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Monday Mailbag (Faber’s final mailbag): Covering Abbotsford and prospects, three Sam Lafferty’s, and more

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Photo credit:Matthew Henderson
Faber
By Faber
6 months ago
Welcome to the Monday Mailbag, brought to you by the great folks at Zephyr Epic! Use promo code “HockeySeason” for $5 off your order. Free shipping of trading cards Canada wide on any order over $50 as well! Shop local!
Another Monday, another mailbag.
This has been a staple of my Sundays for the last few years and it’s certainly going to be something I miss here at CanucksArmy.
Yes, on Friday, the Vancouver Canucks announced they were hiring me as a Senior Hockey Writer, and it’s a perfect spot for me moving forward.
This article is something I am really going to miss writing. I do want to assure you that this thing will continue. David Quadrelli says he is taking over, but give it two weeks, he will probably pass it off to someone else… Editor’s note: You know me so well, dear friend.
I’ve really enjoyed writing these because the questions have always driven the conversation. When I took over, this article was supposed to be about 1000 words and nice and tight with a bunch of questions and answers, but it’s grown into having a SPEED ROUND be added where we can have some fun in this space some days. Whether it was prospect takes, line combinations, Arby’s orders, or whatever you wanted to know from down on the farm — I loved writing this column, and we always got a hefty amount of comments.
The Monday Mailbag gives a unique opportunity for the commenters to give their own answers to the provided questions or challenge/agree with my answers. It’s a fun article and the reason why it works so well is because of the great questions we received every week along with the comments section being so engaged in this.
I’ll miss it, but the Canucks are playing some damn good hockey right now, and I’m excited to bring some stories from the inside to you all over there.
With all that being said, you’ve got questions, and for a final time here at CanucksArmy, I’ve got answers.
No more wasted words. Let’s go!
I’d love to be given the chance to be on Survivor.
To answer your question, I won’t have to reconsider applying for the show again because I’ve already applied earlier this year.
I’ll continue to apply and promise to rock some Canucks gear if I ever get on the show.
Some of my favourite times at CanucksArmy were when I was waking up at 3:00 a.m. to watch Vasily Podkolzin in the KHL and following that up with 7:00 or 10:00 a.m. games of Nils Höglander in the SHL.
I’d write an article about Podkolzin’s game at 5:30 a.m. and then drink more coffee, watch Höglander and then go back to sleep or go to my BCIT class and try not to fall asleep in Brian Wiebe’s journalism class.
This article was a fun one and I had help with an awesome photo from my pal, Gio.
The thing I will miss most about CanucksArmy is the boost David Quadrelli and I were able to get from the momentum that this site has.
We worked hard to make this site your most-trusted and consistent spot for Vancouver Canucks news and I think we have accomplished that.
As for Canucks Conversation, I’ll miss everything about that project. I’ve done more than 500 episodes of that show if you include the Patreon-only episodes. Quads and I built so much chemistry through that time, and though that kid drives me crazy, I love him and we really had some fun during those recordings and later, live shows.
I know that CanucksArmy will have another party at Greta later this season and I hope to be able to make it down to celebrate with fellow Canucks fans.
Under Armour.
My guess would be that they liked Noah Gregor enough to believe they wouldn’t have space for Sam Lafferty in their lineup.
After adding David Kampf, Matthew Knies, Max Domi, and Ryan Reaves, I guess their bottom-six was beginning to get pretty crowded.
I’m with you, Lafferty looks like a hell of a fourth line player and I’d take three of him on a fourth line in a second. Lafferty has size, speed and fits in well on the Canucks’ fourth line.
Soon enough, we may see a Höglander-Blueger-Lafferty fourth line and that feels very strong.
So this has been brought up a few times in comments and yeah, I’ll answer it to the best of my ability.
There will be no “powder puff” homerism in my writing with the Vancouver Canucks. I’m going to continue doing a lot of what I currently do here at CanucksArmy.
This job gives me an opportunity to tell stories for the fanbase with in-house access and the ability to speak every day with coaches, players, and management. The goal is to provide fans with stories about the team. I’ll continue to do Abbotsford and prospect coverage for the team but my goal is to build relationships with the players, coaches, and management so that they are comfortable telling stories about the team.
Ultimately, my goal is to continue doing what I’ve done here and that is just making your experience as a Canucks fan the best it can be.
I’ll have more time to work on stories, more time to travel to get those stories, and bring you insight into the club and their moves.
It’s going to be challengingm but I really believe my best work is ahead of me here with the Canucks.
The playoff games against Calgary were electric at the Abbotsford Centre.
My favourite memories aren’t going to be memories because it’s about the relationships I’ve built with the folks out there in Abbotsford.
I love the arena staff out there. My boy Marcel is a legend on the security team. I’m going to continue to cover that team as much as I can, and there’s something brewing with their current roster. I hope they can go on a long Calder Cup run this season. It’s a young, exciting and very talented team.
Stories from the NHL club, the coaches, the hockey operations group as well as continuing my coverage of the prospects and Abbotsford Canucks.
I want to add to the fan experience in my own way and give you something to talk about in the break room at work or the ‘safety meeting’ on Friday at your favourite bar.

SPEED ROUND

He was a great pick in the seventh round, and it’s now on development, which is half the battle with a prospect. I’d say that he has a lot of translatable skills to become an NHLer but there’s a long road ahead of him. I’d like to see what Kirill Kudryavtsev looks like in the AHL next season.
Likely, it may become more of a personal account for non-hockey stuff but I’ll certainly be around on Twitter.
Ricky from Trailer Park Boys or Santa Claus.
Quads works hard and the podcast is in good hands. The addition of Amil Delic — formerly of 32 Thoughts and Sportsnet — is a huge add for the Nation Network Podcast department. They will be good.
Amil is not the new co-host, by the way!
There’s some depth in the bottom-six and Teddy Blueger is on his way back to returning to the lineup, so, my best guess for an Arshdeep Bains call-up is sometime in January or February.
I’m hearing it’s a minor injury.
Not next year, but he’s certainly trending towards getting an opportunity. It’s not just points with this kid. He’s a player.
Hell yeah.
Go Canucks Go!
Ryan Biech asking me to start writing for the site. It meant a lot. My first training camp in Victoria back in 2019 was also an incredible opportunity. There are too many good memories to remember them all.
Thanks, everyone.
Thank you so much for everything over my time here at CanucksArmy. I’ve appreciate all the comments — even the whiny ones from you know who. It’s been a lot of fun to do what I do here at CanucksArmy and I’ve tried really hard to just work my ass off and give you content that you can enjoy.
I’ve got the rest of this week here and will continue to do what I do.
As for the mailbag, this is my final one.
Thank you for everything. My future employment would not be possible without you.
Please continue to support this site. Tell your friends. Discuss the articles at work. This fanbase deserves good local coverage, and that’s what you get here at CanucksArmy.
I’ll have more here at the site as we get through the week and hope to have a good bye piece on Sunday because this site means so much to me.

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