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Ian Esplen Nails The Coaching Problem (Must Read)


jonnycanuck46

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Ian Esplen wrote this article, pretty much nailing the coaching situation

http://www.hockeybuz...n/WTF/164/43861

Words can't even begin to describe how I feel right now, but I'll try. Confused, puzzled, pissed off, Fu?ked up, insane, jack ass, moron, nope none of them fit. Let's just make up a new word for it.

Vigneault- To have absolutely no clue what you are doing, no clue as to how to motivate, and to throw your players under a bus whenever you can.

That should about cover it for a definition.

What I saw out of the team was pretty good, but what I saw out of the coach was nothing. When a Kings player makes a mistake, Sutter goes up to him, pats him on the back and coaches him. What I saw from AV was, chomp on the gum a bit harder and if they are one of your "boys" toss him out to make the same mistake. If they are not in the "boys club", staple their ass to the bench.

Then in the press conference, just when you think AV couldn't say anything dumber. Just when you thought AV might take a fine to stand up for his guys. AV goes and tosses Hank under the bus. When asked about the hit, AV responded with, " I didn't like the position Hank put himself in." Way to back your Captain AV. Blame him for getting his brains scrambled. No wonder this team doesn't play hard for you, they know you don't have their back so why should they have yours?

Regardless of whether or not you like the hit, in my opinion, the coach should always have his team's back. Having Hank's back doesn't mean tossing him under the bus and saying he needs to pay more attention. Someone kills your best player, you call for that players head and take the fine from the league. That hit should have the coach up in arms. That hit should have had AV screaming at someone.

A coach that shows no passion = a team that shows no passion

The other thing that should have been done is to tap Weise and Kassian on the shoulder and put them out for a few more shifts. Instead, Vancouver had the same reaction as their coach. That reaction was nothing unless you count the slow dancing that Burrows did with Kopitar or Juice trying to make out with Brown. I don't think hugging is going to exactly detour anyone from running players through the boards.

As for the hit, I won't even bother to comment on it and I suggest all Canucks fans do the same. If the organization doesn't have a problem with it or care that the Canucks best player almost got killed, why should we? No one stepped up for Hank and answered the bell, so why should we as fans waste time with it. The continual problem with this team is they don't have each other's back.

We saw it against Boston last year and we have seen it this year against LA. They get down and no one is there to pick them up. Look at Edler, playing bad, why not just rip him in the media to make him feel even more like crap. And what happen because of it, he played about as bad as you can possibly play. I guess AV pushed the right button there.

This team has the talent to win, but right now they lack the teacher to get them there. Vancouver's biggest problem on the ice has been goals. It seems like eternity since they has scored more than 2 in a game. Yet, Andrew Ebbett, a player who has played well and scored some big goals all year, was watching last night because AV felt Weise was needed for two minutes.

Zack Kassian was also watching. A player that was brought in for toughness and to give the line up a more balanced feel has made us a three line team. Right now his confidence level is in the crapper, let's just hope AV isn't ruining him like he was Cody. Cody was smart enough to want off the ship, wonder if Kassian will ask for a trade at season end too. Kassian was brought in for the playoffs, but it now appears he's in the same boat as Cody and watching the playoffs.

But should this really surprise us? No not really, AV has always never really coached players or listened to them. I remember Naslund going to him in his last season and saying that puck possession was the way of the future. That it was how the Canucks should play. AV ignored his players then, why should we expect him to not ignore them now?

Now after that rant you may be thinking that I'm ready to toss the towel in. No I am not. Vancouver has two days to get ready, and the guys in the locker room to win four straight. The only question I have is do we have the coach that will make the right decisions and play the right players?

One game at a time starts right now. Win game 4, get it home and anything can happen. Get Ebbett and Kassian 10-12 minutes and try to coach Edler out of his funk. Win that one and see what happens.

Thanks for Reading.

Enjoy your day.

Ian

P.S.- Mods get ready, my gut says You're going to have a busy week ahead.

and for those of you who missed it. here is the Sedin hit

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I actually put some heat on AV for not pulling Luongo when he is clearly off of his game in really , really big games. Multiple chicago series, boston series. Instead, he lets Luongo stay in and get lit up time after time. This has absolutely destroyed Lu at times and has given him a choker label. If he had pulled Luongo after the game was out of reach (but only let in a few) and it was clear that Luongo was off of his game, Luongo's 'choker' meltdown would not exist. I'm not saying it doesn't mean that Luongo didn't complete meltdown in some games but AV just made it incredibly worse by not forcing Luongo to leave the game. Luongo is a fighter and always wants to stay in, but it was up to AV to get him out of there waaaaaaaaaaay sooner. Screw AV.

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Even Henrik said he was fine with the hit.

Vigneault didn't "throw Henrik under the bus". He made a reasonable comment about a hard, clean hit. The message: suck it up and play through it. But then AV knew that anyway. That's what a good captain does, Henrik missed a shift, then played well the rest of the game.

Patting players on the back after they make mistakes is great if they're peewees. Adults don't need to be coddled. And there're plenty of times when Bowness gives instruction to players on the bench -- (without the love taps and flowery encouragement).

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AV can not do a coaches job at this level and never has been able to.The Canucks have won in spite of him not because of him,not once in all the years he's been here has never been able to motivate this team,when they are in a slump it's always been a players only meeting that has brought change and whenever AV has been faced by a great coach he can't adjust.No cup in Van until we get a real NHL level coach !

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While this run isn't entirely AV's fault, he sure shares some of the blame. Booth/Kes on same line? Switching up working pairs before playoffs to confuse everyone, then have them back together again? I don't understand what he does, but he did lead us to game 7 of the SCF. So.... yeah. :emot-parrot:

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