Willes: Behind Eddie Lack's laugh track

lurks a tough competitor

It’s not all fun and games for Eddie Lack, even though the

jovial netminder makes it seem that way. The pressure and

adversity that comes with being named the No. 1 keeper

again would bury some, but Lack

By Ed Willes, The Province February 28, 2015

The popular image of Eddie Lack is that of the happy-go-lucky jokester, and Henrik Sedin does

nothing to alter that perception of his countryman.

“I don’t think he understands where we are and how big every game is,” the Canucks’ captain

said of the team’s newly minted starting goalie.

“That’s good for us. We tell him it’s pee-wee hockey.”

He’s here all week, folks. Don’t forget to tip your waiter./

But, while you’ll never confuse Lack with some of the humourless androids who play his

position, it seems hockey isn’t all giggles and whoopee cushions for the 27-year-old Swede. Last

season, when he was still recovering from hip surgery, when he was still learning about playing

in the world’s best league in his rookie campaign, Lack was thrown into a meat-grinder, and that

experience wasn’t fun.

In fact, it was the opposite of fun. But in the six weeks that followed the Roberto Luongo trade,

Lack took a crash course on playing goal in the NHL, and while he finished the season with a

broken body and an inflated GAA, he’s now calling on those lessons in his second go-round as

the Canucks’ No. 1.

It seems, behind the laugh track, there’s a competitor who resides in Lack. We saw it under

brutal circumstances last season when he battled like a Hun behind a dysfunctional, dispirited

team.

Now, with the Canucks’ playoff aspirations hanging in the balance he’s back, looking to write a

better ending to his story.

“It’s not like we’re playing out the season,” said Jannik Hansen, neatly summing up the

challenge before Lack.

“He’s getting a chance to show he can be a legitimate starter in this league.”

Over to you, Eddie.

“I learned a lot of mental things last season. The biggest thing I learned is you can’t stay too high

or too low. Whatever happens, you have to be yourself when you come to the rink, and don’t

over-think things.”

Which sounds simple enough. It gets a little more complicated when you consider the table

stakes over the next 21 games.

One short week after Ryan Miller went down with same manner of knee injury, The Mad Stork

has again moved into the starters’ role, but this time around, he’ll tell you everything is different.

Unlike last season, the Canucks are a competent NHL team, and currently hold down second

place in the Pacific Division. Lack, for his part, has built up his his body following a gruelling

off-season workout regimen, and built up his game following his second season under goalie

coach Rollie Melanson.

As for the early returns on the new Eddie, well, they’re interesting. In his first five periods after

Miller went down against the New York Islanders, Lack stopped 67 of 68 shots as the Canucks

posted two crucial road wins in Boston and Long Island.

The Bruins’ game, in particular, was significant because, as Henrik said: “That was his first

game (as a starter). The pressure was on. He knew a lot of people were looking at him.”

Except two nights later, Lack was ventilated for five goals on 23 shots against the near-dead

Buffalo Sabres, which brings us to Sunday’s meeting with the St. Louis Blues and six more

weeks in which Lack will occupy the hottest part of the spotlight.

Is he ready for this? Hard to say. It helps that virtually every player in the Canucks’ dressing

room is pulling for Lack because of:

a) his personality;

and b) most of them saw what he endured last season.

“He’s battling,” said Henrik. “You’d like for him to stand on his head every night and win

games, but that’s not going to happen. The most important thing is how he treats wins and losses;

how he prepares going forward. That’s what we like about him.

“He cares about this.”

Now, as luck would have it, Jacob Markstrom also returns for this season’s stretch drive to

reprise his role as Lack’s backup, and therein lies a tale.

Five years ago, Lack served as Markstrom’s backup with Brynas. Markstrom was then a blue-

chip goaltending prospect with the Panthers and Lack was in his rookie season in the Swedish

Elite League and the two ‘keepers formed a friendship that lasts to this day.

Their locker stalls are also right next to each other, which made the interview process tricky.

Lack to Markstrom: “I only had good things to say about you.” Markstrom: “He’s a great guy; I

mean a great guy.”

But in a quieter moment, Markstrom offered this about about his friend.

“You saw what he went through (last season). It can either bury you or you can learn from it.

You’re going to face adversity. The quicker you bounce back from it, the longer you’re to be in

this league.”

And Lack plans to be around for a while.

Gallagher: Canucks in position to take

advantage of the Blues

By TONY GALLAGHER, The Province February 28, 2015

When the Vancouver Canucks try to erase the memory of that extraordinary performance in

Buffalo at the end of their recent Eastern road trip against the St. Louis Blues Sunday night at

Rogers Arena, they’ll essentially be dealing with a .500 team.

Of course, the Blues’ record is much better than that on the season, and in any straight-up game

during the regular season or the playoffs they are one of the meanest pieces of business in the

league. In fact, when it comes to potential playoff opponents for the Canucks if they make the

post-season, the Blues are about as difficult as you could imagine given their size and the travel

involved.

But here we’re talking second game of a back to back and it is almost a universal truth in the

NHL that even good teams are humbled to some degree when they play on consecutive nights.

The Blues are 5-5-0 in games which the league says are played on “zero” rest days and to be sure

that’s one of the better figures around. Compared to the Canucks’ woeful 2-6-2 mark it’s

downright sterling. Nonetheless, Vancouver will be in position to take advantage of one of those

“easier” games which present themselves to every team throughout the season.

It’s up to them to make the most of it because it’s beginning to get to that portion of the season

when points are absolutely crucial. To follow that appalling show in Buffalo with another home

loss wouldn’t be a very good sign heading into a very busy March without your No. 1

goaltender.

Ever since the league went to best-of-seven series in all four rounds in the playoffs and then

increased the breaks both for Christmas and at the all-star break, there has been a proliferation of

these games, often even leaving the home side as the tired team. In fact the Canucks’ first home

loss of the season came in that situation against Tampa.

“I think if you play the right way it can pay off in the third period,” said Dan Hamhuis of the

incoming Blues. “If you make it a really hard game for them early you can maybe play in their

end in the third period and hopefully take advantage.”

“For us at home we’ve played a lot of games where we haven’t been as aggressive as we’d like

to be here on home ice against a team which played in Alberta the night before,” says captain

Henrik Sedin. “In the days when we were Presidents’ Trophy winners, that was a 100 per cent

win for us. We’d be up 2-0 after the first period all the time. But I think in that situation you have

to be aggressive and try to get the advantage that way.”

Derek Dorsett, who has seen a lot of these games, many of those in the Eastern Conference

where the teams are much closer and the back-to-backs a little easier as a result, thinks the key is

making sure not to fall behind.

“If you can keep it a close game in the first two (periods), you can try to jump on them in the

third and take advantage,” says veteran Derek Dorsett. “It’s hard. With travel and you play most

of your back-to-backs on the road, it’s not easy, but everyone plays pretty much the same

number around the league so it kind of works out. But you have to try to take advantage when

you can.”

With so many back-to-backs, particularly in the case of the home team being the tired squad as

was the case when the Canucks took advantage of the Islanders to hammer them 4-0 on their

home ice on this last trip, the real losers are the fans. They definitely see one team nowhere near

their best.

And while it’s tough for the players to participate in those games, they essentially agree to that

sort of treatment in the Collective Bargaining Agreement because they know if they are to get the

three clear days at Christmas and virtually a full week off in January there will be a price to pay

unless hockey is going to drag into July.

But in this nice little agreement between the players and the owners, it’s the fan which gets short

changed, a familiar pattern if we’re not mistaken.

*

It turns out the Vancouver Canucks may not be getting healthy as quickly as many believed after

all.

Though it was thought Alex Burrows would be ready to return to the lineup Sunday against the

St. Louis Blues, he did not practice Saturday with the team due to what is believed to be a groin

issue. He is not expected to play and neither is defenceman Chris Tanev, although he was at least

practising with the team Saturday leaving only Frankie Corrado as a possible addition if coach

Wille Desjardins chooses to use him in favour of another player coming off the five-game

eastern swing.

Corrado went down Feb. 1 so if he draws in he will have missed a month, albeit a shorter one.

Kevin Bieksa, Alex Edler and Brad Richardson all skated before the team’s practice but they are

still a ways off leaving the coach to tinker with his second power play unit at practice.

“We know we have to get some production from that unit so we have to make some changes,”

said Desjardins. “At first I didn’t think it was right for Bo (Horvat) because I just thought the

pressure of that situation would have been a little much for his development but he’s shown now

he’s likely to be able to handle it.”

As well as the plague of injuries which is now beginning to seriously threaten their playoff

chances, the fact the Canucks haven’t been able to draw many penalties recently hasn’t been

helping either.

“We’re not getting that penalty where we have guys taken down going hard to the net,” said

captain Henrik Sedin. “Our line for instance likes to make plays on the outside to try to set up a

pass inside so often we’re not making that kind of play and sometimes you just don’t get the call.

But we need to be more aggressive and when you do that you’ll get more chances.”

Eddie Lack is expected to be in goal against the Blues Sunday who were 8-1-0 on the road in

their last nine games going into Saturday night’s game against the Oilers in Edmonton. They will

bring a 5-5-0 mark in the second game of back-to-backs into Vancouver, with Brian Elliott

having been hot in goal for the Blues with a 6-1-0 mark in his last seven road games.

Noted and bloated: Canucks roster full of key

players, and some expendables, as the NHL

trade deadline looms

By Jim Jamieson, The Province February 28, 2015

NHL rosters expand on March 2, but the salary cap does not.

That’s the conundrum facing NHL general managers as the trade deadline draws near.

In a fiscal landscape that features a cap ceiling that may not increase much next season from the

current $69 million, thanks to a depressed Canadian dollar, the fireworks at this year’s trade

deadline will likely feature “salary-in/salary-out” types of deals for rosters that are no longer

bound by a 23-player limit. GMs whose teams are close to the cap will be loath to take on large

amounts of salary unless they are shipping something close to equivalent the other way.

The Canucks are one of those teams in the difficult position of attempting a rebuild on the fly, so

it’s hard to see how they add that goal-scoring forward they could use when it means giving up

prospects and/or draft picks, something GM Jim Benning appears unwilling to do.

Given the impressive way the Canucks have played with so many injuries to key players, it’s

also reasonable to expect no blockbusters from them.

Of course, the ring of a mobile phone can change that instantly.

Not that the Canucks don’t have cap room if they wanted to make a deal. A look at

nhlnumbers.com indicates the Canucks are $722,000 under the NHL’s $69-million cap, though

after weighing in a few arcane factors such as injured players returning and replacements going

back to the minors, it could be significantly more. And any deal is likely to see salary going the

other way, anyway.

Also, if the team believes that the knee sprain suffered by goaltender Ryan Miller (and his $6-

million salary) will keep him out seven weeks until the playoffs (when the cap doesn’t count

anymore), then the Canucks would have significantly more money to spend.

But then there are the future consequences of a cap that may only go up by $2 million, so here

we are, coming full circle.

Here’s a look at the team heading into the deadline:

BLOATED ROSTER

The Canucks currently have 28 players on their roster, but six of those are injured and, of course,

it doesn’t matter how big the roster is after the trade deadline. It’s expected forwards Alex

Burrows and Brad Richardson and defencemen Chris Tanev are close to returning, while D-men

Alex Edler and Frank Corrado may be a little further off. Those returns will mean some roster

shuffling, with the likelihood of forward Brandon McMillan and defenceman Alex Biega getting

tickets back to AHL Utica. Corrado could also be sent back, if there are too many healthy bodies

on the blue-line.

These could all be paper transactions, necessary to ensure the players are eligible to play for

Utica in the AHL playoffs, and could actually be done without the players actually going

anywhere. None of them would require waivers.

This would leave the Canucks with 14 forwards, but there’s a good chance at least one of them is

still on the injured list.

With Biega and Sanguinetti sent down, that leaves the Canucks with eight D-men — not

counting the injured Kevin Bieksa — and with Corrado a possibility to be sent to Utica’s roster,

if necessary.

Goaltending is what it is, with Miller out long-term and Jacob Markstrom here and able to play

in 10 games before he’s subject to waivers to back up Eddie Lack.

UFAs AND RFAs

The Canucks have three unrestricted free agents of note: Derek Dorsett, Shawn Matthias and

Brad Richardson and two others in the minor-league depth category (Alex Biega and Bobby

Sanguinetti). Dorsett, Matthias and Richardson are all useful players, but will all want raises.

Matthias, in particular, has had a huge year and will be looking for a big raise on his $1.75-

million average salary. That could put him on the trade block, if the Canucks don’t think they

can re-sign him.

GM Benning has a whopping 10 restricted free agents, if you include Biega, to deal with. The

one who may be the most difficult to sign is Chris Tanev, who’s making just $2 million as a top-

pair defenceman and will be looking to more than double that. Don’t expect a quick resolution

there. Could the Canucks consider trading Tanev? It’s hard to see, as Tanev, 25, is the kind of

young player the team should be building around.

CANUCKS SALARY CAP

(Player, age, contract status, cap hit)

FORWARDS

Henrik Sedin, 34, Three more years, $7 million

Daniel Sedin, 34, Three more years, $7 million

Radim Vrbata, 33, One more year, $5 million

Alex Burrows, 33, Two more years, $4.5 million

Chris Higgins, 31, Two more years, $2.5 million

Jannik Hansen, 28, Three more years, $2.5 million

Nick Bonino, 26, Two more years, $1.9 million

Shawn Matthias, 27, Pending UFA, $1.75 million

Zack Kassian, 24, One more year, $1.75 million

Derek Dorsett, 28, Pending UFA, $1.63 million

Bo Horvat, 19, Two more years, $1.51 million

Brad Richardson, 30, Pending UFA, $1.15 million

Linden Vey, 23, Pending RFA, $735,000

Ronalds Kenins, 23, Pending RFA, $363,000

Brandon McMillan, 24, Pending RFA, $198,000

DEFENCEMEN

Alex Edler, 28, Four more years, $5 million

Kevin Bieksa, 33, One more year, $4.6 million

Dan Hamhuis, 32, One more year, $4.5 million

Luca Sbisa, 25, Pending RFA, $2.17, million

Chris Tanev, 25, Pending RFA, $2 million

Yannick Weber, 26, Pending RFA, $850,000

Ryan Stanton, 25, Pending RFA, $550,000

Frank Corrado, 21, Pending RFA, $413,000

Adam Clendening, 22, Pending RFA, $358,000

Alex Biega, 26, Pending UFA, $223,000

GOAL

Ryan Miller, 34, Two more years, $6 million

Eddie Lack, 27, One more year, $1.15 million

Jacob Markstrom, 25, Pending RFA, $310,000

— Source: NHLNumbers.com

NHL: Defenceman Corrado the lone Canuck

ready to emerge from infirmary; Tanev

practises but ‘probably not’ playing Sunday

By ELLIOTT PAP, VANCOUVER SUN February 28, 2015

VANCOUVER – The Canucks welcomed two of their injured players back at practice Saturday

but only one, defenceman Frank Corrado, appears ready to play Sunday if called upon.

Corrado suffered an upper body injury Feb. 1 against the Minnesota Wild and has missed 13

games. Fellow defenceman Chris Tanev, who banged his head against the goalpost Feb. 14 in

Calgary, made it through the full team practice but later told reporters he was “probably not"

ready for a game.

Prior to the team practice, injured defencemen Alex Edler (upper body), fellow blueliner Kevin

Bieksa (hand) and centre Brad Richardson (foot) skated under the guidance of skills coach Glenn

Carnegie. Alex Burrows (suspected groin injury) did not skate.

Richardson has been out since Jan. 16 and has missed 18 games. Bieksa has been out since Jan.

20 and has missed 16 games while Edler was hurt in the same game that sidelined Tanev and has

missed six.

The Canucks, currently holding down second place in the Pacific Division, will meet the St.

Louis Blues in a 6:30 p.m. start Sunday at Rogers Arena.

Tanev was originally not expected to miss any action and was on the ice for the morning skate

Feb. 16 prior to the Canuck-Wild game. However, he developed some concussion-like symptoms

in the afternoon, did not play that night and has been out ever since.

“I just didn’t feel good after I skated,” Tanev explained. “It was just the usual things (symptoms)

for head injuries but it’s something you don’t want to take too lightly so you proceed with

caution.

"I’ve felt pretty good since I’ve started working out and skating. I’ll take it day-by-day here and

proceed like the symptoms let me and, hopefully, I keep going symptom free. Obviously I’d like

to be back as soon as I can but I’m not going to rush back.”

Corrado was considerably more positive. He skated in Vancouver while the Canucks were on

their five-game road trip.

“When you’re not with the team for a month, you’re a little bit rusty but health-wise, I feel good

and ready to help and contribute,” said Corrado. “The injury has kind of progressed nicely, it’s

healed and it’s as good as it’s going to get. It happened in the first period of that Minnesota

game. I felt it big-time. I left after the first TV timeout in the second period to kind of see what it

was, we didn’t know and I finished that game. Then I tried to go on for practice the next day and,

obviously, couldn’t do it. We had an MRI and it kind of showed some stuff. So that’s how it

went.”

Corrado was paired with Adam Clendening at Saturday’s practice while Tanev skated alongside

Luca Sbisa. The other pairings were Dan Hamhuis with Yannick Weber and Ryan Stanton with

Alex Biega.

Up front, head coach Willie Desjardins moved Shawn Matthias back into the middle between

Chris Higgins and Linden Vey while Nick Bonino skated between Derek Dorsett and Radim

Vrbata. The other two lines – the Sedins with Zack Kassian and Bo Horvat between Ronalds

Kenins and Jannik Hansen -- remained intact.

“We’re happy with the way the other guys have played,” said Desjardins. “They’ve stepped in

and done a great job and I’ve been really pleased with what they’ve brought to the table. But

we’re still looking forward to trying to get our injured guys back.”

The Canucks did make a roster move Saturday, placing utility forward Brandon McMillan on

waivers. He did practise with the team, however, and is the only extra forward with Burrows and

Richardson still out. If he clears, he could remain in Vancouver or be dispatched to the Utica

Comets.

“All I know is that I’ll find out Sunday morning at 9 a.m.,” said McMillan.

Iain MacIntyre: Benning’s not looking to

trade

Few changes: GM unwilling to surrender draft picks or good

prospects

By Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun columnist February 28, 2015

Two days before the National Hockey League trading deadline, the Vancouver Canucks are

closing in on a couple of major acquisitions that could determine whether the team makes the

Stanley Cup playoffs or gets a ticket for the draft lottery.

The Vancouver Sun has learned that Canuck general manager Jim Benning is planning to add

two first-pairing defencemen and a gritty third-line centre. He has been eyeing these transactions

for weeks and the Canucks are close to adding the players, according to multiple sources.

And all it will cost Benning is patience. That’s a lot less than previous Canuck general managers

have spent the last 10 years at the NHL trading deadline, which is noon Monday.

The players the Canucks are adding are defencemen Alex Edler and Chris Tanev, and centre

Brad Richardson. Benning should get them and others off Vancouver’s injured list in the next

couple of weeks.

Sorry to disappoint everyone.

The chances of the Canucks making a significant trade are slim because Benning isn’t willing to

surrender draft picks or good prospects, no longer has an extra goalie to deal and wants to keep

his three pending unrestricted free agents.

“That’s a fair assessment,” Benning said before the Canucks scuffed up a sparkling road trip with

a 6-3 loss Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres. “But the other thing is we’ve been really happy

with our group, how on any given night they show up and compete. I really do like our team.”

Benning said he likes the Canucks a lot more than he did five weeks ago, when the current injury

crisis began with defenceman Kevin Bieksa’s broken hand and Richardson’s deep ankle bruise.

The number of injured Canucks peaked at eight in Sunday’s 4-0 win against the New York

Islanders when starting goalie Ryan Miller sprained knee ligaments that will keep him out 4-6

weeks.

Yet the Canucks, missing three of their top four defencemen since Edler and Tanev were hurt

two weeks ago, just went 3-2 on a road trip and are 6-3 since Feb. 9. All of the victories were

against strong teams, four of them on the road.

Thursday’s loss left the Canucks at 35-23-3 — on pace for 98 points — and clinging to a playoff

spot in the Pacific Division.

“You don’t really know what you have with your group until you face adversity,” Benning said.

“Losing our top two defencemen plus Kevin Bieksa, who’s an emotional leader on our team, and

losing two of our top three centre-icemen for a period of time ... was really tough.

“Our guys have stepped up. Young players bring energy to your room every day, and I think that

has energized the whole group. You see the way (rookies) Bo Horvat and Ronnie Kenins are

playing every night, and Bulldog (Alex Biega) on defence ... these guys are working and

competing so hard for us. Right through the team, players have bought in. In Boston, you could

see the Sedins (Henrik and Daniel) standing up for themselves, pushing back in the scrums. It’s a

really good group.

“That’s not to say I’m not going to be active. I’m going to continue to talk to teams and stay

involved so I know what’s out there, but I’m less inclined to do anything.”

For this trading deadline, at least, that makes Benning different than previous Canuck GMs Mike

Gillis, Dave Nonis and Brian Burke.

Gillis’s big deal a year ago was a hockey trade: he unloaded goalie Roberto Luongo’s $64-

million-US contract on the Florida Panthers in exchange for Shawn Matthias and Jacob

Markstrom, which looks like an even better deal now that Markstrom has been recalled from

minor-league Utica to back up Eddie Lack in goal.

But over the 10 years before that, starting in 2003 with Burke paying the Phoenix Coyotes a

third-round pick for Brad May and ending in 2013 with Gillis’s awful rental of Derek Roy from

the Dallas Stars for a second-rounder, Canuck managers surrendered 15 second-, third- and

fourth-round draft picks at the deadline.

Benning, who said this week that “draft picks are like gold to me,” has already sent a 2016 third-

rounder to the Islanders in the November acquisition of defence prospect Andrey Pedan. Benning

also gave up his 2015 third-rounder last June in a swap of picks attached to the Ryan Kesler

trade, allowing the Canucks to acquire Derek Dorsett from the New York Rangers.

Dorsett, Matthias and Richardson are the three Canucks eligible for unrestricted free agency on

July 1, but Benning said he’ll keep all three rather than leverage them for draft picks on Monday.

Among the team’s few expendable assets, enigmatic winger Zack Kassian scored four goals in

three games on the road trip after moving from the press box to the first line and is unlikely to be

traded.

“We did the lion’s share of our work in the summertime when we changed our team and changed

our culture a little bit,” Benning said. “We did a lot of work then, like, we added Derek Dorsett

and Linden Vey to give us more depth, and we got Radim Vrbata to help with scoring, and we

got Ryan Miller.”

Signing Miller to a three-year, $18-million free-agent contract, with Lack and Markstrom already

in Vancouver on one-way deals, gave Benning a goalie to trade. Markstrom cleared waivers in

October, but made himself valuable in the American Hockey League by building a 1.95 goals-

against average and .932 save rate before his recall on Monday. And Lack is having a solid

sophomore NHL season with a 2.53 GAA and .916 save rate.

“Nobody really even contacted me about our goalies, to be honest with you,” Benning said. “The

goalie market is a tough market because most organizations have three guys. And now that Ryan

is out, we’re really happy to have Eddie and Jacob. It was always in the back of my mind that if

anything happened, we have good depth in goal.”

Something happened and now Markstrom looks like he’ll be here for a while past Monday.

Miller is expected to be the last of the injured Canucks back in the lineup. Besides Edler, Tanev,

Bieksa and Richardson, Benning expects winger Alex Burrows and defenceman Frankie Corrado

to play soon. Second-line centre Nick Bonino returned to the lineup for Tuesday’s 2-1 win

against the Boston Bruins.

The cavalry is coming. Just not from the trade market.

Canucks’ roster: Who’s staying and who

might leave at the deadline

By Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun February 27, 2015

The NHL trading deadline looms at high noon Monday and the Vancouver Canucks, who have

survived their injury crisis with call-ups from the farm, seem to be in better depth shape than

expected. They’re also sitting in a playoff spot, so GM Jim Benning isn’t likely to tinker much

with his lineup.

Here’s a look at the Canucks’ roster as the deadline approaches.

GOALIES

RYAN MILLER, age 34. Cap hit: Two more years at $6 million. Might be on back nine of his

career but not going anywhere, especially with knee injury.

EDDIE LACK, age 27. Cap hit: One more year at $1.15 million. Miller’s injury means Eddie is

the main man for foreseeable future.

JACOB MARKSTROM, age 25. Cap hit: Last year of deal at $1.2 million. Will be a restricted

free agent (RFA). If team was contemplating moving him, that’s out now with Miller injury.

DEFENCE

ALEX EDLER, age 28. Cap hit: Four more years at $5 million. After bottoming out last season,

big Swede has been solid this season. Currently sidelined by injury but still core guy.

KEVIN BIEKSA, age 33. Cap hit: One more year at $4.6 million. Been out with broken hand

since Jan. 20 and return still up in air. He stays.

DAN HAMHUIS, age 32. Cap hit: One more year at $4.5 million. Has taken on big minutes and

leadership role during injury crisis and risen to occasion. A keeper.

CHRIS TANEV, age 25. Cap hit: Last year at $2 million. Will be RFA. Excellent shutdown d-

man in line for big raise. Could potential contract showdown be impetus for a move? Not likely.

LUCA SBISA, age 25. Cap hit: Last year of deal at $2.15 million. Will be RFA. Mistake-prone

but has size and plays with edge. Best days still ahead.

YANNICK WEBER, age 26. Cap hit: Last year at $850,000. Often a healthy scratch when blue-

line at full strength so could be moved with presence of other right-siders Adam Clendening,

Frank Corrado and Alex Biega.

RYAN STANTON, age 25. Cap hit: Last year at $550,000. Will be RFA. A healthy scratch at

times but has re-asserted himself lately as a solid third-pairing, low-budget guy.

ADAM CLENDENING, age 22. Cap hit: Last year at $925,000. Will be RFA. Just acquired

from Blackhawks. Team still not sure what it has. Bubble guy.

FRANK CORRADO, age 21. Cap hit: Last year at $600,000. Will be RFA. Considered part of

future.

ALEX BIEGA, age 26. Cap hit: Final year at $600,000. Will be an unrestricted free agent

(UFA). Has been revelation as injury call-up. But with right side overcrowded at full health,

could be trade chip in minor deal.

FORWARDS

HENRIK SEDIN, age 34. Cap hit: Three more years at $7 million. The captain has been in top

form lately. Obviously untouchable.

DANIEL SEDIN, age 34. Cap hit: Three more years at $7 million. Doesn’t score goals like he

did but still putting up points. Will remain Henrik’s sidekick forever.

RADIM VRBATA, age 33. Cap hit: One more year at $5 million. Excellent addition this season

and team’s top sniper. Keeper.

ALEX BURROWS, age 33. Cap hit: Two more years at $4.5 million. Versatile winger, good on

penalty kill and power play. Need his veteran savvy and grit, for now.

CHRIS HIGGINS, age 31. Cap hit: Two more years at $2.5 million. Name has been bandied

about due to lack of goal production but team seems happy with reliability and defensive play.

Long shot to be moved.

JANNIK HANSEN, age 28. Cap hit: Three more years at $2.5 million. The Dane is playing with

energy, putting up some points and killing penalties. Perfect third-liner.

NICK BONINO, age 26. Cap hit: Two more years at $1.9 million. Production vanished after hot

start but has cap-friendly contract. Need him right now but down the road … who knows?

SHAWN MATTHIAS, age 27. Cap hit: Last year at $1.75 million. Will be UFA. Could be a

potential rental because of contract status, but size and speed an asset in this lineup.

DEREK DORSETT, age 28. Cap hit: Final year at $1.63 million. Will be UFA. Team loves his

grit, wants to keep him, will try to re-sign him.

BO HORVAT, age 19. Cap hit: Two more years at $1.74 million. He’s the future. End of

discussion.

ZACK KASSIAN, age 24. Cap hit: One more year at $1.75 million. Has been out of favour most

of season and thought to be on trading block until recent run of success. Might still be dealt with

stock rising.

BRAD RICHARDSON, age 30. Cap hit: Final year at $1.15 million. Will be UFA. Mystery foot

injury has derailed season. Canucks like his grit, but emergence of Horvat might make him

expendable.

LINDEN VEY, age 23. Cap hit: Final year at $735,000. Will be RFA. Inability to win puck

battles hurts game but still a rookie and provides some depth at centre position. Jury out.

RONALDS KENINS, age 23. Cap hit: $925,000. Will be RFA. Been a most pleasant surprise

since late January call-up. Spark-plug city.

BRANDON McMILLAN, age 24. Cap hit: $625,000. Will be RFA. As team returns to health,

he’ll be a spare part. Might get waived and sent to Utica.

Canucks’ Shawn Matthias isn’t paying

attention to trade talk

By Cam Tucker Metro Vancouver

Shawn Matthias has been through this before.

The NHL’s trade deadline, which this year falls on Monday, is always preceded by an abundance

of talk, rumours and speculation about which players could be on the move.

“I’m not really too worried about it. Try not to think about those things,” said Matthias.

“Whatever happens, happens.

“I never really pay attention, so I guess that answers itself. There’s always rumours, it seems,

about every guy.”

Matthias, a pending unrestricted free agent at the end of this season whom the Canucks acquired

the day before last year’s deadline in the Roberto Luongo deal, has had his name floated out

there in the media recently.

However, Pierre LeBrun of ESPN reported last week that the Canucks have not spoken to

another team about the versatile forward and they’d like to keep him.

Matthias, in the final year of a two-year contract with a cap hit of $1.75 million, says he’s just

trying to focus on hockey.

The Canucks are in a heated playoff race in the Western Conference, sitting second in the Pacific

Division but only three points up on L.A. and Calgary as of Saturday afternoon.

Earlier in February, after scoring a hat trick to down the Boston Bruins at Rogers Arena,

Matthias expressed a desire to be part of the Canucks moving forward.

Whether that happens is something to be decided upon in the coming days and weeks.

Canucks general manager Jim Benning has met with Chris Tanev’s representatives to talk about

a contract extension for the pending restricted free-agent defenceman, and there is some

uncertainty about where the salary cap will land at for next season.

Matthias is also one of three pending unrestricted free agents on the team—the others being

Derek Dorsett and Brad Richardson.

“We’ll see. I do enjoy being here. I do love playing here, but the thing I’ve learned about hockey

is … it can change in one day,” said Matthias.

“It’s crazy how fast your world can be flipped upside down. I really love playing here and have a

lot of respect for everyone in this organization, but sometimes you don’t get your wish and

you’ve got to be prepared to do what’s best for yourself, as well.”

Minus the first eight games, in which Matthias was very critical of his own play at that time, he

has put together an impressive season for the Canucks.

He has scored five goals and six points in his last eight games, moving into second on the team

in goals with 15. According to stats.hockeyanalysis.com, he leads the team in goals per 60

minutes at 1.23 during five-on-five play.

He’s had success on the wing, but can play in the middle, too.

On Saturday, he centred a line with Linden Vey and Chris Higgins on the wing.

At 6’4″ tall and 223 pounds, and being someone who can skate well also, he provides Vancouver

with that coveted big body up the middle, which could certainly come in handy Sunday when the

Canucks host the St. Louis Blues.

He admitted the move back to centre has taken some getting used to, and there are improvements

to be made, including in the transition from defence to offence.

“I think I’m at my best when I have the puck with speed,” he said.

“I was doing a good job at wing of finding those areas to come through with speed and take

advantage of my opportunities. I thought at centre, there was a few times … where I never really

got going.

“It’s just making sure I’m in the right position and supporting my D and my linemates. And also

in a position where I can get into transition and create some offence.”

CHRIS TANEV (HEAD) DOESN’T EXPECT TO PLAY SUNDAY

Injured defencemen Chris Tanev (head injury) and Frank Corrado (upper-body injury) took part

in Saturday’s team practice.

Tanev hasn’t played since Feb. 14, when his head slammed into the goal post against Calgary.

Corrado hasn’t played since Feb. 1.

While it’s a positive sign the 25-year-old Tanev took part in the full team practice, he doesn’t

expect to play Sunday against St. Louis.

The Canucks also play the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday at Rogers Arena, but Tanev wouldn’t say

if expects to be ready for that game.

“Proceed as the symptoms let me. Hopefully I keep going symptom free. Obviously I’d like to be

back as soon as I can,” said Tanev.

“The usual things for head injuries. It’s something you don’t want to take too lightly and proceed

with caution.”

Meanwhile, Corrado said he is ready to play if called upon Sunday.

What's next for Kassian and the Canucks?

By Jon Abbott

Buffalo.

Track it all back to Buffalo. This time it's more than the head-to-head of Zack Kassian and Cody

Hodgson as a reminder to revamp the storyline of that famous trade. This time the narrative of

Kassian's current season in Vancouver points out dates and games that have a tie-in to the two

cities, which see their NHL teams play only twice a year.

The 10 points in 10 games started against Buffalo. One could argue it almost didn't happen for

big number nine.

Derek Dorsett was coming off a game in which Ryan Kesler caught him with a pretty good shot

to the head andm while only missing one game, it left the door open for Zack Kassian not to

become a healthy scratch.

There is no way to know for sure if Kassian would have drawn the short stick for the evening of

January 30 had Dorsett been healthy, but playing in that game would earn Kassian his first point

following a return from injury, as well as his first point since November 20.

It wasn't enough to shield him from the press box over the next three games, but it was enough to

start a talking point about how Kassian would fit in with the Canucks moving forward.

Just a handful of games prior to the aforementioned Sabres tilt, it was Kassian in Carolina

knowing he was not going to play and none to happy about it.

He would have a lesson in taking it in stride and a motivation to stick in the lineup when his next

chance would occur. As it turns out, that opportunity would arrive against the Penguins. Kassian

would find a goal for the first time since the fifth game of the season and he would go on to play

the following game. Cue the start of a streak for Kassian, as he had goals in three straight and

points in four straight; capping the streak with a two-assist night at home to Boston.

But then, the takeaway. Two-straight games without a point and another healthy scratch, this

time being taken out of the lineup for the Ranger game at MSG.

How would Zack react? Did he deserve to come out? What did he really have to do to stay in?

How long will he ride the pine?

More questions that would quickly fade into the background after Alex Burrows was hurt and

Kassian would come back to play the next night against the Devils. That evening the Canucks

were losing and a switch of lines would offer a change of pace for Kassian, the Sedins and the

Canucks. Zack would score two in a comeback bid, while taking the right side with Daniel and

Henrik.

The next two games offered no change to his linemates or the scoresheet, only the results.

Another goal in Long Island would hold up as the game-winner with Henrik on apple duty. Rinse

and repeat in Boston. Henrik and Daniel picking up their longest point streaks of the year and

with them, another Kassian goal. Another game-winner.

Four goals over three games with big back-to-back wins left the Vancouver market abuzz with

Kassian. His play was noteworthy and his GM noted that as Jim Benning joined Jeff Paterson on

TSN1040:

"The things that we've asked from him: playing in straight lines, playing physical, being a net

front presence, taking the puck to the net..all of those things we have talked to him about, the

coaching staff has talked about...we are starting to see it in his play, now. I'm real excited for

him. He's really stepped up for us this last couple of weeks, with all of our injuries. He's played

well and scored some big goals for us. I know he's been frustrated at times, throughout the year,

but he's got his confidence back now and he's played well for us."

The next game would wrap up a five-game road trip and could cement the stretch as one of the

team's best trips of the year, with timely results.

Despite picking up seven points in four games lifetime against his former team and watching the

Sedins get on the board, Zack would not register a point in a losing effort to the Sabres. There

you have it - 10 points in 10 games would not be pushed up to 11. The streak was over, but the

questions were just beginning, headed out of the city that made him a first-round pick.

Is this the start of a corner turned for Kassian? Would the team that traded for him at the deadline

years ago continue to ramp up his responsibility and opportunity? Will he stick with the Sedins?

With healthy bodies expected to return once back in Vancouver, will Zack find the press box

again? As the trade deadline approaches, was that the last game for Kassian as a Canuck?

Perhaps, Zack has provided some of these answers, already. Perhaps, it's up to management.

Whatever the case, the next chapter in the Kassian-Canucks book may have been written out of

what happened in Buffalo.

Track it back to Buffalo.

West Coast Bias: Trade deadline thoughts

Mark Spector February 28, 2015

The St. Louis Blues had two takeaways from their six-game, Round 1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks last spring. Their Top 4 on defence couldn’t match the Blackhawks’ Top 4, and the Blues had to play so hard all year long that they didn’t have another level to get to come playoff time. This year they’re on track to meet again in the first round, after a fantastic series last spring when St. Louis won a pair of 4-3 overtime games in Games 1 and 2, lost Game 3 at the United Center 2-0 on an empty net goal, and dropped Game 4 in overtime. Jonathan Toews scored an OT winner in Game 5 to put Chicago ahead. In Game 6 the teams were tied 1-1 after 40 minutes, and through 21 periods of hockey there was literally no separation between the two clubs. Then, inexplicably, the Blues cracked. Chicago scored four times in the third period to hand St. Louis their second consecutive Round 1 exit. “We played our best hockey last year against Chicago for the first five-and-a-half games. There are all kinds of lessons there,” Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said on Friday, his Blues taking a mandatory off day in Edmonton prior to playing the late game on Hockey Night in Canada tonight. “We don’t know how much better we are today, because you find that out in a series. But the thing that’s impressed me with this team this year is, when things don’t go well, we’ve got the ability to grab it back. That’s what you’re going to need for the next 20 games here — an ability to really keep your focus narrow.” To that end, the Blues haven’t lost three straight games in regulation all season long. That’s testimony to a club that’s been able to get things back on track. They’ve gone 17-6-1 since Jan. 1, and although Hitchcock hasn’t loved the way his team has played of late, a 2-1 shootout win at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg against a very physical Jets team impressed him. “Our competitive level was forced to go up,” he said of the Jets. “The time of year, losing a few games, the opponent — we started to play the way we’re capable of.” St. Louis still hasn’t matched Chicago’s blueline, and their top offensive defenceman — Kevin Shattenkirk — hasn’t played since Feb. 1. He isn’t due back until late March after abdominal surgery, a particularly debilitating injury because the player usually can’t maintain his core strength during the recovery period. If the Blues’ Top 4 didn’t stand up to Chicago’s last year, then GM Doug Armstrong is going to need to find a defenceman before Monday’s deadline. Not a Keith Yandle or Jeff Petry type, but one whose game is better in traffic. One who wins the physical battles.

They could also use a third-line winger to play with Paul Stastny and Patrik Berglund. Calgary’s Curtis Glencross would be a perfect fit, but the Flames would want draft picks and/prospects, and St. Louis is already without their first-rounder from the Ryan Miller deal with Buffalo last year.

St. Louis wasn’t good enough to coast the way Los Angeles seemingly does in the regular season

(my words, not his), and Hitchcock is pretty sure that hasn’t changed.

“We go on pretty high RPMs. We have to to win,” he said. “We just saw last week (losses at

home to Dallas, Pittsburgh and Montreal) what happens when we don’t run at a high RPM.”

This isn’t exactly the same team that has bowed out in Round 1 in each of the past two seasons,

however.

“Our competitive level is higher, and it had to be higher. We’re more mature. The core group has

another year under its belt,” he said. “To us right now, these are the playoffs. Every game

matters, every point matters, every shift matters.”

CHICAGO GOALIE AVAILABLE AT TRADE DEADLINE Count Chicago goalie Antti Raanta among those unsigned free agents who come to the NHL

with so much fanfare and end up being fairly average players. Remember Jonas “The Monster”

Gustavsson? Fabian Brunnstrom? Well, you could get Raanta at the deadline from the

Blackhawks as a pot-sweetener in any deadline trade. Or likely a fifth-round pick.

“We see him as a capable backup,” one competing executive told us on Friday. The Blackhawks

prefer Scott Darling as Corey Crawford’s No. 2, and Darling is marginally cheaper than Raanta,

signed for two more years at an AAV of $570,000.

WOULD CANUCKS TRADE RED-HOT KASSIAN? The roster is about to get crowded in Vancouver, with Brad Richardson and Alex Burrows both

expected off of injured reserve in the next couple of games. And the one player who does not

require waivers to go down is Ronalds Kenins, who has been the team’s true spark plug over the

past few weeks.

The Kenins – Bo Horvat – Jannik Hansen line is billed as the fourth line, but has actually been

the Canucks’ second-best unit. The Latvian winger Kenins never passes up a hit and the

chemistry on that line is undeniable.

So, what does GM Jim Benning do? Well, even though Zack Kassian has seven goals in his past

10 games, it is believed the Canucks would move him. His shooting percentage is 19.1, so there

couldn’t be a better intersection between red-hot player and pending trade deadline, could there?

His value will never be higher.

he other player who could be dealt to clear a roster spot is Chris Higgins. However, he’s got two

years left with an AAV of $2.5 million and is likely viewed as a declining asset. Pending UFA

Shawn Matthias could also be a player who would draw interest, but draft picks are likely

coming back in all cases.

With everyone coming back from injury, I sense a quiet deadline in Vancouver.

WHY ANDREW LADD IS AN UNDERRATED CAPTAIN One more item from Hitchcock: He was truly impressed with the Winnipeg Jets team that he saw

Thursday night.

“They’ve got some really nice pieces there, boy. Andrew Ladd is really driving the bus right

now. Really pushing hard.”

The Jets captain had 10 hits in Thursday’s game — twice as many as any other player on the ice.

“He was runnin’ over everybody,” Hitchcock said. “And it’s such a great atmosphere in that

building. Oh my God.”

I always praise Ladd as a fantastic leader at age 29, but a recent tweet drew out a few Jets fans

who questioned his leadership due to the Evander Kane soap opera. They feel Ladd didn’t do the

job as a captain, because Kane never fit into the group and was eventually cast as an outsider.

Ladd is a fine captain, but folks, he’s not Criss Angel. I credit him for keeping the Jets on track

through the various Kane fiascos. You know that, if we heard about three or four things, there

were another five or six instances that went unreported.

Kane wasn’t interested in being part of the Jets and there isn’t a captain alive who could have

helped him to mature. Kane will need time, and perhaps even another team or two, before he

figures it out. Meanwhile, the Jets have collected eight of 12 points since the deal and look

destined to hang on to that playoff spot in the Central.

I’ll say it again: Andrew Ladd could captain my team any day.

PETRY LEAVING ISN’T OILERS FAULT Lots of Oilers fans wonder how a team with such a weak defence can afford to let Jeff Petry go. They’re right — he’s going to leave a big hole next year. But last summer, when the time came to sign Petry long-term, his game wasn’t deserving of the commitment. Sure, he was the best guy on a poor defence, but in my opinion, someone will be having buyer’s remorse on Petry at this time next year, when he signs for four years and $18-19 million. The key to the negotiations though, is that Petry wanted to go to UFA. There haven’t been any talks leading up to the deadline. The player simply wants to exercise his rights, play the field, and make a choice on a new team come July 1. It isn’t always a GM’s mistake when a player leaves. Sometimes the player, in this case an American-born player married to an American girl, wants to head south. It’s no more complicated than that.

Blues Clippings

Stastny's goal lifts Blues past Oilers

By Jeremy P. Rutherford

EDMONTON, Alberta • Asked on Saturday about Paul Stastny’s season thus far, Blues coach

Ken Hitchcock replied “better and better.”

The response came hours before what might have been Stastny's best game as a Blue, scoring the

game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers. He also assisted on the club's

other goal, scored by Dmitrij Jaskin.

Stastny, whose game-winner was his fifth of the season, tying Vladimir Tarasenko for the team

lead, jokingly credited the late start for his success Saturday.

"The 8 o'clock game, extra rest, I guess," Stastny said. "You have the nights where it seems like

the puck always finds us, whether it's off a line change or off the face-off. Both the wingers were

hungry for the puck today, so was I, and I think when you have that combination, good things

happen."

Brian Elliott made 21 saves to secure the Blues' 40th win of the season, marking the 13th time

they've eclipsed that total in franchise history. The team improved to 2-0 on their road trip,

winning for the ninth time in their last 10 road games, and they'll be back on enemy ground

Sunday against Vancouver.

The line of Stastny, Jaskin and Patrik Berglund was the Blues' best Saturday, accounting for 10

of the Blues' 27 shots on goal and four of the team's five points.

"They were really good," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "It was nice to see 'Jask' bounce back.

He had a tough game in Winnipeg, but man to see him play today was outstanding. The line

really got good chemistry going right now. It's really good to see."

Coming off Thursday's hard-checking 2-1 shootout win in Winnipeg, the Blues had to be ready

for a heavy-skating, position-oriented matchup with Edmonton.

The Oilers may not have many wins to count this season, a league-low 18, but they aren't

counting down the days to till the end of the season, either. Before Saturday, they were 11-15-5

under interim head coach Todd Nelson.

Edmonton was playing without arguably its top player in Taylor Hall, who is out with a foot

injury, and the Oilers elected to sit out defenseman Jeff Petry, as the team attempts to trade the

pending unrestricted free agent. But with the odds heavy in favor of the Blues, who had won

both meetings between the clubs this season, the game was still tied 1-1 heading into the third

period.

The Blues picked up a goal in the first period from Jaskin and Edmonton responded with one

from Justin Schultz in the second.

The Blues had not scored in the first period in six straight games. They went more than eight

minutes without a shot on goal in the first period Saturday. Finally, Stastny's line registered the

team's first shot and eventually they put the Blues on the board.

Edmonton center Derek Roy attempted to exit the Oilers' zone, but Berglund picked the pocket

of the ex-Blue and fed the puck to Stastny at center-ice. He had a good look, but instead dished

to Jaskin, who had a wide-open net.

"I'm always looking to pass first and then I seen him open up and I think (Edmonton goalie Ben)

Scrivens is probably going from his left to his right ... so you just try to give it to the shooter,"

Stastny said. "Jask had a chance early, he missed, and he made up for it there."

The rookie buried his 10th goal this season, becoming the seventh Blue to reach double digits.

"I was yelling for 'Bergie' and after Paul got it, I wasn't even yelling anymore," Jaskin said. "He

sees me, so I was just waiting for the puck. Paul was great as always. He can find you

anywhere."

The club enjoyed a rare first-intermission advantage, but their lead was only 1-0, and for as much

of a struggle as it has been for Edmonton this season, the Oilers have been shutout just six times,

only twice more than the Blues.

Edmonton got its goal in the second period from Schultz. The defenseman took a drop-back pass

from teammate Jordan Eberle in the high slot, and with Elliott recovering in the crease, Schultz

sent a wrist shot past the netminder for a 1-1 game with 13:29 remaining in the second period.

The score remain knotted through two periods on two even-strength goals, as neither team had a

chance to build a lead on the power play because there were no penalties called in the first 40

minutes.

In the third period, the Blues received two power plays, but despite a combined six shots on the

pair of man-advantages couldn't convert.

Scrivens was the reason why, denying Jori Lehtera with a chance in front on the Blues' first

power play, and coming up with a mammoth glove save on Stastny on the second one.

"I had too much time, I'm not a goal scorer like that," Stastny said. "But I got the last laugh on

'Scriv.'"

Stastny solved Scrivens with 5:40 left in regulation, scoring his 12th goal of the season. He took

a pass from defenseman Ian Cole on the left boards, zig-zagged his way to center ice and then

backhanded a shot through Scrivens.

"It was special to watch him tonight," Elliott said. "He had the puck on a string. Coming down,

silky little backhand through the legs.."

Stastny, however, was nearly the goat late in the game. He covered the puck with his glove,

putting Edmonton on the power play and forcing himself to watch the Blues fend off the Oilers'

power play for the final 53 seconds.

"I thought that was only a penalty on face-offs, to be honest with you," Stastny said. "I guess I'm

learning something everyday.

"There was a lefty about to pick up that puck and get a good chance. I think my stick was behind

me, so natural instinct was just to be defensive. I'll take the penalty and trust our PK to make the

stop."

Bluenotes: Trade deadline causes anxiety

By Jeremy P. Rutherford

EDMONTON, Alberta • “Did you see the trade?”

It’s a question being asked throughout the NHL these days, including the Blues’ locker room. In

a year that has witnessed an unusually high number of moves in the days leading up to Monday’s

2 p.m. deadline, the players aren’t immune to the chatter.

“With the moves that have been made already, the ‘trade deadline’ has kind of turned into the

‘trade week or two,’ ” Blues captain David Backes said. “It maybe makes the deadline a little

more anxious for a few guys that are wondering if they’re getting a new address.”

As the Blues prepared to face Edmonton on Saturday night, the first game in a back-to-back set

that will wrap up Sunday in Vancouver, coach Ken Hitchcock admitted that keeping his team’s

mind fixed on hockey is a challenge.

“This is a very difficult time for players, no matter where your team is at,” Hitchcock said.

“There’s players who are looking at their Twitter accounts every 15 minutes, there’s a lot of talk

going on in the room that’s nonpreparation talk.

“I think as a coach, whatever happens, you’d just like to get on to Monday, get past it, so you can

get playing again. There’s so much discussion and the buildup is so strong that it’s hard to keep

everybody’s focus.”

The Blues entered Saturday’s game in second place in the Central Division, seven points behind

No. 1 Nashville, which lost earlier in the day. With 21 games remaining and two games in hand

on the Predators, the club feels like it’s in decent shape.

“We’re a good hockey club in a conference with a lot of good hockey clubs,” Hitchcock said.

“There’s nights that we think we’re the best in the West and then there’s nights that we think

man there’s eight or nine other good teams in the West. We are what we are. We’re built a

certain way, we feel confident in our own game.”

But much like the Blues are busy doing their jobs, the players realize that general manager Doug

Armstrong is doing his. Armstrong has remained in St. Louis during the recent road trip, working

the phones in advance of Monday’s deadline.

“Obviously things could happen, you don’t know if they’re going to or not, especially with a

squad like ours,” Blues forward Alexander Steen said. “We’ve been building this group for a

long time now, but at the same time, if there’s an opportunity to improve the team, then every

GM is going to take it. If it happens, it happens.”

One possible trade acquisition for the Blues is Edmonton’s Jeff Petry, who was scratched by the

Oilers Saturday night as the club works out a trade. The Blues are reportedly one of a couple of

teams interested in the 27-year-old defensemen, a second-round pick in the 2006 draft who has

played 295 NHL games.

In the weeks leading up to the deadline, the Blues were believed to have limited interest in Petry.

But the 6-foot-3, 198-pound blueliner has been better of late, posting four assists in his last seven

games and a plus-minus rating of even or better in six of those seven. With a salary-cap hit of $3

million this season, he will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

The market for a defenseman is fairly shallow, and the ones who are available are a bit pricey for

the Blues, who do not have a 2015 first-round draft pick. It’s believed the club, though, remains

interested in acquiring a defenseman before the deadline and can find one with a package of draft

picks and prospects.

“If you’re looking at it as building a house, the bones of it are solid and you like what you have,”

Backes said. “Are there maybe some furnishings you’re going to change up a little bit, are they

going to tweak things? That’s above my pay grade. We love the 23 guys that are in here and if

nothing changes, we like this group still. We’re a team that doesn’t have anything that’s standing

out at you that you need to change up and that bodes well for us.”

THE 900 CLUB

Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester suited up in Game No. 900 Saturday night in his hometown.

“It’s kind of neat,” Bouwmeester said beforehand. “I knew it was coming up. I wasn’t sure

exactly when it was. But it’s neat. All my family is here, so they enjoy it when we come up

here.”

Bouwmeester’s teammates had a little fun with him when they heard the number “900” in the

locker room Saturday.

“He’s old, huh ... 900 years old,” Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo joked. “The cool part about

it is that it’s in his hometown, too, in front of his family and friends. A special game for him, a

special moment for all of us to share that with him.”

Hitchcock noted that Bouwmeester, who had his consecutive games streak halted at 737 this

season, is just 31.

“He’s 31 and he’s played 900 games,” Hitchcock said. “That’s incredible. That shows you, first

thing, he’s been healthy and second he came in the league early. When you’re 31 and you’re at

900 games already, that’s incredible because a lot of those guys, when you get to that number,

they’re 35-36 years of age.”

BLUE NOTES

The Blues’ healthy scratches Saturday were forwards Chris Porter and Joakim Lindstrom and

defenseman Chris Butler.

Preview: Blues at Canucks

By Jeremy P. Rutherford

When • 8:30 p.m. Sunday

Where • Rogers Arena

TV, radio • Fox Sports Midwest, KMOX (1120 AM)

Blues • Following Saturday’s game in Edmonton, the Blues are on the ice for the second game of

a back-to-back set. If it seems like the Blues are playing on Sunday a lot lately, they are. This is

one of six Sunday games in an eight-week stretch, after playing only two in the first four months

of the season. The Blues have faced Vancouver once this season, falling to the Canucks 4-1 on

Oct. 23 at Scottrade Center. The Blues have not announced their starting goaltender for Sunday’s

game.

Canucks • Vancouver sits in second place in the Pacific Division with 73 points, trailing

Anaheim by 12 points. The Canucks are coming home after a five-game trip in which they went

3-2, wrapping it up with a 6-3 loss to lowly Buffalo. The team is playing without goalie Ryan

Miller, the former Blue, who is out four to six weeks with a knee sprain. Backup Eddie Lack has

started the past two games in Miller’s absence, but the Canucks could turn to Jacob Markstrom.

Injuries • Blues — D Kevin Shattenkirk (abdominal surgery), out; Canucks — G Ryan Miller

(sprained knee), D Christopher Tanev (upper-body), D Alexander Edler (upper-body), D Frank

Corrado (illness), D Kevin Bieksa (broken hand) and C Brad Richardson (lower-body), out.