Saturday, December 11, 2010
#19MarkusNäslund - 16: The Other Side
"He eats a lot of junk food...we sit together in the back of the plane and he eats an unbelievable amount of unhealthy stuff." - Ohlund
#19MarkusNäslund - 9: Emotional Connection
"He is accountable and he doesn't ever deny the facts that his line is not stepping up. He has heart and wears the frustration of the team on his face."
One of the moments that most sticks out to Markus Naslund of his time here was when he broke his leg earlier and came out to receive the Molson Cup Award.
“I remember biting my lip to stop myself from crying.” - Markus Naslund
#19MarkusNäslund - 8: Captain
He had all of the things that good leaders have—empathy for his teammates, a good skill level, a competitive edge that was terrific and a work ethic that was a good example to others.
Friday, December 10, 2010
#19MarkusNäslund - 6: The West Coast Express
"He was so crafty, skated so well and was so smooth," said Canucks defenceman Keith Ballard, who got his WCE baptism in 2005-06, as an NHL rookie in Phoenix. "He could beat you so many different ways. He had a good shot and could skate, but always had his head up and found the open guy.
"If you took a bit of a risk and tried to step up on him to make a play, he would just put the puck by you. And he was so good on the power play on the half wall coming up and rolling up high. I was nervous being out there against those [WCE] guys, they were really something."
#19MarkusNäslund - 5: Todd Bertuzzi
"He started out in Vancouver by hanging out with Donald Brashear and was going nowhere until Naslund befriended him and worked on helping the guy jettison the bad influences in his life. "
#19MarkusNäslund - 4: A Date with the Queen
Yes this deserves it's own post, how many of your favourite players can say they've done this?
A winger by trade, Markus Naslund took to the face-off circle on occasion only for special face-offs as part of his role as team captain. On October 6, 2002, he took a face-off unlike any other. Queen Elizabeth II made an appearance at a pre-season match-up against the visiting San Jose Sharks and she became the first Queen to drop a puck at an NHL game. Naslund was front and centre as the British Monarch took in her first taste of NHL hockey since attending a game as a princess 51 years prior.
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| She looks confused... |
For his part, the Canucks captain followed strict protocol including never turning his back to the Queen and not initiating a handshake or contact with her. Naslund made the evening even more memorable for the Queen by assisting on the Canucks first goal en route to a 3-2 win over the Sharks.
#19MarkusNäslund - 3: Notoriety and Acclaim
He was an NHL coverboy twice:
Canucks defenceman Dan Hamhuis was quickly becoming a mainstay in Nashville when the WCE was rolling. The best compliment paid to Naslund was the manner in which Predators coach Barry Trotz tried to keep a player still learning the ropes from being schooled by the master.
"The years I played against him, I was a young player and the coach tried to keep me away from him," said Hamhuis. "Markus could score from anywhere and was very dynamic. He was fun to watch but a real challenge to play against."
#19MarkusNäslund - 2: Awards and Accomplishments
Markus Näslund, the catalyst that changed the face of the Canucks franchise.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
#19MarkusNäslund - 1: Baby Macke
Markus Näslund was born on July 30, 1973 in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.
In his youth, he played most of his organized hockey on an outdoor rink in his neighbourhood. At age 14, Näslund competed on his regional all-star team from Ångermanland, helping the squad win a national under-16 championship at TV-pucken in 1988. He received the Sven Tumba's Award as the tournament's best forward.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Art Ross & Hart Winner, Can't Sit in Chair
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| Henrik Sedin's chair can't handle that much win. Gif'd by me. |
Mason Raymond Gets Pie'd
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| Mason Raymond Gets Pie'd during the 2008 Superskills Competition by Alex Burrows. Gif'd by me. |
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