More defenseman!

On the same day that MG acquired Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich, Mike Gillis announced that we signed Veteran Defenseman Mathieu Schnider to a 1 year deal.

Mike Gillis has made a very good trade!

MG has traded prospects Patrick White and defenseman Daniel Rahimi in exchange for Christian Ehrhoff and Brad Lukowich. I beleive this is an amazingly good trade for us. This should add experience and more offence to our defenseman.

Sergei Shirokov

Shirokov was selected 163rd overall in the sixth round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. He was playing in Russia but now there is sumours going around that he might want to come back and play with The Vancouver Canucks.

Kyle Wellwood Signs

Vancouver Canucks Center Kyle Wellwood has signed a 1 year 1.2 million dollar deal with the Canucks.

Starting Line Up 2009-2010

So with the season fast approaching I thought it would be interesting to try and predict what the line up will be for the 2009-2010 season. I think that even with Mikael Samuelsson coming in to Vancouver, it is Alex Burrows job to lose playing with the Sedin Twins. But I also assume that Samuelsson can easily take Burrows job and Burrows and Kesler will be reunited, it all depends on what will happen in the pre-season training and games. So for now I am just going to assume that Burrows will hold his place.

Daniel Sedin Henrik Sedin Alex Burrows It could also look like this however
Daniel Sedin Henrik Sedin Mikael Samuelsson

The 2nd line will be either one of 2 options depending on who plays with the Sedin's on the first line. It will be either,

Pavol Demitra Ryan Kesler Mikael Samelsson or Pavol Demitra Ryan Kesler Alex Burrows

There is a bit of a discrepancy right now over what our 3rd line will be. We all know Cody Hodgson is looking to make it to the NHL and we have just signed Kyle Wellwood So we have 2 centers. I think that b4 the season starts we will be making a trade to open up room for Cody Hodgson. So this means that either Wellwood or Raymond won`t be a part of the starting team. Wellwood has proven he can play the wing so I think it will be Cody Hodgson center no matter what. The lines will be either...

Kyle Wellwood Cody Hodson Steve Bernier or Mason Raymond Cody Hodson Steve Bernier

I don`t see us trading Mason Raymond however because he is still young and very fast and has some potential so we would possibly use Kyle Wellwood in a trade for a 4th or 5th defenseman. But I can`t be to sure about that, we will see what happens.

The 4th line will most likely be Darcy Hordichuck Ryan Johnson Rick Rypien

This leaves Grabner out for at least another season with the Manitoba Moose and Janik Hansen as possiblaly a scratch or a trade possibility.

Our defensive Pairings will most likely be

Kevin Bieksa Willie Mitchell
Alexander Edler Sami Salo
Shane O'Brien Lawrence Nycholat

However I do not think that Lawrence Nycholat will be making out team because Gillis will either Sign or trade for another defenseman.

Our Goaltenders will Obviously be

Roberto Luongo
Andrew Raycroft

But I think that we will see Cory Schnider in goal alot more this season especially if Luongo has not signed a contract extenson yet.

Canucks Prospects

All the Canucks Prospects are in Vancouver this week to get tested, worked, and evaluated. This whole week they will be trying to show what they have got and will try ot get themselves an invite to come back at the end of the summer for Pre-Season training with the entire Canucks Roster.

Signings By MG

The Sedin Twins announced that they decided to stick with the Canucks about 30 mins b4 free agency started. They signed identical 5 year deals at 6.1 million a year. The Canucks made there first signing of free agency by picking up 3 players. Lawrence Nycholat, Nolan Baumgartner, and Matt Pope. The First big splash that GM made was by picking up former Detroit Red Wing player Mikael Samuelsson. He was a 3rd liner in Detroit but in Vancouver I think he could be a 1st or 2nd liner, depending on where he fits in best. We then also signed Shane O'Brien, Andrew Raycroft, and Aaron Rome. We now have 5.117 Million Cap Space left for next season. We need another defenseman to replace Mattias Ohlund. With 4 spots to fill as well, but some of these spots might be filled by the likes of Cody Hodgson or Mikael Grabner.