Written by
The Sports Network
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - As if losing Game 7 of last year's Stanley
Cup Finals on home ice wasn't enough to motivate the Vancouver Canucks, the
rest of the NHL has given the team another incentive to reach the top of
the mountain.
On CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada" on this past Saturday, the results of the
NHLPA's annual player poll were released and the most common answer to one
particular question grabbed headlines.
When asked, "Which team is overrated?" 24 percent of the players named the
Canucks. That percentage is double what is was last year, when Vancouver
garnered 12 percent of the vote in finishing second to the Washington
Capitals.
http://www.playerspoll.ca/results/20112012-results/teams--player-
opinions/which-team-is-overrated
How is that possible?
Last year's poll numbers made sense. After all, the Canucks were stuck in a
cycle of putting together great regular seasons only to bow out in the second
round in all three of their post-lockout playoff appearances. However, one
would think that Vancouver's performance last spring, when it followed up a
Presidents' Trophy-winning season with a Western Conference title, would have
gone a long way toward earning the club respect.
A quick glance at this season's standings reveals the Canucks are close to
running away with the Northwest Division title and are once again in
contention for the best record in the league. The poll results look even more
ridiculous considering Vancouver enters Tuesday's game at Nashville having
gone more than a month since its last regulation loss.
So how is it possible that nearly one-fourth of the league's players are again
so thoroughly unimpressed by the Canucks?
In every sport, there are teams that simply rub people the wrong way and this
current edition of the Canucks certainly fits that profile. Vancouver has
brash, outspoken players like forward Ryan Kesler and goaltender Roberto
Luongo.
The latter player inserted his foot in his mouth during last year's Cup Finals
when he criticized the play of Boston goaltender Tim Thomas after Vancouver
won Game 5. Although the damage was already done, Luongo said over the summer
that he wished he could take back what he said about Thomas, who stopped 73-
of-75 shots over Games 6 and 7 en route to winning the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Then there's the Sedin twins, who have been an easy target since joining the
Vancouver organization as the second and third overall picks of the 1999 NHL
Entry Draft. Daniel and Henrik have been labeled as "soft" players who fail to
rise above the pressure that comes along with the NHL postseason. Even though
the twins put together their best playoff year in 2011 by combining for 42
points in 25 games, the "soft" label stuck thanks to the Sedins compiling just
two goals and three assists during the Cup Finals.
Outside the realm of hockey, the city of Vancouver did not do itself any
favors by rioting following the 4-0 loss to the Bruins in Game 7. Clearly,
that had nothing to do with the organization, but perhaps that ugly display of
civic unrest and the extensive media coverage that followed it has given the
rest of the NHL a case of Canucks-fatigue.
Like it or not, the Canucks are going to be in the playoffs this season and
there is a good shot they're headed for another long postseason run. After
all, no team has won more games over the last two seasons than Vancouver and
the club could be even more dangerous heading into the 2012 playoffs.
The Canucks have never won a Stanley Cup title and obviously a large portion
of the NHL doesn't think the club will change that fact over the next few
months.
In reality, the league should be wary of the Canucks now more than ever. With
Vancouver's relatively easy run to the playoffs this season, there was a
chance that the team would be complacent heading into the postseason. But, if
motivation was an issue for the Canucks before the poll was released, being
deemed "overrated" by a quarter of the league will fix that problem in a
hurry.
The Sports Network