February 25, 2008

Lion’s Joe Smith isn’t going anywhere

By Garth McLennan, Sports Editor

Be Lions star tailback Joe Smith has agreed to a new three-year contract that will keep him with the Lions until at least 2010.

Until the new deal, there was

doubt that Smith would still be playing for BC next season. He had been working out with the Houston Texans of the NFL and was offered a practice roster contract.

Smith established himself as

old deals.

§ one of the CFL’s top players last year

with a phenomenal season. He led the league in numerous categories, including carries (281), rushing yards (1, 510), and touchdowns (18). Outside of his exceptional statistics, Smith added

' another facet to the Lions | attack, giving

them a dynamic running game to complement their excellent passing offense.

Signing Smith is another example of Lions’ head coach and General Manager Wally Buono’s strategy of extending core players who are entering the option years of their Buono _ has stated multiple times that he isn’t overly interested

_ in signing new free agents, _ instead preferring to focus on retaining

the team’s core players before they hit

- the free agent market. Over the entire

course of the previous off-season, Buono didn’t sign a single free agent.

“You’re just ticking people off in your own organization when you acquire a free agent. Your players are saying, ‘Why are you giving him money

“Smith estab- lished himself as one of the CFL’s top play- ers last year.”

and not me?’” Buono said in an interview with the Province newspaper.

Buono’s attitude toward obtaining free agents was likely at least partially responsible for removing any speculation of linebacker Reggie Hunt coming to British Columbia. Hunt, who on February 19, 2008, signed with the Montreal Alouettes, was rumored to be leaving Saskatchewan— where he has played for the Roughriders since 2002 and has been a two time all-star—and coming to the Lions. Reggie Hunt is the older brother of the Lions’ defensive lineman Aaron Hunt.

Buono has extended the pacts of defensive backs Dante Marsh and Korey Banks recently, and nine Lions are entering the option years of their contracts, such as Aaron Hunt, offensive lineman Jason Jimenez, and return man Jan Smart, all of whom are key pieces to the Lions’ future.

The financial terms of Smith’s new contract were not released.

F.. the first time in recent memory, the Vancouver Canucks have finally assembled a cast of respectable and promising prospects.

The Canucks have the dubious distinction of being among the worst drafting teams in NHL history, and, until recently, have languished near the bottom of league standings. That isn’t in the cards anymore and likely won’t be for years to come as Vancouver now has several players who have the potential to become legitimate NHLers.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the play of defenseman Alexander Edler, drafted by the Canucks 91* overall in the 2003 entry draft. At 6°4 and just 21 years of age, Edler’s remarkable development has astounded practically everyone. He has gone from playing Tier Two hockey in Sweden to the NHL in just a few short years. His smooth play and amazing +14 rating, which leads all rookies, has earned him comparisons to a young Nicklas Lidstrom.

At the other end of the spectrum is Luc Bourdon, 20, the rookie blueliner taken in by Vancouver in the first round

Canucks Stock the Cupboard

By Garth McLennan, Sports Editor

of the 2005 draft. He hasn’t progressed at anywhere near the pace of Edler, and has run into injury problems that have hindered his development, but has been up with the big club due to all of the injuries on the Vancouver blue line. He has improved his positional play and has begun to polish his raw, but talented, game.

Mason Raymond, 22, is fresh out of four years at the University of Minnesota Duluth and has quickly began to acclimate himself to the professional game. Drafted in the second round, 51* overall, of the 2005 draft, he has shown blistering speed with spotty finish, but that is believed to come in time. Raymond is back with the Canucks after starting the season with them before being assigned to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.

The Canucks also have Jason Jaffray, whose odyssey to the NHL is nothing short of incredible. Jaffray, 26,

was undrafted, but has finally realized his dream of playing in the NHL after years of hard work. He has earned a two-way contract with the Canucks after scoring regularly for the Manitoba Moose over the past few years. He normally plays with Raymond and has shown the ability to play that will last for years to come.

Ryan Shannon, 24, is next, and his career has already taken off. Never drafted, but signed by the Anaheim Ducks in 2005, Shannon won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks last season before being traded to Vancouver for Jason King in the summer. The diminutive winger made the Canucks out of training camp and immediately began scoring goals, but was demoted to the Moose because of poor defensive play. He’s back now and has impressed the team brass with his speed and finish.

The dark horse prospect is Cory Schneider. The 21 year old goaltender is

unlikely to see much playing time in the coming years with Roberto Luongo the stalwart, but GM Dave Nonis has said he is reluctant to deal away the promising young goalie. Schneider completed three terrific years at Boston College and has developed an impressive international resume in his play for team USA at various events. Schneider has had some trouble adjusting to the professional game this season, and has fallen behind Drew Maclntyre as the Moose starter. He still has value however, and could be dangled as trade bait for the upcoming trade deadline.

These are the primary building blocks for the foundation of the Canucks future, and should Nonis not deal them away at the deadline, they have the potential to be the front liners of the future.