Out with the old…well, some of it.
Two games into the 2007-2008 regular season the Canucks find themselves in a position similar to where they were at the beginning of last season. A year ago the Canucks were searching for their identity. After a disappointing season in which the team missed the playoffs for the first time in recent memory, Canucks GM and Vice-President Dave Nonis went through a major overhaul and revamped the team in the off-sesaon. Beginning with the acquisition of all-star goaltender Roberto Luongo and the hiring then Manitoba Moose head coach Alain Vigneault, Nonis shaped his team around defense; something that hadn’t been done in Vancouver under the tenure of Marc Crawford. Early in the season the Canucks (specifically those who were used to the old system) struggled and the team got off to a slow start. With 14 new names on the roster, players were playing with linemates they had never played with before and were trying to find chemistry. Throughout the year the chemistry came and the identity was formed; the Canucks were a strong defensive team, tough play with a goalie who was near impossible to beat.
This year, although the situation is very much different with the Canucks coming off a season which many would consider a success and the identity of the team pretty much keeping form with last year’s, the Canucks still do find themselves trying to get used to some new faces. Jan Bulis, Marc Chouirnard, Brian Smolinski, Brent Sopel and Rory Fitzpatrick are all gone from the Canucks lineup and although these names aren’t superstar names like Naslund and the Sedins, each player did have a role and left a roster spot to fill with his departure. Newcomers such as Brad Isbister, Byron Ritchie, Ryan Shannon, Mike Weaver, Aaron Miller and Mason Raymond have all been inserted and are all trying to find a spot in which they, their teammates and their head coach are comfortable.
With a pre-season laden with player injuries, the Canucks’ skaters were still trying to gel as the season began and that was apparent as they took the ice - looking lost and confused - in their season opener at GM Place against the Sharks. But much like last year, coach V didn’t let the team play two bad games in a row as the Canucks bounced back in their second game and defeated the Calgary flames in an exciting overtime win. So we have seen two different Canucks teams so far this season, Wednesday night the Canucks will be put to the test as they face a high-flying rejuvinated Philadelphia team led by Daniel Briere and Simon Gagne. Which Vancouver team will show up?
