We're that much closer to game one of the Stanley Cup playoffs Canucks and Nashville Predators you'll hear it all on Sportsnet 650 across the Sportsnet radio network. Let's bring in our next guest. You will be joining us for pre game on every Canucks game day during the postseason certainly here in this first round. It is Yannick Hanson, our Friday analyst. This analyst brought to you by the Magnuson Auto Group, Metro Ford Port Quittlem and Magnuson Ford in Abbotsford on both sides of the Fraser to serve you. Yannick, how are you? Thanks for this. I'm good. How are you? And it is always my pleasure. Yeah, we're ready for the playoffs to begin. Last night was had too much of a preseason feel to it, didn't it? Yeah, it was one of those. Almost you got to get out of the way, but then again, I was looking at the standing and there were some to play for. I mean, they could pass three teams if they won that game. So it's not like you were just going to hand it over, if you will. I know you're looking at the conference final or final before you would reap the benefit of that. But I mean, it was still there. But I also understand if anybody has any issues whatsoever, then then you rest and sort of definitely have that feel to it as well. I mean, you could tell the head coach Rick Talkett who all year has been talking about, you know, one game at a time never looking ahead. If you ask him about the next game or the next week, he always brings it back to the same game and his thoughts before the game yesterday were all we care about is getting out of there healthy and getting ready for Nashville. So when when your whole mentality for the final game is all we're caring about is getting out of here healthy on time and preparing for a playoff opponent. What does that kind of tell you about what the mindset was for the game against the Jets? Yeah, I believe we had a game like that, too. Like I said, nothing was on the line. I think Hank and Nanny played 10 seconds or something like that in at one point, something about a game streak that was being kept alive or something like that. It's one of those were. Yeah, it was Henry's Iron Man streak. He kept it. Yeah, it was something like that. I mean, you obviously got to play the game. Again, like I said, you could pass a team, but again, if we're in the conference final, it's going all right at that point anyways. And that's not until you see the benefit of winning that game. That being said, if we look back four weeks from now or six weeks from now and you could have home ice in in round three or four, you might say, I should have gone a little more for this game. But again, like you need to go healthy into round one. You can't look at two, three rounds ahead and then think about the precision and stuff like that. So like I said, if there was anything, I think it was just J.C. a Brock and then a D or two that set out her own it, maybe like if there's any reason for resting and then rest them and then have them ready because you've got a win round one before you see anything else. Anyway, so how do you feel about this matchup in the opening round Canucks and Nashville predators of the possibilities? This was probably the most favorable. They're very top heavy Nashville. They might outside of Colorado. They have the only defense men who might be able to rival or do things that can use does. But they have two or three forwards. And after that, it falls off quite a bit. So this is a team where Vancouver, they have, we have the best defense men. We have the best center. We have the best goaltender. We're better on depth. Nashville is a very well rounded team. They don't excel anywhere and push the limit on Vancouver in terms of we're better in this area than Vancouver. So Vancouver have to go out. They have to play the way they can dictate play. And then Nashville has to go out and go above and beyond in order to win this series. And that is really all you can ask for in a series. Like the other team has to go out and do something exceptional in order to beat you. So the predators were on that incredible run, right? They went 16, 0, and 2. But then their last 10 games of the season, they went 4, 5, and 1. Is there any, any, if you're a Nashville, do you feel like you maybe use your hot streak or do you still feel good about your game even though you've been under 500 the last 10 years? You got in the playoffs and that's what that counts. I mean, I don't know what Vancouver's record is the last 10, 15 games, but that's not something that the scream dominance either. So it's one of those things where it's a new season and forgive and forget anything that's happened in the first 82. It does not matter. Yeah, we got home ice, but you need to win one hockey game right now. And that's really all that matters. So everything you have done up till this point is history. You can't use it. As far like the Canucks for the first time this season, you know, they go into this series is very much the favorite, right? They started the year they were underdogs 50-50 to make the playoffs, even by most that they were optimistic of the team. But nobody expected them to win the Pacific Division now. Expectations have changed and now you go into this series. One of the few heavy favorites of any series. Does that change anything for a team? Does that expectation make things more difficult? We will see if they can play with that. They've kind of been at the grace of all you guys are doing awesome this year and nobody expected this and it's above and beyond. Then season started to progress. Christmas came and went, traded at Lam King closer and then team started adding players. And as soon as you do that, different pressure comes on the guys now because now we're actually wasting assets in order to better ourselves and our position going into the playoffs. So expectation starts to climb right now. Like it would be a huge let down and a big disappointment if you do not get it out of the first round. You traded for Linholm. You traded for Sodorov. You didn't send your UFAs anywhere because you're in the playoff spot. So this is where now you need some success. You need some success on the ice in order to justify how the season progressed and what happened and then what could have happened if you did not go into playoff, if you will. So it's a new playoff experience for most Canucks players who were drafted by this team and the playoff run they were part of was no fans in the building. How different is the emotional swing when you're playing in front of 18,000 fans home and away when things go your way. But also when that nervousness hits in a home crowd when things don't go your way. Yeah, it's night and day. One thing is on the ice. They will have experienced the loudness in the building through the season. So that's just a little more intense because it happened more often that the swings is when you win and you lose a game because that is literally like life and death. You win a game the next morning you wake up, you bounce out of your bed, your skates are fast, your shot is hard, practice is easy. Where when you lose a game it's like the world is coming down on you. You're tired, you're fatigued, the puck isn't feeling great. It's so mental. It's so mental. It's hard to explain and hard to put into words and getting over that hump into a game and then start winning again. You're fighting to get that momentum back and it's very hard to do if you let it slip away. How important is game one? We lost last time the Vancouver saw a series. We lost the series in game one. We beat Calgary at one at home. We're going to win that series two. You have to get it because it puts you in the right position. It means you hold on to your home ice. You're feeling good about yourself. You put so much pressure on the other team because now they almost have to go out to win that game because the percentage of teams winning after losing the first two goes down exponentially. So right away you can put so much pressure on teams where they'll start squeezing their sticks a little bit. If things aren't going their way in the first period halfway through the second, they're already starting to look at booking flights here, there and everywhere. So with the turn rounds going to be pretty quick here for Vancouver. They're playing on Sunday. Their last game was yesterday. So two days between no practice today. They're skating tomorrow. Meanwhile, Nashville's been now off since Monday when they played their last game. Is that an advantage for Nashville and is it a disadvantage for Vancouver? How do you kind of evaluate the rest time Nashville's having and the lack of rest time Vancouver's having? I think it's an advantage for Nashville because I don't know their travel plans obviously but they would have been able to come out here and negate the long travel in a way that when that game one comes around, they're acclimatized. There's no jet like there's no you're not, you're just into the time zones and that stuff. And then when both team flies back to Nashville, they're on the same page. So you kind of lost your ability here to use that first game before they've been landed, gotten into the hotels, practice at Rogers Arena. They will have had practices here as well, got their gear and had their daily days in the hallways and stuff like that. So I'd say that's a pretty big advantage for them. Yeah, they even, they're here now. They got to practice today here in Vancouver. Vancouver had a team day off. I'm sure they had team meetings and those kinds of things. Like what happens in those video sessions, those team meetings ahead of the start of a series is you start to scout the opponent and try to look for advantages. The more time you have it earlier on, we would go through the team and the players, player by player, strength, weakness, tendencies, things that can be exploited, anything on every individual player. And then you start breaking down the game. There are special league teams, face off place, all this stuff. So the more time you have, the more details you kind of go into with it. And sometimes you don't have time for this. And you skip through the minor details, but like I said, if you have the time, you break down teams into very, very, very small pieces. So you know just about anything and everything from, yeah, move, face off, tendency, place, things you're looking for. And it could be whether or not where they line up on the circle in the face off that is okay, this is what's coming now and we're prepared for it. So when you have time to really do a scouting, you can almost read any and every play. And then obviously it comes on the other guys to hide it a little bit more. But like I said, when you have time, you can put yourselves in a, in a big advantage in terms of knowing what's happening before it does. Well, I mean, clearly you were always a cerebral player and you'd like that information and being able to build towards it. We also heard the coach talk about how sometimes it feels some players get too much information and too much information leads to some paralysis but from analysis kind of situation. Is there such a thing as having too much preparation for a series? Yeah, of course it can go overboard. Like from my point of view, I'd like to know obviously the offensive place on face offs and stuff like that where as a winger, okay, what am I looking for? Is it up, back down and in through the middle where I have to kind of a lot brush out to my demon? I have to drag my stick a little bit to make sure I'm helping that inner slot because the puck is probably coming there. When you're aware of this, you can cheat it a little bit and kind of knowing where it is and that is a lot of information because this gets thrown in with all the other stuff. But then again, then I didn't need to take in the information on the power play and stuff like that. I could kind of, okay, I don't need to know what we're doing on our breakouts through that so I can just skip through that and worry about my parts. Obviously, you're still kind of gazing through it but again, there are parts that are a little more in your role and your role and then you get plugged that and the meetings aren't always 20 guys either. It is the specialty teams, the face offs and then the team game as well so it does get broken down so it's not everybody that gets everything. The Predators, they play a high octane transition type of offense. They try to move from the D zone to the offensive zone very quickly. You'll see on their D zone, face offs, the wingers almost blow the zone. Especially if it's a clean win, they'll just try to get the puck up ice as quickly as possible. We know when Yossi's on the ice, he'll jump into the attack as often as he can. How do you defend against that if you're the Canucks? How do you slow down their transition offense? Yeah, you try to turn these ones over because if they blow the zone, it's a great opportunity for you. Again, you know it and then you hope that you can read it and like I said, is this a set play where they're just hammering around the board? You're going to see if you can pinch that off on the far wall and then turn it into offense. Again, you've got to make sure but it's one of those things where you know what happens and then you're prepared for it and then you try to counter it. So in terms of these guys playing their first playoff game, in this type of environment, what would your advice be to players like Elias Peterson, Quinn Hughes, if you're on the same team, when they're getting on the ice for this first type of real playoff game? You want to get the crowd into it? There's no question about that and that's probably easier to go to some of the bigger boys and say go throw a hit and see what happens because it's so easy and a big hit, you can almost get that in the first shift where scoring a goal or scoring opportunities are also a little bit harder to come by but they go out, throw a hit and the crowd will come out and guarantee you that and it is the easiest way to get them with you and then it's like you're skating downhill from there. So get the crowd into it as early as you can. You know, we've seen Quinn Hughes be as good as ever this season. J.T. Miller finished with over 100 points. The biggest question mark on the team for a while now has been Elias Peterson and where's his game going to be? How much is he the key to Vancouver's playoff success? I think, you know, in this series, they should be able to get it done without all their guys clicking at the highest level but, you know, it does feel like you've got to have Peterson going at some point to have things really be realistic for the Vancouver Canucks this year. Yeah, like you talk about their favorites in this match-ups but that end in round two. In round two, I don't see them as favorites and that's where you need everybody. I need everybody above and beyond and if he is not there, then you're a huge deficit. You need him to get him going. It would be nice to have him have a good first round here. Believing in himself, confidence, whatever it is that ain't there because he will become a very big part and I wouldn't classify it as they'll go as far as he'll take him because it's not up to him. But if he isn't going, it's going to stop a lot shorter than if he is. Which player do you think for the Canucks is best suited to have success in the postseason? Yes, JT and obviously Demko. Demko from the goalie will dictate everything. If he stops it, you can win. It's that simple. And again, Quinn will see 30 minutes a night, most likely all the offensive minutes and JT, he just have the style that translates really well. Big physical in your face, offense, defense, any part. So he will also see a ton of ice will most likely see match up as well. So those are the kind of guys you look to and then you need to fill in and then support them. Do you feel like Elijah Lindholm is starting to find his game? I don't know. I'm worried about that. Obviously he's been putting a shutdown role right now. I highly doubt that's why he was traded for. But it's kind of where he fell into. I'm hoping that we will see offense from him too. Because again, he is deeper in the lineup now. And if you can tilt that third line match up your way, like I say, they will get a match up kind of role probably. And again, if you can win that one, that puts you in a very, very good spot. You know, the things about the playoffs too that's so fascinating is kind of the mind games that everybody plays. You see the coaches call out the officials a lot. You see those kind of things happening. Are those things important? We could see Rick talk to be very diplomatic when it comes to the officials. But in the playoffs, every coach, when they get a chance, they love greasing the wheels a little bit. Is that gamesmanship important from the head coaches? Yeah, like I don't know what's like if you yell and scream at a ref every single time you get the caller, does that mean he's going to keep it your way later on? Because he's upset of yelling? Or if you're nice to him all the time, he's going to say, Oh, I don't have to give him one because he's nice to me anyway. The rest, they like again, I would prefer to be on good terms with them. I hate getting called on a think he face off player. You got to throw my center out. Now I have to take a face off and there's no chance I'm winning this. So again, be courteous to those guys and let them do their job. Again, I can't see them calling anything because you do one way or another. That's where I'm always on the be kind to them, be nice to them, chat them because I don't believe the other way works in any way possible. But I've had lots of coaches who have been yelling and screaming and swearing at them. I don't think it had benefited enough. Well, the other question I had on the coaching, Rick talk had mentioned this a couple of days ago that in the regular season, he's not a big believer in over coaching. Like, yeah, you do focus on the matchups and everything a little bit and where you can get take advantage. But it's like 10% of the game. That doubles, he says in the postseason, you've seen it a lot of different ways in the playoffs, coaches that are really good at the in game management, others who, you know, we don't have to get at the 2015 too much, but you know what I'm talking about against Calgary that year with the deployment and everything. How critical is it to take advantage of every opportunity you can as a head coach when it comes to deployment in the playoffs? Yeah, if teams are even the coach that are the coach will all coach the other coach and the team will win. But it's only when teams are that even then they can pull your head. And again, it's the players are obviously on the ice and they got to perform. The systems got to be put into place for them and then they got to execute it. And how well do you get into execute? Do you get into buy-in? Can you get your offensive skill guys to make the right play chip it and chase it instead of trying to do the nice move that might get you an offensive chance? So it's more so that buy-in I'm looking at as to the system and exit the nose because if you can get guys to play your way, the right way, your team will be better for it and the offense will come through from playing the right way. So I say if your coach can get the buy-in that that's more so important than the overcoaching point. Yannick, we'll be talking lots whether it's just one series or even down the line. We look forward to it. Thanks for this. Yeah, my pleasure. Take care. There is Yannick Hanson. Great former Kanuk and our analysts here on Fridays here on Kanuk Central also joins the People Show on Tuesdays and will be along for pregame during this opening round series in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the Vancouver Canucks. Our pregame on Friday set. Be ready or sorry Sunday. Be ready for it. It's five o'clock. Five o'clock. We're a full two hour pregame show on the weekends. So hype for it, man. Five o'clock from Rogers Arena. Super excited for game one, man. I think the crowd is going to be marvelous, especially the first few minutes. It's going to be absolutely insane. And the thing I keep thinking back to is there's an entire generation of fans, Canucks fans now, that have not seen this team in a real playoff game. Like it's nine years ago's a long time and a lot of fans were around, but probably a lot younger back then too. There's an entire generation of fans who have no idea what it's like watching this team play in the postseason. Yeah. And I mean, it's been nearly a decade since the last home game at Rogers Arena in the postseason. We've talked about it a thousand times. What do they go with as far as their entrance song for the playoffs? We'll see it all. I can't wait for it Sunday at Rogers Arena. And I'm planning on running the sun run in the morning as well. Oh damn. So what's tell me you're doing the sun run? I think it starts at nine AM. So I should have a lot of time to get the run in. Okay. I do the 10 K and hopefully a personal best time. Yes. I mean, I believe in you'd reach. And if you see somebody who's the the full kit wanker wearing all out, you vent to skier, then that's me. Hey, you call yourself a wanker. It wasn't me, man. Just full kit wanker, man. That's how it's going to be. You cannot be serious. No, he's serious. You never know you. Yeah. No, never. I've seen. Listen, I'm not going to name names, but I've seen I've last time we got together to play a soccer as a 650 group. Somebody showed up in a full out white cast attire. So it happens to toe. Yes. Oh, yeah. You were there. I know. I know. You were. I know exactly who you're talking about. Yes. But yes, I plan on running the sun run on Sunday morning, personal best time. Maybe get a nap in a little nappy poop after after the sun run and then be rare in the go for five o'clock during the pregame. Well, yeah, because I mean, you're not on the post game show, but like it's all hands on deck. Yeah, like after the game, you're going to be working like we're all doing a little bit extra here for the post season. So even if you don't reach here, reach on the post game show, you still might hear him because of the work he's going to do post game. So we're all going to be super busy. So I think you're going to need that nap at some point. I will the sun run. We're looking forward to it. Five o'clock two hour pregame on the weekend matchups, which will be all on Sundays because everything's booked up on Saturdays for for this series. And it could be could be a lot of fun. We'll see what happens. Come Sunday, but I'll have a full two hour pregame and of course our regular shows and pre games during the week for the lead up to each and every game in the first round your home of the Canucks sports net 650. We got playoff mailbag coming up here on Canucks Central. Your questions for us, you can keep those dialed in 650, 650 on the Dunbar lumber text message inbox. We're trying to hit as many as we possibly can before the end of today's show. Jan Pro, the leaders in commercial cleaning and janitorial. If your workplace demands a clean environment, contact Jan Pro for a free no obligation. Quote visit Jan Pro dot CA. You're listening to Canucks Central.
