[Raging Wookies]

I have defended AV for a long time.

Through all the line juggling, defensive tactics, and calling out players, I have stuck with him.

But nowadays I am finding it harder and harder to see how he is a positive on this team.

The line-juggling is understandable, but you have to give lines more than a couple games to Gel! Sundin and Demitra aren't just gonna start producing, you have to actually give them a chance to find each other on the ice!

Throwing Demitra, one of our only players with more than 10 goals, on the fourth line? It's madness!

I agree with a wake-up call now and then but for a team that gives up so many goals we have to score more, and we won't be able to do that with AV having such a hard-on for Taylor Pyatt.

Calling out your players is all good and fine. But when you call out Demitra, a player with job security as far as this season goes, are you helping or hurting? Demo won't be put on waivers, so by calling him out publicly you are either lighting a fire under his a$$ or you might make him unmotivated to play for you. AV just has a way of pissing his players off.

Alright, Im ranting so Ill finish.

Sundin is here, Luongo is coming back, everything is aligning for the Canucks this season.

With Luongo back we can start playing a more offensive style again, the question is, Will AV be receptive to this?
Or sill he maintain his hardball offensive tactics and piss off two huge leaders on this team in Sundin and Luongo?

We can't know how the future will turn out,

but with Vigneault we can certainly guess.

[canucks1096]

the blame falls on AV if we miss the playoffs
but when Luongo comes back, I think we have a solid team
and make a good run for the cup.

[Bones'Daddy]

canucks1096, on Jan 13 2009, 10:19 AM, said:

the blame falls on AV if we miss the playoffs
but when Luongo comes back, I think we have a solid team
and make a good run for the cup.

agreed, although i hate the constant line juggling he does every game

[grimmjow]

Our team is clearly lacking leadership right now. With the heart and soul of the team off the ice right now the rest of the team is clearly being impacted. Lou will return and we will start winning again as Sundin finds his groove and starts producing like the monster he is. At this point no one will point the finger at AV anymore. So I don't think our slump is entirely his fault. But seriously - stop man-crushing on Pyatt AV. It makes me sick.

[Sprusgoose]

The answer to the heading, is I don't know. But, I agree with most of what you had to say. AV's line juggling madness worked for a season and a bit when other teams seemed to be less attentive to the Sedin line. It seemed to keep other coaches guessing a little more, but at this point, I feel like this game plan is ineffective and AV is just forcing it.

We're at a point now with our roster that the scorers need to be given a chance to score. Demitra has been dogging it lately, but he seems like the type of personality (see Markus Naslund) who doesn't do well with being demoted/called out constantly and I think this is what we're seeing. He clearly showed considerable scoring ability with the Sedins, but as soon as it goes away for a couple games, AV starts picking names out of a hat for his next lineup.

AV has to tune in a little and pay attention to coaching the individuals a little better. There is no reason this team shouldn't be a little better than .500 right now and if things don't improve considerably once Lu is back (in all aspects...especially allowing the offense to push) I can't see AV making to the end of the season...certainly missing the playoffs is not an option.

[stawns]

grimmjow, on Jan 13 2009, 12:26 PM, said:

Our team is clearly lacking leadership right now. With the heart and soul of the team off the ice right now the rest of the team is clearly being impacted. Lou will return and we will start winning again as Sundin finds his groove and starts producing like the monster he is. At this point no one will point the finger at AV anymore. So I don't think our slump is entirely his fault. But seriously - stop man-crushing on Pyatt AV. It makes me sick.

funny how most coaches/analysts disagree about Pyatt. I wonder who knows more.....them or you? To those calling for AV.....who are you going to replace him with? Any coach worth picking up is coaching now.

to the above poster.......awwwwwwwwwwww poor Demitra. I can think of 4 million reasons why he should quit the put and start putting forth a little effort.

This post has been edited by stawns: 13 January 2009 - 11:29 AM

[TOMapleLaughs]

Demitra has been struggling over the past few games with the Sedins and then with Sundin. He's been bad offensively and defensively. He looks really slow out there and tired all the time. In fact he could be playing hurt. His demotion is warranted. Either to 'get him going' or to cut his minutes to protect him from further injury.

Sure, Pyatt isn't as talented as Demo, but he's fresh from a bit of a rest and he'll do something that Demo will never do: Crash the crease. It's mid-season and it's going to get tougher to score goals that aren't garbage. I for one am tired of seeing botched 'perfect plays' at the expense of a shot on net that likely would've been a goal, aren't you? (Okay, that's a shot at the Sedins, not Demo.) I'm positive that Pyatt will do okay if his linemates control the play around him.


A comment AV made the other day about the NHL being a performance-based business just puts a highlight on what could be going on in the background: We're keeping the player stats artificially low by playing an unnecessary defensive style and that will be used in future contract negotiations. Heh, it's a positive theory.

[rman09]

stawns, on Jan 13 2009, 10:28 AM, said:

funny how most coaches/analysts disagree about Pyatt. I wonder who knows more.....them or you? To those calling for AV.....who are you going to replace him with? Any coach worth picking up is coaching now.

to the above poster.......awwwwwwwwwwww poor Demitra. I can think of 4 million reasons why he should quit the put and start putting forth a little effort.

pat quinn??

[dhabums23]

Raging Wookies, on Jan 13 2009, 10:17 AM, said:

I have defended AV for a long time.

My thoughts on AV are pretty simple, I wouldn't care if he got fired. Ignoring all of the little things, I do not understand how we don't start Sanford v. the Blues then go back to our "#1" against the Sharks.

I think has become clear he is a creation of Roberto Luongo.

[whalleykid]

What are AV's options? Who replaces Pyatt then? The coach can only work with what he's got. Pyatt has been out the past couple of weeks and I haven't seen anybody fill his shoes. The one thing about the Canucks game lately has been hitting and that part i'd like to see more of.

[Auximenes]

I gotta admit, I've given AV a long rope with the line-juggling

but it's getting ridiculous now

keep a line together of 5 games minimum plz

[PO'd]

I've defended AV in the past. But I'm starting to think the problem is him. If the team continues to sputter after Luongo comes back, then I think it's time to look to replace AV, and/or his band of assistants. His line juggling madness and defensive style have been discussed by others, but I think overall he has put the shackles on the players. Not just the skill guys but the grinders too. The Canucks are consistently getting outhit by a wide margin. Hordichuk has been all but invisible lately. Has he suddenly grown scared of fighting? Has he forgotten how to hit?! If Hordi is not fighting and stirring the pot, then you may as well not dress him. The same goes for O'Brien, Burrows, Kesla, and Johnson. Not enough physical play from these guys. I think AV is trying too hard to stay out of the box that he's got the team playing too conservative. Sometimes you just have to let the singers sing and the dancers dance and let the chips fall where they may. The Canucks' got a decent enough penalty kill to survive the penalties. And besides, the "tough" penalties are easier to kill. Gillis has worked hard to put together a grittier and tougher team, but AV has got them playing soft. The Canucks have gradually stopped being a nasty team to play against.

This post has been edited by PO'd: 13 January 2009 - 11:50 AM

[bertuzzirocksyerface]

wetcoaster, i mean AV sucks. His love of losers like pyatt really gets to me. Its like that idiot that sucks up to the boss all the time to get the good jobs even tho he sucks at everything....I hope he is gone next year. Was gillis' worst move this past offseason.

[nermz]

The blame will fall on him quick if we don't start winning consistently after luongo is back between the pipes/after the all star break.

[Sprusgoose]

stawns, on Jan 13 2009, 12:28 PM, said:

funny how most coaches/analysts disagree about Pyatt. I wonder who knows more.....them or you? To those calling for AV.....who are you going to replace him with? Any coach worth picking up is coaching now.

to the above poster.......awwwwwwwwwwww poor Demitra. I can think of 4 million reasons why he should quit the put and start putting forth a little effort.

aaawwwwwwwww...at least you didn't read way further into my post than written. We're discussing what the problem is here. What are you going to do? Fire Demitra? Everyone knows what this guy is like personality-wise. It was beaten to death when he was signed. Where have you been?

AV's job is to coach what he's got. You can't go and ruin a player's heads just because you think he is soft. We know he's soft. He's still getting paid $4 million per, and is still one of your best scorers. He's playing like garbage right now, because the second he (or any other player for that matter) doesn't produce, AV is all over them. No ice time, demotion, calling out in public. I wouldn't want to play for that either...especially if I was already making $4 million a season regardless. I don't feel sorry for Demitra but I want him to play well.

Do you honestly believe this is all a coincidence? We went through the same thing last year with Naslund's game. The team did the same thing last year too. Play well for awhile, and then seemingly out of nowhere, they just can't get it done one night...then two...then three...then no playoffs. The line juggling gets out of control, players are called out...and then? There is a bigger issue here. Again, I don't feel sorry for any of them, but the fact of the matter is, we all want a winning team, and currently AV doesn't look like he's the guy to give us that.

[Dr.Stanley]

Raging Wookies, on Jan 13 2009, 11:17 AM, said:

I have defended AV for a long time.

Through all the line juggling, defensive tactics, and calling out players, I have stuck with him.

But nowadays I am finding it harder and harder to see how he is a positive on this team.

The line-juggling is understandable, but you have to give lines more than a couple games to Gel! Sundin and Demitra aren't just gonna start producing, you have to actually give them a chance to find each other on the ice!

Throwing Demitra, one of our only players with more than 10 goals, on the fourth line? It's madness!

I agree with a wake-up call now and then but for a team that gives up so many goals we have to score more, and we won't be able to do that with AV having such a hard-on for Taylor Pyatt.

Calling out your players is all good and fine. But when you call out Demitra, a player with job security as far as this season goes, are you helping or hurting? Demo won't be put on waivers, so by calling him out publicly you are either lighting a fire under his a$$ or you might make him unmotivated to play for you. AV just has a way of pissing his players off.

Alright, Im ranting so Ill finish.

Sundin is here, Luongo is coming back, everything is aligning for the Canucks this season.

With Luongo back we can start playing a more offensive style again, the question is, Will AV be receptive to this?
Or sill he maintain his hardball offensive tactics and piss off two huge leaders on this team in Sundin and Luongo?

We can't know how the future will turn out,

but with Vigneault we can certainly guess.

So I completely agree with you. I have played hockey close to my whole life and it always takes a bit to find chemistry with your line mates. That being said these players are proffesionals and should be finding chemistry quicker then the average person (meaning myself). AV also has the pressure of us as fans to make something happen and if he lets the same lines "try to find chemistry" for to long and we miss the playoffs, well he might as well change his name to Jesus!

[themcdeal]

demitras on the 4th because he just wants to find a player that compliments Sundin. In the last 3 games, demitra and Sundin havn't played that well together. Wellwoods been playing well with the Sedins, and the 3rd line is playing solid right now. Thus, Demitra is on the 4th.

[nucks4thecup09]

The blame falls on AV when our best player returns to the line-up and we still miss the playoffs after being right in the thick of things during his absence.

Until then, settle down. I could understand these kind of posts if we were in Ottawa or Pittsburgh...

[DirtyHarry]

If we start losing like we are right now WITH Luongo in the lineup, a shakeup is needed, and firing the coach is not out the question, it most certainly will happen before we see any trades.

[Murrelet]

I'm starting to tire of this as well. I think there are several benefits to line switching under game conditions, but now it's going too far for my tastes. And the calling out is never the answer if it's continuous, time to shut up AV and settle the boys down.

I'm starting to get curious about a new top quality coach, but who?