Canucks, Kraken, Olympic 9
1) Will Elias Pettersson be welcomed back to Vancouver a hero if he scores a goal and Sweden upsets J.T. Miller and the United States in the Olympic Quarterfinal? Of the four teams earning byes into the QF’s, the Americans definitely picked up the most difficult match-up.
That was on paper. Tell that to the Canadians, who just barely beat Czechia with a 4-3 OT QF win earlier on Wednesday.
((Since first writing this in the am, the Yanks also got a huge scare, beating Sweden 2-1 in overtime. Instead of Pettersson being the huge difference maker, it was former Canucks star Quinn Hughes winning the game in OT for Team USA.))
2) Among the many serendipitous moments that unfolded during my unique tour of the NHL in 2018 — going to 31 games in 31 different cities over 31 consecutive days — there’s no question one of the early highlights occurred in Vancouver.
Remarkably, just eight short years ago, not only did they have room for me in the press box as a guest journalist, but PR guy extraordinaire Chris Brumwell also made room for my friend who was helping me with a book signing at the rink that night. That would be the charming and delightful Keri-Lyn Twidale, who I had done some recent Vancouver shoots with for AMI-TV.
Anyway, ‘Brummer’ put Keri to my right for the match against the Winnipeg Jets, a 6-3 Vancouver loss. To my left, retired Canucks broadcaster Jim Robson. It took me a bit to realize who he was, but once I did, the hockey conversation was plentiful and informative to say the least. I was sitting next to Vancouver hockey history.
I felt like a lottery winner. It was something a Vancouver fan would bid on at a silent auction: Talking pucks and breaking down the action while sitting next to Robson for a full Canucks game.
Over decades of covering the NHL far and wide, that was my only interaction with the humble gentleman, and for me those are the two words that best describe him.
3) Not the first time, won’t be the last: My preseason predictions for the two “local” teams for the NHL postseason may finish upside-down. I had the Canucks making it and the Kraken not. Vancouver has already imploded, so that one’s wrong, while Seattle sits in a pretty good spot.
The closest team on the outside looking in, the LA Kings being three points back, just lost Kevin Fiala to injury during the Olympics. The Swiss forward, LA’s second leading scorer, won’t be available the rest of the way; a bonus for the Kraken’s hopes.
That, combined with the Canucks and Winnipeg Jets not being wild card threats at this point, bodes well for Vancouver’s southern neighbours.
4) What if? What would the demand be for hard working winger Kiefer Sherwood coming out of the Olympic break had the Canucks not dealt him prematurely way back on January 19th. With contenders starting to fall into place for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, one would think a first-round choice would have been well within reach heading into the March 6th NHL trade deadline. Instead, the Canucks received what will be two mid-round second-rounders from the Sharks.
We’ll see what comp’s bring in the next three weeks, if there is a Sherwood comparison presently out in there in the market.
5) Look for a great new hockey book coming out in May. That’s a biased viewpoint. “Stories From Ice Level”, featuring Hockey Hall of Fame Honoured Member Bill McCreary, is self-explanatory. The moustached referee, with more Stanley Cup Final games than anyone in history, tells behind-the-scenes stories from some of the most epic playoff and international matches. He officiated three Olympic Gold Medal games.
6) Trivia Time: The last time Team Canada played in an Italy-based Olympics, in Torino in 2006, the men lost in the quarterfinals and were eliminated by what team?
7) Anyone else in hockey paying attention to the ongoing genocide in Gaza? You should be, since hockey fans in North America are among those paying for it. $$
8) The first-year expansion Vancouver Goldeneyes and Seattle Torrent are on the outside of the PWHL playoff picture at the moment. The Goldeneyes are in 6th place at the Olympic break, the Torrent in 8th. The top four teams make the postseason following a 30-game regular season schedule.
9) Enjoy the hockey action! Abridging this edition for now. My battery is dying and our power is out!
Earlier Canucks:
— The Canucks Can’t Dump Management Again. Why?
Earlier Kraken:
— Can McCann Win A 5th Straight Kraken Scoring Title?
TRIVIA ANSWER: In 2006, Team Canada lost 2-0 to Russia in the men’s Olympic quarterfinals. (I actually attended the game while working for NBC).
