Rumours, Rumblings and Revelations: Canucks have a new DJ and other noise

Welcome to a new regular feature on Vancity Buzz, something I have decided to call “Rumours, Rumblings and Revelations”. Basically, it’s a forum for me to rant about a bunch of random things going on with the Canucks, the NHL, the media or anywhere else. Some entries might be short on rumours and long on rumblings and sometimes the revelations won’t be so revealing, but hopefully they’ll be fun to read all the same.

Winning is nice

The Canucks are 2-0 for the first time since the 2008-09 season, it feels good doesn’t it? The Canucks had a nasty habit of getting off to brutal starts during the Alain Vigneault era, so this is somewhat unfamiliar ground for Canucks fans. The Canucks started 0-3 in 2009-10 (a season in which the Canucks won their division) and started with only one win in four games to begin their near-dream season in 2010-11.

Revisionist history

I have been seeing a whole lot of euphoria with regards to the Sedins play through two games this season and I think we should take back the reigns a little bit. Sure, Daniel and Henrik are off to a fantastic start with 4 points each in the first two games (albeit against Calgary and Edmonton), but why is this happening? Are they more comfortable? Are they just more “themselves”? Is it because they’re not killing penalties? Do I like to ask a lot of rhetorical questions?

Look, John Tortorella did a terrible job of coaching the Canucks last year, there’s no denying that. But I think there’s a lot of people just trying to fit a good start into a preconceived narrative. The Sedins have 8 points in 2 games, last year they started with 7 points in 2 games. Through two games, they’re actually killing penalties a little bit this year, averaging 0:55 compared to 1:54 last year and they have averaged more total ice time this year (with less time on the power play).

My argument is not that Tortorella was a great coach, it’s that the Sedins weren’t an unmitigated disaster right from day one last year (they were dancing in the second game of the season last year too). The Sedins broke down through injury and being overplayed (Daniel played over 24 minutes in a game 5 times and Henrik played almost 27 minutes in a single game in October last year). But for the start of the season, the Sedins looked like superstars again under Torts, so we should wait a minute before anointing Willie Desjardins as the perfect coach for them.

DJ Dave is gone

Have you noticed that there’s a new DJ at Rogers Arena this season? Actually there are two new DJs as longtime Canucks DJ Dave Levinson was let go in the offseason. If you’re not a fan of classic rock, you might applaud this. But if you’re not a fan of a massive increase in dance/techno, you might be disappointed.

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Next gig for these two? Tonite… 7pm… Rogers Arena… Canucks vs. Oilers! #Canucks

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Marlon J. English and Jay Swing are your new Canucks DJs and I’m sure they’ll figure out the job as they gain experience, but for the moment there are a few things to improve on. Opinions on what constitutes “good music” varies widely, but the main goal should be to inspire fans to get some energy into Rogers Arena. The new goal song (U2 – The Miracle which is appropriately named given it took a miracle for them to score last year) is lacking something in my view. It’s a nice song to listen to on your iPod but I don’t know if it’s upbeat enough for a goal song.

Mark Messier

Does anyone fire up Canucks fans like Mark Messier? Our guy Jay Adams wrote nice things about him last month (to the ANGER of many) while on Tuesday Wyatt Arndt blasted Sportsnet for having the audacity to put him on television (we all nodded our heads as we read that one). Either way, it’s pretty hilarious how much everyone in Vancouver still hates Mark Messier.

Delusional Florida fans

The Florida Panthers had an embarrassingly low crowd turn out to see the Ottawa Senators on Monday night. Their lowest in franchise history.

Ouch! @brianfein: Not exactly making a great case against the Canadian elitists. #FlaPanthers #WhereIsEveryone pic.twitter.com/U4VP4OQpif

— Josh Rimer (@JoshRimerHockey) October 14, 2014

Just 7,311 fans bothered to show up to see Roberto Luongo and the Panthers get blanked 1-0. What’s funny is the reaction from some fans in the sunbelt who don’t like people like me pointing it out. “Canadian elitists” they call us. “Worry about your own team” they say.

Proof that winning cures all playoffs in 2011 Game 7 and thats before everyone came in. @BluLiner55 pic.twitter.com/97NQsK06aG

— Natty Perez (@NatKosPer) October 14, 2014

Bravo, you filled the rink for game 7… You are SUPPOSED to fill the rink for game 7. Saskatoon would fill the rink for game 7. Prince George would fill the rink for game 7. Inuvik would fill the rink for game 7.

Well the reason why some Canadians like to focus on poor attendance figures (even though in fairness, their team has been terrible for years) is because well supported teams in Canada were ripped away from us quickly in the 90s and they have been slow to return despite the fact that Quebec City and southern Ontario would support a team better than Sunrise, Florida ever could.

It’s not funny anymore Edmonton

The Oilers got steamrolled by the Kings on Tuesday night, losing 6-1 in a game that was over quick. With the amount of high draft picks that Edmonton has had over the last bunch of years, it’s remarkable that they haven’t turned things around at all. They’re still terrible. Stockpiling draft picks is great, but you have to surround them with something. They entered this season foolishly fast-tracking an 18 year old as their #2 centre, not much of an improvement on their blueline and two unproven starting goalies. I bet they wish they had offered the moon for Cory Schneider (who is lights-out so far in New Jersey) right about now.

Cheers to B-Mac

I have been known to be a bit of a sports radio critic at times, but I’m thrilled that TSN 1040 host Barry Macdonald is doing better after his ongoing battle with depression. B-Mac revealed that he has been battling depression off-and-on for many years on Tuesday’s afternoon show (you can listen to it here). He had been absent from the BMac and Taylor show for many weeks and I’m glad that he’s back and appears to be feeling better.

Feature Image: canucks.nhl.com