Canucks 2011 Playoff Run

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WestCoastJoe
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Many fans were loyal to Dave Nonis. He was doing a good job by most standards. And it was easy to doubt Mike Gillis, as an untried GM, former players' agent.

From the get go, however, it seems to me Gillis has shown calmness, judgment and far-sightedness in his thinking.

The first surprising, excellent decision, was to keep Alain Vigneault. He could easily have dumped him, without much of a fan protest.

Another surprising decision was to make salary cap management a top concern, bringing in Lawrence Gilman. Easy to say now how important that was, but at the time, it might have seemed extravagant to pay a specialist just for that.

Player development with Dave Gagner was another forward looking move.

Attention to diet, sleep, travel, mental state and fitness has been very, very far sighted. It seems the Canucks are the most fit team in the league.

Even the quiet way they got Kesler, Burroughs and Bieksa to buy into the notion of playing between the whistles, forgetting the yapping at players and referees, has been a great improvement.

Building the depth has been his greatest achievement, IMO. Higgins, Lapierre. Where would we be without them? Hamhuis. Quietly, one of the absolute best defenders in the league. His patience with the Bieksa situation. Signing the twins when many fans would have been happy to see them go. And on and on.

He has made Vancouver a destination team, which free agents wish to join at a discount. Hamhuis, Torres, etc. Or veterans wish to continue with at a discount: Sedins, Kesler, etc.

Brave move by Aquilini hiring Gillis. Many great moves by Gillis since then. Best move IMO: keeping Alain Vigneault.
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Robbie
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Toppy Vann wrote:Wasn't the story that Bieksa would have been a salary cap goner but for Salo's injury? If so, management must be laughing now.
Hi Toppy Vann, the Vancouver Sun is collecting Canucks fan pictures around the world:

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Phot ... story.html

Since you are in Hong Kong right now, why don't you take a few Canucks fan pictures there and submit them?
祝加拿大加式足球聯賽不列颠哥伦比亚卑詩雄獅隊今年贏格雷杯冠軍。此外祝溫哥華加人隊贏總統獎座·卡雲斯·甘保杯·史丹利盃。還每年祝溫哥華白頭浪隊贏美國足球大联盟杯。不要忘記每年祝溫哥華巨人贏西部冰球聯盟冠軍。
改建後的卑詩體育館於二十十一年九月三十日重新對外開放,首場體育活動為同日舉行的加拿大足球聯賽賽事,由主場的卑詩雄獅隊以三十三比二十四擊敗愛民頓愛斯基摩人隊。
祝你龍年行大運。
恭喜西雅图海鹰直到第四十八屆超級盃最終四十三比八大勝曾拿下兩次超級盃冠軍的丹佛野馬拿下隊史第一個超級盃冠軍。
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Rammer
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Robbie wrote:
Toppy Vann wrote:Wasn't the story that Bieksa would have been a salary cap goner but for Salo's injury? If so, management must be laughing now.
Hi Toppy Vann, the Vancouver Sun is collecting Canucks fan pictures around the world:

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Phot ... story.html

Since you are in Hong Kong right now, why don't you take a few Canucks fan pictures there and submit them?
Good find on the Cancuck Fan Nation site Robbie, they seem to have the world covered in Canuck wear.
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Toppy Vann
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Rammer wrote:
Robbie wrote:
Toppy Vann wrote:Wasn't the story that Bieksa would have been a salary cap goner but for Salo's injury? If so, management must be laughing now.
Hi Toppy Vann, the Vancouver Sun is collecting Canucks fan pictures around the world:

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Phot ... story.html

Since you are in Hong Kong right now, why don't you take a few Canucks fan pictures there and submit them?
Good find on the Cancuck Fan Nation site Robbie, they seem to have the world covered in Canuck wear.
Thanks for the link! Funny on the way home from grocery shopping the other night there was a family van with a Canucks flag on it. Two things are odd. Seeing a car here that is not a taxi but seeing that was remarkable. I would have taken a picture of that flag on my mobile but both hands were full.

To get a Canuck fan photo would mean I 'd have to go the pub at early morning hours for games in the East or during work when games are at home. Don't see too many on the Geoexpat boards yet asking for a group but during the Olympic final at 4 am or so the pub was full of Canadian fans - Chinese more than expats.

The big sport here is soccer and I would be prepared to make a bet that if I walk down Hollywood Road from my flat in Sheung Wan to Central Escalator (10 min. walk) I will pass at least one if not more people wearing Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool or England jerseys or jackets. As soccer is on the pay channels here on cable and not on basic cable the bars do well. When they shifted from free to pay, the people were so angry in China and HK that ads were played featuring Arsene Wenger, Manager of Arsenal - explaining how even in the UK they have to pay. It is so big here that during the first hours of the Japan tsunami Bloomberg TV and China gov't CCTV 9 were running condolence messages from the major countries USA, UK, Russia, etc and Liverpool FC. The Liverpool message to their member fans in Japan and the people of Japan was featured at the same level as the messages from the countries! Astounding to me from BC but these clubs sell huge in this part of the world and that is why during their short season break they tour Asia.

I will have to see when the Canucks next game is and see if I can get a photo at the pub.

But I am going to post this link at Geoexpat for others here to see! Thanks for the idea.

Here is the last game and the fans. Notice one jersey - bar is Man United's bar - they franchise these in Asia. Not boisterous but Chinese here are not known for wild drinking. That is why you can drink alcohol everywhere here. Streets, parks, etc. Not on buses or subway. Beer, wine, spirits sold at 711 - my favourite bar (cheap).
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"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
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Robbie
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Toppy Vann wrote:To get a Canuck fan photo would mean I 'd have to go the pub at early morning hours for games in the East or during work when games are at home. Don't see too many on the Geoexpat boards yet asking for a group but during the Olympic final at 4 am or so the pub was full of Canadian fans - Chinese more than expats.Not boisterous but Chinese here are not known for wild drinking.
If you can answer on behalf of the majority of Hong Kong's population - what is the favourite NHL team in Hong Kong?

If there's any personal reason, I could understand how the Canucks would be one of them given the fact that Greater Vancouver has a very large Hong Kong Chinese population and they likely have many relatives and friends there, and many of them have been there before.

And after choosing a favourite NHL team, do they have a favourite NHL player? In this case, it wouldn't be for any personal or affinity reasons as there are no Chinese players in the NHL. I see in this picture taken from that link, at least two fans like Henrik Sedin, another one Raffi Torres, while the one with the 'A' would be either Daniel Sedin or Ryan Kesler.

Image

So far, there are no pictures from anyone in Sweden. I wonder which team people in Sweden would be rooting. If the Boston Bruins advance, then Swedes would support the Canucks given the fact that there are no Swedes on the Bruins roster. There are three Swedes in the Tampa Bay Lightning roster though, the most popular would be ex-Canuck Mattias Ohlund. And for those from Finland, both the Bruins and Lightning have only one Finn, as do the Canucks.
祝加拿大加式足球聯賽不列颠哥伦比亚卑詩雄獅隊今年贏格雷杯冠軍。此外祝溫哥華加人隊贏總統獎座·卡雲斯·甘保杯·史丹利盃。還每年祝溫哥華白頭浪隊贏美國足球大联盟杯。不要忘記每年祝溫哥華巨人贏西部冰球聯盟冠軍。
改建後的卑詩體育館於二十十一年九月三十日重新對外開放,首場體育活動為同日舉行的加拿大足球聯賽賽事,由主場的卑詩雄獅隊以三十三比二十四擊敗愛民頓愛斯基摩人隊。
祝你龍年行大運。
恭喜西雅图海鹰直到第四十八屆超級盃最終四十三比八大勝曾拿下兩次超級盃冠軍的丹佛野馬拿下隊史第一個超級盃冠軍。
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notahomer
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I think management has got it figured out for now. I personally didn't think Gillis would be successful but I am glad to be wrong. Sometimes this seems to be a common problem in prosports. People like sports agents just don't have what it takes was probably the philosphy at the time. I sure felt that. Gillis has learned from the weaknesses. I sure thought okay, we've got enough defencemen now but wham the Sharks thinned out our D again. This rest time looks like it really will pay off.
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KnowItAll
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well, I never did have faith in Nonis and was immediately expecting improvement from Gillis. :thup: :thup: :thup:
Every day that passes is one you can't get back
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Robbie
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So it will be Vancouver Canucks vs. Boston Bruins.

Any predictions?

The Canucks will have to get past Tim Thomas, who had the best GAA this season.

While the Bruins did not hold the Prince of Wales trophy, they all stood behind it for a photo shoot. May that be an omen. :wink:
祝加拿大加式足球聯賽不列颠哥伦比亚卑詩雄獅隊今年贏格雷杯冠軍。此外祝溫哥華加人隊贏總統獎座·卡雲斯·甘保杯·史丹利盃。還每年祝溫哥華白頭浪隊贏美國足球大联盟杯。不要忘記每年祝溫哥華巨人贏西部冰球聯盟冠軍。
改建後的卑詩體育館於二十十一年九月三十日重新對外開放,首場體育活動為同日舉行的加拿大足球聯賽賽事,由主場的卑詩雄獅隊以三十三比二十四擊敗愛民頓愛斯基摩人隊。
祝你龍年行大運。
恭喜西雅图海鹰直到第四十八屆超級盃最終四十三比八大勝曾拿下兩次超級盃冠軍的丹佛野馬拿下隊史第一個超級盃冠軍。
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KnowItAll
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fitting that luongo should go up against his two vezina trophy competitors to get to the cup
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Toppy Vann
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Robbie, I 'd have to guess there'd be a split between Vancouver and Toronto Maple Leafs given that is where most HK Chinese gravitate(d) to. I do know some from Sask/Man though and some Albertans.

The Olympics we watched at 4 am in an Wan Chai more typically a soccer bar at night had a lot of Canadian fans from Toronto.

We call around the world every day and I have found Canadians in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Suzhou, Egypt, and this week a woman from Saskatchewan interested when they ask where I am from and I say Vancouver.

It is looking to be a good series and this time Vancouver is not a huge underdog.
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
zark
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The media is so vague. When is the first game?

Freakin Wednesday?????? Y^our kidding right??? If it wasn't the Canucks playing, I couldn't care less at that point. I wonder how many people in other cities feel that way?
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1greatmysticbushape
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you sound just like my 90 yr old Pappy. keep it alive. dam media - they'll never get it right.
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Robbie
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:yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

Finally, ;canucks: figured out how to solve Tim Thomas. Just three more times and Luongo will do the rest. :beauty:

Image
祝加拿大加式足球聯賽不列颠哥伦比亚卑詩雄獅隊今年贏格雷杯冠軍。此外祝溫哥華加人隊贏總統獎座·卡雲斯·甘保杯·史丹利盃。還每年祝溫哥華白頭浪隊贏美國足球大联盟杯。不要忘記每年祝溫哥華巨人贏西部冰球聯盟冠軍。
改建後的卑詩體育館於二十十一年九月三十日重新對外開放,首場體育活動為同日舉行的加拿大足球聯賽賽事,由主場的卑詩雄獅隊以三十三比二十四擊敗愛民頓愛斯基摩人隊。
祝你龍年行大運。
恭喜西雅图海鹰直到第四十八屆超級盃最終四十三比八大勝曾拿下兩次超級盃冠軍的丹佛野馬拿下隊史第一個超級盃冠軍。
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KnowItAll
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the best thing about it is that it was an even strength goal.

hope to see a lot more of those.
Every day that passes is one you can't get back
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notahomer
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Have to admit I was sure this was going at least 60 minutes. Will sure be interesting to watch the rematch on Saturday. I had to be Downtown near the central library about 45 minutes before face off. This town is NUTS! I'm glad so many seem to like the outdoor, olympic-type partying. Go get em! I prefer soaking it all in at home in the lazyboy.

I really think this could be a great series. IMO, this game could have easily ended with a result most Vancouverites would not have been happy with. Thomas kept the BabyBears in it. I heard Hank got 8 shots! Not bad for a garden gnome, eh?
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