Official: Vancouver Canucks W00T

[silverpig]

3/9/2004

The Vancouver Canucks and the Toronto Maple Leafs have asked Ron Francis if he would be prepared to waive his no-trade clause, TSN has learned.

The Carolina Hurricanes veteran forward is considering whether to waive the clause. Once he informs general manager Jim Rutherford of his decision, it's expected he'll attempt to make a deal with either the Maple Leafs or Canucks.

Francis, who has four points in his last five games, has 10 goals and 30 points in 68 games with the Hurricanes.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Aquaman
Francis asked to waive no-trade clause

TSN.ca Staff
3/9/2004

The Vancouver Canucks and the Toronto Maple Leafs have asked Ron Francis if he would be prepared to waive his no-trade clause, TSN has learned.

The Carolina Hurricanes veteran forward is considering whether to waive the clause. Once he informs general manager Jim Rutherford of his decision, it's expected he'll attempt to make a deal with either the Maple Leafs or Canucks.

Francis, who has four points in his last five games, has 10 goals and 30 points in 68 games with the Hurricanes.

Cheers,
Aquaman

Bahahahhaha

 

[murphy55d]

Ron Francis is a Maple Leaf. Conditional pick.

Steve Moore may have a broken neck. That's the report I'm hearing.

 

[murphy55d]

To Boston: Brad Boyes

To San Jose: Curtis Brown

To Buffalo: Jeff Jillson

 

[cliftonite]

Police to investigate Bertuzzi's hit

 

[murphy55d]

An Avs spokesman confirmed Tuesday that Moore had injured his neck but did not offer further details. Rogers Sportsnet, citing Moore's parents, said the 25-year-old forward had sustained two fractured vertebra.

 

[cliftonite]

Originally posted by: murphy55d
Ron Francis is a Maple Leaf. Conditional pick.

Steve Moore may have a broken neck. That's the report I'm hearing.

I read that he has two fractured vertebra.

 

[murphy55d]

Yeah, see my above post. Supposedly the C3/C4 vertebrae.

 

[cliftonite]

Link to the hit

 

[LAUST]

Originally posted by: cliftonite
Police to investigate Bertuzzi's hit

Official Vancouver Police W00t!!!!

Sorry Nuck fans but I hope he goes DOWN, you don't need that $h!tFvsk on your team anyway.

 

[TheNinja]

I still think they should go with the rule that however long the person that you hurt is out, that's how long you are out. You take out someone's knees and he's gone for 10-12 weeks, so are you. If Moore is out for 3 years, tough $hit Bertuzzi you are gone for 3 years, have fun golfing.....or curling.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: murphy55d
Yeah, see my above post. Supposedly the C3/C4 vertebrae.

sh1t. That could be very bad, Christopher Reeve bad.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Staley8
I still think they should go with the rule that however long the person that you hurt is out, that's how long you are out. You take out someone's knees and he's gone for 10-12 weeks, so are you. If Moore is out for 3 years, tough $hit Bertuzzi you are gone for 3 years, have fun golfing.....or curling.

I agree.

 

[wkabel23]

If he isn't out for the rest of the season AT LEAST that's complete bull****

The other thing pissed me off was the Canuck coach sitting there with a smirk on his face. What an a$$hat.

 

[Aquaman]

Moore out for the year; police investigate

Canadian Press
3/9/2004

VANCOUVER (CP) - Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Moore, sucker-punched from behind by Canucks star Todd Bertuzzi, will miss the rest of the season with a fractured neck as bad blood led to a bad injury.

Bertuzzi, meanwhile, faces the wrath of the NHL and possibly the police.

Moore, a rookie with modest numbers for the Avs, crashed face first to the ice following Bertuzzi's punch in the third period of Colorado's 9-2 win Monday night.

The Canucks power forward landed on top of Moore, who was targeted because of a hit last month that sidelined Vancouver captain Markus Naslund with a concussion.

Police are investigating the incident, which also left Moore with a concussion. He will remain in hospital in Vancouver ``for an indefinite period of time,'' the Avs said.

``Regardless of the fact that this involves a player in the National Hockey League, this will be a routine assault investigation,'' said Const. Sarah Bloor, a spokesman for the Vancouver Police.

``Crown counsel will be responsible for making a decision as to whether or not anyone is charged.''

Bertuzzi has been suspended pending a hearing with the NHL in Toronto on Wednesday.

The league issued a statement saying executive vice-president Colin Campbell, who handles discipline for the NHL, and Bertuzzi would not comment until a disciplinary decision was reached.

The general managers of both teams held separate news conferences Tuesday. Canucks GM Brian Burke said Bertuzzi had planned to meet the media but was ``too distraught to come here today.''

``It's been too emotionally difficult for him,'' he said.

``Right now he's very upset about what happened. In terms of the incident, he's remorseful and relieved that Mr. Moore's injuries at this point appear, that a full recovery should be possible.''

Bertuzzi had tried to contact Moore at the hospital, in addition to trying to speak to the Avalanche trainer, Burke said.

The Canucks GM, while wishing Moore ``nothing but the best in terms of recovering from this injury,'' declined comment on the incident himself.

Colorado GM Pierre Lacroix was also guarded.

``We hope as an organization that Steve will recover,'' Lacroix said, adding more medical tests are planned.

``All I know that his spirit, under the circumstance, is good,'' Lacroix added.

He avoided offering any more medical information, saying that was best left to doctors.

Lacroix also did not want to talk about a criminal investigation, saying he just wanted his player to get well.

``I don't want to think of anything else,'' he said.

It was in Vancouver that Marty McSorley, then with the Boston Bruins, was charged with assault after knocking out then-Canuck Donald Brashear with a stick to the head in February 2000.

McSorley, suspended by the NHL for a year, was convicted of assault and given an 18-month conditional discharge.

Moore's injuries are extensive.

``Exams have revealed that Steve sustained a concussion and a cervical injury (neck fracture) and will be out at least for the remainder of the season,'' head Colorado trainer Pat Karns said in a statement.

``He also suffered deep facial lacerations and abrasions to the forehead, right cheek and upper lip.''

As soon as his condition allows it, the 25-year-old from Windsor, Ont., will be transferred to Craig Hospital in Denver, the statement continued.

On a team stacked with stars, Moore is a checking forward who has four goals and seven assists in 57 games this season, 13th in scoring on the Avs. He has 37 penalty minutes.

Bertuzzi is a bona-fide star, a native of Sudbury, Ont., who signed a $27.8-million US four-year contract in October. While known for his big hits - his hard-hitting checks were featured in a TV commercial for Gatorade - he usually steers away from fights.

He has 17 goals and 43 assists, second best on the Canucks. He also has 122 penalty minutes.

Bertuzzi was suspended 10 games two years ago for coming off the bench to join an on-ice fight.

But bad blood between Colorado and Vancouver, currently No. 2 and No. 4 in the West, had been simmering since Moore's hit on Naslund during a game Feb. 16 in Denver. Naslund suffered a concussion that cost him three games.

Moore wasn't penalized for the hit and the league took no action.

Vancouver coach Marc Crawford called Moore's hit ``a cheap shot by a young kid on a captain, the leading scorer in the league.''

The two teams met in Denver on March 3 but there was little action in a 5-5 tie. That changed Monday night as the score became lopsided in Colorado's favour.

Asked how far over the line Bertuzzi's hit was, Colorado coach Tony Granato said: ``We have too much to offer in our game for something like this. Does it cross the line? Of course it does.''

But Lacroix said the NHL would do the right thing.

``I have full trust they will do the appropriate action.''

The Avs GM also said he had not heard from the Canucks.

``I haven't heard from nobody,'' he said, adding Bertuzzi's agent had made a call to request information.

The Moore injury is the latest black eye for the NHL, following a brawl-filled game last Friday between the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers, which set an NHL record of 419 penalty minutes.

And the league will not be pleased that the Bertuzzi bloodbath tarnished NHL trade deadline day - normally a dream day for hockey junkies.

``This is not the way we're going to make people love the sport,'' said Lacroix, who refused to be drawn into further debate.

The Denver Post called the incident ``an ugly piece of frontier justice.''

``Even with the animosity between Colorado and Vancouver seemingly building by the second, nobody expected it to come to this,'' said the Rocky Mountain News.

Bertuzzi received a match penalty for his hit on the Avalanche centre Monday.

The two teams don't meet again during the regular season.

Colorado cancelled a planned skate Tuesday morning at GM Place. The team was to fly to Edmonton later in the day for a game Wednesday against the Oilers.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Canucks add Rucinsky, Sanderson

Canadian Press with TSN files
3/9/2004

VANCOUVER (CP) - The Vancouver Canucks desperately needed help at forward and got it at the trade deadline Tuesday with the acquisition of veteran winger Martin Rucinsky from the New York Rangers.

In exchange, the Rangers got prospect defenceman Martin Grenier and unsigned forward R.J. Umberger.

The Canucks also acquired left winger Geoff Sanderson from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a third round draft pick.

Sanderson, 32, has 29 points in 67 games with the Blue Jackets this season. In 915 career games, the 6'0", 190-pounder has tallied 313 goals and 605 points.

The move reunites Sanderson with Canucks GM Brian Burke, who was GM of the Hartford Whalers when Sanderson had a career-best 46 goals and 89 points in 1992-1993.

Vancouver also acquired veteran defenceman Marc Bergevin from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for an undisclosed draft pick.

The Canucks will undoubtedly lose star winger Todd Bertuzzi to a long-term suspension for his sucker punch to Colorado's Steve Moore on Monday night so Vancouver general manager Brian Burke had to acquire some offensive help.

Rucinsky, who turns 33 on Thursday, had 13 goals, 29 assists and an impressive plus-13 rating in 69 games with the struggling New York Rangers this season. He's earning $1.65 million US this season and will be an unrestricted free agent July 1.

The Czech native has 207 goals and 298 assists in 804 career games with Edmonton, Quebec, Colorado, Montreal, Dallas, St. Louis and the Rangers.

Grenier, 23, had five goals, four assists and 145 penalty minutes in 38 games with the AHL's Manitoba Moose this season, Vancouver's top farm team. The 6-5, 245-pound Grenier was Colorado's second choice, 45th overall, in the 1999 NHL entry draft.

The 38-year-old Bergevin is earning $400,000 this season and will be an unrestricted free agent July 1. He had one goal, eight assists and 27 penalty minutes in 52 games this season. He's a veteran of 1,182 games with Chicago, the Islanders, Hartford, Tampa Bay, Detroit, St. Louis and Pittsburgh.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: murphy55d
Yeah, see my above post. Supposedly the C3/C4 vertebrae.

I heard on the local radio today that he broke 2 vertabre but he still has movement & sensation in his limbs.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[silverpig]

Just got home.

Moore broke 3 vertebrae

Sanderson and Rucinsky are now Canucks

 

[Aquaman]

McSorley got charged with Assualt and had an 18 month discharged sentance. So The police charges should be around that.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: silverpig
Just got home.

Moore broke 3 vertebrae

Sanderson and Rucinsky are now Canucks

In the morning they said he had sensation & movement of his limbs.......... did that change?

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Aquaman
McSorley got charged with Assualt and had an 18 month discharged sentance. So The police charges should be around that.

Cheers,
Aquaman

I think the police are just doing a normal investigation. I can't imagine they will charge Bertuzzi, but if they do I don't think it will be that harsh. he didn't assault him with a weapon (stick) it was a gloved fist.

 

[silverpig]

Heh, I guess it's two..

He should be okay in a while though from what I heard.

 

[silverpig]

At least we have Sanderson and Rucinsky to pick up the slack... and we didn't have to give up much either.

 

[Aquaman]

Players react to Bertuzzi hit

Canadian Press
3/9/2004

VANCOUVER (CP) - The Vancouver Canucks picked up scoring punch at the NHL trade deadline Tuesday but management said it had nothing to do with anticipated disciplinary action for a sucker punch by star forward Todd Bertuzzi.

``Not at all,'' Dave Nonis, vice-president of hockey operations, said after the Canucks acquired forwards Martin Rucinsky and Geoff Sanderson for prospects and draft picks.

``We've been saying for weeks now that if we could make a deal that would allow us to improve our team and wouldn't take players off our current roster it would allow us to keep the bulk of our core young prospects here we were going to do it.

``Nothing changed last night except the fact that we have a player who won't be with us for (Wednesday) night's game. In terms of adding players to our roster, it had no effect whatsoever.''

Bertuzzi and general manager Brian Burke will be in Toronto Wednesday for a league disciplinary hearing after the hulking winger's attack from behind left Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Moore in hospital with severe head and neck injuries.

Burke, who had been criticized for not making deals early in this year's trading frenzy, said the Canucks were involved in several potential transactions but asking prices were too high.

``We made changes we thought would help, but still preserve our core assets,'' Burke said.

Bertuzzi attacked Moore from behind and drove his face into the ice late in a 9-2 loss.

``You can't make decisions based on one game,'' said Nonis. ``If we'd have won 9-1, I don't think anyone here would have been too thrilled either.''

He described Sanderson and Rucinsky as complementary players for the roster.

``There's no white knights that'll take these guys to the promised land.''

However, Canucks forward Matt Cooke said the trades were in the background because of the anticipated Bertuzzi suspension.

``They're both scoring players and work pretty hard,'' Cook said. ``They can only help, especially with the absence of Todd.''

Both players are expected to be in Vancouver in time for Wednesday night's game with the Minnesota Wild.

In exchange for Rucinsky, the New York Rangers got prospects Martin Grenier and R.J. Umberger, while the Columbus Blue Jackets received a 2004 third-round draft pick for Sanderson.

Vancouver also acquired veteran defenceman Marc Bergevin from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for an undisclosed draft pick and minor-league tough guy Sylvain Blouin from the Montreal Canadiens for prospect Rene Vydareny.

Crawford said Rucinsky and Sanderson will bring versatility to his two top lines.

``We believe both players that we're getting can move over to the right side (Bertuzzi's wing).

``The positive aspects of getting these two forwards gives us a lot more versatility and when you put good players together with other good players they find a way to make it work.''

Brendan Morrison, Bertuzzi's linemate, said his loss will be difficult but applauded the Canucks' trades.

``It just shows that ownership and management is just trying to get a little extra push, not that they don't have confidence in the guys that are in the room,'' said Morrison. ``They are just trying to give us a little extra push.''

Trevor Linden, who played with Rucinsky in Montreal, said he will fit in well with Vancouver.

``He's a good penalty killer, he's a good guy, one you can enjoy playing with,'' Linden said.

Rucinsky, who faced the Canucks in a seven-game first-round playoff loss last season with the St. Louis Blues, relished the chance to play for a winner.

``I haven't had a season where you had a shot at the Stanley Cup,'' he said in a conference call from Atlanta. ``They really have a shot. It's a great experience for me to go there and win.''

Rucinsky, the third-leading scorer among the Rangers, also said he expected to be traded, the only question was where. He found out just before the trading deadline.

Sanderson, 32, is not a rental player. He's under contract for $3 million US next season and $3.3 million US the following year. For Sanderson, it marks a return to Vancouver, where he played nine games at the end of the 1997-98 season. He had 13 goals and 16 assists in 66 games with the Jackets this season.

``I was traded out of Vancouver the first time I got there,'' said Sanderson, who is fourth among Blue Jackets' scorers. ``I look forward to a second chance there.

``They're gearing up for the playoff and that's something I'm excited about getting back into.''

The native of Hay River, N.W.T., has 313 career goals and 292 assists in 914 games with Hartford, Carolina, Vancouver, Buffalo and Columbus.

Rucinsky, who turns 33 on Thursday, had 13 goals, 29 assists and an impressive plus-13 rating in 69 games with the struggling New York Rangers this season. He's earning $1.65 million this season and will be an unrestricted free agent July 1 so he's probably a rental.

The Czech native has 207 goals and 298 assists in 804 career games with Edmonton, Quebec, Colorado, Montreal, Dallas, St. Louis and the Rangers.

The 38-year-old Bergevin is earning $400,000 this season and will be an unrestricted free agent July 1. He had one goal, eight assists and 27 penalty minutes in 52 games this season. He's a veteran of 1,182 games with Chicago, the Islanders, Hartford, Tampa Bay, Detroit, St. Louis and Pittsburgh.

Grenier, a 23-year-old defenceman, had five goals, four assists and 145 penalty minutes in 38 games with the AHL's Manitoba Moose this season, Vancouver's top farm team. The 6-5, 245-pound Grenier was Colorado's second choice, 45th overall, in the 1999 NHL entry draft.

Umberger, a 21-year-old forward, has 26 goals and 27 assists in 43 games with Ohio State this season. He was Vancouver's first choice, 16th overall, the 2001 NHL entry draft.

Montreal acquired defenceman Rene Vydareny from the Canucks in return for forward Sylvain Blouin.

Blouin had two goals, one assist and 75 penalty minutes in 29 games with Montreal's AHL affiliate in Hamilton this season.

Vydareny, a 22-year-old forward, has seven goals and 29 assists in 182 games with Vancouver's AHL affiliate in Manitoba over the last three years.

Linden said the Vancouver management struck a balance with the trades.

``It means a lot to the guys in here and you know I don't think anyone wanted to see any big changes.''

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Wingznut]

My thoughts on the Canucks and the Bertuzzi incident...

• The McSorely incident was no worse. Both players tried to goat the other guy into a fight. And both took it way too far.
• Bertuzzi grabbed a hold of Moore's jersey before he sucker puched him. That adds quite a bit of leverage to the punch.
• Coach Granato was screaming at the Canucks bench after the hit, and Crawford stood silently and didn't even make eye contact. Marc Crawford has NEVER backed down like that before. That tells me that he was pretty damn embarrased by Bertuzzi's actions.
• Bertuzzi has been having a very "off" year... I'll bet this is a culmination of his frustrations which have been growing all year. Based on the four Canucks/Wings games that I've seen, he seemed to be getting more and more disgruntled as the season went along.
• The Canucks fans threw beer onto the Avs' bench... This reminds me of when they booed Chelios when he was helped off the ice. Very classless.
• Why get Salo??? Aebischer is AT LEAST as good, if not better. And I'll be the first to say that I didn't feel the same way at the beginning of the season.