Did the Previous Lockout Help the Canucks?
Jeff Angus
October 07 2012 09:19AM
Many teams and players benefited from the lockout during the 2004-05 season. Chris Higgins was one of them. Kevin Bieksa, Alex Burrows, and Ryan Kesler were all others. Those three, in particular, were able to establish a relationship with each other and with Manitoba’s head coach that season – Alain Vigneault.
The Canucks are hoping for a similar chemistry to be developed between the likes of Zack Kassian, Eddie Lack, Jordan Schroeder, and Kevin Connauton. (And coach Scott Arniel too, perhaps?) It doesn’t sound like any of the veterans on the Canucks roster plan to sign in Europe until at least November or December.
The Canucks also had several other key players who developed much more rapidly thanks to the work stoppage of 2004-05.
Read on to find out who they are.
Headshots: October 5th
Jeff Angus
October 05 2012 03:10PM
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Headshots are a Canucks Army feature where we link to the day's freshest news, and other assorted Canucks web-goodies. If you've written a blogpost, produced a tribute video, birthed a clever .gif into existence, or have a hockey related cause you'd like to see promoted in this space - please e-mail Thom at thom.drance@gmail.com.
Jordan Schroeder: Knocking on the Door
Jeff Angus
October 04 2012 10:41AM
Jordan Schroeder has received a lot of coverage at CanucksArmy over the past year or so. He is one of the top prospects in the organization, and with Kesler out of the lineup until December, would have been given every opportunity to earn a roster spot at Canucks training camp this year.
He slipped a bit in his draft year amid concerns over size (or lack thereof) and attitude (apparently a few of his pre-draft interviews didn’t go all that well).
Fast forward three years and Schroeder is now entering his third year of pro hockey, and is being counted on to play big minutes for the Chicago Wolves. I spoke to Minnesota Wild strength and conditioning coach Kirk Olson earlier this week, and Schroeder is one of a handful of pro hockey players that Olson works with each summer (others include Zach Parise, Drew Stafford, Derek Stepan, and Kyle Okposo).
Olson gave me some really good insights on Schroeder’s development both on and off the ice.
Cain is Able: Franson's Breakout Continues
Jeff Angus
September 29 2012 10:50AM
With three goals in the first three games of the season, Vancouver Giants forward Cain Franson is already reaping the rewards of another summer of hard work. The third-year forward has gone from a frequent healthy scratch to a vital part of the Giants roster in less than two years.
What makes Franson relevant to the Canucks? Well, for one, he is undrafted. And secondly, he spent this past summer with the Canucks at their annual prospect development camp. He didn’t stand out, but he didn’t look out of place, either. For Franson to earn an NHL contract in the future he has to continue to add size and strength to his lanky 6-0, 170 pound frame (and he has had to work his butt off to get to 170 pounds).
Would he be someone the Canucks look at next summer?
Headshots: September 28th
Jeff Angus
September 28 2012 06:44PM
Headshots are a Canucks Army feature where we link to the day's freshest news, and other assorted Canucks web-goodies. If you're written a blogpost, produced a tribute video, birthed a clever .gif into existence, or have a hockey related cause you'd like to see promoted in this space - please e-mail Thom at thom.drance@gmail.com.
