Sadly, this post starts with a confession. I didn’t even keep myself in the loop as to when the NHL pre-season and season was to start. It wasn’t until my dear friend Peter left a comment to my Mac Stress post, that it became painfully clear. Pre-season NHL games are now being played. Until then, I’ll be honest, it wasn’t even a concern. I had football to look forward to (even though the Reds are shocking, as per usual in the start of a season), and the Yankees (yes this pro-Canadian is a Yankees fan… deal with it) now have clinched the AL East yet again, I had adequate distraction from the pain we all feel here in Vancouver.
THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS ARE COMPLETE AND UTTER FUCKING SHIT. This time last year, I was full of hope (with my bollocks firmly in my hands), as the Canucks showed a lot of promise to be a major factor in not only the season, but also the playoffs. To make a long story short, Vancouver got very complacent and missed the post-season. We knew changes were to be made. Crawford got the axe. Not a shock there. Then this trade happened.
Canucks Acquire Roberto Luongo, Lukas Krajicek & Sixth Round Pick In 2006 Draft From Florida In Exchange For Allen, Auld & Bertuzzi. Now to be fair, I do like the prospect of having Luongo, who has played for Canada in the last olympics, between the pipes for the ‘Nucks. And though I’m sad to see Bert go, I do understand that something has to be given up to accquire another. Keenan isn’t that daft to let Luongo go like the Habs let Roy go for nothing. And the loss of Auld was expected, as usually in goalie trades, netminders do go both ways (but not in *THAT* way).
But with both of them going, why, WHY did we have to get rid of Bryan Allen. Jovo’s contract was up, and with his signing in Phoenix, I think it was fair to say Nonis (read pond scum) knew he was gone. So why get rid of Allen? It wasn’t to make cap room, as we couldn’t even re-sign Anson Carter. It seems that to solve the problem in net, Vancouver gave up most of their offensive firepower and a good percentage of their defensive reserves in the process. Goalies historically have carried teams to the Stanley Cup, but now the Canucks need Luongo to carry them to the playoffs.
Newpapers, bloggers, forum posters and the like have referred to this process as “replacing the 2004-5 Canucks with a host of warm bodies”. Who is Tyler Bouck? Or Rick Rypien? Or Rory Fitzpatrick? These are the replacements for the Bertuzzi’s, Jovo’s, Allens, and Carter’s of the Canucks. I think we’re in trouble this season.
As a final note, several newspaper publications ran an article making this point. Dave Nonis should be given the key to the city, for single handedly ensuring that there will be no Stanley Cup riots in the streets for the next five years. Personally, I want his head on a stick.
That is all.
