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Stick in Link: Gaunce is good; Wellwood's an angel (investor);

Also, deny a Duchene deal; Sbisa speculation; Canucks could CTRL/ALT/DEL
Will Graham
Stick in Link

It’s time for “Stick in Link”, the feature where we just plug in a bunch of stuff written by others! Featuring a smattering of links from around the Smylosphere and beyond every Tuesday and Thursdayish. Warning: our links are so hyper, they change colour when exposed to heat. (Have something for us to share in the next edition? E-mail us at [email protected] or tweet us @passittobulis. Or tell us some other way. The point is: we'll probably link it if we know about it.)

  • If you're losing patience with Jake Virtanen in Utica, Iain MacIntyre is here to remind you that several years ago you might also have given up on Brendan Gaunce. Yet today, Gaunce looks every bit an NHL player. [The Province]
  • With the trade deadline on the way and Matt Duchene rumoured to be on the block, it's tempting to play the "what if" game. But Alex Hoegler counsels that it's better to turn down a deal from the Colorado Avalanche. I mean, certainly a deal might be reached, but at what cost? Read on to hear Hoegler's logic. [The Canuck Way]
  • Naoko Asano breaks down the disheartening loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, and notes that Vancouver is in a tough spot. Even if they win on Thursday against St. Louis, it might hinder them in the long run. [Sportsnet]
  • Will the Canucks deal their dragon slayer? Alex Burrows is rumoured to be up for auction, and Trevor Connors gives his thoughts on where the gritty winger might end up. (Thought I'm not sure I could watch Burrows in an Oilers or Blackhawks jersey without losing my lunch, to be honest!) [The Hockey Writers]
  • In Jason Botchford's latest edition of The Provies, he talks about how the absence of Bo Horvat from the lineup showed how dead Vancouver's "re-tool" actually is. Also, a lot of talk on Luca Sbisa and a potential conspiracy. [The Province]
  • Salt in the wound. According to Kevin DuPont, Vancouver was seeking permission to talk to Claude Julien before Montreal snapped him off the market. Says volumes about Willie Desjardins' future in Vancouver.

     

     

  • In his always humourous way, Ryan Hank contends that the best course of action for Vancouver is forget about trying to troubleshoot and instead simply hit control, alt and delete to reset this season. [Always90Four]
  • The Canucks have had some good luck with young free agents in the past, so it's no surprise to hear they're interested in QMJHL UFA Zack MacEwen. Ryan Biech takes a look at what the big forward might have to offer. [Canucks Army]
  • The NHL has released a list of the top 20 trade deadline targets around the league. You probably won't be surprised to see a couple of familiar names on that list. [NHL.com]
  • Brendan Gaunce is a lot better than we've assumed. Jeff Godley notes that the team was significantly better with him on the ice than without, and he certainly didn't look out of place playing with Jannik Hansen and Alex Burrows. [The Canuck Way]
  • Kyle Wellwood continues to hold a special place in the hearts of this blog. He is now a man possessed by angel investment, funding the HeadCheck app that aims to help properly identify concussions. [The Vancouver Sun]
  • Corey Hirsch was living the NHL dream, but behind the scenes he was struggling with depression and anxiety. I appreciate seeing the current openness of professional athletes regarding mental illness. I imagine it's still a hard thing to come clean about. Makes me wonder how many other players are silently struggling. [Canucks TV]
  • Let's end this list with a moral victory. Against the Penguins, Vancouver didn't win and they didn't score, but apart from that it was a banner game.