The Canucks’ massive opening evening win has created some cautious optimism, however followers are rightly nervous.
A Vancouver Canucks fan’s lot in life is to be prepared for distress, however nonetheless be unable to withstand pondering the candle of hope that glints to life at the start of each season will develop in power, in warmth, in brightness.
To that finish: The Canucks’ opening evening win, 8-1 over the Edmonton Oilers, was sensational.
Nevertheless it’s only one recreation.
A troublesome highway journey looms.
How are Canucks followers feeling? We took to social media to search out out.
One fan stated they really feel “Scared. This makes the inevitable letdown worse. I’m hoping this become 1992 or 2009, the place we lastly get going and truly flip a nook competitively…”
Two intriguing comparability factors.
The 1991-92 season was Pavel Bure’s first within the NHL. He arrived in November, a month into the season, and added additional zip to a squad that was already flying excessive — the Canucks have been 10-4-1 when Bure first suited up Nov. 5, 1991.
However that season was a complete bunch of issues come collectively extra broadly.
Since taking on the Canucks in 1987, Pat Quinn’s groups had improved their defensive play and located some strong goaltending from Kirk McLean, however they struggled to attain.
On the 1991 commerce deadline, although, Quinn scooped up Cliff Ronning, Geoff Courtnall and Sergio Momesso in a commerce. All three instantly improved the Canucks’ assault, including to Trevor Linden’s burgeoning recreation (the captain was nonetheless simply 21).
With Bure taking the Canucks’ expertise pool to a complete new degree, the Canucks received the Smythe Division, and over the subsequent 4 seasons, the Canucks have been one of many higher groups within the NHL.
The 2008-09 squad was Mike Gillis’ first 12 months in cost. He took over from Dave Nonis, who made the playoffs simply as soon as in three seasons in cost. He had tried to re-fit the West Coast Specific period squad he’d inherited from Brian Burke, however struggled so as to add efficient depth components.
The Sedin twins had emerged as offensive leaders, however exterior of Markus Näslund, there simply hadn’t been sufficient scoring on the 2007-08 workforce.
Gillis’ first choice was to make this the Sedins’ workforce. The twins started an ascent to greatness. Ryan Kesler first stepped as much as be the participant he would develop into. Alex Burrows was aligned with the Sedins for the primary time.
Pavol Demitra and Mats Sundin have been signed as free brokers. The Canucks misplaced to the Chicago Blackhawks within the second spherical, the primary of two straight seasons the place their playoff push would finish in such a way.
Is that this squad equally positioned? The upbeat imagine so. The cynics merely level to all of the false dawns they’ve seen over the previous decade.
Drew stated on X, previously referred to as Twitter: “In addition to the 8 objectives (which was superior), I used to be actually impressed with how they defended. Significantly how the forwards supported the defencemen, and diminished the standard scoring possibilities the Oilers bought. If they will proceed to do this, I feel a wild card spot might be had.”
Watching the Canucks take away the cross-slot cross so successfully on Wednesday was a factor to observe. It portended nice issues.
A lot of the Canucks’ struggles of the previous two seasons has been rooted in an lack of ability to manage their very own finish.
They struggled to intercept and even disrupt passes. They bled odd-man rushes towards.
Neither was a lot of a problem on Wednesday. The Oilers struggled to attach on cross-ice passes as a result of the Canucks had their sticks within the passing lanes. And you can rely on one hand the variety of odd-man rushes Edmonton had in the entire recreation.
“I feel we simply felt like assured. Everybody knew what their job was and the place folks have been purported to be,” captain Quinn Hughes stated.
It was a promising begin.
A 3rd fan stated: “I used to be confused till Tocchet mainly stated ‘woop dee Doo, let’s get again all the way down to earth now.’ Exhibits that he received’t let the workforce include any conceitedness or laziness into recreation two.”
Consistency is about frequent understanding, Rick Tocchet stated Friday. Gamers can see others having success and they’ll imitate these behaviours, he recommended.
One of many issues profitable groups have a look at in recruiting new gamers to their squad, irrespective of the game, is how effectively do new gamers course of what’s in entrance of them?
Clearly, the Canucks imagine that this season’s group is additional forward than final 12 months’s was. And that final 12 months’s was forward of the workforce from the 12 months earlier than that.
The dedication to particulars, the sensible reads that have been in proof on Wednesday evening should be repeated. The measuring stick is there.
“I feel now we have bigger teams of men understanding and shopping for into what we’re doing. And you understand, we bought to get a pair different guys to … they’re getting there however we bought to get them on top of things slightly bit extra with regards to that stuff,” Tocchet stated Friday. “So I feel it’s simply contagious when a man blocks a shot, a man wins a board battle.
“We did a few issues there the place if Edmonton retains it in or if Edmonton doesn’t … Suter was within the slot. if he’s not there, if goes for slightly skate (as a substitute) the pucks within the web. He involves the bench: youthful guys see it, new guys see it, guys that aren’t pretty much as good defensively see it and that’s contagious.”
