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Canucks 2011: Dare You Hope?

Such a great season. So much more reason, therefore, to brood and worry.

By Steve Burgess, 4 Apr 2011, TheTyee.ca

Canucks' Sedin brothers

Tag teaming twins: Sedins not injured... yet.

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"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times."

Possibly Charles Dickens's most useful and versatile line -- applicable to almost any era or situation. It certainly works for the Vancouver Canucks. In this season of global fear and national rhetoric, you would at least expect Vancouver hockey fans to be experiencing little but unbridled joy and happy anticipation. But that is not the Canuck way, is it? We brood. We worry. The Canucks ran away with the league title, have the best record in their history, and are set to watch Sedin, D. match the prize-winning feats achieved by Sedin, H. last year. Yet President's and Art Ross trophies notwithstanding, there is much to brood upon.

To begin with the most serious subject, consider Manny Malhotra and Dan Hamhuis. Both men have suffered frightening injuries -- Malhotra's in particular, a deflected puck flush on the eye resulting in two surgeries, thus far and a flurry of rumours. The best case scenario is said to be 80 per cent vision in the injured eye -- the worst case, as anyone knows, the beginnings of a very realistic pirate costume. As for Hamhuis, he unwittingly became a poster child for the NHL's issue of the year by suffering his second concussion of the season, the fourth of his career.

The ruthless fan

These sorts of injuries lay bare the awkward nature of fandom. EA Sports this isn't -- the team we love is comprised of men. An honest fan must confess to the psychological struggle involved in adopting the proper attitude here. Concern for the well-being of Malhotra and Hamhuis must come first -- we fervently hope that these injuries will not repay their hard work with long-term disability. Yet who amongst the faithful has not fought the urge to see these events in more practical terms? In Malhotra, we lose arguably the best third-line centre in the league, while Hamhuis's problems threaten to scratch the team's steadiest defenseman just when he is most needed.

The split nature of our regard for sports heroes was at its starkest when young Luc Bourdon, set for a promising career on the Canucks blueline, was killed in a 2008 motorcycle accident. This was a human tragedy, pure and simple. Most Canuck fans took it exactly that way. Yet it was also discussed in chat rooms as more evidence of the team's bad luck with draft picks. As news of the fatal accident broke, one fan named Johan left this comment online: "Condolences to his family... I know it's an inappropriate question, but do the Canucks get compensated?"

Easy to be righteously appalled, but such reactions are almost inevitable. We who live and die on the fortunes of athletes we will likely never meet must be forgiven if we sometimes have trouble seeing them in three dimensions. We are too invested in their uniformed avatars to reduce them to flesh and blood -- especially not now, when the prize seems so close.

Hardened against hope

And there lies the other nagging worry for Canuck followers. The latter half of the team's season, largely as smooth and satisfying as the progress of a great white shark through a pod of overweight harbour seals, has paradoxically left some veteran fans tied up in knots. It's like approaching an intersection on a green light --things can only get worse. Vancouver hockey aficionados can bend your ear for hours with depressing precedent. We've been burned many a time -- for the last two seasons by the same team on the exact same calendar date. This year may be different. The Canucks might meet the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round, which could mean Vancouver would be eliminated by the Hawks in late April instead of May 12. It would be a change, at least.

But then, based on the regular season this is the best Canucks team ever. There are plenty of reasons for optimism. Just don't expect to hear many of them from veteran fans. We're afraid to hope.

At least we can hope for this: health and happiness for our wounded warriors -- a long, visored career for Malhotra, a full recovery for Hamhuis, no more freak accidents for poor, benighted Sami Salo. The Canucks have a truly fine team, and they've had a truly remarkable season. Let's try to enjoy the moment. Who knows what tomorrow may bring?

How about you? Allowing yourself to hope? How far do you think the Canucks will go in the playoffs? Post a comment, please. [Tyee]

Steve Burgess writes about film and culture -- and sometimes the Canucks -- for The Tyee.

14 Comments:

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  • warbler

    1 year ago

    I predict...

    First round choke in 6 games.

    Canucks fans are the worst, I hope for crushing defeat.

    Go Habs Go!

  • Frank

    1 year ago

    40 years

    warbler has thrown down the gauntlet.

    If its the Hawks, the Canucks will beat them in 5 and game 5 will be a laugher.

    But without Malhotra and with all injuries to the defence the team just isn't as good and I can't see them going all the way.

    However, if Hamhuis and Edler are back and someone steps up fill Malhotra's spot then they should make it to the final 4 at least.

  • Van Isle

    1 year ago

    Back in the 60's I was an

    Back in the 60's I was an big fan of the NHL and could name off every player in the League. Now, I don't give a tinkers-damn about the whole business of hockey

  • G West

    1 year ago

    Frank

    I think the problem won't just be on defence.
    The problem is Luongo.

    Still, I wish them well.

  • happy

    1 year ago

    Maybe, maybe not

    Luongo is currently first in total season wins and third in goals against average at 2.14. The goalie in second is 2.13, practically tied.
    But I hear ya. Goalies are a special breed and can get rattled in thier brains.
    But this year we have one of the best backup goalies in the league. Major difference from last year.
    Its looking good but I haven't bought any champange yet...

  • Habos

    1 year ago

    orca bay topfeeders

    If the Canuckles don't do it this year (win Lord Stanley's Potty), it will never happen. Pity about Hamhuis and Malhotra, but as most teams go they are relatively healthy at the moment.
    However, as many canucks fans say, "Playoffs are coming - get ready for the letdown!"
    Go Bobby Lou - redeem yourself!

  • Iteranco

    1 year ago

    Canucks still look good...

    Loved your analogy about approaching a green light at the intersection, that's just how I feel, apprehensive but hopeful.

    The Hawks aren't the team they were; look at their recent struggles to even secure a place in the playoffs. They are definitely weaker at goaltending, so key in the playoffs. However, the Canucks seem to bring out their best play. Still, even if it's our first round matchup, I think the Canucks can take them this year, and it would, if they do it, be a great lift for the team.

    The injuries so far are worrisome, but probably manageable. They've played with injuries on defence all year, and are used to it, and have found very good replacements. But there's no question Malhotra will be missed, especially if they make it the later rounds, where play gets really tight, and face-offs are so critical.

    Hopefully Edler will be back. Many were saying he was our best defence man before his injury. But it will take a few games at least for him to be ready. On the other hand, he'll be rested.

    I'll go with Luongo any day. His recent play has been outstanding, possibly his best season here. Changing to Henrik as Captain was a great move.

    I don't think other teams are going to underestimate the determination the Canucks have shown this year, possibly less than many apprehensive Vancouver fans.

    Luck can change things, new injuries could be significant, everything has to go your way to win the cup, but the Canucks have an excellent chance this year, and heading into the playoffs, what more can you ask.

    Hang on to your seats, this could be a wild ride...

  • Frank Lee

    1 year ago

    It all Depends

    It depends on who they meet in the conference finals and in the league finals. Philly is scary because they have 4 great centres, and because RIchards and Pronger are big and mean. The loss of Maholtra would be conspicuous there, as it would against Detroit, which is another great puck-possession team. But I believe that they stack up well against Washington, Montreal or Boston.

    ONly ABout 30% of President's Trophy winners go on to win the Cup--but those are pretty good odds in a league in which at least ten teams look capable of winning.

  • wstander

    1 year ago

    I'll bite

    I'll be bold enough to embarrass myself.

    I think the Canucks, apart from goaltending, have been the best team in the NHL for three years. While Luongo remains, he appears to have learned a lot from Melanson, and applied it to his game, so I predict a Canuck Stanley Cup this year.

  • macsasquatch

    1 year ago

    Eye injury

    Thanks for paying attention in this article to Malhotra's eye injury.
    I follow the Canucks on tv, and the season was going well, but Malhotra's eye injury kind of dampened it all for me. Main thing I am interested in now is that he heals.
    But, since you mentioned hockey too, here is my $ .02 (CAD):
    The last couple of years, I thought that Luongo was played too much and got stale in the playoffs. I would like to see Schneider play two or more of the last few games to avoid this happening again.
    Sometimes I think that our coaches play certain players too much, and it sets up staleness(at best), and long term injuries.
    However far they go in the playoffs, they have to have one of the most entertaining teams in the NHL. The emphasis on speed and plays makes for a pretty good couple of hours of tv sports.

  • G West

    1 year ago

    keep hoping....but don't forget this playoff record

    Luongo:

    2006-2007
    CANUCKS
    Played 12 games, won 5, lost 7.
    Goals against - 25;

    2008-2009
    CANUCKS
    Played 10 games, won 6, lost 4.
    Goals against - 26;

    2009-2010
    CANUCKS
    Played 12 games, won 6, lost 6.
    Goals against - 38.

    Which looks to me to be no better than 50% and that will never be enough to win the Stanley Cup.

    So, with weakness at defence, the playoffs are going to be Luongo's to save.

    10 6 4 - 0 1 26 304 .914 2.52 618

  • warbler

    1 year ago

    And don't forget...

    Luongo made our Olympic gold medal a lot closer, a lot more difficult than it should have been.

    The President's Choice underachievers are goin' down.

  • Frank

    1 year ago

    Not looking good

    You would think the first place team would be able to beat Edmonton at least once out of the last two games.

    They even used both goalies.

  • Steve Burgess

    1 year ago

    Malhotra statement

    Manny says surgery was a success!

    http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=558498&navid=DL|VAN|home

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