The fact remains that Luongo is arguably the best goaltender in the league today. His work-horse attitude and leadership qualities earned him the Captaincy role in Vancouver.

Now enter Mats Sundin. Although he took a little while to get up to speed with his linemates, he's now showing his true form on the West Coast.

How far can this team go? Time will tell.

Forwards

13 Sundin, Mats C
38 Demitra, Pavol R
22 Sedin, Daniel L
33 Sedin, Henrik C
18 Bernier, Steve R
17 Kesler, Ryan C
9 Pyatt, Taylor L
10 Johnson, Ryan C
42 Wellwood, Kyle C
24 Hordichuk, Darcy L
37 Rypien, Rick C
36 Hansen, Jannik R
14 Burrows, Alexandre L
29 Jaffray, Jason L
7 Ouellet, Michel R
27 Krog, Jason C
49 Bolduc, Alexandre C

Defencemen

3 Bieksa, Kevin D
6 Salo, Sami D
8 Mitchell, Willie D
2 Ohlund, Mattias D
55 O'Brien, Shane D
4 Davison, Rob D
32 Nycholat, Lawrence D
23 Edler, Alexander D
44 Baumgartner, Nolan D

Goaltenders

1 Luongo, Roberto G
30 Labarbera, Jason G
41 Sanford, Curtis G
35 Schneider, Cory G

How much that Luongo deal helped the Canucks though. I still think Naslund is struggling though, If he could be playing with more fire, I think this team could run away with it in their division. Tight race till the end though between them Flames and Wild.

The Canucks met thier match last night. A super tough calgary squad with Iginla back in the lineup. Although calgary has a banged up core on defence, they contained the big line from vancouver. Luongo went down for a short span due to a shot, and the vancouver brass and players were hoping for the best. He stayed in the game and was a bit shook up is all. Vancouver tried to come back with 2 minutes left in the game by pulling Luongo for the extra attacker and scored. Then they had another golden opportunity to tie it (Pyatt) with only a few seconds left, but Pyatt couldn't get a handle on the puck.

So, a hard fought loss to a Western Conference favorite contender, Calgary.

While I like the way the Nux are playing this year, they're not getting enough out of Naslund, and there's too big a drop-off between their top guys and the rest of the team. It seems they'll be playing Luongo EVERY night - they have to win consistently to make the playoffs.

The problem is that Luongo's likely going to get burnt out, and their scorers have virtually no playoff credibility. I predict a quick exit, should they qualify for the "second season".

That being said, it's amazing this team is even competitive when you consider all the talent that left during the off-season!

Big win last night over the Oil - nice to see Naslund get some points, and the Sedins continue to roll. Good times!

They'd have lost that type of game in seasons past. Maybe, just maybe, the boys can stay on this surge, and see some playoff action?!?!

They came out swinging against the Oilers. Big 4 point game and they owned Edmonton. Huge night for the Twins!!

However...
Ugly 3-0 loss to the Blackhawks Wednesday night

Yeah, THAT'S the Nux I know! Grrr. I know you can't win 'em all, but the playoff races are so tight that you need points in every game you play.

I think they're doing great
and after the Leafs, they're probably the team I like most.
But IMO I think they would be nowhere without Luongo

Nice win over the Thrashers last night. Nice to see Linden pick up a couple of assists. I'm starting to think that any of the top 8 teams in the West would do very well against anyone from the East.

game tonight VS. the Wild on TSN!

WTG, Nux! They'd have lost that game in previous years. Maybe, just maybe, these guys are for real, and an extended playoff run is coming? (Did I just jinx them?!)

Great win over Colorado, even though we sucked hahahaha

The canucks have a great shot this year.. if this was last year, we would have lost 7-0... but we didnt have luongo =)

wow, look what a goalie actually CAN do for you

Dany Sabourin getting the nod tonight against Anahiem in a very strange turn of events...

The Ducks are playing like a pack of stinkers since Christmas but you never know with them. Gonna be tough for the Sedin's to get going offensively what with the defensive prowess and goons.

Sabourin?, well, almost worked against Buffalo I guess.

Canucks win 3-2, a 38 save, .950% performance by Dany Sabourin to earn his first win in the NHL.

The first backup win for Vancouver that meant something since Alex Auld defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-1 on October 25th, 2005. Just before Cloutier went down.

Bieksa's 9th, assisted by both Sedins. his first goal in 24 games, comes on a 5 on 3 after returning from what looked to be long term leg injury.

Naslund's 20th tied it up, solo effort deking out Pronger and faking out J.S

Daniel's 26th, his 6th game winner, assissted by Sami Salo and Markus Naslund

Huge game today versus the Stars, Calgary won last night and them and Minny are only 3 points behind

Then again, i hope for a 1-0 win so that Nonis will acquire a sniper of some sort

i think the canucks shall win the cup. 12 year cycle... third times the charm... we have luongod.

not to mention bieksa, sedins, and


RORY!

IMO this team has the best chance of winning the cup out of all the teams in Canada.

Best of luck tonight, 'Nuks.

We're gonna have a good one!

Ya think? I would say Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa, but thats what opinions are all about.

New uniforms for the Canucks:

Someone give me the quick fill in here, Who did the Canucks give up to move in the draft to get the Sedins?

Was it just 1 pick or both? And yeah who did they give up? I don't want to do an intense research here and I bet someone can give me the quick answer.

McCabe. They did a bunch of trades with Chicago, Atlanta and someone else, IIRC.

They had Atlanta's confirmation that they would not choose one of the Sedins as well.

Go Nucks go! Well they won last night.. I love Markus Naslund and Bryan McCabe.

Not a bad week for the Nux - knocking off both Detroit AND Nashville?! Wowsers!

Bulis scores his 12th, the only goal needed and Santala adds insurance with his first as a Canuck as the Canucks shutout the Nashville Predators 2-0. Naslund, Edler, Linden and Krajicek pick up assists

The Canucks are now 2 back of 2nd place Anahiem, 4 back of 1st overall in the West and 5 back of 1st overall in the NHL.

Luongo passes Brodeur for wins, ties his S%.



Roberto Luongo: 43-20-3-2. GAA: 2.27. S%: 922. SO: 4
Martin Brodeur: 42-21-1-6. GAA: 2.20. S%: 922. SO: 12


Considering Marty has *8* more shutouts, it's amazing Luongo is only .07 behind him in GAA...

Not for sure. Nonis said the team is sticking with the orca.. but it is going to be placed on an All-star game like jersey. BAsically the ones you said with the orca instead of vintage/johhny canuck.



nice try. but you dont fool me

Apprently, Ohlund is out with an elbow injury ; ****!!!

Bieksa - Mciver
Edler - Fitzpatrick
Sopel - Krajicek


So crappy....Mitchell better be back for tomorrow....

Congrats, Nux for locking up a playoff position!

Does this latest shutout victory over the Avs pretty much secure 8th for the Flamers?

Avalanche need to go 6-0-0 while the Flames have to go 1-3-2 for the Avalanche to make it.

Anyways, Sami Salo has signed a 4 year extension. Sorta wish it was only 3 years though.

These guys ar awesome this year. Definitely one of the faves to win it all.

They always say that goaltending and defence wins the Cup. If they can get back some health on the blueline, these guys just might do it.

Roberto Luongo: 46-21-3-3. GAA: 2.27. S%: 921. SO: 5

Canucks can clinch tonight with any of the following:

A win
A wild loss
A wild OT Loss

An OT win wont cut it, because if Minnesota wins both of their games, and the Canucks lose the other 2 in regulation the Wild are tied with the Canucks in points and points, and hold the goals/season series tie breaker!

Luongo will probably start, if we win, look for Sabby to get a start on the weekend.

Dallas vs Canucks first round! Woo!!

Now that the Leafs & Habs are outa the playoffs, the Canucks are ....


Canada's Team !!!


Go Canucks Go !!!

GO CANUCKS!!! these guys are definitely going all the way this year... it's gonna be tough though in the west with teams like anaheim and nashville but they'll make it i'm predicting a Canucks/Sabres final

I hope the 'Nucks get into the finals *crosses fingers*...they've had a good year. Good luck Taylor!

Bieksa and Krajicek will be back for game 1.

Sedin - Sedin - Pyatt
Cooke - Morrison - Naslund
Bulis - Smolinski - Linden
Burrows - Santala (Kesler) - Cowan

Ohlund - Salo/Sopel
Mitchell - Bieksa
Krajicek - Sopel/Salo

Luongo
Sabourin

PP:

Sedin - Sedin - Pyatt/Linden
Bieksa - Ohlund

Naslund - Smolinski - Cooke
Salo - Morrison

PK:

Cooke(Burrows) - Morrison (Kesler)
Bieksa - Mitchell

Burrows (Cooke) - Linden (Morrison)
Ohlund - Salo
Kesler and Green are expected back during the series....

They won't beat the Ducks.

It's been one heckuva season, win or lose tonight!

Interesting, when the season started NHL.com had a poll that asked:

What is more likely? Ovechkin 50 goals or Luongo 50 wins.

At the time I laughed so hard, no goalie in NHL history had ever won 50 times in one season and the Canucks werent even that great of a team.

And then Christmas came around and Luongo finished the year 3 wins shy of 50...

The Canucks depth at the right wing is Grim.

They've got AT BEST a 2nd line left winger on the top line RW, a 3rd line LW on the 2nd, a natural center on the 3rd who's 37 years old, and Cowan/Isbister on the 4th.

Oh the Grimness....

Bieksa signed a 3 year extension, 3.75 per. Salo also resigned 3.5 million per year for 4 more years. Canucks signed Isbister and Ritchie to 1 year, near league minimum deals. They also signed goalie prospect Cory Schiender and he'll be joining the Manitoba Moose. Sabourin signed in Pittsburgh so the Canucks signed Canuck Killer Curtis Sanford to a 600k deal. Linden and Cowan resigned, 750k for both. Nucks bought out Chouinard (Should've kept him in the AHL)

Sedin - Sedin - Pyatt
Naslund - Morrison - Cooke/Linden
Burrows/Raymond- Kesler - Cooke/Linden
Burrows/Raymond/Hansen - Ritchie - Cowan/Isbister

Bieksa - Mitchell
Ohlund - Salo
Krajicek - Miller
Bourdon/Edler/Rahimi

Luongo
Sanford

Kind of hoping we somehow resign Bulis >_>

Apparently Raymond had a very good prospects camp and Alain is very excited about him going into main camp. Said he has a very good shot at making the team and potentially seeing some quality top 6 minutes. Supposidly AV always wants to experiment Kesler with Naslund on the 2nd line and Morrison on the 3rd line with the Cooker and Linden to help spread out the scoring. This all depends on Raymond's status going into the regular season, of course.

Sedin - Sedin - Pyatt
Naslund - Kesler - Raymond
Cooke - Morrison - Linden
Burrows - Ritchie - Cowan

Not bad, not excellent either.

GO NUCKs!!!!!!!

Canucks are playing well lately and with Edler and Bourdon stepping it up it's no suprise they beat Colorado and Calgary.

Next game: Edmonton.

I'm not liking the 4 day breaks..

Hopefully, Morrison will be well rested and ready for the playoffs. He could be a potential difference-maker, if playing at his best. Without more scoring, I still can't see this team winning more than one round...kinda like NJ in the East.

At this point, Vancouver has 12 players and $34,000,000 committed for next year. Who knows what'll happend to both Morrison and Naslund, but at least the goaltending, defence and the Sedin Sisters are signed...

PHOENIX COYOTES - 4
VANCOUVER CANUCKS - 3

AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!


YOTES WIN ANOTHER BARNBURNER!! HUGE GOALS FROM MUELLER AND JOVOCOP!!!


Gretz and the boys are just ROLLING towards the playoffs!!

After Detroit, Phoenix is the best team in the league right now.

AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

As soon as I heard about the Luongo deal I said to my friends that 08/09 would be the year if not 09/10, Mens Gold and S Cup????? could be tasty, I doubt if this is the year but I'd love to see them in the con finals.... as for the sedins, I've always hated them....

Um.... they'll fall back like your hair line soon enough.