Loui Eriksson didnt try to gloss over how much the?Vancouver Canucks, the team he chose by his own free will to join, have struggled over the past couple of seasons.I think theyve been through a tough stretch, Eriksson said. Last year, they had some injuries. It was tough to get something going.And yet, he still signed in Vancouver. Of course, a six-year, $36 million deal helped the cause -- but the appeal of playing with with the Sedins during the final stages of their outstanding NHL career was a factor too.He spoke with Daniel Sedin before signing and left those conversations with a good feeling about the Canucks and Vancouver itself.Its a great city to play, he said. It was an easy decision to come to.The Canucks are in a slow transition. They never quite gutted the teams that vied for Stanley Cups, so they never bottomed out. That decision cost them a crack at some of the premium talent their Pacific Division rivals grabbed at the top of the draft.Vancouver does have nice, young players like Jake Virtanen, Bo Horvat and Thatcher Demko, but not enough that you feel confident about the pending transfer of the baton from Daniel and his brother?Henrik Sedin?to the next generation.Vancouver, for now, seems like a team stuck in transition.Best new facesThe Canucks may not have been in the position to dive aggressively into free agency, but Loui Eriksson is a wonderful fit with the Sedins, as he showed in the World Championships and the World Cup.One Swedish teammate called him a third Sedin brother at one point. If Eriksson ends up playing with the Sedins, that will be one of the best lines in hockey.All three like to play the game the same way and while speed is the hot trend in hockey, this trio will effectively slow the game down so they can play it at their own pace.All three can make effective short passes in tight spaces and Eriksson is so good without the puck that it will make life even easier on the Sedins.Its the rest of the lineup that is a concern, but the addition of Eriksson makes for a natural fit.We play the game the same way, Eriksson said.Biggest unknownsIf were confident that the fit with Eriksson and the Sedins is a good one, the biggest unknown becomes the rest of the lineup. Virtanen had 13 points in 55 games during his rookie season as a 19-year-old. The Canucks are going to need him to be a successful part of a second line if they want to make progress this season.Looking at the rest of the forwards, its hard to figure out where the additional scoring is going to come from. Last season, the Canucks averaged 2.27 goals per game -- a total that was better only than the New Jersey Devils. The lowest Western Conference playoff team last season, the?Minnesota Wild,?averaged 2.60 goals per game, which barely got them into?the playoffs.If the Canucks need to get to that point, where is the improvement going to come from?Sure thingsThe Sedins. If the Canucks arent going to be particularly good the next couple years, its a shame that this is how they will be exiting the NHL. They deserve better.You realize that when you get older, youre down to your last few years, said Daniel Sedin. Who knows how many more games youre going to play?At age 35, Daniel Sedin scored 28 goals last season, a total that was his highest since 2012. Henrik Sedin averaged 0.74 points per game, a number that should rise following the Eriksson addition. The numbers may be declining as the Sedins start to age, but its a sure thing that there will be many nights when they are the best players on the ice.Its just too bad that its going to happen on a team that likely isnt headed anywhere of note.PredictionThe Canucks were lumped in with the Arizona Coyotes, Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers last season and all three of those teams improved while Vancouver is treading water. If the Oilers make the strides that everyone expects, it will be Vancouver that replaces Edmonton in the Pacific cellar. Saucony Shadow 6000 Irish Coffee .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Saucony Grid 9000 Italia . JOHNS, N. http://www.sauco... .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open. 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A man has been arrested in relation to a bullet that tore through the media tent at the equestrian complex at the Rio Olympics.The arrest came on Wednesday as a second bullet was also found near the stables at the Deodoro venue, in Rios northwest.This comes after a media bus was damaged between the Deodoro zone and Olympic Park?A police commander told a media briefing that no one was shooting directly at the venue.Police said previously they believed the bullet that pierced the roof of the media facility on Saturday was fired by a gang member trying to shoot down a police blimp or drone.The commander saaid the man was arrested about two kilometres from Deodoro and there was no danger that anyone was intentionally targeting the Olympic venue.ddddddddddddWe can guarantee your safety. 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