Sizing Up The Vancouver Canucks Season Opener

By Aleem Peermohamed

Vancouver Canucks

Tonight, the Canucks host the Flames at the garage, to open the 2008-09 season. Yesterday we looked at the other 3 teams in the Northwest, and today we will touch on the match-up and take a closer look at the final 2 Northwest combatants.

Beginning with the Canucks first opponents of the year, the Flames from Cowtown produced 94 points good for third in the Northwest.

Remember a guy named Todd Bertuzzi? He’ll be in GM Place on opening night as a Flame. Also now wearing the flaming C are former King sniper Mike Cammalleri, Rene Bourque from the Hawks, speedy Curtis Glencross from their bitter provincial rivals and tough guy Andre Roy from the Nation’s Capital.

Gone are puck magicians Alex Tanguay and Kristian Huselius along with character guys Owen Nolan, Stephan Yelle, and Marcus Nilsson.

The Flames' strength is their star power with Miikka Kipprusoff in goal, Dion Phaneuf on the blue line and Jarome Iginla up front. Special teams may be an achilles heel, but like last year, they will be expected to compete for the division title.

Vancouver finished with 88 points last year, which was good enough to dwell in the basement of the division. New GM Mike Gillis has definitely made his mark on the team. He has shipped out former captain Markus Naslund and his linemate and fan favourite Brendan Morrison. Canuck legend Trevor Linden has retired and blue chip blue-line prospect, Luc Bourdon, was tragically lost in a motorcycle accident in the off season.

Coming to Vancouver are offensive dynamo and former divisional rival Pavol Demitra, powerful Steve Bernier, dependable face-off man Ryan Johnson, enigmatic talent Kyle Wellwood and tough guy with hands Darcy Hordichuk.

Earlier this week, Gillis also made a deal with the Lightning, acquiring some needed toughness on the blueline in Shane O’Brien, in exchange for power play puck mover Lukas Krajicek.

The strength of the team remains in between the pipes, and with their miserly defense. Although the preseason defied logic, the weakness on this team is still scoring depth.

If they can stay healthy, the Canucks should fare better than last season. Realistically, it will be tough matching up in the Northwest, but with Lalongo (as Don Cherry calls him) between the pipes, there’s a chance to win every night.

What do you think of the Canucks chances this year? Let us know in the comments section below.