Why do people hate the Canucks?

[Brian Harte 1]

JohnnyCanuck - Save that finger energy. No matter how much you type, the anti-Canucks people will not change their mind.

[Gr8erade 1]

JohnnyCanuck - Save that finger energy. No matter how much you type, the anti-Canucks people will not change their mind.

In his defense, he seems to have rattled off a pretty good list of Canucks who people don't like or respect, which for a Canucks fan to actually admit is refreshing. Too many Canucks fans conveniently ignore just how many players there are on that team whose play "includes a large amount of agititation with little answering of the bell."

As for the Sedin/Keith cheap shots, Sedin can't throw elbows and cheap shots and not expect retaliation, especially if the referees don't take care of these plays when they happen. Keith's response was obviously wrong, but it is understandable. When a guy like Sedin (who professes to play the game the "right way") gets away with a cheap shot, you know Keith was looking to get even. I don't like it. I don't condone it. But I understand it. And so should Daniel Sedin.

Interestingly, I wrote this last night, but on my way to work this morning, Denis Potvin was saying essentially the same thing on the radio. If the Sedins don't want to get hit, they shouldn't hit. If they don't want to take cheap shots, they shouldn't give cheap shots. I know Canucks fans will say that Daniel and Henrik take a lot of shots and just stand there, but I've seen enough of them to notice that they're pretty adept, especially with the sticks, and they aren't quite the innocent wallflowers that they pretend to be. I think that has a lot to do with why other players get frustrated by them. A Sedin will skate by you and take a little hack as you go by (watch them away from the play objectively), but if you stand up to either of them face to face, they just stand there and pretend nothing happened. That's where there reputations come from. They aren't as egregious or flagrant as the Burroughs and the LaPerrieres of their team, but when a good portion of the team plays that way and few of them "answer the bell" that's what fuels the reputation.

P.K. Subban would make a good addition to that team.

[Joshison 1]

I liked when Sedin let Marchand punch him in the face repeatedly. Need to toughen up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEh53OWz0jU

[hockeymass 11]

I liked when Sedin let Marchand punch him in the face repeatedly. Need to toughen up.

I was very surprised that Sedin did literally nothing there. However, I'm not really sure what the appropriate reaction is. If he hits back, he maybe gets called for roughing (which I believe is what Marchand got? don't really remember) If he drops the gloves (lol) Marchand probably obliges and they both get 5.

[Joshison 1]

They gave him a penalty anyway. lol

[Gr8erade 1]

They gave him a penalty anyway. lol

I'm sure there's a lot more going on at ice level than anyone watching on TV knows anything about.

[hunt3rsean 44]

My issue with the Canucks is the obvious player mentions. But really, those guys are just agitators/instigators. Adam Burrish of Dallas does very similar antics and doesn't really answer the bell for them too often. Expect cheap shots from these guys. However, my biggest issue with the Canucks is their front office. I feel the antics of diving and whining are given a pass by the GM/Coach. The way that the Vancouver GM whines and cries wolf about so many things irritates me. And the coach loves to make his cheap shots via his little quips during interviews. Just bugs me.

I do respect a lot of their on ice talent. Bieska, Sedin twins (when playing between whistles), Malhotra, and even Kesler. I think you put Kesler on a different team and you see his little cheap stuff disappear and become an even better player.

And this is coming from a die hard (Chicago born) Blackhawks fan.

Edit: Butchered Malhotra's name.

[hockeymass 11]

My issue with the Canucks is the obvious player mentions. But really, those guys are just agitators/instigators. Adam Burrish of Dallas does very similar antics and doesn't really answer the bell for them too often. Expect cheap shots from these guys. However, my biggest issue with the Canucks is their front office. I feel the antics of diving and whining are given a pass by the GM/Coach. The way that the Vancouver GM whines and cries wolf about so many things irritates me. And the coach loves to make his cheap shots via his little quips during interviews. Just bugs me.

I do respect a lot of their on ice talent. Bieska, Sedin twins (when playing between whistles), Mayholtra, and even Kesler. I think you put Kesler on a different team and you see his little cheap stuff disappear and become an even better player.

And this is coming from a die hard (Chicago born) Blackhawks fan.

I have nothing but respect for Malhotra and I agree with you on Kesler.

I also agree on Gillis. His whining and stupid rule proposals (2 minutes for defensive zone handpass? lolwut?) are irritating.

[hunt3rsean 44]

I have nothing but respect for Malhotra and I agree with you on Kesler.

I also agree on Gillis. His whining and stupid rule proposals (2 minutes for defensive zone handpass? lolwut?) are irritating.

Malhotra has respect all over the league. You can't not like that guy for how hard he works and how he came back from the eye injury. He's a faceoff machine...or was. I haven't followed his percentage this season.

I don't like the hate Kesler receives. I think he's a hardworking, 110% on the ice, great 2-way player. He basically shut down Toews during playoffs last season. And that's tough to do. He's talented and it seems like a good lockerroom guy. Problem is who he plays for. It's a bummer.

A lot of people hate Bieska. I included. but for good reason....he's good at his job. I don't care what anyone says...that guy plays for your team and you're instantly in love with him.

Bottom line...the hate stems from the front office allowing the extreme end of the antics to happen. At times it almost seems like they encourage it and then when they get their own medicine the coach/gm cries and cries and cries about it.

[JohnnyCanuck 0]

I can have a good talk about this because I'm not what we Hockey fans in Vancouver refer to as "Canuck Fan" we are hockey fans who cheer for the Canucks.

Our daily radio phone in shows are dominated by "Canuck Fan" who profess to know everything about the game and call Luongo "Lalongo" or Sedin "Sundin" and don't understand basic concepts of hockey like what a trap is, what a delayed penalty is all about and then sit there and play armchair GM NHL'98 style trading away 5 75's for Alex Ovechkin. ;)

Any fan can (or should be able to) take off the bias-tinted glasses and look objectively at their team and critize it.

I don't like the deal Gillis made to acquire Pahlsson and the deal he made to acquire Kassian for Hodgson. The end result remains to be seen, but I don't like it. Just because I'm a Nucks fan doesn't mean I need to lose all control and grip on reality. Burrows can be dirty, Kesler can be dirty... heck- the Sedin's can be dirty.

I think that "Canucks Fan" has more to do with the general hate for the Canucks-proper than the actual Canucks and front office staff do... imho...

"Canucks Fan" thinks they are the best, all knowing, hockey inventing gifts from God that think the Nucks are the best EVAR (And then profusely make excuses as to why we haven't been able to procure a Stanley Cup for 40 years)

[MattyBoy 1]

Biggest reason I hate them is because anytime its brought up that somebody doesn't like the Canucks 90% of their fans jump up in protest and say "you just don't like them because you're jealous". I'm still trying to figure two things out everytime that absurd argument is brought into the conversation: #1 What exactly is it that I'm jealous of? The fact that the Canucks have never won anything? And #2 why it seems that Canucks fans, moreso than fans of any other team, are so desperate for fans of everyother team to like them.

That plus the overall dickish qualities of more than half their team.

[roadrunner 12]

If you look back at the "Dirtiest Team in the NHL" thread, the same could be said about Bruins fans.

I don't give a crap who doesn't like the team I like.

The reasons of Canucks having "dirty players" makes no sense whatsoever. Every contending team have your so called "dirty players" Claude Lemieux, Esa Tikkanen, Ulf Sammuelson, Scott Stevens, Ken Danyeko, Lucic, Marchand. It's no secret agitators are an essential ingredient to being successful. The fact is when a team is a contender for so long, people start despising them. I felt the same way about the Avs during their stron decade or so, I was just sick of seeing them.

[hockeymass 11]

If you look back at the "Dirtiest Team in the NHL" thread, the same could be said about Bruins fans.

I don't give a crap who doesn't like the team I like.

The reasons of Canucks having "dirty players" makes no sense whatsoever. Every contending team have your so called "dirty players" Claude Lemieux, Esa Tikkanen, Ulf Sammuelson, Scott Stevens, Ken Danyeko, Lucic, Marchand. It's no secret agitators are an essential ingredient to being successful. The fact is when a team is a contender for so long, people start despising them. I felt the same way about the Avs during their stron decade or so, I was just sick of seeing them.

Pretty much case in point, I think. I'm not sick of seeing the Canucks, frankly I haven't seen all that much of them. I didn't have any opinion of them or their fans until the Finals last year. Then I had to listen to a bunch of nonsense about Daddy Campbell and how the SCF was fixed and how Burrows plays a pure game and everyone else is a jerk and Rome was unfairly punished and it just got irritating.

The riots kind of capped it off and just left a bad taste in everyone's mouth about Vancouver.

And if every team had those agitators, then "everyone" wouldn't hate the Canucks. Spearing people in the throat as they head to the bench or slashing sticks out of goalies hands is not something "every" team does.

[roadrunner 12]

Are you kidding me. Spearing is something everyone does, just not caught on tv. I'm not saying its right but many players are guilty. Crosby spears, what was Thomas' lunge into Henrik last SCF? Your telling me, he can lunge at players outside of his crease to deny a player of possession? C'mon man. Alot of crap was let go last SCF both ways. In the same breath, some people are saying that Henrik was a pussy for taking Marchand's face wash and then when they do something on the edge they're criticized. This thread shouldn't exist at all, it makes no sense. Every team has haters. I live in Toronto and the amount of people that despise the Leafs is incredible. The riots were carried out by a bunch of idiots not the Canucks organization. So I guess whenever there are riots for things like the G8 summits we should turn our anger toward that city that is hosting?

Please delete this thread, it's retarded.

[hockeymass 11]

Are you kidding me. Spearing is something everyone does, just not caught on tv. I'm not saying its right but many players are guilty. Crosby spears, what was Thomas' lunge into Henrik last SCF? Your telling me, he can lunge at players outside of his crease to deny a player of possession? C'mon man. Alot of crap was let go last SCF both ways. In the same breath, some people are saying that Henrik was a pussy for taking Marchand's face wash and then when they do something on the edge they're criticized. This thread shouldn't exist at all, it makes no sense. Every team has haters. I live in Toronto and the amount of people that despise the Leafs is incredible. The riots were carried out by a bunch of idiots not the Canucks organization. So I guess whenever there are riots for things like the G8 summits we should turn our anger toward that city that is hosting?

Please delete this thread, it's retarded.

I guess we can agree on one thing, then.

[Chadd 916]

And if every team had those agitators, then "everyone" wouldn't hate the Canucks. Spearing people in the throat as they head to the bench or slashing sticks out of goalies hands is not something "every" team does.

Every team does have agitators, they just think that the ones on their team don't cross the line as much as other teams do.

Please delete this thread, it's retarded.

I get complaints for locking topics and I get complaints if I don't.

[Gr8erade 1]

Please delete this thread, it's retarded.

Try having a discussion without taking it too personally or emotionally. That will keep it on track. People don't like the Canucks. That's a fact. Some of us are trying to explain why we feel that way. It is pretty clear that some of us have actual reasoning behind why they don't like the Canucks. It doesn't make any of us retarded.

I think the point about the GM and the coaching staff being very vocal about "playing the right way" while being very hypocritical considering just how many of the Canucks don't (in the opinion of many) play the "right way" is valid.

A comparison is often made to Boston, and particularly Brad Marchand, as also being dirty. That may or may not be true, but one thing that you don't see the Boston Bruins doing very much of is complaining in the media or lobbying to the NHL about cheap shots or perceived dirty play. Very little was said about the unpenalized shot to the head that has kept Horton out, for instance. Last year in the playoffs, Bergeron took a hit from Claude Giroux that was debatably either late, or just finishing a check (via a shoulder to the head) depending on your perspective and it took him out for several games. I don't recall nearly the discussion about that hit as there was about Halpern running himself into Ference. The Rome hit was debated on the airwaves and the internet, but it wasn't the Bruins who lobbied in the media for the suspension. In fact, they seemed to take the hit as a rallying point and they smoked the Canucks from then on in the series. Last night Marchand got hosed by the officials several times in the game against the Lightning. He took a cross checking penalty that even the NBC announcers scoffed at and he didn't get a penalty shot where he probably should have. The referees called anything coming near Steven Stamkos a penalty. Julien harped at the officials from the bench. But he didn't do it in the media afterwards. That, to me, is a difference between what the Canucks do and the Bruins do.

[roadrunner 12]

When the media scrutinizes every aspect of a teams game it's tough to hide ones feeling and thoughts during that game. That's the way it is in Canada. The percentage of people that care about hockey in Boston is nothing in comparison to Vancouver or other Canadian cities. These guys can't take a piss without the media knowing.

I hate Boston for the exact same reasons, they're cheap shot artists and they talk a up a shit game on and of the ice. Similarly Toews and his comments in last years playoffs were a rallying point for the Nucks.

I do agree that mike gillis is a bit of a jerk. He's a hard nosed gm and I don't agree with him not retiring Pavel Bure's number. But aside from that he has done his job well and built the best teams Vancouver has ever had.

Every team does have agitators, they just think that the ones on their team don't cross the line as much as other teams do.

I get complaints for locking topics and I get complaints if I don't.

Sound like the Canucks, damned if they're not tough enough, damned if they're too tough.

[chippa13 1844]

The percentage of people that care about hockey in Boston is nothing in comparison to Vancouver or other Canadian cities.

And you wonder why people attack your "opinions". You obviously have no idea of the amount of hockey that goes on in the greater Boston area. This thread will shortly digress into a Vancouver/Boston argument and while this post may add to it, some things I just can't let slide. Enjoy your vitriole.

[roadrunner 12]

Hey Listen, whenever there's an attack especially against something Canucks you're the first one to the scene. So people can explicitly express their dislike about a team but then when I say something about your team that's it... Lets drop the bomb on him. This is not personal...I know as much as Boston as others probably know about Vancouver(those that don't live there) most of these judgements come from the media which unfortunately many have not yet learned to critically analyze.

[chippa13 1844]

I wasn't responding to anything about the team, I was responding to the comment about the city and its people.

[Gr8erade 1]

Hey Listen, whenever there's an attack especially against something Canucks you're the first one to the scene. So people can explicitly express their dislike about a team but then when I say something about your team that's it... Lets drop the bomb on him. This is not personal...I know as much as Boston as others probably know about Vancouver(those that don't live there) most of these judgements come from the media which unfortunately many have not yet learned to critically analyze.

Actually, I think he's taking issue with your comment about how you believe people in Boston don't care about hockey compared to Canadian cities. Since you've already admitted to not really knowing anything about it, I'm going to side with Chippa here. The Bruins are an original six team and in a market where the Bruins Stanley Cup parade outdrew any Patriots, Celtics and even Red Sox parade that has occurred in the past 10 years. So I think you're off base on your knowledge of the Boston hockey market.

[roadrunner 12]

I'm getting my info from the NHL attendance statistics. From the early 2000's and onward they have had a poor attendance record. The poorest of the original 6 teams in fact. Having ranked from 16th to 25th in NHL attendance. My buddy being a Bruin fan tells me about their struggles to get people in. It's no secret there are many other sports in the Boston area that people could attend other than hockey. That may be a factor. However same could be said in Chicago but they've had attendance in the top 5 constantly.

By the way, a parade is as much a measure of fanship than the riot was. If the Leafs won the cup in Toronto I would be there just to partake in the Atmosphere.

With that being said, I don't want this to turn into a Canada vs US we care about hockey more than you discussion. That's not what I'm saying. All I'm saying is the Canucks have "celebrity status" in Vancouver and much of Canada especially since they have been one of the better Canadian teams in recent years. Its no secret that the media hounds their every move. Sometimes AV responds sarcastically and people dont get it. Sometimes it's to take the media for a ride and often it gets misinterpreted. And sometimes they tell it like it is.

[Gr8erade 1]

I thought it wasn't the "fans" in Vancouver who rioted. LOL. Because that's what I kept hearing the fans from Vancouver claiming.

But I'll bet it was a lot of fans who went to the parade in Boston.

Stick to the topic. Don't speculate about what the hockey culture is like in Boston. And by the way, I was in Boston for 2 of the games in the finals last year and in Vancouver for Game 7. I've got a pretty good idea of what both cities were like last year, and I wouldn't give Vancouver an edge. If anything, what it seemed to me was that Boston fans were genuinely excited about playing and pumped up for their team and having fun on the ride to the championship. It seemed to me that Vancouver fans exuded a fair bit of arrogance in that they thought they had won before the puck was dropped. That arrogance got even worse after the first two games. I'll bet that had something to do with why it seemed that so many took delight in Vancouver's loss.

[roadrunner 12]

All you Canuck haters are doing is speculating. That's my point. Your info is media driven and biased. Sure the cities are pumped. How many non hockey fans jump on the wagon when their city's team make it to June? No shit they sell Out during the playoffs. Where are these people in September? Many people just wanna join the party. That's fine. But attendance records don't lie.

And this arrogance bs has no foundation unless you refer to a team thinking they're crap even though theyre not. According to the NHL's measuring system,the NHL's best team durin the regular season is measured by points. Unfortunately it's not an accurate measure I agree. But yes the Canucks ha what? 117points last season? So yeah they were the best NHl team last season according to points and many other records that they set. If you call that arrogance, I think it's well deserved. Many find the Hawks to be arrogant as well and why not? They're a fantastic squad.