[Official] Canucks coach talk. Keep all talk here.

[J529]

I heard on TSN few nights ago that it was extension list of people Canucks are looking at. There has to be more names then the ones we've seen so far. Once the 2nd round ends, i'm sure there could be a few more names that come available.

Another guy I would love to see be considered is Larry Robinson. Look at the job he's done with SJ.

He's won a Cup as a coach. Love to have him come here as coach or even as assistant.

[Undrafted]

I heard on TSN few nights ago that it was extension list of people Canucks are looking at. There has to be more names then the ones we've seen so far. Once the 2nd round ends, i'm sure there could be a few more names that come available.

Another guy I would love to see be considered is Larry Robinson. Look at the job he's done with SJ.

He's won a Cup as a coach. Love to have him come here as coach or even as assistant.

I've heard numerous times that Robinson doesn't want to be a head coach and prefers being an assistant, so I don't think he's a candidate for the head coaching job. I'm not certain, but I think he found being a head coach too stressful (as in dangerous to his health stressful) when he was in NJ.

That said, having him as an assistant to whoever ends up being the head coach would be a good thing.

[newgm]

What about the two seasons before '94 when we were expected to contend and got upset in the second round two years in a row? Wasn't that under-performing?

Nostalgia through rose-tinted glasses.

So, those Quinn coached Canucks Teams were expected to contend and were eliminated in the second rounds, but neither of those teams were favourites or President Trophy winners.

I guess the back to back meltdowns to Chicago are nostalgic memories, and going to a seventh game with a gutted Chicago team only to be saved by a Burrows overtime goal to stave off a third elimination in a row to Chicago is a nostalgic memory. Or the utterly humiliating no shows in Boston are nostalgic memories.

O.K. you think AV is a great coach, I disagree.

[wallstreetamigo]

So, those Quinn coached Canucks Teams were expected to contend and were eliminated in the second rounds, but neither of those teams were favourites or President Trophy winners.

I guess the back to back meltdowns to Chicago are nostalgic memories, and going to a seventh game with a gutted Chicago team only to be saved by a Burrows overtime goal to stave off a third elimination in a row to Chicago is a nostalgic memory. Or the utterly humiliating no shows in Boston are nostalgic memories.

O.K. you think AV is a great coach, I disagree.

Have to admit, when reading the exchange I saw this response coming.....lol

[Undrafted]

So, those Quinn coached Canucks Teams were expected to contend and were eliminated in the second rounds, but neither of those teams were favourites or President Trophy winners.

I guess the back to back meltdowns to Chicago are nostalgic memories, and going to a seventh game with a gutted Chicago team only to be saved by a Burrows overtime goal to stave off a third elimination in a row to Chicago is a nostalgic memory. Or the utterly humiliating no shows in Boston are nostalgic memories.

O.K. you think AV is a great coach, I disagree.

It's less a case of me thinking that AV is a great coach (he's a good coach and I still think the best the Canucks have had) but more a case that IMO, Pat Quinn was highly overrated in many regards.

I think because of '94 and the distance of time, people tend to overlook or forget his failings and by the same token, because AV's failings are fresher in our memories, we tend to focus more on them.

Edit: I should also add that I don't think the Canucks have had a genuinely "great" coach. Yet.

[newgm]

It's less a case of me thinking that AV is a great coach (he's a good coach and I still think the best the Canucks have had) but more a case that IMO, Pat Quinn was highly overrated in many regards.

I think because of '94 and the distance of time, people tend to overlook or forget his failings and by the same token, because AV's failings are fresher in our memories, we tend to focus more on them.

Edit: I should also add that I don't think the Canucks have had a genuinely "great" coach. Yet.

Unfortunately, you are right about that. Also, let's not confuse Pat Quinn the coach with Pat Quinn the GM, while he made a couple of very significant trades. He also played hardball with Bure and let Larionov walk to Detroit for to win 3 Stanley Cups, so he was more effective as a coach than a GM.

[RUPERTKBD]

Unfortunately, you are right about that. Also, let's not confuse Pat Quinn the coach with Pat Quinn the GM, while he made a couple of very significant trades. He also played hardball with Bure and let Larionov walk to Detroit for to win 3 Stanley Cups, so he was more effective as a coach than a GM.

And lets not forget that he presided over the Gretzky fiasco...

But you're correct. This is about Quinn the coach, not Quinn the GM. (which I admit, I dislike a bit less) I think you have to wonder why PQ has been out of coaching for so long? There have been a ton of openings since his last head coaching gig, but he's gotten nary a sniff.

There must be a reason for that...

[Undrafted]

And lets not forget that he presided over the Gretzky fiasco...

But you're correct. This is about Quinn the coach, not Quinn the GM. (which I admit, I dislike a bit less) I think you have to wonder why PQ has been out of coaching for so long? There have been a ton of openings since his last head coaching gig, but he's gotten nary a sniff.

There must be a reason for that...

I'm guessing one of those reasons is because Quinn usually wants or insists on being GM at the same time. And he hasn't been a GM in the salary-cap NHL and I'm not sure he could manage that part.

When Quinn was a GM in the pre-salary cap NHL, he consistently would deal away young players and draft picks in favour of veterans. GMs can't do that anymore because of the cap. And Quinn didn't do nearly as well as a coach when he didn't have control over the roster as GM (case in point: his last couple of seasons in Toronto).

One of the knocks on Quinn as a coach is that he isn't good with young players. He tried to dismiss those preconceptions when he coached Canada's under-18 squad to a Gold Medal, but the truth is coaching a bunch of kids who are all-stars at their level during a short tournament is not the same as coaching an NHL team with young players who need long-term development along the course of an NHL season.

[RUPERTKBD]

I'm guessing one of those reasons is because Quinn usually wants or insists on being GM at the same time.  And he hasn't been a GM in the salary-cap NHL and I'm not sure he could manage that part.  

When Quinn was a GM in the pre-salary cap NHL, he consistently would deal away young players and draft picks in favour of veterans.  GMs can't do that anymore because of the cap.  And Quinn didn't do nearly as well as a coach when he didn't have control over the roster as GM (case in point: his last couple of seasons in Toronto).

One of the knocks on Quinn as a coach is that he isn't good with young players.  He tried to dismiss those preconceptions when he coached Canada's under-18 squad to a Gold Medal, but the truth is coaching a bunch of kids who are all-stars at their level during a short tournament is not the same as coaching an NHL team with young players who need long-term development along the course of an NHL season.

I have a hard time imagining the current Pat Quinn demanding to be GM as well as coach, if he truly wants to get back behind the bench...

As far as the "young players" argument goes, it certainly didn't work in Edmonton, and the Gold medal notwithstanding, some would argue that it didn't work out at the World Juniors either...

Canada was on their way to losing to the Russians that year, after Quinn had completely botched the goaltending situation. It was only a brutal decision by a Russian player to shoot for the empty net from his own zone, plus heroics from Tavares and Eberle, the kept PQ's World Junior experience from being a failure as well.

[elvis15]

It isn't that easy. "Players getting old/injured" may not be "done" and if you throw in the towel too quickly, it could bite you in the butt when someone else ends up with a solid player who may have hit a slump.

People here think you make a move and it's an automatic fix....it's a risk. You can't know for sure that you'll get "better" and you could get worse. Our team's been on the cusp for awhile and I'm not quite ready to give up on them as a unit yet

And yet a number of people here are still clamouring for Samuelsson back, despite him actually being old and injured (played 4 regular season games this year and 5 playoff games so far). We got him when he had more to give, and once that was exhausted he was moved to try and get a better potential player with a longer future who unfortunately has been only slightly less injured. I'm not sure I see anyone of the core quite at the level Samuelsson was when we moved him.

But that's off track from the coaching discussion.

The current group of players is certainly being evaluated as they just finished doing with the coaches, but unless there is a significant concern with someone and a way to get a return that is a good deal (Bodee would do well to remember Bieksa's NTC) we won't likely see any trades of core players until they've had a chance to play under the new coaching staff. Edler for instance might benefit from a Doughty-like resurgence if we were to hire Stevens, for example, as Stevens was largely credited with working with Doughty to get him to improve and correct some aspects of his game.

Probably, then Eakins would just interview anyway and if offered the job would take it. Apparently there is a clause in his contract that says he can explore coaching options once the Marlies are eliminated but no during the season.

So the Canucks asking is likely more of a courtesy than anything else. And I would not doubt that Gillis is also using it as a media leak to let people know without saying so that he is considering guys already.

I can just see Nonis telling him he has to give him Luongo to talk to Eakins.....haha

I believe the clause where he could talk to other teams or explore a different coaching role was valid for the first year of his three year deal he signed last summer. Once the Marlies season was over this year, that removed the restriction so that he could look at NHL coaching jobs.

[oldnews]

Ray Ferraro

got a good laugh out of this one. not sure if serious, but I like Ferraro - nevertheless, for some reason have a hard time seeing him behind the bench.

Rangers are out. Does Tortorella become available?

I'd love to see him in Vancouver. His rants and calling out players in the media. Can you imagine him in this market. It would never be a dull moment. Vancouver Media would be too scared to ask him questions.

Canucks most likely wouldn't even consider him anyway. He's the type of coach they need to crack the whip and stop this Country Club mentality and non-sense that's been going on with Canucks.

Would hate to see him behind the bench, but would absolutely love to see him fielding questions from Botchford, Gallagher, etc. Those idiots would drive him mad. Between their ignorance of hockey and their arrogant posturing, he would have at them on a regular basis. It would be epic. I think Vancouver boasts even denser media types than NY. The material would be fruitful.

[lolwut?]

Don't let you blind hatred toward AV impair your reasoning. AV is in no way to blame for any of this teams's woes. The responsibility lies with Gillis, ownership, Kesler, the Twins, Bettman, poor officiating, Raymond falling down, global warming, Obama Care, Luongo, Bieksa, Eastern Bias, and a variety of flu-like symptoms picked up on a weekend getaway in Spain.

AV bearing any responsibility is a myth. Anyone who is not in agreement with this clearly logical conclusion is not only an idiot, but has let their blind hatred for AV cloud their ability to come to the correct conclusion.

So you're calling other people blind idiots yet you have no problem saying that AV is not at all at fault for anything?

Lol.. Okay there..

[wallstreetamigo]

So you're calling other people blind idiots yet you have no problem saying that AV is not at all at fault for anything?

Lol.. Okay there..

I took his post as he was being sarcastic as AV supporters like to say that kind of stuff all the time.

If he really thinks that though then wow...

[lolwut?]

I took his post as he was being sarcastic as AV supporters like to say that kind of stuff all the time.

If he really thinks that though then wow...

I took it as sarcastic too for a moment but like you said, if not that that is some kinda stupid right there.

Also the comment above about Ray Ferraro for coach, mehhhh I like him better as a colour guy tbh

[oldnews]

Don't let you blind hatred toward AV impair your reasoning. AV is in no way to blame for any of this teams's woes. The responsibility lies with Gillis, ownership, Kesler, the Twins, Bettman, poor officiating, Raymond falling down, global warming, Obama Care, Luongo, Bieksa, Eastern Bias, and a variety of flu-like symptoms picked up on a weekend getaway in Spain.

AV bearing any responsibility is a myth. Anyone who is not in agreement with this clearly logical conclusion is not only an idiot, but has let their blind hatred for AV cloud their ability to come to the correct conclusion.

I think you're wrong about one part there. Global warming. That softens the ice slightly, making it easier for AV to defend the 0-0 tie.

[wallstreetamigo]

I think you're wrong about one part there. Global warming. That softens the ice slightly, making it easier for AV to defend the 0-0 tie.

nicely played

[missioncanucksfan]

Here is something to think about...

Quennville, Tippet, Stevens

All Hartford Whalers defencemen

[oldnews]

There's no doubt being swept by the Pharts in the first round ultimately cost AV his job.

How much of that lands squarely on his shoulders is debatable, but who can argue that that kind of result in back to back years is likely to cost a coach his job regardless of what the mitigating circumstances might be.

It's a challenge for every team (not named the Penguins) to score in the playoffs, but when it came to having that extra measure of scoring creativity to push the team over the top, the Canucks came up short.

Despite the disappointing end, I have to say I was pretty impressed with what AV managed this season - to that point.

I realize alot of people had microquestions like why Ebbett or Alberts were playing (in both cases I think Schroeder's repeated shoulder injuries and Ballard's groin played a role) but leaving particular roster decisions or line matches aside, there were some other things that I think really defined an excellent season for AV.

First, he started the season without much of a camp (yes, all coaches did) and he had a pair of his top four just recovering from back and groin injuries. The blueline had to be made-shift on the go. Garrison was coming off a groin injury and joining a new team, Bieksa (the only right side veteran) was in and out of the lineup, Tanev had a very impressive rookie season but was absent in the end, Ballard again had injury (groin) problems, Hamhius had an uncharacteristic slow start - AV was not without his challenges piecing that group together.

The second line as everyone knows was absent. In addition to Kesler's injuries, there was the loss of Malhotra, and Schroeder was unavailable at the tail end of the season - piecework up the middle - as well as injuries to depth forwards like Weise and Pinizotto.

Every decision AV made regarding goaltending was national news. A new time zone was created - Luongo-time.

There were times when the lineup wasn't very impressive - perhaps average - and with the revolving door, there was also virtually no time to practice. Under the circumstances, I thought the fact that AV pieced that together pretty much on the fly, and pulled another Northwest title out of it was a pretty respectable result.

There's talk that he managed this because of a weak NW division (which many prematurely projected to be much stronger this year) - but AV managed this largely on the strength of a 9-2 record against the Central division, probably the NHL's strongest division. Their 3rd seeding wasn't an artificial result - without the division wining seed, they would still have finished 4th, a point out of that 3rd seed.

While he may not have found a way to push that offensive production over the top in the playoffs, what he certainly showed was the ability to sustain their competitiveness despite a constantly depleted roster.

I think he deserves credit for that - as opposed to the notion that any monkey could have gotten them into the position where a playoff loss is actually a disappointing result (as opposed to a playoff birth being an utter relief).

[RUPERTKBD]

got a good laugh out of this one.  not sure if serious, but I like Ferraro - nevertheless, for some reason have a hard time seeing him behind the bench.

Maybe if he stood on a box....?

[RUPERTKBD]

Here is something to think about...

Quennville, Tippet, Stevens

All Hartford Whalers defencemen

Marty Howe for coach!!!