Remembering Rick Rypien

Remembering Rick Rypien - Forever a Canuck

I wanted to do something for us Canucks fans to have a way to get together, remember & pay our respects to Rick Rypien on this day so...
On August 15th we welcome you to join us on the plaza at Rogers Arena. 
We will be there from 11am until approximately 6pm.
We are holding a silent auction with proceeds going to Mindcheck.ca in memory of Rick. Bidding will close at 5:45 - bid winners can pick the item up on site at 6pm or we will contact you after the 15th. 

A few items that will be up for auction -

Signed picture of Canadian country music singer Aaron Pritchett along with one of his CDs & a fan bracelet - Aaron is a huge Canucks fan and friend and didn't hesitate to contribute. Thank you Aaron !

Signed player card - Cody Hodgson

Player pictures from The Fan Zoo - Many thanks to The Fan Zoo for the contribution. ( These are signed & authentic.. 3 Rick Rypiens, a Bieksa & a Burrows )

Classic Rick

A signed Alex Burrows shirsey donated by a great Canucks fan @MaseyRaymond


Canucks hats , @SpencerDubas 's cubed Rypien, and other Canucks merchandise.










Also...

Natalie, ( @sweetestnagel ) a Canucks fan, has been doing sketches based around the Canucks team and Rick & will have some for sale at the event, with proceeds going to Mindcheck. Much thanks to you Natalie.

Andrew The Crazy Canuck and his Canuckettes will be on site


Want to share your story and/or thank Kevin Bieksa and the Canucks organization?  We will have books for you to sign and will be taking in any letters which will be handed in to the Canucks organization.

The Fan Zoo will be on site holding a draw ( free to enter ) to win a Rypien piece.

Let's do Rick proud. Even when you help just 1 person, you are making a difference. 



Many thanks to all those contributing and helping us to make this happen.

The Big Day... Canucks in Boston

The big day everyone has been waiting for is approaching. Our Vancouver Canucks will be in Boston to take on the much hated ( by me ) Boston Bruins.  The discussions about the big day have begun amongst Canucks fans. Some people are not liking the 10 am start, some fans are excited for the game, some not so excited..  and some people are discussing which goaler will get the start.
Of course I have an opinion on the whole goaler debate.. so here I am, writing in my blog for the first time in months. :) Missed me didn't ya ;) hah

As the story goes and we are all well aware of,  Luongo got lit up in game 7 vs the Bruins and this seems to be the argument against starting Luo in net vs the Bruins on Jan 7th.  I don't get the reasoning tho. If we go by that rule, the whole team minus a handful would be sitting. Last time i checked, Luongo was not the only player on ice that horrible night and he was not the only player to stink it up. I do believe we scored a whopping zero goals, which means, if you go by the above reasoning, that our goal scorers should sit because they obviously can't score against the Bruins right ;) Ya, it just doesn't make sense right.
The whole team stunk it up and the whole team deserves a chance to get out there and redeem themselves, including Roberto. If Luongo is in net and the Canucks lose, will it hurt his confidence ? It very well could but it could also hurt the whole teams confidence. Why is Luongo any different than the rest of the guys? I do believe every one of those players cried after losing that game, which means they all have emotions over it and they all have pride. Every single one of those players, including Rome and Raymond, deserve a shot at the Bruins. This is the team , Luongo included, that took us on an amazing ride during the playoffs..so why shouldn't they, as a team, get the chance to defend and redeem themselves.

 Let's just pretend for a moment.. Cory gets the start vs Boston on Jan 7th. Cory gets lit up. Now we have two amazing goalers who have both lost important games against the Bruins. Then we meet the Bruins in the 2012 playoff run. Now what ? Can't start Luongo because he lost game 7, can't start Cory because he lost our redemption game.. Guess we call for the Lack Attack ? haha #justsaying

Honestly, I don't much care which goaler gets the start, I will be a nervous wreck no matter who's between the pipes !  We either start a goalie who has never played against Boston, or we start a goalie who has much to prove against the Bruins.  It's a tough call on a big day.. all we can do is hope it ends with a big fat W for our Canucks :)

 Me ? ...

or me ?

Canucks vs Nashville

The Canucks take on the Nashville Predators tonight, in Rogers Arena at 7pm. I have heard rumors that Luongo will start in net.. let's hope the fans have the decency tonight to not boo our #1 goaler :P
Any predictions ? FInal score... first goal, game winning goal ?
I don't like to predict the final score but I will call Kesler for a goal tonight. :D

Anyone lucky enough to go to the game tonight, please cheer loud and proud for the whole team . Let the guys know that not all fans are boo-ers .

I will post the line ups as I get them.. so stay tuned :)

There’s Something About November

After a disappointing loss to the Rangers (Lundqvist stood on his head), the Canucks I’ve cheered for so long are on their usual journey through the regular season.

The slow starts in October, where rebound control is suspect, defensive zone coverage is sloppy, special teams are bad and passes are errant, are the norm.

Even last year’s President Trophy team was not that good in the first 6 weeks of the season.  Let’s not forget that embarrassing 7 -1 loss to the Blackhawks on November 20, 2010 at Rogers’ Arena.

For every bad start, the Canucks always manage a better November/December.  Just like the Pineapple Expresses that arrives in Vancouver in November (or early December – I blame el Nino), the Canucks transform themselves from mediocre to superb.  The special teams are clicking, the passes are crisp, the defensive is solid and the goalies look like walls.

So what happens in November that creates such an annual transition for the Canucks? I’d thought I share some theories.

·    Maybe the depressing, soul-sucking endless grey Vancouver days, place some of the Canuck players in a contemplative state where they realize that if life won’t provide the happiness, they will have to make their own happiness.  Further contemplation creates the realization that playing great hockey makes them happy. I see Alex Edler as a contemplative individual.

·    Possibly the Movember Moustache creates the urge for some Canucks to transform themselves into villains, a la Snidely Whiplash (Dudley Do Right’s nemesis).  Why? Well we need more fodder for those outside of Vancouver to get their hate on.  Nothing creates more hate from Toronto than a winning team in Canada not in Toronto.  Max Lapierre or Alex Burrows would look great with a Snidely Whiplash ‘stache.

·    Perhaps the sight of an annoying wriggling plush Christmas tree that sings 15 holiday songs in off putting high pitch tone, among other Christmas decorations in stores, before Remembrance day, causes some Canucks players to take their pent up frustration on over the top holiday marketing and consumerism to the ice.  I see Kevin Bieska in this camp.

·    Or the sight of the Remembrance Day poppies stirs memories of their past lives as soldiers for some Canucks (with 5000 years of world history, don’t be surprised if some of your Canucks were warriors in their past lives).  The memories of camaraderie, sacrifice and courage inspire them to play for the boys on the team.  I think Roberto Luongo was a Spartan in his past life.

·    Or more shockingly Coach AV just screams into the locker room holding a puppy in early November and threatens, “I WILL KILL THIS PUPPY IF YOU DON’T START WINNING!  DON’T MAKE ME KILL THIS PUPPY. YOU DON’T WANT THE PUPPY’S BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS!”  Coach AV then storms out.  Not knowing whether Coach AV was serious, I can imagine Ryan Kesler imploring his team mates to play better ‘cause RK17 is a dog lover & owner.


Whatever the reason, take heart Canuck fans, there’s something to look forward to in November.

written by : Christina aka NOTS

The Blame Game

Last night the Canucks hosted the New York Rangers, a team who had not won a game yet this season. The Canucks came up short.. way short, and the social media went crazy ! The boos and jeers that Luongo received last night were a shame to the fan base in Vancouver, and many took it personal it seems. The arguing, defending and debating was in full force, and seems to be still.

When Luo plays, it's all about laying the blame .. on him. From the start of the game, people expect him to mess up.. and it's almost like they are pleased when he does let a goal in because hey, at least now we have someone to blame right.  It's like the old saying " expect the worse and that is what you shall receive".  Personally, I get butterflies when I know Luongo is starting, because I know, if he doesnt stop every single puck shot at him, I will have to listen to the Luo Blame for days to come. That sucks !
I can understand people being frustrated when we lose, I can understand being upset that the other goalie saved 40freakin shots while our goalie didn't.. but I do not get the mind set " Boo him, hate him, blame him & maybe he will play better next time". Seriously ? You think it is going to help Luo or the Canucks ? Do you think his teammates & coaches will hear you whine & bitch and chase him out of Vancouver for you ? I wonder if some people have heard the saying " If you have nothing nice to say, shut the heck up!".
How about the 40 shots on the opposing teams net that our guys couldn't put in ? Or maybe the breakdown on the d-line which allows the opposing team to skate in and get a perfect shot off on Luo... none of that matters ? It's all about Luongo..  even when Cory is in net it's all about Luo ;)

While I do not expect every Canucks fan to like every player on the team, I do think every Canucks fan should respect the TEAM.. and by booing Luo, by blaming Luo, people are disrespecting the whole team. If they cannot see that fact, they need to take life lessons. It plays on every single players mind when one of their own is being trashed. They are a family.. and I'm sure if any fans family member was being trashed, that fan would feel it, somehow.  So while a person may not like Luo, if they are a fan and like the Canucks, they need to step back and grab a clue.  I am pretty sure it is safe to say that every fan of the Canucks is dying for that Cup... well then, maybe we should band together & support the whole team ! Maybe we should stop and think about how the negativity  will effect every single player on the team.. not just Luo.  If they really care, they would stop.

#Luollove #canuckslove

( rough draft but i need to get it out there :P.. woke up with a burning desire to get this out there... )