Is Management Really This Devious

[JayDangles]

I've been wondering for a while now if Management (JR, Alvin and the Chipmunks) planned to be this bad intentionally and are using Bruce as the scapegoat. "We need more structure. We didn't know he had another year. We had a bad training camp".

 

I know the team was marketing this year as "Unfinished Business" which implied that the team was on the "up and up". But in actuality management did nothing to improve the team defense. Something they specifically said they would make a priority.

They also signed some lofty contracts which further handcuffed them. I feel their lack of efforts behind the scenes is playing the biggest role in the teams horrible play.

Are they really that devious that they planned to secretly tank the team while at the same time making everyone believe that if we did fall off a proverbial cliff, it wouldn't be their fault?

I mean if they had come out and said rebuild then some fans would hate them, some would say finally and give full support but either way they would be on the hotseat. 

 

I know no one could have predicted Demko's poor numbers, and some early injuries etc, but I can't help but feel this management might be so bad that they are actually good. Could it be that way by design?

 

[Fanuck]

4 minutes ago, JayDangles said:

Could it be that way by design?

[joe-max]

[DrJockitch]

So you think they further sacrificed salary cap flexibility to aide the future?

I don’t think there was lack of effort behind the scenes it is just, and I know this is shocking, teams aren’t lining up to take bad players on bad contracts unless you give them a lot of pics and prospects to do so. 

[Nucker 67]

If the Canucks lose again tonight and they fire Bruce, they might start making real changes - hire their coach of choice (Tocchet, Trotz, etc), make some big trades and shape the team. 

 

Gotta say, Tocchet was a mean, tough player in his day. Scored 40+ goals 3 times, won 3 Cups (1 as a player, 2 as a coach). Maybe this is the kind of coach these country club boys need. 

 

I'm finding myself to be more critical of Pettersson this year, because so much is expected of him, who knows what his ceiling could be. He hasn't shown much IMO. He's still pretty weak on the puck, and on his skates. He only signed a short 3-year contract, because he wanted to see where the team is heading. Doesn't sound like a guy who's committed and he may eventually want to play on a contender. Canucks are a long ways off from contending for anything, other than getting the 1st.

 

I'm all for change with this team.  

[BabychStache]

My own hunch is that they were too focused on creating the front office and didn’t care about the product. 
 

like a tech startup with an impressive board, but a crappy product. 
 

Vision by committee never works to create magic. Until Francesco hires a strong leader and steps back, the team will be mediocre.

[grumpyone]

if they hire Tocchet, then guaranteed that OEL says............'get me outta here !!!!! "

[Coconuts]

[aGENT]

Intentional (unlikely IMO) or not, they'll likely see a LOT less PR back lash now, if they manage to the right thing and re-thingy around the youth moving forward and bring in more structure, then they would have.

[Mike Vanderhoek]

40 minutes ago, JayDangles said:

I've been wondering for a while now if Management (JR, Alvin and the Chipmunks) planned to be this bad intentionally and are using Bruce as the scapegoat. "We need more structure. We didn't know he had another year. We had a bad training camp".

 

I know the team was marketing this year as "Unfinished Business" which implied that the team was on the "up and up". But in actuality management did nothing to improve the team defense. Something they specifically said they would make a priority.

They also signed some lofty contracts which further handcuffed them. I feel their lack of efforts behind the scenes is playing the biggest role in the teams horrible play.

Are they really that devious that they planned to secretly tank the team while at the same time making everyone believe that if we did fall off a proverbial cliff, it wouldn't be their fault?

I mean if they had come out and said rebuild then some fans would hate them, some would say finally and give full support but either way they would be on the hotseat. 

 

I know no one could have predicted Demko's poor numbers, and some early injuries etc, but I can't help but feel this management might be so bad that they are actually good. Could it be that way by design?

 

Management probably put more value in avoiding the PR nightmare of moving on from Bruce, perhaps JR's relationship with Bruce as well had the team pick up the option to keep him. But as I have said before the " wanting a better structured coach/system " topic was voiced by management on day one. So not a scapegoat kind of thing. 

 

I really couldn't say well none of us could but I would doubt that a full compliment of NHL management types and members from various departments are lacking in their efforts. I think the tag " rebuild " is so overblown and misunderstood that it has kind of taken on this restart idea that involves moving central core pieces from the club already. I mean there are many way to rebuild a club. The team should NOT be entertaining the option to explore trades on Pettersson or Hughes.

 

Demko close behind but I remember in the media last year in regards to his surgery there was this idea floated by a netminder guru or insider that Demko will not be able to recover to pre-surgery form due to the type of injury/surgery done, or be very unlikely. I wonder if this is playing out right now ? 

 

I think management is already looking to next year, they played a hunch on Boudreau and while its not on him the same team is pulling the crap they did last year it is becoming more and more evident the team needs structure. 

 

 

[-SN-]

[OldFaithfulCap]

https://twitter.com/TheStig_16/status/1592592197899419649?s=20&t=Cu7I3FjF6Igz61O2sXUbIg

This is very good and true.

 

Not planned.

[NHL97OneTimer]

1 hour ago, JayDangles said:

I've been wondering for a while now if Management (JR, Alvin and the Chipmunks) planned to be this bad intentionally and are using Bruce as the scapegoat. "We need more structure. We didn't know he had another year. We had a bad training camp".

 

I know the team was marketing this year as "Unfinished Business" which implied that the team was on the "up and up". But in actuality management did nothing to improve the team defense. Something they specifically said they would make a priority.

They also signed some lofty contracts which further handcuffed them. I feel their lack of efforts behind the scenes is playing the biggest role in the teams horrible play.

Are they really that devious that they planned to secretly tank the team while at the same time making everyone believe that if we did fall off a proverbial cliff, it wouldn't be their fault?

I mean if they had come out and said rebuild then some fans would hate them, some would say finally and give full support but either way they would be on the hotseat. 

 

I know no one could have predicted Demko's poor numbers, and some early injuries etc, but I can't help but feel this management might be so bad that they are actually good. Could it be that way by design?

 

If they were trying to sabotage the re-tool, they wouldn't have added AK or IM and they wouldn't have signed Miller for a huge term.  I think JR never liked BB's style.  BB came out and said that the problem with the previous coaching is that this team's strength is offense and not defence.....so trying to get them to play defence is just silly. They have to outscore to win.  JR of course didn't like this as he knew that Demko was applying the band-aid to cover up the problems. 

 

So who's at fault there?  Both.  JR needs to build the D while BB should be finding better balance.....let's admit it, the players have no structure and are playing as individuals.  Poorer rosters are playing more cohesively and winning.  

 

If JR is being smarter than he appears by proving this build and leadership for what it is, then he may trigger the rebuild that's badly needed (which requires FA approval).  But he's sure not endearing himself to many people along the way without taking responsibility himself.

[JayDangles]

1 hour ago, DrJockitch said:

So you think they further sacrificed salary cap flexibility to aide the future?

I don’t think there was lack of effort behind the scenes it is just, and I know this is shocking, teams aren’t lining up to take bad players on bad contracts unless you give them a lot of pics and prospects to do so. 

I'm just trying to wrap my head around some simple facts.

- Management said they wanted to improve the defense

- Instead, management signed or acquired 8 new forwards (Kuz, Miller, Boes, Mikayev, lazar, Aamen sp? Joshua, Studnicka)

- Team is noticeably worse on defense and losing bad

- Management suggest that coaching, and nothing else is to blame ???

 

I just don't follow the logic and feel that something is missing here. It genuinely feels like a stealth tank job but the blame is going somewhere else.

[FaninMex]

JR hired a rookie GM and surrounded him with a room full of ego. What were all of you expecting?

[MeanSeanBean]

[NHL97OneTimer]

1 hour ago, NUCKER67 said:

If the Canucks lose again tonight and they fire Bruce, they might start making real changes - hire their coach of choice (Tocchet, Trotz, etc), make some big trades and shape the team. 

 

Gotta say, Tocchet was a mean, tough player in his day. Scored 40+ goals 3 times, won 3 Cups (1 as a player, 2 as a coach). Maybe this is the kind of coach these country club boys need. 

 

I'm finding myself to be more critical of Pettersson this year, because so much is expected of him, who knows what his ceiling could be. He hasn't shown much IMO. He's still pretty weak on the puck, and on his skates. He only signed a short 3-year contract, because he wanted to see where the team is heading. Doesn't sound like a guy who's committed and he may eventually want to play on a contender. Canucks are a long ways off from contending for anything, other than getting the 1st.

 

I'm all for change with this team.  

Agree with all of this.  A while back I had today circled as decision-day.  I think decisions have been made now regardless of tonight's result and we'll start hearing announcements in the next week. 

 

Priority #1 is dealing Miller if they can.....that's on JR if they can't.  OEL's contract sucks but he's still serviceable and won't slow down a rebuild if they can't trade him.  The key is to not give up draft picks to deal him or extend the pain with a buyout when they can ride it out knowing we won't be peaking in 4 years time.  I feel similarly about Myers.....he has one more year after this year, so not a biggie if they can't trade him with ease.  The Canucks will have to draft high end defensemen and they will take more than 2-4 years to be NHL ready.

[MaxVerstappen33]

More similarities with Donald trump. 

[The Arrogant Worms]

Trotz says he hasn't received offers, but would consider a return

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/trotz-says-he-hasnt-received-offers-but-would-consider-a-return/

 

Though he has yet to receive any formal offers from teams, longtime NHL coach Barry Trotz says he would strongly consider getting back behind the bench if the right opportunity came his way.

In an interview on Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill as part of The Nation Network, the former New York Islanders coach spoke about the possibility of returning to coaching in the NHL on Tuesday. 

 

 

“I would if it made sense. I would be quite honest with the team though ideally for me it would be after January,” said Trotz when asked if he would consider joining a team. 

He also said the priority remains his family and that any offer would have to make sense for them.

After leading the Islanders to a 37-35-10 record last season and missing the playoffs, Trotz decided to take a temporary break from coaching.

“A lot of this summer has been ‘can I be all-in or not?’ and I wasn’t able to,” said Trotz on Tuesday. “I got to do things I needed to do as a husband, father and stepson. I did all that and it’s been a blessing.”

[Honourable Hughes]

2 hours ago, grumpyone said:

if they hire Tocchet, then guaranteed that OEL says............'get me outta here !!!!! "

1. Hire Tocchet

2. OEL request trade

3. We somehow trade OEL (lol)

4. Fire Tocchet after if that’s not who they actually want (lol)