CALGARY — Near the end of the Vancouver Canucks' practice here Friday, Daniel and Henrik Sedin quietly explained to Byron Bitz how the National Hockey League's top-ranked power play operates and what it would require from the winger. Bitz has had innumerable conversations about hockey over the last two years...
A week ago, Bitz was in the minors. A month before that, he was unsure if his pro career could really be restarted. And come Saturday, against the Calgary Flames (7 p.m., CBC, Team 1040), Bitz will skate again on the top line beside the Sedins as the Canucks try to sweep a four-game road trip. http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Canucks+liking+Bitz+fits+with+Sedins/6135962/story.html#ixzz1m5ejUQLu
Shacks' Take: Bitz-o-mania is alive and kicking in Vancouver after Byron Bitz's impressive three game debut. Before Canuck fans get too excited about the new kid on the block, I would like to throw a few names at them: Jason King, Steve Kariya and Jeff Cowan. All of these players looked like they were ready to make huge contributions after their first few games only to have reality set in and their actual talent show through.
I'm no seer, but I've seen this scenario play out enough times to know a bigger sample size than three games is required before we crown Bitz as the third Sedin and the answer to the toughness mix in the top 6 forwards. This is a great story and if Bitz proves capable of being a bona-fide NHLer, his 6'5" frame will help the Canucks no matter if he's on the first line or the fourth but I think Canuck fans need to wait at least a few more games before they hang his banner out front of Rogers Arena.
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