Canucks Daily: Rutherford Gettin’ Busy, A Vancouverite’s Trick

It would seem we might be getting a consistent trickle of news from the Vancouver Canucks organization this spring as we lead up to bigger events such as the start of free agency and the NHL Draft in early July. Restricted free agents need to be dealt with, led by top-6 winger Brock Boeser, new coaches need to be hired and certain support staff positions filled.

I reckon we’ll hear more about renovations at Rogers Arena and deets on a new practice rink shortly. Rarely will you find dull moments with on or off-ice matters with Vancouver Canucks President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford at the helm. The term “get ‘er done’ applies.

Meanwhile, in the world of the Stanley Cup playoffs, two teams in particular were getting-it-done on Sunday. Let’s whirl …

Kaner Krushes

Vancouver native and former winger for the local major junior WHL Giants Evander Kane had a big Sunday for his fifth NHL team (that’s counting the Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets as two), the Edmonton Oilers.

Fun playing with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl isn’t it?

Kane registered a natural hat trick in six minutes during an outburst in the 2nd period of the Oilers 4-1 Game-3 victory over the Calgary Flames, while Draisaitl set a Stanley Cup playoff record with four assists in a single period. McDavid added three of his own.

Oh, and of course we did have some good old fashioned Battle of Alberta brawling after the Flames Milan Lucic ran OIlers goalie Mike Smith. Lucic, another Vancouverite, picked up a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

Game-4 is Tuesday night in Edmonton with the OIlers leading the series 2-1.

Presidential Impeachment

The Presidents Trophy winners this season in the NHL for the team with the most points / best winning percentage, the Florida Panthers, are getting smoked in round-two by their cross-state rivals and two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

While the latter team knows what it takes to win in the postseason, obviously, the Sunrise hot shots from the regular season haven’t quite figured it out. They’re running out of time, down 3-0 in the series.

The answer is actually pretty simple according to the Panthers head coach Andrew Brunette. Effort. His team is being outworked.

”And we kind of fell behind here this whole series and we haven’t found that extra gear from behind, which we found all year,” Brunette said. “But you have to play one game to bring it home and keep it alive.”

The Cats will seek to avoid being swept tonight in Tampa with the tail-end of a rare playoff back-to-back nighter.

Happy Holiday

Filing this one from 33,000-feet. Stoked to back to BC later today.

A happy Victoria Day to all Vancouver Canucks fans from Princeton to Prince George and from Vernon to … well … Victoria. All of ya everywhere.

And of course, Enjoy the Hockey Action!!