A large number of Canucks fans were happy with what the team did against the Islanders Tuesday.
Which is a big improvement on how they felt after the trade deadline.
Vancouver lost 3-2, but after a first period that had less action than Jim Benning’s phone Monday, the game became fun.
By the end of it, the Canucks outshot the Islanders 33-24 and they held the edge in corsi 48-43 (ES).
TeamTank won, the game was interesting, and the youngsters played a lot (Hutton led the team with 25 minutes of ice time).
One question: if Vancouver does get that top-5 draft pick, is this the right management group to surround that player with the pieces to be a contender?
Better poll question: could the #Canucks sell water in a drought?
(thx @nobikes)— Omar A (@omarcanuck) March 1, 2016
1. Stalled ticket drive
After doing nothing to improve the team Monday, giving fans no hope besides what they already had, you couldn’t blame the customers for not forking up.
Still, this is only the start.
$12 USD gets you in the door for tonight’s #Canucks game pic.twitter.com/1k0bqVMkFi
— Ryan Biech (@ryanbiech) March 1, 2016
Didn’t we used to laugh at Florida for having ticket deals with prices like these?
Guess it doesn’t include a hot dog. Yet.
Somebody broke into my car last night. I left two tickets for tonight’s Canucks game on the passenger seat, and now there are four tickets.
— Justin Morissette (@JustinMoris) March 1, 2016
The prices will keep dropping, the jokes will keep getting better, and this could get ugly.
2. And the fans at home?
Sure, paying the face value on the tickets is asking a bit much. What about the fans at home – how are they feeling?
@omarcanuck As excited as Vrbata is to still be wearing a Canucks jersey
— Chris (@Chris_1483) March 1, 2016
Ouch.
@omarcanuck I’ll be watching Fuller House
— Kyle (@BringrOfRain420) March 1, 2016
No chance.
3. Oh yeah, the game…
I’m getting off track. Some stuff did actually happen during the game.
There was Willie.
@omarcanuck pic.twitter.com/Z1xI0SfN2x
— Steve Brown (@stevebfazed) March 1, 2016
Great stuff here, but things have changed.
It appears Linden Vey’s become the object of Willie’s affection. Through two periods, Vey led all forwards in ice time, and he finished the game behind only the Sedins and Horvat.
Oh, and Markstrom did this.
One more thing – the Granlund, Virtanen, Baertschi line was Vancouver’s most potent in terms of driving play. Virtanen led the team at plus-14 corsi.
Yes, Willie gave them the most o-zone starts of any line, but hey, in a game that means nothing, you can’t argue with putting the youngsters in a position to succeed.
Might be the way to go for the rest of the season.
4. State of the franchise
By now you’ve heard all the theories about ownership’s involvement on trade deadline day. I’m not going to rehash them here.
Regardless of the true story, this take can’t be far off.
Aquilinis searching their mentions right now: pic.twitter.com/zF2jij0k1q
— Wyatt Arndt (@TheStanchion) March 2, 2016
5. Is the Great One taking over
This guy was at the game.
Greatness in the building.
Good to see you 99! pic.twitter.com/drMBIb4L7Q
— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) March 2, 2016
The day after the trade deadline? That wouldn’t go unnoticed.
It could be nothing but I find the timing of Gretzky to be randomly at a Canucks game very interesting
— Arpan #Teamtank (@Arpannnnn) March 2, 2016
Aquilini already looking for the next President https://t.co/jLmsapGa9m
— Taj (@taj1944) March 2, 2016
Gretzky spoke on the Islanders’ broadcast during the first period, and the crew asked what brought him to Vancouver.
“You know what, I said I hadn’t seen rain in a while… I’m just kidding.
I’m fortunate enough, I’ve been 15 years with Breitling watches so I came here, I have a great relationship with them… We designed a Wayne Gretzky watch which is very cool. I came up here to spend some time with the people of Breitling. We had dinner earlier, we’re sitting in the box enjoying the game.”
As they say, the truth is out there.
(and it’s boring)
6. Think the Pres is having fun?
One week ago, Linden was on sports radio saying he loves how passionate the fans are in Vancouver and he’s excited for the challenge ahead.
That was before the trade deadline, of course.
During the game, he didn’t look as excited.
When you realize the game is just half done. pic.twitter.com/3HAI6YGu2l
— Taj (@taj1944) March 2, 2016
Maybe he saw this earlier?
Brace yourself.
Canucks announce plans being made for fans to celebrate Trevor Linden’s tenure as club President at a future date. pic.twitter.com/zFOWh2yTHt
— ZoSo (@ZoSoNuck) March 1, 2016
Or it could’ve been this.
Canucks fans ain’t happy #canucks @taj1944 @botchford pic.twitter.com/B7oVszNEqB
— JEFF (@Jeff_Masse) March 2, 2016
Twenty games left, eight points out of the final wild-card spot.
And the SixPack will be here to cover it all.
Note: Thanks to Ryan Biech for not being a bandwagon giffer
