Kassian frustrated riding the pine
‘It’s tough to score when you’re riding the bike’ forward says of being scratched
Zack Kassian appears befuddled with his plight as a Vancouver Canuck. The hulking rightwinger was a healthy scratch Sunday and, on Monday, his emotions began to boil over. It was the third time in the last seven games that he has been taken out of the lineup.
“I don’t even know what the hell is going on,” said Kassian, who is without a goal in 21 games. “I thought I played well against Anaheim. I took the bad penalty, but I was playing with emotion and I was trying to do the right thing. I played a good game against Buffalo and then that happens. So, honestly, I can’t tell you. I don’t know. I was more shocked than anyone.
“Am I frustrated? You guys have no idea how ’effing frustrated I am. But that’s the way it is. I’m not going to sit here and sulk. I just have to find a way. It’s no secret I need to start scoring goals and I need to be more consistent. I have two goals this year. I came in and I had high expectations ... but it’s tough to score when you’re riding the bike.”
In Monday’s practice, Kassian took lines rushes alongside Nick
Bonino and Shawn Matthias while Utica call-up Ronalds
Kenins was relegated to “extra forward” status. Head coach Wil
lie Desjardins almost always plays the way he practises, but even Kassian wasn’t convinced he would be back in tonight against the Winnipeg Jets.
“Verbie ( Radim Vrbata) wasn’t going to skate today so the lines were all screwed up,” Kassian explained. “I wouldn’t read too much into that. Like I said, I was shocked. I came back after the all-star break wanting to have a strong outing, play hard and play physical. I had five hits against Anaheim, played against Buffalo and then I’m yanked.
“I’ve obviously been injured this year, which doesn’t help, and I’ve been in and out of the lineup and it’s tough to get a rhythm,” he continued. “Anyone will tell you that. All I can do now is work hard, come to work every day and be a professional. I think you earn a lot of respect from your teammates by not complaining and not dwelling on the fact, or going up to people and complaining. I’m not that type of person.”
According to Desjardins, Kassian has simply not been consistent enough to maintain his spot in the lineup. The 24-year-old winger is in his fourth NHL season and on his fourth coach if you include Lindy Ruff in Buffalo. He’s had Alain Vigneault and John Tortorella with the Canucks prior to Desjardins.
“Zack is a big, powerful guy and he does some good things, but it’s just a matter of I want to know exactly what I’ve got at all times,” Desjardins explained. “I think sometimes he’s a guy that’s in and out maybe more than a little bit. I kind of want to have a pretty good idea of what I’m going to get. So he just has to work at the consistency of his game.
“I’ve talked to him. It’s not that he hasn’t been told. We’ve talked
and he knows. It’s just frustrating for him to hear the message he doesn’t want to hear. He just doesn’t want to hear he’s not in and I totally understand that.” SICK BAY WATCH:
Defenceman Alex Edler and Frankie Corrado didn’t practise Monday, Desjardins saying they were given “maintenance days.” Centre Brad Richard
son was also absent. It was the latter’s sixth straight day away from practice as the ankle injury he suffered Jan. 16 in Carolina — he was hit by a shot — appears to be taking forever to heal. Unless, of course, it’s a different issue.
“We’re still monitoring it and trying to find out exactly where Richardson is at,” said Desjardins. “I wasn’t prepared for this. Coming out of the break, I thought he was in the next day. Sometime you have injuries where they feel good when you’re walking but, when you’re skating, it’s just a different movement.
“It’s just time,” added the coach. “Richardson is a tough player. He plays through a lot of pain, so that’s not the issue. It’s one that is just going to take time.”
QUOTABLE: “No, I didn’t reach out to him. I figured he might be rattled.” — Zack Kassian on whether he spoke to hometown friend and former hockey teammate Luke Will
son, the Seattle Seahawks’ tight end, following Seattle’s stunning 28-24 Super Bowl loss to New England on Sunday.