Naslund No Longer a Canuck

Lancer · Post by **Lancer** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:21 pm

I wasn't a big fan of Nazzy's $6 million cap hit, but $4.5 would have been swallowable. Maybe we needed a culture change, but this is still a little hard to take when our offence was anemic to begin with and just got paler.

The thing that gets me is this is a THIN FA crop this year, and rather than at least protect what assets he has, MG blows $10 million a year on Sundin, gambling that he'll put off retirement for the money. If I was Nazzy, I'd be wondering why none of that money would have come my way.

I guess we can kiss Mo good bye. Gillis seems intent on throwing a wrecking ball into the dressing room and re-building it in his own (or Aquaman's) image. If the Twins didn't feel the weight of the city on their shoulders, they soon will.

This is going to be a painful season... I'd mention something about Tavares, but that idiot Gillis will probably put out some ridiculous offer sheet to Ryan Clowe/Stever Bernier/(insert RFA forward here) to save whatever's left of his jowly face this summer and we'll have to surrender our 1st next spring. It'll be like watching Edmonton last season... except without any rookie forwards like Gagner or Cogliano to be excited about...

dr.dork · Post by **dr.dork** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:33 pm

Good luck, Naslund. The fans and media in this town will get what they deserve for driving you out of town. I am a bit disgusted with the whole thing, and now Mo will be booted out too.

Unless a miracle happens we're in last place in the division, last place in the conference, and last place overall. A trifecta of crap and for sure we will lose the lottery too. (And don't forget next year we will lose the Sedins (for nothing) and the year after that we will lose Louie (for nothing)).

I have heard about bold moves before, but these are the boldest. We still have until October 1st to "right the ship" but currently the good ship Canuck is about 50 feet underwater.

BingoTough · Post by **BingoTough** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:34 pm

At least in the 90s when the team were crap we had decent players who just played poorly.

sic puppy · Post by **sic puppy** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:34 pm

Larry Goodenough wrote: And Naslund says he went their because he thinks they can win the cup?

Not sure where you heard he said he wanted to go to NY to win the Cup.

While I'm sure most players want to win the Cup, Naslund was quoted as saying he wanted to go to NY, if given the opportunity because it was a once in a lifetime experience. Advice he apparently got from ex-players.

levelheaded · Post by **levelheaded** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:36 pm

sic puppy wrote:
Larry Goodenough wrote: And Naslund says he went their because he thinks they can win the cup?
Not sure where you heard he said he wanted to go to NY to win the Cup.

While I'm sure most players want to win the Cup, Naslund was quoted as saying he wanted to go to NY, if given the opportunity because it was a once in a lifetime experience. Advice he apparently got from ex-players.

Go to TSN and watch the video about the Naslund signing, he says he signed with the Rags because he felt he could win a cup with them. And as teams go, the Rangers certainly aren't the worst. I'd say they're in the top 10 for cup contenders this year.

gordorama · Post by **gordorama** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:40 pm

I fear this is all my fault, and apologize to all Canuck fans.

The curse from my youth as a Winnipeg Jets fan in the 80s has caught up to me once more.

Next, the team will move to Houston and will be coached by Mark Messier.

The horror!

sic puppy · Post by **sic puppy** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:46 pm

levelheaded wrote: Go to TSN and watch the video about the Naslund signing, he says he signed with the Rags because he felt he could win a cup with them. And as teams go, the Rangers certainly aren't the worst. I'd say they're in the top 10 for cup contenders this year.

Thx, level. A cup contender !

Interesting that he commented on the direction the Rangers were going. (vs the Nux ?)

mattola · Post by **mattola** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:49 pm

do you think Messier had anything to do with this naslund signing?

F15 Driver · Post by **F15 Driver** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:55 pm

do you think Messier had anything to do with this naslund signing?

Do you mean did Messier threaten to sexually harass Naslund if he didn't sign with the NYR?

Sad to see Nazzy go, but I think his time had come.
I don't see the next couple of years in Canuckland as being any fun, but stranger things have happened.

Larry Goodenough · Post by **Larry Goodenough** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 4:03 pm

sic puppy wrote:
Larry Goodenough wrote: And Naslund says he went their because he thinks they can win the cup?
Not sure where you heard he said he wanted to go to NY to win the Cup.

While I'm sure most players want to win the Cup, Naslund was quoted as saying he wanted to go to NY, if given the opportunity because it was a once in a lifetime experience. Advice he apparently got from ex-players.

I just heard him say the exact thing on TEAM 1040 sports update.

Farhan Lalji · Post by **Farhan Lalji** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 4:04 pm

Madcombinepilot wrote:

I guess under my scenario, you would have...

-4 balanced lines
yeah, but 4 ballanced 4th lines will get you nowhere

Perhaps, but I think you MIGHT be able to maximize these "plumbers" if you use them correctly.

(Case in point):

Let's say you make the Sedins' for Chara trade, and are now left with practically nothing up front.

-You sign TWO of the following three: Mike Peca, Chris Gratton, Yannick Perault. All of a sudden, you have 3 centers (including Ryan Johnson) that are either one of the best shut down centers in the league, or are one of the best face-off men in the league.

-Sign a guy like Mark Recchi and/or Peter Bondra for one year. Give them fourth line duty, but use them extensively on the power play. With limited ice-time while keeping them well rested, you could someone like this to MAXIMIZE on the power play.

-Donald Brashear + 1 more enforcer. With Hordichuk already here, the Canucks could be one of the toughest teams in the league with Brashear + 1 more legit enforcer. Keep in mind, we already would have Bieksa (and Chara in my retarded scenario

).

-Shannon, Kesler, Raymond. Gives us speed. Have the potential to timely goals.

Raymond-Kesler-Pyatt (or instead of Pyatt, trade for another TOP penalty killer).
Wellworth-Gratton-Shannon (or instead of Shannon, add another enforcer here)
Burrows-Peca-Hordichuk
Brashear-Johnson-Recchi (you could sign Yannick Perrault, and use Johnson as a winger or a spare...Perrault would play on the top two lines.).

Uggh....that's ugly, but you'd have some essential ingredients. Great toughness, great PK'ers, and maybe a few guys that could score on the PP (i.e. a well rested Recchi, Kesler, Raymond, Salo, Ohlund, Bieksa, Chara). Guys like Peca, Hordichuk, Gratton, etc. are more than capable of scoring 'garbage' goals under the right environment. Raymond, Shannon, Kesler, and Peca could give us some speed.

Defense:

Chara-Ohlund
Mitchell-Edler
Bieksa-Salo

Luongo
Sanford.

Salo, Bieksa, Ohlund, and Chara are more than capable of providing some form of secondary scoring.

Canucks would definitely NOT be one of the top teams in the league, but we'd be ultra annoying to play against....and on most nights, extremely difficult to beat. Personally, I think a team similar to this might surprise some people....and squeak in to the playoffs (an possibly cause a 1st round upset....dare I say 2?).

Our defense and goaltending would be amongst the top in the league (as would our penalty kill and team toughness).

Tukaram · Post by **Tukaram** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 4:07 pm

Larry Goodenough wrote:
And Naslund says he went their because he thinks they can win the cup?

I wouldn't read too much into that; it's just standard PR-speak, like when a new draftee says he's been a fan of the team that just drafted him since he was a little kid, even though he was born in a country that doesn't have TVs.

I like Naslund: he's a good guy who represented the Canucks very well and provided lots of great goals and memories.

But this day was coming; I think everyone knew it. Best to deal with it now and move on.

Soapy · Post by **Soapy** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 4:12 pm

i heard on NW News that the Canucks had not made him ANY offer......not even a token offer? MG not signing another one of his clients.......why have an ex-agent if you can not use him for his contacts & internal knowledge of players......does St Louis have anyone left we can sign??

BingoTough · Post by **BingoTough** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 4:17 pm

Farhan, you can't win the cup that way, only avoid sucking completely. If (as I suspect) we're going to miss the playoffs I'd rather come dead last. At least then we get a sensational draft pick.

newostar · Post by **newostar** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 4:19 pm

I have a feeling the owners wanted to save some money this year while probably filling up the building for one more year and try to sell the franchise off and get back to their real estate racket.

It's the only justification for what's going on right now.

Jokinen gets aquired for 2 washed up D men? Do we have nothing better to offer for anybody.

This is truly the worst car crash of an organization I have ever seen.

It makes you feel like Gillis will come out and say "just kidding everyone" "here are all the players I promised you....