The NHL’s struggles with coronavirus aren’t over yet. After a month-long lull, COVID is now ravaging one team in particular: the Vancouver Canucks.
On Saturday, the NHL announced that fourteen Canucks players are on the “unavailable due to COVID protocol” list.
By Peter Hassett 3 years ago
The Vancouver Canucks reportedly re-signed Thatcher Demko to a five-year, $25 million extension on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old goaltender rose to fame during the 2020 playoffs due to an injury to starter Jakob Markstrom. Down 3-1 in a second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Demko was spectacular and helped the Canucks win three straight games before losing in Game Seven.
Demko was handed the starting job this season. He was cold to start the year but has heated up recently. In March, Demko started 11 of 13 games. He won eight of those decisions and posted a .937 save percentage, leading to the huge extension.
By Ian Oland 3 years ago
The Vancouver Capitals are at it again!
Monday, Vancouver claimed Travis Boyd off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs. According to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, the Leafs were trying to save cap space ahead of the April 12 trade deadline by stashing Boyd on their taxi squad and only going with a 20-man roster.
That plan, uh, did not work.
The Vancouver Canucks have released a great video detailing the controversy and process behind goalie Braden Holtby‘s mask for the season.
Holtby’s initial effort, a project by Swedish mask whiz David Gunnarsson, used impressions of Coast Salish art. After criticism, Holtby and Gunnarsson teamed up with indigenous artist Luke Marston to make the new mask, which is stunning.
By Peter Hassett 3 years ago
Our precious Vancouver Canucks needed a win over the Calgary Flames so badly, and they weren’t trying to hide it.
The Canucks ran the show in the first period but could not best their own ex-goalie, Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom, until Quinn Hughes pulled off some Rambo maneuvers in the second. Less than a minute later, Sam Bennett’s shot from the slot beat Thatcher Demko to restore the tie.
With just about five minutes left in regulation, Elias Pettersson finally put Vancouver ahead by stealing credit for Tyler Myer’s shot. An empty-netter from Brandon Sutter made it official: the Canucks have snapped their losing streak.
Canucks win!
By Peter Hassett 3 years ago
Happy hockey day in Canada, fellow fans of Canadian hockey.
It is we, RMNB, known Canucks bloggers, here to blog about the Canucks.
Tonight, the Canucks, who are our team, host the Flames, who — boo on them. The game is at 7 PM, unless you’re weirdo on the east coast, in which case it’s on at 10 PM. Peter has recap duty. Let’s see how far he takes this bit.
By Peter Hassett 3 years ago
Jay Beagle played his 600th NHL game with the Vancouver Canucks last night.
Even though Jay’s family couldn’t be there in person to support him, they still had a presence at the game.
By Eliza Kravitz 3 years ago
You gotta feel for former Capital Braden Holtby.
The Vancouver Canucks got molly whopped by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The Leafs scored five consecutive goals before Brock Boeser tallied an inconsequential PP marker late in the third period. The Leafs won 5-1 and improved to 9-2-1 while the Canucks fell to a not nice 6-9.
To be blunt, Vancouver’s defense has been atrocious this season. Players often look lost in system play and tonight was no different.
By Ian Oland 3 years ago
Braden Holtby’s first mask for the Vancouver Canucks received backlash because it apporpriated First Nations artwork. A month later, an apologetic Holtby has already righted that wrong.
During Vancouver’s home opener against the Montreal Canadiens on January 20, Holtby debuted a new bucket primarily painted by a First Nations artist. The detail is stunning.
By Eliza Kravitz 3 years ago
The Vancouver Canucks, who feature former Capitals Braden Holtby, Nate Schmidt, and Jay Beagle on their roster, were forced to cancel their practices and workouts on Sunday.
The team explained on Twitter that the “decision was made out of an abundance of caution due to potential exposure of COVID-19.
