The Fifth Liners

This article was first posted on  the4thlinepodcast.com In the first article in this series, we looked at the NHL’s 1967 expansion, when the league doubled in size. 1970 brought the addition of two new NHL teams, and the divisions were shuffled. The Chicago Black Hawks (the name change came in 1986) moved over to the West, making space in the East division for the new boys. 1970 Vancouver Canucks The history of the Vancouver Canucks effectively starts in 1945, but ice hockey in BC’s largest city goes back much further than that. The Millionaires (later renamed The Maroons) represented Vancouver in the PCHA and WCHL for 15 years, and in that time brought home the Stanley Cup. A feat that to date, has not been repeated in Vancouver. In 1915 the winners of the PCHA and NHA competed for the cup, the Millionaires defeated the NHA’s Ottawa Senators (the original Senators) to lift the cup for the first and only time. In 1926 the team folded. Fast forward 19 years and hockey ret...

Vancouver Canucks fans might be accustomed to Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin being the driving force of Hockey in B.C. Today they kicked off another season of 'Sedin vs Sedin' and tried something a little bit different and attempted the game H-O-R-S-E. Judging from the action on display, these guys should probably just stick to playing on ice!

If you want to join Alex and myself in the  Fifth Liners NHL Bracket Challenge , feel free to join our league. Good luck! Quarter Final Predictions St Louis Blues v Minnesota Wild For this one, I have go with Minnesota Wild purely for the fact that they have been a real surprise package in the latter half of this season and I think they will be eager to please come playoff time! St Louis on the surface appears to be a perfect package after being seeded first overall. But in previous seasons they have looked impressive in the regular season,, but typical fall short in the playoffs! Also a good playoff run would be the perfect ending for Wild goalie, Devan Dubnyk who has had a career season! This one will be tight and I am prepared to be proven wrong, but right now I have to go with the Wild! Prediction: Wild Nashville Predators v Chicago Blackhawks  The Predators have had nothing short of an amazing season and although they have made the playoffs 7 times in the la...

Eastern Conference New York Islanders If someone had told you that the New York Islanders would be top of the Eastern Conference by this point the season- you would have requested a drugs test! So far this season thanks to some clever moves in the off season, the Islanders are giving the Nassau Coliseum a fine send off! After winning the Battle of New York against the Rangers the other night, they are looking like a team reborn. Unsurprisingly the main success has been Captain Marvel, John Tavares who leads the team scoring charts with 39 points. Kyle Okposo as usual is not hanging far behind and Brock Nelson has also been another strong team element. But it was the signings of Johnny Boychuk from the Bruins to anchor the blue line along with Nick Leddy and Nikolai Kulemin to bolster the lower lines that have made the key difference. Jaroslav Halak after playing for three different sides last season has found a new home in Long Island and his presence in net has been cruci...

Appears the NHL is looking to promote cycling safety at the upcoming All Star game on Jan 25! Well that would be the only excuse for the new horrendous luminous jersey's they have selected for the leagues finest to wear. But unlike previous offenders, this one will warrant only a slap on the wrist! Here are some of the leagues more forgettable jersey inclusions. Vancouver Canucks (1982 Home Jersey)  As bigger fan as I am of the Canucks, this jersey along with the majority of their earlier ones, was a mess! Nothing went right with their original 1982 effort and for years Vancouver had one of the ugliest jerseys in the league!  Finally they have gotten things right with our current uniform, but that doesn't erase the nightmares of old! Phoenix Coyotes (1996 Inaugural Jersey)  Oh dear! This complete miss-match of teal, desert and cactus is like something your Dad would embarrass you with at a family gathering! As for the logo, it is a good thing the Coy...

This week Vancouver Canucks winger Alex Burrows received a three game ban for this hit on Montreal Canadiens winger Alexei Emelin  But it appears that after the Canucks 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place last night (thanks Derek Dorrsett!) it seems that Oilers captain Andrew Ference will be hearing the phone ringing from the League quite soon in the coming days after his frankly awful hit on Canucks player Zack Kassian ! See below... Now when you consider that Burrows got a three game ban for his offense, should the league be tougher on Ference who is a previous offender? Burrows' hit was admittedly a careless one as he went in late and this type of extremely hard contact could have resulted in some serious damage to Emelin. Receiving a three game suspension though seemed slightly rash by league standards as we have seen more serious hits only receiving a one game ban. But Ference however, had been scrapping with Kassian all through the match and his inte...

This week, the long standing rumours of the Vancouver Canucks trading centre Ryan Kesler finally came true as he was traded along  to the Anaheim Ducks for Nick Bonino , Luca Sbisa and a first and third round draft pick at the 2014 NHL draft. Kesler has long been rumored to want out of British Columbia and now finally it appears he has his wish. But at what cost will this come to the Canucks? Positives of Trading Kesler Has suffered with injuries the last two seasons which has affected his game time and made him unable to make a full effect on ice and his scoring numbers have gone have reduced dramatically. Bonino last season bagged 49 points in the regular season alone, six more than Kesler and was one of the stand outs on the Ducks lower lines.  Draws media attention away from the team and could potentially create more harmony in the dressing room. All through last season we saw Kesler sulking his way through and he has never far from the trade rumour mill. New GM J...

Yesterday it was formally announced that Willie Desjardins has taken over the reigns as the Vancouver Canucks new Head Coach. After a disastrous year under John Tortorella, fans will be eager to see improvements made to our flagging offense, but it is wise to trust the future with a man who hasn't yet been proven at the highest level? Saskatchewan native Desjardins has a solid record in the minor leagues winning two WHL titles with the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2004 & 2007. Briefly he was the associate head coach of the Dallas Stars from 2010 to 2012, after that he was placed in charge of the teams AHL affiliate the Texas Stars where last season he led them to a Calder Cup win. Overall it is a pleasant surprise seeing the Canucks not going with a tried and tested coach and going with newer blood who can perhaps thinking outside the box of the Tortorella school of screaming. Desjardins could be important in motivating and nurturing younger talents that could become the lifebl...

It's all change in British Columbia this week as today it was announced that Jim Benning has been appointed the new General Manager of the Vancouver Canucks , replacing Mike Gillis who was fired previously. Benning has been the Assistant GM of the Boston Bruin since 2006, but is this man the right choice to lead this team into a new age? Here are some points for consideration Positives Brings a Stanley Cup win with the Bruins in 2011  Proven track record in the front office Also spent 12 year with the Buffalo Sabres Former Canucks defenseman from 1986-90, so at least knows what fans will expect of him  Is a younger candidate who may be able to come up with fresher ideas unlike Gillis who really made a mess of affairs in his time in office.  Negatives  First real position of authority  Unknown if he is able to handle the big time pressure  Is un-tested in the trade game so we are unsure if he will be able to pull off any major coups to better ...

On June 27/28 all eyes will be on the 2014 NHL Draft  at the Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia and the big question to all experts will be who is going to be the first name called out by the Florida Panthers. All though there is huge speculation about which player it will, this is one event teams always need to think about carefully because they young men could well be the future of a franchise and will have to be chosen carefully- no one wants another Alexandre Daigle or Patrik Stefan after all! So as we analyse the top picks, which one will great;y benefit which team? Here I will look at the first six picks (partly to include Vancouver). 2014 NHL Draft Order 1. Florida Panthers Sam Bennett: The Panthers badly need an offensive spark as their goal numbers have still remained dangerously low, something that number 2 pick Aleksander Barkov has so far failed to raise. So far 18 year old Ontario kid Sam Bennett has been listed as the top North American prospect in the NHL draft...

In the midst of a thrilling playoff series which has seen numerous upsets such as the LA Kings coming from 3-0 to be beat San Jose over 7 thrilling games and the Columbus Blue Jackets pushing the Pittsburgh Penguins all the way in an honourable loss, the biggest news for Vancouver Canucks fans was that Head Coach John Tortorella , will be given his marching orders after only one year of his five year; $10 Million contract. To some this news will come as no surprise. The team has struggled for consistency this year and finished a disappointing 13th overall in the Western Conference, over 8 points away from the final wildcard slot for the playoffs. Tortorella also made headlines for the wrong reasons when he was suspended for two weeks after confronting the Calgary Flames team in January after a brawl at the start of the game. After much hype and hope from the Canucks fans that JT would mould this team into something memorable, it just hasn't happened. The Acquilani brothers ...

The axe has finally fallen in British Columbia and Vancouver Canucks fans cannot argue with the head that has gone on the block! After last nights 3-0 defeat to Anaheim, our playoffs have officially ended- it also saw GM Mike Gillis relieved of his duties by owner Francesco Acquilani after an awful season at the helm! In state issued, the Canucks owner said, "The Vancouver Canucks had success under Mike's leadership, and we nearly reached our ultimate goal; but I believe we have reached a point where a change in leadership and new voice is needed." Firstly, I have to say this one has been coming for sometime because Gillis has not been popular with Vancouver fans for the last couple of seasons and has quite honestly, made some horrendous choices as GM player wise. As Mike's previous post in September denoted, his handling of player trades has brought some questionable decisions (Yes I do mean trading Cory Schneider for Bo Horvat) and his sacking of Alain V...

Yesterday in a press conference, Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis was asked regarding the future of head coach John Tortorella. In typical fashion, Gillis was elusive on giving a direct answer as whether JT would remain next season saying "I'm not sure I'll be back next season!" Although we are still unclear as to whether Tortorella's so far unsuccessful reign in British Columbia will be winding up soon- it does pose an interesting question, does JT deserve a second season at the Rogers Arena? Rather than shooting my mouth and calling for his head (which has become my trademark this year!) I thought I would prepare a constructive for/against argument to see if he deserves his place. Reasons For Tortorella Staying  Proven winner in Hockey with a Stanley Cup win in 2004 with Tampa Bay He finally solved Luongo-gate by trading him to the Florida Panthers, which Alain Vigneault failed to do on numerous occasions. Brought us on a winning streak of seven straigh...

Vancouver Canucks Perhaps me being slightly biased being a Canucks fan, but this horn is one that brings back great memories of our Stanley Cup run in 2011. Even today when it sounds at the Rogers Arena, it still succeeds in raising the hairs on your neck! New York Rangers It is fitting that the Rangers still use the same goal horn from their 1994 cup winning season at Madison Square Garden, and it is a good thing to because it is one of the most distinctive and best sound horns in the league!  LA Kings This is one goal horn that is guaranteed to make you sit up and pay attention! Sounding like an oncoming goods train, every time it sounds at the Staples Center, it's a reminder the LA Express is coming. Detroit Red Wings One of the most legendary sounds of the league, the horn at the Joe Louis Arena has become the soundtrack to the Wings success over the years and even today it still stands out. Boston Bruins When the Bruins score at TD Garden, this...

Mike's question this week again focuses on my team the Vancouver Canucks and our currently shocking run of form, the question reads "The Vancouver Canucks have lost their last three games. Is this an Olympic hangover or are there deeper problems in BC?" This will be a tricky one for me to answer, particularly as I don't wish to incur the wrath of my fellow fans! But anyway, away we go! So far the Canucks are currently on a run that makes last season's 3rd place finish in the Western Conference seem like a beautiful dream, and currently our winning record stands at just one win from a possible 12 games! But the biggest question is what exactly causing this slump? In December we recorded an impressive 7 consecutive wins and after a slow start things appeared to be picking themselves up. The Olympic Hangover hasn't helped us, but I wouldn't point the blame squarely at this because there seems to have been a far worse problems  growing within the...

Today has finally seen an end to one of the longest and frankly most tedious sagas in the hockey world. The Vancouver Canucks have officially traded Roberto Luongo to his former side the Florida Panthers in exchange for goalie Jakob Markstrom and centre Shawn Matthias! Luongo has been a source of continuing speculation since the beginning of last season when he continually jostled for the number one spot with Cory Schneider. But when Schneider was traded to the New Jersey Devils earlier this season, it appeared the long time starter had at last reclaimed his place. However the emergence of young Swedish goalie Eddie Lack once again hindered his chances as the rookie has made a strong impression so far. The tipping point seems to have been since Luongo returned from warming the bench at the Sochi Olympics for Canada, Lack has been placed in net for every since then by coach John Tortorella. Tensions escalated further when after the 4-2 loss to Ottawa Senators in the Tim Horton...

There was a sense of relief all around the Rogers Arena last night as the Vancouver Canucks beat the St Louis Blues 1-0 to end a seven game losing streak and to hopefully to kick start our failing play-off campaign! Jannik Hansen scored the games only goal after 11 minutes of the 3rd period to send the home fans into an overdue rapture. But it was young goalie Eddie Lack who was the true star and his 20 saves helped blank the free scoring St Louis offense and give Vancouver a priceless win! But the big question remains, has the damage already been done to their campaign? This could be the case this year as under John Tortorella, the Canucks have looked a shadow of their former selves and even the usually consistent Sedin twins haven't been hitting the high notes (Henrik especially) and this maybe one year where the play-offs desert us. However there is still a great deal of hockey to be played and if Detroit showed us anything last year, when all is lost- just go for broke an...

Once again it seems an age old tale has reared its head again in British Columbia, the Vancouver Canucks goalie crisis! This year has been far from excellent at the Rogers Arena and under the vastly decreasing effect of John Tortorella's leadership (though his attempt to fight the entire Calgary Flames team was just hysterical!), our play off hopes now hang by a thread! Roberto Luongo was once again restored to starting status in net this year after the bizarre trade of future star Cory Schneider to New Jersey and so far this year he has put up some reasonable numbers including 22 wins, but again he has looked vulnerable shot stopping and his confidence will no doubt have been affected by the emergence of his new backup, Eddie Lack and after the young Swede's star performance in our 2-0 defeat to the Detroit Red Wings, it appears that we might have a problem on our hands as both goalies are of equal quality. So far in his 22 games in net, Lack has managed 8 wins, inclludin...

Over this weekend we saw an interesting experiment which seemed to go down very well with fans of the great sport of Hockey as we saw the Coors Light Stadium Series get under way with the Anaheim Ducks humiliating the LA Kings on their home turf as they won 3-0 win Dodger Stadium! Seems despite have Cee Lo Green among others as the warm up act, the Kings became yet another victim to the currently unstoppable Ducks side! The New York Rangers tie against the New Jersey Devils at Yankee Stadium proved to a far more entertaining affair as the Broadway Blues came out on top 7-3, which included come back from 3-1 down mid way through the first period, but thanks to a first star performance from Mats Zuccarello they clawed their way back into contention. Up next is the next New York instalment as the Ranger welcome fellow local rivals the New York Islanders on January 29th. But after that we have the potentially thrilling showdown between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh...

Things got wild in the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 over the Calgary Flames last night as on the opening face-off we saw a mass line brawl which result in all 10 skaters on the ice going to the box and there were a total of 204 penalty minutes and 8 game misconducts handed out. This also left each side with only 4 defensemen and missing four other players for 65 minutes! Either way, it provided the high point of the Canucks shootout win! Check it out below