'Nucks IceMan

Written by: Larry “The Nucks IceMan” Johnson

I honestly had this storyline as an article several days ago but just got around to writing it, just in time to be scooped by the Sun’s Ian MacIntyre. Oh well, great minds think alike and since it has been done, I will post it anyways.

Mason Raymond last scored six games ago, has been a (+/-) minus player four out of the last five games, has only scored in two games out of the 14 played to date and looks ineffective. At this rate he would finish with 18 goals, which is a far cry from the numbers Canucks management projected when they signed him to a two year $5.1 million contract.

This looks like the Raymond from a couple of years ago when he flew down the wing, entered into the offensive zone, put on the brakes and gave the puck away. He seems tentative about going to the net, and playing a perimeter game in this league will get you nowhere.

Anyone who has been following the NHL knows that most of the goals are scored from within 10 feet of the goaltender. The exception would be a shot from the point or the high slot. These days with the defensive side of the game shutting down the shooting lanes, it’s essential to get in close, bang away at a rebound or deflect a shot in.

You have to go to the tough areas of the ice and Raymond is not doing that. It’s not that he can’t grind it out down there, because he has shown over the last two play-off seasons that he can play that style of game.

With Ryan Kesler as the centre and Mikael Samuelsson on the other wing, you would think that Raymond would just follow those two and buy in to the concept.

Raymond does have five assists to go along with his three goals for eight points, but usually a goal scorer will have the opposite ratio of goals to assists.

Mikael Samuelsson is another one that has gone cold of lately too. One goal in his last nine games with a total of two scored in 14 games, along with six assists. It’s a wonder that line hasn’t been flip flopped with the Malhotra line, which is at least scoring. Maybe it was too much to expect after Samuelsson’s 30 goal performance last season.

You have to remember, his previous three seasons from 2008-09 to 2006-07 with the Detroit Red Wings, his goal numbers were 19, 11 and 14 respectively. So maybe those numbers will end up being closer to his normal output.

What’s strange about that line is that the centre, Ryan Kesler, is leading in the goal scoring with five. Well not actually, because three of the five have come on the power play, where Kesler is playing with the Sedins. So realistically, that line has seven goals between them in 14 games.

Not quite the output you would be looking for from a second line. If the Canucks are going to be successful, they will need to have three solid lines producing or it will end up like many of the years gone by, when the Sedins have been the only line counted on.

Now you’re going to ask me what about the totals from that line last season. OK, they put up some impressive numbers but I would also add, only Samuelsson produced (8G) in the play-offs and seven of those were against Los Angeles.

Against the Blackhawks, Raymond (2) and Samuelsson (1) were the only ones to score, and that was in the first two games of that series.

As far as the present goes, maybe Coach Vigneault will, once again, have to shake up that line to get it going.

As always, you can also find me at @twitter.com/nucksiceman.com, @slapshot.com and @communities.canada.com/VANCOUVERSUN/blogs/fanattic/default.aspx

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