Pre-Game Talk: GM19 | Vancouver Canucks @ Ottawa Senators | Sat. Nov 23rd | 4:00pm PST | HNIC/SNP | Green With Envy

Vector

Moderator
Feb 2, 2007
27,913
47,669
Junktown


Feeling Heading Into the Road Trip
  • Great energy during the practice
  • Worked on defending rushes
  • Were a little bit passive last game
  • Stop plays early and push it up the ice
  • Looking at some young guys to step up in key moments
Lekkerimaki
  • They’ve thrown a lot at him
  • Can’t be afraid to develop him properly
  • Play without the puck has improved
  • Needs to be more instinctual in the offensive end
  • Sometimes shooters stand around and he can be more involved by going to different spots; mentions net front, behind the net, or rotating into the bumper spot
  • Learning where to go and when is the next level for him
Leadership Group
  • Need to hold the fort and everyone has to empty some water in the boat
  • Love the fact that the Canucks energy has been getting better
  • Some guys need to step it up
  • If you aren’t scoring you need to keep going defensively
Demko
  • Putting in really good days in practice
  • Doesn’t know the timeline for when he will play
  • Is a lot closer to playing than he was two months ago
  • Is always hopeful when he’s practicing like today
Defensive Play
  • Canucks were too passive last night and weren’t breaking plays up because they don’t trust each other on the ice; maybe because of the injuries
  • New guys can’t be used as an excuse anymore because there’s enough of a sample size
Garland
  • Wife gave birth to a baby boy
  • Named Quinton after Quint from Jaws
  • Garland is a shark lover
Hronek
  • Maintenance day
Boeser
  • Believes he’s coming on the trip but hasn’t talked to the medical staff yet
  • Meeting takes place after the practice
  • If he doesn’t play on this trip will practice with Jason Krog in Vancouver
Rush Offence
  • Spent a lot of time practice rush offensive the last two days
  • Middle-drives were the best he’s seen all season
  • Have lacked middle-drives and are getting better at it
  • Will score goals by driving to the middle
Canucks’ Defencemen Having Their Point Shots Blocked
  • Need to know what you’re doing 2 moves ahead
  • Thinks the defencemen are getting the puck, looking for options, and staying still rather than moving their feet
  • Need to change the shooting lane
  • Need to better at blocking shots on the defensive end too
Soucy-Myers
  • Thinks Myers’ game has “come on” the last couple of games
  • Soucy needs to get his confidence up
  • Wants to Soucy get into players more; be harder
  • Whole team needs to play the body more and tie up sticks
Defensive Pairs
  • If things don’t improve, might have to change up the pairings
  • Not blaming anyone
  • Sometimes a “fresh” guy might help
  • Soucy-Myers were a really good pair in the playoffs
  • Whether they switch up pairs next game or not, he’s unsure
 

mossey3535

Registered User
Feb 7, 2011
14,077
11,328


Feeling Heading Into the Road Trip
  • Great energy during the practice
  • Worked on defending rushes
  • Were a little bit passive last game
  • Stop plays early and push it up the ice
  • Looking at some young guys to step up in key moments
Lekkerimaki
  • They’ve thrown a lot at him
  • Can’t be afraid to develop him properly
  • Play without the puck has improved
  • Needs to be more instinctual in the offensive end
  • Sometimes shooters stand around and he can be more involved by going to different spots; mentions net front, behind the net, or rotating into the bumper spot
  • Learning where to go and when is the next level for him
Leadership Group
  • Need to hold the fort and everyone has to empty some water in the boat
  • Love the fact that the Canucks energy has been getting better
  • Some guys need to step it up
  • If you aren’t scoring you need to keep going defensively
Demko
  • Putting in really good days in practice
  • Doesn’t know the timeline for when he will play
  • Is a lot closer to playing than he was two months ago
  • Is always hopeful when he’s practicing like today
Defensive Play
  • Canucks were too passive last night and weren’t breaking plays up because they don’t trust each other on the ice; maybe because of the injuries
  • New guys can’t be used as an excuse anymore because there’s enough of a sample size
Garland
  • Wife gave birth to a baby boy
  • Named Quinton after Quint from Jaws
  • Garland is a shark lover
Hronek
  • Maintenance day
Boeser
  • Believes he’s coming on the trip but hasn’t talked to the medical staff yet
  • Meeting takes place after the practice
  • If he doesn’t play on this trip will practice with Jason Krog in Vancouver
Rush Offence
  • Spent a lot of time practice rush offensive the last two days
  • Middle-drives were the best he’s seen all season
  • Have lacked middle-drives and are getting better at it
  • Will score goals by driving to the middle
Canucks’ Defencemen Having Their Point Shots Blocked
  • Need to know what you’re doing 2 moves ahead
  • Thinks the defencemen are getting the puck, looking for options, and staying still rather than moving their feet
  • Need to change the shooting lane
  • Need to better at blocking shots on the defensive end too
Soucy-Myers
  • Thinks Myers’ game has “come on” the last couple of games
  • Soucy needs to get his confidence up
  • Wants to Soucy get into players more; be harder
  • Whole team needs to play the body more and tie up sticks
Defensive Pairs
  • If things don’t improve, might have to change up the pairings
  • Not blaming anyone
  • Sometimes a “fresh” guy might help
  • Soucy-Myers were a really good pair in the playoffs
  • Whether they switch up pairs next game or not, he’s unsure

Honestly he had me until the Soucy-Myers comments and the defensive pairs stuff
 

mossey3535

Registered User
Feb 7, 2011
14,077
11,328
Honestly we haven't done too bad considering that the team has yet to put in 60 minutes of playing the system. I think that Tocchet's structure is good enough that it gives us a chance most nights. Compare this to Bruce's 2nd stint and any Green year, it's a lot better. Arguably a lot more boring sometimes but I'll take the competitiveness and it's key in the playoffs.

All of the Tocchet comments being posted in PGTs basically back me up on this.

Having said that, you can see how Myers-Soucy is single handedly sinking us right now. And the cumulative effect of the forwards not setting the funnel because they're chasing offence or hits. I think this is pretty reasonable considering Tocchet has been coach for 1.5 seasons and there's been a lot of turnover in the roster.

Another issue is that I think they're trying to put in a bit more offence and that's going to require adjustment and IMO has led to some of the forward mistakes I talked about above.

If we had literally ANY serviceable defenceman who could push Myers down to the bottom pair we'd be even better. Of course, the coaching staff would have to be willing to actually reduce his ice time...
 
Last edited:

ChuckNorris4Cup

Registered User
May 31, 2018
3,052
2,359
The return of the great TG

1732153352075.gif
 

VanJack

Registered User
Jul 11, 2014
22,779
16,281
Greener will want to stick to the Canucks. Kinda;' stunned he's back in the NHL as a head-coach though.

Although the current Canuck blueline probably reminds him of the unit he had during his last couple of years in Vancouver.
 
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Reactions: mossey3535

MarkusNaslund19

Registered User
Dec 28, 2005
5,770
8,614
I liked our effort last game. We looked like a good team that was shorthanded and played with heart.

We have looked out of sync for a lot of the season.

Myers and Soucy are playing entirely without confidence.

I maintain that Myers is a good soldier and a toolsy player but he needs a partner who communicates a lot and basically tells him what to do and makes things simple on him.
We saw when OEL had a good season with Myers as his partner, Myers looked really good. When OEL had his foot injury and was out of shape, the wheels fell off.

When Soucy was solid last year (and before his injuries, he was fantastic) Myers looked really good too.
This year, Soucy looks hesitant and devoid of confidence and Myers looks lost.

Hughes is incredible but the rest of the D are really struggling to get pucks through from the point.

And our passing and pass reception must be driving old, elite pros like Tocchet, Gonchar, Foote, and the Sedins absolutely batty.

Lot's of passes that should be easily made and received are ending up in feet or zooming past an outstretched stick blade.

Gotta' keep with it. Long road trip, but not the most challenging teams. WIth us being shorthanded, until or unless we get guys back, I still think we can hope for 4 wins.
If we're still shorthanded, the Wild game is probably an automatic loss. But the rest are winnable.
 

theguardianII

Registered User
Jan 30, 2020
3,729
1,874
Having said that, you can see how Myers-Soucy is single handedly sinking us right now. And the cumulative effect of the forwards not setting the funnel because they're chasing offence or hits. I think this is pretty reasonable considering Tocchet has been coach for 1.5 seasons and there's been a lot of turnover in the roster
Too much emphasis on that pairing, they have not backup the third pairing are AHL guys and the 1rst pairing are getting all the PP time so they are left in the meat grinder facing the top pairing a lot that and they play the PK which can be tiring. Hughes and Hronek get seconds on the PK.
Tocchet is extremely reticent to answer questions about individual players or criticize them through the media. Especially after practices.
That is a stretch, Joshua, Sherwood get praised alot or mentioned, Petey did get a lot of "move his feet" so did many others.
Miller was just accused of dogging and benched something that Petey has had yet.
After the practice Tocchet did expose on how good Miller is and how lucky he is to have him all while saying this in front of his Jack Adams trophy, odd.

The Canucks are road warriors this year so being away from Vancouver may help but it is still Canada and there will be questions asked with lots of media around.

Green and Tocchet have similar styles although it seems Green has loosened up a bit for offence.

It could come down to a goalie game.

It would be idiotic to fly Boeser if he just getting over a concussion, have to wait another week or so after the cessation of symptoms.

The Canucks will be/should be motivated they are just 2 wins ahead of Ottawa but Ottawa has had a much harder schedule playing in a very tight division.

Ottawa and Vancouver have almost the exact same stats.

With the turmoil the Sens may take this especially if Tkachuk plays physical on Hughes and Hronek but they have a couple of others that can do that too and Green will know how to negate some of his past players, sort of an inside edge.

Ottawa 5 Nux 2
 

Peen

Rejoicing in a Benning-free world
Oct 6, 2013
31,556
27,855
I've been wanting to see Sasson. He looked like a guy who could turn into a pro when I saw him last pre-season. Would have been cooler if he was a right hand shot.
 

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