Official: Vancouver Canucks W00T

[Aquaman]

Canucks avoid arbitration with Morrison

TSN.ca Staff
7/27/2004

The Vancouver Canucks announced Tuesday that the club has re-signed forward Brendan Morrison to a one-year contract. The Team 1040 in Vancouver reports it is worth $3.55 million US.

"We are very excited to have Brendan under contract for next season" said General Manager and Senior Vice-President Dave Nonis. "He has proven that he can consistently produce at a high level."

Morrison, 28, played in all 82 games with Vancouver last year and finished second in team scoring with 60 points (22-38-60). Morrison is also the Canucks "Ironman" having played in 348 straight games (340 games with the Canucks and eight games with the New Jersey Devils). In 340 games with the Canucks, Morrison has recorded 261 points (88-173-261).

The 5-foot-11, 185 pound native of Pitt Meadows, BC, was acquired by Vancouver with Denis Pederson on March 15th, 2000 from New Jersey in exchange for Alex Mogilny. In 471 career regular season games, Morrison has recorded 111 goals, 231 assists and 190 penalty minutes.

Morrison has also played in 31 NHL Playoff games over the last four seasons with Vancouver, recording 21 points (7-14-21) and 21 penalty minutes. Morrison was originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils, 39th overall, in the 1993 Entry Draft.

"I never thought I'd be making this kind of money playing a game I love," said Morrison. "It shows a lot of commitment from the club's part. Our goal is to continue to work with Vancouver to try and get a longer-term deal done."

Morrison played the final year of a deal that paid him $2.45 million. He has scored 20 or more goals the last three seasons and has appeared in 343 consecutive games.

There was speculation both players could be awarded large pay raises if they went to arbitration.

Vancouver general manager Dave Nonis had warned the Canucks would let both become free agents if an arbitrator's award didn't fit into the team's budget.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

A bit late but I was on vacation

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Hedberg signs with Swedish team

Associated Press
8/2/2004

STOCKHOLM (AP) - Johan Hedberg, a former goaltender with the Vancouver Canucks, signed a contract with the Swedish team the Leksand Stars on Monday.

``My goal is to bring Leksand back to the Elite League,'' Hedberg said in a statement. ``There's no other team in Sweden or Europe that I want to play for.''

Terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Hedberg, who spent most of last season as Dan Cloutier's backup for the Canucks, won't play until at least December because of scheduled surgery on his shoulder.

In 21 games with Vancouver, he went 8-6-2 with three shutouts and a 2.51 goals-against average. Before that, Hedberg spent three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Hedberg grew up playing for Leksand's youth squads and then for the team in the Swedish Elite League.

Leksand, one of Sweden's most popular sports teams, was knocked out of the Elite League last season.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[pyonir]

Die thread! DIE!

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: pyonir
Die thread! DIE!

OMGWATERMELON

Nevar

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[clicknext]

World Cup in a month... Can't wait.

 

[Aquaman]

Woot

Let's hope that it's not the last hockey for the year

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: pyonir
Die thread! DIE!

:thumbsdown:

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Aquaman
Woot

Let's hope that it's not the last hockey for the year

Cheers,
Aquaman

Yeah no kidding. IIRC they put Lecavalier on the team now too :thumbsup:

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: silverpig

Originally posted by: Aquaman
Woot

Let's hope that it's not the last hockey for the year

Cheers,
Aquaman

Yeah no kidding. IIRC they put Lecavalier on the team now too :thumbsup:

World Cup & Olympics are going to be on........... I am not going to get much work or Neffing done

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[silverpig]

w00t!!! Lions win over Renegades.

<-- just got back from the game

 

[Aquaman]

Bert is going to plead soon.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Czech coach Hlinka dies after accident

Canadian Press
8/16/2004

Ivan Hlinka, who was instrumental in building the Czech hockey team into a world power after his playing days were over, died Monday of injuries suffered in a car crash. He was 54.

Hlinka's car collided with a truck Sunday night. He had gone to the spa town of Karlovy Vary, about 110 kilometres west of Prague, to meet with Jaromir Jagr, who assured Hlinka he'd report to the Czech team Hlinka was to coach during the World Cup of Hockey, Aug. 30-Sept. 14.

Now, instead of reporting for the start of a training camp, players will be attending Hlinka's funeral.

``Ivan Hlinka was a tremendous ambassador for the game of hockey,'' said Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Craig Patrick, who played against Hlinka and hired him to coach the NHL club in 1990. ``He was a great hockey player, a player that many of the current Czech players idolized growing up.

``He brought a wealth of hockey knowledge and enthusiasm with him to the rink every day. His contributions to the Penguins' organization during his time in Pittsburgh will never be forgotten.''

The two-year NHL coaching stint turned out to be a mere footnote in Hlinka's biography. As a player, he helped Czechoslovakia win world titles in 1972, 1976 and 1977, Olympic bronze in 1972 and Olympic silver in 1976. He scored 132 goals in 256 international games. A big centre, he was at his best slamming home shots from the slot a la Phil Esposito, although Hlinka was the better skater.

Hlinka was named top forward in the inaugural Canada Cup tournament in 1976, when Canada sent the likes of Esposito and Guy Lafleur over the boards. Canada edged Czechoslovakia 5-4 in the title game when Darryl Sittler scored in overtime.

In 1981, Hlinka and compatriot Jiri Bubla joined the NHL's Vancouver Canucks in starting the Czech migration to the NHL.

``We got him at the tail-end of his career - too bad we didn't get him earlier,'' former Canucks teammate Tiger Williams recalled. ``He and Bubla and the Stastny brothers opened the door for Czech players like (Borje) Salming and (Inge) Hammarstrom did for Swedish players.''

Hlinka's name still appears in the Canucks' record book. sharing the club mark for most points by a rookie (60) with Pavel Bure. In his two years in the NHL, Hlinka scored 42 goals and assisted on 81 others in 137 games.

``He was a real high-quality player,'' said Williams. ``He probably never got the billing over here he should have.

``You look back on his hockey career on both sides of the pond and he had quite a resume. He co-ordinated the power play for us. He knew the game really well. Ivan was a quiet guy - a good guy.''

Hlinka returned to Europe and finished his playing career with a Swiss club in 1985 before turning to coaching. He coached national teams to two world championships and three Olympic medals in the 1990s, including 1998 Winter Games gold.

He served as associate coach of the Penguins in 1999-2000 before assuming head-coaching duties the next season. In 2000-2001, the season Mario Lemieux came out of retirement, Hlinka led the Penguins to a 42-28-9-3 record. They got all the way to the conference final but, after a 0-4 start the following season, he was fired.

His relationship with Jagr was, at times, strained. Hlinka wanted the Penguins to play some defence, which was never Jagr's specialty.

In an interview, Hlinka spoke of the pressure of coaching in the NHL.

``If you do this job, you get used to the strain,'' he said. ``The stress, the joy, mixing one with the other, that's like a drug.

``At some point, it may be beneficial if you get rid of (the strain) but you are addicted, and you will miss it in a moment.''

Hlinka's background in the sport he loved commanded respect. Thus there was an aura of reverance about him.

Hlinka, his silver grey hair making him look distinguised, was manager of the Czech team at the 2002 Olympics, and he was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. He accepted a lucrative offer to coach in the Russian league in 2002-2003.

In a ceremony during the 2004 world championships in Prague, Hlinka was named best Czech player of all time.

Heart trouble prompted him to step away from coaching last year but, after a poor Czech showing during the world tournament last spring in Prague, he agreed to return behind the bench for the World Cup.

The organizing committee of the World Cup of Hockey released a statement expressing sadness over the sudden loss of Hlinka.

``Ivan's enthusiasm and commitment to the game will be greatly missed by the Czech Republic team as well as by the entire hockey world but his mark on the game will never be forgotten,'' it stated.

Vladimir Ruzicka, a former NHL player who was a good friend of Hlinka and who played for him at the 1998 Olympics, is a leading candidate to take the World Cup coaching job.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

RIP Ivan

Condolences,
Aquaman

 

[sandorski]

I don't really remember the guy(wasn't a Canuck fan or even much of a Hockey fan then), but his name did seem kinda familiar. Sad when people die from unnatural causes.

 

[Aquaman]

Canucks sign three minor leaguers

Canadian Press
8/19/2004

VANCOUVER (CP) - The Vancouver Canucks on Thursday re-signed defenceman Nolan Baumgartner, and added right wing Jeff Heerema and defenceman Joe DiPenta.

All three unrestricted free agents have spent most of their careers in the minors. No contract terms were released.

Baumgartner, 28, is a former first-round draft pick who split most of the last two seasons between Vancouver and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. He recorded three assists in nine games with the Canucks last season.

Heerema, 24, scored 12 goals and added 15 assists in 41 games with the AHL's Hartford Wolfpack last season. He was drafted 11th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 1998 NHL draft and has played 32 career NHL games with Carolina and St. Louis.

DiPenta, 25, played 73 games for the AHL's Chicago Wolves last season. His NHL experience consists of three games for Atlanta in 2002-03.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Swedes blank Slovakia in WC tune-up

Associated Press
8/22/2004

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) - Daniel Sedin and NHL teammate Markus Naslund scored as Sweden blanked Slovakia 2-0 on Sunday in a warmup for the World Cup.

Mikael Tellqvist, who recently re-signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, earned the shutout. He stopped 17 shots.

Sedin's twin brother Henrik, who also plays with the Vancouver Canucks, and Henrik Zetterberg of the Detroit Red Wings set up the first goal 2:24 in.

``It was a pretty play by them and I just had to shoot the puck,'' said Daniel Sedin, playing for Sweden with his brother for the first time in three years. ``I could have scored another one, but I guess I have to be satisfied with one goal.''

Naslund, left unmarked in front after a nice pass from Toronto and Sweden captain Mats Sundin, connected with a power-play goal 3:40 into the second period while Martin Strbak was off for a high-sticking penalty.

Referees Christer Larking and Martin Gonos had a busy night, calling 40 penalty minutes.

Sweden, runner-up in the last two world championships, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Finland and Germany make up the European pool in the World Cup of Hockey.

The first game is on Aug. 30 in Helsinki between Finland and the Czechs.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Naslund and Sweden edge Finland in OT

Canadian Press
8/25/2004

STOCKHOLM (CP) - Vancouver Canucks star Markus Naslund scored two minutes into overtime to give Sweden a 2-1 victory over archrival Finland in a World Cup tune-up match Wednesday night.

Florida forward Olli Jokinen gave Finland an early lead with a goal just 46 seconds into the contest. Sweden tied the game at 6:44 of the third with a Jorgen Jonsson goal.

Sweden outshot Finland, 32-22. Philadelphia defenceman Kim Jonsson was named Man of the Match for Sweden while Jokinen received the same honour for Finland.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Naslund and Sweden edge Finland in OT

Canadian Press
8/25/2004

STOCKHOLM (CP) - Vancouver Canucks star Markus Naslund scored two minutes into overtime to give Sweden a 2-1 victory over archrival Finland in a World Cup tune-up match Wednesday night.

Florida forward Olli Jokinen gave Finland an early lead with a goal just 46 seconds into the contest. Sweden tied the game at 6:44 of the third with a Jorgen Jonsson goal.

Sweden outshot Finland, 32-22. Philadelphia defenceman Kim Jonsson was named Man of the Match for Sweden while Jokinen received the same honour for Finland.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Bertuzzi makes not guilty plea in court

Canadian Press
8/26/2004

VANCOUVER (CP) - Vancouver Canuck star Todd Bertuzzi pleaded not guilty Thursday to an on-ice assault in a hit watched by millions last March.

Bertuzzi, dressed in a grey pin-stripped suit and an open-neck shirt, delivered the plea at a court appearance that lasted only 10 minutes.

He said only ``not guilty, your honour'' when asked his plea and he did not speak to reporters as he left with his wife in a black, SUV limousine.

It was the first personal appearance by the high-profile player on charges of assault causing bodily harm and the judge thanked him for being there, saying Bertuzzi did not have to appear in person. Bertuzzi was charged June 24 after Colorado Avalanche forward Steve Moore suffered a concussion and broken neck during a game March 8 between the rival teams vying to capture the top spot in their division.

The punch from behind, followed by the much-larger Bertuzzi crashing onto the ice on top of Moore, was replayed repeatedly on newscasts following the game.

Crown lawyer Garth Loeppky told court he would call several players as witnesses, though he didn't say who or from what teams. League officials, medical staff and game officials will also be called.

Video evidence will be presented during the trial which is expected to last three weeks.

Judge William Kitchen expressed concern that if a widely predicted labour disruption does not go ahead and the NHL enters the hockey season as usual, that player witnesses could be ``scattered.''

Loeppky replied that was something the Crown would have to deal with.

The plea came the same day as an American Hockey League player was charged with the same charges in a stick-swinging incident that left his opponent convulsing on the ice.

Police in Hamilton said the incident involving Hamilton Bulldogs forward Alexander Perezhogin ``crossed the line.''

Bertuzzi was suspended indefinitely by the NHL after the incident in Vancouver and missed 20 games. The Canucks struggled in the playoffs without Bertuzzi and were upset by the Calgary Flames in the first round.

Lawyers in the case are expected to appear in court Sept. 1 when a trial date may be set.

The Vancouver Sun has applied to use recording devices and take photographs in court if Bertuzzi pleads not guilty and proceeds to a trial.

The newspaper's representatives have also asked, on behalf of CanWest Global TV affiliates, that the court allow television cameras in the courtroom.

CHeers,
Aquaman

 

[silverpig]

Anyone else go to the Lions game last night? It was great fun. Been to a few now this year and have been thoroughly entertained. Casey Printers is a real crowd pleaser Had a virtual sell out too (lower bowl). 29484 were there, they had only 61 single tickets left, had to turn away some couples, and scalpers were getting $125 a ticket in the third quarter

If enough people get tickets early enough for the Edmonton game on Sept 18th (saturday), they will open up the upper deck

Come on and support your lions boys and girls!

 

[silverpig]

OTTAWA - An NHL general manager who must remain nameless was asked here Wednesday whether his team was interested in North Vancouver's unrestricted free agent Paul Kariya.

He replied: "I shouldn't say we aren't, but I think he's going to Vancouver"

Asked about the man who averaged a point per game in a stifling system and captained Anaheim to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final two years ago, Canucks assistant GM Steve Tambellini admitted the NHL Canucks have had some discussions with Kariya's Winnipeg agent Don Baizley.

"We've had some preliminary talks but I think Paul wants to wait and see what's going to happen with the new CBA before deciding where he goes." said Tambellini, who is also the director of player personnel for Team Canada "You know with Paul it won't be money which will determine where he plays"

That's certainly good news for the Canucks, who tend to play a more wide open style Kariya favors.

The team which gets this guy when play resumes is entirely likely to have a very determined star on its hands, as he tries to recover from a disappointing, injury-riddled year in Colorado.

He suffered an early wrist injury last season and re-injured the same wrist when he came back and then finished off by wrecking his ankle, although he would never have been ready to play for Team Canada had he received the call.

At just 29 years of age, he is almost certain to have a great bounce-back season after just 11 goals and 25 assists in 51 games last year.

Word out of the Kariya camp is that he is waiting to see how the next collective bargaining agreement with affect his ability to get a no-trade contract.

As a Group 5 unrestricted free agent, he is free to sign anywhere but can't receive a no-trade deal under the new CBA.

If the new CBA lowers free agency, so also may it lower the age whereby he can get a no-trade clause, and he is prepared to wait for that possibility even though it may result in less money.

While Kariya won't command the $10 million US he once made in Anaheim, neither is he likely to play for nothing.

Just how much room the Canucks have in their budget remains to be seen.

Meantime, the NHL and its players met again here, trying to hammer out a new agreement. Both sides had no comment, but it's unlikely much progress was made.

They'll meet again today.

NHL executive director Bob Goodenow met with the U.S. players Wednesday morning and told them to expect a lock-out at least a year.

 

[Aquaman]

Jovanovski may be out for tournament

TSN.ca Staff
8/31/2004

It looks as though Ed Jovanovski's World Cup tournament is over.

Team Canada Executive Director Wayne Gretzky told TSN that the initial assessment of Jovanovski's knee injury is a first degree sprain of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and the best case scenario is seven to ten days.

"It could be worse than that," Gretzky said. "We won't know for sure until we get the results of the MRI (Wednesday). Obviously, he's not going to be able to play tomorrow or Saturdayit doesn't look good."

Jovanovski is also being checked out for an upper body injury. He is being x-rayed for pain in and around his ribs, which he also sustained on the same play that caused the knee injury.

Jovanovski's absence against Slovakia Wednesday night means either Jay Bouwmeester or Scott Hannan will go into the lineup.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

Trial date set for Bertuzzi

Canadian Press
9/1/2004

VANCOUVER (CP) - A date has been set for the Todd Bertuzzi trial.

The Vancouver Canucks' forward will be tried on a charge of assault causing bodily harm, starting January 17th.

The date was set today in B.C. provincial court after consultations with Crown and defence lawyers. Ten days have been set aside for arguments.

Bertuzzi was charged after an on-ice attack on Colorado's Steve Moore at GM Place during an NHL game in March.

The big winger pleaded not guilty during his only court appearance last week.

Bertuzzi will be tried by judge alone.

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[Aquaman]

It does not look go............ the negotiations I mean

Cheers,
Aquaman