The Lost Art of the Wrist Shot

WCE · Post by **WCE** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:21 pm

I really wonder...

After the 2003/2004 playoffs, Naslund had surgery on his arm to repair bone chips near his elbow. It was painfully obvious that it was bothering him during the series, and for the first time in his tenure as a Canuck he started to use a slapshot.

Last year, I thought that because of his groin injury he just wasn't getting enough seperation from defenders due to a lack of quickness, and thus couldn't get it off.

Now I am really wondering if that surgery didn't take the 'zip' off the torch he uses - that quick release laser is gone.

If that is the case, man is that 6 million going to be a tough one to swallow again next year. I love Naslund, great guy, fanstatic player, deserved better in 02/03 the same way a lot of the guys on that team did (Trev, Klatt, Jovo, etc).

Sigh...the road ahead is a rocky one.

JamesOwnzSam11 · Post by **JamesOwnzSam11** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:40 am

He's still the greatest Canuck of all time.

Larry Goodenough · Post by **Larry Goodenough** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:41 am

Ya, he broke the elbow when Steve Moore hit him.

A concussion and a broken elbow to arguably one of the top 3 goal scorers at the time and no suspension.

That one moment in time had enormous consequences for the team.

If the hit did not occur...

1. Does Vancouver lose to Calgary in the playoffs when the difference was so slim, it came down to an OT goal in game seven? With Bertuzzi in the lineup and Naslund playing without a broken elbow, the chances are good they defeat Calgary. If Calgary goes to the final, Vancouver could have gone that far as well. I would also point out Naslund had 9 points in 7 games that series and played without Bertuzzi - while playing with a broken elbow.

2. Burke would not have had to give up all those high draft picks and Umburger to replace the void left by Bertuzzi's supension. (Sanderson, Rucinsky, etc..) The team's depth would potentially be better today if they had these picks back. Umberger probably would not have signed, but Burke could have peddled him for a provisional 2nd or 3rd round pick instead of Rucinsky.

3. Last year we would not have had to go through all the garbage around Bertuzzi and the lasting effects of the "incident". I think the team plays much better last year and makes the playoffs if it was not for the Moore hit and what came after it. Also, if the team had played better last year, maybe Nonis would not have had to give up even more picks in an attempt to make the playoffs. (Weinrich, Carney, Brown) resulting in even more depth for the future.

4. Now we're questioning where Naslund's wrist shot of old has gone and the team is on the hook for 12 million dollars.

All from that one hit............

Island Nucklehead · Post by **Island Nucklehead** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:36 am

Pretty biased view...I don't think it's the Moore hit, but the Bertuzzi hit. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy, but it wasn't Moore's fault. Had Bert not cranked him the way we did, all the things you mention (except Naslunds elbow, which I was unaware of) could have still played out. Let's not let our hometown feelings cloud what really happend...Berts vigilante justice hurt this team, not Steve Moores opportunistic hit.

Larry Goodenough · Post by **Larry Goodenough** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 8:56 am

Island Nucklehead wrote:Pretty biased view...I don't think it's the Moore hit, but the Bertuzzi hit. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy, but it wasn't Moore's fault. Had Bert not cranked him the way we did, all the things you mention (except Naslunds elbow, which I was unaware of) could have still played out. Let's not let our hometown feelings cloud what really happend...Berts vigilante justice hurt this team, not Steve Moores opportunistic hit.

Read my post again Island.

I just said it started a chain of events that continue to haunt this team almost 3 years later. I didn't say it was someone's fault - just saying if Moore doesn't hit Naslund.. then things are much different today.

Island Nucklehead · Post by **Island Nucklehead** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:45 am

Larry Goodenough wrote:Ya, he broke the elbow when Steve Moore hit him.

A concussion and a broken elbow to arguably one of the top 3 goal scorers at the time and no suspension.

All from that one hit............

Smacks of a little bitterness and blame, dontcha think? All I said was you could replace the Moore hit with the Bertuzzi hit and get nearly the same outcome...

Kel · Post by **Kel** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:58 am

I am not sure it's the elbow though, because Naslund was scoring with his wrist shots into top corners early last season, long after the Moore hit. I know Markus is a likeable guy and a great person, but I don't think the old injury from the Moore hit is a good excuse for him. On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a different injury he suffered or even aging that took away his deadly wrister.

randymeeks · Post by **randymeeks** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:53 pm

On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a different injury he suffered or even aging that took away his deadly wrister.

I think the hip and groin injuries have likely taken his wrister away from him. Your shot comes from your toes, not your arms. I'm guessing he just can't get the same power from his wrister from hi9s legs that he used to.

Maybe we can all pray to God for a second that we all sneak into the 8th playoff spot, then all of a sudden, that wrist shot magically comes back.

Hey, we can dream, can't we?

Larry Goodenough · Post by **Larry Goodenough** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 8:05 pm

Island Nucklehead wrote:
Larry Goodenough wrote:Ya, he broke the elbow when Steve Moore hit him.

A concussion and a broken elbow to arguably one of the top 3 goal scorers at the time and no suspension.

All from that one hit............
Smacks of a little bitterness and blame, dontcha think? All I said was you could replace the Moore hit with the Bertuzzi hit and get nearly the same outcome...

No, one more time, I am just outlining what happened form that point. You can sense bitterness from a post? Perhaps you're misinterpreting my posts. I would tell you if I was bitter.

I mentioned the broken elbow because it was never really talked about - you even mentioned you did not know, plus it affected that year's playoffs as Naslund played hurt.

I mentioned th lack of a suspension, because Colin Campbell knew that Naslund had both a concussioin and a broken elbow and still chose to to suspend. If he did, I doubt the guys would have been after him as hard as they were the night Bertuzzi got him.

I'm not sure what you mean about replacing the hits?

Island Nucklehead · Post by **Island Nucklehead** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:01 pm

All I was trying to say was that if Bert didn't go Dirty Harry all we would have lost would be Naslund to a conky and the elbow, and as Kel pointed out he was wristing some pretty goals last season...I'm inclined to believe the hip/groin could be something.

I don't want to hash it up anymore, suffice to say I just get sick of people blaming Steve Moore for something Jarko Ruutu and Matt Cooke would do 10/10 times if they were in the same position.

rikster · Post by **rikster** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:04 am

Not sure about the lost wrist shot, but a difference between the WCE line and the Sedin line is the speed at which they play the games...

And with the WCE line they had Bert creating time and space which allowed Naslund time to get it off...

With the Sedins, he has played a slow and methodical cycle game where the chances are usually in close and he has very little time and space to get his shot off...

Take care...

Larry Goodenough · Post by **Larry Goodenough** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 3:58 pm

Island Nucklehead wrote:All I was trying to say was that if Bert didn't go Dirty Harry all we would have lost would be Naslund to a conky and the elbow, and as Kel pointed out he was wristing some pretty goals last season...I'm inclined to believe the hip/groin could be something.

I don't want to hash it up anymore, suffice to say I just get sick of people blaming Steve Moore for something Jarko Ruutu and Matt Cooke would do 10/10 times if they were in the same position.

And I was trying to point out how that one play led to a chain of events that continues to impact this team today. I was not placing blame or debating responsibilty.

I never "blamed" Moore - that's your own agenda.