MG Post Season Comments

[Hockey Widow]

On the team:

Was not happy with the overall performance of team from the Boston game on. Needs to evaluate what happened but saw something go off the rails but they could not get a feel for what was wrong. Still believes they have a good core and everything will be evaluated in the next few months. Feels he built a team for offence but that the league has changed this year but feels it is a cycle and we will be fine when he league gets back to an offensive format. Joked that the name of the game should be changed from hockey to goalie with the way the league is going.

On AV:

Likes him, winningest coach in team history. The problems were not coaching. Went through his record with the Canucks. But he will evaluate everything over the next few months.

ON MG:

He has to meet with ownership first and foremost his performance will be evaluated. After that the team can move forward evaluating all aspects of the season. Hopes to have a clearer picture in the next 7-10 days of his performance and ownerships views on same.

On Kesler:

Great leader playing through a tough injury and off season surgery. Never fully healed and was dealing with other injuries some of which are currently being evaluated. Believes a good off season for Kesler will see him return to his former offensive production. One of the core leaders and he is not surprised about the drop in production but he had a troubled end to the season.

On Raymond:

Not ready to give up on him yet. Returned from a devastating injury that had serious life consequences and not all players could return from that type of injury. He will be given a chance to regain his form and will be evaluated along with everyone else.

On Goalies:

No reason why we can't move forward with both, they are great friends and help and support each other tremendously. Cory was deliberately given key games throughout the season to test if he was ready to be a number one and the goal was to get him 30+ starts which he got. He passed all tests and they believe he is capable of being a number one. Given the teams confidence in both goalies as being number 1s the dynamic has changed in that the team needs to look at what type of return they could get. He will sit down and talk to both Cory and Luongo today and get a feel for what they want. Has no problem starting the season with both being back but will evaluate it over the course of the summer. Isn't sure yet if Eddie is ready. He's close but we won't know for sure until camp.

On Hodgson:

He does not regret the trade and would make again today. He went on to say that he spent more time on "Cody" issues over the last few years than other issues for all other players combined. He was tired of dealing with the issues that never ended, Did not elaborate other than to say that it was clear from talking to Cody directly that he did not want to stay in Vancouver and wanted a trade, stopped short of saying he asked for a trade and said he would not get into the details of a personal conversation but wanted the record clear. Cody wanted out and was high maintenance. Said he had a list of six players he would trade Cody for straight up and only one became available, Kassian. The other 5 were no go's.

On the season:

Extremely disappointed in the end. Can't yet identify the reasons why it ended the way it did. Gave all the usual reasons .Short summer, fatigue, mental weariness. Let downs after what they went through are to be expected and are normal but that does not excuse it.

In the minors:

Thinks several players will push for a job next year and there are opportunities to make the team next year. It will depend upon who makes the best strides in the off season and shows up to camp ready to compete. Was high on Jensen making the team next year and the little American centre guy too. Feels the swede guy is a year away but will be given every opportunity. High on Connauton (sp) and two other players but I forget who.

On Manny:

He has battled back from a devastating injury. With Manny they will have to evaluate if he can recover his game in the off season or not. Has he reached a plateau in terms of recovery? Depending upon that and his conversations with Manny the team will then decode how they want to move forward.

On his UFA:

No decisions have been made as to whether any of the UFAs will be offered contracts. That can only be decided after the entire team has gone through its post season analysis and meetings with ownership.

On needs moving forward:

Wants to keep getting younger and bigger and faster. Believes in the plan and has no intention of changing mid stream. Loves offence and offensive games and will continue to push to have that type of a team but also one that can play sound defence and has solid goaltending. Doesn't like where the league is heading with respect to going back to tight defensive trap style.

**************

Most of what I took was that he needs his ownership meeting/evaluation first before he can move forward with the overall team evaluation.

[Eddy Punch Clock]

On Raymond:

Not ready to give up on him yet. Returned from a devastating injury that had serious life consequences and not all players could return from that type of injury. He will be given a chance to regain his form and will be evaluated along with everyone else.

On Goalies:

No reason why we can't move forward with both, they are great friends and help and support each other tremendously. Cory was deliberately given key games throughout the season to test if he was ready to be a number one and the goal was to get him 30+ starts which he got. He passed all tests and they believe he is capable of being a number one. Given the teams confidence in both goalies as being number 1s the dynamic has changed in that the team needs to look at what type of return they could get. He will sit down and talk to both Cory and Luongo today and get a feel for what they want. Has no problem starting the season with both being back but will evaluate it over the course of the summer. Isn't sure yet if Eddie is ready. He's close but we won't know for sure until camp.

These two comments are as much about retaining as much trade value possible afaic.

[Tanti09]

These two comments are as much about retaining as much trade value possible afaic.

You can even argue his comments about Kesler were made for this same reason as well.

[Hockey Widow]

One thing I meant to say, MG said that Cody was built up for a trade. He didn't use those words. By design he took fewer than 5% defensive zone face offs and was put in the best position to succeed.

He really took a few shots so I guess all the second guessing has gotten to him. He sounded frustrated that Cody was not forthcoming about the situation.

[the Dogsalmon]

he sounds like a politician...no goddamn accountability...

[Southern_Canuck]

On Hodgson:

Said he had a list of six players he would trade Cody for straight up and only one became available, Kassian. The other 5 were no go's.

I heard that, and immediately started wondering who the other 5 were...

I bet Ryan Johansen (Columbus) was one.

Maybe Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida) or Sean Couturier (Philadelphia)? Erik Gudbranson (Florida)? Ryan Strome (NYI)?

I wonder...

S_C

[Hockey Widow]

he sounds like a politician...no goddamn accountability...

No, he accepted full responsibility for the results. He said over and over he has to meet with ownership and have his evaluation. Depending upon how that goes he can move forward. He was fully accountable but he believes in his plan. I think it is fair to agree or disagree with his plan, whatever that really is, but I think it is unfair to state he is not accountable.

[Hockey Widow]

On Hodgson:

Said he had a list of six players he would trade Cody for straight up and only one became available, Kassian. The other 5 were no go's.

I heard that, and immediately started wondering who the other 5 were...

I bet Ryan Johansen (Columbus) was one.

Maybe Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida) or Sean Couturier (Philadelphia)? Erik Gudbranson (Florida)? Ryan Strome (NYI)?

I wonder...

S_C

We'll never know.

[cjc]

Very interesting. On the point about the team's performance after the Boston game - it may have been better if we'd lost. It was a psychological turning point and the team, whether they did so consciously or not, felt they had made many amends for the SCF. The real hangover began then and there was no one pounding on the switch to flip them out of what we now know was a malaise. It wasn't "conserving energy" for the playoffs and the players and coaching staff need to take equal responsibility for not recognizing this. They thought the hand-wringing was misplaced and based on media hype but a good number of fans saw really troubling signs. I don't understand how the team couldn't.

[Eddy Punch Clock]

On Hodgson:

Said he had a list of six players he would trade Cody for straight up and only one became available, Kassian. The other 5 were no go's.

I heard that, and immediately started wondering who the other 5 were...

I bet Ryan Johansen (Columbus) was one.

Maybe Jonathan Huberdeau (Florida) or Sean Couturier (Philadelphia)? Erik Gudbranson (Florida)? Ryan Strome (NYI)?

I wonder...

S_C

We'll never know.

C'mon HW, do some digging.

Benn? Tinordi?

[Cornuck]

They thought the hand-wringing was misplaced and based on media hype but a good number of fans saw really troubling signs. I don't understand how the team couldn't.

Overconfidence? Coasting to a 2nd PT didn't help either.

[Larry Goodenough]

On Raymond:

Not ready to give up on him yet. Returned from a devastating injury that had serious life consequences and not all players could return from that type of injury. He will be given a chance to regain his form and will be evaluated along with everyone else.

On Goalies:

No reason why we can't move forward with both, they are great friends and help and support each other tremendously. Cory was deliberately given key games throughout the season to test if he was ready to be a number one and the goal was to get him 30+ starts which he got. He passed all tests and they believe he is capable of being a number one. Given the teams confidence in both goalies as being number 1s the dynamic has changed in that the team needs to look at what type of return they could get. He will sit down and talk to both Cory and Luongo today and get a feel for what they want. Has no problem starting the season with both being back but will evaluate it over the course of the summer. Isn't sure yet if Eddie is ready. He's close but we won't know for sure until camp.

These two comments are as much about retaining as much trade value possible afaic.

You're taking a risk offering Raymond a new contract as you might get this years model again. You're taking a risk letting him walk away if he returns to the model from the 2 previous seasons after a proper off season of training.

I'll also point out last year, Raymond had just as many even strength points as he did the year before. The reduction in points came from less time on the PP and no kelser on the 2nd unit. I assume that means Gillis saw more value in his previous season than most fans.

I would think what Gillis does depends on how the team feels his injury affected him this season. These comments might shed some light on his thoughts.

[ESQ]

On the team:

Was not happy with the overall performance of team from the Boston game on. Needs to evaluate what happened but saw something go off the rails but they could not get a feel for what was wrong.

Just to add to that, he was questioned about the emotional pressure on players after the past year and the seeming pinnacle with the Boston game, and said it is something they're looking to address in their "human management program", which includes the fatigue study and the nutritionists and all that.

I think he feels the ability to sustain that level of competitiveness over such a long period of time was a major factor in the way the season ended, and I'm very curious to know how he plans to address that. Obviously it goes beyond just hiring a sports psychologist, maybe more targeted days off or games off for key players, not playing through injury, etc.

[Lancer]

Needs to evaluate what happened but saw something go off the rails but they could not get a feel for what was wrong.

I wager he knows, or at least has a good idea, and just wants to confer with others to see if they saw the same thing. Either way, we won't hear the reasoning until the statute of limitations expire.

On Raymond: Not ready to give up on him yet.

With Manny they will have to evaluate if he can recover his game in the off season or not.

I admire Gillis' loyalty to the players, but c'mon man. Even before his injury, Raymond wasn't exactly brimming with palpable upside. He doesn't have the size to make the 2nd line any better and is he really an option on the 4th line? There's no room for him. Manny can win faceoffs with the best of them, but is he any better than Ryan Johnson before him?

Notwithstanding any major movements in the off-season, I have a feeling there may be a lot of movement at the beginning of the season again based on what happens in the next training camp. Unless Raymond and Malhotra really amp their games I'd have to say they're done with no tears shed.

[Topper]

Gillis confirmed much of what HW passed along to us after the trade deadline. We need something better than Velcro to make sure HW does not leave us. Hmmmm I've got a set of handcuffs and stocks in the basement.......

Cody, arrogant (I pointed that out during his WJC performance) headcase who, by design, took only ~8 d zone face offs (something I pointed out back in November) all season. On a side note, according to Spudly, I am retarded when it comes to Cody. LOL.

Door still open for Manny and Raymond but it sounded like he would like to slam it shut. Raymond has some confidence issues worrying about spending the rest of his life gurgling from a wheel chair. Fingers crossed, Many takes the high road and calls it a day.

Get bigger and younger, hmmmmm who are the older and smaller guys other than Manny. Lets see, Salo, Paulsson, Higgins and Burrows.

Happy with the duo in net, not sure Lack is up to the task, but up to Lou and Cory to be able to share duties.

Special mention of Jensen, Rodin, Pipsqueak, Sweat, and Last years Calder winner

Interesting mention of a plan he's spent two years on and hopes implement next year incorporating travel, stress, playing and other external pressures. Sounds team in a bubble type stuff.