Canucks: No more baby steps Kesler s back

Transcription

1 Canucks: No more baby steps Kesler s back BY JASON BOTCHFORD, THE PROVINCE FEBRUARY 14, 2013 Ryan Kesler is back. At least, that s what head coach Alain Vigneault promised. Vigneault said he s planning to give Kesler limited minutes against the Dallas Stars. Kesler was coy about it, claiming he didn t know he was playing. Maybe he didn t. It wouldn t be the first time he wasn t on the same page as his coach. Vigneault said he has Kesler in the lineup, on the second line, on the team s first power-play unit, and will need him to pick up the faceoff slack left by Manny Malhotra, who was, well, told to go home. Is that all? Good luck with managing those minutes. Kesler said he wouldn t come back unless he s 100 per cent. So, he must be ready to reprise his role as the team s heart and soul. Right? He doesn t plan to change the way he plays, either. You know, the often daring-but-reckless, gutsybut-risky style that, when he s on, can look like he s driving a stock car and taking turns just a little too fast. It s made him oh-so productive when he s healthy, but oh-so disappointing when he s injured. Quite the quandary. But Kesler said he doesn t see any other way. The way I play is the reason I m successful, Kesler said. I m not one of those guys who is going to get by on their skill alone. I have to be one of the hardest-working guys out there. He s 28 and has already had two hip surgeries, one for his finger, one for his wrist and another to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder in May. He was supposed to be ready in five months after the shoulder surgery, but it s been nine. Things turned complicated after it was concluded he needed wrist surgery in June.

2 I ve learned a lot over the past few years about injury prevention and taking care of my body, Kesler said. Not only on the ice, but off the ice. There are things I can do to help prevent injuries. Kesler will centre the second line between Chris Higgins and Zack Kassian. Vigneault likes the fact Higgins and Kesler have history and everyone likes the way Kassian is playing. I don t want to say he surprised me, but watching him and skating with him for the past few weeks, he has pretty good hands for a big guy, Kesler said. He can skate, move and protects the puck really well. If I do get a chance to play with him, I think we ll fit well together. Kesler s importance shouldn t be lost on anyone. Along with Daniel Sedin, he s the Canucks mostdangerous goal-scorer on the power play. He s the team s best defensive forward, and won the Selke award in And now, with Malhotra on injured reserve without being injured to clear up a roster spot, Kesler just became the team s faceoff specialist. Just look at the Canucks special teams over the first 12 games. The penalty kill is 22nd in the league, and the power play 18th. Even without him in the lineup, the Canucks have speed. But Kesler has an interesting combo, speed and a will to barrel into the net, well-being be damned. That s been missed. But, with all of the great, comes the injuries. And with the injuries comes Kesler s tendency to push back into the lineup too soon, something which plagued him most of last season. His hip was never quite right. This time, he promised, it would be different. We ll see. He did, at least publicly, replace the antsy, itching-to-play guy with Baby Steps Kesler. Ask Baby Steps when he s coming back, and he d act like he had all the time in the world, like he was trolling for trout on a sleepy Sunday afternoon and playing hockey was just an afterthought. I want to play, and get in there and help my teammates but I had to be chill, Kesler said. Maybe on the inside I was feeling a little differently. All along, Kesler may have had this week circled. He gets two games at home, Friday and Sunday, before the Canucks embark on one of their biggest road trips of the season. They play archrival Chicago Tuesday and Detroit, Kesler s hometown, five days later.

3 Obviously, you have a deadline in your head, Kesler said. Is there anything he can t do right now? I probably couldn t squat 1,000 pounds, he said. Maybe 2,000. Vigneault poked some fun at Baby Steps a week ago. On the ice, it doesn t look like baby steps. It looks like leaps and bounds, Vigneault said, chiding his star. There is context here. When last we left Kesler s playing career, Vigneault was adding fuel to a fire that he did not necessarily need to be sparked. Vigneault said Kesler s injury wasn t the reason his production fell at the end of last season and in the playoffs. That didn t go over too well in the Kesler camp. Neither did Vigneault s critique a year ago Kesler needed to use his linemates more. Be interesting to watch the dynamic between these two. Let the good times roll. twitter.com/@botchford Copyright (c) The Provinc Down (in lineup) but not out Versatile forward will likely fall to the fourth line with Kesler back BY TONY GALLAGHER, THE PROVINCE FEBRUARY 15, 2013 You might think the return of Ryan Kesler to the Vancouver Canucks wouldn't be overly good news for Max Lapierre. After all, it likely means Lapierre will fall to the fourth line, given the understandable desire to keep Jordan Schroeder on the speed line with Mason Raymond and Jannik Hansen. But the guy who has been such a key factor in this early success for the Vancouver Canucks says he welcomes Kesler back because of what he brings to the lineup, even if it means Lapierre has to move down the pecking order and perhaps loose some ice time. "It's great to have him back because players like that are special and really give the team a lift," says Lapierre, who has played through a very sore groin much of this early part of the season because the team so desperately needed his ability on the defensive draws on the right side with Kesler

4 ailing. And now with Manny Mal-hotra being yarded from the lineup, the Canucks are looking at trying to win draws on the left side in the defensive zone either with Henrik Sedin pressed into service where no sane team would want to use him long term, or have either Lapierre or Kesler try to win them on their wrong side. "It depends on who you are up against," said Lapierre, when discussing how difficult it is to try to do the best possible job when faced with a draw on the left side. "If you are against a lefty it's a little easier because you can try to win it back through your legs but if it's a righty, he's on his strong side and you're looking to tie him up. It's not easy and I'm not sure what we're going to do." "I'd certainly be willing to take them," says Henrik, who is the only left-handed centre expected to be in the lineup most nights when the team is completely healthy, although Andrew Ebbett is an option. "If it's for 15 or 20 seconds it's fine." That's if things go well of course. If he gets hung up out there and ends up blocking shots and doing the things players in that role have to do, it may be entirely counter-productive, particularly if he were to be dinged by a shot or be worn down also having to play power play and his regular shift. "We'll figure it out some way," seemed to be the optimal answer when players were asked about the problem, the fix clearly being the acquisition of another left-handed centre in a Roberto Luongo deal at some point. "I have to assume we're going to lose the draw anyway," says Cory Schneider of the problems presented by the absence of a left-handed centre you'd prefer to use in that role. "I'm not saying we will, it's just the way I have to play it. And the defence has to react the same way. But I'm sure we'll figure it out here at some point." It's been Lapierre who has been figuring it out so far, and while he'll still make the odd bonehead play, like the shot he took at the open net late in the Minnesota game Tuesday night or the less than brilliant penalty he took in Anaheim that got under coach Alain Vigneault's skin a couple of weeks back, life without him in Kesler's absence is not something you'd want to think about. "Lappy can play more than one position and he's emotional, physical and intense, and when his decisions with the puck are good everything falls into place," said Vigneault Thursday. "He's been able to go from the fourth line to the second line and back again." Named the second most hated player in the league by the fans according to a Sports Illustrated.com poll released last week, Lapierre also came in for additional combing by personalities like Sportsnet's Doug MacLean on Hockeycentral when the former Blue Jackets GM said he wouldn't have the Canucks centre on his team. And he isn't the only hockey executive who shares that opinion.

5 "I heard that and all I could say is that must be from the past, all that stuff they're talking about," said Lapierre."Because this year I've haven't opened my mouth on the ice. I haven't said much to anyone, and that's the way I want to keep it for the rest of the year." If he's able to do just that, zip it and keep on doing what he's been doing, he's likely to have a long and well-appreciated career here, whether or not they hate him everywhere else. Copyright (c) The Province Respected, but forcibly retired Playing days with the Canucks come to an end, despite off-ice eminence BY ED WILLES, THE PROVINCE FEBRUARY 15, 2013 You look at the stats, and the question isn't why the Canucks made their decision on Manny Malhotra - it's what took so long. In nine games this season, Malhotra had yet to record a point, he was minus-three and the Canucks' penalty killing, his métier, was 22nd in the league. Last year wasn't much better: 18 points and minus-11 in 78 games on a Presidents' Trophy winner. Add it all up and the sad and inescapable truth is Malhotra hasn't been the same player since the night of Mar. 16, 2011, when an errant puck crashed into his eye. But this is also an inescapable truth. If ever a player transcended numbers, it's Malholtra. It might be the hoariest of clichés, but his contribution to the Canucks couldn't be measured in points and plusminus, which is why most everyone in the organization felt Thursday's news in the pit of their stomachs. It's why general manager Mike Gillis said this was "The hardest thing I've done on this job," as he announced Malhotra's playing days as a Canuck were over. It's why front-office types Laurence Gilman and Lorne Henning along with most of the Canucks' office staff were in attendance as Gillis spoke. It's why the players lined up to offer testimonials to their teammate. It seems Malholtra, the player, can be replaced. Malholtra, the man? Not so much. "He's one of the best people I've ever played with," said Ryan Kesler, who's not exactly Captain Sensitive, but who was clearly moved by Thursday's announcement. "He's one of those guys who never has a bad day. Every day he comes to the rink he's the most excited guy to come here. He just has this love of life."

6 Almost two years after a freak accident changed the course of Malholtra's career, Gillis made the decision the 32-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., either couldn't or wouldn't make on his own. There was a genuine concern within the organization that Malhotra was compromising his health, that his visual impairment wasn't allowing him to protect himself. Gillis didn't say as much, but there were too many times Malhotra put himself in a vulnerable position on the ice. Out of respect for the veteran, players who had him lined up usually pulled up. But there was a fear that one day the player wouldn't pull up or Malhotra wouldn't be able to react to the speed and violence of the game. "We came to the conclusion for his long-term health and his long-term safety, this was the best thing we could do," Gillis said. Malhotra, predictably, doesn't see it quite that way, and he was conspicuous by his absence at Thursday's presser. That's understandable. He still thinks he can beat this thing, and that determination, that single-mindedness, is just one of the qualities that made him so popular in the Canucks' room. As for the others, just ask his teammates. "It was the things off the ice," says Cory Schneider. "As a young player, I used to ask him all the time, 'Hey Manny, what do I do here? What should I wear there? What do I need to bring to this?' He was the guy you asked. He always seemed to have the right answer." Daniel Sedin talked about the level of respect Malhotra commanded. "And it wasn't just in here," he said. "It was everyone: referees, coaches, other players. He was on a different level. "He's meant a lot to this group. This is really tough for us." You wonder, in fact, how the Canucks' playoff run would have ended in 2011 had Malhotra stayed healthy. To that point he'd been everything the organization had asked for - 30 points, plus-nine, and maybe the best faceoff man in the league - when they signed him to a fat three-year, $7.5 million free-agent deal. He just couldn't get back to that level. Gillis was ready to shut him down at the end of last season, but, out of respect, allowed the veteran to put in a full summer of training and give it another shot this season.

7 The Canucks are now hoping he'll take a job as an organizational consultant - read, unofficial assistant coach - and that would seem to be a good fit because, if ever a player was ready to go into coaching, it's Malhotra But he's not there yet. Gillis kept talking about Malhotra's pride and competitiveness, and you wouldn't expect him to give up that easily. You just hope, when it's all said and done, he's still able to enjoy another good day at the rink. Copyright (c) The Province Canucks' Manny Malhotra s playing days over in Vancouver 'Hardest thing I have done in this job': General manager Mike Gillis says he felt veteran centre was putting himself at risk by playing BY BRAD ZIEMER, VANCOUVER SUN FEBRUARY 14, 2013 VANCOUVER Mike Gillis made up his mind last summer, but wanted to give Manny Malhotra a chance to prove him wrong. And when the veteran centre could not, the Canucks general manager met with Malhotra earlier this week and did what he described Thursday as "the hardest thing I have done in this job." Gillis told Malhotra that his playing days were over in Vancouver. Gillis said he believed Malhotra was putting himself at risk by continuing to play and had never fully recovered from a serious eye injury during a game on March 16, "I came to this decision last year and I wanted to give Manny the opportunity to put his best foot forward, the opportunity to get in great shape," Gillis said Thursday after the Canucks announced that Malhotra was being put on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. "The year before because of the (eye) procedures he was going through he didn t have a chance to train. And he felt strongly that a better opportunity to get into great shape would help him and we wanted to give him that chance. I wanted to give him 10 games to watch and see if there was any discernible change and felt there wasn t and there were certain instances I felt he was extremely vulnerable and I went to him like I said I would if I felt this way." PHOTOS: Manny Malhotra on and off the ice Malhotra only played nine games this season, mainly on Vancouver s fourth line. And while he continued to excel in the faceoff circle, he was never the same player he was before a stray puck cut

8 open his left eye while he skated through the neutral zone during a game against the Colorado Avalanche at Rogers Arena. Neither the Canucks nor Malhotra have ever divulged the exact specifics of the injury. But Malhotra did undergo multiple procedures on the eye and both he and the team have acknowledged that the centre s vision is now impaired. Malhotra did not have a point this season and only two shots on goal. Gillis said he could not say whether Malhotra plans to try to continue his playing career elsewhere next season, but said he hopes he will remain in the Canucks organization. He indicated that Malhotra did not completely agree with the decision. Manny is an extremely proud guy who is very stubborn, Gillis said. A lesser person wouldn t even have come back from what he endured. There were points where I felt he shared my opinion and points where I felt he didn t. I have to make the decision and I wouldn t put anybody in a position (if) I was uncomfortable with their ability to protect themselves, or their ability to function out on the ice and be at a higher risk than normal, particularly in today s game where it is so fast, the players are big... I wasn t prepared to live with that any longer. Malhotra had been absent from practice in recent days. The team had described his absence as a personal issue. He played his final game last Saturday against the Calgary Flames. Gillis said Malhotra, who is in the final year of a three-year contract that pays him $2.5 million a season, will stay with the team for the remainder of the season and perhaps beyond. Malhotra will continue to collect his salary through the end of this season. We haven t exactly fleshed out what the role is going to be but he is a terrific person, he is a great spokesperson, I can t say enough about him as a professional and member of this organization, Gillis said. I have asked him to stay on and we are going to sort through the particulars of that over the next couple of days. He could fill a variety of roles. The 32-year-old Malhotra has played in 864 NHL games and registered 278 points. Gillis met with the team s leadership group earlier this week to tell them what was happening. Just being around him every day, you wouldn t think there was an issue, said goalie Roberto Luongo. That is the type of guy that he is, probably one of the best teammates I have ever had. It s unfortunate.

9 Malhotra trained during the recent NHL lockout at UBC with a group of Canucks that included defenceman Kevin Bieksa. I was with him every day of the lockout and I know he trained hard, Bieksa said. His limitations only he knows, he is not a guy who is ever going to complain about anything. He has got a lot of pride, is a hard worker and has never let anything be an excuse. Only he knows how bad it is. Certainly it s a tough situation. He s a big part of the team and we are going to miss him. Coach Alain Vigneault said he hoped Malhotra would remain close to the team. Ever since the day Manny joined this organization he has been a huge part of our group, not just with what he does on the ice but what he does off the ice and the way he conducts himself with his teammates, with the community, the fans, Vigneault said. He s such a strong individual in all categories. I know that this is a real emotional time for Manny and he is still going to be part of our team. We are going to try to find ways for him to contribute and, hopefully, it will be an easy adjustment for him. Malhotra s roster spot will be filled by centre Ryan Kesler, who is expected to return from injury and play Friday against the Dallas Stars. Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun Canucks pull plug on brave comeback GM Gillis made difficult call that Malhotra was vulnerable to injury in faster, bigger NHL BY BRAD ZIEMER, VANCOUVER SUN FEBRUARY 15, 2013 Mike Gillis made up his mind last summer, but wanted to give Manny Malhotra a chance to prove him wrong. And when the veteran centre could not, the Canucks general manager met with Malhotra earlier this week and did what he described Thursday as "the hardest thing I have done in this job." Gillis told Malhotra that his playing days were over in Vancouver. Gillis said he believed Malhotra was putting himself at risk by continuing to play and had never fully recovered from a serious eye injury during a game on March 16, 2011.

10 "I came to this decision last year and I wanted to give Manny the opportunity to put his best foot forward, the opportunity to get in great shape," Gillis said Thursday after the Canucks announced that Malhotra was being put on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. "The year before because of the (eye) procedures he was going through he didn't have a chance to train. And he felt strongly that a better opportunity to get into great shape would help him and we wanted to give him that chance. I wanted to give him 10 games to watch and see if there was any discernible change and felt there wasn't and there were certain instances I felt he was extremely vulnerable and I went to him like I said I would if I felt this way." Malhotra only played nine games this season, mainly on Vancouver's fourth line. And while he continued to excel in the faceoff circle, he was never the same player he was before a stray puck cut open his left eye while he skated through the neutral zone during a game against the Colorado Avalanche at Rogers Arena. Neither the Canucks nor Malhotra have ever divulge the exact specifics of the injury. But Malhotra did multiple procedures on the eye - and both he and the team have acknowledged that centre's vision is now impaired. Malhotra did not have a point this season and only two shots on goal. Gillis said he could not say whether Malhotra plans to try to continue his playing career elsewhere next season, but said he hopes he will remain in the Canucks' organization. He indicated that Malhotra did not completely agree with the decision. "Manny is an extremely proud guy who is very stubborn," Gillis said. "A lesser person wouldn't even have come back from what he endured. There were points where I felt he shared my opinion and points where I felt he didn't. I have to make the decision and I wouldn't put anybody in a position (if) I was uncomfortable with their ability to protect themselves, or their ability to function out on the ice and be at a higher risk than normal, particularly in today's game where it is so fast, the players are big... I wasn't prepared to live with that any longer." Malhotra had been absent from practice in recent days. The team had described his absence as a personal issue. He played his final game last Saturday against the Calgary Flames. Gillis said Malhotra, who is in the final year of a three-year contract that pays him $2.5 million a season, will stay with the team for the remainder of the season and perhaps beyond. Malhotra will continue to collect his salary through the end of this season.

11 "We haven't exactly fleshed out what the role is going to be but he is a terrific person, he is a great spokesperson, I can't say enough about him as a professional and member of this organization," Gillis said. "I have asked him to stay on and we are going to sort through the particulars of that over the next couple of days. He could fill a variety of roles." The 32-year-old Malhotra has played in 864 NHL games and registered 278 points. Gillis met with the team's leadership group earlier this week to tell them what was happening. "Just being around him every day, you wouldn't think there was an issue," said goalie Roberto Luongo. "That is the type of guy that he is, probably one of the best teammates I have ever had. It's unfortunate." Malhotra trained during the recent NHL lockout at UBC with a group of Canucks that included defenceman Kevin Bieksa. "I was with him every day of the lockout and I know he trained hard," Bieksa said. "His limitations only he knows, he is not a guy who is ever going to complain about anything. He has got a lot of pride, is a hard worker and has never let anything be an excuse. Only he knows how bad it is. Certainly it's a tough situation. He's a big part of the team and we are going to miss him." Coach Alain Vigneault said he hoped Malhotra would remain close to the team. "Ever since the day Manny joined this organization he has been a huge part of our group, not just with what he does on the ice but what he does off the ice and the way he conducts himself with his teammates, with the community, the fans," Vigneault said. "He's such a strong individual in all categories. "I know that this is a real emotional time for Manny and he is still going to be part of our team. We are going to try to find ways for him to contribute and, hopefully, it will be an easy adjustment for him." Malhotra's roster spot will be filled by centre Ryan Kesler, who is expected to return from injury and play Friday against the Dallas Stars. PASS IT TO BULIS Ryan Kesler medically cleared to play, because his timing is impeccable. After the Vancouver Canucks told us that Manny Malhotra's tenure as a Canuck was over, we learn that Kesler is ready to return to the lineup.

12 Kesler's return is so perfectly timed, it makes blogger Daniel Wagner wonder if Mike Gillis knew he would be returning this weekend when he approached Malhotra about going on Injured Reserve. Read more at vancouver-sun.com/passittobulis NEXT GAME Friday vs. Dallas Stars 7 p.m. at Rogers Arena SNET/TEAM 1040 bziemer@vancouversun.com Twitter.com/bradziemer Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun Success of Canucks goaltending platoon subverts any talk of controversy DAVID EBNER VANCOUVER The Globe and Mail Published Thursday, Feb , 8:12 PM EST Last updated Thursday, Feb , 8:13 PM EST In the 1980s, after the New York Islanders had won four consecutive Stanley Cups and then lost their last appearance in the final, to the Edmonton Oilers, a young Kelly Hrudey beat out Rollie Melanson for the job to back up Billy Smith. But the job was hardly one of backup. It was, for several years, a platoon, with the ascendant Hrudey in the crease a few more games each season than the veteran Smith, who was 10 years older and headed to the Hall of Fame. It took Hrudey two more years before he got the true starter s nod in the playoffs. Through it all, as the young man aimed to usurp one of the game s greats, the two were friends. Most nights on the road, they went for dinner. Back at home on Long Island, they played tennis and hung out on off days. Their wives were cordial. It s ultracompetitive, but it s respectful, remembered Hrudey, who later as a veteran in Los Angeles and San Jose saw the roles reversed. I really cherished the friendships. We each wanted the ice time but we weren t going to sacrifice our friendship over it. At the one-quarter mark of this shortened NHL season, the most common headline about the seemingly unusual goaltending situation in Vancouver Cory Schneider and Roberto Luongo, two No. 1s in the words of their coach remains that of goalie controversy. Yet that headline appears ever more incorrect, unless having two of the top goaltenders in the league is controversial. Everyone, including Luongo, expected the starter-turned-backup to have been traded before the puck dropped, but it didn t happen, and now a platoon has emerged, one that has carried the Canucks to an start, by far their best under Alain Vigneault. Friday night, Schneider starts against visiting Dallas, his seventh start of the year. Luongo has six. Both are, among goaltenders with at least six starts, in the NHL s top 10 in save percentage.

13 The situation appeared, to many people, untenable in January. But like Smith and Hrudey, there is a strong friendship between Luongo and Schneider, united by a tremendous work ethic, personalities that mesh well, and lifelong membership in the goalie fraternity. Luongo had girded himself for this situation, and by the time the lockout ended, he had told Vancouver general manager Mike Gillis that he was ready to remain a Canuck as long as it took read: trade all the way through the end of the season. Humour, and winning hockey games, has helped assuage what might have been a harder situation, given that Luongo lost his job last spring in a brutal way, playing well but benched during the playoffs in favour of Schneider. Luongo has handled the loss of his position as the unquestioned starter with grace and hilarity, whether it s on CBC s After Hours last weekend, jestingly calling Scott Oake a milt, or online with his digital alter The jokes on Twitter range from pointing to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick as proving you could never go wrong in going with the youngster over the old vet, to quipping this month, during a run of starts, Being a backup is a lot funner than I anticipated. You don t want to be here moping around, bringing negative energy to the dressing room, that would be a huge distraction for the boys, Luongo said this week. And, you know, for myself, it doesn t really do me any good. You just try to make the most of it, enjoy your time. Goaltenders have negotiated life as a pair from the first games as boys, when they strapped on the pads and donned the mask, even if the roles in the pros are generally, especially in recent years, clear-cut, with an obvious starter and a workable backup. Circumstances like Vancouver are few. Every goaltender has to deal with this from the time he s an atom goaltender to the time he eventually gets to be an NHL goalie, said Darren Pang, who played goal for the Chicago Blackhawks in the late 1980s. You re always dealing with a partner. In his rookie year, Pang was 23, two years younger than Bob Mason, with whom he split the job in net. The two roomed together on the road and remain friends to this day, Pang the talkative one, Mason quieter, cerebral, a dry wit. We had a really good balance, Pang said of making it work, the same things that are making it work for Schneider and Luongo. They can make fun of everything that s going on, Pang said. We see so many selfish athletes that are only worried about themselves. Although this is not an ideal situation because it s not it speaks volumes about these two guys. Schneider, who emerged as a starter and potential star under the tutelage of Luongo, reveals nothing but content and patience, even if he is at 26 still waiting to grasp the role he has worked his whole life to achieve go-to starter in the NHL. And he s leaned on a little humour himself, recently joking about resisting a fashion choice, No Conan O Brien shirts, the redhead netminder said of the talk-show redhead who saw The Tonight Show taken back by veteran host Jay Leno. I guess we re just trying to have a little fun with it, because otherwise it could eat you up, Schneider said this week. I m very comfortable with where I am. I keep going back to it: it s Roberto Luongo, it s not just some other random goalie. As long as we re both here, we re both going to play, and they want us both to play. Hrudey thinks this crucible could forge a stronger goalie, especially since he is, as a starter, a rookie. This is ideal for Cory Schneider, Hrudey said. This is going to be a really good test to prove what he has mentally. It s one thing to be a backup and win some tough games. Now you re No. 1, keeping the job, dealing with the pressure, the press, all the different dynamics. In The Game, Ken Dryden s biography of hockey and goaltending, Dryden s reflections fit the Vancouver story. Dryden s rise in Montreal came at the demise of Vézina Trophy winner Rogie Vachon,

14 who moved on to Los Angeles. Even then, Dryden felt under constant, almost angry pressure to justify his job as No. 1. Being goalie is not like being the first-line centre. In goal, it s different. No one is talking about demoting Henrik Sedin because he has failed to score in the first dozen games. Still, an interesting passage from Dryden notes the advice from his coach, Scotty Bowman, who knew that a championship team needs two goalies capable of winning a Stanley Cup. Dryden remembered his constant rivalry with backup Michel Larocque, and their friendly, if not a bit guarded, relationship. But always the crowd and coaches and management will turn to another faceless man behind the mask. Little by little, Dryden wrote, a newer face takes over at the Forum, once Vachon, once me, once Larocque, soon someone else Kesler returns Friday. Too soon? We ll get back to you on that one February 14, :20 pm Section: The White Towel Ryan Kesler is back. At least, that s what head coach Alain Vigneault promised. Vigneault said he s planning to give Kesler limited minutes against the Dallas Stars. Kesler was coy about it, claiming he didn t know he was playing. Maybe he didn t. It wouldn t be the first time he wasn t on the same page as his coach. Vigneault said he has Kesler in the lineup, on the second line, on the team s first power-play unit, and will need him to pick up the faceoff slack left by Manny Malhotra, who was, well, told to go home. Is that all? Good luck with managing those minutes. Kesler said he wouldn t come back unless he s 100-per-cent. So, he must be ready to reprise his role as the team s heart and soul. Right? He doesn t plan to change the way he plays, either. You know, the often daring-but-reckless, gutsy-but-risky style that, when he s on, can look like he s driving a stock car and taking turns just a little too fast. It s made him oh-so-productive when he s healthy, but oh-so-disappointing when he s injured. Quite the quandary. But Kesler said he doesn t see any other way. The way I play is the reason I m successful, Kesler said. I m not one of those guys who is going to get by on their skill alone. I have to be one of the hardest working guys out there. He s 28 and has already had two hip surgeries, one for his finger, one for his wrist and another to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder in May. He was supposed to be ready in five months after the shoulder surgery, but it s been nine. Things turned complicated after it was concluded he needed wrist surgery in June. I ve learned a lot over the past few years about injury prevention and taking care of my body, Kesler said. Not only on the ice, but off the ice. There are things I can do to help prevent injuries. Kesler will centre the second line between Chris Higgins and Zack Kassian. Vigneualt likes the fact Higgins and Kesler have history and everyone likes the way Kassian is playing. I don t want to say he surprised me, but watching him and skating with him for the past few weeks, he has pretty good hands for a big guy, Kesler said. He can skate, move and protects the puck really well. If I do get a chance to play with him, I think we ll fit well together.

15 Kesler s importance shouldn t be lost on anyone. Along with Daniel Sedin, he s the Canucks most dangerous goal scorer on the power play. He s the team s best defensive forward, and won the Selke award in And now, with Malhotra on injured reserve without being injured to clear up a roster spot, Kesler just became the team s faceoff specialist. Just look at the Canucks special teams over the first 12 games. The penalty kill is 22nd in the league, and the power play 18th. Even without him in the lineup, the Canucks have speed. But Kesler has an interesting combo: speed and a will to barrel into the net, well-being be damned. That s been missed. But, with all of the great stuff comes the injuries. And with the injuries comes Kesler s tendency to push back into the lineup too soon, something that plagued him most of last season. His hip was never quite right. This time, he promised, it would be different. We ll see. He did, at least publicly, replace the antsy, itching-to-play guy with Baby Steps Kesler. Ask Baby Steps when he s coming back, and he d act like he had all the time in the world, like he was trolling for trout on a sleepy Sunday afternoon and playing hockey was just an afterthought. I want to play, and get in there and help my teammates but I had to be chill, Kesler said. Maybe on the inside I was feeling a little differently. All along, Kesler may have had this week circled. He gets two games at home, Friday and Sunday, before the Canucks embark on one of their biggest road trips of the season. They play archrival Chicago Tuesady and Detroit, Kesler s hometown, five days later. Obviously, you have a deadline in your head, Kesler said. Is there anything he can t do right now? I probably couldn t squat 1,000 pounds, Kesler said. Maybe 2,000. Caman, that d squatting a whole team. But wait, he did do that against Nashville in the 2011 playoffs. Vigneault poked some fun at Baby Steps a week ago. On the ice, it doesn t look like baby steps. It looks like leaps and bounds, Vigneault said, chiding his star. There is context here. When last we left Kesler s playing career, Vigenault was adding fuel to a fire that he did not necessarily need to be sparked. Vigneault said Kesler s injury wasn t the reason his production fell at the end of last season and in the playoffs. That didn t go over too well in the Kesler camp. Neither did Vigneault s critique a year ago Kesler needed to use his linemates more. Be interesting to watch the dynamic between these two. Let the good times roll. KESLER CLEARED, COULD RETURN FOR CANUCKS FRIDAY

16 February 14, 2013, 6:30 pm THE CANADIAN PRESS VANCOUVER -- Ryan Kesler no longer has to worry about wearing a grey jersey in practice. After having discarded the grey duds that signal an injured player, he is slated to put on a regular Canucks jersey Friday as Vancouver (8-2-2) hosts the Dallas Stars (7-6-1). Barring an unexpected change, Kesler will play for the first time since the opening round of last spring's playoffs. He spent the off-season and NHL lockout recuperating from shoulder and wrist injuries that bothered him last season and required surgery. "My jersey colour changed, and I felt good out there," said Kesler after a practice Thursday. Kesler wore a blue jersey after instead of the grey one that had warned players not to hit him. The discarding of the grey jersey signalled that he has been cleared for contact. Coach Alain Vigneault confirmed he was also medically cleared to play a game. "There's all indication that he's ready to go," said Vigneault. The Canucks freed up a roster spot for Kesler by placing Manny Malhotra on injured reserve Thursday for the balance of the regular season and playoffs. General manager Mike Gillis said Malhotra has not adapted sufficiently since suffering a career-threatening eye injury in March 2011, and therefore is at risk of a serious injury. Kesler's hiatus was longer than expected. Vigneault noted he was expected to be out five months, but the centre has been sidelined upwards of 10 months. The coach said Kesler looked really good while playing a regular shift and on a power-play unit in practice. Kesler has also been practising at a full-pace after keeping his conditioning level extremely high during his recovery. But Vigneault plans to keep Kesler's ice time at a "reasonable" level. Before his injury he was the most-used forward. Don't expect that to be the case against Dallas, Vigneault warned. "We'll feel the game out (Friday), see how he's doing," said Vigneault. Kesler did not acknowledge that he was going to play. He was just glad to be one of the boys in blue. "It was good having a line out there, and it was good being involved in, really, my first full practice with the team and not being an extra guy out there," he said. Kesler's return helps solidify a second line that has been in a state of shuffle as a result of injuries and the absence of winger David Booth (groin), who continued to wear a grey jersey Thursday as he took part in practice, and his return date is uncertain.

17 Kesler skated between Chris Higgins and Zack Kassian and will likely do the same against the Stars. "(Kesler) and (Higgins), in the past, have played some good hockey together, and I like the way (Kassian) is playing right now," said Vigneault. "That's a big line. It's a line that can bring that physical dimension, plus real good puck pursuit, plus real good speed." Kesler said he is looking forward to playing alongside six-foot-three Kassian in a game. The veteran centre is impressed by the 22-year-old winger's handiwork with the puck and his skating and passing abilities. "He does all those little things well," said Kesler. "If I do get a chance to play with him, I think we'll fit and work well together." Notes: The Stars returned six-foot-seven defenceman Jamie Oleksiakto Texas of the AHL on Thursday after deploying him for six NHL games. Oleksiak's nickname is "Big Rig." Dallas Stars Stars' Brenden Dillon, now 6-foot-3, was once a 5-2 teenager Mike Heika Mike Heika s Thursday column runs through the exploits of Stars Brenden Dillon. Here are some highlights from the piece. You can read the full column here. The 22-year-old was just 5-2 when he was 15 and wasn t drafted into the Western Hockey League because of his small stature. Instead, he had to labor at the lower hockey levels in his native Surrey, British Columbia, before earning a place on the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL at 17. But even then, Dillon was only 5-11 and just a serviceable defenseman who produced marginal points on a decent team. So when his NHL draft year came in 2009, he was again passed up. It was tough, Dillon said as he prepared to return home Friday to face the Vancouver Canucks as a first-pairing defenseman on the Stars. But I just stayed focused and tried to get better. Because of his small size, Dillon worked on his skating and stick-handling. He said he developed a determination and hunger just so he could compete with larger players. I had a chip on my shoulder, and I always wanted to prove myself to people who didn t think I was a player, he said. I just always wanted to get better, no matter what it took physically better, stick skills, whatever it took. Maybe it s one of those things where you just don t realize it until you get through it. But as Dillon worked, his body grew. By the time he was 20, he was 6-3. Now at 22, he weighs 230 pounds. Dallas Morning News LOADED: Dallas Stars With Oleksiak being sent down, the door opens for Philip Larsen MIKE HEIKA The Stars on Thursday returned 20-year-old rookie defenseman Jamie Oleksiak to the AHL, and both coach Glen Gulutzan and GM Joe Nieuwendyk said it does not reflect on his first six games in the NHL, but rather simply allows Oleksiak to continue his growth. We were very happy with how he s played, but we think he got a taste of it, and now he can build on that taste with more minutes in the minors, said Nieuwendyk. We left him with the message: Go work on your game, use what you have learned, and the next time we call you back, we expect you to have moved to an even higher level. Oleksiak averaged 15:40 in time on ice, had one assist and was minus-1 in his six games. He was the AHL Rookie of the Month for January, so he will go back to playing power play and penalty kill with the Texas Stars. We just want him to play big minutes, said Gulutzan. We were not going to play him Friday, so we want him to play.

18 The Stars are down to six defensemen right now, and will play Philip Larsen Friday against the Canucks. Larsen played Tuesday against Edmonton and was paired with Alex Goligoski, so that would seem to be the logical move in his return to the lineup. He s a competitive kid, he s worked hard and he s played hard, so he s going to get an opportunity and we re going to try to stabalize some pairs here, Gulutzan said. Kari Lehtonen is expected to get the start in goal. He has struggled in his career against the Canucks with a record, a 3.69 GAA and an.879 save percentage. He was better last season at 1-2-0, with a 2.79 and a.905. Optional practice today at Pacific Coliseum (where the Canucks used to play before GM Place was built). Jaromir Jagr was on the ice, but most of the veterans were off. Reilly Smith broke a pane of glass behind the goal with a hard shot midway through practice, and the Stars had to move to the other end of the ice. Much hub bub surrounding Vancouver area native Brenden Dillon, as he returns home to play as an NHLer. Teammates were giving him much grief during interviews. Dallas Morning News LOADED: Dallas Stars Heika: In seven years, Brenden Dillon has gone from Ugly Duckling to Ironman By MIKE HEIKA VANCOUVER, British Columbia Someone should make a movie about Stars defenseman Brenden Dillon. Then again, maybe somebody already has. Take the movie Shallow Hal, for example, in which Hal and Mauricio talk about Ugly Duckling Syndrome, where a girl doesn t turn pretty until high school. Then, she ends up with the rare mix of good looks with a nice personality. That s a real find, Mauricio concludes. Well, Dillon could be that real find. The 22-year-old was just 5-2 when he was 15 and wasn t drafted into the Western Hockey League because of his small stature. Instead, he had to labor at the lower hockey levels in his native Surrey, British Columbia, before earning a place on the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL at 17. But even then, Dillon was only 5-11 and just a serviceable defenseman who produced marginal points on a decent team. So when his NHL draft year came in 2009, he was again passed up. It was tough, Dillon said as he prepared to return home Friday to face the Vancouver Canucks as a first-pairing defenseman on the Stars. But I just stayed focused and tried to get better. Because of his small size, Dillon worked on his skating and stick-handling. He said he developed a determination and hunger just so he could compete with larger players. I had a chip on my shoulder, and I always wanted to prove myself to people who didn t think I was a player, he said. I just always wanted to get better, no matter what it took physically better, stick skills, whatever it took. Maybe it s one of those things where you just don t realize it until you get through it. But as Dillon worked, his body grew. By the time he was 20, he was 6-3. Now at 22, he weighs 230 pounds. So all of the work he did back in the day has sort of compounded exponentially. Yes, he s big and physical, but he also can skate and has quick hands. He s worked and worked, and that s just his character, said Stars coach Glen Gulutza, who coached Dillon in Dillon s first AHL season. He had to do everything the hard way, and the honest way, and he has those attributes now. The Stars signed Dillon as a free agent out of junior hockey in 2011, and Dillon said it was the organization s belief in him that made him commit to Dallas. The trio of Les Jackson, Shane Churla and Dennis Holland showed interest early in the process, and that swung the vote for the Stars. That s how Dillon has operated his whole life. He comes from a hard-working family in the suburbs of Vancouver, and he takes pride in his work ethic. He is of Portuguese descent and can converse in three languages (English, French and Portuguese). He has 11 years of piano lessons on the résumé, and he loves to give back to the youth hockey association that helped him on his path. So does that mean he can relate to another movie hero, Tony Stark? Maybe slipping into this new skin is sort of like Ironman putting on his special suit? Dillon laughed at the comparison but then thought about the journey and the transformation from one of the smallest players on the ice to one of the biggest. I think growing up being a smaller guy, you learn to play quicker and use your speed to survive, he said. But then when you add the size and weight, it really does make a difference and adds physicality. It definitely helps, because there are a lot of big guys out there and you have to be able to handle them. So maybe there is a new movie role for Dillon out there somewhere. After all, he has a heck of a story and it s just getting started.

19 I think the greatest thing is he just keeps improving, Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said. You never know how a young guy is going to react, and he clearly is taking a step forward just about every game. We know there are going to be challenges here and there, but you love to see how he learns and reacts and just gets better. That s what I like the most about him. Dallas Morning News LOADED: Dallas Stars As Stars face Vancouver, Jamie Benn faces off against the type player he can become By MIKE HEIKA STARS vs. CANUCKS 9 p.m. Friday, GM Place, FSSW, KTCK-AM (1310) Key Match-up Jamie Benn vs. Ryan Kesler The Stars are hoping to turn Benn into the kind of two-way center who canscore 40 goals and defend the other team s best players. That s kind of what Kesler has become. Kesler returns after off-season repairs on his shoulder and wrist, and it will be interesting to see if he gets the job of shutting down Benn, who has seven points in the last four games. Key stat:.960 That s the career save percentage against the Stars of Vancouver goalie Cory Schnieder, who is expected to get the start in net. Schneider is in his career with a 1.41 goals against average when facing Dallas. Injuries Vancouver: C Ryan Kesler (shoulder, wrist) is expected to return to play. LW David Booth (groin) and C Manny Malhotra (eye) are out. Dallas: LW Ray Whitney (foot) is out. Notable The Stars are coming off a 7-4 loss in Calgary on Wednesday, but are in their last five games Vancouver is coming off a 2-1 win against Minnesota on Tuesday and has won five straight Dallas was against the Canucks last season Kari Lehtonen is expected to start in goal for the Stars. He is in his career against Vancouver with a 3.69 GAA and an.879 save percentage The Stars assigned defenseman Jamie Oleksiak to the AHL Thursday, so Philip Larsen is expected to return to the lineup. Dallas Morning News LOADED: Dallas Stars Heika: Jaromir Jagr has been worth every penny in his contract, but I'm not sure they would want him back By SPORTSDAYDFW.COM Stars beat writer Mike Heika answered questions in a chat on Thursday. Here are some highlights. I know we're only at the quarter mark, but at this point, do you think the Stars would consider re-signing Jagr (if healthy and willing) and letting Ryder walk to allow room for another forward in the top six? I personally wonder if Jagr would sign at this point, and I also wonder if the Stars would commit to that. He has been great so far, and his influence in the room is worth the $4.55 million contract alone. He is detailed, engaged, experienced, smart...really just a joy to be around. But I think he also wants to be on a team that can win in the playoffs, and I'm not sure this is that team yet. This is a transition season for the Stars, and GM Joe and the powers that be would like the playoffs to be a part of the process in transitioning forward. While guys like Brenden Dillon and Cody Eakin need that experience to be better in the future, guys like Jamie Benn and Kari Lehtonen need it too. You don't want to pronounce your team "ready to go'' and then lose in the first round of the playoffs because you have no experience. So they will keep alive the post-season dream and take things day-by-day, and they will make their contract decisions at a later time. Stars appear to be in a difficult place not bad enough for a top (read: elite) pick, not good enough to win it all what's it going to take to get the high-end talent to get the team over the hump and back in the hunt for a Cup? They believe they have found some of that high end talent with good draft picks and smart UFAs like Dillon, Oleksiak, Jamie Benn and Loui Eriksson. It will just take more of the same. New Jersey, Detroit, Nashville, teams like that have found a way to reload without top five draft picks. The Stars hope to do the same. Who are the big FAs for next season? Do you see the Stars going after any of them?