VANCOUVER CANUCKS
We like to shape sports into tidy little narratives. Teams win big games because they have "come of age." They falter because they lack "character" or "aren’t ready yet."
So what to make of the Canucks’ 2003 playoff? Stirring comeback against St. Louis: A potential champion finally breaks through! Stunning collapse against Minnesota: Weak-kneed pugs wilt under pressure! It makes for a clumsy, inconsistent story.
But until the saga resumes next spring, Vancouver can safely be counted among the NHL's big dogs.
Markus Naslund, Todd Bertuzzi and Brendan Morrison rival Colorado’s Forsberg trio as the NHL's best line. They might not keep climbing, but there is no reason to expect a decline. Nobody can contain Ed Jovanovski, who has cut back on the mistakes of his early years. The rest of the defense handles most comers and contributes mightily to the attack. The roster has slowly matured into an imposing mix of almost everything a hockey team needs.
This year's changes, particularly the arrival of three-zone forward Magnus Arvedsson, will help at both ends of the rink. The exotic but unsteady Sedin twins are among several forwards with room to improve. We hear that every fall, but it’s worth noting that they just turned 23, still young for NHL regulars.
Trouble: The defensemen love to join the charge and the forwards don’t always back check (Naslund and Bertuzzi were only plus-6 and plus-2, respectively). So th Canucks are often stranded when the puck turns the other way. It's a high-risk style. It's also fun, so hopefully they'll stick with it.
On the Spot: When you blow a 3-1 series lead, you blow it as a team. But the Minnesota meltdown did not flatter Dan Cloutier: he allowed 15 goals on his last 60 shots of the season. His margin of error is slim, at least in the eyes of fans and media.
The Forecast: About the only thing that can derail Vancouver is injury trouble for Morrison, Bertuzzi or Naslund. The Canucks are safe until April, when familiar, foreboding questions about goaltending and playoff fortitude emerge once again.
The Call: Second in the Western Conference.
Who's In: Goaltender Johan Hedberg (trade from Pittsburgh)
Defenseman Dallas Eakins (free agent from Atlanta)
Defenseman Jiri Slegr (free agent from Europe)
Forward Magnus Arvedsson (free agent from Ottawa)
Who's Out: Defenseman Murray Baron (free agent to St. Louis)
Right winger Trent Klatt (free agent to Los Angeles)
Center Trevor Letowski (free agent to Columbus)
2002-03 Regular Season Numbers:
Payroll:
$31,825,000, 21st overall
(Hockey News, November 15/02. Bonuses not included.)
- Record: 45-23-13-1 for 104 points
- At home: 22-13-6-0
- On the road: 23-10-7-1
- Finish: 7th overall, 4th in the Western Conference, 2nd in the Northwest Division.
- Goals for: 264 (3.22 per game), 2nd overall.
- Goals against: 208 (2.54 per game), 11th overall.
- Goal differential: Plus-56, 5th overall.
- Power play: 20.7 percent, 3rd overall.
- Penalty kill: 84.1 percent, 12th overall.
Goaltending:
- Dan Cloutier, 57-33-16-7, 2.42 GAA, .908 SV PCT, 2 SO.
- Peter Skudra, 23-9-5-6, 2.72 GAA, .897 SV PCT, 1 SO.
- Alex Auld, 7-3-3-0, 1.57 GAA, .929 SV PCT, 1 SO.
Leaders:
- Scoring: Left winger Markus Naslund 82-48-56-104.
- Power play points: Markus Naslund, 82-24-30-54.
- Game-winning goals: Markus Naslund, 12.
- Ice time: Defenseman Mattias Ohlund, 25:15 per game.
- Plus/minus: Defenseman Marek Malik, plus-23.
2002-03 Playoff Numbers:
- Round One: Defeated St. Louis 4-3
- Round Two: Lost to Minnesota 4-3
Goaltending:
- Dan Cloutier, 14-7-7, 3.24 GAA, .868 SV PCT, 0 SO.
- Alex Auld, 1-0-0, 3.00 GAA, .800 SV PCT, 0 SO (19:59 played).
Leaders:
- Scoring: Left winger Markus Naslund, 14-5-9-14.
- Power play points: Markus Naslund, 14-2-6-8.
- Game-winning goals: Defenseman Ed Jovanovski, 2.
- Ice time: Defenseman Mattias Ohlund, 24:01 per game.
- Plus/minus: Center Matt Cooke, plus-3.
