naslund.is.king Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 http://www.theprovince.com/touch/story.html?id=8883619 When Francesco Aquilini contemplates the Vancouver Canucks at the onset of the 2013-14 season, he doesn’t see a team with an embattled goalie whose head might be 2,000 miles from Vancouver, a combustible head coach whose style may clash with the Canucks’ veterans, or a core group whose window of opportunity has virtually slammed shut. No, the Canucks’ owner is aware there may be differing opinions on his team. But, in his world, Roberto Luongo is the consummate professional who’ll give the Canucks’ elite-level goaltending, John Tortorella is the proven head coach who will bring the best out of this team and the Canucks are still a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Is he right? Check back in eight months. But with the Canucks about to start their 10th season under the ownership of his family, Aquilini’s confidence in his team and his organization is as strong as it’s ever been. “I told (Luongo) the best seven years for the Canucks have been the ones since he’s been here,” Aquilini said on Friday. “I think what happened the last couple of years shocked him, but he’s a professional. He’ll come to camp. He’ll compete. “Things will go well, we’ll win some games and he’s going to be fine. I don’t have a concern about that.” And if that’s the way this season actually plays out, so much the better. During the course of a wide-ranging interview on Friday, Aquilini answered most of the questions Canucks’ fans have been asking this offseason. True, he didn’t drop any bombshells, but he was as honest and forthright as could be expected. In the one bit of news, Aquilini said the Sedin twins are close to signing contract extensions and doesn’t believe there any impediments to a new deal. “They’re Canucks,” he said. “They’re what we want this team to be about.” As for the rest of the team’s talking points, let’s take them one by one. Aquilini said the Tortorella hire was an organizational decision. He admitted there were concerns about Tortorella’s personality and how it might play in this market but, “His problem was with that one reporter in New York (Larry Brooks). I think he’s learned he has to adjust.” When asked if he felt the Canucks needed a stronger, more authoritarian voice than Alain Vigneault’s, Aquilini said: “(Vigneault) is a great coach. I have a great respect for him. He had his style. You can’t say one style is better than another. It comes down to results. “John is more interactive with the players. He engages the players more and he’s more vocal. But we didn’t hire him because of his style. We hired him because of his results.” The Luongo soap opera, meanwhile, took a surprise twist this summer when the Canucks opted to trade Cory Schneider to New Jersey at the draft. Aquilini, for the record, said buying out Luongo was never discussed, and in the end, there were a host of reasons for trading Schneider and keeping Luongo. “We gave Roberto a lifetime contract because we really believed in him,” Aquilini said. “We thought of him as the ultimate Canuck, as the guy who represented our team. “But all of a sudden we had these two great goalies. We decided unanimously Roberto was our guy. We went back to the contract and why we signed him. Cory’s a great goalie. But Roberto’s our guy.” As for his own role within the team, Aquilini was asked if he was any more involved in hockey decisions this summer than he’s been in the past. “Nothing’s changed,” he said. It was then put to Aquilini that most hockey fans believe the owner should simply write the cheques, then let the professionals make the decisions. He didn’t disagree with that characterization. “The way I see it is the players play, coaches coach, managers manage and owners own,” Aquilini said. “My job is to make sure (GM Mike Gillis) has the financial resources to build the best team. We’re going to spend to the max every year. The hockey department makes the decisions. My role is to support Mike.” Aquilini, finally, was asked about the strength of the Canucks’ brand. The team has announced a sellout for every game since his family assumed an ownership stake in 2004, but during the lockout-shortened 2013 season, there were signs that support was starting to soften. “I like to think its healthy,” Aquilini said. “I don’t think the lockout helped. It put a lot of people off. “We’re good but at the end of the day we have to perform. People have the right to be critical, to express their opinion. We haven’t won the Stanley Cup yet.” I want to see this current roster,win the cup so bad It's a shame watching great Canucks retire,without having the ultimate goal achieved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuxfanabroad Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Optimism is merely propaganda delivered from Utopia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken. Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Optimism is merely propaganda delivered from Utopia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heisenberg Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 when your cheapest ticket for a whole bunch of games goes for $97 it's pretty easy to see the positives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 He's right about the lockout putting a lot of people off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrChill Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Optimism is merely propaganda delivered from Utopia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Pessimism is just propaganda delivered by Galagher or Hell, u pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Aquilini said the Tortorella hire was an organizational decision. He admitted there were concerns about Tortorella’s personality and how it might play in this market but, “His problem was with that one reporter in New York (Larry Brooks). I think he’s learned he has to adjust.” Research with a laptop and Google must not be in his repertoire. http://www.theprovin...html?id=8883619 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnews Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 "...a core group whose window of opportunity has virtually slammed shut." When I read that I expected this to be more drool from Botchford. Meh, not Willes best - the less he fits in over at the Province, the better imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuxfanabroad Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Aquilini said the Tortorella hire was an organizational decision. He admitted there were concerns about Tortorella’s personality and how it might play in this market but, “His problem was with that one reporter in New York (Larry Brooks). I think he’s learned he has to adjust.” Research with a laptop and Google must not be in his repertoire. http://www.theprovin...html?id=8883619 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 I guess constantly whining and bitching isn't in his repertoire either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Nah,billionaires don't have much reason to whine and bitch. If you paid attention to the allegations it is wine and *****. Then again,reading is not in a troll's best interests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Nah,billionaires don't have much reason to whine and bitch. If you paid attention to the allegations it is wine and *****. Then again,reading is not in a troll's best interests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 You of all people shouldn't be calling anyone else a troll EVER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 You troll me every day,TROLL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuck nit Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 You troll this forum every day and then cry to the mods every time anyone points it out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Some write here to provide a 'devil's advocate' stance to promote discussion. Attacking others on a personal level does not make good reading. One is not popular but acceptable, while the other is neither. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boudrias Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Fans have very short memories IMO. FA and family ownership of the Canucks has been a hugh upgrade for the franchise. For more years than I care to remember the organization was mickey mouse from the top down. The Griffith's were well intentioned but couldn't get it together and McCaw was missing in action. Since Aquilini took over they have revamped the organization. Spent millions on non-CAP related development which culminated in the AHL purchase and relocation to Utica. Gillis does not have to worry about spending money like other NHL GM's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Fans have very short memories IMO. FA and family ownership of the Canucks has been a hugh upgrade for the franchise. For more years than I care to remember the organization was mickey mouse from the top down. The Griffith's were well intentioned but couldn't get it together and McCaw was missing in action. Since Aquilini took over they have revamped the organization. Spent millions on non-CAP related development which culminated in the AHL purchase and relocation to Utica. Gillis does not have to worry about spending money like other NHL GM's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boudrias Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Didn't one of the earlier Canucks owners spend 2 year in jail during his ownership ? Stock promoter or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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