April Canu-pdate
By Matthew Inouye, Grade 10
“This is the year!” This perennial statement of hope still stands strong after 41 years of Vancouver Canucks hockey, a statement of seemingly increasing validity with each passing season. But now, as the winter snow begins to melt and Mother Nature turns on the spring showerhead, the Canucks find themselves with just days left until the beginning of the 2011-2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. But we need to take a closer look at the team in order to truly tell whether or not the this year’s Canucks have what it takes to fix a forty-year trend of “We’ll get’em next year!”
Canu-pdate
By Matthew Inouye, Grade 11
When teachers donned their signs and students cheered as a strike-induced pseudo-vacation goes into effect, we found ourselves with quite a bit of free time on our hands. Now, we could have used this time to study for a big Social Studies test, finish up (or start) a gigantic English project that would be due on the class back to school, or get an interim report signed a week after the actual due date. But, we all knew that the smart thing to do was to cheer on the hottest team in town—the Vancouver Canucks. Continue reading here!
What Should the Canucks Do with Cory Scheider?
By Gurpreet Randhawa, Grade 10
When Cory Schneider was drafted in the 2004 NHL entry draft, not many people thought that he would’ve given Roberto Luongo some competition for the starting goaltender position.
On October 18th, 2011, Schneider made his first start of the 2010-2011 NHL regular season against the Carolina Hurricanes. He stopped 32 shots in the 5-1 victory. Schneider ended the season with a 2.23 GAA and a .992 save percentage over 25 games. His record was 16-4-2, and he finished his rookie season with the William M. Jennings Trophy. Schneider has started the 2011-2012 season with a 10-5-0 record and has a save percentage of 92.7% so far. The million-dollar question is: should the Canucks deal Schneider?
The Tables Have Turned
By Dickson Liong, Grade 10
Concussion has officially become the new “biggest problem” for athletes. Professionals who play high-contact sports are risking not only their careers but also their own lives.
Let’s use the National Hockey League as an example.
People are now debating over whether the National Hockey League should ban fighting, because people are finally paying attention to the fact that repeated shots to the head can cause concussion or, worse, severe brain damage.
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Blame It On Luongo
By Mike Chen, Grade 12
As the New York Rangers celebrated, Roberto Luongo collected the puck out of his net while Canucks fans booed and jeered him. Luongo and the Canucks lost the game 4-0, with Luongo making just 15 saves. While it’s obvious that Roberto did not have a good game, or a good month for that matter, the team in front of him has not played well either. The Canucks were shut out three times in October, with many players struggling offensively and defensively. Now, many Canucks fans have overlooked the team’s performance as a whole, and singled out Luongo to take all the blame.
Just a Regular Student
By Dickson Liong, Grade 10
Whether you like it or not, education is an essential part of living. People have to go to school at one point or another in their life. This is the case for almost every Canadians, even for Evander Kane, a former student of John Oliver Secondary and a current team member of the National Hockey League’s Winnipeg.
David Stary is a student support worker currently working for the Vancouver School Board. He once spent 14 years at John Oliver Secondary School working with students with disabilities and was fortunate enough to work in some of the classes that Kane was in.
Canucks Update: Belly-Flopping October
By Chris Tam and Mike Chen, Grade 12
Editor’s Note: The following was written on October 20th and does not contain the most up-to-date information.
Being so early in the season, the Canucks have yet to find their Presidents’-Trophy-winning form, but it’s clear that the road to the Stanley Cup will not be easy. Great expectations are projected for the home team, but are they up to the test?
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The Liong Rant: Trevor Lima, the Next Windermere’s WHL Product
By Dickson Liong, Grade 10
Photo credit to vancouver-canadians.ca
Did you know that Windermere Secondary School has a 16-year-old teenager who has been drafted by the Vancouver Giants into the Western Hockey League (WHL)?
His name is Trevor Lima, and he is currently in grade 11.
Trevor is a 5-foot-9, 170-pound, right-handed defenseman. For a 16-year-old hockey player, he is in pretty good shape.
Lima was selected in the sixth round, 123rd overall, at the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft in Edmonton.
Many say Lima is one of the top defensemen to come out of British Columbia. One thing is for sure: (more…)
Get Ready for Another Season of the NHL!
By Chris Tam and Mike Chen, Grade 12
Hello Warriors! As we are all settling back into school, the NHL is preparing for another great season. We here at the Word have assembled our “Power Rankings” for the top 5 NHL teams as a season preview, with special coverage on our Vancouver Canucks.
NHL Power Rankings
- Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks are determined to get back to the finals and win it all this season! They may have a rough start to the season as winger Mason Raymond and MVP Ryan Kesler are both expected to miss at least a month of action due to injuries (back and hip, respectively). But, the Canucks have proven in the past that they have enough depth to keep playing without missing a beat. Their defence core is still strong despite the loss of Christian Ehrhoff. At the net, Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider will share the crease, in the league’s top goaltending tandem. The team is a heavy favourite to return to the Cup Final.
- San Jose Sharks
Coming off two straight Western Conference Finals appearances with only one win out of nine games, the Sharks smelt blood. On draft day, the Sharks acquired defenseman Brent Burns, who can control the offensive tempo from the blue line. Up front, two-time fifty goal scorer Dany Heatly was dealt to the Wild for speedy winger Martin Havlat. Without a doubt, Captain Joe Thornton and the rest of the Sharks are hungry for the Stanley Cup.
- Los Angeles Kings
Being arguably the most improved team in the last season, the Kings took advantage of Philadelphia’s off-season hysteria by grabbing their captain, Mike Richards. They then signed sniper Simon Gagne, a former teammate of Richards in Philadelphia. The team’s concern is speed, but with two young puck-moving defensemen, Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson, no concerns have been raised so far. In the crease, Jonathan Quick has quickly developed into a reliable starting goaltender. The Kings, being young and skilled, will be a threat in the West for years to come.
- Pittsburgh Penguins
Although Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal were plagued with injuries last season, the Penguins still claimed the 5th spot in the East, based on their team-first mentality. With Malkin and Staal ready to start the season and Crosby just about set to play, this team is Chris’s pick to win the East this season. Backed by Marc-Andre Fleury and coached by Dan Bylsma, the Penguins are stacked. There is no doubt that they will be in the mix come playoff time.
- Washington Capitals
The Capitals have been a contender for the President’s Trophy in the past four seasons and we expect the same from them this time. With a top line of Ovechkin–Backstrom–Semin, Washington has the firepower… Do they have the willpower, though? This past off-season, they added some size and grit with the likes of Joel Ward and Troy Brouwer. If somebody other than Alex Ovechkin can start taking a leadership role with the team, look for the Capitals to be a tough team to beat this coming season.
Canucks Preview
The Canucks had a relatively quiet off-season, when GM Mike Gillis went and refined an already stellar team. Power forward Marco Sturm was the biggest name to sign in Vancouver this off-season. Although he has undergone two knee surgeries in the past, he has put up points in the past, so he does add some desperately needed grit to the roster. On the blue line, the void left by Christian Ehrhoff will be filled by Keith Ballard, Sami Salo, and rookie Chris Tanev. The forwards are led by the Sedin twins, who have risen to elite-player status. Ideally, Cody Hodgson will step up to play the second line center role, with Higgins and Samuelson flanking him. When healthy, the Canucks have the most depth in their forward positions of any team, which was a key part of their success from last season. And Vancouver’s favourite whipping boy, Roberto Luongo, is still a top five goaltender in the league and the franchise player. He will definitely be looking to prove his critics wrong this season and shed his unwanted (and undeserved) “chocker” label.
Mike’s Prediction: I believe this team will make it to the Western Conference Final, but that’s as far as they will go. Their depth in all three positions as well as their experience and motivation will make them a legitimate threat in the league, but I am picking the San Jose Sharks to win it all this season.
Chris’s Prediction: Keith Ballard, Cody Hodgson, and Marco Sturm will step up and become the players they were expected to be. The Canucks will go marching back to the Stanley Cup Finals in June….and NO WAY is San Jose making it past the second round, Mike!
Predictions and Foresights in the World of Sports
By: Chris Tam, Grade 11
Since you already know what has happened in the world of sports last month, instead of just repeating it, I will attempt 
to predict what will happen in November and give insight into what might happen this month.
First off, the Canucks have gotten over their early October slump but still can’t finish off the easy games. However the second line has been contributing more as of late helping the team against their division rivals Minnesota and Colorado. Some games to look out for this month are Edmonton on November 2nd, Montreal on November 9th, Toronto on November 13th, Pittsburgh on November 17thand. of course, Chicago on November 20th. The road trip this month is quite stellar, facing all the Canadian teams in the East, the Canucks will have it tough against a Montreal team that went to the final four last Spring. As well, Pittsburgh versus the Canucks game is always excellent. Does anyone remember Luongo’s save off Crosby’s penalty shot in OT? Most likely the Canucks will do about a .500 game average on the road trip, going 2-2-1, but will hopefully have a blowout game against Toronto. However, for some reason, Toronto was not horrible last month going 4-0-0 in the first 2 weeks. Returning home, the Canucks will face Chicago in a must see game for any Canucks fan, which could be an early indicator of how far they might go this season.
In other news, the not-so-roaring Lions haven’t clinched a playoff birth and are waiting to select that first overall pick. After Printers choked and threw a rage quit inducing interception that would allow the Blue Bombers to win a game they never should have, Printers was then chopped off the team. Please don’t let the door hit you on the way out, Printers. If by some off-chance the Lions somehow get a playoff spot, Calgary or Saskatchewan will outplay them and they’ll be out once again.
Honestly, I don’t know much about MLB, but I predict Philadelphia to bounce back and play against Texas in the final, with Philadelphia squeezing out a win in game 6 to win it. If you are like me and rarely watch any baseball, try to catch the World Series at least; either way, the final series is always quite exciting. Also if Philadelphia makes it, you can watch history repeat if and when Roy Halladay throws a perfect game, which would only be the second time ever in a world series, the last being in 1956.
Read next month’s Windermere Word for the next edition of the predictions and foresights in the world sports!
C = Choke?
By: Chris Tam, Grade 11
Don’t get me wrong; I am a die-hard Canucks fanatic, but this whole captaincy fiasco needs to be cleared up. Amid all
the controversy over Luongo resigning from his captaincy, only one thing seems clear; any captain of the Canucks will somehow manage to choke when they need him most.
Not since Trevor Linden carried the entire team on his back en route to a Game Seven loss in the Stanley Cup Final has a captain of the Canucks showed what it really takes to be the leader of his team. After Trevor Linden was traded, subsequent captains have failed outright at getting the Canucks past the second round.
Mark Messier, the 6-time Stanley Cup champion? He couldn’t even get the Canucks into the playoffs for three straight years; however, it wasn’t entirely his fault. Markus Naslund? Pfft, the guy had three, maybe four excellent regular seasons then went on to choke just about every time in the playoffs. Then the fan favourite Roberto Luongo gets to have the coveted C on his chinny chin chin. No goalie has ever been the captain of any team since the late 1940’s, and for good reason.
As both the goalie and the team spokesperson, if the team had a terrible game, it puts Luongo in a very awkward position. If he has to be the honest spokesman it would sound like he’s putting the blame on the defence rather than himself, which happened a few times during his time as captain. “It was a precarious position to be in,” he said. “Sometimes, it came off the wrong way.”
Maybe the media got to his head or maybe he was more concentrated on other things; but for whatever reason, Luongo was missing in action for both Chicago series, especially for both Game 6 losses. However, I digress; the entire defence was flat-out depleted. Salo had a ruptured testicle, Mitchell had a concussion, and the rest were banged-up as well.
At any rate, Luongo managed to follow in the footsteps of the past captains and choke when they needed him to make the clutch save. Whoever is given the “honour” of being the next Canuck’s captain, whether it be Henrik or Kesler (most likely Henrik), I hope they can wear that C like Linden did and make the chokes of the past forgotten.
Canucks Update
with the LA Kings was incredibly thrilling! It was full of overtime action, beautiful shots, exciting fights and heart-stopping moments. In the end, the Canucks came out on top. Of course it wasn’t a surprise that the Canucks had an amazing series with the LA Kings, eliminating them in 6 games, winning the first and last three games. Just as expected, the Sedin twins were amazing and so was the rest of the team. Each player gave it their best; Alex Edler belting out hard hits, Samuellson scoring continuously and Luongo making those spectacular saves at all the rightCanucks Update
By: Jasmin Gadey, Grade 8
Welcome back to Canucks hockey everyone! Now that the Winter Olympics have ended and we’ve proved to our neighbours below the border that hockey is truly Canada’s game, it’s time to get back to the NHL. The Canucks are back in action and ready for the month of March which begins with the team continuing the ridiculously long road trip. Last month our hometown boys had played fairly well, going 3-4 in the two weeks of road games they had. Although each game was on the road, the Canucks were playing solid and working hard each game. Speaking of games away from home, the Canucks will play another six games before returning to GM Place to take on the Senators on the 13th. Believe it or not Canucks fans, that’s one of the last ten home games left. In fact, there are only 21 games left in the regular season. If the Canucks keep up with the level of play they had just before their incredibly long road trip, they’ll stay high in the standings and most likely make the playoffs! Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Luongo is an Olympic Gold Medalist and Kesler and Salo also took home silver and bronze medals. The future is looking friendly for the Vancouver Canucks who have now made a name for themselves. Go Canucks Go!
