Former Canucks Thread 2023-24 Off-Season Edition

MS

1%er
Mar 18, 2002
56,090
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Vancouver, BC
I don’t know how much of Brashear’s attitude was really public knowledge until after he was traded. He was certainly cocky and disrespectful as a fighter, but his attitude on the team and in the room was certainly a problem as well. The Canucks got off to a lousy start that season, and when Brashear was dispatched for Hlavac, a big turnaround began almost immediately.

I can remember the time he said he wasn't going to fight anymore unless he got PP time. Just a totally selfish player. The polar opposite of Gino who fought to stick up for teammates or rally the team - he fought for himself, and was a spot-picker against guys he knew he could beat up. Didn't care if it was a bad time, didn't care if he hurt the team.

I've mentioned this before, but my definitive Brashear memory is this game :


It's a 2-1 game in the 2nd period and Brashear absolutely blasts tiny little Cory Millen into the boards from behind leaving him down on the ice injured. Robyn Regehr who was a rookie at the time bravely steps up to fight Brashear, Brashear of course dusts him pretty easily. And then after a) throwing a cheapshot that injured an opposing player, b) beating up a teenager, and c) putting his team shorthanded in a close game (Calgary would score on the PP to tie), Brashear is dusting his hands and acting like an absolute ass playing to the crowd. f*** that guy. An embarrassment to the Canuck jersey.

That was the home game immediately before the McSorley game (I was at both). 'He had it coming' is strong but Brashear was just asking for something to happen at that point. Just circus antics all game long at this point in his career, was flapping his wings like a chicken at the Bruin bench in every play stoppage and then he was actually the guy refusing to fight. When he got clocked I actually thought his slide along the ice was some more embarrassing antics for some reason as I didn't actually see the stick hit him, just his slide/fall.

When he was traded in 01-02 the team's fortunes turned around basically overnight between that deal and re-acquiring Linden at around the same time.
 

Mr. Canucklehead

Kitimat Canuck
Dec 14, 2002
42,622
38,239
Kitimat, BC
I can remember the time he said he wasn't going to fight anymore unless he got PP time. Just a totally selfish player. The polar opposite of Gino who fought to stick up for teammates or rally the team - he fought for himself, and was a spot-picker against guys he knew he could beat up. Didn't care if it was a bad time, didn't care if he hurt the team.

I've mentioned this before, but my definitive Brashear memory is this game :


It's a 2-1 game in the 2nd period and Brashear absolutely blasts tiny little Cory Millen into the boards from behind leaving him down on the ice injured. Robyn Regehr who was a rookie at the time bravely steps up to fight Brashear, Brashear of course dusts him pretty easily. And then after a) throwing a cheapshot that injured an opposing player, b) beating up a teenager, and c) putting his team shorthanded in a close game (Calgary would score on the PP to tie), Brashear is dusting his hands and acting like an absolute ass playing to the crowd. f*** that guy. An embarrassment to the Canuck jersey.

That was the home game immediately before the McSorley game (I was at both). 'He had it coming' is strong but Brashear was just asking for something to happen at that point. Just circus antics all game long at this point in his career, was flapping his wings like a chicken at the Bruin bench in every play stoppage and then he was actually the guy refusing to fight. When he got clocked I actually thought his slide along the ice was some more embarrassing antics for some reason as I didn't actually see the stick hit him, just his slide/fall.

When he was traded in 01-02 the team's fortunes turned around basically overnight between that deal and re-acquiring Linden at around the same time.

Was that this one? Video cuts before the hand dusting, but everything else matches (it was Phil Housley he clobbered from behind)

 

MS

1%er
Mar 18, 2002
56,090
93,115
Vancouver, BC
Was that this one? Video cuts before the hand dusting, but everything else matches (it was Phil Housley he clobbered from behind)



Yup, that's the one. Over 25 years I guess I got Millen and Housley confused.

He definitely did a showboating/hand dusting thing heading to the penalty box - I remember it clear as day because most of the crowd was just eating it up and I was actually embarrassed.
 

bandwagonesque

I eat Kraft Dinner and I vote
Mar 5, 2014
7,547
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I wouldn't call him valueless. I think he has great value as a 13th forward.
And at one point he had a decent ability to score 3' goalmouth garbage goals... but he doesn't get much opportunity to do so these days.
A 13th forward is pretty much valueless by definition. My reaction was from seeing another WaSN't BENning teRrIbLE drive-by post that references an event that was either insignificant, understandable in context, or had nothing to do with him. We haven't seen these in a long time and the board has basically returned to whatever baseline of rationality it had before Benning, which tends to be pretty good by sports/message board standards.
 

MS

1%er
Mar 18, 2002
56,090
93,115
Vancouver, BC
A 13th forward is pretty much valueless by definition. My reaction was from seeing another WaSN't BENning teRrIbLE drive-by post that references an event that was either insignificant, understandable in context, or had nothing to do with him. We haven't seen these in a long time and the board has basically returned to whatever baseline of rationality it had before Benning, which tends to be pretty good by sports/message board standards.

Ehhh, it's a minor thing but it was annoying both then and now that we waived Gadjovich after a very good camp/preseason in order to keep career AHL dreck like Justin Dowling and Nic Petan on the roster.
 
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Hit the post

I have your gold medal Zippy!
Oct 1, 2015
22,773
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Hiding under WTG's bed...
I can remember the time he said he wasn't going to fight anymore unless he got PP time. Just a totally selfish player. The polar opposite of Gino who fought to stick up for teammates or rally the team - he fought for himself, and was a spot-picker against guys he knew he could beat up. Didn't care if it was a bad time, didn't care if he hurt the team.

I've mentioned this before, but my definitive Brashear memory is this game :


It's a 2-1 game in the 2nd period and Brashear absolutely blasts tiny little Cory Millen into the boards from behind leaving him down on the ice injured. Robyn Regehr who was a rookie at the time bravely steps up to fight Brashear, Brashear of course dusts him pretty easily. And then after a) throwing a cheapshot that injured an opposing player, b) beating up a teenager, and c) putting his team shorthanded in a close game (Calgary would score on the PP to tie), Brashear is dusting his hands and acting like an absolute ass playing to the crowd. f*** that guy. An embarrassment to the Canuck jersey.

That was the home game immediately before the McSorley game (I was at both). 'He had it coming' is strong but Brashear was just asking for something to happen at that point. Just circus antics all game long at this point in his career, was flapping his wings like a chicken at the Bruin bench in every play stoppage and then he was actually the guy refusing to fight. When he got clocked I actually thought his slide along the ice was some more embarrassing antics for some reason as I didn't actually see the stick hit him, just his slide/fall.

When he was traded in 01-02 the team's fortunes turned around basically overnight between that deal and re-acquiring Linden at around the same time.
Makes me appreciate Ron Delorme *as a Canucks player* even more. Never backed down from the league heavyweights (even when he was overmatched physically). Now, his work as an amateur scoutsl...... that's a different issue. The beatings he took for the team earned him a lifetime job for the Canucks. I just wish it was in a different role.

Garth Butcher was like that (where his fighting technique basically was banging his head against the other guys fists). Always answered the bell (though in retrospect, maybe he should've picked his spots more).
 

F A N

Registered User
Aug 12, 2005
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Ehhh, it's a minor thing but it was annoying both then and now that we waived Gadjovich after a very good camp/preseason in order to keep career AHL dreck like Justin Dowling and Nic Petan on the roster.

I wonder if Gadjovich did manage to clear waivers whether he would develop more of an offensive game. He has certainly carved out an NHL career as an enforcer/fighter.
 

MS

1%er
Mar 18, 2002
56,090
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Vancouver, BC
I wonder if Gadjovich did manage to clear waivers whether he would develop more of an offensive game. He has certainly carved out an NHL career as an enforcer/fighter.

Yeah, some sliding doors there. We weren't developing him as an enforcer-type at all, and it's really only something that happened when he went to SJ.
 
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Curm

Registered User
Nov 19, 2024
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Ehhh, it's a minor thing but it was annoying both then and now that we waived Gadjovich after a very good camp/preseason in order to keep career AHL dreck like Justin Dowling and Nic Petan on the roster.
They lost Gadjovich and Zack MacEwen over a 6-day span just so they could keep those guys and a guy like Alex Chiasson. Pure idiocy.

Their toughness that season primarily came from Schenn and Burroughs, not ideal, and Miller by far was their toughest forward.
 

HairyKneel

Registered User
Jun 5, 2023
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They lost Gadjovich and Zack MacEwen over a 6-day span just so they could keep those guys and a guy like Alex Chiasson. Pure idiocy.

Their toughness that season primarily came from Schenn and Burroughs, not ideal, and Miller by far was their toughest forward.

Gadjovich was a noted fighter in the OHL. He just didn't do it that often. He has pretty decent hands but lead feet. But still it was a completely stupid decision by Lennie Small to put him on waivers. I wasn't as mad about MacEwen being cut loose. He is like Bambi on skates and gets rag dolled.

I didn't think there was worse Canucks GM than Jack Gordon. Lennie Small proved me wrong.

Damn it, I just went down an Elmer rabbit hole.

f*** you Aquilini.
 

God

Free Citizen
Apr 2, 2007
10,767
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Vancouver
this didn't really belong in the "great moments in time" thread but i was reading about the bruins and noticed bob essensa was their goalie coach, and my only memory of him was watching him stand on his head against the red wings, only to have them score with 2 seconds left and tie up the game. IIRC he was pretty good down the stretch that year but the canucks were just putrid going into the playoffs.

 
May 31, 2006
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this didn't really belong in the "great moments in time" thread but i was reading about the bruins and noticed bob essensa was their goalie coach, and my only memory of him was watching him stand on his head against the red wings, only to have them score with 2 seconds left and tie up the game. IIRC he was pretty good down the stretch that year but the canucks were just putrid going into the playoffs.

The biggest reason for the late season collapse was losing Naslund and Cassels to injury. But Backup Bob was a great story that season.

It’s a miracle the first 3 games against Colorado in the playoffs were so close. Completely outmatched.
 
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RobertKron

Registered User
Sep 1, 2007
16,240
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Backup Bob was kind of shit. But just being sort-of-passably-mediocre looked fantastic next to the pile of dog shit that was Felix Potvin (or Dan Cloutier, later).
I think it was also that he just seemed to play the Old Vet Surrounded By Wide-Eyed Youngsters role really well and it really endeared him to the fanbase. That team had so many young players see NHL action.
 
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vadim sharifijanov

Registered User
Oct 10, 2007
29,825
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Backup Bob was kind of shit. But just being sort-of-passably-mediocre looked fantastic next to the pile of dog shit that was Felix Potvin (or Dan Cloutier, later).

cloutier really was a funhouse mirror who could make any goalie backing him up seem like a legit starter

essensa, skudra, auld… in the moment, i would have ride and died with any of those guys
 

RobertKron

Registered User
Sep 1, 2007
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