Positives Outweigh Negatives for Canucks

Three games in four nights. 4-0 victory of L.A., 7-6 SO (13 rounds!) win over Anaheim and a 3-2 loss to the defending Stanley Cup Champ Detroit Red Wings, make the Canucks an even .500.

The Canucks have played 12 games, are 6-6, despite playing 8 or their first 12 on the road. 2-2 at home, with one home ice loss Sunday night to the Wings, the Nucks have 5 games remaining on their 6 game homestand. 5 games in 11 nights versus Nashville (6-4-1), Phoenix (4-5), Minnesota (7-2-1), Colorado (5-7), and Toronto (unbelieveably 5-4-3....which will change for the worse) will better tell the tale of how the season may be for the Canucks.

Look for the twins to break out. I've said it before, they are due. Constantly a threat, no matter who they play with, they were finally rewarded with a nice goal against the Wings. Nobody would have thought the Canucks could score 6 goals against a very good Anaheim Ducks team without either Sedin scoring a point. The Canucks have secondary scoring.

The Kesler line continues to impress, and Wellfed (Wellwood) is taking advantage of his power play time and showing two things: he's got great hands and has great anticipation. Seems as though his short time in he minors has set him straight, however, I am not a believer in his character. There couldn't be any better motivation than knowing that his career is on the line. Passed over by all 29 teams when he was called up on re-entry waivers meant nobody on the league would open up a roster spot for him. He is playing for professional life.

Unless Taylor Pyatt goes on some sort of streak, whether it be goal scoring or he starts to play mean (time for a makeover Taylor), look for him to be dealt for a draft pick, a young underachieving player, or sent to the Moose where he could be picked up on waivers. If Wellfed continues to score, when Demitra (2-3 weeks?), Rick Rypien (3-4weeks?) come back, Pyatt could be the odd man out. I would take Mike Brown over Pyatt any day.

Speaking of Mike Brown, let's talk team toughness. The Canucks are tied for 3rd in the league for fighting majors with 13. Hordichuk 3, Brown 3 (in 5 games), Mitchell, Ohlund, Rypien, Bieksa, Davison, O'Brien and Bernier with 1. Most teams have 3-4, max 5 different guys that have fought. The Canucks have 9. The only other team that has 9 different players to have fought so far this season is the Anaheim Ducks, which lead the league with 16 fights. The Canucks are not soft any more and this bodes well for their fortunes this season.

If the Canucks don't get 7-8 out of the 10 points available over the next 5 games, I'll be shocked.