Canada Did What? is a Postmedia podcast that digs into the untold, surprising political stories of the last few decades with host Tristin Hopper. From the metric wars to Morgentaler, from the October Crisis to the abortion debate, we’re unpacking all the wildest political moments you might think you remember — and giving you the real story you never knew. We talk to the politicians, journalists and newsmakers who were right there when history happened. And we have a lot of fun doing it.
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Ed Willes, Ben Kuzma, Patrick Johnston, Harrison Mooney and all our writers bring you a Canucks podcast that talks about the news, rumours, theories and themes surrounding the team every week.
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True crime podcasts have been having a moment — and, more often than not, behind those podcasts are doggedly determined reporters: People who hit the street, knock on doors and ask hard questions. Because of their work, we often know every little detail about the crimes they cover, but what we don't hear enough is what it was actually like to report on those stories, to sit in courtrooms, chase down leads, get to know family members and talk to witnesses. True Crime Byline — a podcast by Pos ...
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It wasn’t that long ago that elective abortions were harder to get in Canada than anywhere in the U.S. What changed was one of the most actively forgotten political brawls in our history, sparked by one doctor, Henry Morgentaler, a Holocaust survivor who believed legal abortions could prevent future mass atrocities. The ordeal was so divisive, so h…
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The fashionable way to remember the October Crisis today is to tsk-tsk at a hysterical government overreaction to the FLQ movement and gross violations of civil liberties with the War Measures Act. But what if marching the army into Montreal in the fall of 1970 was … a fantastic idea? Listen in for the harrowing story of how a maniacally violent ra…
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He went out a weird, morbid old man, but John Diefenbaker was indisputably the biggest political sensation this country had ever produced. He won the biggest landslide in Canadian history. He walked through screaming, adoring crowds where tearful fans would kneel and kiss his coat. Sit back and listen to the heartbreaking tale of what it’s like to …
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Canadians measure weather in Celsius but cook using Fahrenheit. We drink alcohol by the ounce and soda by the litre. Why? This unholy amalgam of metric and imperial is the hard-won truce of a chaotic war between a technocracy-obsessed bureaucracy and a liberty-loving people who refused to submit to measurement tyranny. Get ready for a wild story fe…
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Every democratic leader gets accused of being either a communist or a Nazi at some point. But Canada really did have a prime minister who was unashamed about his love for communist regimes, from China to the U.S.S.R. to Cuba. Pierre Trudeau regularly took their side during the Cold War and befriended their brutal dictators. He’s frequently voted on…
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Welcome to Canada Did What?! A Postmedia podcast that digs into the untold, surprising political stories of the last few decades with host Tristin Hopper. From the metric wars to Morgentaler, from the October Crisis to the abortion debate, we’re unpacking all the wildest political moments you might think you remember — and giving you the real story…
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After Amanda Zhao was reported missing in October 2002, Vancouver Sun reporter Lori Culburt went to Zhao's apartment to interview Zhao's boyfriend, Ang Li. She'll never forget the conversation she had with the seemingly grief-stricken man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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The Toronto 18: A Story of Radicalization and Rehabilitation.
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26:06In 2006, when the RCMP arrested 18 young men who were planning a series of attacks on Canadian soil, it forced Canadians to face the idea of homegrown terrorism. National Post reporter Adrian Humphreys spent years following the stories and transformations of the men who were part of the terror cell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone…
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Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash Changed a Town (and a Reporter) Forever
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26:20When Kevin Mitchell first heard the Humboldt Broncos bus had crashed on its way to a playoff game, he assumed it was a fender bender. But the Saskatoon StarPhoenix sports editor soon realized an unthinkable tragedy was unfolding. He would spend much of the next year in the community, observing the grief and resiliency of those connected to this sha…
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Out of The Ordinary: The Tragic Story of Brandon Truaxe
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34:08Brandon Truaxe built the hugely profitable cosmetics empire Deciem — and then plunged it into chaos. From a psychiatric hospital in England he reached out to National Post reporter Joseph Brean to share his side of the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Postmedia
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An Unthinkable Tragedy in the Ottawa Valley
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25:12One call, then another, then a third. Ottawa Citizen reporter Aedan Helmer vividly remembers what it was like in the newsroom on Sept. 22, 2015 when the police scanner crackled with the news that three bodies had been found in cottage country – and the killer was still on the loose. In the days and months that followed Helmer would come to understa…
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There had long been stories in Saskatoon’s Indigenous community about police taking Indigenous people out of town and leaving them there in the dead of winter. But it wasn’t until one young man survived the ordeal that it created a public reckoning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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The Exoneration of David Milgaard and the Trial of Larry Fisher
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27:40Nearly 30 years after David Milgaard was wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of Gail Miller the real killer — Larry Fisher — was charged and tried. Then-Saskatoon StarPhoenix reporter Les Perreaux kept tabs on Fisher before he was arrested and covered his trial in the small community of Yorkton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm…
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Cocaine, Coyotes & The Coquihalla Highway
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26:08As the RCMP prepared to seize millions of dollars worth of cocaine and ecstasy moving across the Canada-U.S. border, they made a curious decision: to bring a journalist inside the fold of the operation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Postmedia
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9/11 Changed Everything. Including This Reporter.
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25:49Brad Hunter was a reporter with the New York Post when the Twin Towers fell on Sept. 11, 2001. Covering the tragedy and its aftermath did more than define his career — it defined the rest of his life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Postmedia
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Dellen Millard Almost Got Away with Murder
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34:20Tim Bosma disappeared in 2013 after leaving home with two men to test drive a truck he was selling online. Police eventually charged Dellen Millard and Mark Smich with murder. Not long after, they discovered this wasn’t Millard’s first time killing. National Post reporter Adrian Humphreys followed the story for years, including interviewing Millard…
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Lev Tahor: The Case of a Missing Community
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29:39One winter day in 2013, nearly 250 members of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish group called Lev Tahor vanished from the remote town of Saint Agathe, Quebec. As Montreal Gazette reporter Jason Magder investigated, he heard concerning stories: of child abuse, of children taken away from their parents, and of people being sedated with antipsychotic drugs. In …
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How Covering the Bernardo Trial Changed Tom Blackwell
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27:45National Post reporter Tom Blackwell has tried to block out many things about the murder trial of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka, but what he doesn’t want to forget is what he learned from the victims’ families. Years later, his understanding of how his words can resonate with the loved ones of victims still shapes his outlook on covering crime. L…
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A Politician Murdered his Ex Wife. We Should Have Seen it Coming
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28:53In 1983, the murder of JoAnn Wilson shocked Canadians. But looking back on it today, what's most surprising is that we were surprised it happened at all. Wilson was killed by her ex-husband, former Saskatchewan cabinet minister Colin Thatcher, amidst a prolonged battle over the custody of their children, and the division of their financial assets. …
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Today we'd do it without even thinking about it. But back in 2005, Googling a person — even the star witness in a murder trial — wasn’t commonplace. But as National Post reporter Joseph Brean settled into covering the murder trial of Kevin Madden, a teenager charged with killing his 12-year-old brother Johnathon, he did exactly that – and ended up …
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It started with a tip from a police source: The number of women reported missing from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside was much higher than publicly reported. A dogged investigation by a team of journalists at the Vancouver Sun told the stories of these missing mothers, daughters and sisters — and created a sense of urgency to find out what happened t…
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Behind every crime headline is a doggedly determined reporter whose job it is to hit the street, knock on doors and ask hard questions. Because of their work, we often know every little detail about the crimes they cover — but what we don't hear enough is what it was actually like to report on those stories, to sit in courtrooms, chase down leads, …
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Questions abound as Canucks, NHL address COVID-19
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26:55Ben Kuzma and Ed Willes talk about Brock Boeser’s return to the ice, Jake Virtanen’s changing role with the club, and how the spread of COVID 19 is impacting the hockey world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Postmedia
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Everything on the line as Canucks falter in final stretch
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19:48Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about the final stretch of the Canucks season. They wanted meaningful games in March, they’ve got them, and depending on the results, Ed suggests nothing is off the table for GM Jim Benning or coach Travis Green.They also talk about the surprising role of Jake Virtanen and Ed suggests that Green has cards to pla…
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Resilient Canucks continue march to playoffs
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34:55Ed Willes and Patrick Johnston join Paul Chapman for the to talk about the team’s resiliency in coming back against Montreal, the genius of Quinn Hughes, the fabulous first impression of Tyler Toffoli (and what it will take to keep him in Vancouver) as well as the loss of Jacob Markstrom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic…
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Is Toffoli trade a wise move for the Canucks?
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32:04Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about the plight of the current Canucks.Is the trade for Tyler Toffoli a wise move for the franchise? Ed is not sour on the deal, but having spent a lot of time watching Tyler Madden last year, he feels the kid has a lot of potential.They also get into the injury and the issues plaguing Brock Boeser, the team MV…
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Is Jacob Markstrom papering over the cracks?
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22:36Ed Willes and Patrick Johnston join Paul Chapman to talk about the Vancouver Canucks current run.They get into the depth of the Canucks and if the team can withstand significant injuries down the stretch. The trio also kick around the growing stature of rookie Quinn Hughes.With it being Sedin Week, they give answers on who should be next in the raf…
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In a very special episode of The White Towel podcast, Ed Willes and Ben Kuzma join Paul Chapman to talk all things Henrik and Daniel Sedin heading into the Vancouver Canucks honouring the twins during "Sedin Week". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Postmedia
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Canucks decline on power play a real cause for concern
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24:25Ed Willes and Ben Kuzma join Paul Chapman to discuss the state of the Canucks as the team creeps up to the trade deadline.Was the loss against Boston a one-off or are there louder alarm bells sounding with the continued decline of the power play?The trio also talk about the impact of Quinn Hughes, the ways the Canucks can protect Elias Pettersson, …
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Canucks now have longer highs and shorter lows
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37:45Patrick Johnston and Ben Kuzma join Paul Chapman to talk about the evolution of the Vancouver Canucks over the course of a season.Not simply a streaky team, the Canucks now have longer highs and shorter lows and the writers surmise this is down to the maturation of players like Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, and to the additions of veterans lik…
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Canucks enter All-Star weekend on a high note
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42:18Patrick Johnston and Ed Willes join Paul Chapman to talk about the Canucks All Stars.They also talk about some notable incidents in past All-Star Games, what adding women to the weekend mix means for hockey, and why we should just enjoy the exhibition as a celebration of hockey. They then talk about the outlook for the Canucks after mid-season brea…
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How do the Canucks match up in the stacked Pacific Division?
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36:04In this week’s snow-delayed White Towel podcast, Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about the Canucks heading into the All-Star break. Among the topics discussed, how do the Canucks match up in the stacked Pacific Division? In a playoff series, which team would actually be the best? Are the Canucks using Jacob Markstrom effectively? Ed and Paul a…
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Reality check hits Canucks hard in loss to Tampa
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47:15On this week’s edition of the White Towel podcast, Ed Willes and Ben Kuzma join Paul Chapman to talk about the Vancouver Canucks' meltdown in Tampa that brought the team's seven-game winning streak to a screeching halt.How much do the Canucks rely on goaltending to compete?The podcast wraps with Ed and Ben telling stories about the 50th anniversary…
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The Canucks aren't where they need to be. What’s the fix?
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38:21The Canucks’ current struggles are examined, and the pondering over the job security of general manager Jim Benning and coach Travis Green has begun. Who is in more peril? Ed also explains why he thinks the Canucks are stuck in the same spot they’ve been in the last three seasons after seemingly upgrading their defence, bringing in a true top 6 pie…
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The Canucks' 'microcore' and the team's challenges going forward
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39:12In this week’s White Towel podcast, beat writer Ben Kuzma and columnist Ed Willes join Paul Chapman to discuss the Canucks “microcore” and the challenges they face going into the rest of the season. The group also looks at the job Jim Benning has done, the increased social media presence of owner Francesco Aquilini and whether that places any extra…
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The Canucks' offensive burst and, of course, the inquest into hockey culture
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35:17In this week’s edition of the White Towel podcast Patrick Johnston and Ed Willes join Paul Chapman to talk about the burst of offence the Canucks have received this season. Our panel also takes a long look at the inquest into hockey culture which has now centred on former Canucks coach Marc Crawford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphon…
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Canucks struggles and the potential for a goalie controversy
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34:53This week’s White Towel Podcast sees Ed Willes join Paul Chapman to talk about the recent Canucks struggles, the potential for a goalie controversy, the job security and possible moves for General Manager Jim Benning, and the furor caused by the Canucks wearing their black “Skate” jerseys and whether that’s really noteworthy or just social media fl…
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On Quinn Hughes, the pressures facing the team and, of course, Don Cherry
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47:59The latest edition of the White Towel podcast is super-sized: Host Paul Chapman is joined by Canucks beat writers Patrick Johnston and Ben Kuzma plus columnist Ed Willes.The quartet take a look at Quinn Hughes’ ongoing growth, the pressures they’re going to face on a big road trip to close November and, of course, Don Cherry. Learn more about your …
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Reaching deep, loving Winnipeg and losing passports
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37:45This week both Canucks beat writers Patrick Johnston and Ben Kuzma join Paul Chapman to talk all things Canucks. •Subscribe to The White Towel podcast on Apple Podcasts to get all the Canucks news, insight and opinion each week from our beat writers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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What do we make of the Canucks' early success?
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31:45Ed Willes and Ben Kuzma join Paul Chapman to talk about the amazing offensive roll the Canucks are on. The writers get into what has made such a big difference on the team, who the difference makers have been and what fans can expect to see over the next month and beyond. Why is this team on such a tear, and how much can coach Travis Green and GM J…
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Columnist Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to dissect the fast start the Canucks have got off to. Ed surmises that it’s depth that has brought the Canucks to where they are, the additions of JT Miller and Tyler Myers, as well as Jordy Benn, have played as big a role as the growth of talented budding stars Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. Learn more a…
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On this week’s episode of the White Towel podcast, Paul Chapman and Patrick Johnston break down a promising homestand for the Vancouver Canucks. This season feels different from past starts. Is it? Plus a look at what J.T. Miller’s already brought to the table, the pressure on Thatcher Demko and the new-look defence. Learn more about your ad choice…
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Unfortunately, posting of this podcast was delayed until after the Thanksgiving weekend, but the content is still gold! Join Paul Chapman and Patrick Johnston as they give their early season impressions on the Vancouver Canucks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Postmedia
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The return of Canucks hockey also means it’s the return of the White Towel podcast. Postmedia hockey writers Patrick Johnston and Ben Kuzma look at what the Canucks look like going into the 2019-20 NHL season: how will the new-look defence fare? Is Quinn Hughes the real deal? Can Elias Pettersson be even better than before? Learn more about your ad…
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Can Canucks sign more than Myers in free agency?
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44:51Patrick Johnston and Paul Chapman take a look back at the draft and then ahead to free agency.How did the Canucks do with their nine picks? Why was the reception for Vasili Podkolzin initially mixed?With reflection what do we make of the J.T. Miller trade?The Canucks seem set to sign Tyler Myers but might they make any other moves? And will Roberto…
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Canucks make home run pick with Vasili Podkolzin
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18:43Patrick Johnston explains why Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning made a home run pick in taking big Russian forward Vasili Podkolzin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Postmedia
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Pratt ready to reprise bad guy role in new podcast
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53:27Paul Chapman is joined by longtime Vancouver broadcaster Dave Pratt in this special edition of the White Towel.Dave talks about his new podcast, The Prattcast, weighs in on the current plight of the Canucks, the NHL draft, and even bike lanes.He also talks about the sun setting on sports radio in Vancouver and pays respect to former Province hockey…
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Is Jim Benning capable of making a big splash on draft day?
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23:31In the movie Draft Day, the Cleveland Browns' owner takes the GM to an amusement park and tells him he wants to make a "big splash".Is the same scenario in the offing for Jim Benning and the Canucks?Patrick Johnston and Ed Willes take a look at the state of play with just over a week to go until the NHL Entry Draft. Learn more about your ad choices…
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Patrick Johnston and Ben Kuzma talk about whether the Canucks might stand pat at the draft or move up, who the Canucks are looking to pick at 10th overall, take stock of the Alex Edler situation, and list some valuable lessons taught by the St. Louis Blues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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Bruins give Canucks roadmap for Stanley Cup success
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29:09Ed Willes and Paul Chapman look at which Stanley Cup finalist, the St. Louis Blues or the Boston Bruins, provide the most salient roadmap for the Vancouver Canucks to follow on the path to winning a Cup.Ed’s opinion on this may surprise you.They also discuss Raptors hysteria and how much interest in Vancouver there is in the NBA and if Canucks owne…
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