Trevor Linden was discussing his personal situation, but he might as well have been talking about how most Vancouver Canuck fans felt.
“It just felt right,” he said Wednesday of his decision to become the NHL team’s new president of hockey operations.
Linden was quickly appointed to replace fired president and general manager Mike Gillis. The Medicine Hat, Alta., native returns to the organization with which he spent most of his 19-year NHL playing career in two stints.
Compared to previous news conferences involving Vancouver’s former top hockey executive, the change in mood was palpable in a packed room where a morning news conference was held. Prior to the announcement of Linden’s appointment earlier in the morning, owner Francesco Aquilini had been scheduled to appear and was expected to discuss his reasons for dismissing Gillis. Instead, Aquilini, after being decisive and quickly acting to end a bad situation, got to talk about hope for a better future with a fan favourite at the helm.
Linden quickly apologized for telling a TV interviewer the previous morning that he had not been approached by the Canucks about replacing Gillis – when clearly he had. But at the time of the interview, the former GM’s firing had not been announced and, as Linden said, out of respect for the process and the Gillis family, he did not reveal what was happening.
Linden acknowledged his apology to the TV interviewer, and his candidness about a mistake was something that was rarely, if ever, seen during the six-year Gillis era. For a pleasant change, pomposity was not oozing from Vancouver’s top hockey executive.
Gillis’ aloofness was something that had clearly alienated casual fans and season-ticket holders. And, it was no coincidence that Linden’s hiring was announced on a previously-scheduled deadline for season-ticket renewals. Nor was it a coincidence that Aquilini said the deadline has been extended in wake of Linden’s hiring.
As the owner indicated, Linden is “back where he belongs.” Although Linden felt a need to get away from hockey after his retirement as a player in 2008, it was strange for him not to be part of the Canucks team that he led to the 1994 Stanley Cup finals and helped prepare for the 2011 finals following his return after stints with the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens.
But it was evident that he would not return and work with Gillis, with whom he had clashed in his role as president of the NHL Players Association in the 2004-05 lockout that scrapped an entire season. Linden did not always get along with former coach Alain Vigneault, either, at a time when his playing skills were diminishing and the coach wanted more.
“I always believed that, once again, I’d work in this great game, a game that I’ve loved and felt it was such a privilege to be a part of ,” said Linden. “I wasn’t sure when or in what capacity, but it always remained a goal of mine.
"When this opportunity to be president of hockey operations was presented to me, I gave it great thought and I simply could not pass it up. "Through my 20 years as a player, 15 years with the NHLPA and my more recent work in growing and leading a private business, I believe I'm ready for this challenge. I'm young, I'm passionate about this team, and I want to win, just like the Canuck fans do.”
Another brief line could also prove highly insightful.
"I believe in this team and this organization,” said Linden, indicating that he will not make drastic changes to the team’s veteran core of players.
In other words, he is not going to blow up a roster that, the past three seasons aside, has enjoyed considerable success, and it appears that he will not make drastic adjustments to the hockey operations department. Gillis drafted only one player that became an NHL regular – Cody Hodgson, now with Buffalo, and made many unsuccessful trades and free-agent signings, but most of the scouts and executives – many of whom are former Canuck players – were in place when previous regimes led by Pat Quinn, Brian Burke and Dave Nonis made successful trades and free-agent signings. (Historically, Vancouver has been mainly terrible at the draft table, although the second-overall choice of Linden in 1988 was an exception.)
Following a model that the rival Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, among others, have adopted, Linden will supervise, and work with, a new GM.
“We will do a general manager search from within and from outside of our organization,” he said.
Linden hopes to hire a new GM by mid-June, pending any permissions that he might need to get to speak with employees of other teams. He plans to use the final games of the regular season to evaluate much-maligned coach John Tortorella and his coaching staff.
Aquilini has come under criticism for his perceived influence in the hiring of Tortorella, who failed to get the team to the playoffs. But the owner contended Wednesday that Gillis was responsible for hiring Tortorella and the ownership group endorsed his decision.
Aquilini indicated that Linden has the final say on hockey-related matters while chief operating officer Victor de Bonis will continue to run the team’s business side – which he does extremely effectively. These comments indicate a distinct separation from the hockey operations and business sides whereas Gillis previously held the position of team president and often tried to pass himself off as a top corporate executive.
“Trevor will make all of the decisions on hockey-related personnel – coaches, players, and free agents, whatever is (needed),” said Aquilini. “Trevor will be in charge of hockey operations and will make all the decisions.”
“I’ve had great conversations with Francesco and with (the Aqulini) family, and they’ve given me full control to make the right decisions and full autonomy,” said Linden. “Obviously, in any sports organization situation, a good relationship with ownership is important, and I intend to spend a lot of time working with them and help them fully understand the decisions we make and why.”
Linden, 43, has made Vancouver his home since he was drafted by the Canucks as an 18-year-old. He has been involved in private business, boosting the fortunes of an eyewear company, real estate development firm and fitness chain that bears his name. But he had always hoped to get back into hockey – and never really wanted to work with another team than the Canucks.
"You don't spend 20 years in the National Hockey League and spend your whole life in hockey and not have it in your DNA," he said.
This was the right time to get back in the game, he added. Now, he must prove that his hiring is more than a good public-relations move – and he can make a difference.
But his playing success, his name recognition and his relationships with many people in the NHL bode well for him – and the Canucks – in the future. As he has indicated during his playing career, it is never wise to underestimate him.
Yes, his hiring is a good – and welcome – PR move, but chances are that he will be much more than just a friendly face for the organization.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Monday, October 28, 2013
Camilo, Y.P. Lee give fans a night to remember
Camilo and Young-Pyo Lee made the Vancouver Whitecaps’ final, supposedly meaningless, game of the 2013 MLS season a memorable one.
Years from now, fans will be able to talk about the time Camilo scored three goals, which gave him 21 on the season, to win the Golden Boot in a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids. Sunday's hat-trick avoided the need to use assists as tiebreaker with Chicago’s Mike Magee, who scored earlier in the day to finish the campaign with 21 goals.
Fans will also be able to recall how they watched Young Pyo-Lee receive a resounding send-off in the final game of his stellar career. Rookie Sam Adekugbe’s first game of his MLS career will also be talked about, if not remembered as vividly, except in his mind’s eye.
Never mind that the Caps missed the playoffs a year after getting in. For one night, all was forgiven and forgotten as Vancouver dominated a playoff-bound Colorado team that still had plenty to play for.
“As a team, we came into tonight making sure that this was what we wanted to happen,” said Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit. “There was an effort behind that. There was a lot of emotion on a lot of different occasions tonight.
Of course, Sam coming in for his first game and Y.P. leaving with his last. And, there were still a lot of things on the line as far as the season goes, Camilo finishing on the right foot. All these things carried through and made sure that as an organization, and as a team, we were moving forward. We could have easily given up. … But we wanted to end on the right note, because it’s a team that cares and it’s a team that wants to get better – and tonight proved that.”
Camilo’s third, history-making goal came in the 85th minute came as he ran on to a long bouncing ball from Canadian midfielder Russell Teibert and volleyed it home.
“I’m very proud, because I’ve been training hard every single day,” said Camilo. “The coaching staff helped me a lot, especially (Carl Robinson). … Every single day, he (was) there with me. (He) helped me a lot.”
The second goal was also one for the highlight reels as Camilo took a pass from second-half substitute Matt Watson and then deked Colorado defender Drew Moor, putting the ball through his legs and firing a shot inside the right post.
Camilo’s opening goal came on a penalty-kick two minutes before half-time, after teammate Kekuta Manneh was tripped in Colorado’s 18-yard box. The Brazilian dynamo took the spot kick although Lee had supposedly been designated to take penalties.
“I said, ‘Please, Y.P., let me take that penalty,’” said Camilo, drawing laughs from a crowd of reporters.
Lee left to a standing ovation in the 90th minute as his illustrious career which included three World Cups with his native South Korea and championships and cups in the top leagues in England, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia came to a close.
Coach Martin Rennie got the timing of Rennie’s departure right as he allowed the crowd to serenade him with three minutes of stoppage time remaining.
Now, time will tell whether the Whitecaps get the decision on Rennie right. The embattled coach is widely expected to be fired after the Whitecaps went through their second consecutive summer swoon, from which they could not recover, even though they had a revamped lineup from 2012.
But Rennie also had to deal with extenuating circumstances that included injuries to key strikers Kenny Miller, who went to Sweden to have a sore knee checked out; Camilo; and Darren Mattocks. International call-ups and inconsistency also hampered Rennie’s efforts to field a consistent lineup, and the Whitecaps again lacked a midfield general who could distribute the ball fluidly and consistently while also providing some goals.
Rennie made some questionable lineup decisions, the most glaring being the one to keep Manneh, 18, parked at the bench for extended stretches during the mid-season meltdown.
But Rennie has also shown a knack for developing young talent. Manneh has the traits – speed, creativity and finish – that all world-class players possess. He scored six goals, which matched the number of games that he started, while appearing in 20 games with a minute total that equated to barely eight games.
Rennie also managed to get much out of Watson, a journeyman midfielder, and Jordan Harvey, a well-travelled defender who filled in admirably after Alain Rochat’s controversial trade to Washington.
Most importantly, Rennie has established a program that integrates young players like Adekugbe, 18, who was born in England and grew up in Calgary and Manneh, a Gambia native who was tutored for a while in Texas. As Rennie has noted, the Whitecaps improved in many areas, particularly goals, wins and and points. The Caps also won the Cascadia Cup, an in-season competition between Vancouver, Portland and Seattle that supposedly means a lot to fans, who founded it, but means little in terms of final standings – on which Rennie will ultimately be judged.
Naturally, he stressed the positives, as he addressed reporters for, possibly, the final time as Vancouver’s coach.
“Obviously, we wanted to do better but we know that it takes time to build a team, and we’ve got to the point where we are very close to doing that,” he said. “It’s extremely exciting going forward, the ticket sales are better than they’ve ever been, the fan support is better than it has ever been and we’ve got young players coming through that are starting in the first team and doing well.
“I think we are just extremely excited about what the team can do and be. You look at how far it’s come in a short space of time and look forward to what it can become in the future.”
The next few days will determine whether he is part of that future.
If the Whitecaps are smart and pay heed to teams that have enjoyed continued success by employing coaches over the long term, such as the English Premier League’s Manchester United, NHL’s Detroit Red Wings and CFL’s B.C. Lions, he will be.
Years from now, fans will be able to talk about the time Camilo scored three goals, which gave him 21 on the season, to win the Golden Boot in a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids. Sunday's hat-trick avoided the need to use assists as tiebreaker with Chicago’s Mike Magee, who scored earlier in the day to finish the campaign with 21 goals.
Fans will also be able to recall how they watched Young Pyo-Lee receive a resounding send-off in the final game of his stellar career. Rookie Sam Adekugbe’s first game of his MLS career will also be talked about, if not remembered as vividly, except in his mind’s eye.
Never mind that the Caps missed the playoffs a year after getting in. For one night, all was forgiven and forgotten as Vancouver dominated a playoff-bound Colorado team that still had plenty to play for.
“As a team, we came into tonight making sure that this was what we wanted to happen,” said Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit. “There was an effort behind that. There was a lot of emotion on a lot of different occasions tonight.
Of course, Sam coming in for his first game and Y.P. leaving with his last. And, there were still a lot of things on the line as far as the season goes, Camilo finishing on the right foot. All these things carried through and made sure that as an organization, and as a team, we were moving forward. We could have easily given up. … But we wanted to end on the right note, because it’s a team that cares and it’s a team that wants to get better – and tonight proved that.”
Camilo’s third, history-making goal came in the 85th minute came as he ran on to a long bouncing ball from Canadian midfielder Russell Teibert and volleyed it home.
“I’m very proud, because I’ve been training hard every single day,” said Camilo. “The coaching staff helped me a lot, especially (Carl Robinson). … Every single day, he (was) there with me. (He) helped me a lot.”
The second goal was also one for the highlight reels as Camilo took a pass from second-half substitute Matt Watson and then deked Colorado defender Drew Moor, putting the ball through his legs and firing a shot inside the right post.
Camilo’s opening goal came on a penalty-kick two minutes before half-time, after teammate Kekuta Manneh was tripped in Colorado’s 18-yard box. The Brazilian dynamo took the spot kick although Lee had supposedly been designated to take penalties.
“I said, ‘Please, Y.P., let me take that penalty,’” said Camilo, drawing laughs from a crowd of reporters.
Lee left to a standing ovation in the 90th minute as his illustrious career which included three World Cups with his native South Korea and championships and cups in the top leagues in England, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia came to a close.
Coach Martin Rennie got the timing of Rennie’s departure right as he allowed the crowd to serenade him with three minutes of stoppage time remaining.
Now, time will tell whether the Whitecaps get the decision on Rennie right. The embattled coach is widely expected to be fired after the Whitecaps went through their second consecutive summer swoon, from which they could not recover, even though they had a revamped lineup from 2012.
But Rennie also had to deal with extenuating circumstances that included injuries to key strikers Kenny Miller, who went to Sweden to have a sore knee checked out; Camilo; and Darren Mattocks. International call-ups and inconsistency also hampered Rennie’s efforts to field a consistent lineup, and the Whitecaps again lacked a midfield general who could distribute the ball fluidly and consistently while also providing some goals.
Rennie made some questionable lineup decisions, the most glaring being the one to keep Manneh, 18, parked at the bench for extended stretches during the mid-season meltdown.
But Rennie has also shown a knack for developing young talent. Manneh has the traits – speed, creativity and finish – that all world-class players possess. He scored six goals, which matched the number of games that he started, while appearing in 20 games with a minute total that equated to barely eight games.
Rennie also managed to get much out of Watson, a journeyman midfielder, and Jordan Harvey, a well-travelled defender who filled in admirably after Alain Rochat’s controversial trade to Washington.
Most importantly, Rennie has established a program that integrates young players like Adekugbe, 18, who was born in England and grew up in Calgary and Manneh, a Gambia native who was tutored for a while in Texas. As Rennie has noted, the Whitecaps improved in many areas, particularly goals, wins and and points. The Caps also won the Cascadia Cup, an in-season competition between Vancouver, Portland and Seattle that supposedly means a lot to fans, who founded it, but means little in terms of final standings – on which Rennie will ultimately be judged.
Naturally, he stressed the positives, as he addressed reporters for, possibly, the final time as Vancouver’s coach.
“Obviously, we wanted to do better but we know that it takes time to build a team, and we’ve got to the point where we are very close to doing that,” he said. “It’s extremely exciting going forward, the ticket sales are better than they’ve ever been, the fan support is better than it has ever been and we’ve got young players coming through that are starting in the first team and doing well.
“I think we are just extremely excited about what the team can do and be. You look at how far it’s come in a short space of time and look forward to what it can become in the future.”
The next few days will determine whether he is part of that future.
If the Whitecaps are smart and pay heed to teams that have enjoyed continued success by employing coaches over the long term, such as the English Premier League’s Manchester United, NHL’s Detroit Red Wings and CFL’s B.C. Lions, he will be.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
My sports blog is back
My sports blog is back. Check back here for a piece on the final game of the Vancouver Whitecaps' 2013 season.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Canucks rookie Jensen shines in NHL debut
Nicklas Jensen’s days with the Vancouver Canucks are numbered this NHL preseason.
But he’s making the best of them.
Jensen scored the winning goal and added an assist as the Canucks beat a Calgary Flames split squad 4-3 at Rogers Arena on Tuesday night.
“It was pretty neat,” said Jensen of his first goal at the NHL level. “I don’t even know what to say. It was, of course, what I was hoping for.”
The Canucks chose Jensen, an 18-year-old native of Herning, Denmark, with the 29th overall pick in the 2011 NHL entry draft. He is trying to do what few Canuck first-round draft choices have done – stick with the club in their first pro season.
But unlike many first-rounders who have passed through Rogers Arena and the Pacific Coliseum before him, he is realistic about his chances of staying with a club that went to the seventh game of the 2010-11 Stanley Cup finals.
“I don’t think about it too much,” said Jensen. “Obviously, it would never be bad to stay here. That’s, of course what I’m here for – just try to stay here. But I’m not going to get disappointed if I get sent home. Realistically, that’s probably what’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of time how long I can stay here for. I’m just going to work as hard as I can to stay here as long as possible.”
In the meantime, Jensen is giving family and friends back home in Denmark something to cheer about. His dad something to cheer about. His father, Dan Jensen, played three seasons of major junior hockey in the OHL with Peterborough and Guelph and also represented Canada 10 times before he moved to Denmark, fell in love and stayed.
“He’s probably really happy back home as well, and there’s probably a message or two on the phone right now,” said Jensen. “
Canucks coach Alain Vigneault liked what he saw, too. Jensen’s entire line, which included Jordan Schroeder, Vancouver’s top pick a year ago, and Steven Pinizzotto all produced points while combining on two goals.
Schroeder recorded a goal and an assist. Pinizzotto, 27, who until now has been a career minor-leaguer but has the grit that the Canucks are looking for, contributed two helpers.
“I thought that line got better as the game went on,” said Vigneault. “You can really see a young man there (Jensen) that’s got real good size, really enjoys the game, and I think there’s a tremendous amount of potential there – and it’s real fun to see.”
Jensen helped Schroeder get noticed, too, after the 21-year-old Prior Lake, Minn., native had a poor training camp in 2010.
“I hadn’t noticed Schroeder that much in last year’s camp, but today I was not just impressed with how he played with the puck, but I thought without the puck he was really dependable,” said Vigneault. “So I like that part, because if you’re ever going to play at this level, you’ve gotta be able to play at both ends of the rink.”
Jensen assisted on Schroeder’s goal early in the third period. During a two-on-one, the dashing Dane fed a perfect pass that Schroeder wired home to create a 3-3 tie. Then, five minutes and 45 seconds later, Jensen skated out of the corner with the puck and beat goaltender Leland Irving with a shot that went in off his arm.
“I just took my time with the puck, circled around and I just saw an empty corner,” said Jensen. “Luckily for me, it went in.”
Jensen is expected to play one or two more exhibition games before the Canucks return him to Oshawa of the OHL. He is also expected to represent Denmark at the world junior championships at Christmas.
But he’s making the best of them.
Jensen scored the winning goal and added an assist as the Canucks beat a Calgary Flames split squad 4-3 at Rogers Arena on Tuesday night.
“It was pretty neat,” said Jensen of his first goal at the NHL level. “I don’t even know what to say. It was, of course, what I was hoping for.”
The Canucks chose Jensen, an 18-year-old native of Herning, Denmark, with the 29th overall pick in the 2011 NHL entry draft. He is trying to do what few Canuck first-round draft choices have done – stick with the club in their first pro season.
But unlike many first-rounders who have passed through Rogers Arena and the Pacific Coliseum before him, he is realistic about his chances of staying with a club that went to the seventh game of the 2010-11 Stanley Cup finals.
“I don’t think about it too much,” said Jensen. “Obviously, it would never be bad to stay here. That’s, of course what I’m here for – just try to stay here. But I’m not going to get disappointed if I get sent home. Realistically, that’s probably what’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of time how long I can stay here for. I’m just going to work as hard as I can to stay here as long as possible.”
In the meantime, Jensen is giving family and friends back home in Denmark something to cheer about. His dad something to cheer about. His father, Dan Jensen, played three seasons of major junior hockey in the OHL with Peterborough and Guelph and also represented Canada 10 times before he moved to Denmark, fell in love and stayed.
“He’s probably really happy back home as well, and there’s probably a message or two on the phone right now,” said Jensen. “
Canucks coach Alain Vigneault liked what he saw, too. Jensen’s entire line, which included Jordan Schroeder, Vancouver’s top pick a year ago, and Steven Pinizzotto all produced points while combining on two goals.
Schroeder recorded a goal and an assist. Pinizzotto, 27, who until now has been a career minor-leaguer but has the grit that the Canucks are looking for, contributed two helpers.
“I thought that line got better as the game went on,” said Vigneault. “You can really see a young man there (Jensen) that’s got real good size, really enjoys the game, and I think there’s a tremendous amount of potential there – and it’s real fun to see.”
Jensen helped Schroeder get noticed, too, after the 21-year-old Prior Lake, Minn., native had a poor training camp in 2010.
“I hadn’t noticed Schroeder that much in last year’s camp, but today I was not just impressed with how he played with the puck, but I thought without the puck he was really dependable,” said Vigneault. “So I like that part, because if you’re ever going to play at this level, you’ve gotta be able to play at both ends of the rink.”
Jensen assisted on Schroeder’s goal early in the third period. During a two-on-one, the dashing Dane fed a perfect pass that Schroeder wired home to create a 3-3 tie. Then, five minutes and 45 seconds later, Jensen skated out of the corner with the puck and beat goaltender Leland Irving with a shot that went in off his arm.
“I just took my time with the puck, circled around and I just saw an empty corner,” said Jensen. “Luckily for me, it went in.”
Jensen is expected to play one or two more exhibition games before the Canucks return him to Oshawa of the OHL. He is also expected to represent Denmark at the world junior championships at Christmas.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
How times have changed for Owen Nolan
Notes and quotes from the Vancouver Canucks training camp on Sunday …
Nolan undergoes role reversal at Canucks camp
How times have changed for Owen Nolan.
In 1990, he was selected first overall in the NHL draft and received the red-carpet treatment the way Edmonton No. 1 picks Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have the past two years. But at the age of 39, Nolan now finds himself without a contract as he tries out for the Canucks.
He used to be able to count on big minutes in a top-line role. But after spending a season in Switzerland, his role, along with his contract status is uncertain.
“My goal right now is just to make the team, and once I do, we’ll discuss what role the coach wants me to have,” says Nolan. “I have a lot of experience under my belt and can handle a lot of different situations, whether it’s kill penalties, play power plays. Whatever they need me to do, I’m more than willing to do.”
If Nolan can play the way he has in the past, before injuries and age took their toll, he will likely make an impact with the Canucks. As the Stanley Cup finals showed, Vancouver needs more grit, especially on the third and fourth lines, where Nolan is most likely to play.
“Especially not playing (in the NHL) last year, I have no excuses for bumps and bruises,” says Nolan. “I feel fit. I feel ready to get at it.”
Nolan, who last played in the NHL two seasons ago with Minnesota, says he has to rely more on his intelligence now than his physical skills.
“Everyone knows you lose a step the older you get, but I think at some point you learn to read the game a lot better,” says Nolan. “You see those situations a lot more and you know how to react to them.”
Canucks captain Henrik Sedin says Nolan has reacted well to the rigors of training camp. Now, it’s just a question of seeing what he can do in exhibition play, which begins Tuesday in a pair of split-squad games against Calgary at home and away.
Nolan is among a handful of veterans who are trying out. Goaltender Manny Legace, enforcer Todd Fedoruk and journeyman Steve Begin are the others.
“It’s a tough spot to be in, but they’re coming in, they’re working hard,” says Sedin. “They’ve been around so they know what it takes. I’m sure they want to prove, when the game starts, what they can do.”
“I think different guys can bring different things, but the one thing they can all bring is experience. “They’ve been around and they’ve played this game for a long time, so I think that’s their nature.”
It’s often said that when you try out for one team, you’re actually trying out for 29 other teams that scout you in the preseason. But Nolan does not pay heed to such comments.
“I just want to be part of a winner,” says Nolan. “I’m not expecting to come in here and play 20 minutes. I know that my job is to come in here and chip in any way I can when I’m on the ice.”
Undrafted Archibald fills into pro frame
Add Darren Archibald to the list of players that Vancouver general manager Mike Gillis has granted a second chance to make a first impression.
In Archibald’s case, it’s a third chance. Unlike the aforementioned Nolan, the 21-year-old rookie was never drafted and had unsuccessful tryouts with Columbus and Detroit in the past two training camps. But Gillis saw something in Archibald and signed him last December while he was completing his last season of junior eligibility with Niagara and Barrie of the OHL.
“I think it has a lot to do with what team you go to and how much availability there is for a contract,” says Archibald, who was one of Vancouver’s better players at the recently concluded Young Stars tournament in Penticton, B.C. “It’s such a numbers game and sometimes it just doesn’t work with certain teams. Certain teams already have their style of player and, fortunately, for me, Vancouver was looking for their big guys to get in the hard-nosed areas.”
So why wasn’t Archibald drafted? At six-foot-three and 209 pounds bears the classic build of a power forward.
“Everybody’s kind of labelled me as a late bloomer,” says Archibald. “Within the last couple of years, I guess, I’ve just really started to fill out into my frame. I was always tall, but I was never really thick. In the last couple of years, I’ve started to put on a balance and started to feel more comfortable with my body.”
Soon, he will try to get comfortable in the Chicago Wolves lineup. But he will be one to watch as the Canucks look for more grit and toughness to avoid being bounced around in the playoffs.
Tanev sporting new Chinese-friendly number
Don’t be surprised if second-year Vancouver defenceman Chris Tanev becomes a favourite of the club’s large Chinese fan base.
Tanev will sport No. 8 on his jersey this season instead of his former No. 18. According to Chinese numerology and folklore, the No. 8 is considered the number that brings the most good fortune.
“Really?” says Tanev.
He was unaware of the benefit of his new number. But perhaps Gillis knew something he didn’t.
“I didn’t ask for it to be changed,” says Tanev. “That’s the number I wore in college. Mr. Gillis told the trainers to change it from 18 to eight, and I’m happy with that. That’s what I wore growing up. I prefer that.”
Perhaps the No. 8 will help Tanev, who was also undrafted before being spotted while playing for little-known Rochester Institute of Technology two seasons ago, put more bulk on his slim frame. Unlike Archibald, Tanev does not fit the hockey prototype. Sporting shorts and a tee-shirt, he looks like he would fit in well with the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer club.
He has bulked up a bit, gaining about 10 pounds.
“I’m still working on my strength,” says Tanev. “I’m still working on my shot. Things are coming. They’re a lot better than last year.”
Veteran Keith Ballard figures the extra weight will help Tanev, who is extremely strong when it comes to getting the puck out of his zone, but not strength-wise. Ballard believes the added pounds will help him win some one-on-one battles in the corner and elsewhere.
“He’s not an overly physical player, so he’s not going to use that strength to be running guys every night,” says Ballard.
Eddie doesn’t lack foresight
Eddie Lack, who appears destined to be Vancouver’s top goaltender on the farm this season, is watching and learning from incumbents Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider in training camp.
“I watched them in practice and I learned a lot,” says Lack. “I just know, if I continue to develop, my time will come.”
He recognizes that Luongo still has a decade to go on his long-term contract and Schneider is here until his inevitable trade. Possibly this season. Why else would the Canucks bring in Legace for a look-see? So Lack, a native of Norrtalje, Sweden, is staying patient and following the example of the goaltender who did in the Canucks in the Stanley Cup finals – Tim Thomas – en route to being selected as the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
“I’m just 23 years old and I’m a goalie,” says Lack. “Just look at Tim Thomas. I think he played four or five games in the NHL before he turned 30. So (I’m go to) just be patient and play my game and have fun out there.”
“I’m just trying to take care of my business,” says Lack. “It’s not something that I can control or anything. I have to play good to eventually get a shot up here, and that’s what my plan is.”
“I’m just 23 years old and I’m a goalie,” says Lack. “Just look at Tim Thomas. I think he played four or five games in the NHL before he turned 30. So (I’m go to) just be patient and play my game and have fun out there.”
Sedins like short off-season
The Sedin twins aren’t getting older, they’re getting fitter.
Despite a longer season in 2010-11, the Sedins scored better in some aspects of physical testing at camp. Henrik won’t say exactly which ones, but he admitted the gruelling VO2 exam, which measure oxygen intake during a high-intensity stationary bike ride, was one of them.
“I feel better this year,” says Sedin. “You play longer and you stay in shape and ou don’t really get those weeks where you’re not doing anything. Nowadays, if you get three or four weeks off, it’s a long time to recover from.”
He endorses tennis star Roger Federer’s claim that 40 is the new 30. Obviously, 30, which is the twins’ age until Sept. 26, ain’t what it used to be, either.
“Guys would start to tail off before, but now I think you’re going to see more guys playing longer, because you work out differently in the summer time,” says Henrik. “You get back, you’re never really out of shape, you’re always trying to stay in shape, and that makes things easy.”
But the Sedins, who led the league in scoring the past two seasons, with Henrik prevailing in 2009-10 and Daniel earning top honours last season, made sure they didn’t take it easy in the gym between June and August.
“We had a really good summer,” says Henrik Sedin. “We really tried to push ourselves. Maybe, when you get up to this age, you try to be just where you are and you don’t really try to push yourself. In the summer, we pushed ourselves to try to get in better shape. We’re happy with the results.”
If the past two seasons are any indication, Canucks fans likely will be, too.
Ballard anxious to start season
Still on the feeling-comfortable theme, defenceman Ballard is feeling much better than he did a year ago, when he was recovering from hip surgery and getting to know his teammates following a trade from Florida.
Now, Ballard, who was a frequent healthy scratch in the playoffs and at other times last season, is anxious to start the preseason. He is glad that training camps not the drawn-out affairs that they used to be. Vancouver’s camp will comprise just three days on ice – and Ballard likes it that way.
“You don’t need to be beating up on your own teammates,” says Ballard. “So you want to get out there and compete against some of the other guys.”
Nolan undergoes role reversal at Canucks camp
How times have changed for Owen Nolan.
In 1990, he was selected first overall in the NHL draft and received the red-carpet treatment the way Edmonton No. 1 picks Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have the past two years. But at the age of 39, Nolan now finds himself without a contract as he tries out for the Canucks.
He used to be able to count on big minutes in a top-line role. But after spending a season in Switzerland, his role, along with his contract status is uncertain.
“My goal right now is just to make the team, and once I do, we’ll discuss what role the coach wants me to have,” says Nolan. “I have a lot of experience under my belt and can handle a lot of different situations, whether it’s kill penalties, play power plays. Whatever they need me to do, I’m more than willing to do.”
If Nolan can play the way he has in the past, before injuries and age took their toll, he will likely make an impact with the Canucks. As the Stanley Cup finals showed, Vancouver needs more grit, especially on the third and fourth lines, where Nolan is most likely to play.
“Especially not playing (in the NHL) last year, I have no excuses for bumps and bruises,” says Nolan. “I feel fit. I feel ready to get at it.”
Nolan, who last played in the NHL two seasons ago with Minnesota, says he has to rely more on his intelligence now than his physical skills.
“Everyone knows you lose a step the older you get, but I think at some point you learn to read the game a lot better,” says Nolan. “You see those situations a lot more and you know how to react to them.”
Canucks captain Henrik Sedin says Nolan has reacted well to the rigors of training camp. Now, it’s just a question of seeing what he can do in exhibition play, which begins Tuesday in a pair of split-squad games against Calgary at home and away.
Nolan is among a handful of veterans who are trying out. Goaltender Manny Legace, enforcer Todd Fedoruk and journeyman Steve Begin are the others.
“It’s a tough spot to be in, but they’re coming in, they’re working hard,” says Sedin. “They’ve been around so they know what it takes. I’m sure they want to prove, when the game starts, what they can do.”
“I think different guys can bring different things, but the one thing they can all bring is experience. “They’ve been around and they’ve played this game for a long time, so I think that’s their nature.”
It’s often said that when you try out for one team, you’re actually trying out for 29 other teams that scout you in the preseason. But Nolan does not pay heed to such comments.
“I just want to be part of a winner,” says Nolan. “I’m not expecting to come in here and play 20 minutes. I know that my job is to come in here and chip in any way I can when I’m on the ice.”
Undrafted Archibald fills into pro frame
Add Darren Archibald to the list of players that Vancouver general manager Mike Gillis has granted a second chance to make a first impression.
In Archibald’s case, it’s a third chance. Unlike the aforementioned Nolan, the 21-year-old rookie was never drafted and had unsuccessful tryouts with Columbus and Detroit in the past two training camps. But Gillis saw something in Archibald and signed him last December while he was completing his last season of junior eligibility with Niagara and Barrie of the OHL.
“I think it has a lot to do with what team you go to and how much availability there is for a contract,” says Archibald, who was one of Vancouver’s better players at the recently concluded Young Stars tournament in Penticton, B.C. “It’s such a numbers game and sometimes it just doesn’t work with certain teams. Certain teams already have their style of player and, fortunately, for me, Vancouver was looking for their big guys to get in the hard-nosed areas.”
So why wasn’t Archibald drafted? At six-foot-three and 209 pounds bears the classic build of a power forward.
“Everybody’s kind of labelled me as a late bloomer,” says Archibald. “Within the last couple of years, I guess, I’ve just really started to fill out into my frame. I was always tall, but I was never really thick. In the last couple of years, I’ve started to put on a balance and started to feel more comfortable with my body.”
Soon, he will try to get comfortable in the Chicago Wolves lineup. But he will be one to watch as the Canucks look for more grit and toughness to avoid being bounced around in the playoffs.
Tanev sporting new Chinese-friendly number
Don’t be surprised if second-year Vancouver defenceman Chris Tanev becomes a favourite of the club’s large Chinese fan base.
Tanev will sport No. 8 on his jersey this season instead of his former No. 18. According to Chinese numerology and folklore, the No. 8 is considered the number that brings the most good fortune.
“Really?” says Tanev.
He was unaware of the benefit of his new number. But perhaps Gillis knew something he didn’t.
“I didn’t ask for it to be changed,” says Tanev. “That’s the number I wore in college. Mr. Gillis told the trainers to change it from 18 to eight, and I’m happy with that. That’s what I wore growing up. I prefer that.”
Perhaps the No. 8 will help Tanev, who was also undrafted before being spotted while playing for little-known Rochester Institute of Technology two seasons ago, put more bulk on his slim frame. Unlike Archibald, Tanev does not fit the hockey prototype. Sporting shorts and a tee-shirt, he looks like he would fit in well with the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer club.
He has bulked up a bit, gaining about 10 pounds.
“I’m still working on my strength,” says Tanev. “I’m still working on my shot. Things are coming. They’re a lot better than last year.”
Veteran Keith Ballard figures the extra weight will help Tanev, who is extremely strong when it comes to getting the puck out of his zone, but not strength-wise. Ballard believes the added pounds will help him win some one-on-one battles in the corner and elsewhere.
“He’s not an overly physical player, so he’s not going to use that strength to be running guys every night,” says Ballard.
Eddie doesn’t lack foresight
Eddie Lack, who appears destined to be Vancouver’s top goaltender on the farm this season, is watching and learning from incumbents Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider in training camp.
“I watched them in practice and I learned a lot,” says Lack. “I just know, if I continue to develop, my time will come.”
He recognizes that Luongo still has a decade to go on his long-term contract and Schneider is here until his inevitable trade. Possibly this season. Why else would the Canucks bring in Legace for a look-see? So Lack, a native of Norrtalje, Sweden, is staying patient and following the example of the goaltender who did in the Canucks in the Stanley Cup finals – Tim Thomas – en route to being selected as the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
“I’m just 23 years old and I’m a goalie,” says Lack. “Just look at Tim Thomas. I think he played four or five games in the NHL before he turned 30. So (I’m go to) just be patient and play my game and have fun out there.”
“I’m just trying to take care of my business,” says Lack. “It’s not something that I can control or anything. I have to play good to eventually get a shot up here, and that’s what my plan is.”
“I’m just 23 years old and I’m a goalie,” says Lack. “Just look at Tim Thomas. I think he played four or five games in the NHL before he turned 30. So (I’m go to) just be patient and play my game and have fun out there.”
Sedins like short off-season
The Sedin twins aren’t getting older, they’re getting fitter.
Despite a longer season in 2010-11, the Sedins scored better in some aspects of physical testing at camp. Henrik won’t say exactly which ones, but he admitted the gruelling VO2 exam, which measure oxygen intake during a high-intensity stationary bike ride, was one of them.
“I feel better this year,” says Sedin. “You play longer and you stay in shape and ou don’t really get those weeks where you’re not doing anything. Nowadays, if you get three or four weeks off, it’s a long time to recover from.”
He endorses tennis star Roger Federer’s claim that 40 is the new 30. Obviously, 30, which is the twins’ age until Sept. 26, ain’t what it used to be, either.
“Guys would start to tail off before, but now I think you’re going to see more guys playing longer, because you work out differently in the summer time,” says Henrik. “You get back, you’re never really out of shape, you’re always trying to stay in shape, and that makes things easy.”
But the Sedins, who led the league in scoring the past two seasons, with Henrik prevailing in 2009-10 and Daniel earning top honours last season, made sure they didn’t take it easy in the gym between June and August.
“We had a really good summer,” says Henrik Sedin. “We really tried to push ourselves. Maybe, when you get up to this age, you try to be just where you are and you don’t really try to push yourself. In the summer, we pushed ourselves to try to get in better shape. We’re happy with the results.”
If the past two seasons are any indication, Canucks fans likely will be, too.
Ballard anxious to start season
Still on the feeling-comfortable theme, defenceman Ballard is feeling much better than he did a year ago, when he was recovering from hip surgery and getting to know his teammates following a trade from Florida.
Now, Ballard, who was a frequent healthy scratch in the playoffs and at other times last season, is anxious to start the preseason. He is glad that training camps not the drawn-out affairs that they used to be. Vancouver’s camp will comprise just three days on ice – and Ballard likes it that way.
“You don’t need to be beating up on your own teammates,” says Ballard. “So you want to get out there and compete against some of the other guys.”
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Sturm looks for redemption with Canucks
It’s redemption time for the Vancouver Canucks – in more ways than one.
While the Canucks look to make up for a loss to the Boston Bruins in the seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals and claim the crown, several players – newcomers and returnees alike – are looking to redeem themselves after an injury riddled season.
Marco Sturm is a prime example. The Canucks’ top free agent acquisition, he is looking to revive his career after two knee operations in the past three years.
“I just want to be the player I was before my injury,” says Sturm. “That’s gonna be my goal. Right now, the knees feel great. I’m just trying to get in a rhythm again.”
Sturm had trouble finding a rhythm last season. The Bruins traded him to Los Angeles in December while he was still hurt, and then the Kings waived him and he was claimed by the Washington Capitals, who subsequently let him go after the playoffs.
He produced 16 points in 35 regular-season games with the Kings and Caps and furnished three post-season points with Washington – not bad considering his injury ordeals.
“I had to start pretty much at zero, because my strength was not there,” says Sturm. “My fitness wasn’t there all last year, so I started from zero. But the main thing was to get my strength back, so I did a lot of weights and, of course, a lot of outside running to get my conditioning.”
Signed to a one-year, $2.25 million contract, he could play a critical role as the Canucks contend with early-season injuries. The 33-year-old native of Dingolfing, Germany could play a key role as Vancouver looks to atone for the absences of second-liners Ryan Kesler (hip) and Mason Raymond (back).
“I can play on any line and, also, left wing or right wing,” he says. “It doesn’t really matter. Of course, I want to be in the top six, but I’m here to help the team out.”
Chances are he will, to some extent. Sturm has recorded seven straight 20-goal seasons, including a 2004-05 lockout season he spent play in Germany. So why did he decide to sign with the Canucks?
“I’m at that age now – I want to win – and this team’s got everything,” says Sturm. “They showed in the last two years how good they are, and I want to be in that good team, good organization, who knows what it will take to win it all, and it was a big issue.”
Other players attempting to redeem themselves are veteran goaltender Manny Legace; former No. 1 draft pick Owen Nolan, who played in Switzerland last season; enforcer Todd Fedoruk, who has been quite outspoken about his substance-abuse problems; and journeyman forward Steve Begin, who spent most of last season in the minors. All are in camp on professional tryouts with no assurance of a contract.
Meanwhile, returnees to the organization, such as Cody Hodgson, who split the season between the NHL and the minors, and Jordan Schroeder, who spent all of last season in the AHL, also have something to prove. With most of the roster set, the reclamation projects will have a hard time cracking the lineup. But coach Alain Vigneault hopes at least some will help shore up a fourth line that revolved and struggled most of last season. The Vancouver bench boss hopes to close the revolving door and go with more of a set fourth unit.
“I think if we can find an identity there for that fourth line, an identity that would help us win games, we would definitely go in that direction,” says Vigneault. “Last year, it took us quite a long time to figure out which pieces were going to go there, and it was still up in the air going into the playoffs.”
Some of the newcomers – and prospects – might also help the Canucks make up for the departures of defenceman Christian Ehrhoff and gritty winger Raffi Torres, due to free agency. Defenceman Kevin Bieksa, who redeemed himself last season after his future with the Canucks was uncertain at the outset of camp, believes they will find suitable replacements.
“That’s what good teams do, and they adapt and they have guys step up and fill holes” says Bieksa.
Great teams challenge for the Stanley Cup year after year. While many a predicting the Canucks will regress, Bieksa believes the newcomers can help Vancouver back to the finals. There’s no doubt the veterans have the desire to return.
“It’s early in camp, but you can still kind of see the hunger out there,” says Bieksa. “The thing is, with last year and the success, we know it’s attainable now. If we play the same way and we play the right way, we’re going to be back there.”
While the Canucks look to make up for a loss to the Boston Bruins in the seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals and claim the crown, several players – newcomers and returnees alike – are looking to redeem themselves after an injury riddled season.
Marco Sturm is a prime example. The Canucks’ top free agent acquisition, he is looking to revive his career after two knee operations in the past three years.
“I just want to be the player I was before my injury,” says Sturm. “That’s gonna be my goal. Right now, the knees feel great. I’m just trying to get in a rhythm again.”
Sturm had trouble finding a rhythm last season. The Bruins traded him to Los Angeles in December while he was still hurt, and then the Kings waived him and he was claimed by the Washington Capitals, who subsequently let him go after the playoffs.
He produced 16 points in 35 regular-season games with the Kings and Caps and furnished three post-season points with Washington – not bad considering his injury ordeals.
“I had to start pretty much at zero, because my strength was not there,” says Sturm. “My fitness wasn’t there all last year, so I started from zero. But the main thing was to get my strength back, so I did a lot of weights and, of course, a lot of outside running to get my conditioning.”
Signed to a one-year, $2.25 million contract, he could play a critical role as the Canucks contend with early-season injuries. The 33-year-old native of Dingolfing, Germany could play a key role as Vancouver looks to atone for the absences of second-liners Ryan Kesler (hip) and Mason Raymond (back).
“I can play on any line and, also, left wing or right wing,” he says. “It doesn’t really matter. Of course, I want to be in the top six, but I’m here to help the team out.”
Chances are he will, to some extent. Sturm has recorded seven straight 20-goal seasons, including a 2004-05 lockout season he spent play in Germany. So why did he decide to sign with the Canucks?
“I’m at that age now – I want to win – and this team’s got everything,” says Sturm. “They showed in the last two years how good they are, and I want to be in that good team, good organization, who knows what it will take to win it all, and it was a big issue.”
Other players attempting to redeem themselves are veteran goaltender Manny Legace; former No. 1 draft pick Owen Nolan, who played in Switzerland last season; enforcer Todd Fedoruk, who has been quite outspoken about his substance-abuse problems; and journeyman forward Steve Begin, who spent most of last season in the minors. All are in camp on professional tryouts with no assurance of a contract.
Meanwhile, returnees to the organization, such as Cody Hodgson, who split the season between the NHL and the minors, and Jordan Schroeder, who spent all of last season in the AHL, also have something to prove. With most of the roster set, the reclamation projects will have a hard time cracking the lineup. But coach Alain Vigneault hopes at least some will help shore up a fourth line that revolved and struggled most of last season. The Vancouver bench boss hopes to close the revolving door and go with more of a set fourth unit.
“I think if we can find an identity there for that fourth line, an identity that would help us win games, we would definitely go in that direction,” says Vigneault. “Last year, it took us quite a long time to figure out which pieces were going to go there, and it was still up in the air going into the playoffs.”
Some of the newcomers – and prospects – might also help the Canucks make up for the departures of defenceman Christian Ehrhoff and gritty winger Raffi Torres, due to free agency. Defenceman Kevin Bieksa, who redeemed himself last season after his future with the Canucks was uncertain at the outset of camp, believes they will find suitable replacements.
“That’s what good teams do, and they adapt and they have guys step up and fill holes” says Bieksa.
Great teams challenge for the Stanley Cup year after year. While many a predicting the Canucks will regress, Bieksa believes the newcomers can help Vancouver back to the finals. There’s no doubt the veterans have the desire to return.
“It’s early in camp, but you can still kind of see the hunger out there,” says Bieksa. “The thing is, with last year and the success, we know it’s attainable now. If we play the same way and we play the right way, we’re going to be back there.”
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Stamps rookie kicks win away from Lions
What a difference a week makes for Rene Paredes.
Around this time last week, the 25-year-old Toronto product was a kicker without a team. But Friday night, the rookie kicked the first two field goals of his Canadian Football League career to give the Calgary Stampeders a 34-32 victory over the B.C. Lions at Empire Field.
Paredes’ first attempt was a 50-yarder. Talk about a rude introduction to the pro ranks. But he made it with a few yards to spare.
“Actually, I didn’t know how far it was,” he said. “I was asking everybody after and found out it was a 50-yarder.”
The field goal, with 4:20 left in the game, was the longest of his career. He kicked a 49-yarder with his Concordia Stingers squad last season.
“You see all the teammates happy, and they were cheering for me, so it was exciting,” he said.
But the second one, from 25 yards with 2:05 remaining, proved to be more important. because it gave the Stamps a 34-26 lead before the Lions rallied for a late touchdown, only to fail on the two-point convert attempt.
Parades, who is originally from Caracas, Venezuela and was a soccer player until his Miami, Fla., football team needed a kicker, also made a touchdown-saving tackle as Tim Brown returned his opening kick-off. Not a bad performance.
Especially when you consider that he was released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after their training camp and only got the call to Calgary after second-year incumbent Rob Maver suffered a quadriceps injury in its season-opening loss to Toronto.
“I was back home in Toronto just hanging out with some guys,” said Paredes, who was also working in a paint shop. “My agent called me and said, ‘Get ready, you’ve gotta go.’ ”
The Stamps signed him after a tryout Sunday in which he made a 55-yarder – after he had taken a week off from kicking.
“The whole week, I just relaxed,” he said. “I had a month in Winnipeg, so I was just relaxing.”
And what would he be doing if he had not received the call from Calgary?
“I was planning to go back to school and finish my fifth year, but I got the call so I’m here,” said Paredes.
But now he has a new team and a new nickname – the Matador – courtesy of long snapper Randy Chevrier, who had never heard of him before.
“When Maver went down, it was very upsetting,” said Chevrier. “I mean, Maver’s a great guy. But it’s pro sports and you’ve gotta find a replacement pretty quick. Luckily, the Matator from Venezuela came to town and he did the job. That’s what you need in pro sports. Someone’s gotta step up when someone goes down. Thankfully, he showed up for us tonight and made some huge kicks at the end.”
If anyone is unhappy, it’s probably Maver’s old coach at Concordia, because his university career is over. By playing Friday, he is no longer eligible for the Canadian university ranks.
But new CFL adventures are just beginning.
Around this time last week, the 25-year-old Toronto product was a kicker without a team. But Friday night, the rookie kicked the first two field goals of his Canadian Football League career to give the Calgary Stampeders a 34-32 victory over the B.C. Lions at Empire Field.
Paredes’ first attempt was a 50-yarder. Talk about a rude introduction to the pro ranks. But he made it with a few yards to spare.
“Actually, I didn’t know how far it was,” he said. “I was asking everybody after and found out it was a 50-yarder.”
The field goal, with 4:20 left in the game, was the longest of his career. He kicked a 49-yarder with his Concordia Stingers squad last season.
“You see all the teammates happy, and they were cheering for me, so it was exciting,” he said.
But the second one, from 25 yards with 2:05 remaining, proved to be more important. because it gave the Stamps a 34-26 lead before the Lions rallied for a late touchdown, only to fail on the two-point convert attempt.
Parades, who is originally from Caracas, Venezuela and was a soccer player until his Miami, Fla., football team needed a kicker, also made a touchdown-saving tackle as Tim Brown returned his opening kick-off. Not a bad performance.
Especially when you consider that he was released by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after their training camp and only got the call to Calgary after second-year incumbent Rob Maver suffered a quadriceps injury in its season-opening loss to Toronto.
“I was back home in Toronto just hanging out with some guys,” said Paredes, who was also working in a paint shop. “My agent called me and said, ‘Get ready, you’ve gotta go.’ ”
The Stamps signed him after a tryout Sunday in which he made a 55-yarder – after he had taken a week off from kicking.
“The whole week, I just relaxed,” he said. “I had a month in Winnipeg, so I was just relaxing.”
And what would he be doing if he had not received the call from Calgary?
“I was planning to go back to school and finish my fifth year, but I got the call so I’m here,” said Paredes.
But now he has a new team and a new nickname – the Matador – courtesy of long snapper Randy Chevrier, who had never heard of him before.
“When Maver went down, it was very upsetting,” said Chevrier. “I mean, Maver’s a great guy. But it’s pro sports and you’ve gotta find a replacement pretty quick. Luckily, the Matator from Venezuela came to town and he did the job. That’s what you need in pro sports. Someone’s gotta step up when someone goes down. Thankfully, he showed up for us tonight and made some huge kicks at the end.”
If anyone is unhappy, it’s probably Maver’s old coach at Concordia, because his university career is over. By playing Friday, he is no longer eligible for the Canadian university ranks.
But new CFL adventures are just beginning.
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