Where are we going Canuck Fans?

Naslund, the longtime Vancouver Canucks captain, agreed to terms Thursday with New York on an US$8-million, two-year deal. (http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/2008/07/03/naslund_rangers/)

Saddledome visit

Today I have mixed feelings with what is going on in Canuck Land. Markus Naslund has signed with the New York Rangers. Our captain has traded his jersey for one on the east coast. The long time Canuck was traded here to Vancouver from Pittsburgh. He had his best year in 2002 with 104 points. But after the lock out, and the Moore Bertuzzi incident, Naslund has been on a decline. After Marc Crawford (run and gun offence) was fired and Alain Vigneault (a more defensive minded coach) was hired. Naslund could not fit into the system and seem to struggle. Although he struggled I want to mentioned that I continued to believe in the Captain and would say struggled with him as a fan of his. Going around and listening to Canuck fans and Canuck blogs and forums. I could only see disappointment and mummers of trading the captain. It crossed my mind but would revert back to knowing that any struggling athlete could turn it all around. Naslund was a straight shooter and always told the truth. Even when they as a team choked he could admit that. Although he may have not been a Trevor Linden, we cannot compare. There is only one Trevor Linden. And Naslund was a diffrent type of player and person.

Now that Markus has signed with the rangers, Canuck land is in total chaos? Fans are worried because now that Naslund is gone the city is in a uproar. The fans who wanted to drive him out are looking to Gillis to lynch him for letting a proven scorer go. It looks to be that former Agent Mike Gillis turned General Manager hasn’t done much but put up a pipe dream deal (20 million for 2 years) for Mats Sundin. In which Sundin has turned down for the time being. The only signings to show in the offseason are players that fit only the 3rd and 4th liners(Hordichuck, Wellwood, R. Johnson, Bolduc, Baumgartner, Sanford). Out of the bunch that Gillis has signed, Sanford seems like the only real signing we needed to backup Luongo. Wellwood was a great addition thanks to the blunder of the leafs giving up on the young center. But the rest I feel we could let guys from the farm to fill. The feel I get from a lot of Canuck fans is that Gillis hasn’t done much to improve this team. With the Sundin blunder, it may have been a bold move but a costly one.

So where are we going now? After the debacle of the Canucks losing to the Oilers last season to put the final nail in the coffin for our playoff hopes. I was irrate and at a loss for words for the first time. I was almost going to abandon ship for good. But with new changes good or bad, players leaving I feel we must be faithful to watch what will happen and not be so quick to judge. The Canucks have a lot of cap space these days. If I am correct it is around 20 million dollars. Remember a team isn’t built with one player. But a core group of guys willing to play for each other. Sudin wouldn’t have been the fix. Luongo can only stop so many pucks and the Sedins… well they are the Sedins, hate’em or love’em but I feel they are solid players with potential to be a force, remember… 

“THE SHIFT“. http://canucks.nhl.tv/team/console?type=fvod&id=5846

20 million can get us a few players with skill and grit. Free Agents are out there. But lets not jump the gun here Canuck fans. The season hasn’t started. Championship cannot be lost in the offseason. We have a great prospects coming up thanks to Nonis who didn’t trade for quick fixes. We have loss some star power. But regardless there is a lot of hockey to be played.

Naslund… thanks for all the great moments. I wished you stayed to finish off your career as a Canuck. But goodluck to you in NY. (I have a reason now to buy a Rangers jersey)