Canucks Daily: Hall of Fame Vote Happening Now, THE Way to Hand Over the Cup

With their jersey numbers 22 and 33 already hanging in the rafters at Rogers Arena, Daniel and Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks will know by noon pacific at the latest on Monday if they’ve been selected for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The 18-member selection committee started its arguments and voting at 5:30 am pacific time in Toronto, with meetings that could run as late as 10:30 am.

The 2022 inductees will then begin being notified immediately thereafter.

Former Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo and forward Alexander Mogilny will also warrant strong consideration.

Party On!

Juuuust in case you missed it, the Colorado Avalanche wrapped up their first Stanley Cup championship in 21 years on Sunday night with a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game-6 of the Stanley Cup Final. The British Columbia influence is the series was limited, but we did follow the exploits of the two BC defencemen who are now champions, including a celebratory story late Sunday night.

Expect some pretty cool Stanley Cup visits in Abbotsford with Devon Toews and in Cranbrook with Bowen Byram.

Wonderful William

While we hope Gary Bettman is fine from his bout with Covid, it was indeed a breath of fresh air having NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly handing out the Stanley Cup Sunday night in Tampa.

And it’s funny, because before hearing that Bettman was unavailable, I thought about the last two Cup presentations and why the heck the Lightning gathered around Bettman before he handed the Cup to Steven Stamkos. I was thinking, “Don’t tell me dude is ruining what is a priceless moment because he wants his picture taken”, but as it turns out, it was the Lightning’s idea.

They can keep it for when they win again.

I hate to use two examples of guys that beat the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final but they just happen to be two really good examples. Remember the anticipation, the hopping up and down, the drama that unfolded as Mark Messier shook holding the Cup before lifting it at Madison Square Garden in 1994. It’s an image, a replay we see often this time of year.

“Come get the Cup”, quick photos followed by rapture.

Same again in 2011, Zdeno Chara being a good example only because he was so jacked, he screamed like a caveman, lifted the Cup, and knocked his ball cap off.

It’s a glorious moment of emotion we enjoy every year. “Come get the Cup”, photos, rapture.

Anticipation followed by elation.

Until the Tampa Cups. That moment was ruined because the speech continued when the team all came around the commish’ for a group photo before he handed the Cup to captain Stamkos. Great, traditional, priceless moment gone. Sort of the same but not even close.

I DO realize that in 2020 the building was empty due to Covid, so part of the decision had to do with that. Fine.

But Sunday night was fantastic. Back to joy joy. Bill Daly: “Gabriel Landeskog, come get the Cup”, quick photos, YEE-HAWWWW.

Let’s stick with that.