking Edler or Hamhuis then that deal can probably be made straight up (ie no picks or prospects included).

For Ott, Buffalo seems to be hoarding those picks and prospects. I understand that next year's draft pool is fairly weak, whereas 2015 is seen as very strong. Therefore we could theoretically trade one or some of our 2014 picks without including any of our 2015 ones.

So what would that look like. Something like:

Edler for Top6 playmaker
Ott for a 2nd + two 4ths (all 2014)

Torts on Kassian's performance last night: " Good at times, crappy at times. But he's coming. He still has to work on his consistency".

Love the bluntness of Torts remarks, it could have a positive impact on Kassian's development as he has, in my eyes been getting better over the last few games.

- Whiskey-Tango

That quote from Torts pretty much sums up Zach Kassian's entire career in the NHL thus far.

Vancouver/Toronto final.
- Marwood

Seriously. The repore between both clubs fans is bad enough. If that actually happened.............................. Fukkin civil war.

Good read, Carol.


I really liked Hamhuis and Tanev defensively last night, both were rock solid. Burrows had a decent return, it made the top 6 look a bit better. Higgins continues to work his ass off and play very well, very under-appreciated player, if he were a new addition to the team and more eyes were on him I think everyone would really notice how wells he's been playing. Also like Welsh and Archibald last night in their few minutes played last night, had some good shifts in the offensive zone and used their size well.

Henrik for team MVP so far! The guys is still one of the best players in the world and he's battling harder and throwing a few more hits as well under Torts. He has half as may hits in 11 games as he had in 48 games last year.

I was a bit sceptical of Torts myself when he was hired and though that maybe AV took too much blame/heat here, but with each passing game I'm starting to think that maybe AV/Bowness were really holding this team back more so than I originally had thought.
- Nucker101

Darren Dreger said He expects the Sabers to flip Moulson at the deadline. I would LOVE that guy in a Canucks Sweater.

It's always interesting to see how a little tweak to anything in life can change the perceived outcome. Personally I was in favour of the Tortorella hiring, in fact all of the coaching changes, but I thought the Sedins' would struggle under the system employed by Torts. I admit that I was a bit off base, I based my assumption on the way they played for AV, but Fosco was right, they could and can play defense, and be successful.

The other outcome I'm enjoying is our new blogger. I go away for a couple of weeks, Ian has a snit and we have Todd blogging, (which from reading the comments, he wasn't really accepted as such). I get back from sea for another few weeks and I see we have some dude named Carol, only to quickly learn the dudes a dudette, and she doing a fine job so far.

Also missed all the games up to Philly (saw that one at Shark Club in Quesnel). I like the Stanton pick up, but how were Dalpe and Welsh picked up, was some prospect traded or a pick?

Seriously. The repore between both clubs fans is bad enough. If that actually happened.............................. Fukkin civil war.
- vancity787

It would be like this every game day (and every day in between)

I wish media/fans would cool down with the whole Ryan Kesler love in. As has been said on here many times, even Anson Carter was a 30 goal scorer when on the same line as the Sedins.

I will save my judgement for the end of the season and see if a) he can get 40 b) he stays healthy.

At this point the credit goes to Torts for sticking him on the wing where he belongs.

Darren Dreger said He expects the Sabers to flip Moulson at the deadline. I would LOVE that guy in a Canucks Sweater.
- vancity787

sabres can take Kassian back..for Moulson......

Dan Murphy‏@sportsnetmurph10m
Sounds like former #canuck Ryan Johnson is back with the team. This time he'll be helping with the organization's player development.

I wish media/fans would cool down with the whole Ryan Kesler love in. As has been said on here many times, even Anson Carter was a 30 goal scorer when on the same line as the Sedins.

I will save my judgement for the end of the season and see if a) he can get 40 b) he stays healthy.

At this point the credit goes to Torts for sticking him on the wing where he belongs.
- docmorgan

Agreed, but I actually think we could do both. The Top6er will likely require one of our top 4 D going the other way, whether we like it or not. If we're talking Edler or Hamhuis then that deal can probably be made straight up (ie no picks or prospects included).

For Ott, Buffalo seems to be hoarding those picks and prospects. I understand that next year's draft pool is fairly weak, whereas 2015 is seen as very strong. Therefore we could theoretically trade one or some of our 2014 picks without including any of our 2015 ones.

So what would that look like. Something like:

Edler for Top6 playmaker
Ott for a 2nd + two 4ths (all 2014)
- AlexF

Sekeres had some rumour the other day about Lu to the Isles.

If it were true I would like Lu Hansen for Gabner Clutterbuck Nabokov.

Sedin Sedin Kesler
Higgins Santorelli Grabner
Burrows Richardson Clutterbuck
Archibald Welsh Kassian

Dan Murphy‏@sportsnetmurph10m
Sounds like former #canuck Ryan Johnson is back with the team. This time he'll be helping with the organization's player development.
- VANTEL

Manny should have got that job.

Manny should have got that job.
- A_SteamingLombardi

Doubt he'd want to work for the guy who forced him into unofficial retirement.

Doubt he'd want to work for the guy who forced him into unofficial retirement.
- DrChristianTroy

Manny doesn't want to retire ... Playing for canes farm team right now I think

Doubt he'd want to work for the guy who forced him into unofficial retirement.
- DrChristianTroy

Any word on how his bid to return to the NHL is going?

Any word on how his bid to return to the NHL is going?
- 1970vintage

No clue. I wasn't a fan, but I hope he gets an opportunity to finish his career on his own terms.