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TORTS Interview

-DLC-

By -DLC-
in Canucks Talk

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-DLC- Canucks Hall-of-Famer

-DLC-

Posted
Posted

I will post a link (at work, limited time).

Had to also answer a call, so missed a great deal. But at the end of the interview, the Team crew is rolling on the floor in laughter? Not sure what I missed, will summarize, quickly, what I did hear.

To be updated...feel free, anyone who just listened to it, to do so:

-I didn’t do a good enough job getting us back to our game/aggressiveness quick enough after injuries. Went into conservation mode. And that's my job/responsibility (to go back to the style of play needed).

-After Dallas game….we went a different direction in the locker room….went about business differently and started playing better as a result

-Many people don’t know what the style is… (re being challenged on his style of play/coaching...is suggesting the media doesn't have a clue which was part of their laughter...invited them to a round table at the appropriate time. Isn't now). Seems to be a bit of frustration with that misinterpretation...is handling it well. (my opinion)

-MG is my boss…I can’t speak for him (re his interview), I don’t know how to answer for him (internal discussions). Went back a few times to "internally"...I have to coach. "Later". (PC and the high road...will not divulge anything controversial...very professional in my view).

-Has he (MG) been around?…not so much with the team….but he’s been very busy as far as what’s best for the team. He works hard at it.

-Working relationship? Fantastic

-It’s not about changing to make everyone happy…I don’t know that people know HOW I do things…(sounds a little angry that people are interpreting his goals/vision/style)

-Are you and MG on the same page re style? The style of play that we're teaching? - yes, we're on the same page. Ask Mike how he feels about it....you’re trying to get something here…

-No one else is resp for the falter and staying up with the style of play than me…I let it go…thru the whole injury situation, I didn’t get a hold of it quick enough

-Sat in dallas until 1:30 am talking about it…we changed our mindset on the team

-RE ice time in the past/24 minutes played …. averaged 24 minutes (he challenged - was told it was from NHL.com)

-How flexible are you re this (minutes)…depends on depth, Kes/Crosby 5-6 sec apart / Sedins top 24-25 forwards within a shift/half a game difference..didn't want to do that.

-Kes is a whole different animal…he thrives on it (lots of ice time)

-Didn’t want the Sedins to be used that much…easy to look at #’s and say he played them too much but that is not the reason (for struggles)….second part…trying to stretch it as we get healthy.

-Addressing depth in line up…that’s an organizational conversation…

-I have my thoughts…don’t want to do it publically and have done that a bit too much…these are internal discussions that will continue…my focus/job is the players…coach until the bitter end

-Previous interviews…NYR/Tampa…were owners involved (hinting at what happened here?) - "yes"

-I think I've been too public already but I’m trying to answer your questions today

Sounds like it is a bit of frustration re what he has to work with ....injuries create problems and depth is an issue. But he won't throw MG under the bus and is being professional. Won't waver...accepts responsibility but forced into some decisions that are being made to address a shortfall thru injuries. That's my spin from what I got.

They were playing his style, being aggressive. California road trip things got away...injuries/forced them into playing more passively/depth issues and conservation mode factored in...didn't return back to the aggressive style quick enough. He owns that part...that he didn't shift back soon enough.

Dallas game seemed to be a lightbulb moment where they had to make adjustments. Were in preservation mode due to injuries and had to go back to aggressive style which is what they want to play.

The Team is doing their summary now....

And here's my thinking...it's obvious that when things are deteriorating everyone will have some frustration. These guys are pros...but it sounds to me that Torts is willing to accept responsibility but also feels that the depth isn't there to support his style of play when there are multiple injuries. That he has to adjust and play differently and that he didn't go back to "his style" soon enough..that they played more passively for too long and it slid away. And he owned that as his doing.

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aGENT Canucks Hall-of-Famer

aGENT

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Our depth was always going to be a challenge this season even without the injuries. Moving forward this should be less of an issue with cap space and the move towards more youth.

We're setup very well moving forward...we'll see if Torts, FA and MG can all agree on who how that should be accomplished.

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-DLC- Canucks Hall-of-Famer

-DLC-

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Sounded to me like Torts is in denial.

I definitely got a sense of frustration....it's likely that people are scrambling for answers and some "well I did what I could with what I had" is happening for sure. Only natural I guess. I'm not sure anymore of what I believe/think. I'm all over the map on this.

Here's my off the top of my head (not that it's worthy anything). I think injuries do create a huge issue (duh), especially if depth is also an issue...so the thing to challenge is did you have a plan B in place? Coaches are posed with the challenge of working with what they're given and if injuries pile up, that's going to be a problem. Sounds like there isn't a finger to point in blame (to me)...that it's shared to some degree. MG doesn't have all the pieces in place (but has tried I'm sure) and Torts made some changes to account for injuries but left things sliding too long in a passive way to preserve the players that were in place.

It does sound like a bit of a disconnect...again, it's natural when things fall apart for frustration to set in and people who may be on the same page to hit some bumps in the road. Scramble for answers and look at each other in that. No surprise in that.

Again - I surely don't have the answers. I don't think many do and, really, I stand by my overall thinking that it isn't a simple "X is the problem"...that it's complex so getting rid of "a guy" may/may not work. Remember, many thought getting rid of AV was the answer. But here we are, facing problems that are greater than ever.

Many will scream "MG" in that, in a process of elimination and in always falling back to him. I'm just not sure.

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theminister Canucks All-Star

theminister

Posted
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I definitely got a sense of frustration....it's likely that people are scrambling for answers and some "well I did what I could with what I had" is happening for sure. Only natural I guess. I'm not sure anymore of what I believe/think. I'm all over the map on this.

There is certainly a lot of head scratching.

I did like his culpability but I'm not sure what else he can say at this point. It's not good to point fingers at his boss, who he gave a practically glowing appraisal, or his players when the season isn't over.

I'd like to believe Torts was being honest and forthright but I'm not sure. I do think that he doesn't understand a lot about his systems and coaches because he hasn't gotten the best out of the team regardless of its faults. I think he doesn't analyse well. He isn't analytical or tactical enough for today's NHL.

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TOMapleLaughs Canucks All-Star

TOMapleLaughs

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You're not going to implement any system effectively with the pitiful amount of depth we had this season, coupled with injuries.

Torts HAD to play the Sedins all those minutes.

But i don't see the Dallas (trade deadline) game being a milestone at all. The humiliating Islanders game was after that and we've been beaten soundly by a better Anaheim team who wasn't trying all that hard.

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timberz21 Canucks Second-Line

timberz21

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Wow Torts and Gillis actually saying things the public should hear/have been wanting to hear for a while. I guess now that the season's over it's okay.

Coming out of the closet --- Canuck's edition

It's just an illusion for next week's season wrap up, where they will basically say that the "process" took 5 steps backward and has to start all over again and everyone will get reevaluated starting with MG, blablabla,

#sameoldstory

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BoKnows53 Abbotsford Star

BoKnows53

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You're not going to implement any system effectively with the pitiful amount of depth we had this season, coupled with injuries.

Torts HAD to play the Sedins all those minutes.

But i don't see the Dallas (trade deadline) game being a milestone at all. The humiliating Islanders game was after that and we've been beaten soundly by a better Anaheim team who wasn't trying all that hard.

The same Anaheim that lost 7-2 to the terrible Flames?

Buffalo beat Boston, we beat Buffalo. OMG we must be better than the Bruins!

Case in point the beating we put on the Bruins in December.

:picard:

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Cold Hard Truth Abbotsford Star

Cold Hard Truth

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Torts took the high road and handled that with much more class than Gillis.

Torts had a worse team then AV with less depth in a harder division and Gillis didnt do a thing to help him out, just let him twist in the wind then throw him under the bus in a presser while the season is still going. Just ridiculous, Gillis needs to go. This is getting ridiculous.

Enough excuses and lawyer weasel words.

Torts needs to stay and Gillis needs to upgrade this team or be shown the door.

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Tearloch7 Canucks Star

Tearloch7

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Torts being a professional .. it takes time to develop most work relationships .. Torts and Gillis have gone thru a "crucible moment", so to speak .. they should both return and finish what they have started .. re-assess at the end of next year .. I am old but I can wait a year.

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