Life without out Markstrom and it's pretty bleak. Loss is not on DePietro although he wasn't very good. But without Markstrom's finger in the dyke a lot of the warts were badly exposed. THIS IS NOT A GOOD TEAM. Indeed it should be near the bottom when you look at the personnel but outstanding goal tending can hide a lot.
Good
MacEwen - looked better in a couple of shifts than many have looked all season. One of the most frustrating aspects of this game was how Green, even when the game was well out of hand, had him on the bench so we could watch a few more shifts of Granlund mincing around or Goldobin pathetically chasing the play. Saw enough to get encouraged but also saw some of the rough edges. Needs a chance to play but unlikely while the Canucks are so-called competing for a a playoff spot.
Pettersson - did what he could with all the plumbers around him
Bad (ahh... so many)
Gudbranson - effort on the first goal was horrid. All he had to do was take his man. Instead batted at the puck on the stick of a player that another Canuck was already checking. Puck comes loose and the player, that Gudbranson should have had, gets it and pass it directly in front of net. Just one of many bad plays. Looked listless and disinterested at times. Wish you could Motte's heart, or anyone else's for that matter, in Guddy.
Biega - all the hustle and work ethic in the world couldn't make up for the clumsy and mostly futile efforts by Biega to get the puck out of his zone. Had real long shifts b/c he was so trapped in his end.
Hutton - brutal beginning to the game. Got standing around watching and not moving his feet. Looked gassed all game after being over played on the road trip. Knocked the puck stupidly into his own net, made horrible pinches and gapped miserably at his blue line. You do wonder if Hutton really has it at this level. Sometimes you see real progress and than at others slips back into incompetence.
Virtanen - out on his own island. Drifting in and out of play and way out of sync with teammates. Team, in general, was dysfunctional and made so mainly by the play of the Sharks and when that happens Virtanen just ends up doing random, individual stuff.
Levio - fumbled away pass after pass and messed up opportunities set up by Pettersson. Usually not bad along the boards but got schooled in this game. Looks like Levio can't sustain any consistent level of play.
Eriksson - if any player symbolizes the pathetic nature of the Canucks in the Benning years it's Louie. When you look at how well put together the Sharks are and then reflect on the sad way the Canucks have been structured (like 6 mill for garbage like Eriksson and so much more) you get the contrast needed to show how bad the Benning regime has been.
Goldobin - Canucks ultimately never gave up much to get him but any idea that this was some big TD pickup is becoming more and more remote. Can never seem to make a play at speed and is forced off the puck with such ease. I have preached patience with this player but that has to be wearing thin. He is getting worse as the season goes on - not better. Was lousy in this game.
Ugly
Granlund - enough already. Guy can't compete with legit NHL players and that's damn obvious. Why is he still here? I've never been a big Gaunce fan but he is definitely better that the wretched Granlund (and Boucher is probably better as well). What the hell is Green thinking (or not thinking really). My guess is Benning is still trying to make it seem like he won a trade.
If this game doesn't convince every fan and Canuck management that they must not be buyers at the deadline nothing will. But like every dateline you wonder what misadventure the Cancuks will stumble into.