I have to ask, what type of coach is suited to this team? They ran an offensive coach in AV out of town to bring in a disciplined, defensive coach in Torts. I thought they were doing fine for the first 35 games, but now you're right...they're (frank)ed.
- djamon

Ironicly the coach I had hoped might get the job was hired as an assistant coach by the Canucks. Glen Gulutzan. I really like what he managed to accomplish in Dallas with virtually nothing. He has had success at every level he has coached at todate.

AV wasn't an offensive coach specificly. Playing in the weakest division in hockey for years paded there stats. They played an offensive system to start; essentially a conventional 2, 1, 2 under Vigneault but if you gave the Canucks a 2 goal lead, they went into a 1, 2, 2 immediately even 5 mins into the 1st period & it was worse than watching paint dry & games sometimes slipped away.

Under Torts it's worse than watching paint dry right out of the gate. He loves to play his stars & play them a ton but he plays a passive defensive system based on mistakes to generate offense & he loves to have his players box out the defensive zone & block shots as opposed to aggressively pursueing the puck. It's not fun to watch ever.

He preaches hard work, focus & control but doesn't practice it himself. Since his tirade the Canucks have been totally out of sinc. Torts isn't going any where soon. Gillis tied his wagon to this acquistion. Gillis will be gone before Torts so a new GM can start fresh.

Acqualini dropped the ball letting Nonis go & bringing in Gillis. Gillis has done a great job of getting players signed for reasonable money, although I believe Nonis achieved the same thing. Players like playing here but his trading & drafting record is brutal. Beyond brutal actually.
- striker777

Torts doesn't understand that each line needs to play a different style. He teaches everyone defense but drowns talented players by restricting their offensive game. He's best with a team of role players but Vancouver doesn't have that. Something has to change.

Lmao, please tell me that entire article is a sick joke. You're telling me Finland with Anti Niemi and Tuuka Rask has the 6th best goalies? And that the USA who took people like Justin Faulk Cam Fowler and John Carlson instead of Keith Yandle, has better defense then Canada who has multiple Norris trophy winners. Eklund your a nob

If it wasn't for Miller in that game it never would have gotten to OT.
- sanfordnson

If it wasn't for Miller in that tourney it never would have came down to a USA v Canada Gold Medal game.

Lmao, please tell me that entire article is a sick joke. You're telling me Finland with Anti Niemi and Tuuka Rask has the 6th best goalies? And that the USA who took people like Justin Faulk Cam Fowler and John Carlson instead of Keith Yandle, has better defense then Canada who has multiple Norris trophy winners. Eklund your a nob
- gohabsgo1993

*you're
*knob

Helping with the irony...

Torts doesn't understand that each line needs to play a different style. He teaches everyone defense but drowns talented players by restricting their offensive game. He's best with a team of role players but Vancouver doesn't have that. Something has to change.
- PrustandGlory

Agreed. Not a different style specifcly, ideally you would play a basic system on all 4 lines but allow for more creativity with your top 2 lines, a minor deviation from the sytem to generate offence off the rush. Torts styfles that creativity. All need to be accountable defensively & I'm not sure all of the Canucks forwards can be.

No team better adapts to a style of play than Boston. They can play it anyway you want & in most cases dictate the system against lesser teams.

There is still enough time for the Canucks to get on track but Burrows & Edler need to be significantly better. There lack of a significant contribution, granted injuries factor in but all teams have injuries needs to be much greater. The break should hopefully serve the Canucks well but this team isn't going any where should they make the playoffs in the west unless Luongo is lights out the best player on the ice.

If it wasn't for Miller in that tourney it never would have came down to a USA v Canada Gold Medal game.
- SolidGoldBricks

Ek is predicting that every single goalie (other than Luongo, Price or Smith of course) will play lights out, best hockey of their career in this tournament and that is the only thing that will determine who finishes where. Miller did in over a stretch of games in 2010, therefore, him and Quick will do it again.
The only question remaining is whether it's this season or next season that Justin Faulk wins the Norris.

Agreed. Not a different style specifcly, ideally you would play a basic system on all 4 lines but allow for more creativity with your top 2 lines, a minor deviation from the sytem to generate offence off the rush. Torts styfles that creativity. All need to be accountable defensively & I'm not sure all of the Canucks forwards can be.

No team better adapts to a style of play than Boston. They can play it anyway you want & in most cases dictate the system against lesser teams.

There is still enough time for the Canucks to get on track but Burrows & Edler need to be significantly better. There lack of a significant contribution, granted injuries factor in but all teams have injuries needs to be much greater. The break should hopefully serve the Canucks well but this team isn't going any where should they make the playoffs in the west unless Luongo is lights out the best player on the ice.
- striker777

In all honesty, Torts is a best fit as a college coach. His tantrums have a shelf life and the players can look forward to leaving in a couple years. More importantly, they need to be taught work ethic and discipline more the NHL players. He is a smart guy and knows hockey well enough to be a successful coach but his answer to adaptability is always work harder. Look at how young his team with Tampa was when they won it all.

If it wasn't for Miller in that game it never would have gotten to OT.
- sanfordnson

Agree up to a point. Our defense was thin and he filled the holes. Our forwards still scored plenty of clutch goals. Parise was clutch the entire tournament, scoring in the final with 35 seconds left is not easy. Now he's captain clutch.

Miller didn't score the goals but he did everything else. Now we have Quick. I pray that its 2012 Olympic quick and not the Quick from last month

Agree up to a point. Our defense was thin and he filled the holes. Our forwards still scored plenty of clutch goals. Parise was clutch the entire tournament, scoring in the final with 35 seconds left is not easy. Now he's captain clutch.

Miller didn't score the goals but he did everything else. Now we have Quick. I pray that its 2012 Olympic quick and not the Quick from last month
- PrustandGlory

USA with the best Defense ? are you including goalies as part of defense ? who on team Canada is Faulk better then ? Suter is a stud but other then that these guys are 6-7 guys on Canada come on man.
- blizzzard

Mcdonagh is not. 6-7 sorry

Ek should change his number 1 goalie nation to LATVIAAAAAA

Goalie is playing insane lol

"...Canada is a very loyal team."

Now that's funny. Ask Brodeur how loyal he thinks Canada is. Babcock let it be known pretty much from the beginning that he didn't want Marty playing. Many of us think Babcocj was still pissed, irritated, angry--whatever word you want to use--that Brodeur beat his Ducks for the Cup. Anyway, Babcock and Team Canada didn't seem too loyal to Marty last time.

Besides, I find it interesting that a number of people conveniently forget that Team Canada won the Gold Medal in spite of Luongo, not because of him. Not just my opinion, many professional pundits have written extensively about this.

In all honesty, Torts is a best fit as a college coach. His tantrums have a shelf life and the players can look forward to leaving in a couple years. More importantly, they need to be taught work ethic and discipline more the NHL players. He is a smart guy and knows hockey well enough to be a successful coach but his answer to adaptability is always work harder. Look at how young his team with Tampa was when they won it all.
- PrustandGlory

Torts is not the issue in Van. The Canucks aren't scoring - that's the main issue.

USA does not have a better defense than Canada... how can you even think this. Canada's B team would have a better D than the US.
- Mr_Smokey

Here is the b team poop again. Maybe they should bring the b team because Canada has failed to medal at 2/ last 4 Olympics. Get a clue douche.

As a person of Canadian decent who loves the country and its people, when this tourney rolls around every four years I can't stand to be around any Canadian. You're so blind when it come to hockey it makes me want to vomit.

Mcdonagh is not. 6-7 sorry
- mjh609

ok 8 but why split hairs

ok 8 but why split hairs
- drexel

He is a top pair defenseman on every team in the league.

He is a top pair defenseman on every team in the league.
- mjh609

i see...as the #2 guy to all 8 on canada

i see...as the #2 guy to all 8 on canada
- drexel

I'd say he's at least as good as Bouwmeester, and better than either Vlasic or Hamhuis. Being a LHD himself, I feel like McDonagh would have an inside track to the top-4.

I really like how Eklund always makes wacky predictions just to try and be different. So maybe one of these days, like when my unborn child (I need to find a girlfriend first) turns 16, Eklund will finally get one of these horrible predictions correct and brag about it until the end of time

i see...as the #2 guy to all 8 on canada
- drexel

You are the exact type of person I'm talking about. But I guess I'm to blame here for trying to have a discussion with a 12 year old in the first place.

He is a top pair defenseman on every team in the league.
- mjh609

While he'd be top pairing on many teams, he's not a top pair on every team. Boumeester/Pieterangelo and Seabrook/Keith say hi.

While he'd be top pairing on many teams, he's not a top pair on every team. Boumeester/Pieterangelo and Seabrook/Keith say hi.
- Canuckleafer

He's better than bouwmeester pietrangelo and seabrook.

He's better than bouwmeester pietrangelo and seabrook.
- mjh609

Pietrangelo is a step ahead of him and he's about even with how Bouwmeester and Seabrook have played.