.& uy APs, A POR Believe it or not, Rypien is good for the Canucks By Garth McLennan, Sports Editor ews that the Canucks have recently N= gritty forward Rick Rypien to a two-year, one-way contract extension that includes a small raise from $522,000 to $550,000 per year should be greeted warmly. Now, critics of the move will point out the obvious, that Rypien is damaged goods. At first glance, it might appear that they have a point there. After all, this is the same Rick Rypien that suited up just 12 times for Vancouver during the regular season and missed an astounding 70 games through a combination of a debilitating sports hernia and a mysterious leave of absence for personal reasons that still have not been explained. Since debuting for Vancouver back in 2005, Rypien has been plagued by a seemingly endless string of injuries. There was the broken fibula he sustained during his rookie campaign that sidelined him for months and limited his promising rookie stint with the Canucks to just five games. The next season, Rypien was out for two months because of a broken thumb. Just two games after returning from that wound, he tore his groin and didn’t play for Vancouver again that year. Two seasons ago he again hurt his finger that kept him on the injured reserve for a significant portion of time before his lengthy injury woes this past season. Now, however, Rypien has appeared to have turned a corner... really! He made his comeback to the Canuck roster late in the regular season and finished strong. He didn’t miss a playoff game and was a super_b, hard- nosed presence for Vancouver. At age 25, Rypien still has a lot of upside and potential. Many of his injuries can be attributed to his valiant playing style and the tremendous heart he has. Nobody can say Rypien doesn’t have guts. Never drafted, standing a not-so-imposing 5 foot 11 and weighing just 180 pounds, Rypien has had to battle for everything he has. He made the AHL’s Manitoba Moose on a free agent tryout and has worked his way up to the NHL. He’s never backed down from a fight and that’s partly why he’s been hurt so much. Rypien regularly goes toe-to-toe with guys as much as six inches taller and 60 pounds heavier than him. So, yes, bringing Rypien back is a gamble. It would be much easier to just cut him loose and forget about him. But taking a risk on him isn’t such a bad thing. When he’s on his game, Rypien can be an impact player. True, nobody is going to confuse him with Sidney Crosby, but he’s a gutsy player that is loaded with character. If he can find a way to stay healthy, most of Vancouver should see his stronger side pretty soon. Edmonton makes the move Vancouver should have By Garth McLennan, Sports Editor fter missing the playoffs this season for the third consecutive year, the Edmonton Oilers were in disarray. They had finished a disappointing fourth place in the competitive Northwest Division and proceeded to axe their long-time head coach, Craig MacTavish, after nine middling seasons highlighted by a trip to the 2006 Stanley Cup finals. Well, the Oilers may still have Ales Hemsky as the team’s franchise cornerstone, but they have also gone a long way to restoring a sense of credibility to the franchise with the hiring of the legendary to coach the team. Quinn, as Canucks’ fans may remember, was the coach and GM architect of Vancouver’s famous 1994 Western Conference championship team, which finished just a game away from:winning the Stanley Cup. He also advanced to the Cup finals in 1980 as the coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. While Quinn won’t double as the team’s GM along with his coaching duties, you’d have to think that he will still have significant input into player 16 personnel decisions. Quinn has an excellent track record when it comes to rebuilding teams; he built the Toronto Maple Leafs into a contender after leaving Vancouver but as soon as he left the Leafs spiralled into the league’s basement, and if any team out there is in need of a boost, it’s the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers have gaping holes in a number of key roster positions, not the least of which is goaltending. Dwayne Roloson kept the Oilers modestly competitive this season, but he’s now 39 years old and an unrestricted free Pat Quinn offseason, who is easily the best defenseman available on the market and is just what Edmonton (and about 25 other NHL teams) needs. He’s big, strong, has unparalleled offensive instincts and passing ability, can lead the rush better than any defender in f the league not named Nicklas Lidstrom and can quarterback the power play. The only drawback is that every other team in the league would love to sign him and his services won’t come cheap. What Quinn really needs to change however is the culture of the team. Edmonton fans won’t soon forget Slovakian sniper Marian Hossa turning down an astronomical agent who is unlikely to return to Alberta for another year. Kamloops Blazers graduate and 2004 first-round draft pick Devan Dubnyk has been heralded as the goalie of the future for Edmonton since his draft day but hasn’t progressed much since. Up front, when you’re two leading guys are Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff, you must know that there are a few issues that need to be addressed. While the Oilers do have a few talented young players in Andrew Cogliano, Sam Gagner, and World Junior hero and 2008 first-round draft pick Jordan Eberle is on the way, the talent pool drops off significantly after those three. Dustin Penner has been an unmitigated disaster since arriving from Anahiem on that big restricted free agent deal and was often paid portions of his $4.25 million salary to sit in the press box as a healthy scratch. On defence, things don’t look much brighter. Sheldon Souray has been another failed free agent experiment and has spent more time on the injured list than on the ice. Lubomir Visnovsky is a highly skilled player, but he’s not worth the $5.6 million he brings home every year. Quinn will likely chase unrestricted free agent Jay Bouwmeester this nine year, $81 million contract offer to sign with the Red Wing for one year and $7.1 million. Hossa’s reasoning? He wanted to win a Stanley Cup, and he believed that wouldn’t happen in Edmonton. Ouch. However, if anyone can transform the Oilers into a player’s club, a team where winning is clearly priority number one, it’s Pat Quinn. Aside from a strong NHL record, Quinn was most recently known for helming the 2008 Canadian team at the World Junior Championships, where he guided the squad to its fifth-straight gold medal victory. He was also the head coach for the gold medal- winning Canadian entries at the 2002 Winter Olympics and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.