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Cory Schneider will play 20-25 games next season in the National Hockey League, but the Vancouver Canucks' prized prospect will learn as much or more from his 70 or so practices and about the same number of morning skates.The Canucks' goaltending coach will be vital to Schneider's development. Which makes you wonder why, more than eight months after head coach Alain Vigneault had his contract extended by three years, the National Hockey League team's assistant coaches have yet to be announced for next season.
Associate coach Rick Bowness, assistants Ryan Walter and Darryl Williams and goaltending consultant Ian Clark have been flapping in the breeze so long, it's a wonder they haven't succumbed to exposure.
All season, anyone who inquired about the status of Vigneault's crew was assured there were no issues, that everything was moving along and eventually the assistant coaches' contracts should be extended - as is customary when the head coach, their boss, receives a new contract.
But three weeks ago, in his season-end press conference, general manager Mike Gillis still wasn't ready to commit, saying the coaching staff was not a priority and would be reviewed in time.
Assistant GM Laurence Gilman said Wednesday it could be July 1 before the staff is finalized.
The situation has become ridiculous, especially when you consider that two-year extensions were offered to the assistant coaches in April.
Presumably, these were signed. Assuming also that these legal documents were not lost in the intra-office mail at General Motors Place, the Canucks appear to be considering firing an assistant coach or four soon after agreeing to pay them for two more seasons.
Hey, it's good work if you can get it.
"We are evaluating all aspects of our hockey operations," Gilman explained. "We hope to have all those evaluations done before the draft (June 25) or July 1 at the latest. At this point, with those evaluations ongoing, I can't comment further on our coaching staff."
Gilman neither confirmed nor denied that formal offers were made to Vigneault's assistants in April.
Clark, who has worked as a goaltending "consultant" to the Canucks for eight seasons and tutored captain Roberto Luongo the last four, also declined to comment on the situation Wednesday except to say he loves working for the team and hopes to continue doing so.
But Clark, more than the other assistants, appears to be vulnerable due to his family situation in Dallas and the promotion from the American League of Schneider, the 24-year-old first-round pick who agreed this week to a two-year, $1.8-million-US, one-way contract and can no longer play in the minors without clearing waivers.
Clark has worked only as a consultant to the Canucks not, as is often reported, because of conflicting business interests in Texas but because of a complicated domestic life. Divorced, Clark has custody of two teenage boys from his first marriage. The custodial agreement stipulates Clark cannot move his family outside the Dallas area.
Clark has a baby with his second wife, who also has children from a previous marriage.
It's not by choice that Clark does not live in Vancouver and work for the Canucks full-time. But in practice, he is not nearly as part-time as many people think, having put in nearly 150 work days for the Canucks between September and May.
Schneider will be the first genuine goaltending prospect the Canucks have had since Alex Auld replaced injured starter Dan Cloutier in 2005-06.
Luongo arrived in trade from Florida after that season, and since then the second goalies in Vancouver have been journeymen Dany Sabourin, Curtis Sanford, Jason LaBarbera and Andrew Raycroft.
You can see how Schneider may need a little more guidance than those backups. But finding a better goaltending instructor than Clark would not be easy, especially since nearly all the elite ones work for other teams.
As for Bowness, Walter and Williams, it would be grossly unfair to scapegoat them for the Canucks' second-round collapse against the Chicago Blackhawks. Yes, Bowness coached a penalty-killing unit that was scorched for 17 goals in 12 playoff games. But his far bigger responsibility was coaching the defence, which helped the team collect 103 points and its third division title in four years despite the free-agent fiasco of Mathieu Schneider and long-term injuries to key blue-liners Willie Mitchell and Kevin Bieksa.
Besides, accountability should never seep beyond the head coach's office. And Vigneault clearly has Gillis' support. It was demonstrated with a contract extension last Sept. 24.
Associate coach Rick Bowness, assistants Ryan Walter and Darryl Williams and goaltending consultant Ian Clark have been flapping in the breeze so long, it's a wonder they haven't succumbed to exposure.
All season, anyone who inquired about the status of Vigneault's crew was assured there were no issues, that everything was moving along and eventually the assistant coaches' contracts should be extended - as is customary when the head coach, their boss, receives a new contract.
But three weeks ago, in his season-end press conference, general manager Mike Gillis still wasn't ready to commit, saying the coaching staff was not a priority and would be reviewed in time.
Assistant GM Laurence Gilman said Wednesday it could be July 1 before the staff is finalized.
The situation has become ridiculous, especially when you consider that two-year extensions were offered to the assistant coaches in April.
Presumably, these were signed. Assuming also that these legal documents were not lost in the intra-office mail at General Motors Place, the Canucks appear to be considering firing an assistant coach or four soon after agreeing to pay them for two more seasons.
Hey, it's good work if you can get it.
"We are evaluating all aspects of our hockey operations," Gilman explained. "We hope to have all those evaluations done before the draft (June 25) or July 1 at the latest. At this point, with those evaluations ongoing, I can't comment further on our coaching staff."
Gilman neither confirmed nor denied that formal offers were made to Vigneault's assistants in April.
Clark, who has worked as a goaltending "consultant" to the Canucks for eight seasons and tutored captain Roberto Luongo the last four, also declined to comment on the situation Wednesday except to say he loves working for the team and hopes to continue doing so.
But Clark, more than the other assistants, appears to be vulnerable due to his family situation in Dallas and the promotion from the American League of Schneider, the 24-year-old first-round pick who agreed this week to a two-year, $1.8-million-US, one-way contract and can no longer play in the minors without clearing waivers.
Clark has worked only as a consultant to the Canucks not, as is often reported, because of conflicting business interests in Texas but because of a complicated domestic life. Divorced, Clark has custody of two teenage boys from his first marriage. The custodial agreement stipulates Clark cannot move his family outside the Dallas area.
Clark has a baby with his second wife, who also has children from a previous marriage.
It's not by choice that Clark does not live in Vancouver and work for the Canucks full-time. But in practice, he is not nearly as part-time as many people think, having put in nearly 150 work days for the Canucks between September and May.
Schneider will be the first genuine goaltending prospect the Canucks have had since Alex Auld replaced injured starter Dan Cloutier in 2005-06.
Luongo arrived in trade from Florida after that season, and since then the second goalies in Vancouver have been journeymen Dany Sabourin, Curtis Sanford, Jason LaBarbera and Andrew Raycroft.
You can see how Schneider may need a little more guidance than those backups. But finding a better goaltending instructor than Clark would not be easy, especially since nearly all the elite ones work for other teams.
As for Bowness, Walter and Williams, it would be grossly unfair to scapegoat them for the Canucks' second-round collapse against the Chicago Blackhawks. Yes, Bowness coached a penalty-killing unit that was scorched for 17 goals in 12 playoff games. But his far bigger responsibility was coaching the defence, which helped the team collect 103 points and its third division title in four years despite the free-agent fiasco of Mathieu Schneider and long-term injuries to key blue-liners Willie Mitchell and Kevin Bieksa.
Besides, accountability should never seep beyond the head coach's office. And Vigneault clearly has Gillis' support. It was demonstrated with a contract extension last Sept. 24.
Some relevant stats:
Regular Season:
Goal/Game- 3.27 (2nd)
Goals Against/Game- 2.66 (12th)
5-on-5 Goals For/Against- 1.24 (2nd)
PP%- 20.9 (6th)
PK%- 81.6 (18th)
Shots/Game- 30.9 (10th)
Shots Against/Game- 29.5 (11th)
Face-Off%- 51.4 (7th)
Playoffs:
Goals/Game - 3.58 (T-1st)
Goals Against/Game - (13th)
Powerplay - 22.0% (6th)
Penalty Kill - 68.5% (Last, by a wide margin)
Aside from the PK, those are some flattering team numbers.
Good to see the story behind Ian Clark, though its confusing since it was reported that Gillis wanted to move on with a full-time goalie coach/mentor.
Notice the article attempts some dramatics by reporting that the assistants were offered 2 year deals earlier this season, dont read too much into that.
Chances are they are all returning.
Oh...and anyone straying off-topic with "FiRE AVLolOLloL and Da WholE cOachIng StaFFZ!1!!!!11", should get an embedded -1.
*edited to add playoff stats, courtesy of D-money*
Edited by BedBeats™, 03 June 2010 - 12:31 PM.
he was in charge of pk, right? 
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