Alain Vigneault hopes to find a new coaching gig in the NHL.
Vigneault was fired by the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. "I am a career coach and it is what I love to do," Vigneault said. He has a 422-288-35-61 record as a coach and will probably enter the 2013-14 campaign as another team's bench boss. The Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche are two possibilities, but other options might present themselves.

Canucks GM Mike Gillis has fired Alain Vigneault "after a thorough review."
Gillis cited the Canucks' lack of playoff success as the primary reason they decided to make a change. Vancouver has been great in the regular season, but endured fast exits from the 2012 and 2013 playoffs. He didn't want to give any hints as to who the next head coach might be, but he did say that the problems went beyond their now former coach. "Everyone will be addressed," Gillis said. This might be an eventful summer for Vancouver.

According to several reports, the Vancouver Canucks have decided to fire head coach Alain Vigneault.
Assistant coaches Rick Bowness and Newell Browne will also been let go. The Canucks were swept in four straight games by the San Jose Sharks in the opening round of the playoffs and GM Mike Gillis vowed there would be changes. Vigneault has as the club's bench boss for seven years, while compiling a regular season record of 313-170-57. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2007 and helped guide Vancouver to back-to-back Presidents' trophies in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

Henrik Sedin's two goals helped Sweden throttle Switzerland 5-1 to win a gold medal in the 2013 IIHF World Championships.
Loui Eriksson, Erik Gustafsson and Simon Hjalmarsson were the other goal scorers. Sweden enjoyed a rare treat in winning in front of its home crowd as the event took place in Stockholm.

Alexander Edler may be dealt in the off-season.
If Edler was to be traded, it would have to happen before July 1 as his no-trade contract goes into effect at that time. The Canucks need help up front and have some nice depth on the blueline so it makes sense that Edler could be the odd man out in Vancouver.

Look for the Vancouver Canucks to buy out the contract of Keith Ballard in the off-season.
The Canucks are up against the cap and should they buy out Ballard and trade Roberto Luongo, they will free up $9.5 million in cap space which will go a long way to signing the seven or eight players they will need next season to fill out their roster. Stay tuned.

Defenseman Frank Corrado could have a bigger role next season for the Vancouver Canucks.
The rookie played in the OHL this past season before playing six games in the NHL for Vancouver at the end of the regular season and the playoffs as the Canucks were impressed enough with his playoff performance to burn a year of his entry level contract. The Canucks will likely buy out the contract of Keith Ballard, giving Corrado a spot in the lineup if he is able to earn it in training camp. Otherwise, expect him to spend some time in the minors honing his craft.

Daniel and Henrik Sedin's play on the power play have propelled Team Sweden into the Gold Medal game at the World Championships.
The Swedes will take on the upstart Swiss team for the Gold. Sweden has scored four times on the power play in the last two games with the Sedin twins in the lineup after going only two for 30 in their first seven games.

Alexander Edler has been suspended by the IIHF for his knee-on-knee hit of Eric Staal.
Edler will be forced to miss the remainder of the 2013 World Championship for his "reckless" and "dangerous" actions. The IIHF Disciplinary Committee can choose to extend Edler's suspension if they wish, which would open the door to him missing part or all of the 2014 Winter Olympics. Meanwhile, Carolina Hurricanes fans just have to hope that Eric Staal's injury isn't as bad as it looked.

David Booth may be candidate for a buyout this off-season.
He has been hampered by injuries since joining the Vancouver Canucks from Florida and carries a $4.25 million cap hit for the next two seasons. Vancouver GM Mike Gillis said there will be changes after the team's troubling end to the 2013 campaign. It wouldn't be surprising if Booth and/or Keith Ballard may be removed from the team's roster.

The Vancouver Province's Jason Botchford thinks that the Canucks' best bet for a "reboot" is trading Alex Edler.
Of course, this is not easy because Edler in January signed a five-year, $30 million deal, and he took less to stay with the team in order to help them bring other players in. But Botchford says Vancouver's defense is a strength, and it has a number of young players ready to play bigger roles. Edler could be a nice chip to acquire some forward help -- and help them get bigger up front. Edler's no-trade clause doesn't start until July, so the Canucks have time to gauge the market, which Botchford thinks would include the Flyers and Ducks.

Dan Hamhuis will play for Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship after Vancouver's first-round exit from the NHL playoffs.
He is expected to arrive Saturday and will increase the club's roster to 23 players, including eight defensemen. Hamhuis notched a goal and an assist in four playoff appearances with the Canucks.

Roberto Luongo doesn't want to spend another season serving as Cory Schneider's backup.
"Who knows what is going to happen," he said. "I think we are all aware of what the situation is. . .my main goal is to be a starter. I want to play and feel like I still have a lot to give. At the end of the day that's what I want, so we'll see what happens." When GM Mike Gillis spoke to the media he said it was "unlikely" that Luongo would be back with the Canucks next season, so it appears as though he will try to grant the veteran goaltender's wish to play elsewhere. For that to happen, Gillis may have to accept less than he was asking for previously.

Christopher Higgins will have an MRI on his right knee now that Vancouver's season is done.
He strained it late in season and it's preventing him from playing for Team USA at the world championship. Higgins missed six games with a knee ailment, but he returned for the final three contests of the regular season and he played in the club's four postseason matches.

Jannik Hansen sustained a sprained shoulder in Game 4's loss to San Jose.
He wasn't able to play in overtime after getting hurt on a hit from Sharks winger Raffi Torres. Hansen didn't have a point in the series after he accounted for 10 goals and 27 points over 47 contests during the regular season.

Cory Schneider's "body" injury was to his groin.
He strained his groin on April 22 against Chicago and wasn't able to return until Game 3 of the playoffs. Schneider's return wasn't enough for the Canucks though, as they were quickly eliminated from the postseason in four straight games by the San Jose Sharks.

Jordan Schroeder may require shoulder surgery.
Vancouver GM Mike Gillis said the 22-year-old forward will get a second opinion before deciding if the procedure is necessary. He notched three goals and nine points in 31 games for the Canucks during the regular season, but wasn't able to play during the playoffs.

GM Mike Gillis said he expects to trade Roberto Luongo over the summer.
Luongo spent the majority of the 2013 season as Cory Schneider's backup, while posting a 9-6-3 record with a .907 save percentage and a 2.56 goals-against average. Due to Schneider's groin injury, Luongo also started two games in the playoffs for the Canucks where he earned similar statistics with a .915 save percentage and a 2.57 GAA. Gillis was unsuccessful in his attempts to move Luongo at the trade deadline and he may have to soften his asking price if he wants to get a deal done.

Vancouver GM Mike Gillis plans to "reset" the organization after a disappointing season.
"From my perspective and this organization, it has been a terrible season for us," said Gillis Thursday after the Canucks were eliminated from the playoffs Tuesday in a first-round sweep. "The macro look at this team is changes have to be made. We need to get different, and we're going to do that. We're going to review everybody. We're going to review everything we do. Changes have to be made, but I'm not going to commit today to what those changes will be." The team's playoff failures over the past two seasons may cost coach Alain Vigneault his job. It also sounds like the team will try to get bigger up front

Alexander Edler cited a lack of discipline from the Vancouver Canucks when talking about what went wrong in the first round.
The San Jose Sharks completed a four-game sweep of the Canucks on Tuesday. "At the end, their power play won them the series," Edler said. "We took too many penalties. Their power play scored a lot of goals, and even when they didn't score they got a lot of momentum from it. And when we did kill them, it still took a lot of energy out of us. They just have really good players on their power play." Vancouver committed 27 minor penalties over four games. To make matters worse, they had an abysmal 70.8 penalty-killing percentage.

Henrik Sedin took exception to the boarding minor that his brother, Daniel Sedin, got in overtime on Tuesday.
"I shouldn't say it right now, but, it's a [expletive] call," Henrik said. That call resulted in the San Jose Sharks series-winning goal. It certainly did look borderline, but it only resulted in the Canucks' elimination because they had put themselves in a situation where any bad break would be fatal.

Alex Burrows scored a goal and added an assist in a losing effort, as the Vancouver Canucks were eliminated in four games thanks to a 4-3 overtime loss on Tuesday.
Secondary scoring was a major issue for the Canucks throughout the season, and the problem was exacerbated in the four-game sweep. Burrows did his best to keep the Canucks alive, but it wasn't enough. Having been eliminated in the first round for the second straight season, expect some changes up front in the Canucks lineup this summer.

The Vancouver Canucks failed to stay alive, falling in the opening round for the second consecutive season after a 4-3 overtime loss on Tuesday night.
Schneider stopped 45 of 49 shots he faced, but was overall shaky in the two starts he made this postseason after returning from a lower body injury. Goaltending dominated the narrative of a rather tumultuous Canucks season. All indications point to an end to the long-running controversy in net this offseason as Roberto Luongo figures to be on the move. Schneider's playoff performance, however, likely isn't completely convincing. GM Mike Gillis along with the rest of the Canucks management have a very interesting summer coming up, after another extremely disappointing campaign.

Jannik Hansen has left tonight's game with an undisclosed injury.
Hansen is not on the bench for the overtime frame. We'll keep you posted if any developments arise.

The Vancouver Canucks announced that Cory Schneider will start Tuesday's do-or-die Game 4.
Down 3-0 in the series, there is no tomorrow for the Canucks unless they win Tuesday night. It's a little surprising coach Alain Vigneault is sticking with Schneider after he was awful in Game 3. Roberto Luongo played very well in Games 1 and 2 and even the Sharks said they were happy Luongo was not in net for Game 3. Regardless of which goalie he picked, Vigneault would be ripped either way. At this point, he just has to get the Canucks on the board in the series and worry about public perception later.

Kevin Bieksa called out San Jose Sharks forwards Joe Thornton and Logan Couture for embellishing penalties.
Whether Bieksa was just trying to deflect attention from Vancouver's 3-0 series deficit or not, the Canucks defender went after the two Sharks hard on Monday. Bieksa called players "so-called Canadians" and said the duo exaggerate to draw penalties. "Couture, you can't go near the guy, he snaps his head back, he flails," Bieksa said Monday. "You touch him after the whistle and he is going to jump off the ice and throw himself into the glass." We'll see if Bieksa's tactic works in Game 4 on Tuesday night.

Roberto Luongo said he's ready to go if he gets the nod in Game 4, with the Canucks facing elimination from the playoffs.
"If I'm called upon, I'll be ready." Luongo said. "If not, Cory will be ready as well. It's his team and whatever happens I will be 100 percent supportive. We just have to make sure when we come to the rink, starting tomorrow, we are 100 percent dedicated to winning the hockey game, doing whatever it takes whether that is taking a punch in the face, blocking a shot with your teeth. If we have 20 guys ready to do that in the next game, I like our chances." Schneider allowed five goals on 28 shots in his first game back Sunday night from his undisclosed injury, but we would assume he gets the start. Stay tuned.

Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault could be facing the possibility of being fired if the Canucks fail to make it out of the first round of the playoffs again.
The Canucks trail San Jose 3-0 in the series following Sunday night's 5-2 loss. Sharks bench boss Todd McLellan was supportive of Vigneault on Monday saying, "Alain is a tremendous coach. Do I think Alain deserves that? By no means. He's an excellent coach and will coach for many years." Vancouver has scored 17 goals in their last 13 playoff games and have lost 11 of them, so despite goaltending being an area of much debate it has not been the team's main concern.

The Vancouver Canucks have burned one year of Frank Corrado's entry level by playing him in his sixth game Sunday.
Apparently playoff games count towards the contract so Corrado will enter his second season next year. Corrado saw some action alongside Alex Edler Sunday. He was a fifth round pick in 2011 and has seemingly come out of no where to make the Canucks lineup in the playoffs. Keep an eye on him next season as he has some offensive flair.

Tom Sestito replace Andrew Ebbett in the Vancouver lineup for Game 3 Sunday.
Sestito played only 5:51 minutes in Game 3. He took a co-incidental minor with Adam Burish in the first period and had a couple of hits.

The San Jose Sharks were happy that Cory Schneider started Game 3.
Schneider played his first game in the playoffs and it was a disaster as he gave up five goals on only 28 shots after returning to action following an undisclosed injury. Despite losing the first two games, Roberto Luongo was outstanding in net, a fact not lost on the Sharks. "We felt Lou was playing great," Sharks captain Joe Thornton said. "We felt we were lucky not to play against Lou, to be honest." It remains to be seen who will start Game 4 for the Canucks but we would be surprised if it wasn't Roberto Luongo.

Alex Burrows scored his first goal of the postseason Sunday, but the Canucks were upended by San Jose by a score of 5-2.
The first goal of the playoffs for the power forward allowed each of the Sedins to record their second assist of the series, however it was far from enough for Vancouver, who also received a late tally from blueliner Dan Hamhuis. The Canucks now find themselves in the unenviable position of trailing their series by a score of 3-0.

With the Canucks in desperate need of a victory, Cory Schneider allowed five goals on 28 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Sharks in Game Three of their opening round playoff series Sunday.
After missing the first two games of the playoffs with an undisclosed ailment, Schneider struggled in his return to the lineup and was removed from the game just over four minutes into the third period. Roberto Luongo came on in relief and blocked all 10 shots he faced. It's unclear which Vancouver goaltender will get the nod in Game Four of the series, but the Canucks will require a miracle regardless.

It's true: Cory Schneider is the Vancouver Canucks' starter in Game 3 against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.
It seemed plausible since he practiced on Sunday, but now it's clear that it is true. The Canucks need to win this badly considering their 2-0 deficit, so there is a lot of pressure on Schneider tonight.

Cory Schneider practiced with the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday, the same day as Game 3 of their series against the San Jose Sharks.
The Canucks' strange situation continues, as this hints that he's that much more likely to be available if Vancouver chooses to start them. It's a really confusing situation as Roberto Luongo has been solid-to-strong while the team dropped the first two games vs. San Jose.

Henrik Sedin said that "no one believes in us" after Game 2.
The Canucks lost both games at home and are heading to San Jose needing to win four of the last five games in order to move on to the next round. "Going into San Jose, there's no pressure (even if) it's a must-win for us," Sedin said. "No one is believing in us, apart from us. That's the way we have to look at it." Sedin has one assist in two games and he needs to pick up his game if the Canucks have any chance to do anything in the post-season.

San Jose coach Todd McLellan said he would not mind a change in goal for the Canucks in Game 3.
Well, this ought to get the folks in Vancouver up in arms. Roberto Luongo has taken over for the injured Cory Schneider and has been great in both games but Schneider, who was unable to even back up Luongo in the first two games, made the trip to San Jose, feeding the rumor mill that he would play in Game 3. "It may be a great thing for us. I think Luongo's been tremendous," McLellan said. "If they want to take that quality of a goaltender out of the lineup and go to the other one, we'll take our chances with that as well." Stay tuned.

Roberto Luongo had nothing but praise for San Jose Sharks' Brent Burns after Vancouver suffered a 3-2 overtime loss on Friday.
Burns set up Raffi Torres on the deciding goal in that contests. "Burns did an unbelievable play. He was holding it and faking it," Luongo said. "I was trying to stay patient with him, and he ended up feeding it across for a one-timer that Raffi put upstairs. It was a good goal by them." Cory Schneider entered this season with the expectation that he would replace Roberto Luongo as the team's starting goaltender. That largely happened despite the fact that Vancouver wasn't able to trade Luongo. Now Schneider is dealing with an undisclosed injury, Luongo has been filling in. Luongo has a 2.91 GAA and .902 save percentage and the Canucks are down in the series 2-0.

The Vancouver Canucks' goaltending situation is getting curiouser and curiouser.
Cory Schneider, perceived generally as the team's first-string goalie most of the season, has not played at all during Vancouver's first-round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks. Roberto Luongo has played both games even though Schneider said he was physically fit to play earlier this week. But in the Canucks' 3-2 overtime loss Friday, Schneider wasn't even dressed as a backup. The Canucks trail the Sharks 2-0 in the series and there are those who'd suggest that, despite Luongo's decent performances, Schneider is a no-brainer to start in San Jose, just to shake things up if nothing else. Coach Alain Vigneault, however, says nothing of the sort. Schneider hasn't been allowed to talk to the media for three consecutive days. Asked if Schneider would travel with the the team to San Jose, Vigneault replied: "Not sure."

The Vancouver Canucks seemed to be on their way to tying their playoff series 1-1 Friday night against the visiting San Jose Sharks when, with less than a minute in regulation, a giveaway led to a Patrick Marleau goal.
The game was tied 1-1 and then Raffi Torres gave the Sharks a 2-1 win and a 2-0 lead in the series with a goal in overtime. Canucks star Henrik Sedin was beside himself. "We played one of our best games in a while," Henrik said. "It sucks to lose. We should have scored more than two goals. We have to keep throwing everything we can at (San Jose goalie) Antti Niemi. We're going to get our goals. We have to go down there (to San Jose) and steal the first one and we have a series again."

Ryan Kesler scored twice in the third period of a 3-2 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks in Friday's Game 2.
Kesler's first goal was a power-play tally and came less than a minute into the period. He followed it up six minutes later with what looked to be the game-winning goal until the Sharks tied the game in the final minute. Henrik and Daniel Sedin each assisted on Kesler's man-advantage score, but the Canucks now trail 2-0 heading back to San Jose.

Roberto Luongo stopped 26 of 29 shots as the Canucks lost 3-2 in overtime Friday night.
The Canucks had a 2-1 lead heading into the final minute but allowed the Sharks to rally for the second straight game. While it's hard to fault him on the game winner, Luongo will surely catch a lot of flak for not securing the puck on the game-tying goal, which Patrick Marleau batted in after the puck slipped through Luongo's pads. Cory Schneider didn't practice Thursday, but it's hard to imagine Luongo starts Game 3 if Schneider is in any way able to play.

Roberto Luongo lost his third consecutive playoff game (first and possibly last of 2013) as the San Jose Sharks beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-1 in Game 1 on Wednesday.
It was hardly Luongo's fault, although national and local media members probably won't let that stop them from stirring the pot. Luongo was strong through two periods in holding the Sharks to one goal, but was overwhelmed in the third, ultimately stopping 25 out of 28 shots.

Kevin Bieksa was the only Vancouver Canucks player who found the net in a 3-1 loss in Game 1 against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday.
In fact, Bieksa was the only player on the team to register a point, as his tally was unassisted. Interestingly, Bieksa scored the strange goal that eliminated the Sharks the last time the two teams played in the postseason.

Joe Cannata will serve as Vancouver's backup netminder in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against San Jose.
He was called up by the Canucks last week when Cory Schneider was hurt. He will occupy the bench, with Roberto Luongo in goal until Schneider is able to return.

Cory Schneider (undisclosed) isn't ready to return to Vancouver's lineup yet.
Roberto Luongo will start in Wednesday's playoff opener as a result. "Schneids is just not healthy enough right now," said coach Alain Vigneault. "We had an idea Tuesday and we told Louie before he left to be ready. This morning, when we talked to Schneids before practice, it was a pretty easy decision."

Roberto Luongo will be between the pipes for Vancouver Wednesday night when the Canucks host San Jose in Game 1.
The Canucks will go with Luongo to open the 2013 playoffs because Cory Schneider is still dealing with an undisclosed injury. The veteran netminder will be looking to bounce back after he ended the regular season with an embarrassing loss to Edmonton, where he allowed seven goals on 37 shots.

Ryan Kesler feels the Vancouver Canucks are poised for a much better showing in the playoffs this year.
"We're healthier, and to be honest, I don't think we were ready for the grind last year," Kesler said referring to starting the 2012 postseason without the concussed Daniel Sedin. "We know what it takes to get to a final and Game 7 of a final. We're hungry this year, and I can feel the energy in the room. I see how bad guys want it." He generated 13 points in 17 games this season, while dealing with injuries. It's still not clear if he will matched up against Joe Thornton or Logan Couture in Wednesday's series opener versus San Jose, but he feels up for either challenge.

Cory Schneider (undisclosed) says he feels ready to play, but coach Alain Vigneault will make the final call.
Vigneault said after practice he won't make any decision about the starting goalie for Game 1 until Wednesday after he sees how Schneider responds to practice Tuesday. Check back after tomorrow's morning shootaround for hopefully official confirmation of the Canucks' starters.

Vancouver Canucks recall Eddie Lack from AHL Chicago.
Lack underwent season-ending hip surgery in January, which might've thrown a monkey wrench into any plans to trade Roberto Luongo during the season. Lack was recalled along with a host of other Wolves after Chicago missed the AHL playoffs. He obviously won't play and instead will tag along with the Canucks and get a chance to experience the playoff atmosphere.

Vancouver Canucks recall Jim Vandermeer from AHL Chicago.
The 33-year-old Vandermeer is a little different than the rest of the young prospects he was recalled alongside. Vandermeer made the Canucks out of training camp but was waived after watching the first two games from the press box. Vandermeer has two assists and 17 penalty minutes in 21 career NHL playoff games.

Vancouver Canucks recall Alexandre Mallet from AHL Chicago.
Mallet signed his entry-level deal last August and split the 2012-13 season between the Canucks' ECHL and AHL affiliates. He was recalled along with a host of other Wolves after Chicago missed the AHL playoffs. They'll simply tag along with the Canucks and get a chance to experience the playoff atmosphere.

Vancouver Canucks recall Kellan Lain from AHL Chicago.
Lain signed an entry-level deal with the Canucks after completing his junior season at Lake Superior State University this year. He didn't register a point in 13 games with Chicago. Lain was recalled along with a host of other Wolves after Chicago missed the AHL playoffs. They'll simply tag along with the Canucks and get a chance to experience the playoff atmosphere.

Vancouver Canucks recall Darren Archibald from AHL Chicago.
Archibald had 12 goals and 22 points in 55 games with the Wolves this season. He was recalled along with a host of other Wolves after Chicago missed the AHL playoffs. They'll simply tag along with the Canucks and get a chance to experience the playoff atmosphere.

Vancouver Canucks recall Nicklas Jensen from AHL Chicago.
Jensen was sent down to Chicago just four days after making his NHL debut April 1. He was recalled along with a host of other Wolves after Chicago missed the AHL playoffs. They'll simply tag along with the Canucks and get a chance to experience the playoff atmosphere.

Vancouver Canucks recall Jordan Schroeder from AHL Chicago.
Schroeder has been up and down between the Canucks and the Wolves all season. He was recalled along with a host of other Wolves after Chicago missed the AHL playoffs. They'll simply tag along with the Canucks and get a chance to experience the playoff atmosphere.

Vancouver Canucks sign Alexandre Grenier to entry-level contract.
Grenier played 25 games with EC Red Bull Salzburg of the Austrian League before playing 37 games for the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL and four games for the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Grenier was the Canucks' third-round pick in 2011.

Vancouver Canaucks coach Alain Vigneault said he might wait to reveal Cory Schneider's (undisclosed) status for Game 1 until Wednesday.
It must be the playoffs. Coaches are normally cagey about injuries and goalies during the regular season, but it gets ratcheted up 150 percent in the postseason. Schneider practiced Monday for the first time since being hurt April 22, which is a pretty good sign. If Schneider can't play, Roberto Luongo will start Game 1.

Cory Schneider practiced Monday for the first time since suffering an undisclosed injury on April 22 against Chicago.
His return to the ice has him probable to start Wednesday in Game 1 against the visiting San Jose Sharks. If he can't play then Roberto Luongo will get the nod in his place.

Kevin Bieksa has been named the Vancouver Canucks nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy.
The award is given to the NHL player for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Bieksa organized a charity game during the lockout that raised $200,000 and has volunteered for mindcheck.ca, a mental health website dedicated to his buddy Rick Rypien who had serious mental health issues that led to suicide in 2011. "I don't think you do stuff like that for the acknowledgment or credit or notoriety," Bieksa said. "It's just the way I was raised. The way this team is shaped, we do a lot of community work, I think, more so than a lot of other teams around the league. We take a lot of pride in it and we enjoy doing it. NHL season or not, we still felt like we wanted to contribute and do what we could to help. And that's what we did."

Cory Schneider is expected to be ready to start Game 1 of the playoffs when the Canucks take on San Jose.
Schneider missed Vancouver's final two regular season games with what coach Alain Vigneault referred to as a "body injury", but the time off seems to have been precautionary, as the Canucks netminder will be ready to go for the postseason.

Derek Roy scored a goal in Vancouver's 7-2 blowout loss to the Oilers Saturday night.
It was his sixth point in 12 games since joining the Canucks. He might be worth a look in deep playoff pools if you believe the Canucks could go far this post-season.

Roberto Luongo allowed seven goals on 37 shots, including six in the third period, as the Oilers pounced on a distracted Canucks team in the regular season finale.
Nightmare or blessing? Perhaps the loss will wake the Canucks up ahead of their playoff opener, but for Luongo, the loss confirms he'll only see post-season action in the case of an injury or major struggling from Vancouver's starting goalie Cory Schneider.

Kevin Bieksa returned to action on Saturday April 27.

The Vancouver Canucks will rest their No. 1 goaltender, Cory Schneider, for their regular-season finale today against the Oilers in Edmonton, meaning Roberto Luongo will get the start.
Luongo isn`t likely to see much action when the playoffs begin next week.

Defenseman Kevin Bieksa, who has missed five games because of a lower-body injury, will be back in the Vancouver lineup today when the Canucks wrap up their regular season with a game against the Edmonton Oilers.
"Even though I didn't talk to Kevin after today's (yesterday`s) practice, he looked good and, if I was a betting man, I would say he would probably be coming into the lineup," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said. "I think health-wise, he's fine. He's had some good practices so his best thing is probably to play."

Keith Ballard (back) returned to the Canucks' lineup on Thursday.
Ballard was originally expected to miss that contest. He had no points and a neutral rating in 10:20 minutes of ice time.

Roberto Luongo made 27 saves in the Canucks 3-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Luongo has been great when called upon and the Canucks may need to call on him in the playoffs. He is one of the best goalies in the NHL still, but unfortunately for him, Cory Schneider has been even better. He isn't likely to see much action once the playoffs begin so he isn't worth drafting unless Schneider's injury gets worst.

Keith Ballard returned to action on Thursday April 25.

Jason Garrison scored his eighth goal of the season in the Canucks 3-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Garrison has had a rough season until April. In Garrison's first 35 games, he had eight points, but in the past 12 games he has matched that. Garrison is capable of decent production thanks to his point shot but there are more talented options to consider come playoff time. If you're in a draft format in your playoff pools, then he is someone to keep your eye on.

Kevin Bieksa (lower body) expects to be ready for Vancouver's playoff opener next week.
Thursday's contest will be the fifth straight game he has missed. He hasn't been ruled out yet for Saturday's contest, but it doesn't sound like he'll play in Edmonton.

Cory Schneider has a "body injury," according to coach Alain Vigneault.
The good news is that Schneider's mysterious injury isn't believed to be serious. It will prevent him from playing in Vancouver's last two regular-season matches, but GM Mike Gillis mentioned that Schneider could have played Thursday if the game meant something. It sounds like he'll be ready to go in the playoffs and until he's ready Roberto Luongo will play in his place.

Roberto Luongo said he will play Saturday's game in Edmonton in addition to the start will get at home versus Anaheim on Thursday night.
Cory Schneider has a "body injury," according to coach Alain Vigneault, but the ailment doesn't appear to be anything serious. Luongo will play the last two regular-season games of the year and Schneider may be ready to go when the playoffs begin.

Kevin Bieksa (lower body) skated with the team on Wednesday, but he is still day-to-day.
The defenseman skated for 35 minutes before leaving early. He hasn't played since April 15. While Bieksa won't play Thursday, Canucks coach Alain Vigneault said he is "getting close" to returning.

Keith Ballard (back) won't play Thursday and is still considered day-to-day.
Ballard felt stiffness in his back after a fight on April 20. The blueliner has two assists on the season.

Roberto Luongo will start for Vancouver on Thursday night when the Canucks host Anaheim.
It may be Luongo's final home game with the Canucks if he's traded or bought out by the team this summer. Cory Schneider, who will sit Thursday due to an undisclosed injury, is projected to carry the load for Vancouver during the playoffs.

Joe Cannata has been called up by Vancouver.
He will serve as the Canucks' backup keeper Thursday night with starter Cory Schneider sidelined with an undisclosed injury.

Cory Schneider will sit out Thursday's regular-season home finale due to an undisclosed injury.
Roberto Luongo is expected to start against the Ducks in his place with Joe Cannata as his backup. Schneider is listed as day-to-day. It doesn't appear as though the ailment is anything to worry about, but we'll let you know if that changes.

Roberto Luongo, the former Vancouver captain/all-star who lost his job as the Canucks' starting goaltender to Cory Schneider, says the latter is flawless in net.
"He doesn't have any flaws," said Luongo. "There is not one way I can see that teams can find a way to beat him. He's probably one of the best technical goalies in the league. If you're going to beat him, you're going to need a lucky bounce."

Although Vancouver associate coach Rick Bowness wouldn't say on Tuesday who will start in goal on Thursday against Anaheim in the Canucks' final home game of the season, it's assumed that Cory Schneider will get his fifth straight start and also carry on for the last regular season game in Edmonton on Saturday to be primed for the playoffs next week.
But Luongo - who last played April 15 - claimed it doesn't bother him that he could potentially have played his last game of this season. "It doesn't matter either way," said Luongo, the only goalie and one of just eight players at practice Tuesday. "I'm here right now and there's still a lot of hockey left to be played. Personally, I don't see it that way. I'm not really thinking about that. My focus and the team's focus is playing those last two games and winning and heading into the playoffs on the right note. It's a long haul. Things happen so you never know what the future holds."

Keith Ballard (back strain) hopes to practice with the team this week and is aiming to return Saturday night.
Ballard injured his back Saturday and missed Monday's game. The Canucks would likely prefer Ballard's healthy for the playoffs, so we're guessing they'll be as cautious as possible the rest of this week. Stay tuned.

Dale Weise was a healthy scratch Monday.
Weise was replaced in the lineup by Tom Sestito. Just an FYI.

Frank Corrado had a great debut for the Vancouver Canucks Monday.
The defenseman crushed the Blackhawks Marcus Kruger early on and was the third star of the game although he did not have a point. "It wasn't too bad, a little bit of nerves," said Corrado. "It wasn't crazy. It's something you work really hard for so you kind of register that it's something that you really want. You have to have confidence in yourself to play the game and teammates that help you out and they made my life at lot simpler out there. It's a day I'll never forget and it's a dream come true."

Christopher Higgins returned to action on Monday April 22.

Cory Schneider made 24 saves in the Canucks 3-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
He once again showed why he is one of the favorites to win the Vezina trophy this season, with a 2.11 GAA and 0.927 save percentage. You should always have him dressed, as there is no safer bet to produce in the goalie position as Schneider.

Daniel Sedin scored his 12th goal of the season and added an assists in the Canucks 3-1 win over Chicago Blackhawks.
Daniel has been very inconsistent in the goal scoring department for the first time since 2005-06. He is always a threat to score while paired with twin brother Henrik Sedin so make sure you keep him in your line up.

Frank Corrado has been called up by the Vancouver Canucks.
Corrado had 45 points and 89 penalty minutes in 69 OHL games this season. He also has two assists in three contests with the AHL Chicago Wolves. The 20-year-old blueliner was taken by Vancouver in the fifth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Christopher Higgins could return to the lineup Monday after missing six games with a knee injury.
If Higgins does draw back into the lineup, he'll line up on the third line with Jannik Hansen and Derek Roy. The Canucks will have lots of firepower heading into the playoffs if all hands on deck are healthy and should not be overlooked in playoff pools.

Keith Ballard suffered a back strain in the third period Saturday.
Ballard is hoping to play on Monday but that is no sure thing. Stay tuned.

The Vancouver Canucks are expected to recall defenseman Frank Corrado as the Chicago Wolves of the AHL were eliminated on the weekend.
Corrado played for the Wolves after his OHL career ended with the Kitchener Rangers as he had a goal and 17 assists in 28 regular season games and one goal and an assist in 10 playoff games. He is small but is a surprisingly good blueliner after being drafted at the end of the fifth round, 150th overall, in the 2011 Draft. The Canucks are hurting with Chris Tanev and Kevin Bieksa currently out of action.

Kevin Bieksa missed his third straight game for the Canucks in Saturday's 2-1 win over the Red Wings.
Bieksa is dealing with a lower body ailment, but coach Alain Vigneault is unwilling to divulge any further information, making it difficult to estimate his return. We suggest reserving him until we hear positive news on his condition.

Cory Schneider made 21 third period saves and stopped all three Red Wings in the shootout to earn a hard fought 2-1 win on Saturday night.
The Canucks starting netminder rebounded from a terrible start in Dallas Thursday night where he allowed five goals. He made 33 saves throughout regulation and OT on Saturday and helped the Canucks secure a berth in the post season.

Maxim Lapierre scored the lone goal in the shootout to lift the Canucks to a 2-1 win over the Red Wings Saturday night and punch their ticket to the playoffs.
Lapierre scored in the third round after slowly approaching the goal, making a a few nifty dekes and roofing a backhander high blocker side on Jimmy Howard.

Cory Schneider is expected to get the nod on Saturday.
Schneider will be looking to snap his three-game losing streak. He has a 2.13 GAA and .928 save percentage in seven April starts.

Derek Roy scored the lone Vancouver goal in a 5-1 loss to the Stars on Thursday.
Roy has only recorded four points in eight games with the Canucks, but a recent move to the wing alongside Ryan Kesler may have jumpstarted. This goal against his former team was the only one registered by Vancouver on this night.

Cory Schneider allowed five goals on 30 shots Thursday as the Canucks were blasted by Dallas by a score of 5-1.
It was an off night for the Vancouver net minder and although Roberto Luongo will get another few starts before the end of the season, it's Schneider who will get the nod once the playoffs kick off.

Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault doesn't expect Chris Tanev to be available at the start of the playoffs.
Tanev is out indefinitely with a foot/ankle injury.

Christopher Higgins (knee) has resume skating.
He might be ready to play in the first round of the playoffs. He has been sidelined since April 8 with a knee injury, but it's starting to look like he won't play before the end of the regular season.

Kevin Bieksa's lower-body injury apparently isn't to his groin.
Coach Alain Vigneault said this morning, "I swear on my daughters" it's not a recurrence of a groin injury that has given Bieksa some problems this campaign. He did not travel with the team for Thursday's game at Dallas and he hasn't played since April 15th.

Derek Joslin has been called up from the minors.
He has split the 2012-13 season between the AHL's Chicago Wolves and Worcester Sharks. Joslin has four goals, 16 points and 47 penalty minutes in 66 minor-league contests this year.