I think for me, like in the bit of the article I posted, it's in what is said versus what is done. If Aqua came out and said "We're still going over everything internally and evaluating people" and then fired them, it would make sense. But to say "that Smyl would lead hockey ops with the strong support of Chris Gear" and then fire him a couple days later, it's just mixed messages that after years of mixed messages from management keep the idea of a directionless and reactionary group alive.
- NewYorkNuck

Perhaps something happened and Gear wasn’t onboard with it, we don’t what happens behind closed doors in a private organization. IMO something obviously happened to trigger this. Really they didn’t need to publicly comment on it at all, they’re under no obligation to. Minor firings in my opinion.

I see the media guys like Ed Willis and Thomas Drance saying they didn’t like the way the firings went down with the last two guys, forget their names, and that may be true, but, at the end of the day I don’t care about the process of terminating someone within the organization. Just that there’s change. As it’s sorely needed.
- LeftCoaster

Perhaps something happened and Gear wasn’t onboard with it, we don’t what happens behind closed doors in a private organization. IMO something obviously happened to trigger this. Really they didn’t need to publicly comment on it at all, they’re under no obligation to. Minor firings in my opinion.
- LeftCoaster

I'm not sure firing an AGM and the Cap guy are necessarily minor, especially in the context of the other hirings and firings, but I get what you're saying.

I'm not sure firing an AGM and the Cap guy are necessarily minor, especially in the context of the other hirings and firings, but I get what you're saying.
- NewYorkNuck

It's good to see posters fighting again.

It's good to see posters fighting again.
- Marwood

- NewYorkNuck

Can't help myself when everyone is freaking out over insignificant and long overdue firings. I want to see more people suffer for making the last 7 years so miserable.

It's good to see posters fighting again.
- Marwood

Can't help myself when everyone is freaking out over insignificant and long overdue firings. I want to see more people suffer for making the last 7 years so miserable.
- Marwood

It's a slow news day. The Canucks won. Anger needs to be vented somewhere.

(I don't even care who gets/got fired. Interested in seeing who comes in. Just funny Aqua's miscommunication continues)

It's a slow news day. The Canucks won. Anger needs to be vented somewhere.

(I don't even care who gets/got fired. Interested in seeing who comes in. Just funny Aqua's miscommunication continues)
- NewYorkNuck

It'll take time adjusting to not being hopelessly pissed off anymore.
There should be no surprise the 'cap guy' gets axed. Frankly, he deserved a mixed message sacking.

It'll take time adjusting to not being hopelessly pissed off anymore.
There should be no surprise the 'cap guy' gets axed. Frankly, he deserved a mixed message sacking.
- Marwood

A win is a win, but everything isn’t fixed, that was not a “good” game last night. Coaching staff still has a lot or work ahead of them and Jim still needs to fix the D.

A win is a win, but everything isn’t fixed, that was not a “good” game last night. Coaching staff still has a lot or work ahead of them and Jim still needs to fix the D.
- 1970vintage

Ya that name needs to not be used anymore

Ya that name needs to not be used anymore
- NewYorkNuck

Mr. Rutherford?

Nice to see the halflings producing!

Mr. Rutherford?
- Marwood

JR, Rutherford, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. R, Ruthy, Jimmy R, J-Ruth, Ruth, Bambino, Ruthmagooth, Jutherford... just not Jim

JR, Rutherford, Mr. Rutherford, Mr. R, Ruthy, Jimmy R, J-Ruth, Ruth, Bambino, Ruthmagooth, Jutherford... just not Jim
- NewYorkNuck

NewJim

It's a slow news day. The Canucks won. Anger needs to be vented somewhere.

(I don't even care who gets/got fired. Interested in seeing who comes in. Just funny Aqua's miscommunication continues)
- NewYorkNuck

Myers had another solid game last night.

Myers had another solid game last night.
- Load Management

Sweet, into his third year of that contract and he's finally stringing some average/decent/acceptable games together glad that's worth 6 mil

NewJim
- 1970vintage

Thatcher Mutherfucking Demko
- Load Management

Bubbles!!!!

A win is a win, but everything isn’t fixed, that was not a “good” game last night. Coaching staff still has a lot or work ahead of them and Jim still needs to fix the D.
- 1970vintage

They won, jets have been playing well lately. Chiasson, Pearson won’t be here long. On d OEL and Hughes the only long term dmen I figure.

- Marwood

I’m not opposed to Jim, a lot of experience, demonstrated to put a winner on the ice, likely able to withstand ownership pressure. I’m not so in love with hearing that there were only two people the organization was interested in hiring, Buddha and JR and they hired them both. Does this mean they didn’t interview any other candidates? I guess they probably talked to Julien (rumor he wouldn’t work for less than a three year deal). Hopefully not.

Sweet, into his third year of that contract and he's finally stringing some average/decent/acceptable games together glad that's worth 6 mil
- NewYorkNuck

I'm talking about on ice play to help his team win games. Not the size of the cheques he cashes off the ice which have little to do with how he played last night.

Perhaps something happened and Gear wasn’t onboard with it, we don’t what happens behind closed doors in a private organization. IMO something obviously happened to trigger this. Really they didn’t need to publicly comment on it at all, they’re under no obligation to. Minor firings in my opinion.
- LeftCoaster

Maybe Aqua was expecting Gear to be a voice of reason and instead he let Benning make all those stupid signings, which then cost the team $ (Holtby etc)?

One of the reasons Gilman left, because he said this is a bad deal and Jim did it anyway.

I'm talking about on ice play to help his team win games. Not the size of the cheques he cashes off the ice which have little to do with how he played last night.
- Load Management

In a cap world, it's very hard to separate a player and the proportion of the cap they're taking up. If he wasn't signed for as much/signed relative to what he actually brings, they would have more money to help team around him win games. Dumba and Brodin both make the same amount, would rather have one of them on the team for the cap hit as they're actually worth it.

But, to speak to his on-ice play, stringing 3-4 "solid" games together doesn't magically turn him into a good defender. It's encouraging the team is playing better and he is too, but my opinion of his isn't going to change over 4 games. If he plays lights out for the rest of his contract, I'll rethink it then.