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Av And Coaching Issues Thread


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It is up to Mike Gillis to decide what to do with the coaching. AV did a good job over the season but he comes up short this year. As a fan perspective, AV needs to go for following reasons: he failed to adjust some strategy that the Kings threw at them. Sure, the Kings is stingy defensive but when the Kings' pressure in their offensive zone is alarming, especially the 4th line over and over at home needs to be addressed immediately. AV failed to do that. A good coach will make notes when the opponents 4th line is buzzing, he needs to counter with some different strategies to defuse the 4th line. It is not just the strategies involved but some lack of motivation on the first two games, did them in. I personally felt that there are some good coaches that might be available out there, the trick is that they need to find a right personality of a coach to coach the team. Mac T is not going to cut it. I am sure that the GM will find the right coach. I have seen the players have tuned AV out a few times during the season and I felt that even they were winning the game, they were majority of 1-goal games, even during their "slump" that they never have gotten out of.

I don't want any "recycled" coach on this team because they were hired and fired by other teams before and even if they hire that coach, why would we think he will change his ways to prove himself a good coach when his tactics and strategies have failed before?

Now, I have stated my case that GM Mike Gillis really need to take his time to evaluate the overall structure of this team and that includes the coach staff on this team and analysis the questions what this team needs of a coach. Does this team needs a motivator but lacks good game plan, or a passive coach, or an emotional coach or a thinker coach with a right buttons to push and to motivate the team?

If we let go AV, will we repeat as a president trophy winner, 3-peat or if we keep AV, we might have a chance to get 3-peat President Trophy winner and a weaker opponents for a change rather than Chicago or LA. It seems strange that the Canucks have had to go and face a stronger team in the playoffs as a 8th seed. Do we give AV another chance? We will never know what will happen in the future but the right buttons need to be pushed correctly and make moves that is necessary to keep this team a contender for years to come, even Sedins get old and decline as they ages years from now. I think that this "off-season" is the key and the turning point whether they will finally get over the hump as a cup winner in the near future. Gillis can't afford to make a series of mistakes otherwise, the goal of the cup winner might not come for the near future. I view this season as a great learning tool for their future but needs to apply correctly to gain better experiences.

Perhaps, we might not get a slow start next year as we will look forward with the goaltending situation and the Luongo's slow start is the key to the 2012-13 season with right coaching personnel on the team. Look forward to the next season already, I am curious what GM will do in the next few weeks.

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That was brutal, this is why everyone hates us...we lost the series on an attempted dive by Hamhuis and the fans start screaming "refs you suck!"? (or was it "Hamhuis sucks?", either way that was disgraceful).. And now we immediately call for a coaching change? How about, maybe our players suck?

I think it's time we take a strong look at this organization from the top down...i hate to say it but maybe there's something to what people are saying w.r.t. maybe this team takes too many dives. They were gutless out there.

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They absolutely got out coached in the special teams. They reverted back to the man-to-man strategy in the PK. Look at how LA does it. They get three guys to the boards and try to get the puck. The guy who's covering the point should come down low to assist with the puck battle if there's an opening. Instead, we often have flat footed guys wandering around, like Todd Bertuzzi.

The other team simply doesn't let the other team have too much control. In this day and age, you can't play the 4-man box. That's for the 1990s.

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Wow. AV is STAYING, did he not just pass Mark Crawford this year for most wins, in a much shorter time frame? Like common! AV can't control the players actions, he just creates the system, which is a VERY GOOD system if you ask me. The problem in my mind is the GM, if he wants to give this team a CHANCE at winning the cup, we need someone to help the second line (cough * Hodgson * cough). And since we don't have that someone right now, IMO we need:

- To go after someone like St. Louis, or Parise to solidify our top 6. Bottom six is great in my mind.

- Decide whether Ballard is staying or not (considering he is taking up a lot of cap space). If he's staying, give him the ice time he deserves. Pair him with Bieksa or Edler. If he isn't, trade him so we can sign a Top 4 defencemen.

- Sign Kassian to some sort of 2-way contract, and try him out during the pre-season. If he looks lost, put him in the minors for another year until he starts gaining consistency, than call him up every now and then.

- Decide which prospects we want to call up next season (ahead of time), and sign them to 2-way contracts accordingly.

- Resign Burrows and Edler!!! Do not let them walk MG! I swear to God!

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At last.

Vindication.

I was right when he was hired, I'm still right. He should not be the coach of the Vancouver Canucks.

He *isn't* a great coach. He's an above average coach at best (and I would argue 'average') who has had absolutely delightful talent at his disposal. It's been shown series after series when a 'coaching duel' happens, AV comes out as the loser.

Bring in someone who will actually coach the team, as opposed to stand there waving an arm at the ref while chewing 40 packs of gum.

Now I can finally cheer for this team again. It's been a long time.

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The problem was not only Hodgson, but Pahlsson. You already had two Selke calibre centers in Malhotra and Kesler who could shut down any line. Then you get a guy with absolutely no offense to speak of. So basically, you are left with 3 non-scoring lines. When Sedin went down, the last scoring line also disappeared.

Michael Gillis has made many questionable calls with Sundin, Grabner, Hodgson, Luongo (giving him that big fat contract).

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It is up to Mike Gillis to decide what to do with the coaching. AV did a good job over the season but he comes up short this year. As a fan perspective, AV needs to go for following reasons: he failed to adjust some strategy that the Kings threw at them. Sure, the Kings is stingy defensive but when the Kings' pressure in their offensive zone is alarming, especially the 4th line over and over at home needs to be addressed immediately. AV failed to do that. A good coach will make notes when the opponents 4th line is buzzing, he needs to counter with some different strategies to defuse the 4th line. It is not just the strategies involved but some lack of motivation on the first two games, did them in. I personally felt that there are some good coaches that might be available out there, the trick is that they need to find a right personality of a coach to coach the team. Mac T is not going to cut it. I am sure that the GM will find the right coach. I have seen the players have tuned AV out a few times during the season and I felt that even they were winning the game, they were majority of 1-goal games, even during their "slump" that they never have gotten out of.

I don't want any "recycled" coach on this team because they were hired and fired by other teams before and even if they hire that coach, why would we think he will change his ways to prove himself a good coach when his tactics and strategies have failed before?

Now, I have stated my case that GM Mike Gillis really need to take his time to evaluate the overall structure of this team and that includes the coach staff on this team and analysis the questions what this team needs of a coach. Does this team needs a motivator but lacks good game plan, or a passive coach, or an emotional coach or a thinker coach with a right buttons to push and to motivate the team?

If we let go AV, will we repeat as a president trophy winner, 3-peat or if we keep AV, we might have a chance to get 3-peat President Trophy winner and a weaker opponents for a change rather than Chicago or LA. It seems strange that the Canucks have had to go and face a stronger team in the playoffs as a 8th seed. Do we give AV another chance? We will never know what will happen in the future but the right buttons need to be pushed correctly and make moves that is necessary to keep this team a contender for years to come, even Sedins get old and decline as they ages years from now. I think that this "off-season" is the key and the turning point whether they will finally get over the hump as a cup winner in the near future. Gillis can't afford to make a series of mistakes otherwise, the goal of the cup winner might not come for the near future. I view this season as a great learning tool for their future but needs to apply correctly to gain better experiences.

Perhaps, we might not get a slow start next year as we will look forward with the goaltending situation and the Luongo's slow start is the key to the 2012-13 season with right coaching personnel on the team. Look forward to the next season already, I am curious what GM will do in the next few weeks.

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YEP, Vigs has to go - was pretty clear when he traded away Erhoff and Torres (which I know nucks woulda told him to watch his hits had he being a canuck still - because of his hit last year). Then he trades away Hodgson for 2 players that didn't even factor in the playoffs (Pahlsson - phfff - we lost Hodgson's goals in that one - Hodgeson was on a role before the trade). I was mad at this trade, if anyone should have gone, it should have being Raymond.

Love Schneiders play - but to keep him another year simply means "confidence" isn't 100% in Luongo - what does that say to a guy - great goaltenders of the past went all the way!

Playing Luo in Boston when he knew Luo didn't do well in Boston - leaving the 4th line in the game when the 4th line kept taking all those penalties.

Leaving the 2 greatest goalscorers on the bench during the shootouts (Crosby didn't do well either, but the Penguins coach kept sending him out and he eventually began to score) - what does that say to the Sedins?

Ballard, Hamhuis, Laps, Maholtra, Weis, Pahlsson, Salo and Hansen have to go.

And, the Sedins need a big, tough "CANADIAN" player with them that can skate and make plays - someone that can hit and take a hit - like Byfulien cleared the way for the Hawks in their Stanley Cup win - after all, the final came down to if Pronger could stop him. The Sedins make anyone look good, they need a big guy like that - where the other teams will tremble when they see that line coming. Kassian first shifts with the Sedins - he slammed the other team's player with the puck into the board and the Sedins picked up the puck and went in on a two-on-one.

Hats off to the Canucks that stood up for teammates, but when it comes down to sustained toughness, the Canucks just don't have that.

Defence was a problem all year - I mean - take a look at all those games where the goaltenders took more than 30 shots on goal, over 40 several times - where was the "D"? Tonights goal against, all 3 canucks in front of the goal did not take Richardson out - had the put him on his behind, he wouldn't have scored - they were so busy trying to get their sticks on the puck - knock the guy down and take the penalty - the canucks were awesome at killing penalties - gotta take that chance.

You don't win back-to-back Pres. Trophy and bow out like that: bad last year and even worse this year.

Where was Kesler - was he hurt - the only time he became a threat was when he took the puck to the net, but most of the time it took his shots from way out above the face-off circles.

vigneault has to go. If the LA coach can get the best out of his players and Hitchcock can do what he's doing right now - vigneault isn't doing all he can, or he is and it just isn't enough!

"VIGNEAULT HAS TO GO!!!!!!!"

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Although I like AV, his past decisions have been really confusing for us, the fans. Even IF he knows something we don't during their practices, his changes never lead to better results! How does that make the fans think of him?

For example:

1. He's constantly playing Raymond and Rome when they should be benched a long time ago during the season.

2. AMEX Line were on fire for a few games. Next game, Higgins gets moved down to the 3rd line. wtf?

3. D. Sedin was injured and the 14-33-40 line was formed. They win 8 straight games before the season ends. The playoff starts and he breaks that line. (Doesn't matter if we were playing against playoff-contenders or not)

4. He experiments with D-lines even DURING the playoffs.

5. (may or may not apply) He's too passive on the bench

6. PP was a freaken mess (not entirely his fault)

7. Last season, he kept benching Ballard, and then puts him on the top D-line the next game. wtf?

8. Also last season, he refused to play Schneider when Luongo was choking until it was late into the Playoff series (Game 6?)

As for MG, I think he will stay. I'm sure we were surprised with a few decisions he's made, but I'm not sure he could have done anything about it. For example:

1. Letting Ehrhoff go and not having any defense to replace him

2. Kind of like #1, except it's surprising to know the D was the same after trade deadline... exception is Gragnani who was a non-factor

3. Not getting more offensive touch... maybe he expected too much from Booth (?)

4. Trading Hodgson for someone who doesn't help during THIS year's playoff. (because I thought we wanted to win NOW?)

5. Following #4, it's obvious Kassian wasn't ready to be a power forward this year. This is his very first NHL season is it not?

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From watching other teams in the playoffs and reading articles about new school coaches like Hitchcock and Paul maclean I really feel like AV has been lagging.

I feel like a lot of AV supporters follow in the old school coaching footsteps so things like not making adjustments, talking to your players, and staying quiet are seen as ok. However, it seems like there is eithe a lack of direction at times or the wrong direction.

Very few times over AV's entire tenure did I feel the Canucks were outright robbed. A lot of losses are from high energy, low percentage plays based on an inflexible system.

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YEP, Vigs has to go - was pretty clear when he traded away Erhoff and Torres (which I know nucks woulda told him to watch his hits had he being a canuck still - because of his hit last year). Then he trades away Hodgson for 2 players that didn't even factor in the playoffs (Pahlsson - phfff - we lost Hodgson's goals in that one - Hodgeson was on a role before the trade). I was mad at this trade, if anyone should have gone, it should have being Raymond.

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I think the Canucks need a coach who is willing to use some of our younger talent. I see young guys getting time all over the place but AV, who is a great coach imho, always felt like he didn't have trust for the young guys. Kassian never really got any time and we all know the hodgson situation. Lets get a coach who can work some younger talent into the lineup.

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