Canucks hire Willie Desjardins as Head Coach

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=450923

MIght as well give the big news its own thread.

[WestCoastJoe]

VANCOUVER -- After just one season at the helm, John Tortorella is out as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks.

Tortorella was fired Thursday after signing a five-year contract last summer. Assistant coach Mike Sullivan was also fired.

The announcement comes after the Canucks failed to make the playoffs this season and finished 25th in the NHL, behind Toronto, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Montreal, the only Canadian team in the playoffs.

It was Vancouver's worst finish in 14 years and came just three seasons after former coach Alain Vigneault led the Canucks to Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup final.

Vigneault now leads the New York Rangers, Tortorella's former team. New York is playing in the second round of this season's playoffs.

"Today we are making an important change in the direction of our team," Canucks president of hockey operations Trevor Linden said in a statement. "On behalf of the entire organization, we extend our thanks to John, Mike and their families for their commitment to the Canucks and wish them the very best."

"We have a lot of important work to accomplish this off-season as we build our management and coaching staffs, improve our roster and connect with our fans," added Linden. "Our general manager search is well underway and we will begin assessing head coaching candidates immediately."

Tortorella's firing is the latest move in a busy off-season for the Canucks. General manager Mike Gillis was fired in early April and the team named former Canucks captain Linden president a day later.

Firing Tortorella was the first significant move for Linden in his new job, though it didn't come as much of a surprise.

Linden is in the process of hiring a new GM and has said that person should be in charge of hiring Vancouver's new coach.

The Canucks' season had its moments before Christmas when they strung together seven wins in a row, but really started to come off the rails after a mid-January home game against the Calgary Flames. A furious Tortorella stormed towards the Flames' dressing room at the Rogers arena, spoiling for a fight with Calgary coach Bob Hartley.

The NHL suspended him for 15 days and the team went on a skid that saw them go 2-4-0 during that period, then 10-13-2 after he returned to finish the season at 36-35-11.

The team got little from its stars this season. Captain Henrik Sedin managed only 11 goals and 40 points in 70 games. In the last lockout-shortened season he scored 11 goals and had 45 points in just 48 games.

Twin brother Daniel had 16 goals and 47 points in 73 games this season, his worst full season since 2002, and Ryan Kesler was the only Canuck to break the 20-goal mark with 25.

Gillis said after dealing goaltender Roberto Luongo to the Florida Panthers in March that the move was made as part of a retooling effort, not a total rebuild. Yet even his statements about this season were not glowing.

"This season has been a real struggle for this hockey team for a lot of different reasons," Gillis said at the time, adding that he hoped the trade would be a wake-up call to his team.

"I think the players now know that we're not satisfied with what's happened this season and we're not happy about what's happened this season. We haven't met the expectations that we've had as a group -- all of us."

The wake-up call had little effect with Vancouver staying ahead of only overmatched Calgary and Edmonton in the Pacific Division.

Injuries played a factor. Both Sedins, Alex Burrows and defenceman Chris Tanev all missed a significant number of games and the Canucks managed just 196 goals, leaving them tied for second-fewest in the league.

At his season-ending news conference last month, Tortorella took some of the blame but also threw a lot on the players, saying the Canucks are getting old, the core group has become complacent and the team needs to get younger.

"I felt from Day 1 that it's stale," he said. "That's not their fault. This is a group that has been together for a long time.

"It needs youth. It needs a change. The team needs to be retooled. It's a young man's game. It's certainly not a criticism of (the veterans). We need to surround them with some enthusiasm."

Tortorella said it was time to forget their 2011 Stanley Cup run and his biggest regret was leaving too much to the players.

"I needed to be pounding away at the details," he said. "I think that hurt us in situational play. I think that hurt us in trying to understand how you change momentum. That's not the team, that's me. That's my biggest regret."

[WestCoastJoe]

It was Vancouver's worst finish in 14 years and came just three seasons after former coach Alain Vigneault led the Canucks to Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup final.

Vigneault now leads the New York Rangers, Tortorella's former team. New York is playing in the second round of this season's playoffs.

How is Vigneault looking now?

"Today we are making an important change in the direction of our team," Canucks president of hockey operations Trevor Linden said in a statement. "On behalf of the entire organization, we extend our thanks to John, Mike and their families for their commitment to the Canucks and wish them the very best."

"We have a lot of important work to accomplish this off-season as we build our management and coaching staffs, improve our roster and connect with our fans," added Linden. "Our general manager search is well underway and we will begin assessing head coaching candidates immediately."

The Canucks' season had its moments before Christmas when they strung together seven wins in a row, but really started to come off the rails after a mid-January home game against the Calgary Flames. A furious Tortorella stormed towards the Flames' dressing room at the Rogers arena, spoiling for a fight with Calgary coach Bob Hartley.

The NHL suspended him for 15 days and the team went on a skid that saw them go 2-4-0 during that period, then 10-13-2 after he returned to finish the season at 36-35-11.

Torts went ballistic. Not for the first time in his career.

I was supportive of him, especially at the start. I actually enjoyed his cranky press conferences in New York. But he was obviously a terrible fit for the Canucks.

His grind it out style, defence first, block shots by your star players, kill penalties by the star players, grind the stars into dust, play them until they puke, did not work weil with the "soft" skilled Canucks.

Calling out his players publicly not good either. He had to go.

The team got little from its stars this season. Captain Henrik Sedin managed only 11 goals and 40 points in 70 games. In the last lockout-shortened season he scored 11 goals and had 45 points in just 48 games.

Twin brother Daniel had 16 goals and 47 points in 73 games this season, his worst full season since 2002, and Ryan Kesler was the only Canuck to break the 20-goal mark with 25.

It seems that the players tanked on Tortorella.

Gillis said after dealing goaltender Roberto Luongo to the Florida Panthers in March that the move was made as part of a retooling effort, not a total rebuild. Yet even his statements about this season were not glowing.

Strange handling of Roberto Luongo by Tortorella at the Heritage Classic. And now we have virtually nothing to show for the two top keepers we had: Luongo and Schneider.

Linden needs to roll some Aces.

Can't we ever get lucky and get a draft pick like Drew Doughty or Jonathan Toews? Maybe our draft success will improve as our win/loss record slides.

[TheLionKing]

Have mixed feelings about Tortorella's firing. On one hand, he was not given any top line players by Mike Gillis IMO. Gillis signed players waived from other teams, depth players. Canucks had a lot of injuries during this season, a lot of them of the major variety. On the other hand, a lot of the players had their worst year statistically. Coincidence ? or is it the result of the Tortorella system ?

[WestCoastJoe]

Just saw the Linden press conference.

What a contrast in personal styles ...

Linden is so calm. Thinks before he speaks. Considerate.

He says he had to talk himself into firing Tortorella. In other words, no preconceived notion of firing him since he took the President's job.

Who knows if Linden can build a winning culture with the Canucks? For a few years we had that. Burke, Crawford, Vigneault brought that. Gillis had it for a while.

But failure at the draft ... Giving away two top goaltenders ...

Small, slow, lack of scoring, lack of grit, lack of toughness, lack of resiliency ...

The NHL is a war of attrition, even moreso in the playoffs. If it was skill, we would have knocked off the Bruins, and we would have eliminated the Hawks on a couple more occasions. With the culture of the league the way it is, I am not sure the Sedins could ever lead their team all the way. They just get pounded into the ice, punched in the face and driven into th boards. And the league allows it.

Linden is the right guy in terms of healing the wounds. Will he build a winner? Who knows?

[notahomer]

.....The NHL is a war of attrition, even moreso in the playoffs. If it was skill, we would have knocked off the Bruins, and we would have eliminated the Hawks on a couple more occasions. With the culture of the league the way it is, I am not sure the Sedins could ever lead their team all the way. They just get pounded into the ice, punched in the face and driven into th boards. And the league allows it.

Linden is the right guy in terms of healing the wounds. Will he build a winner? Who knows?

WCJ, your comments sound similar to how I view the NHL playoffs and that is why I have watched my last game this season. The hit on Backes was the came--straw for me. I don't get it. TO be honest, I'm guess there must have been a time I enjoyed this type of thuggery because it seems to be what many fans want. "Wakey, Wakey" as a put down to a guy whose been knocked senseless?

I sure hope Linden can build a winner. I liked him as a player and now I guess we'll get to see how he does as an exec.

[TheLionKing]

There are clearly two set of rules in the NHL, one for the regular season and one for the playoffs.

[Robbie]

New Canucks coach - Willie Desjardins.
The Canucks are taking their chances on someone who has never coached in the NHL.

[WestCoastJoe]

Canucks hire Willie Desjardins at Head Coach

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=455503

CANUCKS ANNOUNCE HIRING OF DESJARDINS AS NEW HEAD COACH

VANCOUVER - Willie Desjardins has built champions in major junior hockey and the AHL.

Now he'll get the chance in the sport's biggest league.

Desjardins was hired as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. It's his first NHL head coaching job, and he'll join new president of hockey operations Trevor Linden and first-time NHL general manager Jim Benning as the Canucks rebuild following a disappointing 2013-14 campaign.

"I've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time," said the 57-year-old Desjardins, whose coaching career has taken him from Japan to the Canadian national program, and from the WHL to the minor leagues, since he was first hired as an assistant with the University of Calgary in 1985.

"To be part of such a great organization and NHL city is just a real honour."

Desjardins was also rumoured to be a candidate to take over in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins boast a roster that includes superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The former coach of the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers said a chance to return to Canada was too good to pass up.

"Sidney Crosby's a heck of a hockey player obviously, but for me, when I looked at what was here — I looked at the two guys who are leading this (Benning and Linden), I looked at the quality of the players ... Canadian market, Vancouver fans — it was the right choice to come here."

Desjardins, a native of Climax, Sask., most recently led the AHL's Texas Stars to a Calder Cup championship.

He spent two years with Texas, winning the AHL's coach of the year award in 2012-13 when he led the Stars to their first ever South Division regular season title and the number one seed in the Western Conference for the 2013 playoffs.

Prior to his tenure in the AHL, Desjardins spent two seasons as an associate coach with the Dallas Stars from 2010 to 2012.

He also served as head coach (2002-2010) and general manager (2005-2010) of the Tigers, where he led the team to two Memorial Cup tournaments, including an appearance in the 2007 final.

Desjardins was named WHL coach of the year for the 2005-06 season, and was also the recipient of the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award as the top coach in the Canadian Hockey League in 2006.

Desjardins' resume also includes stints on Canada's staff at two world junior tournaments and one world championship, as well as time coaching with the University of Calgary and in Japan.

"I've watched Willie's teams play over the last 12 years," Benning said. "His teams play fast and work extremely hard. They play an up-tempo hard-skating kind of game. His teams play with that relentless attitude that we want our players to play with."

Desjardins becomes the 18th head coach in club history and succeeds John Tortorella, who was fired after just one year behind the Canucks bench.

Tortorella and former Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis were casualties of Vancouver's disappointing season that saw the Canucks miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Desjardins says he thinks the Canucks can become a playoff contender again.

"We have so many great leaders on this team, and to get to be part of that group, I'm looking forward to it," Desjardins said. "They've won in the past, they'll win again."

[WestCoastJoe]

Sounds like the anti-Tortorella

I liked Tortorella at first. I especially liked his press conferences in New York.

But his style was a terrible fit for the Canucks. Maybe for any team in the NHL these days.

About Desjardins: "His teams play fast," Benning said. "They play an up-tempo, hard-skating type of game, with that relentless attitude we want."

Good luck with that.

[TheLionKing]

Time will tell

[KnowItAll]

so, no required experience in the front office. Should be a real mickey mouse show. 1970's here we come.

[TheLionKing]

Trevor Linden, Jim Benning, Willie Desjardins. The second coming of the Three Wise Men ?