Willes and Gallagher both think this could be Vigneault’s last stand – think Canucks doomed.

It's hard not to over-react to the play of the Vancouver Canucks lately, given that this team has already shown what it can do when it feels like it.

But when they don't feel like it, and you're trying to make sense of it from the outside, there are very few things you can conclude - other than how this arrangement whereby the division winner is guaranteed a top-three finish isn't working out as well as it has for the NHL in other years.

Many feel that Canucks coach Alain Vigneault, having been with this group seemingly since it was formed, largely steps aside and lets the leadership group do most of the motivating, or in this particular case, give instructions on how to put your feet up while still actually skating.  More…

To understand where the Vancouver Canucks' collective heads are - which is somewhere between Who Cares Ave., and Whatever St., - we take you back to the last minute of Monday night's loss to the Minnesota Wild.

The Canucks, to that point, had barely put up the pretence of an effort but were still in the game, trailing 1-0 due to the efforts of goalie Cory Schneider. With Schneider pulled for an extra attacker, and their stars all on the ice, they poured to the attack - sort of - and established possession in the Wild zone with a chance to salvage something out of a sorry outing.  More…

Shacks’ Take: I’m just going to lump the two Chicken Littles into one take otherwise, I’d just be repeating myself.  I’m kind of sorry Cam Cole was seeing the end of times over hockey brawls today so I could get the ‘Three Brothers of Doom’ in one take. 

If you read the Brothers of Doom, Cole, Gallagher and Willes,
you might start to believe the end of days are nigh

Funny, none of these positive thinkers could see any relationship between the Canucks and the team they’re playing tonight.  Chicago lost 9 straight games in February but are now red hot and have won 4 in a row. 

So a team that’s had recent playoff success gets in a funk in mid-season, realizes they need to win now to prevent a playoff battle, then starts winning.  Hmmm, didn’t I just cover this story from the Boston perspective as well?  Right that was sooooo yesterday.

I realize we all want the Canucks to be great all the time and win every night but that’s just not reality.  The Canucks have ten games left and if they come out of that stretch healthy, the rest is a detail. 

Does Vigneault look worried?

If the Canucks are eliminated in the first round by Phoenix or Colorado then it’s time to question everything, but not a second before. At that point I’ll agree with one thing they’ve said, Alain Vigneault will likely be looking for another job.

In the meantime, we rational Canuck fans can just look to the last two teams to eliminate us from the playoffs (and, oddly enough, the last two cup winners) to see it is possible for a team to play badly and turn it around when their seasons are in jeopardy.

This is why reading Pass it to Bulis or Canucks Army is the way to go, and of course, Shacks On Sports. I’m starting to believe the job of a blogger is to be the rational ying to the irrational yang of the print media. 

I have to say I’m glad to be a blogger, because I’d hate to become the fourth ‘Brother of Doom’.  Maybe MacIntyre or Botchford will apply for the position.