Fan In Van

New Year, Same Thoughts

2008 has come and gone and the year of 09 has mercifully arrived. But while Sami Salo is resolving to stay healthy this year and Gary Bettman is resolving to continue being Gary Bettman, I’m still churning out the same thoughts which are carrying over from last year. Here’s what’s been on my mind lately:

• If you didn’t catch the Canada/USA World Juniors game on New Year’s Eve, you missed possibly one of the best games in World Junior hockey history. With Canada down 3-0 early in the game, props go to coach Pat Quinn for settling the boys down and for John Tavares scoring two powerplay goals to put Canada on board.
• Speaking of Tavares, while it’s clear this has certainly been The John Tavares Show the last couple weeks, by no means has he been the single superstar on the Canadian squad. Cody Hodgson is tied with Tavares in points with 12, PK Subban has entrenched himself as a flamboyant scoring blueliner and Zach Boychuk has provided solid scoring depth.
• Despite playing well in his two games with the Canucks, you have to wonder how long the Jason LaBarbera era will last in Vancouver. With Roberto Luongo continuing to skate during practices and Curtis Sanford listed as week-to-week with his groin injury, what will become of LaBarbera in a month when both return to action? Will he be waived and sent to backup Cory Schnieder on the Manitoba Moose?
• My heart goes out to the Whitby Dunlops and the family of Don Sanderson, the rookie defenceman of the AAA team who died yesterday morning of head trauma sustained in an ice hockey fight. For those who don’t know, Sanderson was involved in an on-ice fight where his helmet came off and his head hit the ice. While it’s clear that had he been wearing his helmet he would’ve avoided injury, it was a freak accident. To those who believe fighting should be avoided altogether would not end a problem, but would only create one.
• How much longer do I have to wait to get a Sundin shirt at the Canucks Team Store?