[PGT] Canucks (4) @ Flames (1)

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

Originally Posted by CsInMyBlood

Lets play a game.

Can you name me a worse fan base in professional sports other than D-baggery Vancouver Canucks fans?

Yeah, I can't think of any either.

Philly. Any sport.

[AR_Six]

^I was going to say the pink hats, now not just for Sox games... ask long-time Bruins fans.

[moon]

Originally Posted by AR_Six

I sure heard a lot of it coming out of the rink and on the train last night - and I got to participate as an observer as I went to the game after work and wasn't wearing a jersey.

I was talking more about CP than general public. I don't live in Calgary so don't hear/care that much about what the casual fan is saying.

The frequent references to barely remembered decades old victories, desperate optimism about how good the team will be once those flashy energetic kids mature, delighting in the badness of your own team (yay, another lottery pick! We win at losing!) and bileful longing for the day when geographical rivals inevitbaly suffer the same fate, it's all just so... Oily. And as we all know, that which is synonymous with the Oiler operation is equally synonymous with "pathetic". There are other, less pitiful ways to be a fan of a re-building team.

I am not a fan of the how many Cups do you have BS unless you are a fan of a team that has won a Cup with the same basic core there. Perhaps Kings, Hawks, Pens fans can taunt others with this but it is fairly hollow when the teams that won those Cups have been retired for 10+ years.

I am not sure cheering for losses or maybe cheering against wins is all that "oily" but acting as though the team is some sort of genius for getting those losses certainly is.

As for longing for the days when the rival will experience the same thing I
think that is just rivalry and nothing really wrong with that.

The problem I always had/still have with Oilers fans is their acting like what they were doing was planned and a great way to go, the insane overrating of their talent and prospects and the garbage "just wait" "get used to it" comments if the team won a single game. I am seeing that in Flames fans and that concerns me.

But realizing that the team needs elite talent that you get from a high pick and losses while realizing the process will be long and necessary (and not due to "smart" GM'ing) is fine with me. Taunting a scumbag fanbase/organization like the Canucks with can't wait to see you here is also not only fine but encouraged.

[the_professsor]

Lots of expected results last night...

- Flames lose to a much better hockey team
- Canuck fans in my section prove again to be complete d-bags
- Newest Canuck Derek Roy flops to the ice vagina first, on most teams you need to fight to earn respect, clearly a different culture over there

[neo45]

I don't see the same confidence in the Canucks team as I did two years ago. They aren't going into the playoffs thinking they are going to win it all, they are going in thinking they have a chance to win it all. If I were them I would be hoping for a San Jose match up first round rather than a match up with the Blues, but at the same time the Sharks are 3-0 against them this year

If they can play San Jose in the first round and Anaheim in the second round, THEN things are looking pretty good for them. I would take the Canucks in both of those series. The teams that they want to avoid are Chicago, LA, and St Louis

[Loyal and True]

^^^anyone who associates us with oiler fans is a complete d-bag, especially if they are a canuck fan sympathizer to boot. D-bag is as D-bag does.

For the first time in 30+ years of franchise history, we might get a top 5 draft pick. We might draft a franchise player near the head of the class. FIRST TIME EVER. Flames fans have every right to feel positive about this draft, given that we have gone so long without a top 5 draft pick.

We can make fun of the oilers because they still suck at hockey, and they also suck at rebuilding. But at least they have won cups. We can at least respect the history of the battle of Alberta and be proud to have beaten them at their best.

We can make fun of the canucks for so many reasons:
1) Their fanbase - where to begin? riots? gloating without any true bragging rights? cheering for divers? I could go on and on...
2) They have never won a cup
3) They are nobody's favorite to win the cup
4) They are not getting any better, they are getting worse
5) The personalities on that team are embarrassing. How could anyone be proud of these guys?!? How could anyone spend money on a Burrows jersey? Bieksa? Lapierre? I can't even admire Kesler or Sedins because of all the diving and lack of Canadian heart! Stand anyone of these guys beside Iginla and a Canuck fan should be red in the face!
6) Turn down the soccer, and turn up the hockey. Canucks haven't had anyone admirable since Linden retired.
7) The history of the canucks is so embarassing. A perennial basement dweller finally has a good team after 40 years, and now fans wanna gloat...yet still no cup?!?

All of this, and vancouver fans STILL think they are the s**t. If anyone needs to be taken down a few notches, its the schmuck fans.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by neo45

I don't see the same confidence in the Canucks team as I did two years ago. They aren't going into the playoffs thinking they are going to win it all, they are going in thinking they have a chance to win it all. If I were them I would be hoping for a San Jose match up first round rather than a match up with the Blues, but at the same time the Sharks are 3-0 against them this year

If they can play San Jose in the first round and Anaheim in the second round, THEN things are looking pretty good for them. I would take the Canucks in both of those series. The teams that they want to avoid are Chicago, LA, and St Louis

which is why winning the NW is so important, want to avoid Chicago as long as possible or completely, winning the NW guarantees they can't play them until a potential WCF

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by neo45

If I were them I would be hoping for a San Jose match up first round rather than a match up with the Blues, but at the same time the Sharks are 3-0 against them this year

I actually think the Sharks are a pretty terrible matchup for them too - San Jose's centres will eviscerate the Canucks in the face-off dot and may win the possession game as a result. They're also a very big team that will be able to generate offense in that matchup. All in all, it's a bad one, but the Blues are also a bad matchup provided they get any sort of goaltending. The Canucks are best off playing the Wild or Red Wings.

That said, I do not think past record is a really good way to judge Vancouver this year given that the team that has played most of the season will not look much like the one they ice for the playoffs; having two very good centres as opposed to playing Alex Burrows in the middle with Ebbett at 2C versus Roy and Kesler is a pretty big change. Healthy, the Canucks are at worst mild underdogs, not faint-hope longshots, no matter the matchup. It's perfectly reasonable to argue that they'll beat any particular team they're matched up against, even though they aren't expected to any longer.

[d_phaneuf]

to me the biggest issue with the Flames I saw last night and on Saturday as well, and it might just be recent since the trades

Kipper is getting absolutely no help in front of the net, and that's either effort or coaching, has nothing to do with talent

the Canucks had 9 goals over the 2 games and I think 6 of them were someone within 5 feet of the net not being checked, that can't happen

[dammage79]

Was going to say some of what Loyal and true posted.

Flames have never had a top five pick. Some of us would like to have just ONE for once. Canucks have had theirs (the Sedins namely), and the Oilers have had their glut over the years. So forgive a Flames fan who has seen their team on the downswing for some years for getting a little excited at the idea of having a shot at their first ever top five pick.

I can also pretty much guarantee that after this years draft that most fans won't be getting as excited as Oilers fans if they get any more top five picks. I cannot even Blame Oilers fans for getting excited at their first....first overall pick. But it is shameful that they cheered for the other two first overall picks like they did.

I have more faith in Feaster than I would have in Tambellini to build the team the right way and get through this re tooling faster.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Kipper is getting absolutely no help in front of the net, and that's either effort or coaching, has nothing to do with talent

the Canucks had 9 goals over the 2 games and I think 6 of them were someone within 5 feet of the net not being checked, that can't happen

This tends to happen when the two toughest top 5 D is Giordano....followed by Wideman.

[MissTeeks]

Pat Steinberg‏@Fan960Steinberg4m

MacDonald starts tomorrow according to Hartley. #Flames

Pat Steinberg‏@Fan960Steinberg3m

Sounds like Hudler and Begin both have good chances to play tomorrow, as well. #Flames

[Bar-Down]

Since the Sedins are on their last year of their contracts next year, could they possibly be moved at the deadline if they cant get them signed soon enough...

[AR_Six]

Originally Posted by Bar-Down

Since the Sedins are on their last year of their contracts next year, could they possibly be moved at the deadline if they cant get them signed soon enough...

I would bet that the Sedins will retire as Canucks. Whether that is the result of one "retirement" deal that takes them to age 39 or 40, and drops immediate cap hit in exchange for being overpaid vs cap late in their careers, or two separate deals (higher cap for the first few years, lower cap on the second), will be interesting to see. Personally I think the former plan is the better one, but you risk cap penalty if they retire sooner, but their style of play isn't one that you'd think would lead to having to retire early; they're not crash-the-crease types and don't rely much on footspeed.

[BigFlameDog]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

to me the biggest issue with the Flames I saw last night and on Saturday as well, and it might just be recent since the trades

Kipper is getting absolutely no help in front of the net, and that's either effort or coaching, has nothing to do with talent

the Canucks had 9 goals over the 2 games and I think 6 of them were someone within 5 feet of the net not being checked, that can't happen

This has been going on for so long now I am starting to think it is an organizational philosophy....mind boggling.

I can remember Warrener chopping dudes down like a lumber jack back in the day...

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

Originally Posted by Bar-Down

Since the Sedins are on their last year of their contracts next year, could they possibly be moved at the deadline if they cant get them signed soon enough...

The hubbub is that they'll either sign short term contracts here in NA or move back to Sweden. They've hinted that they would like to play in the SEL while they are still productive and not because they can't hack it in the NHL anymore.

Daniel back in Nov.:

“We’re already taking it year by year right now,” Daniel said. “We have a year and a half on this current contract and then mentally I think it will be easier if we go year by year after that.

“Mentally, when you get to this age, to be able to perform, you have to be there. I really believe if you sign a long-term deal it will be tougher to perform on a nightly basis.”

[UKflames]

I watched the condensed highlights of ths game last night and time after time you hear Rheinhart and Horak mentioned, really impressed with both of their play.

It looks as thought both will be up for good next year if they keep this going.