Lancer wrote:Meds wrote:Bottom line, San Jose was ready for everything we tried on offense.
I think most of the league has figured out the Canucks' offensive gameplan, but nobody on the coaching staff seems to have come up with anything new or innovative. In their heyday, the Canucks - especially the Twins - always had a new wrinkle play that would catch the opposition off-guard. Now, we just see the same old plays to no avail.
If the Canucks fail to at least get to the conference finals, especially if they just get by with super-human goaltending and the odd offensive chip-in, it's time for the coaching regime to get turfed. Great goaltending can mask a lot of inequities, but not for too long.
Love it that this thread died after the last time we played the Sharks in the regular season on April 1st

April Fools indeed...
AV has his 3 strikes -- couldn't get it done in the finals, unprepared for last year's playoffs, and obviously unprepared for this year's. He has lost the room & the playoff demons that entered two years ago need to be exorcised. Hank's comments to the media before game 3 were very telling of how emotionally fragile they are as a team under AV's command.
In hindsight, it might have been wise to can AV after the finals fail. Hard to fire someone that just brought the team to their most successful run in nearly two decades, but from the January 8th, 2012 game (Boston), it was clear that the team was complacent and had already tuned AV out. That would have been the ideal time to replace him... Similar to when the Pens went to the finals in '08 and then switched coaches mid-'09 and went on to the cup finals to win it.
Last year there were excuses, but after the complacent lead up to the post season, regardless of the PoS Keith's elbow and other injuries, there was no excuse.
This year, the goalies have been great to avoid controversy, yet AV has stirred it up regardless. The goalies just can't win. Wrong move to start CS in game 3 -- controversy, rusty, Lou had played great, etc -- and then didn't pull CS when it was obvious his mental concentration had lapsed on the first softy in the 3rd. It was pretty clear to me that it was going to be like Lou in the last 5 min in Edmonton: losing focus and then not being able to stop anything. AV should have started the youngster for the Edmonton 3rd period just to give him some NHL game time if he was going to be backup for games 1 and 2, and let Lou get a little rest/not get injured before starting the playoffs.
Well, AV made his bed... Too bad all the bed wetters had a go at it first, and now he's got to sleep in it

Gillis is culpable as well, as he should have canned AV during the stretch last year after the room tuned him out. Now Gillis is on a short leash & can only save himself by making the necessary changes.
I think this team can still get it done. I don't believe that the core is past its prime or that it lacks heart or talent. AV's systems have been tried & can't get it done. With re-alignment next year, the Canucks are not going to be as successful in the standings, plus add in adjustment to new coaching systems, but I wouldn't be surprised in making a deep run under a completely re-hauled coaching staff.
Now, time to win 4 in a row to add an exclamation point to AV's retirement party
