Willie's fate was sealed before the season even started. Many predicted a bottom 3 league finish and, there they are.
They finish where they are supposed to, because of the product the GM put together, and the coach gets it. Is the GM really looking at this lineup and thinking..."With this talent, we should be in the playoffs".!!??
Don't follow Vancouver much, just hate it when a coach gets blamed for what the GM has done. But hey, it's always been that way, and may never change.
- flipneil

This GM inherited an aging down spiraling team.
At least get your facts straight.
Its all about patience & far too many ppl have short memories.

As much as Willie had some confounding moments in Vancouver, I do believe that he did a good job of bringing along young players like Bo Horvat and Markus Granlund and getting his group to play hard, right till the end.
Change was inevitable, but the Canucks' problems run deeper than coaching tactics.

I happen to agree with you on the statement above, and I would give a hell of a lot more credence to what you as a professional sports analyst provides, than comments from so called arm chair coaches.

Great job and thank you.

Sounds like the boy doesn't get hockey then.
Should stick to soccer & being slumlords.
- Nighthawk

Not boy, Luigi is the dad, the real boss. Old school, doesn't like "idle time", he was always doing something productive. Working at one of he cranberry farms or?

This GM inherited an aging down spiraling team.
At least get your facts straight.
Its all about patience & far too many ppl have short memories.
- Nighthawk

Ok, why can the coach?
I'm sure you're more in tuned about the Canucks than me, but your GM that inherited an aging team, did himself sign a couple of "best years are way behind them" in Ryan Miller and Loui Eriksson. Awesome.

As much as Willie had some confounding moments in Vancouver, I do believe that he did a good job of bringing along young players like Bo Horvat and Markus Granlund and getting his group to play hard, right till the end.
Change was inevitable, but the Canucks' problems run deeper than coaching tactics.

I happen to agree with you on the statement above, and I would give a hell of a lot more credence to what you as a professional sports analyst provides, than comments from so called arm chair coaches.

Great job and thank you.
- Makita

Ok, why can the coach?
I'm sure you're more in tuned about the Canucks than me, but your GM that inherited an aging team, did himself sign a couple of "best years are way behind them" in Ryan Miller and Loui Eriksson. Awesome.
- flipneil

Scapegoat IMO.
At the time there wasn't a coach to hire that we needed.
I believe Green needed time for more grooming & will be the next coach.
MIller signed for a stabilizing influence.
LE was fine by me. 1 bad year & a team nobody thought would be good makes many thngs get overblown.

As much as Willie had some confounding moments in Vancouver, I do believe that he did a good job of bringing along young players like Bo Horvat and Markus Granlund and getting his group to play hard, right till the end.
Change was inevitable, but the Canucks' problems run deeper than coaching tactics.

I happen to agree with you on the statement above, and I would give a hell of a lot more credence to what you as a professional sports analyst provides, than comments from so called arm chair coaches.

Great job and thank you.
- Makita

Well said. Willie wasnt the only issue but they do need a coach that can raise the bar past this point. Willie seemed to get less and less... Definitely not just Willie's fault.

This GM inherited an aging down spiraling team.
At least get your facts straight.
Its all about patience & far too many ppl have short memories.
- Nighthawk

One of the few perks of inheriting an ageing team on the down spiral is picking high in the draft... and he took Virtanen. JB isn't the draft guru ppl like to think he is. Best pick BY FAR has been Tryamkin who IMO has the potential to develop into a dominant top pairing guy.

One of the few perks of inheriting an ageing team on the down spiral is picking high in the draft... and he took Virtanen. JB isn't the draft guru ppl like to think he is. Best pick BY FAR has been Tryamkin who IMO has the potential to develop into a dominant top pairing guy.
- DrChristianTroy

2nd rd Demko
23OA Boeser
Gaudette

JV isn't a wash out yet

Linden: we have a young group of players, so we need a coach who can work with them and help them and make them into pros

Sounds like Travis Green to me.

Not boy, Luigi is the dad, the real boss. Old school, doesn't like "idle time", he was always doing something productive. Working at one of he cranberry farms or?
- VanHockeyGuy

TL just said that he thinks ownership has a "realistic view of where we're at"

Linden: we have a young group of players, so we need a coach who can work with them and help them and make them into pros

Sounds like Travis Green to me.
- VanHockeyGuy

Yep

One of the few perks of inheriting an ageing team on the down spiral is picking high in the draft... and he took Virtanen. JB isn't the draft guru ppl like to think he is. Best pick BY FAR has been Tryamkin who IMO has the potential to develop into a dominant top pairing guy.
- DrChristianTroy

So because Virtanen isn't playing in the show, like some others in his draft class, Benning sucks at scouting?

Linden: we have a young group of players, so we need a coach who can work with them and help them and make them into pros

Sounds like Travis Green to me.
- VanHockeyGuy

I would bet that Travis Green is the next head coach, which to me would be the 2nd best choice behind Galant (if I had it my way).

Congrats to Willie on getting the (frank) away from that front office.

2nd rd Demko
23OA Boeser
Gaudette
- Nighthawk

Boeser is a tough debate. I had him ranked in the teens, so IMO he fell to Benning. Others had him ranked lower and think Benning plucked him.

As for Gaudette, I'm personally not sold on him as an NHL talent.

JB on 1040 if a player earns & deserves to play.....
I recall myself saying that very thing in order.
This deserve only crap doesn't cut it with me.
Boucher claimed on waivers sat til in shape.
Tryamkin was guided to be in better shape.
Cannot perform at their best if conditioning is off is not gettng into the lineup.

One of the few perks of inheriting an ageing team on the down spiral is picking high in the draft... and he took Virtanen. JB isn't the draft guru ppl like to think he is. Best pick BY FAR has been Tryamkin who IMO has the potential to develop into a dominant top pairing guy.
- DrChristianTroy

You are writing off JV way too early. My guess is he will end up a middle 6 forward. Did anyone project him to be anymore than that? If anything, he was gifted a roster spot when he shouldnt have got one and maybe it all went to his head. He could still turn it around. Cant win em all.

You are writing off JV way too early. My guess is he will end up a middle 6 forward. Did anyone project him to be anymore than that? If anything, he was gifted a roster spot when he shouldnt have got one and maybe it all went to his head. He could still turn it around. Cant win em all.
- WhatTheNuck

I wonder what his thoughts would have been last year on Anthony Mantha

You are writing off JV way too early. My guess is he will end up a middle 6 forward. Did anyone project him to be anymore than that? If anything, he was gifted a roster spot when he shouldnt have got one and maybe it all went to his head. He could still turn it around. Cant win em all.
- WhatTheNuck

You can't take middle 6 forwards at 6th overall. I'm not writing him off, I'm saying he was a BAD pick.

Boeser is a tough debate. I had him ranked in the teens, so IMO he fell to Benning. Others had him ranked lower and think Benning plucked him.

As for Gaudette, I'm personally not sold on him as an NHL talent.
- DrChristianTroy

No probs but nobody is anything til we see them play in the NHL.
Why & how JB picked Boeser remains that he did pick him.

TL just said that he thinks ownership has a "realistic view of where we're at"
- NorthNuck

No probs but nobody is anything til we see them play in the NHL.
Why & how JB picked Boeser remains that he did pick him.
- Nighthawk

Yeah but when you inherit a sh!t roster and wind up picking 6th and 5th overall within a few years, you need to draft major building blocks with those opportunities. JV is not one. Most people think OJ is one... I don't. Can't wait to see what he does with this year's opportunity because it's SO important to this franchise's future.

- dbot

Not sure I believe it but hopefully he's right...

You can't take middle 6 forwards at 6th overall. I'm not writing him off, I'm saying he was a BAD pick.
- DrChristianTroy

dating back to the 2012 NHL draft, of the top 6 picks who have been drafted

Mackinnon, Barkov, Monahan, Draisaitl, McDavid, Eichel, Matthews are the ONLY players who are top line players taking within the first 6 picks of their respective drafts.