Its the Owner - Smyl Edition

[Harold Drunken]

I want an owner that treats this as a passion as well as a business. The moves Aquilini has made and the direction he's been giving are clear (to me anyways) that he covets post season appearances and revenue. The problem is there is a difference between making a post season appearance/sqweaking into a low seed vs. actually contending for a Stanley cup. People say "anything can happen in the playoffs" which is true at times to a degree, but typically the teams who are supposed to be there at the end are....bottom seeded team rarely play for the cup, and when they do it's a Cinderella story. It happens once decade, if that. ie 2012 L.A Kings. Look at the list of Stanley Cup finals the last 10-15 years and winners, there aren't many surprises, the best teams were there. 

 

Aquilini treats this franchise as a business, which I understand it is technically a business at the end of the day. That being said, the other side has to be a passion to win and a passion to be a champion....I think Aquilini probably ultimately wants that, I just don't think he knows how to do it nor has he surrounded himself with people who do either. 

 

People like to rip Rutherford already, but truth is he's a 3 time Stanley Cup winning GM who's won GM of the year and is in the Hall of fame, As much as many want to hate him already, he's the most hope the front office has had in awhile....and the fact Aquilini actually hired a President is a good sign for the fans. I can only hope this means less control from him and more control from people who know hockey and have proven they can build winners. 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2022 by Harold Drunken

[tas]

2 hours ago, Provost said:

clearly had no idea at all they weee close to hiring a permanent guy….

because they weren't close. rutherford was out until he was suddenly in. he was only asked for his blessing on bruce as a hypothetical, in case he changed his mind and decided to take the job. 

[Provost]

1 minute ago, tas said:

because they weren't close. rutherford was out until he was suddenly in. he was only asked for his blessing on bruce as a hypothetical, in case he changed his mind and decided to take the job. 

Rutherford said publicly that he was sick and dealing with some stuff when Aquilini asked for an answer… and Aquilini gave him some more time to decide.

 

All he had to do was tell Smyl that his tenure was intended to be very short, or even better…. Not trot him out as a popular alumni meat shield in press conferences to have him answer questions and take the heat off.  That is just his MO… Linden, Smyl, the Sedins… he uses the currency they have built up with the fans to help himself off the hook.

 

He could have let the JR thing play out for a few extra days… 

[tas]

3 minutes ago, Provost said:

All he had to do was tell Smyl that his tenure was intended to be very short

hence, interim. 

[Provost]

4 minutes ago, tas said:

hence, interim. 

That isn’t the same thing… Smyl is a good company guy and has been for 40 years.

 

You tell him that you have something in the works and just need him to keep the shop

for a few days or weeks… and he will do it.

 

The interviews Smyl did made it abundantly clear that wasn’t the expectation he was given.

 

It had to be hugely embarrassing for Smyl to have gone on national and talk about his plans and vision of the team… only to find out that he dimmers already replaced.  Four days between announcements which means that it was only 2-3 days at most before they came to terms with JR and got one to paper.

[Coconuts]

52 minutes ago, Harold Drunken said:

I want an owner that teats this as a passion as well as a business. The moves Aquilini has made and the direction he's been giving are clear (to me anyways) that he covets post season appearances and revenue. The problem is there is a difference between making a post season appearance/sqweaking into a low seed vs. actually contending for a Stanley cup. People say "anything can happen in the playoffs" which is true at times to a degree, but typically the teams who are supposed to be there at the end are....bottom seeded team rarely play for the cup, and when they do it's a Cinderella story. It happens once decade, if that. ie 2012 L.A Kings. Look at the list of Stanley Cup finals the last 10-15 years and winners, there aren't many surprises, the best teams were there. 

 

Aquilini treats this franchise as a business, which I understand it is technically a business at the end of the day. That being said, the other side has to be a passion to win and a passion to be a champion....I think Aquilini probably ultimately wants that, I just don't think he knows how to do it nor has he surrounded himself with people who do either. 

 

People like to rip Rutherford already, but truth is he's a 3 time Stanley Cup winning GM who's won GM of the year and is in the Hall of fame, As much as many want to hate him already, he's the most hope the front office has had in awhile....and the fact Aquilini actually hired a President is a good sign for the fans. I can only hope this means less control from him and more control from people who know hockey and have proven they can build winners. 

 

 

I want an owner with a short skirt and a long jacket. 

[tas]

5 minutes ago, Provost said:

That isn’t the same thing… Smyl is a good company guy and has been for 40 years.

 

You tell him that you have something in the works and just need him to keep the shop

for a few days or weeks… and he will do it.

 

The interviews Smyl did made it abundantly clear that wasn’t the expectation he was given.

 

It had to be hugely embarrassing for Smyl to have gone on national and talk about his plans and vision of the team… only to find out that he dimmers already replaced.  Four days between announcements which means that it was only 2-3 days at most before they came to terms with JR and got one to paper.

burden of proof is on you, man. I don't buy it. 

 

again, I love smyl and think aquilini is a puddle of congealed grease, but based on how things went down in real time I really don't think it played out the way you think it did. 

[CanuckRookieFan]

Hockey aside, why not give credit to Aqua where its due? Despite supposedly shady business antics becoming a billionaire is next to impossible, any one of us would kill for that life and desire that life. So to accomplish the goal of being a billionaire,  if people need to cut a few corners so be it..you cant get that level of rich just by following the book. I respect Aqua for this and envy him as a billionaire, I also am currently building a business and aspire to become a serious business operator.

 

Point is Aqua is making a record profit this year on the Canucks due to: new TV rights, new radio rights, direct stream revenue, TD helmets and jersey deal, digital ads commercials, in arena advertisment, merchandise sales, gate revenue, arena food revenues, parking, corporate sponsorships..

 

Add it all up he doesn't care if you come to the games, even if 50% fans stop coming majority of revenue comes from ads and sponsorships not gates, he doesn't need you to like the team he is winning already. Winning, he is, not you. That's why I admire him, he put him self in a position to be a winner, so why try to tear him down instead of praising him? 

Edited November 17, 2022 by CanuckRookieFan

[tas]

3 minutes ago, CanuckRookieFan said:

becoming a billionaire is next to impossible,

are you high? billionaires are a dime a dozen. some kardashian got there through GoFundMe.

 

4 minutes ago, CanuckRookieFan said:

any one of us would kill for that life and desire that life

speak for your self. only a sociopath would desire that life.  

[CanuckRookieFan]

Just now, tas said:

are you high? billionaires are a dime a dozen. some kardashian got there through GoFundMe.

 

speak for your self. only a sociopath would desire that life.  

Not the same way Aqua did it, granted I don't know much about his childhood or family but my understanding is he built this business alone out of nothing as an immigrant from a poor family. Unlike the Kardashians who had a famous dad Aqua did it on hard work and smart moves in the real estate world, that to me is inspirational. Having start with nothing and build an empire by your self and basically become a billionaire while still in your 40s is damn incredible you don't have to put down others or say billionaires are a dime a dozen they are incredible rare still and should be respected. 

[tas]

4 minutes ago, CanuckRookieFan said:

Not the same way Aqua did it, granted I don't know much about his childhood or family but my understanding is he built this business alone out of nothing as an immigrant from a poor family. Unlike the Kardashians who had a famous dad Aqua did it on hard work and smart moves in the real estate world, that to me is inspirational. Having start with nothing and build an empire by your self and basically become a billionaire while still in your 40s is damn incredible you don't have to put down others or say billionaires are a dime a dozen they are incredible rare still and should be respected. 

francesco's dad built the family business. 

 

edit: also, there is absolutely nothing respectable to me about striving to become a billionaire. in fact, I can't think of many things less respectable. 

Edited November 18, 2022 by tas

[iinatcc]

3 hours ago, MaxVerstappen33 said:

Good point about Smyl. He really thought he was gonna be GM for a few weeks. Then some totally foreign regime , with zero sentiment for this city or team , just moves in and sets up shop in his space. What an absolute joke. 

 

Aquilini needs to hire a chairman for the company. He can still own. Just step TF down.

Sure but on the other hand Smyl had no GM experience. Last time Canucks brought a president and GM with no real experience in either positions, it turned out to be a disaster.

 

The jury is not yet set on Rutherford but he's won 3 Stanley cups as the General Manager, so he not only has experience but brought in results in the past 

 

Yes things could have handled better but it's hard to pass up bringing in someone who has actual success as a GM of a team.

Edited November 18, 2022 by iinatcc

[Harold Drunken]

42 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

I want an owner with a short skirt and a long jacket. 

[tas]

the other thing we have failed to mention is that there is an argument to be made that smyl is actually higher in the hierarchy than allvin as vp of hockey ops. his prior role was as senior adviser (if memory serves), so his new role is both more important and more involved, though not as directly involved in day-to-day as gm or with as much say as president. I guarantee his voice is more important to ownership's than allvin's, though. 

[lmm]

6 hours ago, Warhippy said:

It is in the forum rules, and is very clear about that.  I don't wanna be a mini mod or that kind of D bag, but there's plenty of hockey related discussion about Aqualini that we can jump in to without bringing in his behaviour outside of the organization.  That is something for the courts to decide on, not us.

And yet its OK to talk about Jake's indiscretions

And Mitchell, (is that his name?)

and Kane x2

and Mathews

[Slegr]

Aquilini isn’t perfect, for sure. One could say his desire to cut corners rather than properly rebuild has not only left this team in prolonged shambles, but also compromised the team’s relations with one of its most prolific and iconic players, Trevor Linden.

 

On the plus side, he’s been willing to spend to the cap - a luxury not every team is granted - and he’s been more open to buy outs of late. He has moved from putting fringe wannabes to proven, legitimate champions in key management roles. We have a team with several core, future-ready players on it. But our system (coach’s responsibility) and a lack of quality defenders (GM responsibility) has failed us this season.

I’m still ok to give Aquilini a pass. Sure, he may get too involved at times, but not like Len Barrie and Tampa situation. And sure he may want to win now, but maybe that’s not too crazy to want. There is no one way to get a winning team, as much as Sportsnet wants everyone to believe it has to be done through intentional tanking (Leafs) and getting some luck of lotto numbers. Two new, electric players can’t make a winning team. We have enough talent and core that a new defensive system and some quality defenders will make us very hard to beat. It’s time for our owner to really get ballsy, fire the whole management team and bring in Barry Trotz as coach, GM, and president of hockey operations.

[Provost]

1 hour ago, CanuckRookieFan said:

Not the same way Aqua did it, granted I don't know much about his childhood or family but my understanding is he built this business alone out of nothing as an immigrant from a poor family. Unlike the Kardashians who had a famous dad Aqua did it on hard work and smart moves in the real estate world, that to me is inspirational. Having start with nothing and build an empire by your self and basically become a billionaire while still in your 40s is damn incredible you don't have to put down others or say billionaires are a dime a dozen they are incredible rare still and should be respected. 

His Dad was a slumlord, and they built their wealth by exploiting people and stealing from them.  There are countless articles if you go google it.  Sued for safety infractions that have resulted in injuries or death, stealing wages from immigrants, tax cheating, etc.

If someone wants to build the best widget for the cheapest and makes a boatload of money, that is capitalism and good for them.  That is how people make millions.  To make billions it is almost exclusively by screwing other people over and cheating the system.

 

I don’t know how anyone lives with themselves having that money in the bank while exploiting and cheating a vulnerable immigrant workforce to make it.

 

 

[ilduce39]

7 hours ago, NUCKER67 said:

Force the owners to sell. Stop going to games and buying merch. Watch the games at home and cheer on the team.

 

Mr. Aqualini...no money for you!

 

 

The ones calling for a new owner are the ones least likely to walk away. 
 

and we all know the heat on ownership goes away the minute the team makes even a half assed effort to retool OR goes on a mini winning streak

[Mike Vanderhoek]

Oh how fans forget how close the city of Vancouver was to losing an NHL club, your beloved Canucks.

 

First of all digging up dirt, rumours, and conjecture about current ownership's dealings outside of hockey and in respect to this club they own is not my business as a fan.

 

You can dig up all kinds of crap on just about anyone. But at the end of the day you've got an ownership group willing to pay to the cap limit and pay ex coaches, previous contracts and pay to build up a sizeable front office now.

 

I'm not condoning things proven to be fact that were poor in nature but im interested in an owner who continually invests in the team and city instead of threatens to leave. Do people forget how difficult it was to try and get a new owner? Apparently.

 

This argument about meddling is so lame, own the team do as you please. Hire the right people for the job sure but yeah you can say whatever you want. Not to mention the " meddling " of ownership never gets proven only suggested.

 

Be nice if the on ice product had a better direction and follow through.

[CanuckRookieFan]

24 minutes ago, Provost said:

His Dad was a slumlord, and they built their wealth by exploiting people and stealing from them.  There are countless articles if you go google it.  Sued for safety infractions that have resulted in injuries or death, stealing wages from immigrants, tax cheating, etc.

If someone wants to build the best widget for the cheapest and makes a boatload of money, that is capitalism and good for them.  That is how people make millions.  To make billions it is almost exclusively by screwing other people over and cheating the system.

 

I don’t know how anyone lives with themselves having that money in the bank while exploiting and cheating a vulnerable immigrant workforce to make it.

 

 

I agree to a degree, but as you pointed out that IS capitalism so until there is a better social system to live by the world agrees this is the way to be. Rather than fight it why not partake in the system and enjoy access to things money can buy? I am 38 currently and I am deep in pursuit of financial riches my self fueled and actually inspired in a way by social media and seeing how much wealth is put there I really want that for my self, exploiting people or not, a stone and a hammer cannot always live in harmony one of them is bound to break eventually..I am not worried about morality of the common world here,  who has time for that honestly- more so we should be concerned about putting food on our own plates instead of worrying about right or wrong... they say "money talks" well a billionaire is a singer in my books!

Edited November 18, 2022 by CanuckRookieFan