BY JAMES HUNT – FAN FUEL BLOGGER
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Can you spot the differences? It’s hard to believe that in June of 2011 the Vancouver Canucks were one home win away from hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup. For many Canucks fans, that probably seems like light years ago and many are suggesting that genral manager Mike Gillis and coach Alain Vigneault feel the same way.
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But in reality, it was only 19 short months ago.
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Last year the Canucks were once again picked by many to get back to the finals and some even suggested they would win it all.
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That didn’t happen. Now here we are and it’s January of 2013 and my, how things have changed.
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Gillis is on shaky ground after just signing a contract extension and coach Vigneault is behind the eight ball after signing an extension of his own.
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Instead of Roberto Luongo starting in net, this version of the Canucks are going with some bum named Cory Schneider. Hell, if they don’t improve the team with a Luongo trade, this team is STUCK with a Schneider/Luongo tandem in net.
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And speaking of bums, back in 2010 it was Edler, Bieksa, Hamhuis and Ehrhoff eating up those big four minutes on the backend. Now look at em, peddling out pretenders like Edler, Bieksa, Hamhuis and Garrison.

How about the forwards???

Back then it was 30 somethings, Daniel and Henrik Sedin leading the charge with secondary scoring coming from Ryan Kesler, Alex Burrows and Mikael Samuelsson.

And now, it’s 32 somethings, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, with the secondary scoring coming from Ryan Kesler, Alex Burrows and Chris Higgins.

On the third and fourth lines it WAS Lapierre, Hansen, Malhotra, Torres, Glass and Hodgson (amongst others). Today? It’s Lapierre, Hansen, Malhotra, Kassian, Weise and Raymond ( amongst others )

Wow… it’s like night and day.

Of course the Canucks really DO have some issues to consider, but at the end of the day the only appreciable difference between this Canuck team and the team that came “THIS CLOSE” in 10/11 are a few interchangeable parts and some injury issues. Take a look around folks, OTHER NHL teams have made changes over the past couple of seasons and the last time I checked, the Canucks aren’t the ONLY team in the NHL that faces injury issues.

Are the Canucks favorites for the Cup this year. Maybe not, but I still think they are a team that has a chance and as the LA Kings proved last year, that’s all that really matters in the NHL.

DROP THE PUCK!

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