We've known all along that goaltender Eddie Lack is beloved in this town.
Frankly, I'm a little surprised that there are only 831 signatures on the "Keep Eddie Lack" petition that launched on Tuesday at Change.org.
Click here for the link if you want to add your support.
Eddie continues to keep up a brave face on Twitter:
Even as the rumours get louder:
That 31st pick that the Sabres possess would certainly fit the bill as far as Jim Benning's desired return, and the Sabres currently have only career backup Chad Johnson under contract—a 29-year-old with a grand total of 56 games of NHL experience and an .889 save percentage last season with the New York Islanders.
Pierre LeBrun has a broad overview of the goalie market, though the emphasis is on Ottawa's Robin Lehner with a lesser focus on the New York Rangers' Cam Talbot. Eddie is just another name in the mix.
Back at home, Iain MacIntyre of the
Vancouver Sun spoke with Jim Benning before he took off to Las Vegas. The interview can be
found here. It's well worth a read—pretty forthright on the tradewinds and the draft.
Here's the key bit. We have some acknowledgement, at last, that Benning could try to move a veteran defenseman.
Benning has said he expects to acquire at least a second-round pick before the first round begins Friday in Sunrise, Fla. It sounded like he had the framework for a deal in place, possibly involving backup goalie Eddie Lack. But the Canucks also need to move a veteran defenceman to make room next season for minor-leaguers Frankie Corrado and Adam Clendening, who become subject to waivers in the fall.
Benning said several times, if needed, he would ask a veteran defenceman to waive his no-trade clause. Right-sided 34-year-old Kevin Bieksa is the obvious choice, although Benning wouldn’t confirm if that conversation had taken place.
Benning's clear on what he hopes to accomplish from any trades. “I’m looking at options either to try to get players to make our team better or to recover a second-round draft pick,” he said. “I’m looking at those options."
We haven't mused much on the idea of the Canucks trying to move up in the draft. That prospect sounds unlikely:
“It’s real hard to move up,” he said. “The reality is, to get inside the top 15, those teams are pretty dug in and you have to offer a good prospect to try to move up and I don’t think we’re at that stage now. We’ve added some depth to our prospect pool and we don’t want to start (subtracting) prospects. We’ll take our chances at No. 23 and I’m pretty sure there will be a player there that we like.”
Vegas Expansion and NHL Awards
It sounds a little strange to say, but Las Vegas really is the centre of the hockey universe this week. It's the centre of my hockey universe, too: I'm here, trying to avoid going outside where the temperature is 37 degrees—with an expected high today of 42.
As expected, all signs are indicating that the league will formally announce today that it's beginning the expansion process.
I can now report firsthand, the new arena is coming along nicely and it looks spectacular, nestled in just behind the Monte Carlo and New York New York hotels off the main Strip.
The feeling that I'm getting around town is that Vegas is more than ready to support this franchise, with locals who have relocated from other hockey markets making up the core of the season-ticket buyers. In a town that's driven by the hospitality industry, there are plenty of managerial types with 9-to-5 jobs and good-sized expense accounts who should be able to make use of their tickets.
Then we have the tourists coming in to see their favourite teams. The lobby of the MGM Grand was filled with a healthy dose of Chicago Blackhawks jerseys on Tuesday when we stopped by to see the display of NHL trophies.
There were so many 'Hawks fans circling the display, an impromptu chorus of "Chelsea Dagger" even broke out at one point. I'm so envious of their goal song—it's the best goal song in sports, in my opinion. Even Cole Cassels' Oshawa Generals were using it during their Memorial Cup run.
The one question that remains—will visiting players be able to keep their vices in check on road trips when the Vegas franchise becomes a reality?
I wonder if Jarret Stoll's little transgression at the MGM Grand's Wet Republic will serve as a cautionary tale going forward?
I'd also humbly suggest that for the boys who are determined to play, they don't have to come to Vegas to make that happen.
If they show the crowd at all at today's NHL Awards broadcast, look for me up in the nosebleeds. Despite their eighth-place finish overall in the NHL standings, the Canucks don't have a single nominee on this year's list, so I'm just there to soak up the comedy stylings of new host Rob Riggle. I DJed a Daughtry show at the Commodore shortly after his "American Idol" rise to fame, so he's not a real draw for me.
Trevor Linden is on the list of presenters, so he'll have my full support!
The Awards show starts at 4 p.m. PT, broadcast live on Sportsnet this year - no tape delay. We're heading to the MGM Grand in about an hour—I'll have a full report tomorrow.
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