Moving along, nothing to see here
Feb 26th, 2008 | By Mike | Category: UncategorizedLike some other Canuck bloggers, I’ll admit I’m going to miss the Cooker. First, he gave a team that is really, really short on incredibly memorable moments one of the best I’ve ever seen (even if it was short-lived). Secondly, every rival we had hated him with an extreme, almost unparalleled passion. Sure, he rarely fought to back up his shots, but that energy level and style of play was something that, honestly, you’d rather have on your side then be against it. Lastly, he seemed like a good guy off the ice, had his charity that almost never got mentioned, and played his entire pro career in Vancouver.
Life goes on though and I’m sure he’ll be a fan favorite in DC or wherever he ends up. Pettinger sounds like he’s the same type of player as Cooke, though one that’s cheaper and has a supposedly far great offensive upside. We’ll see.
The fact I am left to say “we’ll see” is the most frustrating part. For well over a year now it has been painfully obvious that this team needs at least one additional scoring threat. Last year at the deadline they didn’t feel like truly addressing it. This past summer they didn’t feel like addressing it. This whole season it wasn’t addressed and today, though I am sure Nonis made some efforts, it still wasn’t addressed.
Would this team have been better if Nonis rolled the dice like Pittsburgh, San Jose or Dallas did today? Absolutely. Maybe the prices were out of whack, but at some point in the near future Nonis is going to have gamble again. A Bertuzzi-esque gamble. Having the best goalie in the league simply isn’t enough and it’s going to take a few more pieces to this puzzle if he thinks this team is going to come close to winning it all two years from now, one year from now or even this coming spring. Until then, it feels like we’re just winging it.
Ending this rant on a positive note is that Vancouver has been playing far better recently and those around them (the Wild, Preds and Coyotes) didn’t exactly have a great deadline day either. The Avs I’m sure will make a push but today could have ended a lot worse (picture Jokinen in a Calgary outfit) so this team just needs to keep doing it’s thing.
Good luck Cooke, welcome home Pettinger and bring on the Avs tomorrow.
March 2nd, 2008 7:52 am
Man, I come over here to rub it in that we beat you…and you have nothing on it…sheeesh. It’s been a while buddy!
March 2nd, 2008 8:42 am
Hey the last two losses have been hard to take…be nice. Don’t make me mention Foote wanting to leave your team
March 2nd, 2008 9:29 am
Sigh, that one is below the belt…:’(
March 2nd, 2008 4:10 pm
Don’t worry…karma will come back to haunt him when they don’t make the playoffs either and you get their first pick.
March 2nd, 2008 4:49 pm
I think the ultimate thing would to just go on a run, and make the playoffs and beat them out by a point…but that won’t happen, so I am hoping they don’t make the playoffs.
It’s hard when your favorite player is the bad guy
March 2nd, 2008 5:14 pm
I had that happen with Bure back in ‘99. At some point you’ll be able to remember the good times, but it may take a bit. In the meantime, I’ll hope that Klesla puts him through the glass.
March 2nd, 2008 5:17 pm
Haha, I was almost happy when I heard he blocked a shot and got hurt, and then I wasn’t because I don’t want him to be hurt. Haha, I hope he gets hit hard every single shift he’s out, in every game.
March 2nd, 2008 5:25 pm
Yeah…combined with Smyth and Svatos too. At least I can be happy with that since my team gives me no reason to be happy.
March 2nd, 2008 6:17 pm
I think I felt that Smyth hit all the way in my bed…when I was watching it haha…and yeah what is going on with your team?!