Bleacher Report - Articles by Mike Krakalovich

The Five Biggest Question Marks Facing The Vancouver Canucks This Season

Mike Krakalovich — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:09:00 -0400

Well, another NHL preseason is upon us. That means a number of questions will be answered for all 30 teams. And the Vancouver Canucks are no different. A lot of people are asking a lot of questions about the Canucks. To say the least, there is much uncertainty surrounding the team.

I'm about to attempt to answer some of the questions facing them this season.

1 Will Cody Hodgson make the team?

This will be the second camp for Hodgson, who the Canucks took tenth overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

He came oh so close to making the big club in '08. Since then, Hodgson has gained a wealth of experience. He was the OHL Most Outstanding Player, the CHL Player of the Year, and he played on Canada's World Under 18 and World Junior teams. All of this adds up to a spot on the Canucks this season. Just another improvement to the forward depth of the team.

2. Who will be the backup to Roberto Luongo?

It's obvious who the race for this position comes down to. You've got Cory Schneider, the standout with the Canucks' farm club in Manitoba. The you have veteran Andrew Raycroft, signed as a free agent in the offseason. This is by no means an easy decision for coach Alain Vigneault. There are pluses and minuses for both men.

Yes, Schneider is younger than Raycroft. But Raycroft does bring a lot of NHL experience to the table. For a couple of years, Schneider has been seen as the heir apparent in Vancouver. However, when Luongo was injured, he showed signs of not being quite ready for the higher intensity of the NHL. And when the team acquired Jason LaBarbera, Schneider was promptly sent back to Manitoba

Has anything changed there? It's hard to say. My guess is that the veteran Raycroft will win out in this battle. But honestly, I can't say definitively that's what will happen. Only time will tell.

Question 3: Will Alex Burrows continue to play with the Sedins?

Every season, the question is the same. Who is going to play with Daniel and Henrik. Last season, the answer appeared to have been found in Alex Burrows. The Canucks had finally seemed to have found a man who can keep up with the twins on the ice and can compliment their skills. So, this should be a no brainer, right? Why mess with what's been working?

However, the Canucks have added Mikael Samuelsson to the mix. While it may make sense at first glance to keep Burrows playing with the Sedins, let's not downplay the experience factor. Samuelsson has Stanley Cup experience with the Red Wings. And I suppose there may be something to the fact that he's a Swedish countryman of Daniel and Henrik.

The bottom line is, the Canucks have a couple of viable options to put with the Twins. Who will end up in the spot is truly anyone's guess.

Question 4: Who will shine on defense?

Ok. Mattias Ohlund is gone. There's no way around it. The longest serving Canuck, and top defenseman on the team signed in Tampa Bay as a free agent. So what do the Canucks do on defense? A better question might be, who do they cut from their defense.

The blueline is extremely crowded heading into camp. And it would appear some quality players will be left out of the mix. You've got returning veterans such as Kevin Bieksa, Willie Mitchell, Sami Salo, and Alexander Edler. Then there's the young guns looking to make the club, such as Shane O'Brien and Aaron Rome. Don't forget new acquisitions Christian Ehrhoff, Brad Lukowich and Mattieu Schneider.

I would expect the team to keep seven defensemen on the active roster, possibly eight. Which means that one or maybe two of these qualified d-men will be looking for a new home after camp.

Question 5: Will Pavol Demitra finally live up to his potential?

Heading into last season, Demitra was seen as a huge signing for the Canucks.He was the guy who was going to spearhead the offense, and possibly compliment the Sedins. And there was reason to expect this could be possible. He has been a 70-plus point man earlier in his career, and though he hadn't surpassed 65 points in his past five seasons, there was reason for optimism.

Unfortunately, it wasn't realized, as Demitra managed only 53 points. Factor in off season shoulder surgery, which will cause Demitra to be out of action until sometime in November. And even then, who knows if he'll regain his previous form. Demitra may be the biggest question mark facing the team this season.

So there it is. The five biggest question marks, in my opinion, facing the Vancouver Canucks as we head into training camp. We should know the answers to most, if not all of these questions by the time the season begins in October. Regardless, I expect some big things from the Canucks this season. Time will tell if this optimism is warranted.

Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho: The Intercontinental Match Going Under the Radar

Mike Krakalovich — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:58:11 -0400

This Sunday, WWE presents Judgment Day 2009. We all know about the big World Title Match featuring Edge and Jeff Hardy, and the WWE Title match pitting Randy Orton against Batista. But nobody's been talking much about Rey Mysterio's Intercontinental Title defence against Chris Jericho.

Until now, that is. Join me as I attempt to break down the match from various angles.

First, let's take a look at what's at stake for each man.

Now, obviously Mysterio is putting his Intercontinental gold on the line. That's obvious. But isn't there much more at stake for WWE's littlest big man? Finally, for the first time since his World Title reign of a couple of years ago, Mysterio is getting a decent push.

Winning the IC belt was big for Rey. What would a loss to Jericho do to his status in the WWE? Certainly, it would damage his credibility as a main eventer. This is something he can't afford to have happen. If it does, he'll be mired in meaningless feuds for years.

How about Jericho? Ever since adopting his current persona, Y2J has been on a major roll. He's won some big matches and managed to be one of the Superstars fans can't help but notice. There's no doubt the fans don't like Jericho, but he's been successful. There's no denying that fact. Like Mysterio, a loss in this match will certainly delay Jericho's current roll.

Now, let's look at the match itself. I expect the bout will start off with Mysterio using his speed and agility to avoid Jericho's offense and frustrate him. But, inevitably, Jericho will manage to get the upper hand.

I anticipate Jericho will dominate the match for several minutes, using the underhanded tactics we've come to expect from him. Honestly, I have no idea how the finish will play out.

Will Jericho use some dirty methods to steal his ninth Intercontinental Championship? Or will Rey find a way to pull out yet another inspirational win? I can't even hazard a guess as to how this one will end.

That brings me to what the best outcome would be. If Jericho wins, it would be his ninth run as IC Champ, as mentioned earlier. I fail to see how this would benefit either Jericho, or WWE.

You would have one of the most talented wrestlers on the roster busy defending a secondary championship when he could be in the World Title picture. This benefits nobody.

You may hate him, but having Jericho in the main event picture would make Smackdown a better show. And winning a ninth Intercontinental Title would prove nothing and do nothing for Jericho's career.

As for the buildup to the match, for me, it's been a case of not noticing how they're building it up. There has been next to no promotion for this match. WWE seems to be focusing all their energy on promoting the World Title matches.

The 25 Worst Matches in WrestleMania History

Mike Krakalovich — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:47:02 -0400

We're less than a week away from the 25th Anniversary of the greatest wrestling show known to man...WrestleMania.

The debate has raged on for years as to which are the greatest matches in the storied history of WrestleMania, but always overlooked are those matches which elicit a different reaction; those which cause us to doze off, those which send us to the fridge for another beverage, or even those which would have us turning the channel, if we hadn't shelled out 50 bucks for the show. These matches shall be ignored no longer. Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, I present to you the 25 worst matches in WrestleMania history...at least in my opinion.

25. Gimmick Battle Royal—WrestleMania X-Seven

To be honest, the wrestling fan in me kind of enjoyed seeing some of the best (and worst) gimmicks in the history of wrestling featured in this match, however, the match itself had no business being part of the biggest show of the year.

You had an assortment of men who were well past their prime, such as Iron Sheik, Sgt. Slaughter, Nikolai Volkoff, and non-wrestlers Jim Cornette, Brother Love, and men who would never otherwise had appeared at Mania, such as The Goon. Throw in a few guys who it was fun to see again and the Gobbledygooker, and you had the Gimmick Battle Royal.

Most of this match is still largely forgettable to me (Though I do recall wondering if Sheik was ever going to make it to the ring, his entrance took longer than the actual match). In the end, Sheik won the thing, and was promptly run off by the Sarge.

Good old 80s nostalgia at its best. Not Mania worthy, though.

24. Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow—WrestleMania XI

I could easily just lump together all of the matches which have involved non-wrestling personalities in the history of Mania. However, I thought it best to rate each on their own merits, or lack thereof. That brings me to Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow from WrestleMania XI. This match is ranked so low on my list due to the fact that of all the Mania matches which include non-wrestlers, this may have been the best.

Taylor actually showed himself to have a lot of athletic ability, no surprise since he is one of the NFL's all-time greats. Ultimately, this match makes my list due to the fact that Taylor beat an experienced Bigelow with a rather simplistic forearm from the second rope. The whole match just had a feel of unbelievability to it. For that, this match ranks 24.

23. Ultimate Warrior vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley—WrestleMania XII

What? A match featuring the Ultimate Warrior makes this list? Who would have thunk it? Seriously, there are so many reasons for this match to make the list.

First of all, Warrior not selling the Pedigree, which was a devastating maneuver, even early in Triple H's WWF career, was completely unbelievable. So to lose in less than two minutes to a purely one-dimensional beat like the Warrior mades no sense.

In retrospect, the outcome of the match turned out to be a big mistake. Helmsley went on to be a future Hall of Famer, while the Warrior faded back into obscurity a mere months later.

Simply put, any list of Mania's worst matches needs to include at least one Warrior match.

22. Kane vs. Chavo Guerrero—WrestleMania XXIV

This match makes my list for one simple reason: the match only lasted eight seconds.

The result of the match was never questioned by most. The moment Kane won a battle royal prior to WrestleMania XXIV to determine Guerrero's challenger for the ECW Championship on the card, most felt it was a foregone conclusion that the Big Red Machine would emerge the new champion.

Chavo, a third generation superstar, would of at least been able to give Kane a decent match. Apparently, that was not to be. Somebody thought an eight second squash match would be the way to go.

Seems Vince is determined to do everything he can to kill the ECW Title. This match went a long way towards doing that. A squash match with a belt on the line is more than enough to make this list.

21. Hulk Hogan vs. Sgt. Slaughter—WrestleMania VII

This had the potential to be a great match. Hulk Hogan, the Real American, vs Sgt. Slaughter, the Iraqi sympathizer during the first Gulf War.

There are many reasons I put this on the list. And, honestly, not all of them have to do with the quality of the match itself. I hated how Vince and company cashed in on a very dark event. I didn't think the situation involving Iraq and Kuwait was something to be capitalized on financially. Turning Sgt. Slaughter, who had arguably been more patriotic than even Hogan, into an anti-American seemed to be unforgivable.

The match itself wasn't horrible, though as Mania main events go, it is largely predicatable as it was forgettable. Hogan gets dominated, beaten down by the evil Slaughter. Then Hogan hulks up, becoming seemingly impervious to pain. Big boot...leg drop...1...2...3. And we have a new champion. Definitely won't go down as a classic WWF Championship match.

20. Genichiro Tenryu and Koji Kitao vs. Demolition—WrestleMania VII

Once again, there are a number of reasons why this match makes my list.

First of all, the Demolition is not the same dominant team of Ax and Smash that terrorized the WWF. Ax was replaced in this match by Crush, who, in my opinion, never really gelled as a member of Demolition.

Secondly, Tenryu and Kitao, while very popular in their native Japan, were largely unknown in North America. This may not have been an issue had the WWF chosen to actually have any buildup to the match. But no...they decided fans would get into the match without any buildup. This would have been fine, had the match itself been good quality.

The problem is, when you have the team the fans are familiar with getting dominated by the largely unknown foreign team, the fans lose interest. All of this makes what could have been a great match one of the worst in Mania history.

19. Ahmed Johnson and the Legion of Doom vs. The Nation of Domination—Chicago Street Fight—WrestleMania 13

On paper, this could have been so much better. Ahmed Johnson, one of the toughest men of the day, teaming with the legendary Legion of Doom to take on one of the most dominant factions, the Nation of Domination, in a Chicago Street Fight. Sound like a recipe for a good old-fashioned slobberknocker, as JR would say. However, what we got was quite possibly the most boring Street Fight I've ever witnessed. No blood. Very little weaponry. Overall, a very dull match. Although, when you think about it, most of WrestleMania 13 could have made this list.

18. Red Rooster vs. Bobby Heenan—WrestleMania V

Come on...how can a match involving the Red Rooster not make the list? Not that Terry Taylor wasn't a talented wrestler, but he allowed himself to be saddled with quite possibly the lamest gimmick in wrestling history.

Where's your pride, man?And the best the WWF could give him at Mania was a match with Bobby Heenan?

Predictably, there was very little in terms of actual wrestling in the match. In fact, Rooster pinned Heenan in just 32 seconds. I really don't think this pick needs much explanation.

17. Hillbilly Jim, Little Beaver and the Haiti Kid vs. King Kong Bundy, Lord Littlebrook and Little Tokyo—WrestleMania III

Matches involving the little people have traditionally been nothing more than comedy fare, and this was no different. The match was full of the traditional midget spots which are meant to elicit a laugh and make the referee look like a bumbling fool.

However, this match doesn't make my list for this alone.

The finish of the match is what I really take issue with. It may have been staged, but watching Bundy slam Little Beaver was "one of the most despicable sights I've seen in the squared circle."

16. The Great Khali vs. Kane—WrestleMania 23

This match was just horrible. I'm convinced that nobody could carry Khali to a decent match. What made this match so utterly contemptable for me was the recreation of the famous bodyslam from WrestleMania III, the last Mania held in Detroit.

That epic moment when Hulk Hogan slammed the up-to-that-time unslammable Andre the Giant. This time it was Kane slamming Khali. The fact that WWE recreated such a classic moment in such a horrible match was unforgivable. Even worse was the fact that Khali came out on top in the match, pinning the Big Red Machine. This match was just terrible...no other way to describe it.

15. Undertaker vs. Big Show and A-Train—WrestleMania XIX

This match makes the list for a number of reasons. First of all, it's not what fans were expecting. It was to be a tag team match pitting Taker and Nathan Jones against Big Show and A-Train.

However, an announcement was made that the bout would be a handicap match. That would have been fine, except that Jones DID make an appearance partway through the match, attacking the Big Show, allowing Taker to hit a tombstone for the win.

A completely nonsensical match which is largely forgotten when recounting Taker's historic WrestleMania streak.

14. The Hart Foundation vs. the Bolsheviks—WrestleMania VI

This match makes the list purely because it was a match which in no way showcased the true abilities of the Harts, one of the greatest tag teams in history.

First of all, they were put in the ring against a clearly inferior team in Nikolai Volkoff and Boris Zkukov. And, to make things worse, the match lasted just 17 seconds. The Harts should have been given a much bigger window of opportunity to show what they could do at the biggest show of the year. However, the powers that be decided a 17-second squash was the way to go. Sheer brilliance! Can you hear the sarcasm?

13. Mr. T vs. Roddy Piper—WrestleMania 2

Ok, I know, I've already talked about how much I loathe most, if not all matches involving non-wrestling personalities, but this one really bothers me.

It's not even the fact that it was a boxing match on a wrestling show. I could live with that, especially given the fact that both T and Piper have backgrounds in boxing. However, this didn't resemble a boxing match in any way. I'm not sure how to describe it, except to say it bored me to tears and had a completely predictable ending. I mean, who didn't see it coming that Piper and company would attack T at some point? Unrealistic action and a predictable finish add up to the number 13 match on this list.

12. Doink vs. Crush—WrestleMania IX

Ah, Doink. One of the worst gimmicks in WWF history. And this match took place when he was still a relatively cool heel. The match was total buffoonery. From the appearance of a second Doink to the use of a prosthetic arm as a weapon, there was very little that could redeem this one. I can't begin to describe how much I hated this match.

11. Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna vs. Doink and Dink—WrestleMania X

Within a year of the previously mentioned match, Doink turned face (with a new wrestler using the gimmick), and added his own Mini-Me, appropriately named Dink. They faced off at WrestleMania X against the monster, Bam Bam Bigelow, and his "main squeeze," Luna Vachon, in a mixed tag match.

There was very little about this match which resembled actual wrestling. When he was in the match, Dink spent most of his time running around the ring trying to avoid Luna. As expected, Bam Bam pinned Doink for the win. Then, Bigelow and Luna proceeded to attack poor, little Dink. Apparently they hadn't learned from King Kong Bundy's mistakes. I would love to forget this match, but something just won't let me.

10. Terri vs. The Kat—Catfight—WrestleMania 2000

The word "catfight" says it all. The rules stated that the winner would be the woman who could throw her opponent out of the ring. Val Venis was the special referee. Yes, Val Venis. But wait, it gets better. The Kat had Mae Young in her corner, while Terri was partnered by the Fabulous Moolah. Again, not much in the way of wrestling here.

This match seemed to cater to the hormones of the young males watching. Venis proceeded to swap spit with both Terri and the Kat. Not to be outdone, Mae kissed Venis herself. That backfired though when Moolah interfered while Venis was otherwise occupied, as she pulled the Kat out of the ring. When Venis broke free of Young, all he saw was Kat on the arena floor. Thus, Terri was declared the winner. Definitely not a high point in Mania history.

9. Undertaker vs. Big Boss Man—WrestleMania XV

There have be some undeniably classic Hell In A Cell matches in WWE history. Undertaker vs. Mankind, Taker vs. Lesnar, and Triple H vs. Batista to name just a few. However, Taker vs. Big Boss Man from Mania XV does not fit into this category.

First off, what was the reasoning behind putting these men in the cell? There was no deep personal feud here. The feud was Taker's Ministry of Darkness against the Corporation, of which Boss Man just happens to be a part. It would have made far more sense to put Taker against one of the top guys in the Corporation, such as Triple H or the Rock. But no, he got the Boss Man.

What the fans got was probably the most uneventful Hell In A Cell in history. Nothing of note happened in this match. It was truly unworthy of the cell. And having the Ministry come down and "hang" Boss Man from the Cell at the end of the match was disturbing and utterly pointless. This match is well-deserving of being in my top ten on this list.

8. Butterbean vs. Bart Gunn—WrestleMania XV

Yet another example of a wrestler being embarrassed by someone from outside the industry. This match was born out of the WWE's Brawl For All competition, which was a series of quasi boxing matches involving WWE Superstars. The tournament was won by Bart Gunn, who went on to challenge pro boxer Butterbean to a legitimate boxing match at Mania XV. What ensued was Butterbean exposing Gunn's actual lack of boxing skills in a matter of about 30 seconds. Bathroom break material if there ever was one and another deserving entry to my list.

7. Roddy Piper vs. Goldust—Hollywood Backlot Brawl—WrestleMania XII

Where to begin with this one? First of all, the match itself was poorly staged. They very sloppily went between live action and obviously prerecorded segments. Then of course there was the tasteless (in my opinion) use of the OJ Simpson car chase footage. Yes, Piper just coincidentally happened to drive a white Ford Bronco. And I, along with many others, may be scarred for life by the finish of the match, which featured Piper stripping Goldust down to his very revealing women's underwear. I certainly didn't need to see that. This match was certainly not one of Dustin Rhodes' finest moments, and a no brainer for my list.

6. Akebono vs. Big Show—Sumo Match—WrestleMania 21

Another match where a WWE Superstar is embarrassed by an athlete from another sport. But what did you expect? Big Show was battling sumo champion Akebono in a sumo match. They removed the ropes and the winner would be the man who forced his opponent out of the ring. Mercifully, this match lasted only about a minute. Show was clearly out of his element here, and was defeated handily by Akebono. Another opportunity to grab a cold beverage. When will they learn to stick to wrestling?

5. Torrie Wilson vs. Candice Michelle—Playboy Pillow Fight—WrestleMania 22

I have very little to say about this one. Three words say it all....Playboy Pillow Fight. A pillow fight has no business being on the biggest show of the year. The only reason I didn't rank this match higher is because both Torrie and Candice are smokin' hot!

4. Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar—WrestleMania XX

This match could have been a classic.

You had two of the best bigger men in wrestling going at it. What went wrong? Well, first of all, through the internet, the fans learned that both Goldberg and Lesnar would be leaving WWE following the match. This lead to a chorus of boos and "You Sold Out" chants throughout the match.

Once the match started, the two wrestlers just stared each other down for the first several minutes, without any physical contact whatsoever. Finally, when they did lock up, both men successfully kicked out of the others' finishing maneuvers. In the end, Goldberg was able to finish Lesnar with a Jackhammer, but the highlight of this one was clearly special referee Stone Cold Steve Austin delivering Stunners to both men following the match.

What a sendoff.

3. Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez—WrestleMania IX

This one was clearly a case of even Taker not being able to carry Gonzalez to a good match. Gonzalez was a bust in WCW as El Gigante and he was worse in the WWF. The body suit with air-brushed muscles didn't help either. This man was so devoid of wrestling ability that he needed chloroform to subdue Taker, which he made to attempt to hide from the referee. The result was a disqualification and a match I'm sure Taker would rather forget.

2. Jake Roberts vs. George Wells—WrestleMania 2

I really could have numbered this and the next match as 1 and 1a. Both featured one guy who never should have appeared at WrestleMania. This one was only slightly better in quality than the number one match on my list. Wells actually managed a small amount of offense before being taken down by a DDT from Roberts. Overall, the outcome was never in doubt. Definitely not a match that would even come close to making PPV these days.

1. King Kong Bundy vs. SD Jones—WrestleMania

That brings me to my pick for the worst match in Mania history. It also happens to be I believe the shortest match in Mania history. It took just one Avalanche from Bundy to send Jones down for the count. Why he was even on the card?

So there it is. My picks for the worst matches in WrestleMania history. You may agree with some. You may disagree with others. But I think we can all agree on one thing: here's hoping WrestleMania 25 doesn't add any more to the list. Enjoy the action from Houston everyone!

What Should the Vancouver Canucks Do On Deadline Day?

Mike Krakalovich — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:06:58 -0500

The NHL draft deadline is approaching and the question on the minds of Canucks fans is, what will they do? Do they make a deal for a big name? Add some young depth? Dump salary for a prospect? Or do they stand pat?

One rumour making the rounds is that Mattias Ohlund may be on his way out of Vancouver. Ohlund, the current longest serving Canuck player, is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

There are those who believe the team should shop the talented blueliner and get something for him while they still have the option. There is a rumour suggesting the team is going to send Ohlund to Florida for Jay Bouwmeester.

While I, as a diehard Canuck fan, hate the thought of Ohlund leaving, I do see the wisdom in this option. Why let a talented player go, and get nothing in return. Bouwmeester might just be a good fit in Vancouver.

And the team won't sacrifice anthing on the blueline.

Another option is making a deal for a big name. I say, they've already done this. Mats Sundin was the big name some people have been waiting for in Vancouver. Yes, he did have a slow start, but Mats is picking up his game quite nicely.

And the team is much better for it. I don't believe another big name is the way to go. The team just simply isn't one which can stockpile big names, and big salaries. So I believe that option is off the table.

Depth is no longer an issue for the team either. Sundin solved that problem up front. The Canucks are no longer a one line team. They've got the Sedins and whoever plays with them. Then there's the Sundin line.

And depending on who they put with him, there may even be a third line available to provide some secondary scoring. The days of stop the Sedins, stop the Canucks, appear to be over.

The defence is decent too, depending on the Ohlund situation. After Ohlund, you've got Salo, Mitchell, Bieksa, Edler, and a couple of other young guys with potential. So again, there is no major issue here. They may consider acquiring another d man just in case they do lose Ohlund to free agency.

Goaltending depth, which has been an issue in the past few years, appears to have been solved. The acquisition of Jason LaBarbera gives the Canucks a viable backup who can fill in for Roberto Luongo when called upon.

The only other viable option is just sticking with the team they've got. The Canucks have been one of the hottest teams in the league in the past month or so. They're getting great goaltending, solid defense, and scoring from a number of sources.

Coach Alain Vigneault has done a great job of molding this team into a hard working bunch who give maximum effort. General Manager Mike Gillis may not want to mess with the chemistry of the team at this point.

The bottom line, for me, is that this team is solid in just about every area. Other than possibly moving Ohlund, be it to the Panthers, or another team if the right deal is proposed, I wouldn't make any moves.

This team has the potential to make some noise in the playoffs. Why mess with that?