| Not really racist! | 02-11-2014 11:17 AM |
Quote:
Gillis on team: ‘We’re going to be all right’
Injuries, not lack of talent or passion, the reason behind the team’s recent swoon
TORONTO — When it was presented to Brad Richardson that the Olympic break is coming at just the right time for the Vancouver Canucks, he vehemently disagreed.
“We could have used it two weeks ago,” an astute Richardson pointed out.
What has happened since has been disastrous, and will rank among the most crushing stretches in Canucks history.
Over the course of a seven-game losing streak, the Canucks failed to earn a point, lost their coach for six games and lost their ironman and captain, who played three games in three weeks, and none of them well.
They lost their best free-agent signing, Mike Santorelli, for the season. They lost defencemen — several of them — to injuries, including three of their best: Dan Hamhuis, Kevin Bieksa and Chris Tanev.
They lost the confidence their most-devoted fans had in them.
They have not, however, lost the faith of their general manager.
“We’re going to be all right,” Mike Gillis valiantly predicted.
His message was a simple one. Don’t expect this team to base any decisions on what has happened in the first six weeks of 2014, no matter who miserable they were.
He has the backing of owner Francesco Aquilini, who visited his team here, and is as upbeat as he’s ever been. He is as convinced as his general manager that these Canucks, the ones who would make death row look good, are not real the Canucks.
They do have a case. The Canucks have been, at times, without five of their best players. Six if you want to include Alex Burrows, who has been hopeless with that shield protecting his jaw.
There are not many NHL teams who could have sustained success missing those kind of pieces.
“Quite honestly, I’ve never been through so many injuries at one time in all the years I’ve coached,” John Tortorella said.
“You certainly have to get through it.”
But the Canucks only got through it because the Olympic break has appeared like a mercy hook. Who knows how many more losses they would have strung together in the next two weeks if there were games.
“We have to realize where we are,” Daniel Sedin said. “There are only 22 games left. We have to take care of business after the break. It’s going to be a fresh start for everyone.
“I think we’ve started to turn the corner during the last few games, and that’s the good sign.”
That’s some corner.
What is not a good sign is the Canucks have scored just 41 third period goals this season. Only one team has scored fewer and that’s the lowly Buffalo Sabres who have 40.
By comparison, the Boston Bruins lead the league with 71 and the Toronto Maple Leafs have 58.
No one in the Canucks organization has an answer for what has happened this season in the third periods. The convenient rationale is that Tortorella wore out his top players during the first 40 games of the season.
Up until now, the Canucks have dismissed that, but they would be wise to take a long, hard look at it during the break.
Because on Saturday, yet again, Vancouver was pathetic when the game mattered most.
“It shouldn’t happen,” Daniel said. “We have to do a better job defending leads. It’s happened before this season.
“That’s going to have to stop if we’re going to make the playoffs.”
| We're gonna be all right brahs... getting sick of Daniel's replies
Botch gonna botch :lawl: |
