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By Josh Martin, Sports Editor

year. The Vancouver Canucks

are just one month away from
the beginning of the 2010-2011
NHL regular season. Last year, the
Canucks were solid, finishing first
in the North West Division and third
overall in the Western Conference
with a record of 49-28-5. They were
scratching their heads in the second
round of the playoffs however when
the eventual Stanley Cup champion
Chicago Blackhawks blew past them
in six games. This year though,
the Canucks have reloaded and are
looking for a fresh start and a deep
playoff run.

Let’s take a look at where the
Canucks stand to kick off the year.

Goaltending — Captain and
goaltender Roberto Luongo is

iE one of the best times of the

coming off a rocky season compared
to his previous years where he

has averaged a sterling .913 save
percentage and a 2.57 GAA.
However his numbers were still
decent in terms of playing 68 games
and having 40 wins under his belt in
the regular season. Many critics say
that giving him the captaincy has
distracted him from focusing on his
game, and perhaps as the team heads
into training camp he will consider
giving it up.

The real issue for Roberto is
whether or not he can deliver when
his team needs him the most, in the
playoffs. Cory Schneider will be the
back-up goalie, a position that he has
been fighting for ever since he was
drafted in ’04 out of Boston College.
Schneider will be receiving more
playing time this season than the
back-up goaltenders in the Canucks

past, since Vigneault wants to reduce
Luongo’s work load.

Offence — The forward line-up
has a lot of fresh faces this year
with new comers Raffi Torres,
Manny Malholtra, Joel Perrault, and
Jeff Tambellini joining the squad
along with Cody Hodgson, who
is expected to make the cut. After
having disappointing seasons, Kyle
Wellwood and Steve Bernier have
said their good-byes which will open
up roster spots. Superstar Henrik
Sedin was unreal last year winning
the Hart Memorial Trophy as the
League’s MVP and winning the
Art Ross Trophy as the player with
the most points in the league at the
end of the regular season. Henrik’s
brother Daniel had a spectacular
season as well coming off an injury
earlier in the season and ripping it up
for the remainder of the campaign.

 

 

The twins will be looked at again
this year as the core for the Canucks
scoring. Alex Burrows had a career-
high 35 goals while Mason Raymond
went as far as putting 25 goals in
the basket. The forwards are looking
strong heading into the season.
Defence — The only big changes
that the Canucks have done to the
defence is getting rid of Willie
Mitchell and adding Dan Hamhuis
and Keith Ballard to the line-up.
Hambhuis can play his two-way
style and join the rush where as
Ballard is a decent defensemen
but is mostly known for his slash
on his own goalie at the time last
year in Florida, Tomas Vokoun.
Last year the defence ran into many
injuries and were often blamed for
the Canucks struggles, with a new
chemistry hopefully they will be
stronger than ever.

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