C Ryan Kesler (Anaheim Ducks, 2011 Selke Trophy, All Star)

[Buckskin86]

Uosted: Aug. 10, 2010
Livonia's Ryan Kesler is NHL 2K11 cover boy
BY GEORGE SIPPLE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

The NHL 2K11 R/V tour will be making a few local stops this week, giving gaming enthusiasts a chance to play the game before its Aug. 24 release and meet a couple of NHL players in the process.

Vancouver Canucks center Ryan Kesler of Livonia, who's on the cover of the game, will make appearances at four stops today and Wednesday, and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jack Johnson (U-M) will appear at two stops today.

Livonia's Ryan Kesler is NHL 2K11 cover boy | freep.com | Detroit Free Press

 

[Buckskin86]

Kesler 'very driven' by trio of losses

Alternate captain uses Olympic, playoff and Selke defeats as motivation

By Ben Kuzma, The Province September 24, 2010


Mike Kesler has coached hockey for 38 years and also scouts for the U.S. national team. And as a guiding force in the career of his son, the big man from Michigan knows when to leave Ryan Kesler alone. Like this past summer.

After all, the Vancouver Canucks centre was coming off an all-consuming 0-for-3 performance last season where it mattered most. He lost Olympic gold to Canada as a force with Team USA, played through shoulder pain in another bitter second-round playoff loss to the Chicago Blackhawks and was then edged by Pavel Datsyuk in Selke Trophy voting.

So, instead of helping him cope, the voice of reason did the unexpected. He left his son alone.

"He doesn't like losing and it was better off for us to say little or nothing regarding it," the elder Kesler said Thursday. "He would work through it. The last six weeks he was here [Detroit area], he was extremely driven and he's going to channel it all by making the players around him the best they can be and there's no better way to play.

"You're going to see a lot of that from him -- a very driven Ryan Kesler."

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Kesler+very+driven+trio+losses/3572793/story.html#ixzz10S2c0oUV

 

[Buckskin86]

Kesler grows up, thrives in 'middle age'
Former yapper letting his play as one of game's great centres do the talking
By Iain Macintyre, Vancouver Sun December 17, 2010

As messages go, it wasn't exactly: "Have a nice summer. Careful not to burn."

When Ryan Kesler had his exit meetings last May with general manager Mike Gillis and coach Alain Vigneault, the combative forward was told, essentially, to stop being a jackass and grow up. Not only were Kesler's occasional acts of petulance and incessant yapping at opponents hurting the Canucks, it was colouring the reputation of a player who should be regarded simply as one of the best two-way centres in the National Hockey League.

In truth, the bosses' opinions were no harsher than Kesler's self-assessment.

It wasn't Gillis and Vigneault who gave him pause, it was Makayla, Kesler's two-year-old daughter who will soon be old enough to better understand what she sees when she watches daddy work.

"That's what I thought about in the summer," Kesler admitted Thursday. "Me breaking my stick and getting [censored]ed off, chirping on the ice, it was kind of: What would your kids think of you? What would my daughter think of the way I was acting?"

Cont..

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Kesler+grows+thrives+middle/3991599/story.html#ixzz18N2ZjzpJ

Holding his tongue has made Ryan Kesler a better player
Jim Morris
Vancouver— The Canadian Press
Published Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010

Ryan Kesler is letting his production do the talking.

The big centre has been a silent weapon for the Vancouver Canucks this NHL season, scoring crucial goals and making big defensive plays. All the while he's keeping his mouth in check and his mind on the game.

It hasn't always been that way. There used to be nights when Kesler would yap and chirp at the opposition. While his tongue was sharp, he sometimes lost the point of the game.

“Last year I think I hurt the team and hurt myself when I was running my mouth a lot,” Kesler said after the Canucks practice Thursday.

“I think I've matured as a human being over the past couple of months. It's just helped me on the ice. When you play whistle to whistle it's a lot easier to play the game.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...e-ryan-kesler-a-better-player/article1841591/

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAVs77-Coys"]YouTube - Ryan Kesler hat trick 12/15/10[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC9H4AvcAqI"]YouTube - Vancouver Canuck Ryan Kesler[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Kesler every bit as good as his contract
Canucks forward was nearly a Flyer, but knows decision to stay was right one
By Jason Botchford, The Province
December 17, 2010

Ryan Kesler celebrates Wednesday's game-winning overtime goal against Columbus.
Photograph by: Steve Bosch, PNG

A few years ago, there was a school of thought Ryan Kesler was never going to make it so you could read a story about him without mention of Bobby Clarke's infamous, predatory offer sheet.

Another school of thought was Kesler would never make it, period. Not like this; not like the way he's played this season, a minotaur-on-skates one who hasn't seemed to need linemates for the past couple of weeks. Heck, with the way he's playing, he may not need teammates.

Watching Kesler's highlight package from his hat-trick performance in Wednesday's win was like watching a season-ending video tribute, documenting his plays of the year. It was a brilliant performance. It was momentous enough to leave people thinking back to four years ago ? one last time ? when a 22-year-old checker, with 12 goals in 110 games, shook up the NHL by signing a $1.9 million offer sheet with Philadelphia.

What happened to that guy?

Cont...

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/Kesler+every+good+contract/3991451/story.html#ixzz18YuiV1E8

The Rise of Ryan Kesler
By critically canuck 17 Dec 2010

In a regular season that can't end soon enough for Canuck fans (so that they can finally start playing for real), Ryan Kesler has been the team's near unanimous MVP thus far. And that's a very good thing.

After a break-out offensive season last year, many (ourselves included) thought that Kesler may have peaked with a career season that saw him notch 25 goals and 75 points. But Wednesday's hat trick performance against Columbus seems to indicate the best is yet to come.

When Kesler first entered the league, it was clear that he had speed to burn and a consistent work ethic that would keep him in the league for a long time. But more often than not, his head and hands looked like they would never catch up to his feet. His vision and play-making abilities appeared limited and his hands cast in granite. Flash, dash, but no finish.

But his first career hat trick showed how his offensive game has rounded into remarkable form. Each goal was a showcase for his now impressive sniping abilities - his speed and anticipation providing the chances that were easily finished with either deft moves or quick accurate releases.

After this latest offensive explosion, Kesler is on pace for a 40 goal season.

Cont..

http://communities.canada.com/vanco...chive/2010/12/17/the-rise-of-ryan-kesler.aspx

 

[Buckskin86]

Kesler measuring up to elite status
Centre's coming-out party has made the Canucks -- and yes, we mean it -- real contenders
By Ed Willes, The Province December 29, 2010


In the dreary and predictable forced march through the NHL's 82-game schedule, some games actually qualify as an event, and Ryan Kesler allowed that last night's contest was one of those rare occasions.

"It's a measuring-stick game," Kesler said before the Canucks met the Philadelphia Flyers. "We want to see how we measure up."

And that was the obvious storyline to Tuesday night's 6-2 clinic put on by the Canucks. The Flyers are the reigning Eastern Conference champions. They are currently battling Pittsburgh and Detroit for the NHL's best record. The Canucks like to think they reside in the same neighbourhood as those teams.

Tuesday night, they validated that belief.

But there was another meaning to Kesler's comments, one that might have been inadvertent but one which is vitally important to the Canucks and their ambitions this season. As much as last night was about a yardstick for the Canucks, it was also an individual grading curve for Kesler because the Ohio State product was facing two other graduates from the remarkable 2003 draft class in the Flyers' Mike Richards and Jeff Carter.

Cont...

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Kesler+measuring+elite+status/4035972/story.html#ixzz19VGePdiE

 

[Buckskin86]

Kesler growing into an offensive force
Ryan Kesler knows he made it to the NHL based on his defensive prowess, but now he's developed into a top scorer on pace for nearly 50 goals.
Friday, 14.01.2011
By Dave Lozo - NHL.com Staff Writer

Ryan Kesler is a portrait of a man with conflicting ideas and characteristics.

An American kid from Michigan playing his hockey for the Vancouver Canucks, Kesler spent the run-up to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver trash-talking Canada.

A two-time finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy who broke into the NHL because of his defensive prowess, he's not far off the pace for a 50-goal season.

On top of all that, Kesler said the Canucks were better off losing to the Chicago Blackhawks during the Western Conference Semifinals last season instead of vanquishing the eventual Stanley Cup champions.

The Canucks were up 1-0 in the series and in Game 2 held a one-goal lead entering the third period in Chicago. Just 20 minutes from a 2-0 series stranglehold, the Canucks came apart. The Blackhawks scored three times to take the game 4-2 and eventually won the series in six games.

Kesler said that loss is the reason why the Canucks entered Thursday's game at the New York Rangers sitting atop the NHL this season with a 28-8-6 record.

"Minutes away from going back to Vancouver 2-0," Kesler painfully recalled. "That was a heartbreaker. It's one of those things where you learn from your mistakes. I think you learn more from that series than if you squeaked by them in six or seven games. I really believe that you learn more from your defeats than you do your victories.

"That was a tough game and a tough series to lose, but I definitely think it made our core group of guys stronger and brought us together more, and really, we came in ready to play since the beginning of the season."

Cont..

http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=549445

 

[Buckskin86]

The case for Ryan Kesler as MVP
The Canucks' star is the hockey equivalent of a five-tool talent
By Craig Button
Special to ESPN Insider

Jessica Haydahl/NHLI/Getty Images
Ryan Kesler's all-around game makes him a five-tool talent.

In baseball, a five-tool player is one who excels at batting for average, hitting for power, running the bases, throwing with power and precision, and fielding his position. In other words, five-tool players have the ability to be dominant in every aspect of their game.

What elements would define a five-tool player in hockey? Clearly, speed would be included, along with scoring ability, creativity, playmaking skills and effective defense. Having an imposing physical presence is important as well.

While discussion about "complete" hockey players is common, it's hard to immediately identify any flawless players in today's NHL. Henrik Sedin was the NHL's MVP in 2009-10, but speed and physical prowess don't define his game. Alex Ovechkin has won the MVP award, but defense doesn't come to mind when describing his game. Another former MVP, Sidney Crosby, is described as the prototypical complete player, but even he is continuing to develop the weaker parts of his game (he's averaging only 28 seconds per game this season for penalty-killing duties).

However, there is one player who fits the criteria of a five-tool hockey player perfectly: Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks. While he doesn't yet have the name-brand quality of Crosby or Ovechkin, his all-around game can't be ignored -- and his play in the first half of the season merits MVP award consideration.

Cont..

http://insider.espn.go.com/nhl/insider/news/story?id=6061701

 

[Buckskin86]

Updated: January 27, 2011
Ryan Kesler doing it all for Canucks
By Pierre LeBrun
ESPN.com

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The taxi driver wanted to know. So did the guy making our sub sandwich, and the arena staffer who greeted us. So did the friendly hotel concierge and the smiling waitress at dinner.

They all wanted to know: Is this finally the year?

In their 40th-anniversary season, the Vancouver Canucks have never looked this dominant, and the city is buzzing with anticipation. It's been 18 years since a Stanley Cup was brought home on this side of the border, and the whole country could use a winner.

And if Vancouver -- Canada's best bet to end that drought -- wants to capture its first NHL championship, it will need an American to pull it off.

Ryan Kesler is playing the most impressive hockey of his NHL career, an irreplaceable force on a team seemingly built for this moment. And his continued evolution as one of the NHL's premier two-way centers is arguably the most important development this season as the Canucks try to take the next step in their playoff journey.

To watch Kesler play is to see a player comfortable in all areas of the ice. Take a key faceoff, block a shot, be the first forward back on the backcheck, finish a check, screen the goalie on power plays, kill penalties ? the two-time Selke Trophy nominee does it all.

"Particularly at the center-ice position, you have to have guys that log big minutes and play in a variety of different situations," Canucks GM Mike Gillis told ESPN.com this week. "[Ryan is] on our first power-play unit, he's our first penalty killer, he's playing in every situation. He's been a critical part of our team, our advancement, and I anticipate will continue to be in the playoffs."

Cont..

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=lebrun_pierre&id=6064934

 

[Buckskin86]

Making a case for Kesler
Not ideal but, as things are, he'd get my vote
By Ed Willes, The Province February 4, 2011

In the absence of a huge season from anyone else, Ryan Kesler could win Hart.

In the absence of a huge season from anyone else, Ryan Kesler could win Hart.
Photograph by: Getty Images, The Province

Admittedly, this argument is a tough sell because in the 42 seasons the Hart Trophy has been awarded in the post-expansion NHL it's never gone to a player like Ryan Kesler.

Pre-expansion? Well, maybe Buddy O'Connor (Rangers, '48) was a Kesler type. And we can't speak to any authority about Nels Stewart (Montreal Maroons, '26). But in the NHL's modern era the game's most coveted individual award hasn't gone to a two-way centreman who isn't even a firstliner on his own team.

But maybe the time has come.

Kesler, of course, is having another breakout season after his breakout 2009-10 season and, with back-to-back Selke nominations, it's not as if he's an unknown commodity around the league. But unless you've been watching him on a nightin, night-out basis, it's hard to capture the full measure of his game and what he's meant to the Canucks.

The numbers are impressive enough, although they don't exactly jump off the page. Following his two-goal performance on Wednesday night in Phoenix, Kesler sits third in the league with 30 goals, but he's still a $10 cab ride from Steven Stamkos, who leads with 39. His 50 points also placed him 11th among NHL scorers before Thursday night's games. Again, pretty good, but not exactly Hart material.

Cont..

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Making+case+Kesler/4223324/story.html#ixzz1CzuGGBBa

 

[Buckskin86]

In breakout season for Canucks, Ryan Kesler's Hart problem
By Greg Wyshynski

Ryan Kesler's(notes) breakout season has gotten its share of accolades.

He may be "the best all-around American player in the NHL today," according to CBS. He's playing "the most impressive hockey of his NHL career, an irreplaceable force on a team seemingly built for this moment," according to ESPN. He isn't "just the hottest player in the National Hockey League, he's also the best player in the league at this moment," according to Straight.com (out of Vancouver, in case that wasn't obvious).

Unless the Professional Hockey Writers Association uses the butterfly ballot, he's going to win his first Selke Trophy for top defensive forward; not only having been a bridesmaid for the award but having the stats to deserve it, as he leads the Canucks in takeaways (46) and is second to Manny Malhotra(notes) in blocked shots by a forward (58).

But can he win the big trophy? Is Ryan Kesler your 2010-11 MVP?

Cont..

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/pu...n-for-Canucks-Ryan-Kesler-s-Ha?urn=nhl-322457

 

[Buckskin86]

Matthew Sekeres
Ryan Kesler?s prowess pays dividends for Canucks
MATTHEW SEKERES
VANCOUVER? From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Feb. 25, 2011

You?ve heard of Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside, but for the Vancouver Canucks, centre Ryan Kesler has been both.

The 26-year-old has taken yet another step up the NHL?s hierarchy this season, and the key has been his presence on Vancouver?s No. 1 power-play unit alongside the Sedin twins.
Live, Monday
Trade deadline day live blog

Kesler?s 33 goals trailed only Tampa Bay?s Steven Stamkos heading into Friday games, and his team?s man-advantage play has been best in the NHL. But it has been Kesler?s role on that power play that has truly rounded out his scoring touch.

Surprisingly, he was tabbed to be a front-of-net presence for the Sedins, even after a 2009-10 campaign in which he emerged as an outside shooter. Not only was Canucks assistant coach Newell Brown proposing to take Kesler out of his comfort zone, but he was also loading up his top unit, as he did in Anaheim with Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Teemu Selanne on one line.

Kesler had scant experience playing with the twins, and not much more as net-front presence. But Brown, who runs the power play, convinced head coach Alain Vigneault, in part because Kesler gave him a right-handed centre to play with the left-handed Henrik Sedin.

With every power play now beginning in the opponent?s zone, the idea was to have each centre take faceoffs on his strong hand, control the puck, and strike quickly.

?To put him in front after the year he had last year, when he was scoring a lot of goals from up top, that was a little surprising,? captain Henrik Sedin said. ?I have never been a part of a team where they put all their top guys on one unit. Usually, they spread them out. So it was different, but you could tell right away that we had some good chemistry with him.?

Cont..

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...ss-pays-dividends-for-canucks/article1922017/

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDoPNn8obDE"]YouTube - 2011 NHL All Star Game Interview with Ryan Kesler[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Ryan Kesler? Dude can flat-out play
By Ed Willes, The Province April 18, 2011

With the Canucks' playoff season now in full swing, here's something else the city stops for, the Monday morning musings and meditations on the world of sports.

- About the recurring Roberto Luongo storyline; you know, the one where he can't beat the Blackhawks.

Never mind. ? The Canucks' best player in the playoffs thus far has been Ryan Kesler. Full stop. Forget about the points. Forgot about the other stats. Kesler has been the single most compelling figure of the series.

On Sunday, he continued to shut down Jonathan Toews while recording a team-high six shots. He helped kill off a five-on-three and, in the second period, he made an unbelievable hustle play to negate an icing, then created a turnover that eventually led to Daniel Sedin's goal.

Of course, he wasn't on the ice by the time Daniel scored so Kesler didn't even get a plus for his efforts.

Over the three games he has just two assists but no one has made a bigger impact. Dude can flat-out play, and just think of how good he'll be when he starts scoring.

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Ryan+Kesler+Dude+flat+play/4632813/story.html#ixzz1JsKf6Nbr

 

[Tonyank]

Kesler, Toews, Datsyuk finalists for Selke Trophy

NEW YORK (April 27, 2011) -- Centers Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings , Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks are the three finalists for the 2010-11 Frank Selke Trophy, which is awarded "to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game," the National Hockey League announced today.

http://starsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/04/kesler-toews-datsyuk-finalists-for-selke-1.html

with loving 2 out of the 3 of these guys, i think Kesler gets it this year. Pavel was out too long this year, and 90% of people can't properly pronounce Toews correctly

 

[Buckskin86]

Kesler solves Pekka puzzle, twice
Centre ends his goal-scoring slump in spectacular fashion notching the winning goal in overtime
By Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun May 3, 2011

The Vancouver Canucks finally solved the Pekka Puzzle on Tuesday.

They certainly didn't ventilate Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne, but they did manage to score three times and that was enough for a 3-2 overtime win that gave the Canucks a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series with the Predators.

Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday at Bridgestone Arena.

Ryan Kesler tipped home a Mikael Samuelsson point shot for the winner at 10: 45 of the first overtime period. The goal came with Nashville defenceman Shea Weber off serving a hooking penalty.

Cont...

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/Kesler+solves+Pekka+puzzle+twice/4723363/story.html#ixzz1LN3WWMH3

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AeddgBH64k"]YouTube - Ryan Kesler OT Game Winner (5/3/11) [HD][/ame]

 

[Tonyank]

Ryan Kesler's PP goal gives Canucks a 3-2 lead with 12:32 left in the third.