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Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 09.19.2013

717370 Vancouver Canucks

Oilers 4 Canucks 1: Luongo left in limbo under new shot-blocking system

By Jason Botchford, The Province September 18, 2013 11:00 PM

Taking a team that isn’t close to grasping its new system and putting it in front of Roberto Luongo for his first preseason game sure makes for some awkward hockey.

Actually, awkward is being a little too kind to the Vancouver Canucks for their 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday.

They spent the first 12 minutes bumbling around the ice like the Cleveland Browns front office on draft day. Then, they spent the rest of the game protecting a three-goal deficit.

Brendan Gaunce scored another garbage goal. That was good. The Sedins killed penalties and if you’re all for that, they didn’t disappoint. They nearly had a couple of shorthanded scoring chances, too.

But, really, the Canucks looked like they didn’t have a clue what they were doing under John Tortorella. Turns out, they don’t.

Not yet anyway.

“We haven’t looked at a lot of changes,” Henrik Sedin said. “We looked at a little bit of the neutral zone and forecheck, and a little bit in our own end. But it’s a process.

“It’s going to take six games, and a lot of practice.”

Well, there’s only four left.

This process could take longer for Luongo.

Consider his history of struggling in October. It’s generally been attributed to the theory it takes him playing games to hone his reads on the ice. There’s no reason to think that will change.

Now consider this year he’ll be doing it in front of players who are tackling a new system, one Luongo didn’t exactly request. Because, under Tortorella, the emphasis will be — now, tomorrow and always — blocking shots.

What does it mean for Luongo?

The team in front of him is going from making blocking shots one of its last options to one of its first. And those reads he’s taken time to get down before may be that much more complicated this year. No can be sure where a blocked puck is going.

Does he have any words of advice?

“You better block it, because if you don’t, I won’t see it,” Luongo said. “A couple of times guys were trying to block shots but they weren’t sure if they should or not and they didn’t end up blocking them.

“It goes along with the territory. There will be a learning curve. In the past, we’ve worked on trying to box guys out before they get to the front of the net. If ever the other player is in front, I’d front him or stay behind him to try and not create a double screen.

“Sometimes that worked. Sometimes it didn’t.”

Luongo said he’s open to change. Anything that makes the team better. But admitted, given a choice over the years, he’s sided with Marty Brodeur who would seemingly rather chew glass shards than see his teammates try to block shots in front of him.

“That (Brodeur’s way) is what I’ve preferred in the past, especially when the guys are far out, just make sure that they take away sticks,” Luongo said.

“But if you’re a good team at blocking shots, that’s going to cut down on a lot of chances too. If it makes our group better, I’m all for it.”

The goals came early and often for the Oilers, who picked up just where they left off at the end of the regular season when they smoked the Canucks 7-2 in April.

Jordan Eberle opened the scoring, and it was a goal that Luongo had no chance on. Luongo was pinned, and helpless, as the loose puck slowly crossed the goal line. But the second goal, he was screened by one of those wannabe shot blockers.

“I was a little bit deep on that one, I probably should have made the save,” Luongo said. This is going to be an adjustment for everybody. You kind of felt it a little bit tonight.

“Guys were trying to get into lanes, especially the D-men I found. That being said, if you’re going to be there, you have to be committed 100 per cent to blocking the shot. That’s going to come with time.

“That’s not something that’s going to happen from one day to the next. All of a sudden, you’re blocking shots all over the place.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 09.19.2013

717371 Vancouver Canucks

Willes: Reality may check youth plan for Canucks

Canucks determined to get younger, but kids may not be ready

By Ed Willes, The Province September 19, 2013 12:00 AM

In a perfect world, Zack Kassian would step on to a first line with the Sedins and give the team the 25 goals and 55 points they’ve come to expect from that spot.

Brendan Gaunce, meanwhile, would establish himself as a big-body presence on the third line and be a solid contributor throughout the season. Nicklas Jensen, for his part, would make the team and start developing along the lines of a Jannik Hansen. And while we’re dreaming, Hunter Shinkaruk would emerge as a Calder Trophy candidate on the second line, while Bo Horvat — returned to London, Ont. — leads Canada to a gold medal at the World Juniors and the Knights to a Memorial Cup.

That, at least, is the dream for the Canucks. As for the reality, well, if one or two of those things come to fruition, they should consider themselves fortunate. The Canucks are committed to getting younger this year. That’s the easy part. The hard part is getting kids who are barely old enough to vote to contribute in the toughest league in the world.

“You hope it’s a long audition,” said Shinkaruk, the personable 18-year-old from Calgary shortly after the Canucks dropped a 4-1 decision to the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night. “Obviously you don’t know what the coaching staff is thinking. But every day you’re trying to prove you belong here. Every game is big.”

Big for these players. And big for the organization.

Under ordinary circumstances, the second pre-season game shouldn’t engender a heightened level of scrutiny but, as new coach John Tortorella has said, these aren’t ordinary circumstances for the Canucks. They want to get younger. They believe they have kids who are ready to step into key roles on their team. And they’ve been given every opportunity to show they belong.

The results? As you might have guessed, they’re inconclusive. But it’s also fair to say not one of the kids has separated themselves from the pack and you’d hoped that would have started by now.

Kassian, the 22-year-old man child, is auditioning for the plumb role alongside the Sedins and Wednesday night he was like a lot of his teammates: OK in flashes but no sustained brilliance. He finished minus-two and with one shot on goal. He had an impact on the power play but it went 0-for-2.

It was a similar story for the Canucks’ other prospects. Shinkaruk and Horvat played on what amounted to a second line with Hansen and produced a couple of chances, most notably when Horvat put Hansen in cold in the second period. But they didn’t hit the scoresheet after Shinkaruk scored a spectacular goal against the Sharks on Monday night.

He was asked how he felt about his game. “OK,” he said.

He was asked if OK is good enough for someone in his spot.

“No, not at all,” he said. “If I want to make this team I have to be great every single night. I’m trying to give them as little reason as possible to send me back.”

Gaunce scored the loan Canucks’ goal, his second of the pre-season, and has been a steady presence in a third-line role. As for Jensen, suffice to say it was a forgettable night.

Again, you don’t want to judge a kid too harshly on one night but the plain fact is the Canucks only have four more pre-season games left and those will go a long way toward answering some big questions for the team.

Tortorella, meanwhile, has said he won’t force any of the youngsters into his lineup and therein lies a tale. Five years ago, the Canucks opted to base their player-development policy on the Detroit Red Wings’ template. The plan was to assemble a group of prospects, develop them within the organization and promote them to the NHL club only when they were ready.

The Wings, of course, had done it for years, refreshing their lineup with a seemingly endless supply of youngsters and making it look easy. Turns out it wasn’t that easy. Cody Hodgson was the crown jewel for a couple of years but he had a falling out with the organization and was traded for Kassian. Yann Sauve never panned out. Anton Rodin was a bust. A first-rounder went to Florida in the Keith Ballard trade.

Add it all up and the drafts from 2008 to 2010 didn’t have the desired effect and those are the players who should be pushing for spots now.

Given their credentials, it’s hard to see the same thing happening with the current group. But these things also take time, even in aperfect world.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 09.19.2013

717372 Vancouver Canucks

Sedins can’t be everything to everybody

If the twins actually end up playing defensive hockey, expect a drop in their numbers

By Tony Gallagher, The Province September 18, 2013

We all know why the Sedins are at least saying they are keen to kill penalties and take more defensive zone faceoffs this season, and it’s all for the right reasons.

As leaders of the team, they are keen to set the right tone with the new coach, to get in line with what he wants to do and get the season off on the right collective foot.

And in a piece with our Jason Botchford found in these confines, they gave their reasoning that this is what they had always done in Sweden, and saw no reason to believe that they couldn’t do it over here. And, as such, it is almost certain they are perfectly sincere with their agreement with John Tortorella that they should participate in all aspects of the forwards’ game, and not be given any exalted status that might have been perceived or resented in the past.

But there’s a problem here. While it’s reasonable for them to feel that way and for the coach to feel the way he does even though he doesn’t seem to have grasped the fact he isn’t in New York anymore, isn’t it also reasonable to extrapolate that if they do become more involved in killing penalties and spending more time in the D zone, that their production is likely to drop?

After all, while they are very good, they are not supermen, something which has been quietly outlined to us in each and every playoff series they have ever played in this league, short of Henrik’s five-game rage against the dying of the light against L.A. 17 months ago.

Adding to that reasonable supposition is the fact they are one year older, playing against a tougher schedule than ever before, and they have an Olympics to play halfway around the world before they once again have to be at their best when it counts. And in those playoffs next April, they will have to do more than they’ve ever done in the past for this team to accomplish its ultimate goal — which is get out of the first round and keep going.

But no, let’s not think rationally here. Let’s everyone sit around pretending that they will be playing in a pretend league with pretend bodies and that somehow the Sedins will be able to do all things and be all things to all people in this wonderful Fantasy league with imagined results.

It may happen just as they’ve imagined for a few games, perhaps even half a season if everything goes wonderfully well. But the chances of it all coming off are about as likely Henrik punching Zdeno Chara into submission, which, come to think of it, may as well be included in his list of duties from Tortorella this season.

So the question becomes, why? Why this extended stay in Fantasyland?

Well, perhaps there’s a reason why the Sedins don’t want to talk reality here. There’s a reason why nobody (re: their agent J.P. Barry) on their side of the issue is speaking up and saying ‘hold on here, if you want these guys to kill penalties and take draws in the D zone more, you have to expect there might be a reduction in production.’ And it’s all pretty simple.

Right now, the Sedins are negotiating a long-term contract extension with the club based on numbers that they have rolled up over the past three or four seasons under the AV system, which called for the twins to place their focus on offence. And as such, their numbers are huge and will be commanding a monstrous amount of money for players heading further into the murky world of forwards in their mid to late 30s in a young man’s league.

They certainly don’t want to muddy those talks by saying “expect our production to drop if we start to diversify our game.” That would hurt their position. But once they sign and start this impossible task, the moment their numbers dip, it will be the first thing out of their defenders’ mouths.

So, in the meantime, everyone goes on talking like these guys will be able to walk on water, multiply loaves and fishes and remain totally injury-free, just to prove us nattering nabobs of negativity in the media wrong like they would so love to do.

Well, frankly, there is nothing most of us would welcome more than to have these great guys jam it down our collective throats, because most of us think the world of them as people and citizens of this community.

It’s just that it may be asking just a little too much.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 09.19.2013

717373 Vancouver Canucks

Healthy David Booth an eternal optimist

‘I can be a force’: Injuries to his knee, groin and ankle have kept the Canuck from achieving his potential

By Ben Kuzma, The Province September 18, 2013

If adversity builds character, then David Booth is among the league leaders in eternal hope.

From knee, groin and ankle injuries that made many wonder if the Vancouver Canucks winger was a better buy-out option once healthy — rather than the best candidate to play with Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows — the always-optimistic Booth was back on the practice ice Wednesday.

He’s expected to play at some point in the NHL preseason after March ankle surgery, in which screws re-attached his fibula and tibia and kept them in place. All this after suffering a groin injury in an initial training-camp skating test a year ago that cost him the first 14 games of the lockout season.

Booth was limited to a dozen games last season and managed all of one empty-net goal. He must prove worthy of a contract that pays $4.25 million US annually the next two seasons.

If adversity does build character, then the 28-year-old Detroit native could finally meet expectations.

“I’m a big believer in that and I think my faith has helped me out through this time — and it’s probably been the toughest time in my career,” said Booth. “I just want to get back to being the player I can be and know I can be. Nobody puts more pressure on me than I do. It’s been tough, but that all builds character and I’m looking forward to a big year.”

When swept by the San Jose Sharks in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring, the Canucks were missing that force off the wall who could take pucks to the net and jam home rebounds. In December 2011, Booth scored three goals and added two assists in a five-game span, and it looked like Kesler had finally found his winger.

Then came the Kevin Porter knee-on-knee hit on Booth.

“That was the best I was playing,” recalled Booth, who finished that season with 16 goals.

“If given the opportunity, I can really be a force in this league. I can’t change the way I play because injuries are part of the game. It’s a man’s game out there. I’ve still got to take pucks to the net and finish my hits, and that’s the way I play my game. I don’t want to get away from that. If you play the game afraid, that’s when you get hurt.”

The road to recovery hasn’t been easy. Booth couldn’t place any weight on his ankle for two months, but the gym rat still worked out rigorously and added upper-body muscle to put him up to 237 pounds. Once he could do cardio, Booth got down to 205 and is now at 215, but his body had to adjust to the surgery. Booth has had calf soreness while training, and even his initial skates were tough before he was medically cleared.

“It’s not like you can throw on the skates and go out there,” he stressed. “Hockey is so dynamic and there are so many different angles and edges you’re on.

“There’s a process of trying to get it 100 per cent and times when the body will work the way it wants to, and not the proper way. I’ve battled through those.”

Canucks coach John Tortorella saw enough of Booth in those all-Florida matchups to have a read on his winger. Needless to say, a healthy Booth will help provide that second wave of offence.

“He killed us in Florida, and the biggest thing for me is, can he stay healthy?” asked Tortorella, a former Tampa Bay head coach.

“He can be an asset in how we want to play on the puck. He slots people in different spots and we get a good player that can really help us.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 09.19.2013

717374 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks Game Day: The message is simple: Shoot the puck against Oilers

September 18, 2013. 11:52 am

Ben Kuzma

Of all the direct messages John Tortorella has delivered, the one for tonight is simple: Shoot the puck.

Outshot 42-16 in their preseason opener Monday — a 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks — the Vancouver Canucks coach expects to generate more offence against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena by having his players look for the net instead of a linemate.

“It’s probably one of the best plays in hockey — bad-angle shots or shots from all over the place,” said Tortorella. “The best players in the league aren’t looking to make an extra pass, they’re throwing pucks at the net and it’s something that develops offence. It helps you with puck possession and we had opportunities to shoot the puck the other night and we were looking for something else.

“I’m still evaluating and I’m not going to get caught up because there are going to be mistakes. But I’d like to see us have the puck more and I want us to play well and win the game, but I also need to watch individuals, too, and hopefully it all comes together.”

It will be a stiffer test against the Oilers who are playing their fourth preseason games and will ice Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Justin Schultz, Andrew Ference, Boyd Gordon, Ben Eager, David Perron, Nail Yakupov, Ales Hemsky and Ryan Smyth. The Canucks will have their projected top line intact and give Roberto Luongo the first 40 minutes and will also play centre Brendan Gaunce on left wing with Mike Santorelli and Brandon DeFazio.

“If you can play other positions and do it effectively, that certainly helps,” said Tortorella.

David Booth has recovered from ankle surgery and the winger has been cleared to practise and did with the non-playing group today. He’s expected to play at some point in the preseason.

“He killed us in Florida when I was in Tampa,” said Tortorella. “He can be an asset in how we want to play on the puck. He could be a really good player, but the question is health and it’s out of my control. If he can stay healthy, it slots people in different spots. We get a good player like that in lineup and it really helps us.”

OF NOTE — Centre Jordan Schroeder hasn’t played yet after offseason shoulder surgery but Tortorella said not to read anything into that and that the centre will get his games.

CANUCKS LINE-UP

D.Sedin-H.Sedin-Kassian

Shinkaruk-Richardson-Hansen

Jensen-Horvat-Stuart

Gaunce-Santorelli-DeFazio

Garrison-Bieksa

Andersson-Mullen

Negrin-Tanev

Luongo-Eriksson

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 09.19.2013

717375 Vancouver Canucks

Wing and a prayer: Healthy Booth vows to ‘get back to the player I know I can be’

September 18, 2013. 5:07 pm

Posted by:

Ben Kuzma

If adversity builds character, then David Booth is among the league leaders in eternal hope.

From knee, groin and ankle injuries that made many wonder if the Vancouver Canucks winger was a better buy-out option once healthy — rather than the best candidate to play with Ryan Kesler and Alex Burrows — the always-optimistic Booth was back on the practice ice Wednesday. He’s expected to play at some point in the NHL preseason after March ankle surgery in which screws re-attached his fibula and tibia and kept them in place. All this after suffering a groin injury in an initial training-camp skating test a year ago that cost him the first 14 games of the lockout season.

Booth was limited to a dozen games last season and managed but one goal and must prove worthy of a contract that pays $4.25 million US annually the next two seasons. If adversity does build character, then the 28-year-old Detroit native could finally meet expectations.

“I’m a big believer in that and I think my faith has helped me out through this time and it’s probably been the toughest time in my career,” said Booth. “I just want to get back to being the player I can be and know I can be. Nobody puts more pressure on me than I do. It’s been tough, but that all builds character and I’m looking forward to a big year.”

When swept by the San Jose Sharks in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring, the Canucks were missing that force off the wall who could take pucks to the net and jam home rebounds. In December of 2011, Booth scored three goals and added two assists in a five-game span and it looked like Kesler had finally found his winger. Then came the Kevin Porter knee-on-knee hit on Booth.

“That was the best I was playing,” recalled Booth, who finished that season with 16 goals. “If given the opportunity, I can really be a force in this league. I can’t change the way I play because injuries are part of the game. It’s a man’s game out there. I’ve still got to take pucks to the net and finish my hits and that’s the way I play my game. I don’t want to get away from that. If you play the game afraid, that’s when you get hurt.”

The road to recovery hasn’t been easy. Booth couldn’t place any weight on his ankle for two months but the gym rat still worked our rigorously and added upper-body muscle put him up to 237 pounds. Once he could do cardio, Booth got down to 205 and is now at 215 but his body had to adjust to the surgery. Booth has calf soreness while training and even his initial skates were tough before he was medically cleared.

“It’s not like you can throw on the skates and go out there,” he stressed. “Hockey is so dynamic and there are so many different angles and edges you’re on,” he added. “There’s a process of trying to get it 100 per cent and times when the body will work the way it wants to and not the proper way. I’ve battled through those.”

Canucks coach John Tortorella saw enough of Booth in those all-Florida matchups to have a read on his winger. Needless to say, a healthy Booth will help provide that second wave of offence.

“He killed us in Florida and the biggest thing for me is can he stay healthy?,” asked Tortorella, a former Tampa Bay head coach. “He can be an asset in how we want to play on the puck. He slots people in different spots and we get a good player that can really help us.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 09.19.2013

717376 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks Game Day: The message is simple: Shoot the puck against Oilers

September 18, 2013. 11:52 am

Posted by:

Ben Kuzma

Of all the direct messages John Tortorella has delivered, the one for tonight is simple: Shoot the puck.

Outshot 42-16 in their preseason opener Monday — a 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks — the Vancouver Canucks coach expects to generate more offence against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Arena by having his players look for the net instead of a linemate.

“It’s probably one of the best plays in hockey — bad-angle shots or shots from all over the place,” said Tortorella. “The best players in the league aren’t looking to make an extra pass, they’re throwing pucks at the net and it’s something that develops offence. It helps you with puck possession and we had opportunities to shoot the puck the other night and we were looking for something else.