Vigneault wonders how Blackhawks-Canucks can get more intense

For many realists/fun-killers, a late January match between the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks isn’t that big of a deal. The rest of us cannot help but get excited, though, especially after Dave Bolland stirred the pot early in the season.

Ben Kuzma reports that Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault doesn’t think that Bolland’s comments will make much of a difference simply because the hostilities would be boiling over anyway.

James

Vigneault makes an excellent point, but it could always get more interesting. With that in mind, enjoy a few interesting tidbits to fan those flames.

• Roberto Luongo provided Ian MacIntyre with an unusual take on how these games tend to feel, even if he’ll just be experiencing such a phenomenon from the bench (barring an injury or other debacle for Cory Schneider).

“You feel these are the games that get more and more important as you move along in the season,” Luongo said. “It just feels that it blows by and the next thing you know you’re in the playoffs.”

• Gordon McIntyre reports that there’s one Blackhawks player who the Canucks are still friends with. (It will seem painfully obvious who that player is once you end up clicking the link ... if you didn’t figure it out already).

• Speaking of that guy referenced in the previous link, The Canadian Press speculates that this could be his last chance to win the Stanley Cup.

• Chris Kuc reports that the Blackhawks are aware that they need to tighten up on defense.

• Daniel Sedin provides Ed Willes with a revealing depiction of Vigneault’s minimalistic approach to interacting with players, which makes him sound like the anti-Bruce Boudreau. (They both might love ice cream, though.)

• Finally, sit back and enjoy this collection of recent Blackhawks-Canucks videos, which spotlights a notable lack of friendliness.

CHICAGO, IL - NOVEMBER 06: Daniel Carcillo #13 of the Chicago Blackhawks and Aaron Volpatti #54 of the Vancouver Canucks fight in the second period at the United Center on November 6, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois.(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Jonathan Daniel

(Nov 6, 2011)

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 19: of the Chicago Blackhawks of the Vancouver Canucks in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the United Center on April 19, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Canucks 7-2. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Jonathan Daniel

(2011 playoffs, Game 4)

Vancouver Canucks’ Christian Ehrhoff, left, of Germany, and Chicago Blackhawks’ Viktor Stalberg, of Sweden, fight during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, B.C., on Friday, Feb. 4, 2011. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

AP

(Feb. 4, 2011)

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook, left, fights Vancouver Canucks defenseman Andrew Alberts during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, March 5, 2010 in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

AP

(March 5, 2010)

Vancouver Canucks’ Daniel Sedin, right, of Sweden, fights with Chicago Blackhawks’ Dave Bolland as a referee tries to stop them during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, March 29, 2009, in Chicago. The Canucks won 4-0. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

AP

(March 29, 2009)

Something tells me there will be plenty of entries for “Jan. 31, 2012.”