Former Canucks Thread 2023-24 Off-Season Edition

[AlainVigneaultsGum]

Stillman waived lol.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Stillman waived lol.

For a Stillman, he sure does seem to ramble...

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Oiler fan here, don't purge me I come in peace. Just wanted to know why Canucks management pretty much gave away Podkolzin for a bag of pucks, and to their current #1 rival..

He's already a fan favorite and right now my personal favorite player on the team. He's strong, fast, young and with hands. Every single shift he's roughing folks up, creating so much time and space for his linemates Draisaitl and Arvidsson, who absolutely love Vasili's game. His post game interviews are pure gold too

Sure, he had 1 point in the first 10 games, but the intangibles he brings, at an elite level and most importantly, on a consistent basis, is uncanny. He is the perfect replacement for injured Evander Kane

Also, my former favorite player on the Oil decided to play for Vancouver. Hows Vincent Desharnais doing? Damn I miss him

During his time with Canucks' AHL affiliate in Abbotsford early last season Podkolzin really came flying out of the gate. He was dominating on every shift, playing the best hockey I had ever seen him play and he looked to be fashioning a career renaissance. It was very, very encouraging to see.

And then , on the night of October 25 2023 he was out there again flying around the ice and he completely undressed behemoth defenseman Keaton Middleton and took the puck hard to the net failing to beat the goaltender. An obviously angry and embarrassed Middleton then tracked Podkolzin into the defensive zone corner and drove and wedged him in the boards and then used his weight and leverage to effectively vertically pile drive Podkolzin's head straight down into the ice with considerable force. It was a shocking act, even by AHL 'anything goes' standards and the home crowd and AHLtv audience (myself included) watched as Vasily went into violent convulsions on the ice before being stretchered off. The AHL, and the Abbotsford Canucks organization itself, glossed over and largely ignored the incident as they tend to do when violent incidents like this happen.

Podkolzin has never really regained that form since the incident, and presumably Canucks brass doesn't believe he will anytime soon, but I wish him the very best of luck as he continues his career in Edmonton. He reall;y is a great kid and you'd love to see him succeed.

And Desharnais is playing some decent hockey for us on the third pairing. The feeling here is that with some coaching and a lot of hard work he can stiull improve his game. I guess we'll szee about that.

 

[Peen]

Really interesting discussion on Sat’s radio show today about Mogilny in the HOF. Recommend listening back through

Precedes my time but it was a fascinating listen regardless

 

[David Bruce Banner]

I don't know if we'd have room for his particular talents, but I miss Gadjovich...

 

[Nuckles]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856551824649830526

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856755415281012917

 

[Bubbles]

I guess all the bad feelings for Kesler have really changed. Or we're all just getting old, lol.

 

[MS]

I guess all the bad feelings for Kesler have really changed. Or we're all just getting old, lol.

He seems to genuinely want to be accepted back into the Canuck family and he was a good enough player here for long enough that he's probably earned that opportunity.

 

[Nuckles]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856739035735323067

 

[Bubbles]

He seems to genuinely want to be accepted back into the Canuck family and he was a good enough player here for long enough that he's probably earned that opportunity.

I was never part of that booing crowd anyways so if he wants to retire a Canuck, that would be cool. Don't know about ring of honour though.

Getting to that age where the fuzzy feelings for the 2011 team are strong. Every year it seems like the alumni games are a mix of 1982, 1994 and 2011 guys.

 

[LemonSauceD]

I was never part of that booing crowd anyways so if he wants to retire a Canuck, that would be cool. Don't know about ring of honour though.

Getting to that age where the fuzzy feelings for the 2011 team are strong. Every year it seems like the alumni games are a mix of 1982, 1994 and 2011 guys.

Same.

Kesler will always remain as my favourite Canuck. I don’t think we’ll ever see a more likeable group of players like them again.

I’m not sure how I feel about this generation of Canucks. I have no emotional attachment to them. You could trade any player not named Hughes and I would feel indifferent as far as sentimental feelings go. I noticed this when Horvat was traded.

Hughes is quite possibly the best player this organization has ever had, I love him. Boeser and seeing him overcome hardships I can relate with. The rest of the Canucks? I really don’t care. Sherwood is getting there, but he’s only played 14 games as of today. Petey and his sensitivity I can relate with but his diva act and apathetic attitude is super off putting. Miller is too polarizing to me and has had some really bad attitude as well as stretches of lazy, uninspiring hockey.

Contrast this with the former generation where you had guys like Burrows, Kesler, Bieksa, Sedins, Edler, Hamhuis, Luongo, Tanev, Salo, Hansen, etc. They were entertaining, endearing, likeable, welcoming, but most importantly, they poured their hearts out every single time they stepped on the ice. They defied referees, called out bullshit, took no shit from others, protected each other and stood up for one another, they were selfless, they battled, and they were good. They had an identity.

 

[racerjoe]

Same.

Kesler will always remain as my favourite Canuck. I don’t think we’ll ever see a more likeable group of players like them again.

I’m not sure how I feel about this generation of Canucks. I have no emotional attachment to them. You could trade any player not named Hughes and I would feel indifferent as far as sentimental feelings go. I noticed this when Horvat was traded.

Hughes is quite possibly the best player this organization has ever had, I love him. Boeser and seeing him overcome hardships I can relate with. The rest of the Canucks? I really don’t care. Sherwood is getting there, but he’s only played 14 games as of today. Petey and his sensitivity I can relate with but his diva act and apathetic attitude is super off putting. Miller is too polarizing to me and has had some really bad attitude as well as stretches of lazy, uninspiring hockey.

Contrast this with the former generation where you had guys like Burrows, Kesler, Bieksa, Sedins, Edler, Hamhuis, Luongo, Tanev, Salo, Hansen, etc. They were entertaining, endearing, likeable, welcoming, but most importantly, they poured their hearts out every single time they stepped on the ice. They defied referees, called out bullshit, took no shit from others, protected each other and stood up for one another, they were selfless, they battled, and they were good. They had an identity.

I disagree with your look at this crop of players. I get why you feel that way, but I do think you learn to love the players and get an attachment for them through playoff runs.

Take Miller, I was probably indifferent to him, until late last season and the playoffs. I love now going back and watching the crowd cheer his name, and see his reaction. He may currently be my favourite active Canuck. If you had asked me that 3 years ago I probably would have laughed at the notion.

I think the players are just starting to get their chances to give us those feelings as we look to have prolonged stretches with good players, and a competitive team.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

He seems to genuinely want to be accepted back into the Canuck family and he was a good enough player here for long enough that he's probably earned that opportunity.

Yep. And I think with time and perspective for him, has come regret with how things ended here. The wise ass has gotten a little wiser with time, for sure.

Absolutely would think he's deserving of the Bieksa/Edler treatment, and signing a one-day deal to retire as a Canuck.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Kesler (unintentionally) gave us an amazing opportunity to kick start a dramatic retool. Nick Bonino in his prime and a properly developed McCann would have been decent targets. Anyone other than Sbisa would have been good too.

Issue was the dumbass GM managed to flip additional picks along with those players for Gudbranson and Sutter.

 

[bandwagonesque]

Kesler was a total asshole to people in public quite a bit, but ... whatever. These are hockey players. His body went to shit from keterolac overuse and it changed his life, maybe he got a little smarter with that and age. A one-day contract isn't the Nobel Peace Prize, and in any case they gave one of those to Kissenger. Let Kesler back in if he wants.

 

[God]

i hated how selfish kesler's on-ice play became after the 2011 season and i think it made the team worse, but yeah. whatever. he was overall great for us.

 

[Diamonddog01]

Mikheyev getting scratched today. I will give him some credit, he leads the team in +/- and is one of the few in the positive.

That may be so but he's also only scored 2 points in 15 games (at almost 15 minutes per game) which is brutal.

 

[Regal]

Kesler (unintentionally) gave us an amazing opportunity to kick start a dramatic retool. Nick Bonino in his prime and a properly developed McCann would have been decent targets. Anyone other than Sbisa would have been good too.

Issue was the dumbass GM managed to flip additional picks along with those players for Gudbranson and Sutter.

If they could have pried Theodore out instead of Sbisa it would have been sweet

 

[rypper]

I don't hold any grudges against Kesler over the way he left, but I don't think he belongs in the ring of honour. He can get the Bieksa/Edler deal, sign a. 1 day contract, get recognized etc.

Drance was pushing the ROH based on his play of course, but also the limited number of players on the team who've won major awards.

(Maybe I do hold a grudge. )

 

[MS]

I don't hold any grudges against Kesler over the way he left, but I don't think he belongs in the ring of honour. He can get the Bieksa/Edler deal, sign a. 1 day contract, get recognized etc.

Drance was pushing the ROH based on his play of course, but also the limited number of players on the team who've won major awards.

(Maybe I do hold a grudge. )

His career as a Canuck was clearly ROH-worthy. There shouldn't be any debate about that.

And I think Drance is right (yuck, that tastes terrible to say) in that any Canuck who wins a major award is probably ROH-worthy. Kesler is the only non-retired player who isn't a retired number or ROH.

The question is how much the forced trade affects things. And 5 years ago I would have said it disqualified him.

However :

1) They retired Bure's number despite a much more egregious holdout (and another incident where he threatened to hold out during the NHL playoffs).

2) His recent actions carry a lot of weight with me. This club clearly means a lot to him, and his regret about leaving feels genuine. At this point he's done about all he can to atone for the way he left. At this point, to me, the 'class organization' thing to do would be to reciprocate. You're a prick, but you're OUR prick and we love you. Welcome back.