Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alex Edler readies to take part in a two-on-two scrimmage during a practice on January 8, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
The Vancouver Canucks signed Alex Edler to a six-year, $30-million contract extension on the eve of the shortened 2013 season, according to General Manager Mike Gillis.
The move means two big things for the Canucks: 1) the team medical staff is confident that Edler’s back is 100%, despite spasms and pains that kept him out of a number of games over the past two seasons. And 2) Vancouver will continue to have one of the deepest bluelines in the league for the foreseeable future.
More after the jump.
Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.
Sleepless in St. Boniface; NHL lockout rankles Winnipeg By Jim Chliboyko
Many fans feel that Olli Jokinen, the rest of the players and the NHL collectively turned their backs on Winnipeg when they allowed the 2012-13 season to be shortened for purely financial reasons. Photo by Jim Chliboyko.
There’s a Twilight Zone story in here somewhere, submitted for your approval:
Picture, if you will, a city… a city that’s been abandoned, then embraced again, by the same organization that had previously abandoned it. The organization returns just long enough for the city to get a taste of its presence for one triumphant year, until the league… erm… self-destructs, the Martians’ book is actually a cookbook, the librarian at the end of the world sits on his own glasses and it turns out that the demon on the airplane wing is real! Or something twisty like that.
In short, Winnipeg loses the Jets in the ‘90s, the city waits a decade and a half for them to return, and then once they return, almost within the year there’s a league-wide NHL lockout. Especially since the former Moose (current Ice Caps) are still playing in Newfoundland. Unfair!
Okay, maybe it wouldn’t make Rod Serling’s shortlist, but the irony is there. In survivalist parlance, this is known as the “worst-case scenario.” If you had told someone that this was the fate of the Jets in the autumn of 2012, as well as the rest of the league, said person would have laughed, then punched you, being careful not to get blood on their Pavelec-autographed jersey. And like most worst-case scenarios, this one was entirely avoidable, totally regrettable and has left a trail of damage in its wake. In this case, it’s mostly been economic damage.
More after the jump.
Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.
The Chicago Wolves won back-to-back games against the Abbotsford Heat this weekend, including a 1-0 shutout win on Saturday night. Here’s a collection of images from that contest, for your ogling pleasure. All photos by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Abbotsford Heat all-time leading scorer Ben Walter races up the wing with seconds left in a 1-0 loss to the Chicago Wolves on January 13, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Abbotsford Heat forward Brett Olson was sprung for this shorthanded breakaway in the first period, but it was Brad Hunt and the Chicago Wolves who would win this game 1-0. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Pucked in the Head is happy to have the one and only Kennedy Goodkey guest posting for us this evening. Please hold your applause until the end of the introductory paragraph. Mr Goodkey has joined us for a couple of podcast episodes in the past, most notably in Top 7 Canucks Nicknames, Part I & Part II.
This marks the first time he has trekked up the road to an Abbotsford Heat AHL game, and it happened to be on the very day that NHL hockey was officially announced to be coming back from the lockout. He decided to record a running commentary of the evening as he went, warts and all. By ‘running commentary’, I mean just that. He goes from folk rock to sports aha-moments to popcorn in, dude, mere seconds. And by ‘warts and all’, I mean ‘complete with double spaces after periods, like some retired receptionist who still thinks Robert Goulet is just the dreamiest. I can say that because I am, in fact, Robert Goulet.
Not to take anything away from Kennedy’s usage of the word ‘antipodal’ — which is awesome, by the way, my favourite part is when he writes, “I must be some kind of elitist hockey-jerk.” But don’t let me spoil everything for you. Have a gander after the jump, and enjoy! Just remember that Mr Goodkey’s opinions are entirely his own, and with the exception of his loathing for the song Cotton-Eyed Joe, they do not reflect the deep, inner love and respect for all human life levels of hockey that Chris Withers and I hold dear.
— Jason Kurylo, who is, like, totally bogarting Kennedy’s opening
Saturday morning’s skate was full of drama and speculation. As per Cam Charron (@camcharron on the mighty Twitter), “We are at Defcon-Luongo. He is NOT on the ice at UBC.” Spotting a meme in the making, I quickly jumped on the interwebs — well, okay, on the Photoshop — and confirmed that Bobby Lu has indeed spawned a red alert:
When Roberto Luongo wasn’t on the ice for Saturday morning’s team skate at UBC, @camcharron tweeted, “We’re at Def-Con Luongo.” Chop job by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.
Vancouver Canucks forward Maxim Lapierre skates against his defensive teammate Andrew Alberts during two-on-two drills during a January 8, 2013 practice at UBC’s Thunderbird Arena. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
I was at a Vancouver Canucks practice earlier this week, and got a few good shots I’d like to share.
But first, why not support some other teams around town this weekend? (Well, any weekend, really, but I’m posting this on January 11, 2013.)
Saturday January 12:
• The Vancouver Giants host the Kelowna Rockets on Saturday, January 12 at the Pacific Coliseum.
• The Lady Thunderbirds go against the Pronghorns for the back half of their weekend double-header.
• The Heat host the Wolves again in Abbotsford, but that game is sold out.
Photo gallery after the jump.
Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.
Vancouver Canucks goaltender Cory Schneider leans against the wall post-practice at UBC’s Thunderbird Arena. He’s entitled, after a 20-hour commute, a morning workout and a full practice with his NHL teammates. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Cory Schneider was exhausted yesterday morning. He came off the ice at UBC’s Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Arena, leaned against the wall, and said so. “Wow,” he exhaled, “I’m exhausted.”
He didn’t look tired at all. He looked pretty fresh, actually, considering his commute to practice was upwards of 20 hours long. With a tentative agreement between the NHL and NHLPA still fresh news, Schneider had ended his brief stint in the Swiss Elite League, spent a calendar day in airports and commercial jets, hopped to the gym for a workout, then participated in a practice in full goalie gear with his Canucks teammates. Hell, I’m winded after writing that paragraph.
But as tired as he professed to be, Schneider looked good. And he gamely answered questions for reporters — some of those questions several times — for nearly 30 minutes before they allowed him to hit the showers. There were the obligatory queries about the Roberto Luongo saga. He was asked about the lockout, the potential end to it, and his thoughts on fan revolt. And he took questions on the Swiss League, European travel and Italian food.
One TV reporter asked him if he’ll soon be taking over the @strombone1 Twitter account.
Some of those answers, and a few more pictures after the jump.
Jason Garrison sports a healthy smile during a practice at UBC Thunderbird Arena on January 8, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Jason Garrison is happy to be skating with his new teammates. Or at least he looks like he is. The man wore a permagrin through Tuesday’s practice at Thunderbird Arena, even when getting slapped with a stick across the ribs during puck protection drills courtesy of Andrew Alberts.
Garrison, of course, signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks on Canada Day of 2012. (That’s July 1 for our non-Great White Northern readers.) The White Rock native had a career highs of 16 goals and 33 points in 77 games for the Florida Panthers last year, and added three more points in four games during a first-round playoff loss to the Stanley Cup finalist New Jersey Devils.
Two more pictures of Mr Garrison after the jump. Look for pictures of his teammates throughout the week.
Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.
Abbotsford Heat ice crew member Kirsten goes deep into her hockey stride during a break in play on January 5, 2013. She plays intramural hockey at BCIT, and is in her third year of scraping the ice at Heat home games. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
The Abbotsford Heat earned a split in their back-to-back set against the Rochester Americans with a 3-1 victory on Saturday night. After the jump, grab a gander at some images from the contest. Or just read about it here.
Either way, give a guy a hand with some fundraising for the Ride to Conquer Cancer.
Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.
Abbotsford forward Ben Street had a pair of a goals and an assist to lead the Heat to a 3-1 win over the visiting Rochester Americans on January 5, 2013. Photo by Jason Kurylo for Pucked in the Head.
Coquitlam native Ben Street had two goals and an assist in the win, while goaltender Danny Taylor stopped 17 of 18 shots. Here’s the game sheet.
With the win, the Heat remain tied for fourth in the AHL Western Conference. Abbotsford, the Houston Aeros and Texas Stars all have 41 points in 34 games. In the North Division, Abbotsford sits four points behind the Toronto Marlies, who themselves beat the Rockford Ice Hogs 5-2.
The Abbotsford Heat have a pair of home games against the Vancouver Canucks affiliate Chicago Wolves next Friday and Saturday, January 11 and 12 at the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre. The puck drops at 7 pm on both nights.
More after the jump.
Pucked in the Head is taking part in the 2013 Ride to Conquer Cancer. You can help us reach our fundraising goal by throwing a few bucks at our campaign, at http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/jasonkurylo2013.
