This my friends is the first of five meetings with the Sharks this season. You’ll be seeing a lot of them in the next calendar week so it’s best you get caught up. The Sharks are going to make the playoffs because every team below them is horrible. Ryan Miller is playing some unreal hockey right now and I like the Canucks chances today. Plus, it’s Hometown Hockey so we’ll all get to hear so much about whatever rando’ city Rogers picked. Probably PVR it so I can fast forward that part.
BROADCAST INFO
TV: SNET-P (HOMETOWN HOCKEY)
RADIO: TSN 1040
PUCK DROP 4:00 PM
LINE COMBOS
As this goes live, Dan Hamhuis has not been traded yet. He’s still a Canuck and we’ll rely heavily on his talents. It was the night of intrigue against the Senators as newly aquired Markus Naslund Granlund played a valuable role on the score sheet as did Emerson Etem and defenseman Matt Bartkowski. The #GarageSale7 is killing the classfieds section and everyone wants to get in on the action. Jim Benning is smart? 
Ryan Miller will start. He has been absolutely amazing and it just shows that when he has support, the Canucks actually can win games that don’t look like a fluke.
Vancouver Canucks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
The Sharks. The feeling is mutual when both teams say “I don’t like you”. They are pretty much the mirror image of each other, ok well they used to be, and aside from a a few players, the Sharks roster looks like it’s made up of DJ’s playing Ibiza this summer(Nieto, Donskoi, Spaling) There’s a good chance they are as this team won’t be going deep in the playoffs. Neither are the Canucks but we knew that already.
Martin Jones will start. Newly acquired James Reimer won’t be ready in time so callup Aaron Dell will “backup” Jones. Get it, Dell, backup? ITS A COMPUTER JOKE PEOPLE!!!
San Jose Sharks lines courtesy of Dailyfaceoff.com:
REASONS TO WATCH THIS GAME
  • Vancouver is 8 points out of the final Wild Card spot and its still mathmatically possible they still piss a few people off and make this thing. Taking the season series against the Sharks, starting today, would really help their chances. I still want to see a high draft pick or a prospect come our way which probably means a trade; so basically the playoffs are still a dream.
  • Did you know Matt Bartkowski has 3G and 1A in his last 10 games? Of course you did, because Twitter. Seriously though, for a guy that is part of the #GarageSale7 he has definitely upped his value or given Jim Benning a reason to offer him a 4yr/20M deal. Not sure which. Anyways, Bart-K has actually been an asset lately as opposed to his usual liability moments and I’m ok with it. Still, I’d like to see him gone. One more goal please.
  • 2 goals in his last 3 games has put Jake Virtanen on the radar. Willie’s use of the budding winger is now catching up and he’s getting opportunities to move on up. At some point, Radim Vrbata will be gone and Jake will probably take his spot. Would really like to see “Big Country” take a run at Joe Thornton or Tomas Hertl; this rivalry needs to be re-ignited.
  • Jannik Hansen is having a career year; no surprises here. However, its the little things that are interesting with him. No, he’s still not scoring on breakaways and quite frankly that is his one defining flaw but when you break down a few stats, it’ll make you smile. When Hansen helps out on a goal this year, he has 13 assists; of those 9 of them are first assists. He’s figured out the Sedins and Willie may be able to milk another year out of this formula. BTW, those 9A are all 5v5. Jannik is basically the Danish Santa Claus.
  • Its the eve of the NHL Trade Deadline and unlike other years, Canucks fans will be tuning in to see who we pawn off, what picks and prospects are welcomed in and how close this team is to emploding. Some of this will happen during today’s broadcast. THAT in itself is reason to watch.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
MY TAKE
This season has been tough for me. I’ve been wrong a lot. With all those wrongs though, comes a better potential draft pick and a quicker transition to the next wave of Canucks. I still want to see wins and watch the young guys become the stars so for this game, I’m taking the Canucks because screw the Sharks.
WHAT’D I MISS?
This….is basically the Canucks in a nutshell from Game 7 2011 until now.