Canucks recall Baertschi. Update: expected to play in Game 5

[heep223]

Ok so who is Willie going to match him up against?

Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler (not a hope given how Sven plays on the d side of the puck)
Ferland-Stajan-Jones (our best checking and most physical line, nope)
Bennett-Backlund-Colborne (good luck against that combination of size, speed & tenacity)

Bollig-Jooris-Raymond will be the matchup that they'll be looking for that line to get. But given those guys get such little ice time and take such short shifts....and 2/3 play pretty physical...

I dunno, I really don't feel worried about this and I'll bet you Hartley feels the same way.

[keratosis]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

He could play on the outside. We've seen him do that before.

Of the rink? Possible.

[Buck Murdock]

This is a huge mistake for the Canucks

[Imported_Aussie]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Hartley knows what makes that kid tick (and not tick).

Thing is - now they have to take someone out, and it can only be a LW because Sven can't play C or RW. So Higgins (who hasn't done much but is a pretty good player IMO), Kenins (who has been physical anyway) or McMillan.

He would replace McMillan IMO. Kenins is a good fit on that 4th line, Higgins is a guy they use on special teams/versatile guy.

I honestly think the only way they have a shot is to shake up this team. It might mean rolling the dice and moving Vrbata to the Sedin line - it puts your most potent veterans on offence together, so it would either give them a line that could score, or if they are shut down, limit their effectiveness elsewhere.

Desjardins is being outcoached and their defence is being turned around and panicked on the puck by the forecheck. Most of their goals have been deflections, save a good stretch on game 2. From here, they need the Flames to slip, and slip 2 more times after that. Not saying the Flames are home yet, but the odds are well and truly in their favour, and Vancouver look to be out of ideas. Or good ideas at least...

[IgiTang]

Game 5 is gonna be so much fun!

[Coach]

Svavior.

[DJones]

Originally Posted by heep223

Ok so who is Willie going to match him up against?

Gaudreau-Monahan-Hudler (not a hope given how Sven plays on the d side of the puck)
Ferland-Stajan-Jones (our best checking and most physical line, nope)
Bennett-Backlund-Colborne (good luck against that combination of size, speed & tenacity)

Bollig-Jooris-Raymond will be the matchup that they'll be looking for that line to get. But given those guys get such little ice time and take such short shifts....and 2/3 play pretty physical...

I dunno, I really don't feel worried about this and I'll bet you Hartley feels the same way.

Willie doesn't line match so it's whoever Hartley wants to play against him.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by calgaryred

He very well could he is a good player has nothing to lose, Im sure he would love to prove the Flames were wrong to keep him in the AHL.

Ok, I want to argue this, because I don't buy it, I don't buy that there was an evil plot by a talent poor Flames team to keep an awesome player like Sven in the AHL.

Yes he had a great start to his career, but for a kid like that on adrenaline in a no pressure situation he shined. At an NHL level he didn't do enough to stand out and earn his icetime, and unlike the Oilers the Flames don't see an NHL slot as a guarantee. He wasn't good without the puck, and Burke didn't say "I hate the kid" he basically said he had to work on his two way game. Frankly Sven went to the AHL and pouted, he slid down the recall list because for the most part he wasn't good. Did he improve it, sure, but when he came back up he didn't earn his way up the lineup card, and its not a NHL coaches job to artificially put a zero confidence player at the top of the lineup, the job for a coach is to put the best lineup on the ice that he can.

Sven was Sven's worst enemy, and if he wants out, then god bless him and pass the dynamite. But at the end of the day, he wasn't good enough to keep, or to keep cycling time on his development, it might be a mistake, but that happens too.

But putting Sven in an elimination game against a club with an extreme physical edge, that's just inviting failure.

I remember that the interpretation when Sven was sent to the farm was that he didn't take it right attitude wise. Well I'm sure some of his former team mates will want to show him his lack of vision is only going to lead him to the golf course.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Imported_Aussie

He would replace McMillan IMO. Kenins is a good fit on that 4th line, Higgins is a guy they use on special teams/versatile guy.

I honestly think the only way they have a shot is to shake up this team. It might mean rolling the dice and moving Vrbata to the Sedin line - it puts your most potent veterans on offence together, so it would either give them a line that could score, or if they are shut down, limit their effectiveness elsewhere.

Desjardins is being outcoached and their defence is being turned around and panicked on the puck by the forecheck. Most of their goals have been deflections, save a good stretch on game 2. From here, they need the Flames to slip, and slip 2 more times after that. Not saying the Flames are home yet, but the odds are well and truly in their favour, and Vancouver look to be out of ideas. Or good ideas at least...

Didn't Vrbata play with the Sedin's last night, and was as effective as using a piece of boiled spaghatti as a screw driver?

[dammage79]

I like Vrbata, but he has been neutralized by the Flames fore-checking. That and I think when he tripped over Bennett in game #3 he tweaked something because he sure as heck wasn't skating like he normally does since.

If there is one player I will not take for granted it is Vrbata. He can be the game changer in any game.

As far as the Sedins go. I heard this a couple times in last night post game interviews and game 3's. They like to stretch you out with their cycle game and thats when they are effective, hen you go chasing after them. The Flames have finally figured out that you can let them cycle all night long in your end as long as you stay in your tight box formation around the net. It's been very successful this series.

All goals from Van have come from the outside and off of Flames players or off of the rush (game #2). But I think the Flames corrected that with more speed.

Van's got nothing on the Flames. I'll be very surprised if the Flames lose tomorrow if they continue to play like they have at home in the Dome.

[Moneyhands23]

I'm sitting row 6 game 5 behind the Canucks goalie looking forward to watching sven cough up the puck in the d zone as he fears for his life!

[dash_pinched]

The Vancouver media has manipulated Desjardins into this move in a er um Svengali like fashion...

[Coach]

I'm willing to bet there's a few former teammates of Sven's who witnessed some pouting first hand and are salivating to take him down a peg.

[Galakanokis]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

I'm sitting row 6 game 5 behind the Canucks goalie looking forward to watching sven cough up the puck in the d zone as he fears for his life!

I'll look for you there, Flames jersey on? I sometimes hang out in the zamboni entrance to watch parts of the game.

Hoping to see lots of red in the stands tomorrow night.

[Locke]

Calling him an Ex-Flame is being pretty generous.

They must be truly desperate.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by dammage79

As far as the Sedins go. I heard this a couple times in last night post game interviews and game 3's. They like to stretch you out with their cycle game and thats when they are effective, hen you go chasing after them. The Flames have finally figured out that you can let them cycle all night long in your end as long as you stay in your tight box formation around the net. It's been very successful this series.

Is that the strategy? Aeneas and I were screaming at the TV for everyone to stop watching the Sedin with the puck, and leaving the other one wide open. Keep a man attached to both of them at all times.

[Imported_Aussie]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Didn't Vrbata play with the Sedin's last night, and was as effective as using a piece of boiled spaghatti as a screw driver?

I thought Hansen was with them most of the night. I agree that Vrbata has not been a factor yet this series, but he is a guy who can get hot and score, and the Sedins are the guys who can create enough movement for him to ghost into scoring positions.

[nightfx]

Well that's gonna be an awkward handshake on Thursday.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by troutman

Is that the strategy? Aeneas and I were screaming at the TV for everyone to stop watching the Sedin with the puck, and leaving the other one wide open. Keep a man attached to both of them at all times.

It's definitely the strategy. You can see the team is making a concerted effort to not follow them below the goal line and just keep them on the periphery. It's a little unnerving to watch, but seems to have been effective so far.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by troutman

Is that the strategy? Aeneas and I were screaming at the TV for everyone to stop watching the Sedin with the puck, and leaving the other one wide open. Keep a man attached to both of them at all times.

It's been the strategy all year. Hence a lot of shot attempts from the outside. There were a few perfect examples last night, when the Sedins would be behind/beside the net and the Flames D-man in front wouldn't even attack him....would just clog up the cross-crease passing lane and let Hiller challenge the poor angle shot.

I was happy they weren't challenging the Sedins, that's why they've been ineffective. They have nothing if they can't suck defenders in.