Fan In Van

Forsberg could be a match

As the Vancouver Canucks creep towards 100 man games lost this season due to injury, perhaps it’s fate that general manager Mike Gillis has expressed interest in the oft-injured Peter Forsberg.

I know what’s being said out on the street and on the radio, and it seems like there are more people who think a Peter Forsberg on one foot is a risk the Canucks can ill-afford at this crucial stage for the Canucks with the Olympics (and along with it a crucial road trip) around the corner.

But I don’t care what the pundits say about Peter Forsberg when it comes to his ability to continue playing hockey. Let’s make one thing crystal clear: Forsberg, unquestionably the most dominant Swedish player in hockey history, can still play this game, and at a very elite level.

And Canuck fans, just so we’re all on the same page here: Peter Forsberg is no Mats Sundin. No, with all due respect to the latter (Another sure-fire Hall of Famer), Peter Forsberg accomplished much more than Sundin and most importantly to the ears of Canuck fans, delivered it all when it mattered most. Let’s quickly go through a rundown of what exactly Foppa has accomplished thus far in his NHL career:

1. Two Stanley Cups
2. Hart Trophy
3. Art Ross Trophy
4. 3-time First NHL All-Star
5. Calder trophy winner
6. 2 Olympic Gold medals

And while some of that success can be attributed to the fact that Forsberg played with some incredibly talented players, there’s no denying his statisics of 706 NHL games and 885 career points with a +242 rating. Forsberg was an incredibly physical centre who could dominate his opponent with an envious combination of size and skill. In every sense of the word, the Swedish hero was fearless. He did things at full speed that most NHL players couldn’t do at half speed.

Peter the Great, however, has had a number of injury issues, most specifically in his ailing foot. However, Forsberg is reported to feel healthier than he has in many years, and still has gas left in the tank and a desire to show he can compete in the NHL. And let’s be honest, folks, if Peter Forsberg, even at 50% of his health, can play for the Canucks, he would still have more scoring touch than the majority of players on the roster.

With Pavol Demitra possibly missing the rest of the season due to shoulder injury, Mike Gillis stated that he wasn’t concerned and the gaping hole was an opportunity for players like Mason Raymond to step into a top-six role. And while Raymond has thus far been decent in his recent promotion, he is no Peter Forsberg. The Canucks owe it to their fans to be legitimately interested in the Swedish star, and Canuck fans owe it to the organization’s desire to contend for a Stanley Cup to be interested.

It’s a tantalizing thought to believe that one day Forsberg will line up for a faceoff on the powerplay with his fellow Ornskoldsvik brethren in the Sedin twins. All three are very strong down low and Forsberg would be a bonafide triggerman who would exceed Alex Burrows’ ability to finish. Forsberg at either centre or left wing would anchor a second line with Ryan Kesler and fellow Swede Mikael Samuelsson.

But let’s be honest, folks, the chances of Forsberg donning the green, white, and blue are marginal at best. Forsberg’s loyalties to the Colorado Avalanche stand as the most evident obstacle for the Canucks, as he spurned their offer two years ago to sign with the team he won two Stanley Cups with. And as of today, Forsberg was reported to have as many as NHL scouts from six different clubs in attendance at the Karjala Cup which he competed for with Sweden.

Times and the people who ran the Canucks ten, five, and two years ago have changed. No, this isn’t the same team or organization that Peter Forsberg used to dominate on his own back in his prime. The fact Mike Gillis was able to attract Mats Sundin despite the heavy interest from the New York Rangers serves as a great precedent. If the Canucks can manage to lure Sundin away from other possible suitors, perhaps fans have reason to hope that they can somehow bring Forsberg.

And to refer back to Mike Gillis, his reputation as a former player agent may continue to reward the team. The respect and friendship he commanded with Peter Forsberg’s agent Don Baizley may help sell Forsberg on the idea of coming to Vancouver.

Perhaps most pointedly, Vancouver itself will be hosting the 2010 Olympics in less than 100 days and while the general public outcry from the city is about how much the costs are going to be, the Canucks are able to sell the fact that future players will be able to play in the same arena the Olympics will be held is a carrot worthy of a nibble.

Any kind of Peter Forsberg will be extremely beneficial for the Vancouver Canucks. But I’ll put this out there, peopl: Don’t get your hopes up. Instead, I will leave you to whet your appetite with this highlight video from Forsberg’s prime years: