You have to give the Canucks some credit. In just two short seasons, they’ve managed to reduce the Presidents’ Trophy to nothing. Last year this team proved that clinching it doesn’t guarantee a Stanley Cup win; this year they’re on the brink of proving that neither does it guarantee even a single playoff win. That’s impressive.

But Canuck fans are not impressed, and with the number one seed in danger of being swept by the LA Kings, you can understand why they’re looking for somebody to blame right now.

I’d blame Duncan Keith, who knocked Daniel Sedin, Vancouver’s only true elite winger, out of the lineup on a dirty, predatory hit in the season’s final stretch. Considering what it did to the team’s line combinations, powerplay, and overall identity, I’d say Keith is a pretty good target for derision.

But to hear Canuck fans tell it, the real problem in this series is that Alain Vigneault is being outcoached as usual. I am gobsmacked by the thoughtlessness behind this line of rhetoric.

From a report by Swedish website Allehanda.se: Daniel Sedin will not be playing in Wednesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. According to Daniel’s father, Tommy (who is as it happens, Henrik’s father), the younger Sedin is still experiencing concussion symptoms.

While Daniel skated with the team in practice on Monday, he was not with the main group on Tuesday, skating instead in a shorter session with other players who were expected to miss the opening night of the playoffs. Tommy Sedin indicated that Daniel experienced a headache after Monday’s practice and has still not completely recovered from the concussion he received after being elbowed in the head by Duncan Keith.

It’s been about ten days since Daniel Sedin was sidelined with a concussion. The bad news is that concussions are extremely unpredictable, and while Mike Gillis has hinted that Daniel should be ready to play in time for the postseason, it’s nigh impossible to set a “recovery timeline” for a player dealing with concussion symptoms. The good news, however, is that the Canucks have rallied, winning four in a row while playing a suffocating, defensive style of hockey.

You could eat a thousand KFC double-downs in one sitting, and your arteries would still be significantly less clogged up than the Canucks have left the neutral-zone for their opponents over the past four games. Players and teams adjust, and the Canucks have dealt with the loss of their best goal scorer by playing more conservatively. It may not be the most entertaining brand of hockey (personally, I love hard-fought, tightly contested defensive games), but it has certainly been effective.

Speaking of adjustments, with Daniel on the shelf for the immediate future, I figured I’d look into how his brother has performed without him going back three seasons. An immediate qualifier: we’ll be dealing with a pretty miniscule sample size here (24 games), so much of this analysis is shrouded in relative uncertainty. Nonetheless, the topic of “how Henrik’s game changes without Daniel in the lineup” is fascinating to me, and pertinent to the club at the moment, so let’s proceed.

We don’t normally report on Christian youth conferences here on PITB, but that’s because this is a Canucks blog and these conferences typically don’t generate Canucks-related stories. However, on Friday one did, as The Passion Movement, a Christian organization aimed at “uniting students in worship and prayer,” visited Rogers Arena. During the service, Pastor Louie Giglio held up a blue Canucks helmet and led over 10,000 people in a prayer for the healing of Daniel Sedin’s recently-confirmed concussion.

Now, if you find this video a bit strange, you’re not alone. Over at Puck Daddy, Sean Leahy said what a lot of people must have thought upon viewing the clip: “What better way to get your fans in the city you’re touring even more behind you than holding a mass prayer for the quick recovery of one of their hockey stars?” Meanwhile, some of the commenters said the same thing, albeit much more ignorantly: “Nothing like bible thumpers playing their same ol’ tune, and trying to hitch their wagon to a fan favorite to legitimize themselves…….pathetic,” said one.

But Giglio wasn’t pandering to the home crowd; he was making good on a prayer request from Paolo Aquilini, one of the three brothers that make up the Aquilini ownership group, which controls both the Vancouver Canucks and Rogers Arena.

One wonders if the Department of Player Safety realizes that Duncan Keith’s decision to waive his right to an in-person hearing did not also negate their right to suspend him for more than 5 games. They know that, right?

You’ll forgive me if I don’t have the utmost confidence in the Shanavengers. When a blatant elbow to the face receives only a middling suspension, it’s clear that the NHL’s crusade to crack down on headshots deserves to be taking as seriously as, well, the Crusades.

After a two-day deliberation, Duncan Keith has been suspended for 5 Shana-games. (The NHL’s equivalent of Disney Dollars. They’re like NHL regular-season games, but worthless.) Let’s let Shanahan take us through it:

The NHL’s new playoff commercials have fallen a little flat. The theme is “Because it’s the Cup,” and the initial offering is designed to court the casual fan, portraying the NHL playoffs as a great excuse for gathering together socially. The line “Because in hockey, there are two halftimes” definitely made me cringe. What’s worse, “Two Halftimes” is the official title of the commercial.

Now the NHL has begun trotting out their team specific commercials, and they’re a bit more on the mark. The Canucks get a Sedin-centric commercial that is all about togetherness.

The only goal scored on a goaltender in Monday night’s game between the Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild came on a powerplay that was, according to Canucks fans, a trifle controversial. After Dany Heatley shoved Daniel Sedin near the benches, Alex Burrows rushed in to defend his Swedish semi-sibling, leading to a veritable brouhaha that included a donnybrook between Kevin Bieksa and the Wild’s Nick Johnson.

When the dust settled, Bieksa and Johnson received fighting majors and Burrows received the extra minor for roughing, putting the Wild on the powerplay. Heatley escaped entirely unharmed, receiving neither a penalty nor a punch in the face, both of which he arguably deserved.

To Wild fans and media, however, a much bigger concern was that Daniel Sedin almost removed Dany Heatley’s head with a vicious slash.

Wait, what?

This past fall, the NHL joined the NBA, the MLB, and the NFL in partnering with Bleacher Creature Toys, a company based in Pennsylvania that turns the sporting world’s most popular athletes into plush dolls. Now, anybody can snuggle up with a Sidney Crosby, Henrik Lundqvist, or Patrick Kane doll, provided they’re willing to drop $25. (Of course, you could probably do that with the real Patrick Kane for free, especially if you’re an unbelievable blonde.)

There are currently 23 Bleacher Creatures available in the NHL store, and 3 of them are Canucks: Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, and Ryan Kesler. They’re all terrible.

The Sedins had a pretty eventful offseason. It started with a riot. Then, a week later, they flew to Las Vegas, where Daniel Sedin was awarded both the Ted Lindsay and Art Ross trophies. In Sweden, they did some serious inline skating. And in July, they flew to the Swedish island of Öland, where they were awarded the Victoriastipendiet — effectively, the Swedish athlete of the Year award. Daniel and Henrik were the first hockey players to win the award since Peter Forsberg in 1994, and only the third since the award debuted in 1979. Elite company.

While the Sedins were in Öland, the identical twins were asked by Östran, a local newspaper, to take part in a strange experiment: draw self-portraits, in order to see if those would be identical too. I can’t believe I only found this now, but here are the results.

We have reached Day 4 of PITB’s countdown of the top 50 Canuck goals of 2011, and things are starting to get good. Today’s entries are downright crowded with Sedinery, as the twins combine to score beautiful goals, often incorporating some unexpected guests (such as Victor Oreskovich — for real).

The 2011 playoffs are well-represented as well, with some big goals from the Western Conference final. And if it’s controversy you crave, there may be a goal from 2010. Depends on who you ask. If this inclusion offends your delicate sensibilities, by all means, express your outrage in the comments.

Here we are at Day 3 of PITB’s list of our 50 favourite Canuck goals of 2011. Today features a heaping helping of beast mode Ryan Kesler, as well as a selection of the most curious pieces of Sedinery 2011 had to offer.

Have you ever seen a guy pass the puck through the legs of a goaltender, or away from the goalmouth with the goalie down and out? Have you ever seen a guy come to a complete stop directly in front of his defender? If so, you watched the Sedins in 2011. My friend, they don’t think like you and I. It’s pretty great. I suspect you’ll enjoy these 10 goals.

Welcome to Day 2 of PITB’s countdown of the top 50 goals the Vancouver Canucks scored in 2011. This afternoon you’ll be treated to a Daniel Sedin hat trick, a brilliant Ryan Kesler power move, and the bowling ball that is Raffi Torres.

There’s also a hat tip to what was a very common theme in the year that was: the victimization of the Pacific Division, as both San Jose and Dallas get burned multiple times. Provided you’re neither a Sharks fan nor a Stars fan, you’ll probably enjoy today’s goals.

Like life (according to John Lennon), we begin at 40.

We get a lot of mileage out of Chloe Ezra here at Pass it to Bulis (such as the Pass it to Comics series, which will return in the new year, we promise). But our defense is a simple one: Chloe rules. She has a great style and great ideas, and when the two come together, well, the results tend to be pretty great.

As yet another example, we present Chloe’s completely original and completely adorable “Hanging Canuck tree things,” original creations that feature members of the Vancouver Canucks drawn hanging by their sweaters, to be strung up anywhere your heart should so choose.

2011 was a fabulous year for Canucks hockey. Sure, the Stanley Cup Final may not have ended quite the way Vancouver fans wanted it to, but the Canucks were still in it, and that’s a rarity deserving of some serious appreciation.

If you ask me, so was the 2011 team in its entirety. Between the wizardry of the Sedins, the raw power of Ryan Kesler, the stable of offensive-minded defensemen, the occasional flashes of brilliance from the skilled corps of middle wingers, and the gaggle of set plays the team employs, the fans in this city are spoiled right now. We may never see another team like this one again.

With that in mind, it would be crazy to let this year in Canucks hockey lapse without looking back at some of its incredible goals. What follows is a countdown of our favourite 50, which will run Monday through Friday at 9am sharp. Please feel free to disagree with this highly subjective list in the comments.

So it begins.

The Sedins have some very creative ways to enter the offensive zone, which is one of the big reasons they’re so difficult to stop. Once the Sedins are in the offensive zone, wizardry occurs, so one of the few ways to prevent them from scoring is to prevent them from gaining the zone in the first place. This is why they continually invent new ways to keep their opponents guessing.

On Wednesday against the Red Wings, however, Daniel Sedin improvised a brand new way to get over the blueline. At least, I’m assuming he’s improvising: otherwise, this is the greatest set play in the history of the Sedins.

Daniel Sedin’s trio of goals was an obscenely beautiful hat trick. It was so gorgeous that, immediately after the third goal of the suite, I declared it the most beautiful hat trick I’d ever seen.

But this may have been in haste. Immediately after I said it, a number of people countered with the hat trick that Daniel potted versus the Calgary Flames on April 10, 2010. You may recall that that hat trick featured the between-the-legs capper that is widely considered the finest goal in Sedin history. Is it possible that Tuesday’s hat trick wasn’t even the most beautiful of Daniel’s career?

Daniel Sedin has produced two remarkable hat tricks in the last 18 months. Which is lovelier? Let’s investigate.

The Canucks scored a number of pretty goals during Tuesday night’s game against the Colorado Avalanche. From Jannik Hansen taking out two players with a single dangle to the perfect passing of the Sedins and Burrows, it was a good night for aesthetically pleasing plays.

The goal that I found most interesting, however, was Daniel Sedin’s second of the night, where he got the chance to show off his league-best accuracy by beating Semyon Varlamov gloveside with a wicked wrist shot. The question is, how in the world did he end up with so much room in the slot in the first place? Most teams in the NHL work pretty dang hard to keep guys like Daniel out of that area of the ice and especially hard to give them no time whatsoever if they happen to get there.

The answer is that rookie defenceman Stefan Elliott had an absolute gong show of a shift that resulted in him trying to defend last season’s Art Ross winner without a stick. It does not go well for him.

The Canucks initially showed this awesome video on Rogers Sportsnet during one of the intermissions of their game against the LA Kings and now it’s available online. And I love it. It’s absolutely hilarious to watch two of the best players in the NHL inline skating in the summer time, mainly because of the memories it evokes.

Popular wisdom is that the easiest way to shut down the Sedins is to play a tough, physical game. The theory goes that the Sedins wilt under physical pressure, with the Stanley Cup Final submitted as proof. The takeaway from that series for a lot of people is that the Sedins are too soft and that all that is required to shut them down is to hit them. Is this view true? How do the Sedins perform in more physical games? Are the Sedins soft?

On the eve of the Canucks’ forty first NHL season, it will be nearly impossible to top the performance of the 40th anniversary edition. That team put up not only the greatest regular season performance in franchise history, but arguably one of the best regular seasons of any team anywhere. Don’t believe us? Well, it’s [...]

Back by popular demand, PITB presents Part II of The Canucks and the Zombie Apocalypse, a completely ridiculous piece of horror fiction.

These final 11 goals of Daniel’s regular season are some of his prettiest, showcasing his accurate shot and knack for finding open ice to use it. While many of his other goals featured simple tap-ins after pretty passing plays, these goals show a lot more of Daniel’s skill with the puck and are a great reminder why he won the Ted Lindsay Award as voted by his peers. Many of his peers saw firsthand what he was capable of and many of them were victimized by those capabilities. Sure, there are a couple lucky bounces tossed in, but luck doesn’t happen on its own. These goals demonstrate how hard work creates the opportunities for good fortune to occur.

I have to be exceptionally careful while writing Daniel Sedin’s Every Goal for 2010-11. So many of his goals came off remarkable passing plays that I start to become desensitized to the Wizardous Sedinerie on display. I see yet another cross-ice, three-foot-high saucer pass over the sticks of two defenders and I scoff: “Pfft, he was totally looking at his brother when he made that pass. Wake me up when he does that blindfolded while freeing himself from a straitjacket.” Sometimes I have to slow down and take the time to appreciate each moment of wizardry. I encourage you to do the same: parcel out your viewing throughout the day. Watch each goal a few times, perhaps more if it’s a particularly pretty one. Also, tell someone you care about how much you love them. Never a bad time for that.

The best examples of Wizardous Sedinerie are rarely about the finish, which is usually just a tap-in into an open net. Because of this, many of Daniel’s 41 goals make his job look easy. All he has to do is corral the blind, backhand, spin-o-rama, cross-ice saucer pass from Henrik and direct it at the open 6′ x 4′ cage, but that underplays his contribution. Daniel’s ability to find open ice and anticipate Henrik’s passes is almost as impressive as the passes themselves. The fact that Daniel also makes those types of passes himself (as on display in other iterations of this year’s Every Goal series) is incredible.

Last week was Ryan Kesler Week, as we examined all 41 goals scored by the Canucks’ second-line center. How can we follow up on that? With Daniel Sedin Week, where we examine all 41 goals scored by the Canucks’ first-line left winger.

In case you haven’t heard, Daniel Sedin had a pretty good season in 2010-11. In the previous season, his brother picked up the Art Ross and the Hart trophies in 2009-10 and snidely remarked on-stage at the awards show in Las Vegas that he was better than Daniel. Essentially. Understandably, this set Daniel on edge and he was clearly out for blood. He got it. There was blood all over the ice, spurting from multiple wounds in the goal line, spraying all over opposition goaltenders. Every Canucks game was like an episode of True Blood in which a vampire gets staked.

Daniel led the NHL in scoring, winning the Art Ross trophy and the Ted Lindsay award. He finished 4th in goals scored, with 41, and led the league in powerplay goals with 18. And we’re about to recap every single one of those 41 goals. Here are goals 1-10. Expect wizardry. And blood. Perhaps some blood magic.