Was Aquilini Talking to Gretzky About Lombardi?

[vulturesroost]

Talk was that Dean Lombardi was going to be fired if the Kings didn't make the playoffs. Was Francesco getting an opinion of Lombardi as a GM ???

[Fred]

Likely asking for an autographed picture of Waynes daughter

[RoyalDude]

Might have some validity to it, I'm sure Aquaman isn't too pleased with Gillis right about now. Inherited an excellent hockey team that was built by previous MGMTs that was deep in all positions, now we are looking pretty thin in all departments except goaltending. The farm has been depleted in picks, a first, a few 2nds and few 3rds for the likes of Berniers and Ballards and prematurely letting go of young skilled prospects with an offensive flare in Grabner, Hodgson and now we are looking for goals. If Gillis had not signed Tanev, his tenure would look pretty miserable right about now.

[Diehard1]

Miserable? The team has come off their best two seasons ever under Gillis' watch. They've got plenty of assets to trade, one of their goalies being the biggest. Their prospects look like shit because they've won two league titles in a row and that leads to late picks.

The team is young and skilled, they've got a couple of holes to fill but they should be right back in the mix next season. These are all good things, considering there is also enough cap space to fill a couple of holes.

It's amazing to me that everyone thinks the sky is falling after one lousy playoffs - it's happened before and it will happen again. Given Gillis' track record to date he deserves another shot and I'm almost sure he will get one.

[Strangelove]

In the playoffs AV lost a lot of autonomy as to the line up and the lines. He lost autonomy as to who he started in net. You know this didn't sit well and is a big reason he has gone silent.

I would be shocked if AV got an extension but not surprised if MG advocates for him to work out his contract. BUT MG may do so at his own peril.

(the quote above is from the off-season trades thread)

H-dub, are you speculating here?

Because that is HUGE.

Something doesn’t smell right. If Gillis forced AV to bench Lou + made the call on lineup/lines I’m pretty sure AV would tell him then & there he wants out of Vancouver (and why would Gillis “advocate” for AV in the off-season??).

Also that kind of meddling from the GM wouldn’t sit well with the players.

And it certainly wouldn’t sit well with this fan.

And it likely wouldn’t sit well with the owners.

If Gillis did this, he’d be facing the axe right now imo.

If Gillis made the call on benching Lou, then yeah Lou is gone (or Gillis is gone).

BUT

I believe AV made that call (I remember Bowness saying as much).

Is it possible the actual truth to the meddling-rumour is:

Gillis asked AV to start Lou and AV refused??

If so it’s possible AV is gone and Gillis trades Schneids, not Lou.

[Blob Mckenzie]

I am hearing Porn Stache is on the outs in Chicago. I don't like the guy but he is a good coach and would be a good replacement if AV is guillotined.

Not sure if MAc t is an upgrade or not. Quennville definitely is though. I guess he has had enough of Stan Bowman's shit. Bowman is a scumbag...... first he knifes Tallon in the back and gravy trains the team to a cup. Now he has pissed off the porn star. Not sure if Joel and MG were teammates in Denver in the late 70's......

[Strangelove]

.... I like Q alright.

Gillis and Q played together for a coupla years with the Colorado Rockies.

Make it happen GMMG!

[SKYO]

.... I like Q alright.

Gillis and Q played together for a coupla years with the Colorado Rockies.

Make it happen GMMG!

I can see this coming into fruition, and MG will probably give Montreal permission to talk to AV tomorrow.

[Listercat]

Dude what are you smoking ?? Gillis "inherited an excellent hockey team, deep in all positions".. Do the names Ryan Shannon, Brad Isbister, Mike Brown, Jeff Cowan, Nathan McIvor ring any bells?? You want to talk about shut down hockey, thats what that team had to play because they simply had no choice. They rode Luongo like a rented mule. They were an awful, boring team to watch.
Gillis made some deals, gave up some picks but not nearly the picks that were given up for rentals like Eric Weinrich just for example. The prospects cupboard isn't bare unless you have given up on your boy Connaughton or Tanev, Lack , Schroeder, Sweat, Sauve etc. The Canucks haven't had the luxury of top 5 draft picks like Chicago or Edmonton has because they have been in the top 5 in the league for the last 3 years. Maybe they should tank or maybe they should go back to the Burke era where top picks and prospects are traded for grinders. Gillis has done well to keep the core guys here at reasonable salaries and made some good UFA sigings like Hammer and yes Manny prior to an unforseen injury. The Booth trade saw him give up two aging forwards for a younger, bigger guy who is capable of being a 20-30 goal guy. The Ballard deal saw him give up a guy who had stone hands, another who had offensive talent but was not committed to the team philosophy. Ballard hasn't lived up to his salary but in fairness has had injury problems and lacked the trust of the coaching staff. The Hodgson deal was made because one of the guys Gillis targeted was available and he removed a festering boil from his ass at the same time.

Criticize if you will but FFS don't make statements that are flat out ludicrous.

[Hockey Widow]

In the playoffs AV lost a lot of autonomy as to the line up and the lines. He lost autonomy as to who he started in net. You know this didn't sit well and is a big reason he has gone silent.

I would be shocked if AV got an extension but not surprised if MG advocates for him to work out his contract. BUT MG may do so at his own peril.

(the quote above is from the off-season trades thread)

H-dub, are you speculating here?

Because that is HUGE.

Something doesn’t smell right. If Gillis forced AV to bench Lou + made the call on lineup/lines I’m pretty sure AV would tell him then & there he wants out of Vancouver (and why would Gillis “advocate” for AV in the off-season??).

Also that kind of meddling from the GM wouldn’t sit well with the players.

And it certainly wouldn’t sit well with this fan.

And it likely wouldn’t sit well with the owners.

If Gillis did this, he’d be facing the axe right now imo.

If Gillis made the call on benching Lou, then yeah Lou is gone (or Gillis is gone).

BUT

I believe AV made that call (I remember Bowness saying as much).

Is it possible the actual truth to the meddling-rumour is:

Gillis asked AV to start Lou and AV refused??

If so it’s possible AV is gone and Gillis trades Schneids, not Lou.

Yes, I have heard that there has been a lot of meddling, last year as well as this year, in the playoffs. But I am hearing that it doesn't necessarily all come from MG. During the regular season we have an owner who has been quit content to let the team play and the coaches and GM do their job. But in the playoffs he becomes a number one fan. I don't get the sense that AV was "told" he has to do certain things but I do get the sense that he lost some of his autonomy. That is the best I can get and no real specifics. It was his choice to go with Cory game 3, but that was a well established plan if Luongo faltered. AV did not feel he faltered but the plan was in place. After that I don't think he had much of a choice particularity the way Cory played.

If you listen to MG he always says that line up decisions are done by committee. So I think there is a team approach to this anyway but my sense, from what I have been told, is that AV feels like he was undermined and that the writing is on the wall. He is not a happy camper at this point but he won't speak out as he is too professional for that.

As for how much interference comes from ownership well I really don't have a good handle on that only to say that it exists. It's not unusual for some teams to have active owners but the sense I get is that our owner, while willing to spend to the cap and bury contracts and throw all the money at the team, which is a huge positive, he also likes to offer his 2 cents, which is his right. Remember this is the guy who told Nonis to get Richards at all costs from Tampa. Nonis refused to sell the farm and as a result paid the ultimate price when the Canucks missed the playoffs. But I remember at the time he told some people that he knew he was gone barring a cup win, this was post trade deadline. He bucked the owner and he knew he was doomed.

So the long and the short of it is I really don't know how much the Water Boy dictates just that he does get involved with some very strong opinions. I also know that MG runs his ship as a "team" and that means getting involved in what we normally think of as coaching decisions. How much, again I don't have specifics or full details.

[vulturesroost]

Hello Hockey Widow and thank you for joining in this topic.

I've been following your comments and topics for quite a few years. I don't register on forums much. I joined today hoping to connect with you via message and see what your thoughts on Aquilini making a possible GM switch and getting your views of Lombardi before starting a topic like this.

I believe most GMs are just a pile of rethreads. I wonder what Bobby Clark could do with the Canucks or is he passe?

thank you

[Orcasfan]

Thanks, HW. The idea that GMMG runs his ship with a team-management approach certainly fits into how he has always presented himself and the team management. He is not Burke - that's for sure! I think he instigated this management team approach right from his beginning, partially, at least, because he recognized his own shortcomings as far as actually managing a hockey organization. But also because he surrounded himself with people he felt had a great deal of experience and good hockey knowledge. I'm sure he has done a lot of learning on the job! And, as he has stated, AV is part of that team. But, it is a revelation that the roster was also an area that came under the purview of that management team! (even if only during the playoffs).

[Hockey Widow]

Thanks, HW. The idea that GMMG runs his ship with a team-management approach certainly fits into how he has always presented himself and the team management. He is not Burke - that's for sure! I think he instigated this management team approach right from his beginning, partially, at least, because he recognized his own shortcomings as far as actually managing a hockey organization. But also because he surrounded himself with people he felt had a great deal of experience and good hockey knowledge. I'm sure he has done a lot of learning on the job! And, as he has stated, AV is part of that team. But, it is a revelation that the roster was also an area that came under the purview of that management team! (even if only during the playoffs).

If you remember last year in the Chicago series when Cory started game whatever it was and MG was asked if he was involved in the decision. He said yes, of course he was and that the team was run by consensus. He went on to say that everybody on the management team has input and he is part of that management team. I think that for me was when I began to realize how much input he has.

I think it was also evident in how MAG and Kassian were used once they came over. Neither played the way AV likes but you have to know MAG played due to his FA status and Kassian well because of the whole Cody thing.

Some teams a coach needs a call up and asks, in our case the decision is made by committee, all things considered including cap implications. I don't think it is a bad thing necessarily but I do think when you have a coach like AV with the success he has had and the team gets micro managed in the playoffs it can lead to....And that is what we have, a team that gets micro managed in the playoffs, in part I think because some of the decisions made last year with personal in the Boston series. I think this year MG was more involved. Which to me says you don't trust your coach.

The other side of that is that AV loves Vancouver and the team but is ready for a change if that unfolds. He has family in Quebec that he visits often and I get the sense that if an opportunity arose to go back to Quebec he would jump at it. Perhaps our window was last year and everyone knows it and we need more tinkering that we like to admit before we become a playoff type team.

[Hockey Widow]

Hello Hockey Widow and thank you for joining in this topic.

I've been following your comments and topics for quite a few years. I don't register on forums much. I joined today hoping to connect with you via message and see what your thoughts on Aquilini making a possible GM switch and getting your views of Lombardi before starting a topic like this.

I believe most GMs are just a pile of rethreads. I wonder what Bobby Clark could do with the Canucks or is he passe?

thank you

I have no idea. I think personally MG is good to go for at least another year. But I really don't know. Keep in mind he inherited AV and yes he chose to keep him. I had heard at the time, after Nonis was let go, that Water Boy did not like AV but left the decision to MG who really did not commit to AV until mid summer. Perhaps MG will get another chance to pick his own coach??

[Vpete]

Hello Hockey Widow and thank you for joining in this topic.

I've been following your comments and topics for quite a few years. I don't register on forums much. I joined today hoping to connect with you via message and see what your thoughts on Aquilini making a possible GM switch and getting your views of Lombardi before starting a topic like this.

I believe most GMs are just a pile of rethreads. I wonder what Bobby Clark could do with the Canucks or is he passe?

thank you

I have no idea. I think personally MG is good to go for at least another year. But I really don't know. Keep in mind he inherited AV and yes he chose to keep him. I had heard at the time, after Nonis was let go, that Water Boy did not like AV but left the decision to MG who really did not commit to AV until mid summer. Perhaps MG will get another chance to pick his own coach??

I can confirm with 100% certainty that back before AV came on Nonis and Crawford both walked into the Aquaman's office and told him to fire them right now if he was going to call the shots on everything. It had a ripple effect on a ton of aspects to the organization.

I would assume that only the lawsuit held them back from canning Nonis in 06-07 and the contract price at that point. Crawford had to go anyway. I think Aquaman also saw what the fans did in that 06-07- the team rode Luongo and that it needed more- hence meddling and firing Nonis.

I'm not sure where I sit with AV in terms of in or out but I do think the comittee approach give some people influence in areas they do not necessarily deserve, nor have the expertise, to have.