Jump to content
The Official Site of the Vancouver Canucks
Canucks Community

[Report] Canucks name Travis Green new head coach


-Vintage Canuck-

Recommended Posts

I still don't like him as the head coach. As many ppl may have already said, he hasn't developed any non-goalie prospects in the farm. Under him, we got Markstrom and potentially Demko. We haven't seen any real good player from the farm out of the pool of Jensen, Shinkaruk, Cassels, Pedan, Subban & Grenier. Having him as a coach of Dalen, Joulevi, Stecher, Boeser, Goldobin seems to be another experiment which, in case of failure, can make things from bad to worse. I still don't understand why doesn't the organization bring in a proven coach after what happened to W.D. era. Maybe no one want to come???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Teemu Selänne said:

Really hope Travis Green can lure Mike Johnston back behind the Canucks' bench. Would be a great duo for the youngsters to continue their development. 

God,I hope not....When Johnston was coach of the Pens he absolutely neutered their talented players with his defensive systems (not unlike WD..playing not to lose,rather than attacking)...It was painful to watch,the Pittsburgh Penguins playing like the New Jersey Devis...When Sullivan took over,the shackles came off,and they went on to win the SC.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, edcba said:

I still don't like him as the head coach. As many ppl may have already said, he hasn't developed any non-goalie prospects in the farm. Under him, we got Markstrom and potentially Demko. We haven't seen any real good player from the farm out of the pool of Jensen, Shinkaruk, Cassels, Pedan, Subban & Grenier. Having him as a coach of Dalen, Joulevi, Stecher, Boeser, Goldobin seems to be another experiment which, in case of failure, can make things from bad to worse. I still don't understand why doesn't the organization bring in a proven coach after what happened to W.D. era. Maybe no one want to come???

Go to hockeydb and look up Vancouver Canucks drafting from 2008-12.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, wallstreetamigo said:

And apparently according to the Canucks not an NHL calibre starting goalie. They wouldn't be publicly talking about how much they want to sign Miller if they thought so.

They do actually.  Look at Markstrom's contract.

 

The dynamic in management isn't quite as simple as many people make it out to be.  Ownership has input but only to the planning and strategic level.  And all members of the team are independent and empowered to have input themselves.  The management team is stronger for it.  They all need to be in agreement as to the strategy and how it is going to be carried out but each person has authority over their own area.  In the past year or so, I think that Willie has been in disagreement with the youth movement.  He was hired to win and that's how he's wired.  That's why they let him go.  Win at all cost Willie.  Win if it takes playing Megna with the twins Willie.

 

Benning doesn't tell the coach how to coach.  He supplies him with players and the coach deploys them as he sees fit.  In the case of goal tending, Markstrom was a cornerstone of the Comets when they went to the Calder Cup final.  I think he had the 2nd best stats in the AHL that year.  Last year, Miller was hurt and Marky showed that he was capable of carrying the starting role over the 2nd half.  When Miller came back, as far as Willie was concerned, he was the starter and was given his job back.  This past year, Miller was awesome and outplayed Markstrom so Marky's development took a step backwards. I don't think that Willie didn't think Markstrom was good.  He just thought Miller was better.

 

Benning thinks Markstrom is good enough to pay him $3.8M for 3 years.  Miller also brings great leadership but I don't see Benning running with close to $10M in goal either.  Markstrom has a longer shelf life even if he is almost as good.  Is the soon to be 37 year old Miller able to play at a high level until Demko is developed fully (if he reaches his potential)?  Either Miller takes a haircut in salary or one of them is not back next year imo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Crabcakes said:

They do actually.  Look at Markstrom's contract.

 

The dynamic in management isn't quite as simple as many people make it out to be.  Ownership has input but only to the planning and strategic level.  And all members of the team are independent and empowered to have input themselves.  The management team is stronger for it.  They all need to be in agreement as to the strategy and how it is going to be carried out but each person has authority over their own area.  In the past year or so, I think that Willie has been in disagreement with the youth movement.  He was hired to win and that's how he's wired.  That's why they let him go.  Win at all cost Willie.  Win if it takes playing Megna with the twins Willie.

 

Benning doesn't tell the coach how to coach.  He supplies him with players and the coach deploys them as he sees fit.  In the case of goal tending, Markstrom was a cornerstone of the Comets when they went to the Calder Cup final.  I think he had the 2nd best stats in the AHL that year.  Last year, Miller was hurt and Marky showed that he was capable of carrying the starting role over the 2nd half.  When Miller came back, as far as Willie was concerned, he was the starter and was given his job back.  This past year, Miller was awesome and outplayed Markstrom so Marky's development took a step backwards. I don't think that Willie didn't think Markstrom was good.  He just thought Miller was better.

 

Benning thinks Markstrom is good enough to pay him $3.8M for 3 years.  Miller also brings great leadership but I don't see Benning running with close to $10M in goal either.  Markstrom has a longer shelf life even if he is almost as good.  Is the soon to be 37 year old Miller able to play at a high level until Demko is developed fully (if he reaches his potential)?  Either Miller takes a haircut in salary or one of them is not back next year imo.

Then why not just let Miller walk if they think so highly of Markstrom? 

 

Based on where this team is at, Miller makes no sense to re-sign unless they don't think Markstrom is a starting goalie in the NHL, especially considering what Benning paid Markstrom on his contract.

 

There is also the obvious distinction that the AHL and NHL are very different beasts. Markstrom has always been an excellent AHL goalie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, vinny_in_vancouver said:

Give him a chance. If he doesn't work out here, maybe we can get a 4th round pick from Columbus in 2 years once Torts has worn out his welcome there (boy, from the post-series conference, it looks like "angry Torts" is back). ;-)

That post was not a knock on Travis Green, more about the management and direction of this team.  I hope Green does well, I just think he's getting into a tough situation with dysfunctional upper management

Link to comment
Share on other sites

At his first presser, TG breaks out a guitar & starts wailin' the Van Morrison 1973 gem, "Bein' Green"...

 

GREEN is the colour of Spring!

Green can be cool & friendly-like

Green can be big like an ocean,

Or important like a mtn..

Or tall, like a tree(okay..maybe he ditches that line)

IIIII am Green!

It'll do fine

& it's what I wannna' beeee

 

Anyways, this frenzied Van-style singing would display his intense passion to the masses. Also the eastern media would so dearly love to see our new bench brains singing about himself in the 3rd person. Sorry to ruin the suspense...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Hairy Kneel said:

If he can get us into the middle (upper middle?) of the pack on our PP and PK I'll be happy.

Hairy, I think that will evolve, and our forechecking will look a little better too.. young kids that can shoot and skate, should be shooting and skating.. not looking over their shoulder.

Damn shame to lose Tryamkin at this point..hope that resolves.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Travis Green is a players coach. All the players like him and play hard for him. This what Virtanen told me at prospects camp. He is good and connecting with individual players personalities and getting the most out of them. NHL experience will come. Who he is as a person and how he relates to the players is key. I have wanted to get him to be the Canucks next head coach for the last 2 years. I want Dave Lowry from the Victoria Royals to be the assistant. He is another excellent candidate. He is a hidden gem who has resisted taking on larger roles so he can live in Victoria. An opportunity as an assistant for the Canucks would be enough to lure him away.  Management did a great job in getting Travis Green. We should all support him in his new job! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, wallstreetamigo said:

Then why not just let Miller walk if they think so highly of Markstrom? 

 

Based on where this team is at, Miller makes no sense to re-sign unless they don't think Markstrom is a starting goalie in the NHL, especially considering what Benning paid Markstrom on his contract.

 

There is also the obvious distinction that the AHL and NHL are very different beasts. Markstrom has always been an excellent AHL goalie.

I think keeping Miller for at least one more year makes sense..  this keeps him as an asset to move to his team of choice at the TDL.

i think JB did well with his returns for Burrows and Hansen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, VanGnome said:

We were supposed to be "transitioning" after we fired Tortorella. The 5 to 8 year rebuild struggle is real. This is a major fail, it reeks of incompetence. I'm really beginning to lose my patience with the personnel decision this management group is making. Another rookie coach is not what this team needs.

Maybe I'll choke on my words and be proven wrong, but I had the same philosophy when WD was brought on board 3 years ago and look how that turned out.

What is the goal next season except development of our young ? No Cup, No Playoffs, No Hope... Except for the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, edcba said:

I still don't like him as the head coach. As many ppl may have already said, he hasn't developed any non-goalie prospects in the farm. Under him, we got Markstrom and potentially Demko. We haven't seen any real good player from the farm out of the pool of Jensen, Shinkaruk, Cassels, Pedan, Subban & Grenier. Having him as a coach of Dalen, Joulevi, Stecher, Boeser, Goldobin seems to be another experiment which, in case of failure, can make things from bad to worse. I still don't understand why doesn't the organization bring in a proven coach after what happened to W.D. era. Maybe no one want to come???

 

Baertschi? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, wallstreetamigo said:

Then why not just let Miller walk if they think so highly of Markstrom? 

 

Based on where this team is at, Miller makes no sense to re-sign unless they don't think Markstrom is a starting goalie in the NHL, especially considering what Benning paid Markstrom on his contract.

 

There is also the obvious distinction that the AHL and NHL are very different beasts. Markstrom has always been an excellent AHL goalie.

I agree with you.  Miller should go.  They might sign him for a year but that would be a mistake imo  

 

I think they're torn.  He's got great leadership qualities, is a slightly better player and is more proven but is nearing the end of his career.  Do they need the leadership?  I don't know.

 

It would be a waste if they didn't develop Markstrom the way they should and he'll obviously play longer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Honky Cat said:

God,I hope not....When Johnston was coach of the Pens he absolutely neutered their talented players with his defensive systems (not unlike WD..playing not to lose,rather than attacking)...It was painful to watch,the Pittsburgh Penguins playing like the New Jersey Devis...When Sullivan took over,the shackles came off,and they went on to win the SC.

I'm not sure that's very accurate HC or fair to Johnston.

The Penguins blueline was not very good (Rutherford admitted as much - and that he gave Johnston an imbalanced roster to work with).  Instead of building a team that was solid enough on the back end, he went out and added a guy like Kessel for the 2015/16 season  - who was a misfit in his first half season there and simply couldn't get any chemistry with Crosby or Malkin.

Sullivan came in and did somewhat the opposite of what you are suggesting - he made the forwards more important to their defensive game-planning - made them play more  aggressively without the puck - pretty much the opposite of 'taking the shackles off'.  The Pens used the speed of their forward group to pressure the puck all over the ice - and that limited their opposition's possession - and it meant less pressure on their not particularly SC material blueline.  It also leads to more scoring because they were playing with the puck more.

They also somewhat lucked out - in demoting Kessel to the third line - and then having him both mesh with Bonino - and form a 3rd line that created all kinds of matchup problems, having spread their scoring in a way that could take advantage of opposition third pairings.   Rutherford's fail - of a grossly overpaid and underproductive Kessel being demoted - wound up a tactical advantage in the end.  Where the top two lines were concerned - I'm not sure they were 'set free' - most accounts are that players like Crosby actually played a more defensive game than at any time before in his career, and that can lead to success as well (as the Detroit 'model' or the experience of guys like Yzerman can attest). 

I think the Pens simply didn't buy in under Johnston - and that there was a disconnect between him and Rutherford.  My guess would be that he wanted to use assets to strengthen their back end, whereas Rutherford went out and bought Kessel instead.  My opinion is that Rutherford was fortunate in the end, but shouldn't be mistaken for a genius.  

That the team didn't really buy in under Johnston (they were 15-10 when he was fired, imo not that unlike the Gallant circumstances where a coach was fired despite his team not really failiing - they were also 43-27 the year before) - perhaps the fact the Pens didn't step up enough is largely on all of them- or perhaps Johnston wasn't assertive enough with them (or didn't command the respect of coach killers, and superstars), who knows - but imo there is nothing wrong with Johnston's systems - nor are they 'too defensive' - anyone that's followed/watched Portland over time wouldn't characterize them like that (have a look at their production).  A large part of being effective offensively is being highly effective defensively - one complements the other, producing more possession - so I usually find it odd when people suggest that 'setting forwards free' leads to more production.

 

Sullivan had a few  things going for him imo - first, he had a group that had just gotten a coach fired - and he himself is no pushover - he came in and let the riot act be known that the underachieving forward group was going to buy in.  He also had a fairly new / refreshed approach after having worked in Detroit.  He commented that he'd learned in Detroit that you need to let go of cookie cutters and play to the strengths of your personnel.  If you're not a big, physical team - then you game-plan to your strengths - you use your sticks more effectively, you rely on your skating, etc -  and I think it was somewhat of a perfect storm for them.  He came in and turned things back to front in a sense.

I just don't think it's fair or accurate to put that on Johnston - or suggest he's a stifling defensive coach.  Sometimes things simply don't pan out in the short run - ie if we were to judge a coach on a half season, we'd look at Quenneville's Hawks collapse and get swept - and we might come to some unfair conclusions based on that (whereas if we look at his larger career, he's obviously a great coach).  I think Johnston is a far better coach than the impression left after what wasn't really that horrible a showing in Pittsburgh (58-37 record, and only a year and a half - is not usually grounds to get a guy fired).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If JB is not an idiot, he should let Miller walk. The first year Miller was here, it was Eddie Lack who let Canucks into the playoffs while Miller was injured. Miller returned in the playoffs with the Canucks being knocked out by the Flames. His second year in Vancouver, the team was in the playoff race until mid-January while Miller was again injured.His return after the new year coincided with the team falling off the playoff race rapidly. Markstrom and Miller played almost equal shares of games before Christmas this past  season and the Canucks were still in the playoff race at that moment. Despite both having similar save percentages and Markstrom a bit better win percentage, Miller was given the starting goalie job after Christmas by WD &/or JB for no reason and again the Canucks started to fall off the cliff.

The 37 year old Miller obviously cannot physically handle the starting goalie job. Some fans can only remember the many big saves Miller usually made in the first period and just turn a blind eye to the big juicy rebounds and numerous screen shots he let in later in the games.

Miller is a below average NHL goalie and has no place in a rebuilding team. He is not selling tickets either. Honestly, who is going to pay big bucks to watch an old goalie play? Let Markstrom show how good or bad he is in the NHL is the wise choice.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...