Willie Desjardins on Team 1040

[TOMapleLaughs]

I believe that Torts had full intentions of turning this team into a winner as well. As every coach does. What they all say pre-season though is pretty much irrelevant in a results-based business.

Let's hope Willie is given a little more leeway here, because 3 coaches in 3 seasons isn't good.

[Boudrias]

It is popular to dump on Torts but what coach will win with the unreal number of injuries. Some might suggest that his coaching led to that as well.

Viking Mama: Good points about Jensen and Corrado not being sent back to Utica. I would rather that happened than them sticking it out in Van on a team not going anywhere. If Utica had made it in, the team might have actually done something as they were playing better. I would not blame Torts for that decision totally either. Obviously there was a lot of pressure from Gillis and ownership to make playoffs.

Torts lost me with his Calgary incident. Bottom line was that Hartley's team played for him ALL year and Tort's team did not. From what I saw Hartley is a better coach.

[groovy]

Totally agree. Torts was all meaningless answers to questions. With Willie you get the truth. For example, this year the Canucks will "compete every night. And every shift, not just every night. Every shift we want to be ready to compete and play hard." What other coach in the NHL can say that? My concern is that we will have a replay of last year in that the team will burn out by Christmas. I mean compete every shift? In an 82 games schedule? Did anyone from the Canucks watch the Kings sleepwalk through the regular season? What matters, who won the President's Trophy or the Stanley Cup? Who won the president's trophy last year anyways??

You compete every shift until you drive the opponent out of the game or until you put yourself back in the game looking for points. Obviously you prefer the former whereby you work the bottom lines more, and if chasing you work the top lines more. Regardless of minutes played you should compete every shift. Play smart not reckless. It`s about picking up points as easily as possible before you lace em up for the next one, but show up ready to fight for THIS one. This team will need to be prepared to give it every shift if they want to make playoffs.

[VanIsleNuckFan]

Funny, because he's saying a lot of the same sorta things that Torts did this time last year.

Wants to make playoffs: Check.

Attack-brand hockey: Check.

Compete every shift: Check.

Confidence in Luongo/Miller: Check.

Believes in Sedins: Check.

Talked to players: Check.

Respects players: Check.

Needs newer guys to do more things: Check.

Needs to find a way to get Kassian going: Check.

Hopeful for Edler: Check.

Kassian needs to be more consistent: Check.

Prospects will have to earn spots: Check.

Sedins still elite and they'll have to be: Check.

In tough here during this phase: Check.

Yes, but where Torts was blowing smoke up our asses, I believe that Willie is giving us the truth here. Things like Respecting the players, etc.

[Tearloch7]

It is popular to dump on Torts but what coach will win with the unreal number of injuries. Some might suggest that his coaching led to that as well.

Viking Mama: Good points about Jensen and Corrado not being sent back to Utica. I would rather that happened than them sticking it out in Van on a team not going anywhere. If Utica had made it in, the team might have actually done something as they were playing better. I would not blame Torts for that decision totally either. Obviously there was a lot of pressure from Gillis and ownership to make playoffs.

Torts lost me with his Calgary incident. Bottom line was that Hartley's team played for him ALL year and Tort's team did not. From what I saw Hartley is a better coach.

And how bloody sad is that? ..