[Report] Canucks fire Bruce Boudreau, Trent Cull; name Rick Tocchet as head coach, Adam Foote as assistant coach, Sergei Gonchar as defensive development coach

[cripplereh]

9 minutes ago, Dr. Crossbar said:

It's interesting ... for years we've tried to take the nice guy approach, focusing on character, building a roster of nice guys, to a point that's really gotten ridiculous. 

 

It's often the not so nice guys that give a team certain levels of snarl, intimidation, grit, intensity, and pushback that nice guys can't (and won't).

 

Call them D-bags, call them toxic, etc, etc, but that's what those type of guys bring to the team. And we've lacked that in our team for years, going nowhere, and now we're getting laughed at by others even more so.

 

As much as I hated Bruce leaving - absolutely loved the guy - and hated the way it went down, we now have a management and a coaching staff that's bringing a much harder edge than we're used to experiencing. And it's uncomfortable. I mean, even Allvin piped up yesterday and pushed back, saying, well, he doesn't see any banners hanging from the rafters ... and he's right! 

 

Look, this is all uncomfortable and painful but, imo, we need to embrace the edge these guys are bringing to the team, because it's an edge we've needed in our game. With most eastern teams, culturally, this harder edge is expected and accepted by fans, which gives them an advantage.

 

This may be a disaster or it very well could be what we've needed. 

 

I have said this before we do need a hard nosed coach that is strict to get guys playing right.Bench them do whatever till they get the message as they are pro's and should be put in their ace every so often.  

 

A year if that of a coach they will play better and the pusses will be traded. 

 

That would give the team one direction instead of excuses but management and talks of ratting elephants.  

 

I totally agree people do not like coaches like that but it gets the job done.

 

I have had a coach like that for years. We went from last to one of the best.After the coach left we went undefeated in Vancouver. 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2023 by cripplereh

[Goal:thecup]

9 hours ago, Melbourne Canuck said:

Today was a low ebb in the history of the franchise IMO. Allvin didn’t come across well. Basically lies to everyone about the decision to fire Bruce, everyone knew, including the media who reported it a week ago! He played us all as fools. Decision was made today huh? Tocchet just happens to be in town? What a crock! Allvin says they’re building a winning culture? Sure. That’s why the team has sucked on the ice and one of his AGM is involved in a human rights complaint? Sure. Let’s go with that Patrik. I don’t trust this management group. Until they accept the reality of their situation and meaningfully rebuild PROPERLY they’re living in a parallel universe. 

I think you (and some others) have misunderstood the comment.

He meant that they had decided to relieve Bruce of his duties that day instead of waiting until Monday to do it.

 

It is apparent that the decision to fire Bruce had been made long before this; just that they were gonna do the presser Monday (today) and decided to face the music Sunday (yesterday).

They did a horrible job of it yesterday to go along with all their previous horrible work sabotaging Bruce with no goalies and no defense and then blaming BB for lack of structure.

 

Most of us know you build a team from the goal out, through the D, and then onto the forwards; so their attempts to pull the wool over everybody's eyes was completely stupid.

The whole hockey world is calling them out for this; not just some 'stupid, dipshit, lollipop-sucking, homers' like me.

[DarthMelvin]

I really hope that there is a Bruce chant on their first game lol

[Redline]

15 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

Could be a lot worse, like the Vancouver Coyotes 

He coached them too..125-131-34 over 4 seasons..maybe he'll do better here..I hope so..

[Goal:thecup]

9 hours ago, RWJC said:

Tocchet claimed numerous times in the presser that he wanted the rink to become a safe place for the players. Who do you think, after recent experience, they would need to be sheltered from?

Classic Protection Racket.

Pay up or look out.

[cripplereh]

1 minute ago, DarthMelvin said:

I really hope that there is a Bruce chant on their first game lol

'We want Bruce there it is"

[Sapper]

The whole situation was handled badly. I don't  know how much blame.the canucks have for the leak but they own all of it fir the fall out.

 

Once it was leaked they should have offered to fire Bruce to save him the humiliation that was coming 

 

Hiring the new coach before firing the old one mid season is.common practice so that in itself is nothing new. The early leak should have forced it'd annoucment sooner. Bruce couldn't quit as it would cost him his pay .... he needed to be released and that's what rhe right thing should have occured

I like Bruce but this is getting ridiculous. Players crying saying giid bye to him ? Cmon man many stopped playing for him.and threw.him.under the bus.  The team was and imploding and this was predictable. The fact that they signed Bruce to just a 1 year extension should have been your clue that he was on borrowed time

 

Bruce us a players coach. To win he needs players that play to his coaching. Only a few did ... most didn't

I'm disappointed Bruce didn't get a chance to coach this team after blowing it apart and settling on new players.

 

I'm more concerned that they wanted a coach that can get more out of these players .... that tells me there will be little change to the team .... 2 players coaches in a row have not succeeded with this group so what makes.the new coach any better ?

Edited January 23, 2023 by Sapper

[Barnstorm]

9 minutes ago, Ballisticsports. said:

Alice Cooper No Mire Mr Nice Guy approach?

First album I ever bought, 1973.

 

[DS4quality]

The banner in the rafters by Alvin is a straw man. He's never been part of an organization that continuously drops in the draft either. If Canucks got a 1st overall once. His history with the penguins was having a generational talent in Crosby, Malkin and possibly Letang. Also The way they treated MAF was terrible. They also traded for Gudbranson, and have a history of treating players poorly.

Also no one has even talked about how after Brock had is hand surgery it got re-infected, just like Tanner Pearson needing another procedure, both on Alvin's watch. 

As for Tochett, his approach sucked in Tampa, and Arizona I honestly don't know how it's supposed to work here.  

Edited January 23, 2023 by DS4quality

[Nucker 67]

I think Tocchet will utilize Miller better, conserving his energy for key parts of the game. We might see more production from JT. He probably won't be on the PK anymore either and I'm all good with that considering all of the giveaways leading to SH 2-on-1s and breakaways, Miller is usually too gassed to get back. Tocchet will manage his ice time better.

 

Pettersson will probably get more responsibility and I can see him with the "A" (taken from OEL).

 

Hughes might really benefit from Gonchar, who was also an offensive Dman. Foote was more of a defensive Dman when he played, and that will also benefit the D core.

 

Canucks brought in some decent gritty players in Lazar, Joshua, Studnicka, Aman and Pederson, but they could be doing more, and I think Tocchet will tap into that.  My hope is the Canucks become a more gritty, physical, disciplined team that can score. Time will tell.  

[Gawdzukes]

1 hour ago, Dazzle said:

Banner in the rafters comment was not a "bang on" assessment. He used that to deflect what he thought about how the team handled the Boudreau situation.

 

At first, I was sympathetic that he was asked this loaded question. On the other hand, I now remember that Rutherford said this:

 

 

These idiots will pass the hot potato to each other because they don't want to accept accountability for their own misdeeds.

 

For these people, it will always be somebody else's fault, even if the situation (whether it's the cap situation/coaching) was their own doing.

 

 

This type of stuff (addressing the public) is beyond useless these days. No matter what they say a group of people are behind the scenes dissecting every single word and making stupid videos. Like in this case everyone is mad about BB so everyone is just going out of their way to find a little slip up in wording, a pause, old history, any mistake to crucify on a whole what they don't like.

 

I strongly dislike this management from the hockey moves they've made this summer namely Miller, and Boeser, plus talking a big talk but doing nothing. However this whole witch hunt the new coach to create pre-conceived and bad willed thoughts moving forward are self-defeating and unhelpful. In reality it's simply  a hockey move that makes sense. Even though it could have been done earlier, or better planned the key is that the move has been made. Now we wait and see how that works with inevitable other moves. Until then everyone freaks out lol.

[eeeeergh]

24 minutes ago, MaxVerstappen33 said:

If the defensive game is so lacking how about bringing Lui Erricson back on a league minimum deal?

@Coconuts and I have been advocating for the Return of the King for a long time now. I worry though, that his time has well and truly passed. He has passed to the far greener pastures of Frolunda.

 

“And the ship went out into the High Sea and passed into Frolunda, until at last on a night of rain Loui smelled a sweet fragrance on the air and heard the sound of singing that came over the water. And then it seemed to him that as in his dream in the house of Stillman, the grey rain-curtain turned all to silver glass and was rolled back, and he beheld thousands of empty nets and beyond them a far green country under a swift sunrise.”

 

 

[DS4quality]

6 minutes ago, Gawdzukes said:

This type of stuff (addressing the public) is beyond useless these days. No matter what they say a group of people are behind the scenes dissecting every single word and making stupid videos. Like in this case everyone is mad about BB so everyone is just going out of their way to find a little slip up in wording, a pause, old history, any mistake to crucify on a whole what they don't like.

 

I strongly dislike this management from the hockey moves they've made this summer namely Miller, and Boeser, plus talking a big talk but doing nothing. However this whole witch hunt the new coach to create pre-conceived and bad willed thoughts moving forward are self-defeating and unhelpful. In reality it's simply  a hockey move that makes sense. Even though it could have been done earlier, or better planned the key is that the move has been made. Now we wait and see how that works with inevitable other moves. Until then everyone freaks out lol.

No, he said the exact same answer twice in a row. He never answered the question being asked.  It's not nit-picking, this is how never answered he's gonna bring the fans back. He never gave any indication of what they were doing. 

Edited January 23, 2023 by DS4quality

[eeeeergh]

9 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

I think Tocchet will utilize Miller better, conserving his energy for key parts of the game. We might see more production from JT. He probably won't be on the PK anymore either and I'm all good with that considering all of the giveaways leading to SH 2-on-1s and breakaways, Miller is usually too gassed to get back. Tocchet will manage his ice time better.

 

Pettersson will probably get more responsibility and I can see him with the "A" (taken from OEL).

 

Hughes might really benefit from Gonchar, who was also an offensive Dman. Foote was more of a defensive Dman when he played, and that will also benefit the D core.

 

Canucks brought in some decent gritty players in Lazar, Joshua, Studnicka, Aman and Pederson, but they could be doing more, and I think Tocchet will tap into that.  My hope is the Canucks become a more gritty, physical, disciplined team that can score. Time will tell.  

I'm also quite optimistic about Tocchet & the new assistants. 

 

Our single biggest problems have been attitude and attention to detail, both link back to personal accountability. This is a very young team where the leaders have never been part of winning teams. Someone needs to set standards, and hold everyone to them, and from there, leaders will step up and expect it of themselves and others. 

 

We'll find out who over the next 40 games is willing to buy in, and who needs to be shipped out. 

[RWJC]

4 minutes ago, Goal:thecup said:

I think you (and some others) have misunderstood the comment.

He meant that they had decided to relieve Bruce of his duties that day instead of waiting until Monday to do it.

 

It is apparent that the decision to fire Bruce had been made long before this; just that they were gonna do the presser Monday (today) and decided to face the music Sunday (yesterday).

They did a horrible job of it yesterday to go along with all their previous horrible work sabotaging Bruce with no goalies and no defense and then blaming BB for lack of structure.

 

Most of us know you build a team from the goal out, through the D, and then onto the forwards; so their attempts to pull the wool over everybody's eyes was completely stupid.

The whole hockey world is calling them out for this; not just some 'stupid, dipshit, lollipop-sucking, homers' like me.

You’re no dipshit so don’t include yourself in that, even if being sarcastic.

 

there are fans like you who support through their emotion and ambition for this club. Those like you are the heart of the franchise. You hurt when this club hurts. You long for the romance with the sport and the team and people that represent you.
 

the soul of this franchise comes from fans like myself who straddle both sides of the line in terms of being concurrently embracing and objectively critical of it, even when it stings to admit these opinions. We’re the soul because we are always searching for the recipe, for answers. To find balance. That’s our duty on our side.

 

both sides are symbiotic. We depend on each other and yet we also each thrive when the other side is conflicted.

 

But don’t think I meant you. I wouldn’t ever insult a real fan and you are one of them.

I directed it at the fake fans who just want to be angry for the sake of it. the same type of pieces of shit that caused the playoff riot. Those dipshits 

[Darius]

To me it looks like Bruce was Aqua's guy - he brought him here before he hired Rutherford etc.  Rutherford was publicly critiquing Bruce since the end of last season - bringing up the 'lack of structure' and how goaltending was bailing out the team.  To me Rutherford's answers about committing to Bruce were rather feeble. Im guessing that management wanted to get rid of Bruce in the off season and Aqua probably nixed the idea. As early as a few weeks into the new season Rutherford again was bringing up the lack of defensive structure and the poor preparation in training camp, practice habits etc etc.  At that point everyone knew that Bruce was on his last legs here.  I think what also adds to the whole dynamic is Bruce's age.  He clearly was not a long term solution (2+ years) in light of the fact the guy is pushing 70 - so there was an element of a short shelf life from the outset.

 

So it comes down to Rutherford blabbing too much to the media and Aqua getting too involved in these matters.  Its a big black eye for the org and it has to have an effect on how the org is perceived by potential free agents and front office people.

 

 

 

[Dr. Crossbar]

21 minutes ago, cripplereh said:

I have said this before we do need a hard nosed coach that is strict to get guys playing right.Bench them do whatever till they get the message as they are pro's and should be put in their ace every so often.  

 

A year if that of a coach they will play better and the pusses will be traded. 

 

That would give the team one direction instead of excuses but management and talks of ratting elephants.  

 

I totally agree people do not like coaches like that but it gets the job done.

 

I have had a coach like that for years. We went from last to one of the best.After the coach left we went undefeated in Vancouver. 

 

 

Completely get it. Had coaches like that myself. Most of my learning from guys like that came from being uncomfortable rather than comfortable. 

 

We run these types of guys out of town rather than saying ... Hey, wait a second, maybe this is exactly what we need. 

[awalk]

Let it be clear: I do not like Taj. The guy is a parrot account, just parrots what the media is saying. But I DO trust Seravalli, the guy has proven to have good info. So that's worth a share IMO. 
 

 

[Goal:thecup]

2 hours ago, Dazzle said:

Aquilini is rich, so it's not that big of a deal. If anything, it's financial mismanagement that he can easily absorb as losses.

 

Don't know why Green was paid 2.75, but Boudreau was paid 2 M. Boudreau has so much more experience and winning pedigree than Green ever did and ever will. What the hell?

JR said last year that he didn't want to pay too many coaches not to be here (or some such lying rot) and then now he's paying at least 3 coaches, not counting assistants.

[lmm]

5 minutes ago, Dr. Crossbar said:

It's interesting ... for years we've tried to take the nice guy approach, focusing on character, building a roster of nice guys, to a point that's really gotten ridiculous. 

 

It's often the not so nice guys that give a team certain levels of snarl, intimidation, grit, intensity, and pushback that nice guys can't (and won't).

 

Call them D-bags, call them toxic, etc, etc, but that's what those type of guys bring to the team. And we've lacked that in our team for years, going nowhere, and now we're getting laughed at by others even more so.

 

As much as I hated Bruce leaving - absolutely loved the guy - and hated the way it went down, we now have a management and a coaching staff that's bringing a much harder edge than we're used to experiencing. And it's uncomfortable. I mean, even Allvin piped up yesterday and pushed back, saying, well, he doesn't see any banners hanging from the rafters ... and he's right! 

 

Look, this is all uncomfortable and painful but, imo, we need to embrace the edge these guys are bringing to the team, because it's an edge we've needed in our game. With most eastern teams, culturally, this harder edge is expected and accepted by fans, which gives them an advantage.

 

This may be a disaster or it very well could be what we've needed. 

 

I agree with you to a point

what I would add is, smart

snarl is good, I too want a team with snarl

Snarl when  your teammate gets punched or your goalie takes some digging is great

snarl because the questions about your mis-handling or Bruce, your trading away of draft picks, your 1st rounder not progressing, and your retirement contracts in your first year

that to me is more like petulance 

that kind of snarl is not going to help

that is "Don't ask me hard questions about my mistakes" snarl

 

to compare it to players

Kevin Bieksa and Derek Dorset had snarl

 

Bieksa had the kind of snarl I would like to see more of

Dorsett had the kind that was misplaced and not really helpful

 

re management

Quinn and Burkie and even Mike Keenan, ( I know many hate him) and Mike Gillis had the kind of snarl I'd like to see

I think Jim Benning had some snarl, but it always seemed to be covering up his mistakes

it seemed to directed at underlings who might take his job away