It’s time for “Stick in Link”, the feature where we just plug in a bunch of stuff written by others! Featuring a smattering of links from around the Smylosphere and beyond every Tuesday and Thursday. Warning: our links are so hyper, they change colour when exposed to heat. (Have something for us to share in the next edition? E-mail us at [email protected] or tweet us @passittobulis. Or tell us some other way. The point is: we'll probably link it if we know about it.)
- Lots of questions surround the Canucks’ blueline, as practice pairings indicate that Nikita Tryamkin may get his first start of the season teamed with Luca Sbisa on the third pairing. Given that Montreal is a small and fast team, perhaps the strategy is simply to get the towering defenseman to eat a few of the more skilled Canadiens. [The Province]
- Wednesday may be veteran and longtime Canuck Alex Burrows’ last chance to play NHL hockey in his hometown. Suggestion for Alex from personal experience: in order to be your best self, save the poutine run for after the game. [Canucks Army]
- Loui Eriksson has been under the microscope lately. After signing a lucrative six-year, $36 million contract with the Canucks, he has yet to register a goal. Fortunately, as Ben Kuzma points out, he historically takes a while to spool up. [Vancouver Sun]
- The Great Jake Debate continues as Vancouver coaching staff struggle to find a perfect place for him. Jake has been vocal about wanting more ice time (and can you blame him?) but coach Willie Desjardins doesn’t feel he has shown enough to warrant bigger minutes. [Canucks Army]
- With Nikita Tryamkin looking likely to slot in to Wednesday’s game against Montreal and Troy Stecher looking good in each of his starts, the rumour mill has started to rumble about which defender is the odd man out. And Canucks fans have not yet zeroed in on a whipping boy this season, which, as we know, is not to be borne. With an ugly -7 rating and just 3 assists, could it be Philip Larsen? [The Canuck Way]
- Or, is Alex Biega the one to go? The ever-patient "Bulldog" has been inquired after by several teams in the past, so there's no saying he'd make it through waivers. [The Province]
- The mass squeezing of sticks in Vancouver continues, as the Canucks are the only team in the league to score fewer than 2 goals per game on average. Furthermore, they have spent more time chasing leads than a private investigator with obsessive compulsive disorder. [Sportsnet]
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What do you do when you’re free-falling in the standings and you can’t buy a goal? Get the adrenaline going! Jacob Markstrom dressed up in a T-Rex costume and made sure a few of his Canucks teammates needed a quick change of pants.
- After losing five games in a row, two of them by shutout, it’s not surprising that the first plaintive calls for Willie Desjardins’ head have begun in Canuckland. Despite his past track record (and the ridiculous and unfounded argument that he’s got very little to work with), Willie may be on the hot seat as management struggles to right the ship just nine games in. [Nucks Misconduct]
- Nine games into the season and the trade talk commences. Ben Dooley explores the possibility of moving Chris Tanev if the Canucks continue to collapse. [The Canuck Way]
- Ed Willes has had enough and is calling upon Canucks brass to play the kids, which of course goes in direct opposition to the reigning philosophy of “let’s play the journeymen forwards on one-year contracts.” [The Province]
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And let’s finish with your Daily D’aww, as Chris Tanev, Alex Biega, Brendan Gaunce and Jack Skille spent the afternoon carving pumpkins with the kids at Canuck Place. The feels, guys, I have them.
