From what I’ve seen, the “Canada’s Team” controversy is mostly coming from outside BC. I will agree that judging from internet chats, Canuck fans are hard to take, but then if you let internet chats be your gauge, everyone in the world is a douchebag.
PS Rickjay - his name is Jeff Blair, also a columnist with the Globe and Mail.
Man I did not see a Rafalski retirement coming. That could hurt. Especially if Lidstrom decides to call it. Truthfully Rafalski had a down year, at wasn’t worth his salary, but I put that down to injury and figured he’d be back and fairly solid next year. If the market was right we could put that six million to use on a better defender, But ultimately the Used D market is crappy right now and they may be forced to high bid the 6 mil on somebody much less worth it than Rafalski would have been. 
One theory I read (that I might be misremembering, but it was on a message board and I can’t find the thread) is that Rafaski’s knee(?) is apparently a rather long-term injury to deal with, and this might be a retirement for the sake of the cap: his salary comes off the books, they can sign someone else (is Lidstrom due for a contract? I think the post mentioned him) and depending on how he feels/the cap during the season, he can sign on again then. There’s less hurry and stress for him to heal/get back into game form, and the team can sign players they might not be able to sign otherwise. Win/win.
As I said, I might be misremembering, and I don’t really know how the cap works in the event of retirements.
Memorial Cup, for those who care: Kootenay Ice are about to eliminate the Owen Sound Attack (6-3 with 3 mins to go), they will face the Mississauga SomethingOrOthers in the semi, and the winner of that faces the St. John Sea Dogs. The last couple of goals in this game have been really impressive!
Personally I think that it’s a blessing for you. Rafalski looks great when paired with an all-star – he’s spent most of his career playing shotgun to the likes of Stevens, Neidermeyer and Lidstrom – but on his own his many weaknesses can be attacked. He was not good at all in New Jersey after the lockout when he was called on to be the #1 guy.
yeah. but who can we get for a fair price now?
Bieksa and Erhoff are headed for free agency.
I’ll be really surprised to see them both go. They might resign at a discount to keep playing in Vancouver, but even if not there are many other options - like trading Ballard and maybe dumping Salo. The Canucks are not going to implode like Chicago did. Most of the core is signed on long term and at discounts so that they can play on a competing team.
In other news, Malhotra is cleared for contact practice. Even if he just steps on the ice to win faceoffs his return would be another big boost for Vancouver and could free up Kesler to play more offensively.
I just don’t see them letting go of Bieksa, and if the rumors of the new salary cap are true, teams will have a lot to play with. I really don’t think Many of the top Guys are going to hit the market, and the good ones that do are going to be wildly overbid.
I certainly wouldn’t bitch too much about Erhoff, but the wings don’t have a problem scoring enough, They have a problem stopping the other team. I would prefer a lockdown guy to an offensive D guy
OUCH! Stampkos goes down!
It’s never fun to watch Boston sports fans have a reason to be happy. But you can’t deny the Bruins deserved to win this; they outplayed the Bolts by a mile. Tampa Bay in the last two minutes did not execute a single offensive play correctly. It was the most pathetic last ditch effort I have ever seen. The 1-0 score wildly understates Boston’s superiority.
I really liked this game because it was a straight up game. No crazy penalties, no (mostly) contested calls, no BS. The only downside I could see was the hit to Stampkos, but that was just a deflection - no dirty play.
Nice game. Nice series. Congrats, Boston.
::PTUI::
grudgingly climbs onto Canucks bandwagon
There’s a seat here at the back. 
moves over to make space
Non-puck-head Bostonian asks: why the Bruin hate?
I’m from Montreal. I’m pretty sure it’s a law. And if it isn’t, it should be.
ETA: Thanks, Rain Soaked…but…sorry, but do you have a towel or something? Urgh soggy west coast…
boston in 4, you heard it here first.
also, lol: http://www.bostonpizza.com
Might be west coast bias on my part, but I gotta think the Canucks can take Boston. I’ll pick Vancouver in six games. The Honest Abe Lincoln coin has the Canucks doing it in four.
And this is the final we got!
In the playoffs, bet on the hot goalie. Tim Thomas got Boston this far, and he can go the rest of the way.
Manny Malhotra has been cleared to play actual, for-reals hockey games - against other teams, even! No guarantee he’ll play Wednesday, but holy wow, that is awesome. Coming back from a very serious eye injury, one where there was dispute over whether they could save his eye, to playing in the Stanley Cup final three months later is fairly miraculous.
Plus, I really would like his faceoff skills back on our side.