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HEAD COACH
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Mike Keenan
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ROSTER
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C - Mark Messier, Peter Zezel, Dave Scatchard, Matt Cooke.
LW - Todd Bertuzzi, Brad May, Markus Naslund, Donald Brashear, Bert
Robertsson, Chris McAllister. RW - Alexander Mogilny, Bill Muckalt,
Trent Klatt, Steve Staios. D - Adrian Aucoin, Murray Baron, Bret
Hedican, Jamie Huscroft, Bryan McCabe, Dana Murzyn, Mattias Ohlund,
Jason Strudwick. G - Garth Snow, Corey Hirsch.
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INJURIES
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Todd Bertuzzi, lw, (broken leg, out two more weeks);
Alexander Mogilny, rw (strained knee, out 2-3 more weeks).
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TRANSACTIONS
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Recalled Matt Cooke, c, Chris McAllister, lw, and Bert
Robertsson, lw, from Syracuse (AHL); assigned Josh Holden, c, and
Peter Schaefer, lw, to Syracuse.
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GAME RESULTS
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11/21 Detroit L 4-2
11/23 at Ottawa L 4-3
11/25 at Toronto L 5-1
11/27 at Detroit L 7-1
11/29 at Philadelphia L 6-2
11/01 at Boston T 1-1
12/04 Dallas W 4-1
12/06 Phoenix T 3-3
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STANDINGS
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Northwest Division GP W L T PTS GF GA
Edmonton 25 13 11 1 27 75 66
Colorado 24 11 11 2 24 62 65
Vancouver 26 10 13 3 23 74 76
Calgary 26 9 15 2 20 71 77
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TEAM NEWS
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by Jeff Dubois, Vancouver Correspondent
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Poor Brian Burke. Not only are all the other little general managers
refusing to frolic in his Pavel Bure trade sandbox, but that
annoying foot simply can't keep itself out of his mouth.
Only a few hours after losing both a game to the Detroit Red Wings
(Nov. 21) and Alex Mogilny to a strained knee, Brian Burke told
reporters that injuries wouldn't influence a Pavel Bure trade and
that he didn't care if the team lost five in a row, he would not be
bullied into a bad trade. You now have three guesses as to the
length of losing streak the Canucks proceeded to go on. Now I have
no concrete evidence from the great beyond that Burke's comments
actually had any affect on the five consecutive defeats, but being
a reasonable, rational guy, I'd say there really is no doubt.
This is the same Brian Burke who promised a trade for a starting
goaltender before the season began (Hi Mr. Burke, I'm your waiter,
Garth, and here's the crow you ordered) and who has twice stated
that a Bure trade was imminent within two weeks (for all those who
have been living in caves, Bure is still a Canuck!).
It sure is lucky that Burke's actions as GM have overshadowed some
otherwise stupid comments. Like the $2.3 million being paid to
superstar defenceman and power-play quarterback Murray Baron. That
was one heck of a steal! But when he bolstered a team that has
missed the playoffs for two straight years by acquiring perennial
all-star winger Trent Klatt, what a move! Sarcasm aside, Baron has
been solid and Klatt has offered some good checking, but when you
think that two months into the season these are the only
contributions that Burke can claim credit for, his inaction has
been nothing short of painful.
Burke may very well trade Bure before Christmas, but by that time
Bure's trade demand will have been in effect for almost six months.
The Canucks will have played almost half the season at a
disadvantage. With the absence of Bure and the injuries to the
Canucks' top two wingers, Mogilny and Bertuzzi, an immense amount
of credit must be given to Mike Keenan. Iron Mike has taken a team
that finished last season as a league joke and transformed them
into one of the hardest working teams in hockey. GM Place is
becoming a miserable place for opponents, with the Canucks posting
a home 6-4-2 record thus far.
Keenan has done a great job with the Canucks youth and has gotten
great efforts out of the likes of Adrian Aucoin, Markus Naslund and
Garth Snow. Snow has been nothing short of all-star calibre to date
and has proven thousands of fans, many experts, and his own GM wrong
by keeping the Canucks in many games. Naslund has scored 13 goals,
already topping last year's output of 12, while Aucoin remains in the
top 10 in defenceman scoring. Keenan has always been known for
receiving the best from his teams, largely because he brings in
players who have served him well in the past. In Vancouver, Keenan
has found three such players already waiting for him.
The Canucks continue to hover around .500, and having just completed
a stretch of 11 games against +.500 teams, they now play a similar
stretch against poorer teams, as of their six games remaining before
Christmas, five are against lesser opponents. If the effort that
Keenan has received from his players stays at its recent level, the
Canucks could enter the Christmas break with quite a respectable
record. And perhaps even something to show for Pavel Bure.
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