Vancouver Canucks: Will they take home the Stanley Cup this time? -NHL Feature
It is not hard seeing that Vancouver fans are desperate for a Stanley Cup championship and for sure, it is time. Being a part of the National Hockey League (NHL) for over 40 years now, the most coveted prize in the hockey world is what they should be putting
up on the trophy stand.
Game-seven of the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Finals, Vancouver was up against the Boston Bruins from the Eastern Conference and with the series basically being decided in favour of the home city, the Canucks were bound to win.
Fans covered the streets of Vancouver after the Canucks lost miserable in the final matchup as Roberto Luongo, their veteran goalie, let them down big time. It was a historical riot which the team avoided at all costs, but will they disappoint the crowds
once again or not?
For one, Vancouver was reigning atop of the Western Conference and had been the first team to clinch a playoff spot. Now, they might be reigning in the North Western Division but it is not as good as being on top of the conference. St. Louis Blues have the
number-one position at the moment and ending there would certainly be devastation for Vancouver’s hopes of making a run for the cup.
What the Canucks have to realise right now is that their players on the team are in their career primes, meaning that if not now, than the question would be than when? With all members healthy and ready-to-go, Vancouver has to work towards grabbing the Stanley
Cup and give it everything they have got.
Not having reached the Stanley Cup finals before, ending off the postseason in the conference finals was enough to boast about, but coming out of a one-game loss from grabbing the championship, the stakes are much higher than ever before.
With players on the club like Henrik and Daniel Sedin, Roberto Luongo, Ryan Kesler, Manny Malhotra and others, Vancouver might not always have the chemistry of such players and a reshuffle could be as soon as this upcoming offseason if they fail to get the
cup.
The players would not be the only ones ready to be sacrificed, but members of the team management like coaches and their general manager could also face the axe for failing to lead the team towards the cup.
When asked about what Vancouver has planned for the playoffs, they insist that they are rather taking it game by game.
"We're not thinking about the playoffs, we're just trying to win games right now," Kevin Bieksa said. "That's our focus."
The issue might not be whether Vancouver can score goals or not, it is rather something about the level of discipline the team actually has during their contests against others since it seems like every player is just contributing on his own rather than
in a group.
Whether or not Vancouver Canucks will manage to get a championship this time around is a question only time can answer. Seeing how they are sleep walking into the playoffs does not send the right signals, especially when it is at crucial time in the regular
season.
Vancouver has to dominate their remaining matchups and show the world that they are headed for a championship and only then will the fans actually praise their work whether they make it out as Stanley Cup winners in the end or not.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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