Without us in the playoffs this blog sure goes sideways lolVANCOUVER — Nikita Tryamkin looked like a kid trying to find his way around a new school.

He was a little tentative, a little unsure and asked a lot of questions.

But apart from a bit of confusion here and there, the hulking Russian defenceman didn't look out of place in his first full practice with the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

"My teammates were very supportive. They picked me up and made it a lot easier," the 21-year-old said through a translator. "I was a little bit nervous at first, but once I hit the ice everything fell into place."

A third-round pick in 2014, Tryamkin finalized a two-year contract with the Canucks earlier this week after completing his fourth season with Yekaterinburg Automobilis of the KHL.

The Canucks listed him at six foot eight 220 pounds when they announced the signing, but now have him pegged at six foot seven 228 pounds.

Whatever Tryamkin's actual dimensions, the consensus on Friday was he can definitely move for a big man.

"He's a towering defenceman, that's for sure," said Vancouver forward Linden Vey, who stands an even six feet. "You're always looking up to him. He looks good on the ice. He's a guy that's going to be a big defensive presence and a big physical presence."

Tryamkin (pronounced tram-kin) took part in the Canucks' prospects camp two years ago and has made it clear he has no plans to play in the American Hockey League. If he doesn't make the NHL next season, he will go back to Russia to continue honing his skills.

"It's definitely an adjustment for him coming over here with the smaller ice, but he's got all the (tools)," said Canucks rookie forward Brendan Gaunce. "He skates so well and he moves so well laterally as a big guy. That's usually the thing they struggle with."

Tryamkin, a native of Yekaterinburg who could see action with Vancouver as early as next week, registered four goals and seven assists in 53 games in the KHL this season. He has a booming shot that sometimes lacks accuracy, but the Canucks are intrigued by his upside with and without the puck.

"There's a lot of things in his game that you like," said head coach Willie Desjardins.

There have already been the obvious comparisons to six-foot-nine 250-pound Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, but Tryamkin, who will wear No. 88, said he wants to be his own player.

Off the ice, he's already been introduced to a Russian grocery store in Vancouver, while a couple of fans with ties to his hometown attended Friday's session at the University of British Columbia.

He uses a translator with the media, however Tryamkin, who has nine goals and 19 assists in 188 regular-season games in the KHL, communicated with his new teammates on Friday using some of the English he's picked up since getting drafted.

"Hockey is a common language," he said.

With the Canucks well out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference, Tryamkin's arrival has caused a stir as fans look for positives in this lost season. If he shows well now and at training camp there could be room for him next fall on a defensively deficient team that currently sits 21st overall in goals against and 28th in even strength shot differential.

But captain Henrik Sedin cautioned against putting pressure on a player with exactly zero games of experience in North America.

"I don't think the hype around him is fair to him or anyone," said Sedin. "We'll see when he starts playing, but it's going to take time. It's not a saviour coming in."


- Joshua Clipperton

Something hockey related to read.

Sabres win

is this the coke a cola version, you're a regular Edgar Allen Poe(t)
- Makita

I just wanted to put my own twisted imagery into it, and draw in the mind in such a way as to depict the Canucks season accurately...

look up Rodin highlights on youtube. I did this months back, the guy is very very good with great puck smarts

He is a decent cheap back up .
- VANTEL

Put him on a good team ....guy was thrown to the wolves in TO ...I hope BT goes after him as a stop gap

And I do want to apologize to makita publicly for that one (I do hope you don't take it personally).
On that note, it's a little hard for a new guy to chat about anything around here (I've noticed other guys getting a lot of flack for just pretty inane comments) when people rail road him for nothing. Don't think any of my comments have been insulting or anything.

As for the soccer thing, we were too poor to afford hockey as a kid, so I played soccer from like 6-14 (which is a lot better than most kids get, so I really cant complain)and was so miserable for some reason, I wasnt very good though
- Crazybagoham

Totally agreed with you.
I sign up 8 months ago share/chat my opinion for a week and got insulted by some people( wont give any name) and i quited because i am 43 and don't have time to play head game. Only one i actually had a good exchange was Vantel and i am not even sure if it was a good exchange.

He could retire this summer. But ya, I think/hope they split the starts next season and if Markstrom shows he can handle being the # 1, then give it to him.
- Marwood

He proved that already this season when miller was out for a pile of games.

Totally agreed with you.
I sign up 8 months ago share/chat my opinion for a week and got insulted by some people( wont give any name) and i quited because i am 43 and don't have time to play head game. Only one i actually had a good exchange was Vantel and i am not even sure if it was a good exchange.
- Yannick72

I am loving caring and nurturing

I am loving caring and nurturing
- VANTEL

you're a sweetheart.

He proved that already this season when miller was out for a pile of games.
- SMBDragon

I think he has proven he deserves a shot at being the guy ...but you can't say he is a #1 for sure based on his current body of work

look up Rodin highlights on youtube. I did this months back, the guy is very very good with great puck smarts
- SMBDragon

Take a look at his wife /girlfriend. Good looking girl.

Don't know about anyone else but I didn't like that Toronto traded Reimer, seemed a little gutless given he got them to the playoffs last year and beat out Bernier (though not really by much they both weren't very good this year)... despite that I still think he's a very good goalie.
- Crazybagoham

I think it was worse that they just gave the starters job to bernier when he signed ...he did play a bit better then Reimer but it was kind of a punch to the face the way the transition played out from game 7 against Boston to the following allstar break

So you feel the need to constantly try to troll me because I offer my opinion? (im usually pretty clear that its just my opinion as well). This the reason why most people HATE canucks fans, you people can be pretty unbearable sometimes. IDC if you disagree with me.... just dont be a complete douchebag about it. Are you really railing me for thinking Reimer is solid? he is.... you folks are just going out of your way to be rude. Dude you're a joke. get the (frank) over it.
- Crazybagoham

Hammy, your first post was calling me a bandwagon kid...and you constantly tell posters they are NHL 2016 GM's. Make your bed and lie in it. That being said, I won't respond anymore son

Don't know about anyone else but I didn't like that Toronto traded Reimer, seemed a little gutless given he got them to the playoffs last year and beat out Bernier (though not really by much they both weren't very good this year)... despite that I still think he's a very good goalie.
- Crazybagoham

And here I agree with you.
Reimer>Bernier
I think they traded him so that they would lose more games and tank harder.
Funny to think that Tukka Rask had turned into a third round pick for them after all these years

I think it was worse that they just gave the starters job to bernier when he signed ...he did play a bit better then Reimer but it was kind of a punch to the face the way the transition played out from game 7 against Boston to the following allstar break
- Redmile247

Reimer has definitely deserved a good break he's had some terrible luck, I'm hoping he steals a bunch of games for SJ in the playoffs and beats out Jones (i think he got a shutout with them last week, so he's already on track)

So you feel the need to constantly try to troll me because I offer my opinion? (im usually pretty clear that its just my opinion as well). This the reason why most people HATE canucks fans, you people can be pretty unbearable sometimes. IDC if you disagree with me.... just dont be a complete douchebag about it. Are you really railing me for thinking Reimer is solid? he is.... you folks are just going out of your way to be rude. Dude you're a joke. get the (frank) over it.
- Crazybagoham

Im not being critical but more of an observation.......if you truly feel this way then why are you still here?
Sounds like a pretty dumb thing to do then

I think he has proven he deserves a shot at being the guy ...but you can't say he is a #1 for sure based on his current body of work
- Redmile247

This

This is also why I think monohan is a good number 2 center who will be a number one center and Bo is a number 3 center who will be a generational 2/3 star.

And here I agree with you.
Reimer>Bernier
I think they traded him so that they would lose more games and tank harder.
Funny to think that Tukka Rask had turned into a third round pick for them after all these years
- Pres.cup

bah, you're so right. I think that's what bothers me the most, Buffalo did the same when they shipped Enroth to Dallas last year (his fault was that he won too many games), where's the loyalty, you know? both trades Didnt sit well with me.

I'm torn....
Want a Jets win but they seem out to lunch going down the stretch.
Like an Oil win in OT over the Yotes but again idk if they can catch us.
So maybe a Yotes OT win is better.
Tonight for the Nucks i think will be a good game but lose 3-2

Totally agreed with you.
I sign up 8 months ago share/chat my opinion for a week and got insulted by some people( wont give any name) and i quited because i am 43 and don't have time to play head game. Only one i actually had a good exchange was Vantel and i am not even sure if it was a good exchange.
- Yannick72

It's definitely not a love-in if that's what you're looking for, guys have strong opinions, that makes for good debate...don't take anything here too serious.

Vantel is one of the least knowledgable hockey fans on here, he's like David Suzuki, he switched his brain off in the mid 90's but he's still using and defending that data

Sorry buddy

Take a look at his wife /girlfriend. Good looking girl.
- bloatedmosquito

Never saw her.... if so we can bring him in just so we have another hot chick in town

Take a look at his wife /girlfriend. Good looking girl.
- bloatedmosquito

I've heardbefore that's a tool really old school baseball scouts (dirty old men probably) use:

Hot gf=Confidence Ugly gf= no confidence... wonder if it relates to sports?

Totally agreed with you.
I sign up 8 months ago share/chat my opinion for a week and got insulted by some people( wont give any name) and i quited because i am 43 and don't have time to play head game. Only one i actually had a good exchange was Vantel and i am not even sure if it was a good exchange.
- Yannick72

I can only give the same advice I gave to crazybagoham in a PM, on a board where anonymity rules, there will always be individuals that disagree with particular views and or opinions. There are always armchair GM's, Coaches that need to take issue with these opinions with comments that are disrespectful and or degrading, with a slant to questioning someones intelligence.

But saying that, the poster needs to have thick skin, and not allow the comments to become a pissing match that goes back and forth. Ignore the BS stuff and converse with those that aren't antagonistic.

It also helps if the content of the posts aren't condescending and are structured in a coherent nature, if it becomes an issue that's where I have to step in, and if people perceive they're being legitimately being attacked send me a PM and I'll investigate....or flag the offending post and there's the possibility another ref without knowledge of this fan base will come in and ban the offender.

It's definitely not a love-in if that's what you're looking for, guys have strong opinions, that makes for good debate...don't take anything here too serious.

Vantel is one of the least knowledgable hockey fans on here, he's like David Suzuki, he switched his brain off in the mid 90's but he's still using and defending that data

Sorry buddy
- LeftCoaster

Dont know why anyone ever said suzuki was smart. He's more like capt incredibly obvious to 5th graders.

Lundqvist makes a save cuz of an over baggy jersey.
Thats total BS tbh