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 Thursday. 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 passittobulis@gmail.com or tweet us @passittobulis. Or tell us some other way. The point is: we'll probably link it if we know about it.)
- Somewhat overlooked in the Canucks comeback victory over the Carolina Hurricanes was a moment early in the third period, when Jake Virtanen hit Joakim Nordstrom, then shoved his head into the boards after the fact. Virtanen got no penalty and will not receive any supplemental discipline [Puck Daddy]
- Here’s the video of the incident:
- Look, Virtanen, don’t do that. It was a great, effective hit; there was no need to add anything to it. It’s like the epilogue to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; it ruined the whole thing.
- Kerry Fraser certainly seemed to think Virtanen deserved a suspension, if not something more: “This is not a hockey player and should be eliminated.” Personally, I think the death penalty might be a tad harsh. [Kerry Fraser]
Doesn't sound like Ryan Miller will back-up tonight. New Westminster's Matt Hewitt who plays for UBC called up as emergency back-up #Canucks
— Irfaan Gaffar (@sportsnetirf) October 18, 2016
- Ryan Miller appears to have suffered a minor injury and not only won’t be starting against the St. Louis Blues Tuesday night but won’t even be the backup. UBC’s Matt Hewitt has been called up as an emergency backup; could we have a Chris Levesque situation? [CBC]
- John Abbott has more on the Matt Hewitt call-up and other topics of interest heading into the game against the Blues, like Jack Skille taking the place of Jake Virtanen, in one of the best-named features in Vancouver sports: 5-Minute Abbs. [TSN]
- Short-term, Miller is out for an undetermined length of time. Meanwhile, Ryan Biech takes a long-term look at the Canucks’ goaltending situation, from who will be exposed in the expansion draft to whether the Canucks will need a veteran goaltender to backup Jacob Markstrom next year. [Canucks Army]
- Sbisa has been pretty good for the first two games of the Canucks season, so it’s time for an article about how he’s turned his entire career around! He climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in the off-season, so that must be why he is now a competent third-pairing defenceman. [The Province]
- Despite the two wins, Ed Willes still has concerns about the Canucks’ goalscoring and thinks Nikita Tryamkin should play ahead of Philip Larsen. [The Province]
- Janik Beichler has some concerns about the Canucks’ penalty kill, even though it has given up just one goal so far this season. He breaks down the Canucks’ shorthanded issues in detail, pointing out where they have been too aggressive. [The Canuck Way]
- The Canucks are expected to finish last this season, which is great! I mean, the expectation is great, not finishing last. [Vancouver Sun]
- Speaking of last place, here’s a Coldplay parody from Harrison called “In Last Place.” It’s weirdly heartfelt and sad. [Vancouver Sun]
- I somehow missed this news and now I am utterly choked. General Fanager is no more. It was my favourite of the salary cap websites that sprung up when CapGeek shut its doors in the wake of Matthew Wuest’s tragic passing. General Fanager’s founder, Tom Poraszaka, has been hired by the Las Vegas expansion team as a hockey operations analyst. [Sportsnet]
