Things just keep getting better for Derek Dorsett in his first season with the Vancouver Canucks.
Dorsett’s 2014-15 NHL campaign improved even before he faced his former New York Rangers team Saturday at Rogers Arena. A day earlier, he became a father for the first time as his wife gave birth to a baby boy, Dylan.
“(She) got pregnant when we were playing in New York, and it just so happens that (she) gave birth when New York is in town,” he said after the Canucks morning skate in advance of the game against the Rangers.
The Canucks acquired Dorsett, a 27-year-old Kindersley, Sask., native, in a June trade which sent a 2014 third-round draft choice to the Rangers. He was scheduled to help Vancouver assistant coach Doug Lidster with some pre-scouting Friday, but plans quickly changed.
“I got to the rink in the morning (for practice) and I was just getting undressed, and my wife called and said it was time to get to the hospital,” Dorsett recalled. “So I ran back home and we (welcomed) our baby in the afternoon. At about 3:30, we brought him into the world. I went back to hospital (later) and my wife was feeding him around midnight and I got her into bed and I then I went back home, got home around 1 (a.m.) and got a good night’s sleep.”
Along with other off-season acquisitions, Dorsett has helped Canucks fans sleep better as he and the team have enjoyed a strong start to the season following the disastrous one-season tenure of former coach John Tortorella, when they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Heading into Saturday’s contest, Dorsett had already exceeded the eight points that he mustered in 51 games with the Rangers last season.
The fourth-liner is on pace for a career high 28 points – and almost halfway there.
“It’s worked out for both sides,” he said. “I didn’t get as much playing time over there. We talked it out and I ended up moving. It’s part of the business that we’re in. I’m happy to be a Canuck now, and I really enjoyed my time as a Ranger.”
Dorsett was dealt to New York in 2012-13 from his first NHL club, the Columbus Blue Jackets, who drafted him in the seventh round (189th overall) after he excelled under current Canucks coach Willie Desjardins with the Medicine Hat Tigers.
“I had him in junior for three years,” said Dorsett. “So being familiar with the coach, obviously, has helped.”
The uber-pest helped the Tigers win a WHL championship and reach the Memorial Cup final, where they lost to the host Vancouver Giants in 2007. He was denied a Stanley Cup championship last season with the Rangers as they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the finals. Although he is gone from the Rangers, he still cherishes the finals berth.
“It was a great accomplishment and, obviously, we fell up a little short, but it was a lot of fun,” he said.
According to Canucks captain Henrik Sedin, the winger, and other Vancouver newcomers, are also helping to create a more enjoyable atmosphere in Vancouver just by enabling Desjardins to roll four lines consistently. Although Desjardins juggled his forward trios Saturday for the first time this season, he has stuck to his plan of giving each line a fair share of ice time, and that makes a difference, said Sedin.
“(The atmosphere) was good last year, too,” he said. “We were in a good spot around this time as well, but I think everyone feels important to the team. You have to have the so called third or fourth-liners. They get a chance, each and every night, to make a difference and that’s really good, I think, for a team to have.
“It means, when you come in, you have a good feeling. If you didn’t get a chance to contribute or make a difference, I think it’s tough. But if you come in every day for a practice or a game and you feel that you have a chance to do something good for the team, it’s going to make you work harder.”
That situation also eases the burden on Vancouver’s star players, because everyone feeds of the success of the so called lesser lights.
“Dors and Bo (Horvat) and Jannik (Hansen) and (Shawn) Matthias, they’ve all been great,” said Sedin. “That’s what we need as a team to be successful.”
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Friday, November 28, 2014
Grigsby cherishes chance to play for Grey Cup after release from Bombers
It’s a good thing Nic Grigsby’s first season in the CFL did not go as planned.
After starting the campaign with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and then going unwanted, the 25-year-old Los Angeles native now finds himself in the 2014 Grey Cup. The rookie running back will suit up for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday against the Calgary Stampeders.
He wound his way to Hamilton after the Blue Bombers released him Oct. 21 after an apparent dispute between the players and management.
“It means a lot (to be in the Grey Cup),” he said after a practice Friday at BC Place Stadium. “I love being able to prove everybody wrong and being able to perform with the wrong kind of adversity. It’s harder for a running back because, running backs, you can’t just come in and just run. It takes time. You’ve gotta get your fits. You gotta get your feel for the game. It takes a lot of patience to be able to come out and perform the way you wanna perform.”
Grigsby helped the Tiger-Cats get into the Grey Cup by rushing for 93 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries in their Eastern Final win over Montreal last weekend. During the regular season, he ran for 146 yards and a touchdown for Hamilton on 30 carries.
He also racked up a respectable 744 yards with Winnipeg. But the Bombers decided to release him after he rushed 14 times for only 55 yards against Ottawa, which crushed Winnipeg 42-20. The contest was a must-win affair for the Bombers, who missed the playoffs.
According to reports, Grigsby asked for his release after learning he would be replaced in the next game. But Grigsby contended otherwise – without elaborating – Friday.
“I didn’t fall out of favour,” he said. “It wasn’t about playing time. I’m not even going to get into that. They wanted to do some things that I didn’t agree with. I’m only a player. A player doesn’t run anything. I just do my job. They all decided to do what they wanted to do, and we all got together, me and (general manager) Kyle (Walters) and (coach Mike) O’Shea, and it was the best decision for all of us. They let me go and they opened up a lot of doors for me. I just took my opportunity and ran with it.”
But he could have trouble Sunday against a Stampeders team that ranks first in defence against the run. Hamilton general manager and coach Kent Austin, said the contest will feature extremely complicated offensive and defensive schemes from both clubs.
In other words, Grigsby will have to work extremely hard to gain every yard that he can get. But Austin has no complaints about Grigsby's work ethic.
“He’s helped us a lot, quite a bit,” said Austin. “He’s had close to 100 yards the last couple games, and he had a lot to learn in our offence. He’s come to work every day, he’s prepared hard and he’s played hard, and he’s gotten better each game. I think it’s just because his understanding is better. He’s able to play faster, because there’s a little bit less thinking, and I think you’ve seen that, especially in the last game.”
As with all players, the next game will be Grigsby’s most important contest, and none are more important than this one.
When the 102nd Grey Cup begins, some will likely wonder what might have been if Grigsby had stayed with the Blue Bombers as he expected at the outset of the season.
“I was preparing for a Grey Cup, just like everybody else, with Winnipeg, and we all came out and we started off really hot,” he recalled. “A lot of injuries came up and things started going south down there. Everything happens for a reason.
“Still, at the end of the day, everybody’s goal is to get to a Grey Cup, and I’m here today.”
After starting the campaign with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and then going unwanted, the 25-year-old Los Angeles native now finds himself in the 2014 Grey Cup. The rookie running back will suit up for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday against the Calgary Stampeders.
He wound his way to Hamilton after the Blue Bombers released him Oct. 21 after an apparent dispute between the players and management.
“It means a lot (to be in the Grey Cup),” he said after a practice Friday at BC Place Stadium. “I love being able to prove everybody wrong and being able to perform with the wrong kind of adversity. It’s harder for a running back because, running backs, you can’t just come in and just run. It takes time. You’ve gotta get your fits. You gotta get your feel for the game. It takes a lot of patience to be able to come out and perform the way you wanna perform.”
Grigsby helped the Tiger-Cats get into the Grey Cup by rushing for 93 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries in their Eastern Final win over Montreal last weekend. During the regular season, he ran for 146 yards and a touchdown for Hamilton on 30 carries.
He also racked up a respectable 744 yards with Winnipeg. But the Bombers decided to release him after he rushed 14 times for only 55 yards against Ottawa, which crushed Winnipeg 42-20. The contest was a must-win affair for the Bombers, who missed the playoffs.
According to reports, Grigsby asked for his release after learning he would be replaced in the next game. But Grigsby contended otherwise – without elaborating – Friday.
“I didn’t fall out of favour,” he said. “It wasn’t about playing time. I’m not even going to get into that. They wanted to do some things that I didn’t agree with. I’m only a player. A player doesn’t run anything. I just do my job. They all decided to do what they wanted to do, and we all got together, me and (general manager) Kyle (Walters) and (coach Mike) O’Shea, and it was the best decision for all of us. They let me go and they opened up a lot of doors for me. I just took my opportunity and ran with it.”
But he could have trouble Sunday against a Stampeders team that ranks first in defence against the run. Hamilton general manager and coach Kent Austin, said the contest will feature extremely complicated offensive and defensive schemes from both clubs.
In other words, Grigsby will have to work extremely hard to gain every yard that he can get. But Austin has no complaints about Grigsby's work ethic.
“He’s helped us a lot, quite a bit,” said Austin. “He’s had close to 100 yards the last couple games, and he had a lot to learn in our offence. He’s come to work every day, he’s prepared hard and he’s played hard, and he’s gotten better each game. I think it’s just because his understanding is better. He’s able to play faster, because there’s a little bit less thinking, and I think you’ve seen that, especially in the last game.”
As with all players, the next game will be Grigsby’s most important contest, and none are more important than this one.
When the 102nd Grey Cup begins, some will likely wonder what might have been if Grigsby had stayed with the Blue Bombers as he expected at the outset of the season.
“I was preparing for a Grey Cup, just like everybody else, with Winnipeg, and we all came out and we started off really hot,” he recalled. “A lot of injuries came up and things started going south down there. Everything happens for a reason.
“Still, at the end of the day, everybody’s goal is to get to a Grey Cup, and I’m here today.”
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Dickenson pours coldd water on speculation about Lions coaching job
Dave Dickenson has ruled himself out as the next coach of the B.C. Lions, but it probably won't take long for other candidates to emerge.
Just when speculation on the likelihood of the Calgary Stampeders offensive co-ordinator replacing the fired Mike Benevides was heating up, Dickenson threw cold water on it.
“I’m going to be back in Calgary next year,” said Dickenson during a Stamps luncheon Thursday in advance of Sunday’s Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
“That’s my answer to that question – and it’s going to be the same answer tomorrow, the same answer next week.”
Dickenson’s comments came a day after Calgary general manager and head coach John Hufnagel hinted that the 41-year-old Great Falls, Mont, native would be his successor. Hufnagel pointed to a new three-year contract that Dickenson signed in November 2013.
Without getting into the specific job titles, Dickenson said he planned to honour the deal, which runs until after the 2016 season, while also pointing out that he loves being the offensive co-ordinator and getting a chance to call plays, like he did as a standout quarterback with the Stampeders and Lions.
Dickenson has a strong desire to be a head coach, but he also wants to make sure that he gets the right opportunity.
“I want to be a head coach, there’s no doubt about it, but I really just want to have fun,” Dickenson said. “I want to be part of a team, I want to work with people I like and enjoy, and be part of a system and a team that’s going to win. I think we work too hard to not enjoy things. I’m not going to coach if I’m miserable. A lot of stresses come with a head coaching position. It’d be a challenge, and I love challenges.”
Stressing that he is a loyal guy, Dickenson also, basically, ruled himself out as a candidate for the head coaching post at his alma mater, the University of Montana, following the retirement of Grizzlies field boss Mick Delaney.
“I love college — I think it’s great — and I love Montana, but for me, it’s about having stability with your family, making sure you have time with your family and, basically, don’t try to put yourself above what’s important,” Dickenson said.
“Sometimes, that’s what’s important, instead of just always trying to get to the top of the ladder.”
By ending some speculation, Dickenson has likely started more.
Many observers believe that former Winnipeg Blue Bombers coach Paul LaPolice, who is working the Grey Cup for TSN, has a chance to replace Benevides. During an interview with TSN 1040 Radio on Thursday, LaPolice said he also likes being an offensive co-ordinator.
He seems a better fit for that position with the Lions, although Khari Jones still has the OC post for now.
It says here that LaPolice is not a good fit as the next head coach of the Lions. He lacks natural ties to the organization that would attract fans when it is in danger of losing season ticket holders. While he led the Bombers to the 2011 Grey Cup, which the Lions won, LaPolice lost his job the next year and reportedly turned down a chance to become B.C.’s offensive co-ordinator last season.
Despite his increased profile due to his TSN gig, LaPolice does not stand out as an icon or exceptional leader the way Calgary’s Hufnagel, Hamilton counterpart Kent Austin and Lions general manager Wally Buono do. Austin, a former Lions quarterback, would be a better fit, but he is unlikely to leave Hamilton.
Recently, I suggested that Lions defensive co-ordinator Mark Washington could be a prime candidate, and fellow former defensive back Barron Miles, an assistant with Saskatchewan, might also get serious consideration. I still think Washington is in the running, and would be a good choice. So would Miles, but I’m starting to believe the Lions will lean more to an iconic type who is not necessarily a former B.C. player or coach.
On that note, I would not be surprised if, as some have suggested, former Stampeders quarterback Jeff Garcia, who was brought to the CFL by Buono, gets on the short list. Garcia joined the Montreal Alouettes in mid-season as an assistant of sorts and, tutoring quarterback Jonathan Crompton, helped the Als get to the playoffs and hammer B.C. 50-17 before they were ousted unceremoniously by Hamilton.
Although he does not have ties to B.C. or the team itself, Garcia is a high-profile type that the Lions need and, being the son of a coach, he understands the game thoroughly.
Another possibility seems unlikely, but makes at least some sense.
Former Lions receiver Geroy Simon, now an ambassador of sorts with Saskatchewan, has a desire to run a team within 10 years. He has strong ties to B.C., living here while commuting to work for the Roughriders. Despite his lack of coaching experience, he is used to mentoring young players – of which the rebuilding Lions have many. He is also a natural leader, a fan favourite, and extremely knowledgeable about the game. Simon would likely also be willing to keep most of the current assistants, he did commendable jobs in the face of considerable adversity this season, if he were allowed to choose one or two.
Alas, Dickenson threw cold water on speculation for a while, but it won’t take long to heat up again.
Just when speculation on the likelihood of the Calgary Stampeders offensive co-ordinator replacing the fired Mike Benevides was heating up, Dickenson threw cold water on it.
“I’m going to be back in Calgary next year,” said Dickenson during a Stamps luncheon Thursday in advance of Sunday’s Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
“That’s my answer to that question – and it’s going to be the same answer tomorrow, the same answer next week.”
Dickenson’s comments came a day after Calgary general manager and head coach John Hufnagel hinted that the 41-year-old Great Falls, Mont, native would be his successor. Hufnagel pointed to a new three-year contract that Dickenson signed in November 2013.
Without getting into the specific job titles, Dickenson said he planned to honour the deal, which runs until after the 2016 season, while also pointing out that he loves being the offensive co-ordinator and getting a chance to call plays, like he did as a standout quarterback with the Stampeders and Lions.
Dickenson has a strong desire to be a head coach, but he also wants to make sure that he gets the right opportunity.
“I want to be a head coach, there’s no doubt about it, but I really just want to have fun,” Dickenson said. “I want to be part of a team, I want to work with people I like and enjoy, and be part of a system and a team that’s going to win. I think we work too hard to not enjoy things. I’m not going to coach if I’m miserable. A lot of stresses come with a head coaching position. It’d be a challenge, and I love challenges.”
Stressing that he is a loyal guy, Dickenson also, basically, ruled himself out as a candidate for the head coaching post at his alma mater, the University of Montana, following the retirement of Grizzlies field boss Mick Delaney.
“I love college — I think it’s great — and I love Montana, but for me, it’s about having stability with your family, making sure you have time with your family and, basically, don’t try to put yourself above what’s important,” Dickenson said.
“Sometimes, that’s what’s important, instead of just always trying to get to the top of the ladder.”
By ending some speculation, Dickenson has likely started more.
Many observers believe that former Winnipeg Blue Bombers coach Paul LaPolice, who is working the Grey Cup for TSN, has a chance to replace Benevides. During an interview with TSN 1040 Radio on Thursday, LaPolice said he also likes being an offensive co-ordinator.
He seems a better fit for that position with the Lions, although Khari Jones still has the OC post for now.
It says here that LaPolice is not a good fit as the next head coach of the Lions. He lacks natural ties to the organization that would attract fans when it is in danger of losing season ticket holders. While he led the Bombers to the 2011 Grey Cup, which the Lions won, LaPolice lost his job the next year and reportedly turned down a chance to become B.C.’s offensive co-ordinator last season.
Despite his increased profile due to his TSN gig, LaPolice does not stand out as an icon or exceptional leader the way Calgary’s Hufnagel, Hamilton counterpart Kent Austin and Lions general manager Wally Buono do. Austin, a former Lions quarterback, would be a better fit, but he is unlikely to leave Hamilton.
Recently, I suggested that Lions defensive co-ordinator Mark Washington could be a prime candidate, and fellow former defensive back Barron Miles, an assistant with Saskatchewan, might also get serious consideration. I still think Washington is in the running, and would be a good choice. So would Miles, but I’m starting to believe the Lions will lean more to an iconic type who is not necessarily a former B.C. player or coach.
On that note, I would not be surprised if, as some have suggested, former Stampeders quarterback Jeff Garcia, who was brought to the CFL by Buono, gets on the short list. Garcia joined the Montreal Alouettes in mid-season as an assistant of sorts and, tutoring quarterback Jonathan Crompton, helped the Als get to the playoffs and hammer B.C. 50-17 before they were ousted unceremoniously by Hamilton.
Although he does not have ties to B.C. or the team itself, Garcia is a high-profile type that the Lions need and, being the son of a coach, he understands the game thoroughly.
Another possibility seems unlikely, but makes at least some sense.
Former Lions receiver Geroy Simon, now an ambassador of sorts with Saskatchewan, has a desire to run a team within 10 years. He has strong ties to B.C., living here while commuting to work for the Roughriders. Despite his lack of coaching experience, he is used to mentoring young players – of which the rebuilding Lions have many. He is also a natural leader, a fan favourite, and extremely knowledgeable about the game. Simon would likely also be willing to keep most of the current assistants, he did commendable jobs in the face of considerable adversity this season, if he were allowed to choose one or two.
Alas, Dickenson threw cold water on speculation for a while, but it won’t take long to heat up again.
Bo Levi Mitchell has a chance to upstage Joe Theismann in Grey Cup
Bo Levi Mitchell does not think the pressure of being a first-year starter will get to him in Sunday’s Grey Cup.
The Calgary Stampeders quarterback will try to gain the upper hand, almost literally, against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Sunday’s CFL championship game here in Vancouver.
But Mitchell, 24, is used to excelling on football’s big stages.
“I think I’ve already dealt with (pressure),” he said Thursday following a Stampeders luncheon with media. “I’ve showed I can play the way I play, especially in the big games. I don’t really think there’s a game out there that’s too big for me. It’s the confidence that I have in the guys around me. It makes it so easy when I have guys around me that I know and trust.”
Still, Mitchell added, he can’t compare Sunday’s contest to his personal experiences.
“It’s a professional-level championship game,” he said. “Obviously, I’ve played in a state championship and won, I’ve played in a college championship and won, but you can’t compare it to anything, because it’s professional.”
Mitchell guided his hometown Katy, Tex., high school squad to the state title in 2007 and went on play collegiately at Southern Methodist and Eastern Washington. In 201, he led Eastern Washington to the NCAA Division I FCS national championship with a 20-19 come-from-behind victory over Delaware. It was Eastern Washington’s first-ever national crown in football.
After signing as a free agent with the Stampeders, he spent two seasons in third-string and backup roles. This season, he won his first seven games as a starter, tying former Stamp Jeff Garcia’s CFL record.
He has dressed for 17 games (14 starts), while battling injury, and completed 264 of 417 passes (63.3%) for 3,389 yards and 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He led all CFL quarterbacks with a 98.3 pass-efficiency rating while also carrying the ball 35 times for 232 yards and four touchdowns.
Pressure or no pressure Sunday, he feels very fortunate to be where he is.
“I’m very blessed to have the teammates that I do around me and my coaching staff,” he said. “I don’t think any guy in their first year as a starter has ever walked into the situation I’ve walked into.”
Actually, Mitchell was mistaken on that point.
In 1971, rookie Joe Theismann quarterbacked the Toronto Argonauts to the Grey Cup, when the game was also played in Vancouver, and the Stampeders happened to be the opposition. As you might have heard (countless times, depending on your age), it was a wet day, and Argos running back Leon McQuay fumbled the ball as he attempted to run it into the end zone for what would have been the winning touchdown in the game's closing moments.
As a result, the Stampeders prevailed 14-11, and a veteran quarterback named Jerry Keeling received the laurels instead.
Things still turned out all right for Theismann, though. The former Notre Dame star went on to a standout career in the NFL with the Washington Redskins and led them to a Super Bowl in 1982. But his CFL experience left him unfulfilled on the championship front.
The 1971 Grey Cup was played at since-demolished Empire Stadium, an outdoor facility. It has been raining again this week in Vancouver, but the game will be played at BC Place Stadium and, if necessary, the roof will be closed.
Therefore, Mitchell won’t have to worry about wet or cold conditions, and he will have a better chance to accomplish what Theismann could not.
The Calgary Stampeders quarterback will try to gain the upper hand, almost literally, against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in Sunday’s CFL championship game here in Vancouver.
But Mitchell, 24, is used to excelling on football’s big stages.
“I think I’ve already dealt with (pressure),” he said Thursday following a Stampeders luncheon with media. “I’ve showed I can play the way I play, especially in the big games. I don’t really think there’s a game out there that’s too big for me. It’s the confidence that I have in the guys around me. It makes it so easy when I have guys around me that I know and trust.”
Still, Mitchell added, he can’t compare Sunday’s contest to his personal experiences.
“It’s a professional-level championship game,” he said. “Obviously, I’ve played in a state championship and won, I’ve played in a college championship and won, but you can’t compare it to anything, because it’s professional.”
Mitchell guided his hometown Katy, Tex., high school squad to the state title in 2007 and went on play collegiately at Southern Methodist and Eastern Washington. In 201, he led Eastern Washington to the NCAA Division I FCS national championship with a 20-19 come-from-behind victory over Delaware. It was Eastern Washington’s first-ever national crown in football.
After signing as a free agent with the Stampeders, he spent two seasons in third-string and backup roles. This season, he won his first seven games as a starter, tying former Stamp Jeff Garcia’s CFL record.
He has dressed for 17 games (14 starts), while battling injury, and completed 264 of 417 passes (63.3%) for 3,389 yards and 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He led all CFL quarterbacks with a 98.3 pass-efficiency rating while also carrying the ball 35 times for 232 yards and four touchdowns.
Pressure or no pressure Sunday, he feels very fortunate to be where he is.
“I’m very blessed to have the teammates that I do around me and my coaching staff,” he said. “I don’t think any guy in their first year as a starter has ever walked into the situation I’ve walked into.”
Actually, Mitchell was mistaken on that point.
In 1971, rookie Joe Theismann quarterbacked the Toronto Argonauts to the Grey Cup, when the game was also played in Vancouver, and the Stampeders happened to be the opposition. As you might have heard (countless times, depending on your age), it was a wet day, and Argos running back Leon McQuay fumbled the ball as he attempted to run it into the end zone for what would have been the winning touchdown in the game's closing moments.
As a result, the Stampeders prevailed 14-11, and a veteran quarterback named Jerry Keeling received the laurels instead.
Things still turned out all right for Theismann, though. The former Notre Dame star went on to a standout career in the NFL with the Washington Redskins and led them to a Super Bowl in 1982. But his CFL experience left him unfulfilled on the championship front.
The 1971 Grey Cup was played at since-demolished Empire Stadium, an outdoor facility. It has been raining again this week in Vancouver, but the game will be played at BC Place Stadium and, if necessary, the roof will be closed.
Therefore, Mitchell won’t have to worry about wet or cold conditions, and he will have a better chance to accomplish what Theismann could not.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Buono does not let loyalty interfere with championship quest
Wally Buono proved – again – Thursday that he does not play favourites or adhere to longstanding loyalties.
The B.C. Lions general manager made the “very difficult” decision to fire coach Mike Benevides four days after the CFL team suffered a humiliating 50-17 playoff loss to the Montreal Alouettes. The setback came after a disappointing 9-9 regular season in which the Lions expected to do much better while seeking the chance to host the Grey Cup at home.
“Our football team experienced a very tumultuous season,” said Buono in a news release. “Still, we believe as an organization that the team we had assembled was capable of more than what we accomplished in the regular season and in the playoffs. In short, we underperformed and failed to meet both our own expectations and the expectations of our fans.”
Perhaps a hint of Buono’s decision came Monday when he was asked whether the team was spiralling downward. He noted that the Lions had gone from 13 to 11 to nine victories in the past three season under Benevides and added “simple math” indicated they were. Clearly, Buono does not friendships or loyalty interfere with the quest for a championship.
The timing of the firing is, perhaps, the biggest surprise because it came so soon after the conclusion of the Lions’ season. (Unlike the NHL, the CFL apparently has no qualms about teams making major announcements during the playoffs.) But the dismissal re-affirmed Buono’s decisive nature and willingness to make moves for the better of the team, even if they might make him look bad.
Benevides, who compiled a 33-21 record as a head coach, had worked with Buono for more than a decade in B.C. and Calgary. Buono gave him his first coaching job, an assistant’s position which earned no pay because of the Stampeders’ financial difficulties. Then Buono brought Benevides with him to B.C.,and promoted him through the ranks before promoting him to head coach after stepped down following the Lions’ 2011 Grey Cup victory.
He also gave Benevides, who aspired to be the team’s GM one day, a two-year contract extension prior to this season.
If any coach deserved the benefit of the doubt for a sub-par season, Benevides did. The Lions suffered numerous injuries to key players, including running backs Andrew Harris and Stefan Logan, and receiver Courtney Taylor, and their valiant, but injury-riddled offensive line was a patchwork quilt at the best of times. Most significantly, starting quarterback Travis Lulay missed most of the season after he was slow to recover from off-season shoulder surgery was injured again in the lone game he played – a storm-interrupted 7-5 win over Ottawa. Then Lulay suffered another relapse during the warmup before Sunday’s debacle in Montreal.
But these factors did not sway Buono, whose decision came after fans were quick to blame Benevides for the mediocre regular season and playoff mauling.
Now, Buono must find a successor, and he has one readily available in defensive co-ordinator Mark Washington, who built a standout defence that dominated for most of the season before struggling late in the season. Fatigue, from being on the field too long as the offence failed to put up points consistently, and injuries undoubtedly explained part of the defence’s woes.
Washington is widely expected to become a head coach somewhere in the not-too-distant future, and Buono stressed earlier in the week that’s it’s critical to have continuity in the club. The defensive co-ordinator’s promotion would allow for that continuity, and he would likely keep most of the assistants, who did a commendable job under the circumstances. Offensive co-ordinator Khari Jones appears likely to depart after the offence continued to show a lack of creativity that was evident under his predecessor Jacques Chapdelaine.
Former Lions defensive back Barron Miles, an assistant with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, could be another worthy candidate, and Lions running backs coach Kelly Bates might also merit an interview.
Some media types have speculated that Calgary offensive co-ordinator Dave Dickenson, a former Lions quarterback who was brought to the CFL by Buono, could be a frontrunner for the position. But Dickenson has strong family ties in Calgary and appears the likely successor to general manager and coach John Hufnagel. Dickenson’s promotion could be expedited if the Stampeders do not parlay their 15-3 regular season into a playoff berth.
Buono has ruled out returning to the coaching ranks, because he believes that the CFL’s version of football is a young man’s game. So the new Lions coach will likely be in his 30s or early 40s. He will also likely have an existing relationship with Buono, who prefers to hire people he knows.
But the new coach should not expect any longstanding ties with Buono to enhance his job security.
The B.C. Lions general manager made the “very difficult” decision to fire coach Mike Benevides four days after the CFL team suffered a humiliating 50-17 playoff loss to the Montreal Alouettes. The setback came after a disappointing 9-9 regular season in which the Lions expected to do much better while seeking the chance to host the Grey Cup at home.
“Our football team experienced a very tumultuous season,” said Buono in a news release. “Still, we believe as an organization that the team we had assembled was capable of more than what we accomplished in the regular season and in the playoffs. In short, we underperformed and failed to meet both our own expectations and the expectations of our fans.”
Perhaps a hint of Buono’s decision came Monday when he was asked whether the team was spiralling downward. He noted that the Lions had gone from 13 to 11 to nine victories in the past three season under Benevides and added “simple math” indicated they were. Clearly, Buono does not friendships or loyalty interfere with the quest for a championship.
The timing of the firing is, perhaps, the biggest surprise because it came so soon after the conclusion of the Lions’ season. (Unlike the NHL, the CFL apparently has no qualms about teams making major announcements during the playoffs.) But the dismissal re-affirmed Buono’s decisive nature and willingness to make moves for the better of the team, even if they might make him look bad.
Benevides, who compiled a 33-21 record as a head coach, had worked with Buono for more than a decade in B.C. and Calgary. Buono gave him his first coaching job, an assistant’s position which earned no pay because of the Stampeders’ financial difficulties. Then Buono brought Benevides with him to B.C.,and promoted him through the ranks before promoting him to head coach after stepped down following the Lions’ 2011 Grey Cup victory.
He also gave Benevides, who aspired to be the team’s GM one day, a two-year contract extension prior to this season.
If any coach deserved the benefit of the doubt for a sub-par season, Benevides did. The Lions suffered numerous injuries to key players, including running backs Andrew Harris and Stefan Logan, and receiver Courtney Taylor, and their valiant, but injury-riddled offensive line was a patchwork quilt at the best of times. Most significantly, starting quarterback Travis Lulay missed most of the season after he was slow to recover from off-season shoulder surgery was injured again in the lone game he played – a storm-interrupted 7-5 win over Ottawa. Then Lulay suffered another relapse during the warmup before Sunday’s debacle in Montreal.
But these factors did not sway Buono, whose decision came after fans were quick to blame Benevides for the mediocre regular season and playoff mauling.
Now, Buono must find a successor, and he has one readily available in defensive co-ordinator Mark Washington, who built a standout defence that dominated for most of the season before struggling late in the season. Fatigue, from being on the field too long as the offence failed to put up points consistently, and injuries undoubtedly explained part of the defence’s woes.
Washington is widely expected to become a head coach somewhere in the not-too-distant future, and Buono stressed earlier in the week that’s it’s critical to have continuity in the club. The defensive co-ordinator’s promotion would allow for that continuity, and he would likely keep most of the assistants, who did a commendable job under the circumstances. Offensive co-ordinator Khari Jones appears likely to depart after the offence continued to show a lack of creativity that was evident under his predecessor Jacques Chapdelaine.
Former Lions defensive back Barron Miles, an assistant with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, could be another worthy candidate, and Lions running backs coach Kelly Bates might also merit an interview.
Some media types have speculated that Calgary offensive co-ordinator Dave Dickenson, a former Lions quarterback who was brought to the CFL by Buono, could be a frontrunner for the position. But Dickenson has strong family ties in Calgary and appears the likely successor to general manager and coach John Hufnagel. Dickenson’s promotion could be expedited if the Stampeders do not parlay their 15-3 regular season into a playoff berth.
Buono has ruled out returning to the coaching ranks, because he believes that the CFL’s version of football is a young man’s game. So the new Lions coach will likely be in his 30s or early 40s. He will also likely have an existing relationship with Buono, who prefers to hire people he knows.
But the new coach should not expect any longstanding ties with Buono to enhance his job security.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Whitecaps fail test against Timbers
Something unusual occurred late in Saturday’s game between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers on Saturday night.
Fans left early in large numbers, with Portland having easily clinched a 3-0 victory over the overmatched home squad.
Throughout their existence in Major League Soccer, the Whitecaps have managed to keep most home games extremely close – win or lose. But, as Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson admitted, the outcome was decided after Alvas Powell scored the only goal that Portland needed, on a header in the 51st minute.
“They’re a good team,” said Robinson. “We were chasing shadows at the end, so (it was) frustrating for us, but I don’t think we were a threat throughout the game.”
The Timbers (8-8-10) jumped over the Whitecaps (7-6-12) into the fifth and final playoff-qualifying spot in the Western Conference. Having conceded four goals in their past game, the Timbers were supposedly ripe for the picking, but they played with little fear after their opening goal and held a decisive edge in possession time (roughly 60 per cent to 40 per cent) in the second half.
“I don’t think we were at our top performances levels like we’ve been most of this season at home, which was unfortunate because it was a fantastic opportunity for us and a fantastic crowd, and winning is always a buzz,” said Robinson.
After staying until the final whistle, the loyalists in the sellout crowd of 21,000 cheered that the game was finally over and then practically raced out of their seats. When asked whether the Caps over-hyped the game with 10 games (and now nine) to go before the regular season ends, Robinson declined to downplay the significance of the setback.
“It’s a massive game,” said Robinson. “It’s a rivalry game for us at home against a team that’s competing for a playoff spot. I could say it was just another normal game, and I wouldn’t be being honest, and that’s one thing I am. It was a massive game for us, and we lost. So we take it on the chin and we move on.”
Recently acquired midfielder Mauro Rosales and midfield maestro Pedro Morales linked up well early. Morales missed a header early on a chip from Rosales, putting the ball just over the bar. But the Timbers did well to keep Rosales and Morales separated from each other and Vancouver’s strikers, first Erik Hurtado and Darren Mattocks.
Rosales stood out, but as more as a playmaker than a scorer, although he had Vancouver’s best chance, putting a shot just wide of the right post after Hurtado nudged the ball to him. Morales was hampered after a Portland player stepped on his foot early in the second half.
Simply put, there was no offensive cohesion from Vancouver on a night when the Timbers had few scoring opportunities but capitalized on almost all of them. Portland scored on three of four shots on target in the second half, and could have scored on the other if not for a nice save from Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted. On the night, the Timbers converted three of five shots on target.
The Whitecaps only had three shots on target over the full 90 minutes.
As former Vancouver striker Kenny Miller often noted, it usually takes two strikers – a tandem – to produce dangerous scoring chances. But with a single-striker formation, the Whitecaps have a hard time creating chances let alone putting the ball in the back of the net.
Vancouver failed to score for the third straight game and fourth time in the last five. Robinson said that the squad needs to look at the dearth of offence individually and collectively and as a coaching staff – whatever that means. The bottom line is that, as Robinson acknowledged, the Whitecaps do not have a natural scorer.
The issue won’t be solved until Vancouver’s young offensive players start producing, or the Whitecaps find a pure scorer before the mid-September MLS roster freeze (i.e. trade deadline).
Since neither scenario is likely to occur soon, the Whitecaps have to find a way to link their midfielders and lone striker, or strikers depending on formation changes, in future. Robinson believes the Caps can succeed in doing so, because they have in the past.
The coach wants them to get back to generating numerous scoring chances the way they did earlier in the season.
“We know we can do it,” said Robinson. “We just haven’t been doing it recently. So we take responsibility – I take responsibility – for that.”
Robinson also plans to take more responsibility for managing Morales’ playing time as the clubs goes down the homestretch. Taking his previous season in South America into account, the Chilean midfielder has played 13 months consecutively. In other words, he has not had an off-season – and becomes increasingly prone to burnout and injury.
But the Caps need him the way a parched traveler stranded in the desert needs a drink of water. If he goes down, or stops producing assists and goals (like he has lately) for an extended stretch, Vancouver’s season will be lost, and the Caps will miss the playoffs for the second time in three years.
As defender Jordan Harvey noted after the game, the loss was frustrating on many levels. But with key home games coming up against top Eastern squad D.C. United and Western also-ran San Jose, the frustration will only increase if the Caps do not start scoring again soon.
In other words, Whitecaps fans will leave games early more often. Or, even worse, they won't bother showing up at all.
Fans left early in large numbers, with Portland having easily clinched a 3-0 victory over the overmatched home squad.
Throughout their existence in Major League Soccer, the Whitecaps have managed to keep most home games extremely close – win or lose. But, as Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson admitted, the outcome was decided after Alvas Powell scored the only goal that Portland needed, on a header in the 51st minute.
“They’re a good team,” said Robinson. “We were chasing shadows at the end, so (it was) frustrating for us, but I don’t think we were a threat throughout the game.”
The Timbers (8-8-10) jumped over the Whitecaps (7-6-12) into the fifth and final playoff-qualifying spot in the Western Conference. Having conceded four goals in their past game, the Timbers were supposedly ripe for the picking, but they played with little fear after their opening goal and held a decisive edge in possession time (roughly 60 per cent to 40 per cent) in the second half.
“I don’t think we were at our top performances levels like we’ve been most of this season at home, which was unfortunate because it was a fantastic opportunity for us and a fantastic crowd, and winning is always a buzz,” said Robinson.
After staying until the final whistle, the loyalists in the sellout crowd of 21,000 cheered that the game was finally over and then practically raced out of their seats. When asked whether the Caps over-hyped the game with 10 games (and now nine) to go before the regular season ends, Robinson declined to downplay the significance of the setback.
“It’s a massive game,” said Robinson. “It’s a rivalry game for us at home against a team that’s competing for a playoff spot. I could say it was just another normal game, and I wouldn’t be being honest, and that’s one thing I am. It was a massive game for us, and we lost. So we take it on the chin and we move on.”
Recently acquired midfielder Mauro Rosales and midfield maestro Pedro Morales linked up well early. Morales missed a header early on a chip from Rosales, putting the ball just over the bar. But the Timbers did well to keep Rosales and Morales separated from each other and Vancouver’s strikers, first Erik Hurtado and Darren Mattocks.
Rosales stood out, but as more as a playmaker than a scorer, although he had Vancouver’s best chance, putting a shot just wide of the right post after Hurtado nudged the ball to him. Morales was hampered after a Portland player stepped on his foot early in the second half.
Simply put, there was no offensive cohesion from Vancouver on a night when the Timbers had few scoring opportunities but capitalized on almost all of them. Portland scored on three of four shots on target in the second half, and could have scored on the other if not for a nice save from Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted. On the night, the Timbers converted three of five shots on target.
The Whitecaps only had three shots on target over the full 90 minutes.
As former Vancouver striker Kenny Miller often noted, it usually takes two strikers – a tandem – to produce dangerous scoring chances. But with a single-striker formation, the Whitecaps have a hard time creating chances let alone putting the ball in the back of the net.
Vancouver failed to score for the third straight game and fourth time in the last five. Robinson said that the squad needs to look at the dearth of offence individually and collectively and as a coaching staff – whatever that means. The bottom line is that, as Robinson acknowledged, the Whitecaps do not have a natural scorer.
The issue won’t be solved until Vancouver’s young offensive players start producing, or the Whitecaps find a pure scorer before the mid-September MLS roster freeze (i.e. trade deadline).
Since neither scenario is likely to occur soon, the Whitecaps have to find a way to link their midfielders and lone striker, or strikers depending on formation changes, in future. Robinson believes the Caps can succeed in doing so, because they have in the past.
The coach wants them to get back to generating numerous scoring chances the way they did earlier in the season.
“We know we can do it,” said Robinson. “We just haven’t been doing it recently. So we take responsibility – I take responsibility – for that.”
Robinson also plans to take more responsibility for managing Morales’ playing time as the clubs goes down the homestretch. Taking his previous season in South America into account, the Chilean midfielder has played 13 months consecutively. In other words, he has not had an off-season – and becomes increasingly prone to burnout and injury.
But the Caps need him the way a parched traveler stranded in the desert needs a drink of water. If he goes down, or stops producing assists and goals (like he has lately) for an extended stretch, Vancouver’s season will be lost, and the Caps will miss the playoffs for the second time in three years.
As defender Jordan Harvey noted after the game, the loss was frustrating on many levels. But with key home games coming up against top Eastern squad D.C. United and Western also-ran San Jose, the frustration will only increase if the Caps do not start scoring again soon.
In other words, Whitecaps fans will leave games early more often. Or, even worse, they won't bother showing up at all.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Whitecaps show glimpse of their potential in win over K.C.
David Ousted offered a voice of objectivity in the wake of a big Vancouver Whitecaps victory Sunday.
The Whitecaps blanked defending Major League Soccer champion Sporting Kansas City 2-0 at B.C. Place Stadium. While happy with the strong performance, Ousted still put it in perspective after the Whitecaps (7-4-12) jumped into fifth place – the last playoff qualifying post – in the ultra-tight Western Conference.
“It is definitely crunch time right now,” said Ousted. “Like you say, people are winning next to us, and we need to keep winning like we did today to keep up with people and keep going up the standings.
“This was a good start, but the work doesn’t stop here. We’ve got an even more important game next week in (the Los Angeles area against) Chivas – and this will be good for nothing if we don’t go there and get something out of it.”
The Whitecaps were thoroughly deserving of the victory as they controlled Dom Dwyer, the league’s second-leading scorer, and the rest of a strong Kansas City squad (11-6-6) that remained first in the Eastern Conference.
“It was a good test for us – a test that we managed to overcome,” said Vancouver coach Carl Robinson. “I believed we could win the game, if we did things right, because of the personnel that we have got and we could cause any team problems, and we showed today that it could have been, maybe, (4-0 or 5-0) on another day. But we’ll take the victory.”
The comment was a reference to the fact that Vancouver declined to sign a proven veteran scorer, which they clearly lack, before the international transfer window closed Friday.
But the result still generated a couple of nagging questions. The first: Was it more a case of Vancouver playing well or Kansas City having an off day? The Whitecaps scored both goals in the first half, with the first coming in the 17th minute as Sporting defender Igor Julia headed a Pedro Morales lead ball into his net after starting goalkeeper Andy Grunebaum came out to play it and could not get back in time. The second came as Darren Mattocks converted a two-on-one after Morales intercepted a pass with Kansas City’s defenders and then raced towards the opposing goal. Mattocks would have looked extremely bad if he had missed.
Late in the second half, the Jamaican striker did miss on a penalty-kick as K.C. backup goalkeeper Jon Kempin got a hand on the shot, which Mattocks telegraphed, and then the ball bounced off the goalpost. (Kempin replaced Grunebaum at the beginning of the second half, because the starter suffered a shoulder injury as he collided with the post while stopping a Morales free kick.)
“They were the better team,” Kansas City coach Peter Vermes told reporters. “They wanted the game more. Their guys were hungry. Our guys were lackadaisical. We made two mistakes, and the mistakes are one thing, because that happens sometimes in games, and that kind of stuff you’ve got to be able to live with, but it’s our approach in the game. I always say that that’s my responsibility, so I’ll take responsibility, but at the same time, I’ll say that it won’t happen next week, I can tell you that.”
Accordingly, Whitecaps coach Robinson was not entirely comfortable with his club’s 2-0 lead to start the second half.
“It would have been more relaxing if we’d got the third goal, to tell you the truth,” said Robinson.
As he said, it was a good win against a good team, but Vancouver generated little offensively after Morales subbed out for Russell Teibert in the 77th minute.
Robinson did not appear likely to promise that his charges will produce a similar effort against Chivas, which ranks last in the Western Conference, next weekend.
Which brings us to the second nagging question: Why can’t the Caps produce wins like they did Sunday more often?
The Whitecaps earned their first win in more than a month after posting four consecutive draws. Taking a July 5 win over Seattle and a June 1 victory over Portland into account, the Whitecaps now have three wins in about three months. While excelling against contenders like the Sounders and Timbers, they have delivered sub-par performances against cellar-dwellers Montreal and Chivas, playing both to draws.
“It shouldn’t be that way,” Mattocks said of a big effort against Kansas City. “I think we should be up for it every single game.”
Robinson defended Vancouver’s youth movement, contending (as many other coaches in several sports have) that, sometimes, teams have to take a step back to move forward.
“I think it’s vitally important when you’re building football clubs, soccer clubs, that you have a foundation,” he said. “I think it’s vitally important that you have a core group of players. Kansas City are a perfect example. So are Salt Lake. You don’t need to spend over the odds to do it, but it takes time.
“I was in Toronto from 2007 to 2010, and I saw an influx of, maybe, 80-odd players, teammates, come and go. I don’t want to talk about Toronto too much, but that wasn’t a base for success. I think you’ve gotta build somewhere. You’ve gotta start somewhere. And, sometimes, you need to go backwards before you can go forwards. The good organizations understand that. We’ve certainly got a very good organization here, and one that wants to progress, and one that wants to win, and one that wants to produce young players as well.”
Contending the Whitecaps are “close” but also “far away” when it comes to being a championship-calibre team, he chalked Vancouver’s shortage of wins to the inconstancy that accompanies player development.
“We can compete,” said Robinson. “Can we compete on a consistent basis? That’s the question with young players. You get ups and downs with a young group, but we’re finding that we’re not losing too many games, which is great. But we’re winning, probably, not enough games, which isn’t great. … But the potential’s there.”
Indeed, the Whitecaps showed a glimpse of their potential Sunday. But if the Caps want to make the playoffs for only the second time in four years of MLS existence, they need to start showing that potential more often.
Otherwise, as Ousted said, Sunday's win will be good for nothing.
The Whitecaps blanked defending Major League Soccer champion Sporting Kansas City 2-0 at B.C. Place Stadium. While happy with the strong performance, Ousted still put it in perspective after the Whitecaps (7-4-12) jumped into fifth place – the last playoff qualifying post – in the ultra-tight Western Conference.
“It is definitely crunch time right now,” said Ousted. “Like you say, people are winning next to us, and we need to keep winning like we did today to keep up with people and keep going up the standings.
“This was a good start, but the work doesn’t stop here. We’ve got an even more important game next week in (the Los Angeles area against) Chivas – and this will be good for nothing if we don’t go there and get something out of it.”
The Whitecaps were thoroughly deserving of the victory as they controlled Dom Dwyer, the league’s second-leading scorer, and the rest of a strong Kansas City squad (11-6-6) that remained first in the Eastern Conference.
“It was a good test for us – a test that we managed to overcome,” said Vancouver coach Carl Robinson. “I believed we could win the game, if we did things right, because of the personnel that we have got and we could cause any team problems, and we showed today that it could have been, maybe, (4-0 or 5-0) on another day. But we’ll take the victory.”
The comment was a reference to the fact that Vancouver declined to sign a proven veteran scorer, which they clearly lack, before the international transfer window closed Friday.
But the result still generated a couple of nagging questions. The first: Was it more a case of Vancouver playing well or Kansas City having an off day? The Whitecaps scored both goals in the first half, with the first coming in the 17th minute as Sporting defender Igor Julia headed a Pedro Morales lead ball into his net after starting goalkeeper Andy Grunebaum came out to play it and could not get back in time. The second came as Darren Mattocks converted a two-on-one after Morales intercepted a pass with Kansas City’s defenders and then raced towards the opposing goal. Mattocks would have looked extremely bad if he had missed.
Late in the second half, the Jamaican striker did miss on a penalty-kick as K.C. backup goalkeeper Jon Kempin got a hand on the shot, which Mattocks telegraphed, and then the ball bounced off the goalpost. (Kempin replaced Grunebaum at the beginning of the second half, because the starter suffered a shoulder injury as he collided with the post while stopping a Morales free kick.)
“They were the better team,” Kansas City coach Peter Vermes told reporters. “They wanted the game more. Their guys were hungry. Our guys were lackadaisical. We made two mistakes, and the mistakes are one thing, because that happens sometimes in games, and that kind of stuff you’ve got to be able to live with, but it’s our approach in the game. I always say that that’s my responsibility, so I’ll take responsibility, but at the same time, I’ll say that it won’t happen next week, I can tell you that.”
Accordingly, Whitecaps coach Robinson was not entirely comfortable with his club’s 2-0 lead to start the second half.
“It would have been more relaxing if we’d got the third goal, to tell you the truth,” said Robinson.
As he said, it was a good win against a good team, but Vancouver generated little offensively after Morales subbed out for Russell Teibert in the 77th minute.
Robinson did not appear likely to promise that his charges will produce a similar effort against Chivas, which ranks last in the Western Conference, next weekend.
Which brings us to the second nagging question: Why can’t the Caps produce wins like they did Sunday more often?
The Whitecaps earned their first win in more than a month after posting four consecutive draws. Taking a July 5 win over Seattle and a June 1 victory over Portland into account, the Whitecaps now have three wins in about three months. While excelling against contenders like the Sounders and Timbers, they have delivered sub-par performances against cellar-dwellers Montreal and Chivas, playing both to draws.
“It shouldn’t be that way,” Mattocks said of a big effort against Kansas City. “I think we should be up for it every single game.”
Robinson defended Vancouver’s youth movement, contending (as many other coaches in several sports have) that, sometimes, teams have to take a step back to move forward.
“I think it’s vitally important when you’re building football clubs, soccer clubs, that you have a foundation,” he said. “I think it’s vitally important that you have a core group of players. Kansas City are a perfect example. So are Salt Lake. You don’t need to spend over the odds to do it, but it takes time.
“I was in Toronto from 2007 to 2010, and I saw an influx of, maybe, 80-odd players, teammates, come and go. I don’t want to talk about Toronto too much, but that wasn’t a base for success. I think you’ve gotta build somewhere. You’ve gotta start somewhere. And, sometimes, you need to go backwards before you can go forwards. The good organizations understand that. We’ve certainly got a very good organization here, and one that wants to progress, and one that wants to win, and one that wants to produce young players as well.”
Contending the Whitecaps are “close” but also “far away” when it comes to being a championship-calibre team, he chalked Vancouver’s shortage of wins to the inconstancy that accompanies player development.
“We can compete,” said Robinson. “Can we compete on a consistent basis? That’s the question with young players. You get ups and downs with a young group, but we’re finding that we’re not losing too many games, which is great. But we’re winning, probably, not enough games, which isn’t great. … But the potential’s there.”
Indeed, the Whitecaps showed a glimpse of their potential Sunday. But if the Caps want to make the playoffs for only the second time in four years of MLS existence, they need to start showing that potential more often.
Otherwise, as Ousted said, Sunday's win will be good for nothing.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Glenn comes up big as Lulay watches
The stage was set for a change in command, but Kevin Glenn never let it happen.
Glenn ran for a touchdown, threw for another and passed for more than 400 yards Friday night as the B.C. Lions beat the pesky Hamilton Tiger-Cats 36-29. He helped the Lions post their second-consecutive win and improve to 4-3 on the season, ensuring that the Lions did not need nominal No. 1 quarterback Travis Lulay as he dressed for his first game of the season following off-season shoulder surgery.
“It was a big, big team-character win,” said Glenn, who completed 22 of 36 passes for 407 yards, his highest yardage output as a Lion. “It was one of those things where you could tell in the guys’ eyes on the field when I was calling the plays. It didn't matter what the down and distance was. We were going to out there and fight and try and get it. When you see that in the guys' eyes, that means a lot."
It was also a big character performance from Glenn, who helped the Lions build an early 17-3 lead and then rally back after Hamilton managed to come back and take a 19-17 lead in the second quarter on a Brandon Banks touchdown off a 97-yard punt return and a pair of Justin Medlock field goals.
The second field goal came after Glenn threw his first of two interceptions on which he could not really be faulted. Defensive lineman Arnaud Gascon-Nadon was able to snare the ball after fellow lineman Bryan Hall knocked down a Glenn pass.
The second interception, which did not result in points thanks to a tenacious B.C. defence, came in the third quarter after Frederic Plesius caught a fortuitous bounce off B.C. receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux. But Glenn did not let the interceptions get him down.
“Ticked balls are killing me,” said Glenn, whose 11 interceptions well exceed the seven he threw in all of 2013 with Calgary. “It's one of those things that happens. As a QB, you have to be able to get over it. It’s going tohappen. You don't want it to happen as much as it has been happening. What I think the biggest thing is, what you do when you come back out. You overcome it. I'm not going to be afraid to throw the next one.”
The Ticats were left to lament a series of miscues and penalties that enabled B.C. to take an insurmountable lead on an Andrew Harris four-yard touchdown run with about 10 minutes gone in the third quarter. But the Ticats still managed to pull within a point on two occasions, trailing 27-26 at the end of the third quarter and 30-29 in the fourth. Ultimately, B.C. secured the win with a strong passing display from Glenn in the fourth quarter, which enabled Paul McCallum to kick the final two of his five field goals on the night.
The decisive field goal came after Glenn threw his longest pass of the night, 43 yards to Shawn Gore. But Glenn, who ran for 19 yards for his touchdown in the first quarter, downplayed the strong personal showing – and kept the team’s task first.
“It’s not like this game was the Grey Cup,” he said. “It's not. It was the next game and an important game. It was important because of the way the West is shaping up. We have to make sure we keep going with all these guys. All these teams in the West are winning games. We have to make sure we are winning games, too."
Thanks to Glenn’s effort Friday, the Lions are winning. But they still face difficulties. Harris and offensive guard Jemarcus Hardrick went down with injuries Friday. Depending on how long Harris is out, his absence could put more pressure on Glenn to excel more often through the air.
But at least the Lions can rest assured that, with Glenn playing like he did Friday, they can take their time with Lulay’s recovery.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Lions showing improvement as Lulay returns to roster
With a third of the season now complete, the B.C. Lions are finally starting to look like a possible Grey Cup contender.
The Lions (3-3) head into Friday’s home game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-4) still buzzing from a victory over the previously undefeated Calgary Stampeders last week.
An improving offence shows signs of getting even better as quarterback Travis Lulay returns to the roster after coming off the six-game injured list due to a shoulder that was slow to recover from off-season surgey. Lulay’s presence in a backup role adds strength to the quarterbacking position in case Kevin Glenn, the scheduled starter, continues his trend of hot-and-cold performances.
He fared well in wins over Saskatchewan and Montreal, but struggled in a loss to Winnipeg and then rebounded in a late comeback win over Calgary.
But Glenn, who has been the consummate professional while stepping into the fire with a new club and system, has not been entirely to blame for B.C.’s inconsistency. Although has already thrown nine interceptions after only being picked off seven times with Calgary last season, he had a ready-made excuse in a rebuilding, rotating and injury-riddled offensive line. But to Glenn’s credit, he chose not to use it, repeatedly stressing that it was up to him to “make plays.”
Now, with former NFLer Jemarcus Hardrick starting at left guard and rookie Canadian Hunter Steward at left tackle, Glenn is finding more time to throw. And, running back Andrew Harris, who leads the CFL in yards from scrimmage (722) and ranks first in rushing yards (381) and second in receiving yardage (341 yards), has received the blocks he needs to tear up turf.
“I think we started to solidify some things (on the offensive line), obviously, and then the last two weeks stayed consistent,” said Lions coach Mike Benevides after a walk-through Thursday. “Now, we’re at a place where, I think, Jemarcus (Hardrick) brings a level of physicality and athleticism inside right now that we can’t get the young guys to get to yet because they’re not healthy. And, Hunter (Steward) is playing outstanding ball.
“So I think we’re where we need to be in terms of personnel. We have to be better, we have to grow but, certainly, those guys have given us a chance to accumulate some yardage and also protect the quarterback.”
The offence should get better in the near future as the line continues to improve and Lulay returns to a starting role. If B.C.’s defence continues to perform as it has been and kicker Paul McCallum displays his usual consistency on field goals, the Lions should be much better off in the final two-thirds of the season.
“We’re growing, we’re getting better, but we’re not there yet,” said Benevides.
The Lions (3-3) head into Friday’s home game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (1-4) still buzzing from a victory over the previously undefeated Calgary Stampeders last week.
An improving offence shows signs of getting even better as quarterback Travis Lulay returns to the roster after coming off the six-game injured list due to a shoulder that was slow to recover from off-season surgey. Lulay’s presence in a backup role adds strength to the quarterbacking position in case Kevin Glenn, the scheduled starter, continues his trend of hot-and-cold performances.
He fared well in wins over Saskatchewan and Montreal, but struggled in a loss to Winnipeg and then rebounded in a late comeback win over Calgary.
But Glenn, who has been the consummate professional while stepping into the fire with a new club and system, has not been entirely to blame for B.C.’s inconsistency. Although has already thrown nine interceptions after only being picked off seven times with Calgary last season, he had a ready-made excuse in a rebuilding, rotating and injury-riddled offensive line. But to Glenn’s credit, he chose not to use it, repeatedly stressing that it was up to him to “make plays.”
Now, with former NFLer Jemarcus Hardrick starting at left guard and rookie Canadian Hunter Steward at left tackle, Glenn is finding more time to throw. And, running back Andrew Harris, who leads the CFL in yards from scrimmage (722) and ranks first in rushing yards (381) and second in receiving yardage (341 yards), has received the blocks he needs to tear up turf.
“I think we started to solidify some things (on the offensive line), obviously, and then the last two weeks stayed consistent,” said Lions coach Mike Benevides after a walk-through Thursday. “Now, we’re at a place where, I think, Jemarcus (Hardrick) brings a level of physicality and athleticism inside right now that we can’t get the young guys to get to yet because they’re not healthy. And, Hunter (Steward) is playing outstanding ball.
“So I think we’re where we need to be in terms of personnel. We have to be better, we have to grow but, certainly, those guys have given us a chance to accumulate some yardage and also protect the quarterback.”
The offence should get better in the near future as the line continues to improve and Lulay returns to a starting role. If B.C.’s defence continues to perform as it has been and kicker Paul McCallum displays his usual consistency on field goals, the Lions should be much better off in the final two-thirds of the season.
“We’re growing, we’re getting better, but we’re not there yet,” said Benevides.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Whitecaps display strong belief in win over Sounders
The Vancouver Whitecaps made up for two sub-par games in 12 minutes Saturday.
Sebastian Fernandez scored the game’s lone goal in the 12th minute as the Caps down the MLS-leading Seattle Sounders 1-0.
Vancouver (6-3-7) ended a two-game winless while Seattle (11-4-2) suffered its first loss in four games.
But, as Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson indicated afterwards, the win was about more than three points in the standings. It was about belief – belief that the young Caps could compete with the best team in the league, even if it was missing five key players, including American international Clint Dempsey, to World Cup duty, yellow-card accumulation and injuries.
“The two halves were totally different,” Robinson said. “The first half, we were excellent in possession. Our passing movement was what I’ve been accustomed seeing in training (and) in the first 10, 12 games of the season – and the second half was just about all those things: grit, desire and heart.
“The reason I said Seattle are the best team in Major League Soccer before the game is because they hang in there even when things are going against them. They’re always there and they’re about, (despite) being one goal behind, and they’ve done that again today. We’ve gotta learn that as a young group. As I said to them, it’s not going to happen overnight. But with performances like this and learning situations like this, we’ll be better for it.”
With the win, the Caps also ended a two-game goal-less skid, after a 0-0 home draw with Montreal and a 2-0 loss in Colorado. Fernandez, a 24-year-old Uruguayan who is in his season with Vancouver, scored from about 30 yards out after taking a pass from Chilean midfield maestro Pedro Morales, who was at his sublime best.
"Pedro gave a good ball to me," the Spanish-speaking Fernandez said through an interpreter. "I turned with the ball and there was space. I've practised it in close. It was a good opportunity. I just tried to shoot."
But, ultimately, the game was about defence. While Seattle was missing Dempsey and Obafemi Martins, who shared fifth place in league scoring before Saturday’s games, the Caps were without (injured) top central defenders Jay DeMerit (ankle) and Andy O’Brien (hip).
However, Vancouver’s Johnny Leveron and Carlyle Mitchell delivered stellar performances in their place, while Steven Beitashour was his steady self at right back and Jordan Harvey stood out at left back with several blocked shots, tackles and interceptions.
"I think the guys were hungry," said Seattle midfielder Brad Evans of his team's effort. "It took us a little while to get in the game, and all it was in the first half was not holding the ball up front. It makes it difficult to play the way that we want to play, and get our forwards and outside wingers involved. It was a difficult day for us in the first 35-40 minutes. After that, I feel we settled in the second half, played much better challenging for balls.
"Obviously, the guys that were missing are game-changers, that’s why they’re (designated players) and that’s why they’ve played in World Cups and some of the biggest games. Obviously, you’re going to miss that quality, but that’s no excuse not to play your game and not to play the game the way it should be played. I thought that in the second half, we got a little ripping into and we came out much stronger."
After a dismal effort against Montreal in their last home contest, it looked like the Caps had consumed a steady diet of World Cup videos. The hosts’ passing was much more precise, particularly in the first half, and they played with a level of confidence at the back, sending the ball forward calmly so that Morales would work his major.
They also displayed a strong work ethic that will be critical heading into the second half of the season. With the one-month international transfer window opening Wednesday, changes are coming to Vancouver’s lineup, but moves – aside from expensive reserve midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker’s likely departure – will be kept to a minimum.
What you see of the club now is mostly what you’ll get, with the possible exception of a veteran world-class striker who can score consistently.
"If we’re going to go with a young group of players, which we are, then one thing we can’t do is let other teams outwork us,” Robinson said. “The youth and exuberance and enthusiasm that young players have (must) be infectious all over the pitch.”
They were were Saturday, and Vancouver’s belief was also evident in all parts of the field. But that confidence will need to be prevalent often if the Caps are going to qualify again for the playoffs after missing the post-season in 2013, because the core of players will not change drastically.
“Get used to watching the young players,” said Robinson.
Notes: Robinson praised Reo-Coker, who was steady as a second-half substitute in what might have been his final game with the Whitecaps. The former English Premier League star is being paid $400,000 this season, but he does not play enough to justify that salary.
Follow me on Twitter @montestewart
Sebastian Fernandez scored the game’s lone goal in the 12th minute as the Caps down the MLS-leading Seattle Sounders 1-0.
Vancouver (6-3-7) ended a two-game winless while Seattle (11-4-2) suffered its first loss in four games.
But, as Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson indicated afterwards, the win was about more than three points in the standings. It was about belief – belief that the young Caps could compete with the best team in the league, even if it was missing five key players, including American international Clint Dempsey, to World Cup duty, yellow-card accumulation and injuries.
“The two halves were totally different,” Robinson said. “The first half, we were excellent in possession. Our passing movement was what I’ve been accustomed seeing in training (and) in the first 10, 12 games of the season – and the second half was just about all those things: grit, desire and heart.
“The reason I said Seattle are the best team in Major League Soccer before the game is because they hang in there even when things are going against them. They’re always there and they’re about, (despite) being one goal behind, and they’ve done that again today. We’ve gotta learn that as a young group. As I said to them, it’s not going to happen overnight. But with performances like this and learning situations like this, we’ll be better for it.”
With the win, the Caps also ended a two-game goal-less skid, after a 0-0 home draw with Montreal and a 2-0 loss in Colorado. Fernandez, a 24-year-old Uruguayan who is in his season with Vancouver, scored from about 30 yards out after taking a pass from Chilean midfield maestro Pedro Morales, who was at his sublime best.
"Pedro gave a good ball to me," the Spanish-speaking Fernandez said through an interpreter. "I turned with the ball and there was space. I've practised it in close. It was a good opportunity. I just tried to shoot."
But, ultimately, the game was about defence. While Seattle was missing Dempsey and Obafemi Martins, who shared fifth place in league scoring before Saturday’s games, the Caps were without (injured) top central defenders Jay DeMerit (ankle) and Andy O’Brien (hip).
However, Vancouver’s Johnny Leveron and Carlyle Mitchell delivered stellar performances in their place, while Steven Beitashour was his steady self at right back and Jordan Harvey stood out at left back with several blocked shots, tackles and interceptions.
"I think the guys were hungry," said Seattle midfielder Brad Evans of his team's effort. "It took us a little while to get in the game, and all it was in the first half was not holding the ball up front. It makes it difficult to play the way that we want to play, and get our forwards and outside wingers involved. It was a difficult day for us in the first 35-40 minutes. After that, I feel we settled in the second half, played much better challenging for balls.
"Obviously, the guys that were missing are game-changers, that’s why they’re (designated players) and that’s why they’ve played in World Cups and some of the biggest games. Obviously, you’re going to miss that quality, but that’s no excuse not to play your game and not to play the game the way it should be played. I thought that in the second half, we got a little ripping into and we came out much stronger."
After a dismal effort against Montreal in their last home contest, it looked like the Caps had consumed a steady diet of World Cup videos. The hosts’ passing was much more precise, particularly in the first half, and they played with a level of confidence at the back, sending the ball forward calmly so that Morales would work his major.
They also displayed a strong work ethic that will be critical heading into the second half of the season. With the one-month international transfer window opening Wednesday, changes are coming to Vancouver’s lineup, but moves – aside from expensive reserve midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker’s likely departure – will be kept to a minimum.
What you see of the club now is mostly what you’ll get, with the possible exception of a veteran world-class striker who can score consistently.
"If we’re going to go with a young group of players, which we are, then one thing we can’t do is let other teams outwork us,” Robinson said. “The youth and exuberance and enthusiasm that young players have (must) be infectious all over the pitch.”
They were were Saturday, and Vancouver’s belief was also evident in all parts of the field. But that confidence will need to be prevalent often if the Caps are going to qualify again for the playoffs after missing the post-season in 2013, because the core of players will not change drastically.
“Get used to watching the young players,” said Robinson.
Notes: Robinson praised Reo-Coker, who was steady as a second-half substitute in what might have been his final game with the Whitecaps. The former English Premier League star is being paid $400,000 this season, but he does not play enough to justify that salary.
Follow me on Twitter @montestewart
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Radim Vrbata looks foward to playing with Sedins
Radim Vrbata knows his life is about to become very different.
The new Vancouver Canucks winger is looking forward to playing in a hockey-mad Canadian market for the first time as an NHLer after signing as an unrestricted free agent following five seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes. He signed a two-year, $10-million deal as the Canucks continued a rapid rebuilding effort under their new regime.
"Obviously, it'll be a big change here, coming from Phoenix," he said on a conference call Thursday. "But I'll adjust. I just have to be myself."
By being himself, Vrbata, a 33-year-old Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic native, means that he must continue to score goals. He produced 20 goals and 31 assists in 2013-14 and has averaged 24 per season in his last six campaigns.
That goal average is not gaudy by any means, but it translates into scoring consistency in an era when snipers increasingly rare compared to decades gone by. Now, Vrbata must prove he can produce in a market where he will face much more media scrutiny and pressure than he did with the formerly struggling Coyotes franchise.
Vrbata described the chance to play in Canada as a dream come true, but said it was a "bonus" rather than a priority when he weighed offers from other clubs. He wanted to play for a good organization with good players.
The comment was applicable to both the Coyotes, who have had several challenges on and off the ice as well as a Canucks team that was comical, and often sad, under former coach John Tortorella and deposed general manager Mike Gillis last season.The Canucks missed the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons as Tortorella's antics (namely a suspension for trying to storm the Calgary Flames dressing room in January and several other questionable decisions) and the club's lack of depth (resulting from poor drafting and trades under Gillis) took their toll.
The juries (i.e. fans) are still out in both Phoenix and Vancouver, but Vrbata comment, and signing, are indications that the Canucks regaining some respectability under new president of hockey operations and general manager Jim Benning. Despite the fact that Linden and Gillis have not held the same posts with other NHL clubs, they have attracted top free agent talent in Vrbata and goaltender Ryan Miller and swung a Ryan Kesler trade to Anaheim that produced players (Nick Bonino and Luca Sbisa) for today and draft picks for the future -- among other highlights.
The sixth-overall selection of Calgary Hitmen winger Jake Virtanen, a prototypical power forward, was also an excellent choice. (He should easily recover from off-season shoulder surgery.)
Vrbata is looking forward to playing with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who should recover from an injury-plagued season in which they took on more defensive responsibilities than usual.
"If you play with the Sedins, you know you'll get your chances," he said.
Benning sidestepped the question of whether he promised Vrbata that he would have a chance to play with the Sedins, saying that decision was ultimately up to new coach Willie Desjardins. However, Benning noted that Vrbata's presence gives the Canucks the option of moving Alex Burrows, who enjoyed considerable success with the twins before he had a goal-starved, injury-plagued 2013-14 campaign, to the second line.
Burrows, he added, can make the second line better.
"Now, we have depth at the forward positions where everybody can contribute to the team," said Benning.
Ultimately, the games on the ice will prove him right or wrong. But he made a good point as the Canucks prepare to battle in an an ultra-competitive Western Conference..
Last season, it was telling that the Canucks never recovered when journeyman forward Mike Santorelli was sidelined for the duration of a career year (28 points in 49 games) with a shoulder injury. The Canucks, Benning acknowledged, chose Vrbata, who has 215 goals and 249 assists in 796 career regular-season games, because they felt he was a better scorer than the younger Santorelli, 28.
Benning also acknowledged that the Canucks came to terms with Vrbata on the second day of free agency after some other potential deals didn't work out when the frenzy began July 1 after new rules allowed negotiations to begin a few days in advance.
Vrbata, who has a young family, said it was hard it was hard to leave Phoenix, but it was evident that the chance to play with the Sedins was a key, if not determining factor, in his decision.
"I feel when you have chemistry with somebody, that helps so much today," he said.
Notes: Vrbata has also played for Colorado, Carolina, Chicago and Tampa Bay. ... Santorelli signed a one-year, $1.35-million deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. ... Vrbata played junior in Canada, with Hull (now Gatineau) and Shawinigan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. ... Now that Kesler has left, Vrbata has a chance to retain No. 17 in Vancouver after he wore the same number in Phoenix. Such a move would only heighten comparisons between the two forwards. ... Benning will concentrate on re-signing the team's restricted free agents, including defenceman Chris Tanev, this week and then see how much money he has left for more UFAs.
Follow me on Twitter @montestewart
The new Vancouver Canucks winger is looking forward to playing in a hockey-mad Canadian market for the first time as an NHLer after signing as an unrestricted free agent following five seasons with the Phoenix Coyotes. He signed a two-year, $10-million deal as the Canucks continued a rapid rebuilding effort under their new regime.
"Obviously, it'll be a big change here, coming from Phoenix," he said on a conference call Thursday. "But I'll adjust. I just have to be myself."
By being himself, Vrbata, a 33-year-old Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic native, means that he must continue to score goals. He produced 20 goals and 31 assists in 2013-14 and has averaged 24 per season in his last six campaigns.
That goal average is not gaudy by any means, but it translates into scoring consistency in an era when snipers increasingly rare compared to decades gone by. Now, Vrbata must prove he can produce in a market where he will face much more media scrutiny and pressure than he did with the formerly struggling Coyotes franchise.
Vrbata described the chance to play in Canada as a dream come true, but said it was a "bonus" rather than a priority when he weighed offers from other clubs. He wanted to play for a good organization with good players.
The comment was applicable to both the Coyotes, who have had several challenges on and off the ice as well as a Canucks team that was comical, and often sad, under former coach John Tortorella and deposed general manager Mike Gillis last season.The Canucks missed the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons as Tortorella's antics (namely a suspension for trying to storm the Calgary Flames dressing room in January and several other questionable decisions) and the club's lack of depth (resulting from poor drafting and trades under Gillis) took their toll.
"Now, we have depth at the forward positions where everybody can contribute to the team."
- Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning on the signing of free agent Radim Vrbata and other recent moves
The juries (i.e. fans) are still out in both Phoenix and Vancouver, but Vrbata comment, and signing, are indications that the Canucks regaining some respectability under new president of hockey operations and general manager Jim Benning. Despite the fact that Linden and Gillis have not held the same posts with other NHL clubs, they have attracted top free agent talent in Vrbata and goaltender Ryan Miller and swung a Ryan Kesler trade to Anaheim that produced players (Nick Bonino and Luca Sbisa) for today and draft picks for the future -- among other highlights.
The sixth-overall selection of Calgary Hitmen winger Jake Virtanen, a prototypical power forward, was also an excellent choice. (He should easily recover from off-season shoulder surgery.)
Vrbata is looking forward to playing with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who should recover from an injury-plagued season in which they took on more defensive responsibilities than usual.
"If you play with the Sedins, you know you'll get your chances," he said.
Benning sidestepped the question of whether he promised Vrbata that he would have a chance to play with the Sedins, saying that decision was ultimately up to new coach Willie Desjardins. However, Benning noted that Vrbata's presence gives the Canucks the option of moving Alex Burrows, who enjoyed considerable success with the twins before he had a goal-starved, injury-plagued 2013-14 campaign, to the second line.
Burrows, he added, can make the second line better.
"Now, we have depth at the forward positions where everybody can contribute to the team," said Benning.
"I feel when you have chemistry with somebody, that helps so much today."
- New Vancouver Canucks winger Radim Vrbata on the chance of playing with Daniel and Henrik Sedin
Ultimately, the games on the ice will prove him right or wrong. But he made a good point as the Canucks prepare to battle in an an ultra-competitive Western Conference..
Last season, it was telling that the Canucks never recovered when journeyman forward Mike Santorelli was sidelined for the duration of a career year (28 points in 49 games) with a shoulder injury. The Canucks, Benning acknowledged, chose Vrbata, who has 215 goals and 249 assists in 796 career regular-season games, because they felt he was a better scorer than the younger Santorelli, 28.
Benning also acknowledged that the Canucks came to terms with Vrbata on the second day of free agency after some other potential deals didn't work out when the frenzy began July 1 after new rules allowed negotiations to begin a few days in advance.
Vrbata, who has a young family, said it was hard it was hard to leave Phoenix, but it was evident that the chance to play with the Sedins was a key, if not determining factor, in his decision.
"I feel when you have chemistry with somebody, that helps so much today," he said.
Notes: Vrbata has also played for Colorado, Carolina, Chicago and Tampa Bay. ... Santorelli signed a one-year, $1.35-million deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday. ... Vrbata played junior in Canada, with Hull (now Gatineau) and Shawinigan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. ... Now that Kesler has left, Vrbata has a chance to retain No. 17 in Vancouver after he wore the same number in Phoenix. Such a move would only heighten comparisons between the two forwards. ... Benning will concentrate on re-signing the team's restricted free agents, including defenceman Chris Tanev, this week and then see how much money he has left for more UFAs.
Follow me on Twitter @montestewart
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Whitecaps-Impact draw pales in comparison to FIFA World Cup
Carl Robinson could not be accused of putting a positive spin on his team's performance Wednesday night.
The Vancouver Whitecaps coach was less than impressed with their showing in a 0-0 draw with the Montreal Impact on Wednesday night.
The sellout crowd of 21,000 went home unhappy, even though the Caps (5-2-7) remained unbeaten in eight games after struggling against the Impact (2-7-5), who share last place overall in Major League Soccer with Chivas USA.
"It wasn't very enjoyable watching it, was it?" Robinson asked rhetorically. "I didn't enjoy watching it, and I think the players didn't enjoy playing in it. Bad day at the office,l I think we call it, and take a point. I think we're happy for a point. They could have won it. I think we could have won it."
Robinson said the Whitecaps, playing their first game after the MLS break for the FIFA World Cup, did not play up to the standard that they have displayed this season. He is in favour of not playing any games during the World Cup, which is continuing. Watching this game after viewing the 0-0 draw between France and Ecuador earlier in the day was like going from a pro game to a high school contest.
Since there was little to talk about in the game, other than the outstanding goalkeeping of Vancouver's David Ousted, Robinson broached a couple of subjects that merit further discussion. He is in favour of MLS not playing any games during the World Cup, and that is an idea that should be seriously considered -- just to avoid negative comparisons between North America's top professional circuit and the rest of the planet.
The NHL takes a break during the Olympics for obvious reasons. Most of the top players suit up for their countries in the Games. The same would not be the case for MLS players, because relatively few get called up to their national sides.
"There's arguments from both sides -- I think there really is," said Robinson of the decision to halt or continue MLS games during the World.een gr "It's been great watching the World Cup. The players have enjoyed watching the World Cup. It's hard to get back (after the break.) That's the reality. Constantly training players during the break, come September (and) October, then they get tired, then you haven't given them enough time off.
"When you find the answer, let me know, because figure (the solution) out, let me know, because I'm sitting and trying to figure out what it is."
One solution to brightening Wednesday's drudgery would be to decide the game in a shootout. In other words: Penalty kicks.
As the World Cup and other international events show, there is no shortage of suspense when a game is decided, after extra time, by penalties. A shootout would add more drama to a sport that, outside of playoffs, still welcomes draws. Few, if any, other sports in the world still allow ties to count in the standings.
Soccer prefers to hang on to a tradition that is badly out of date. Players might hate shootouts, and reporters on deadline are not overly fond of them, but fans would welcome them, and they would make a difference in the standings, since soccer awards three points for a win and one for a tie. Keeping the points system the same, but giving a point to the losing squad, as in hockey, would be a positive move.
Unlike in hockey, if winning teams get three points and losers get one, shootout wins in soocer would enable teams to gain clear separation from their rivals and make a significant difference in playoff positions. The possibility of going to the shootout, and only getting one point instead of three, would also motivate teams to seek wins in regulation time.
If a shootout were available, Wednesday's snoozer at B.C. Place Stadium would have been easily avoided, and Vancouver Whitecaps fans would have gone home entertained.
The Vancouver Whitecaps coach was less than impressed with their showing in a 0-0 draw with the Montreal Impact on Wednesday night.
The sellout crowd of 21,000 went home unhappy, even though the Caps (5-2-7) remained unbeaten in eight games after struggling against the Impact (2-7-5), who share last place overall in Major League Soccer with Chivas USA.
"It wasn't very enjoyable watching it, was it?" Robinson asked rhetorically. "I didn't enjoy watching it, and I think the players didn't enjoy playing in it. Bad day at the office,l I think we call it, and take a point. I think we're happy for a point. They could have won it. I think we could have won it."
Robinson said the Whitecaps, playing their first game after the MLS break for the FIFA World Cup, did not play up to the standard that they have displayed this season. He is in favour of not playing any games during the World Cup, which is continuing. Watching this game after viewing the 0-0 draw between France and Ecuador earlier in the day was like going from a pro game to a high school contest.
Since there was little to talk about in the game, other than the outstanding goalkeeping of Vancouver's David Ousted, Robinson broached a couple of subjects that merit further discussion. He is in favour of MLS not playing any games during the World Cup, and that is an idea that should be seriously considered -- just to avoid negative comparisons between North America's top professional circuit and the rest of the planet.
The NHL takes a break during the Olympics for obvious reasons. Most of the top players suit up for their countries in the Games. The same would not be the case for MLS players, because relatively few get called up to their national sides.
"There's arguments from both sides -- I think there really is," said Robinson of the decision to halt or continue MLS games during the World.een gr "It's been great watching the World Cup. The players have enjoyed watching the World Cup. It's hard to get back (after the break.) That's the reality. Constantly training players during the break, come September (and) October, then they get tired, then you haven't given them enough time off.
"When you find the answer, let me know, because figure (the solution) out, let me know, because I'm sitting and trying to figure out what it is."
One solution to brightening Wednesday's drudgery would be to decide the game in a shootout. In other words: Penalty kicks.
As the World Cup and other international events show, there is no shortage of suspense when a game is decided, after extra time, by penalties. A shootout would add more drama to a sport that, outside of playoffs, still welcomes draws. Few, if any, other sports in the world still allow ties to count in the standings.
Soccer prefers to hang on to a tradition that is badly out of date. Players might hate shootouts, and reporters on deadline are not overly fond of them, but fans would welcome them, and they would make a difference in the standings, since soccer awards three points for a win and one for a tie. Keeping the points system the same, but giving a point to the losing squad, as in hockey, would be a positive move.
Unlike in hockey, if winning teams get three points and losers get one, shootout wins in soocer would enable teams to gain clear separation from their rivals and make a significant difference in playoff positions. The possibility of going to the shootout, and only getting one point instead of three, would also motivate teams to seek wins in regulation time.
If a shootout were available, Wednesday's snoozer at B.C. Place Stadium would have been easily avoided, and Vancouver Whitecaps fans would have gone home entertained.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
NHL clubs give unsung coaches their big breaks
A good week for unsung hockey coaches got better Wednesday.
Mike Johnston became the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins after losing out to Willie Desjardins for the Vancouver Canucks coaching post. Both Johnston and Desjardins received NHL head coaching gigs for the the first time in their long and distinguished careers.
Ironically, Johnston, 57, got the Pittsburgh job because Desjardins, also 57, turned down the chance to tutor Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin et al.
More irony: Johnston and Desjardins are old friends. They worked together with the University of Calgary Dinos circa the the late 1980s while they were completing masters degrees in coaching science and social work, respectively, before going into coaching full-time.
Johnston, a Nova Scotia native, wound his way to Canadian college hockey, with the Camrose Kodiaks, and Canadian national team program, before moving on to assistant posts in the NHL with the Canucks and Los Angeles Kings. Seeking a head coaching job, he took over the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL, who were finalists in 2013-14 for the fourth consecutive season, and won the league title in 2012-13 while he was suspended because the league decided Portland had offered improper inducements to players and parents.
On Monday, after Desjardins' appointment was announced, Johnston and I spoke, and he talked as though he expected to return to Portland, because he preferred to be a head coach. But he obviously got the job he wanted.
Desjardins' first NHL job comes after his coaching journey began with waystops at the U of C, Japan, Canadian national team program and Medicine Hat of the WHL. In eight seasons, he guided the Tigers to a pair of WHL titles and a berth in the 2007 Memorial Cup final In the meantime, Desjardins served as an assistant and head coach with Canadian teams that won silver and gold in consecutive years at the world junior championships. Desjardins then spent two seasons as an assistant with the Dallas Stars before taking the helm of their Texas farm team because he preferred to be a head coach.
He led Texas to the AHL's Calder Cup title in the recently concluded season.
I've known Desjardins and Johnston for many years. Simply put, they are good people with outstanding hockey knowledge who have earned everything they have received the hard way. On first glance, they do not come across as typical coaches, because they appear friendlier than many peers who fit the bench boss stereotype better. However, they both know how to get players' respect and can lay down the law when necessary.
Desjardins is the opposite of former outspoken Vancouver coach John Tortorella, who was always good for a quote. But Desjardins, who admits that he doesn't like the spotlight, is still articulate, highly intelligent and willing to deal with media professionally.
The prediction here is that Desjardins will, ultimately, be a nice surprise for disgruntled Vancouver fans and prove his vow that the Canucks are "for real."
Johnston and Desjardins' hirings came in the same seven-day span that saw the Carolina Hurricanes give Bill Peters, 48, a former Detroit Red Wings assistant, his first head coaching gig after he spent more than two decades in lesser roles.
All in all, it's been a good week for unsung coaches as they finally get their big breaks in the NHL.
Mike Johnston became the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins after losing out to Willie Desjardins for the Vancouver Canucks coaching post. Both Johnston and Desjardins received NHL head coaching gigs for the the first time in their long and distinguished careers.
Ironically, Johnston, 57, got the Pittsburgh job because Desjardins, also 57, turned down the chance to tutor Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin et al.
More irony: Johnston and Desjardins are old friends. They worked together with the University of Calgary Dinos circa the the late 1980s while they were completing masters degrees in coaching science and social work, respectively, before going into coaching full-time.
Johnston, a Nova Scotia native, wound his way to Canadian college hockey, with the Camrose Kodiaks, and Canadian national team program, before moving on to assistant posts in the NHL with the Canucks and Los Angeles Kings. Seeking a head coaching job, he took over the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL, who were finalists in 2013-14 for the fourth consecutive season, and won the league title in 2012-13 while he was suspended because the league decided Portland had offered improper inducements to players and parents.
On Monday, after Desjardins' appointment was announced, Johnston and I spoke, and he talked as though he expected to return to Portland, because he preferred to be a head coach. But he obviously got the job he wanted.
Desjardins' first NHL job comes after his coaching journey began with waystops at the U of C, Japan, Canadian national team program and Medicine Hat of the WHL. In eight seasons, he guided the Tigers to a pair of WHL titles and a berth in the 2007 Memorial Cup final In the meantime, Desjardins served as an assistant and head coach with Canadian teams that won silver and gold in consecutive years at the world junior championships. Desjardins then spent two seasons as an assistant with the Dallas Stars before taking the helm of their Texas farm team because he preferred to be a head coach.
He led Texas to the AHL's Calder Cup title in the recently concluded season.
I've known Desjardins and Johnston for many years. Simply put, they are good people with outstanding hockey knowledge who have earned everything they have received the hard way. On first glance, they do not come across as typical coaches, because they appear friendlier than many peers who fit the bench boss stereotype better. However, they both know how to get players' respect and can lay down the law when necessary.
Desjardins is the opposite of former outspoken Vancouver coach John Tortorella, who was always good for a quote. But Desjardins, who admits that he doesn't like the spotlight, is still articulate, highly intelligent and willing to deal with media professionally.
The prediction here is that Desjardins will, ultimately, be a nice surprise for disgruntled Vancouver fans and prove his vow that the Canucks are "for real."
Johnston and Desjardins' hirings came in the same seven-day span that saw the Carolina Hurricanes give Bill Peters, 48, a former Detroit Red Wings assistant, his first head coaching gig after he spent more than two decades in lesser roles.
All in all, it's been a good week for unsung coaches as they finally get their big breaks in the NHL.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Geroy Simon aims to run a club one day
Geroy Simon doesn't play football anymore, but he is still reaching for the top.
"In 10 years, I see myself as being the GM or president of an organization," Simon said Friday as the B.C. Lions announced he would be placed in their Ring of Honour on July 25, when he will also have his jersey retired. "I don't wanna sit here and say I'm gonna be a regional scout. I wanna be running the show somewhere."
Simon, the CFL's all-time leading CFL receiver, retired recently after the Saskatchewan Roughriders, with whom he won a Grey Cup last season, and Lions, with whom he played 12 seasons before being traded in 2013, opted not to re-sign him.
"Once their decision was made, I just made the decision to retire," he said. "I wanted to play, but I also didn't wanna play anywhere else but B.C. or Saskatchewan."
Simon chose to accept a front-office position with the Roughriders, welcoming an opportunity to learn all sides of the team's operations, from the gridiron to the balance sheets.
He will maintain his family home in the Cloverdale area of Surrey, B.C. He does not rule out the possibility of returning to the Lions fold one day in a coaching or management role.
"I don't hold any animosity," he said about not getting a (playing) contract from the Lions. "That takes more effort, to be mad or to hold a grudge. I move on. I'm looking forward to my next career, and I'm happy with my decision everything that's happened."
There was clearly no animosity Friday as Simon was welcomed back at a news conference like a long lost son. It was another unusual moment for Simon and the Lions and reminiscent of his January 2013 trade to Saskatchewan.
On that day, he put on a suit and attended a Lions news conference, sitting alongside general manager Wally Buono.
The Lions guru said it was "extremely important" for the Lions to be able to honour Simon, who won two Grey Cups with B.C.
"It was really a no-brainer to acknowledge Geroy for what he did on and off the field," said Buono. "It's something that we're excited to do."
It also shows that Simon, the Lions and Roughriders, who gave their blessing to the B.C. occasion, are willing to do things differently than many others -- something that should always be lauded.
"I wanna thank Geroy for making this (Ring of Honour event) happen, because it would have been difficult to deal with (he didn't make it happen)," said Buono.
The Lions GM said Simon was the best B.C. player that he ever coach and predicted he will get a shot at running a team someday.
"He was the kind of guy that responded well to the challenges," said Buono. "The thing about players is, you want them to be able to expand the expectations. When you're the No. 1 receiver year in and year out, there's a tremendous price to play, because everybody'a after you and try to get you, to make you stop, and Geroy overcame all that."
Buono said he is willing to be a mentor to Simon again, if he is willing.
"If he wants to learn from me, I'll be very happy to help him, because I'm not going to be doing this for the rest of my life, either," said Buono.
But it's evident that football will still be a big part of Simon's life for many years to come. Even though he won three Grey Cup titles as a player, he still covets winning it again in his current and future roles.
"I'm not done at all," said Simon. "I'm gonna win a few more."
"In 10 years, I see myself as being the GM or president of an organization," Simon said Friday as the B.C. Lions announced he would be placed in their Ring of Honour on July 25, when he will also have his jersey retired. "I don't wanna sit here and say I'm gonna be a regional scout. I wanna be running the show somewhere."
Simon, the CFL's all-time leading CFL receiver, retired recently after the Saskatchewan Roughriders, with whom he won a Grey Cup last season, and Lions, with whom he played 12 seasons before being traded in 2013, opted not to re-sign him.
"Once their decision was made, I just made the decision to retire," he said. "I wanted to play, but I also didn't wanna play anywhere else but B.C. or Saskatchewan."
Simon chose to accept a front-office position with the Roughriders, welcoming an opportunity to learn all sides of the team's operations, from the gridiron to the balance sheets.
He will maintain his family home in the Cloverdale area of Surrey, B.C. He does not rule out the possibility of returning to the Lions fold one day in a coaching or management role.
"I don't hold any animosity," he said about not getting a (playing) contract from the Lions. "That takes more effort, to be mad or to hold a grudge. I move on. I'm looking forward to my next career, and I'm happy with my decision everything that's happened."
There was clearly no animosity Friday as Simon was welcomed back at a news conference like a long lost son. It was another unusual moment for Simon and the Lions and reminiscent of his January 2013 trade to Saskatchewan.
On that day, he put on a suit and attended a Lions news conference, sitting alongside general manager Wally Buono.
The Lions guru said it was "extremely important" for the Lions to be able to honour Simon, who won two Grey Cups with B.C.
"It was really a no-brainer to acknowledge Geroy for what he did on and off the field," said Buono. "It's something that we're excited to do."
It also shows that Simon, the Lions and Roughriders, who gave their blessing to the B.C. occasion, are willing to do things differently than many others -- something that should always be lauded.
"I wanna thank Geroy for making this (Ring of Honour event) happen, because it would have been difficult to deal with (he didn't make it happen)," said Buono.
The Lions GM said Simon was the best B.C. player that he ever coach and predicted he will get a shot at running a team someday.
"He was the kind of guy that responded well to the challenges," said Buono. "The thing about players is, you want them to be able to expand the expectations. When you're the No. 1 receiver year in and year out, there's a tremendous price to play, because everybody'a after you and try to get you, to make you stop, and Geroy overcame all that."
Buono said he is willing to be a mentor to Simon again, if he is willing.
"If he wants to learn from me, I'll be very happy to help him, because I'm not going to be doing this for the rest of my life, either," said Buono.
But it's evident that football will still be a big part of Simon's life for many years to come. Even though he won three Grey Cup titles as a player, he still covets winning it again in his current and future roles.
"I'm not done at all," said Simon. "I'm gonna win a few more."
Friday, June 6, 2014
Herdman predicts Canada-U.S. Women's World Cup final in 2015
Usually, news conferences that include politicians, officials from a sport’s governing body and other dignitaries can get downright stuffy – quickly.
But, in a matter of a few minutes, Canadian women’s soccer coach John Herdman managed to make one unexpectedly special Friday. Never mind that this presser, at Terry Fox Plaza outside B.C. Place Stadium, was intended to promote the one-year countdown to the 2015 Women’s World Cup that Canada will host.
Herdman’s team will not be finalized for months, but he boldly promised that Canada will face its arch rival the U.S. in the final at B.C. Place.
“I’m predicting it,” he said. “If it doesn’t happen, I lose my job – but that’s life.”
That point alone was enough to make the presser interesting, but Herdman, an Englishman who guided Canada to a 2012 Olympic bronze medal after taking over the club’s reins in 2011, did not stop there.
“In one year’s time, this team will be ready,” he said. “Ready to do what? (Players) will be ready to make Canada proud, and that’s what we live for. We’ll be ready to make history. Ready to win the first World Cup from Canada. We’ll be ready to inspire new generations of female soccer players, just like we did in 2012. You imagine that opportunity. That gets us out of bed every single morning. Nothing else. I wake up at 5 a.m. every morning, because we’ve got that chance – and it’ll be one chance, because this isn’t going to come back in Canada for a while.
“And, everyone that’s involved in our sport knows that, or ought to. This is the time to do something special for women’s soccer, and you won’t get that chance again.”
Herdman vowed that the Canadian women’s team will be ready to connect the country again, just like it did in 2012, when a referee’s controversial decision ended its gold-medal hopes. As you might recall, Canada suffered a heartbreaking semifinal loss to the Americans after lobbying from U.S. star Abby Wambach, prompted the referee to award the U.S. a free kick because Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod was found guilty of holding the ball too long. The free kick led a Canadian hand-ball infraction in Canada’s penalty area, and a decisive American penalty-kick.
Herdman is ready for more moments – special or otherwise – that help the club bond with each other and other Canadians.
“Whether it’s referee decisions, whatever, we’ll laugh together, we’ll chew our fingernails together, and we’ll cry together,” he said. “And, hopefully, this time, they’ll be tears of joy.”
Standing and listening to Herdman as he spoke passionately during his speech and scrums later with reporters, one could not help but admire his chutzpah while contemplating many other thoughts. For instance, the Canadian squad was lucky that he chose not to put himself in contention for his native England’s women’s coaching job when it became available last year – much to the relief of Canadian captain Christine Sinclair.
Also, the hype that the presser created was more than a little interesting when you consider that it was a women’s sporting event being promoted. Pick another women’s team in any other sport but hockey, during or outside an Olympic year, that generates as much buzz as Canada’s women’s soccer squad. Herdman, with his enthusiasm and never-say-die attitude, has been largely responsible for the hoopla that has been building since Canada hired him after a disappointing early exit from the 2011 Women’s World Cup.
Last but not least, one could not help but be confounded by the hopes and dreams that the Canadian women’s team continues to inspire while the men’s squad, which has not qualified for the World Cup since 1986 and will be watching the upcoming Brazil World Cup with considerable envy, is languishing in the middle of nowhere. Canadian men’s coach Benito Floro, supposedly a Spanish legend has generated little, if any, buzz since he was hired in August 2013
The low-scoring men’s club has an extremely low profile in Canada, often training and playing friendlies against (ahem) juggernauts like Bulgaria and Moldava overseas. Identical 1-1 draws against those two nations this year are considered big rays hope for an eventual return to respectability. Now, contrast that outlook with Herdman’s expectations.
Floro has pledged to involve Canada’s three MLS teams, the Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and Montreal Impact, which are developing young domestic talent every day, in the national men’s development program. But, again, few, if any, strides appear to be occurring.
Given the many months that it took to hire Floro after Canada’s humiliating 8-1 loss to Honduras in World Cup qualifying, it appears that the men’s program, known for turf wars between soccer’s provincial and national governing bodies, is still in disarray. On the other hand, it seems like the sport’s poohbahs have left the women’s program alone – and it has flourished.
Of course, this is a grand simplification. Canada Soccer puts considerable resources into the women’s program, which has few professional players at its disposal due to limited funding for those assigned to fledgling National Women’s Soccer League teams. (The Canadian, U.S. and Mexican federations pay the salaries of players that they assign to NWSL teams.)
However, when it comes to soccer in Canada and its troubled history on the men’s side, perception is everything. As was clear Friday, John Herdman is creating a positive and highly meaningful image for the women’s program that will remain for decades to come. The men’s team? Not so much.
Sooner or later, the prediction is here, the search will be on for another national men’s coach, and Canada Soccer officials can only hope that they find another one like John Herdman.
In other words, it will be a long time before any Canadian men’s coach dares to predict that his team will win a World Cup.
But, in a matter of a few minutes, Canadian women’s soccer coach John Herdman managed to make one unexpectedly special Friday. Never mind that this presser, at Terry Fox Plaza outside B.C. Place Stadium, was intended to promote the one-year countdown to the 2015 Women’s World Cup that Canada will host.
Herdman’s team will not be finalized for months, but he boldly promised that Canada will face its arch rival the U.S. in the final at B.C. Place.
“I’m predicting it,” he said. “If it doesn’t happen, I lose my job – but that’s life.”
That point alone was enough to make the presser interesting, but Herdman, an Englishman who guided Canada to a 2012 Olympic bronze medal after taking over the club’s reins in 2011, did not stop there.
“In one year’s time, this team will be ready,” he said. “Ready to do what? (Players) will be ready to make Canada proud, and that’s what we live for. We’ll be ready to make history. Ready to win the first World Cup from Canada. We’ll be ready to inspire new generations of female soccer players, just like we did in 2012. You imagine that opportunity. That gets us out of bed every single morning. Nothing else. I wake up at 5 a.m. every morning, because we’ve got that chance – and it’ll be one chance, because this isn’t going to come back in Canada for a while.
“And, everyone that’s involved in our sport knows that, or ought to. This is the time to do something special for women’s soccer, and you won’t get that chance again.”
Herdman vowed that the Canadian women’s team will be ready to connect the country again, just like it did in 2012, when a referee’s controversial decision ended its gold-medal hopes. As you might recall, Canada suffered a heartbreaking semifinal loss to the Americans after lobbying from U.S. star Abby Wambach, prompted the referee to award the U.S. a free kick because Canadian goalkeeper Erin McLeod was found guilty of holding the ball too long. The free kick led a Canadian hand-ball infraction in Canada’s penalty area, and a decisive American penalty-kick.
Herdman is ready for more moments – special or otherwise – that help the club bond with each other and other Canadians.
“Whether it’s referee decisions, whatever, we’ll laugh together, we’ll chew our fingernails together, and we’ll cry together,” he said. “And, hopefully, this time, they’ll be tears of joy.”
Standing and listening to Herdman as he spoke passionately during his speech and scrums later with reporters, one could not help but admire his chutzpah while contemplating many other thoughts. For instance, the Canadian squad was lucky that he chose not to put himself in contention for his native England’s women’s coaching job when it became available last year – much to the relief of Canadian captain Christine Sinclair.
Also, the hype that the presser created was more than a little interesting when you consider that it was a women’s sporting event being promoted. Pick another women’s team in any other sport but hockey, during or outside an Olympic year, that generates as much buzz as Canada’s women’s soccer squad. Herdman, with his enthusiasm and never-say-die attitude, has been largely responsible for the hoopla that has been building since Canada hired him after a disappointing early exit from the 2011 Women’s World Cup.
Last but not least, one could not help but be confounded by the hopes and dreams that the Canadian women’s team continues to inspire while the men’s squad, which has not qualified for the World Cup since 1986 and will be watching the upcoming Brazil World Cup with considerable envy, is languishing in the middle of nowhere. Canadian men’s coach Benito Floro, supposedly a Spanish legend has generated little, if any, buzz since he was hired in August 2013
The low-scoring men’s club has an extremely low profile in Canada, often training and playing friendlies against (ahem) juggernauts like Bulgaria and Moldava overseas. Identical 1-1 draws against those two nations this year are considered big rays hope for an eventual return to respectability. Now, contrast that outlook with Herdman’s expectations.
Floro has pledged to involve Canada’s three MLS teams, the Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and Montreal Impact, which are developing young domestic talent every day, in the national men’s development program. But, again, few, if any, strides appear to be occurring.
Given the many months that it took to hire Floro after Canada’s humiliating 8-1 loss to Honduras in World Cup qualifying, it appears that the men’s program, known for turf wars between soccer’s provincial and national governing bodies, is still in disarray. On the other hand, it seems like the sport’s poohbahs have left the women’s program alone – and it has flourished.
Of course, this is a grand simplification. Canada Soccer puts considerable resources into the women’s program, which has few professional players at its disposal due to limited funding for those assigned to fledgling National Women’s Soccer League teams. (The Canadian, U.S. and Mexican federations pay the salaries of players that they assign to NWSL teams.)
However, when it comes to soccer in Canada and its troubled history on the men’s side, perception is everything. As was clear Friday, John Herdman is creating a positive and highly meaningful image for the women’s program that will remain for decades to come. The men’s team? Not so much.
Sooner or later, the prediction is here, the search will be on for another national men’s coach, and Canada Soccer officials can only hope that they find another one like John Herdman.
In other words, it will be a long time before any Canadian men’s coach dares to predict that his team will win a World Cup.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Gershon Koffie's effort against Seattle bodes well for young Whitecaps
Gershon Koffie broke out of his defensive shell Saturday.
For much of this MLS season, the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder has played a holding role intent on stopping the opponent’s top offensive players. But against the Seattle Sounders, he moved up into the attack.
He was rewarded with a goal and was robbed on a last-second shot while enjoying several other scoring chances, helping the Whitecaps earn a 2-2 draw with their regional rivals before a sellout crowd of 21,000 at B.C. Place Stadium.
“The manager (coach Carl Robinson) asked me to move forward a lot, and we can’t play with so many guys back, so I got the opportunities to score,” said Koffie afterwards.
The Whitecaps improved to 4-2-5. The Sounders, who entered the same in first place in the Western Conference, now stand at 8-3-1.
Koffie’s goal in the 66th goal was a gimme as Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei rushed out of the net to get an errant ball on the right flank. In a desperate attempt to keep the ball in bounds, he volleyed it into the middle of Seattle’s half. Koffie chested the ball down, waited momentarily and sent a high shot from distance into the net as Frei came up just short of getting back to it.
“I think last year I scored (a similar one) against Chivas – same except the goalie went off his line to play the ball,” said Koffie.”
The goal, Koffie’s first of the season, put Vancouver ahead 2-1. But Gonzalo Pineda netted the draw as he scored on a penalty-kick in the 82nd minute.
The spot kick resulted after Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit was called for a foul as he and second-half substitute Cam Weaver went up for the ball and both fell on the way down.
As six minutes of added time were coming to an end, Frei robbed Koffie as he raced in on goal. The ball went off the goalkeeper’s hand and into touch, but the final whistle sounded before the Whitecaps could take their corner-kick.
Six minutes into the game, Koffie sent a volley just wide of the goalpost and then, about three minutes later, nailed a shot off the crossbar after making a fine run up the middle of the pitch. Simply put, the XX-year-old Ghana native was a force in midfield both offensively and defensively – and the obvious choice for his club’s player of the match.
Koffie overshadowed Vancouver’s new attacking midfielder Pedro Morales, who stood out at times but was less visible than usual. Ironically, Koffie excelled in the second half even though he took a yellow card in the first half after he fell, apparently faking an injury, after he ran onto a cross at the far post and went down after Frei got his hands on him.
“When you get booked early you have to be careful about what you do, and you can’t create any fouls, so the manager told me I had a yellow card, so I should be careful,” Koffie said.
Koffie’s effort was evidence that he still has plenty of upside to his game after coming under criticism from Robinson at times this season and former coach Martin Rennie in the past.
“Yeah, it was probably his best performance,” said Robinson. “He’s been excellent the last three or four games for me. I keep saying to him that he needs to keep scoring goals. He’s a midfield player. Not just his goal, but I think he hit the bar in the first couple of minutes, and then could have nicked it in the end with two more chances. It was an all-around performance from him today, and he should be proud of himself.”
Whitecaps management, coaches and player development types can also feel good about their efforts, too.
One tends to forget that, although Koffie is in his fourth MLS season and fifth overall with the Whitecaps, he is only 22 years old. It’s evident that he is gaining a vision for the pitch that he has been accused of lacking even this season and in previous years. Such improvement often comes only after years of staying after practice to do extra work, countless hours of fitness workouts and dedication.
Thanks to Koffie’s efforts, the Whitecaps controlled play for most of the match and thought, justifiably, that they should have won easily.
If Koffie, Erik Hurtado, who scored Vancouver’s other goal on a super individual effort, and Kekuta Manneh had not been foiled by Frei on several opportunities, it could have been a blowout.
Chad Barrett scored Seattle’s other goal on a header that gave Seattle a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute after the Whitecaps had dominated the first 30 minutes.
While the Whitecaps were dejected about allowing the Sounders to come back and earn a point in the standings, the performance was a sign of the upside that the Caps have after deciding to part ways with Scottish international Kenny Miller. Robinson was not about to rip his young forwards ad midfielders after coming up empty, often due to Frei, on several scoring chances.
“It’d concern me more if we weren’t getting chances,” said Robinson. “Obviously, we’re getting chances. We got to work at that, or do something about it. I’ve openly said we’re looking at trying to bring in (offensive) players to help this group, and I’ll continue to do that. But the player has to be the right player or players, and if they are, then we’ll move forward with that. But the guys in there, I said I’m delighted with them today, and I’m proud of them. Erik Hurtado again, another fantastic goal and performance and we’re just moving in the right direction slowly.”
Koffie’s improved play demonstrates that the Whitecaps’ strategy of developing players from within their system can pay off.
Since arriving in Vancouver while still in his teens, he has demonstrated strong skill on the ball, the ability to play physical when necessary, a strong shot and decent speed. But he has also committed poor passes, struggled to communicate with teammates in the silent language of the game where moves offer unspoken instructions, and missed shots on many nights. Now, it appears that he is adding another dimension – field smarts – which can overcome inconsistency that has been glaring at times.
Koffie’s showing and those of his mates bode well as the Whitecaps prepare for a game in Portland next weekend.
“The manager told me I did well on my performance, and I could have got more than one goal,” said Koffie. “I guess we will take it to the next game and see what happens.”
For much of this MLS season, the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder has played a holding role intent on stopping the opponent’s top offensive players. But against the Seattle Sounders, he moved up into the attack.
He was rewarded with a goal and was robbed on a last-second shot while enjoying several other scoring chances, helping the Whitecaps earn a 2-2 draw with their regional rivals before a sellout crowd of 21,000 at B.C. Place Stadium.
“The manager (coach Carl Robinson) asked me to move forward a lot, and we can’t play with so many guys back, so I got the opportunities to score,” said Koffie afterwards.
The Whitecaps improved to 4-2-5. The Sounders, who entered the same in first place in the Western Conference, now stand at 8-3-1.
Koffie’s goal in the 66th goal was a gimme as Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei rushed out of the net to get an errant ball on the right flank. In a desperate attempt to keep the ball in bounds, he volleyed it into the middle of Seattle’s half. Koffie chested the ball down, waited momentarily and sent a high shot from distance into the net as Frei came up just short of getting back to it.
“I think last year I scored (a similar one) against Chivas – same except the goalie went off his line to play the ball,” said Koffie.”
The goal, Koffie’s first of the season, put Vancouver ahead 2-1. But Gonzalo Pineda netted the draw as he scored on a penalty-kick in the 82nd minute.
The spot kick resulted after Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit was called for a foul as he and second-half substitute Cam Weaver went up for the ball and both fell on the way down.
As six minutes of added time were coming to an end, Frei robbed Koffie as he raced in on goal. The ball went off the goalkeeper’s hand and into touch, but the final whistle sounded before the Whitecaps could take their corner-kick.
Six minutes into the game, Koffie sent a volley just wide of the goalpost and then, about three minutes later, nailed a shot off the crossbar after making a fine run up the middle of the pitch. Simply put, the XX-year-old Ghana native was a force in midfield both offensively and defensively – and the obvious choice for his club’s player of the match.
Koffie overshadowed Vancouver’s new attacking midfielder Pedro Morales, who stood out at times but was less visible than usual. Ironically, Koffie excelled in the second half even though he took a yellow card in the first half after he fell, apparently faking an injury, after he ran onto a cross at the far post and went down after Frei got his hands on him.
“When you get booked early you have to be careful about what you do, and you can’t create any fouls, so the manager told me I had a yellow card, so I should be careful,” Koffie said.
Koffie’s effort was evidence that he still has plenty of upside to his game after coming under criticism from Robinson at times this season and former coach Martin Rennie in the past.
“Yeah, it was probably his best performance,” said Robinson. “He’s been excellent the last three or four games for me. I keep saying to him that he needs to keep scoring goals. He’s a midfield player. Not just his goal, but I think he hit the bar in the first couple of minutes, and then could have nicked it in the end with two more chances. It was an all-around performance from him today, and he should be proud of himself.”
Whitecaps management, coaches and player development types can also feel good about their efforts, too.
One tends to forget that, although Koffie is in his fourth MLS season and fifth overall with the Whitecaps, he is only 22 years old. It’s evident that he is gaining a vision for the pitch that he has been accused of lacking even this season and in previous years. Such improvement often comes only after years of staying after practice to do extra work, countless hours of fitness workouts and dedication.
Thanks to Koffie’s efforts, the Whitecaps controlled play for most of the match and thought, justifiably, that they should have won easily.
If Koffie, Erik Hurtado, who scored Vancouver’s other goal on a super individual effort, and Kekuta Manneh had not been foiled by Frei on several opportunities, it could have been a blowout.
Chad Barrett scored Seattle’s other goal on a header that gave Seattle a 1-0 lead in the 36th minute after the Whitecaps had dominated the first 30 minutes.
While the Whitecaps were dejected about allowing the Sounders to come back and earn a point in the standings, the performance was a sign of the upside that the Caps have after deciding to part ways with Scottish international Kenny Miller. Robinson was not about to rip his young forwards ad midfielders after coming up empty, often due to Frei, on several scoring chances.
“It’d concern me more if we weren’t getting chances,” said Robinson. “Obviously, we’re getting chances. We got to work at that, or do something about it. I’ve openly said we’re looking at trying to bring in (offensive) players to help this group, and I’ll continue to do that. But the player has to be the right player or players, and if they are, then we’ll move forward with that. But the guys in there, I said I’m delighted with them today, and I’m proud of them. Erik Hurtado again, another fantastic goal and performance and we’re just moving in the right direction slowly.”
Koffie’s improved play demonstrates that the Whitecaps’ strategy of developing players from within their system can pay off.
Since arriving in Vancouver while still in his teens, he has demonstrated strong skill on the ball, the ability to play physical when necessary, a strong shot and decent speed. But he has also committed poor passes, struggled to communicate with teammates in the silent language of the game where moves offer unspoken instructions, and missed shots on many nights. Now, it appears that he is adding another dimension – field smarts – which can overcome inconsistency that has been glaring at times.
Koffie’s showing and those of his mates bode well as the Whitecaps prepare for a game in Portland next weekend.
“The manager told me I did well on my performance, and I could have got more than one goal,” said Koffie. “I guess we will take it to the next game and see what happens.”
Jim Benning makes good impression on first day on job
Jim Benning did not look out of place as he spoke to a large media throng as a National Hockey League general manager for the first time Friday.
Although the Vancouver Canucks’ new GM is, technically, a rookie at his position, he appeared quite the opposite, exuding a quiet confidence. He was calm, relaxed and receptive to questions that his predecessor, the fired Mike Gillis, might have evaded or simply refused to answer. Benning even introduced himself to media types.
In other words, a decidedly different era has begun.
There was no slamming of core players that former coach John Tortorella called “stale” in his final news conference with the Canucks. Instead, Benning praised the club’s “high-character” and “quality” veterans who helped the Canucks come within a game of winning the Stanley Cup in 2011.
Benning displayed no swagger or bravado, and made no promises of a quick-fix. Contrary to what others might have done, the 51-year-old Edmonton native did not appear anxious to make a strong first impression. He displayed honesty and modesty that defied his position as the new No. 2 hockey executive behind president of hockey operations Trevor Linden, a former Canucks teammate.
But Benning did make an impression while clearly demonstrating that he is not a know-it-all.
“You don’t really know if you’re ready (to be a GM) until you actually do it,” he said. “But I’m going to work hard.”
One might recall that, upon arrival, Gillis said he wasn’t sure whether Daniel and Henrik Sedin were first-line players, and he asserted that the Canucks were “not close” to being Stanley Cup contenders.
On the other hand, Benning expressed optimism, which some might say was unfounded, that the Canucks can get back to their heydays with the same core – while also saying that the club would ask a veteran to waive his no-trade clause, if management feels that’s necessary.
“I believe in our core players,” Benning said. “They're high-character people … We are going to try and help them out by having more depth on our roster and playing four lines. We need to hire the right coach. That will be an important decision for us going forward.
"Some of the players, for whatever reason, just didn't have a good season last year. It's a good team, it's a talented team, and I feel confident that these guys are going to have a good year next year."
Obviously, Benning is aware that his first major decision – the hiring of a new coach – will be pivotal to take the Canucks “back in the right direction.” In Tortorella’s one and only season with the Canucks, he was, at times, comical, ludicrous, sad and baffling.
For details, see his pre-season comments about reporters with cell phones and players’ use of Twitter; his effort to “get” Calgary Flames coach Bob Hartley by storming their dressing room; the Canucks’ losing streaks; injuries to the Sedins and others; and the decision not to call a timeout while the New York Islanders were overcoming a 3-0 third-period lead en route to a miraculous one-sided comeback win. Also, check out Tortorella’s decision to bench former top goaltender Roberto Luongo for the Heritage Classic; and Vancouver’s absence from the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Don’t expect the next Canucks coach to be as volatile or enigmatic.
“We want a coach that is firm, but fair, that has good communication skills so he can relate to the players,” said Benning. “We want a coach that is going to play a structured style of game when we don't have the puck, but give the players the freedom to skate and create when they do have the puck.”
You can expect no gong shows like the ones that occurred and longer practices than the short ones that Tortorella preferred. (Those sniffles you hear are from media types who had plenty of good quotes and story material.) The club’s style, which was often in question under Tortorella, should be more distinct under Benning and the new coach.
“We want to become a four-line team,” Benning said. “You watch the playoffs, the final four teams that are playing, they have four lines that contribute. We want our third and fourth lines to have a role in the team winning.
“We have some work to do there in getting to that point, but we want to be a four-line, (six-defencemen), complete team.”
He pledged to have third and fourth lines that have more physicality and grit, and can keep the puck in the offensive zone for a while and “take the heat off” the top two lines.
“We need to get back to what we're good at,” Benning said. “This organization needs to play an up-tempo, fast-skating, skilled game. Before last season this team had almost an attitude about them, a relentless attitude to skate and to wear teams down and to score. For whatever reason that didn't happen last year, but I am hoping with (Linden) we hire the right coach for this group and we can recapture that going forward.”
Whether Benning can get what he wants from within or outside the organization remains to be seen. This summer’s NHL draft, in which Vancouver has the sixth overall selection as its first pick, will also be crucial to the Canucks’ turnaround hopes. It could determine how long the process will take, pending the players chosen and trades that send draft choices the other way.
Benning’s skills as a scout should come in handy here.
After completing his playing career, the former Toronto Maple Leafs and Canucks defenceman went to work as a scout, initially on a part-time basis, with the Buffalo Sabres, where he spent 12 years. He rose to the post of director of amateur scouting with the Sabres and then moved on to the Boston Bruins for eight seasons and served as director of player personnel and assistant general manager.
He has worn a heavy coat and sipped hot beverages from on high in many frigid rinks. But, to his credit, he did not slag Vancouver’s beleaguered scouting crew. Head scout Ron Delorme and his cohorts have come under criticism after only one Gillis draft choice became an NHL regular. Ironically, Cody Hodgson was the former GM’s first-ever draft pick, but he now plays for Buffalo as a result of a trade that has worked heavily in the Sabres’ favour thus far.
Generally, Vancouver has had a poor draft record throughout its NHL existence. But there are some notable exceptions, including Linden, Pavel Bure and the Sedins. And, if you look closely, you will see that the bulk of the Canucks’ core was mined from the draft after being scouted by current top bird dogs.
What people tend to forget: Many teams have the same players on their lists and get access to other lists provided by NHL Central Scouting. At any rate, most scouts know who the best teenage players are and where – in the world – to find them. The challenge is to recognize other factors – namely, heart, desire, mental toughness and personal issues – and being able to forecast what most players will be like when they are supposedly ready for the NHL in about four years. The latter duty falls largely to senior management. Scouts are like waiters who serve appetizers during cocktail hour. However, with every team, the GM or, in today’s new front-office model, the GM and the president of hockey operations, investigate what is really underneath the top layer and then do the picking or the passing.
It has become increasingly evident that Gillis, Delorme and other scouts were not on the same wavelength at draft time and on many other occasions. How else do you explain the decision to draft under-sized centre Jordan Schroeder with the club’s first selection, ahead of David Perron, in 2010? Schroeder appears in danger of being let go as a restricted free agent this summer, although it should be noted that he has battled several injuries. How else do you explain other picks that have languished in the minors and not even been signed? How else do you explain the little heed paid to players from the Western Hockey League, which produces some of the league’s top players annually? These WHL players don’t just come from Canada. They also hail from the U.S. and Europe, because youngsters want to play in one of the top junior leagues in the world. What about several trades that did not work out or go as expected?
See Luongo and Schneider, Cory. Position: Goaltender.
In these matters, it was Gillis who had the final say.
To his credit, Benning did not slam Vancouver’s scouts, pledging to work with them instead.
“I come from a scouting background,” said Benning, who was drafted sixth overall by Toronto in 1981 after starring for the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL and went on to play 10 NHL seasons before concluding his career in the minors. “We are going to give these (scouts) direction. I'm going to communicate what we want, what we think a Vancouver Canuck player should be. And I'm going to work with them. I am going to get out and see games. I'm going to be part of that group and I am going to try and make that group better.”
The feeling here is that Benning’s cause will be aided if he also listens to his scouts and makes draft picks and trades based on their assessments and recommendations instead of ignoring their observations and advice. Considering that Benning used to make the recommendations and helped the Bruins make some excellent selections en route to their 2011 Stanley Cup victory, chances are that he will listen.
Again to his credit, Benning pledged to work with the management team that includes assistant general manager and salary cap specialist Laurence Gilman, who was passed for the GM’s post, and fellow assistant GM Lorne Henning and franchise icon Stan Smyl, who has the title of senior advisor to the general manager but should be called Canuck for life. Benning equated the management team to players in the dressing room who will work together and support each other.
The new GM stressed that he is not going to come in and make changes until he makes proper assessments. There was no mention of a sleep doctor or using “science” (a Gillis hallmark) to better the team, and analytics only came up briefly. In Benning’s view, they help when evaluating veteran NHLers, but not with amateurs who are still developing.
In other words, Benning is going to rebuild the Canucks in a methodical manner, largely on effort. He won’t blow up the building and start over. It remains to be seen whether that approach will appease Canuck fans, because there is considerable work to be done before the season starts. He has a coach to hire and the NHL scouting combine, draft, trades and contract matters to sort out. Not necessarily in that order.
However, if Benning’s first day on the job was any indication, he will give Canuck Nation reason to start believing in him – and his abilities – in the near future.
Although the Vancouver Canucks’ new GM is, technically, a rookie at his position, he appeared quite the opposite, exuding a quiet confidence. He was calm, relaxed and receptive to questions that his predecessor, the fired Mike Gillis, might have evaded or simply refused to answer. Benning even introduced himself to media types.
In other words, a decidedly different era has begun.
There was no slamming of core players that former coach John Tortorella called “stale” in his final news conference with the Canucks. Instead, Benning praised the club’s “high-character” and “quality” veterans who helped the Canucks come within a game of winning the Stanley Cup in 2011.
Benning displayed no swagger or bravado, and made no promises of a quick-fix. Contrary to what others might have done, the 51-year-old Edmonton native did not appear anxious to make a strong first impression. He displayed honesty and modesty that defied his position as the new No. 2 hockey executive behind president of hockey operations Trevor Linden, a former Canucks teammate.
But Benning did make an impression while clearly demonstrating that he is not a know-it-all.
“You don’t really know if you’re ready (to be a GM) until you actually do it,” he said. “But I’m going to work hard.”
One might recall that, upon arrival, Gillis said he wasn’t sure whether Daniel and Henrik Sedin were first-line players, and he asserted that the Canucks were “not close” to being Stanley Cup contenders.
On the other hand, Benning expressed optimism, which some might say was unfounded, that the Canucks can get back to their heydays with the same core – while also saying that the club would ask a veteran to waive his no-trade clause, if management feels that’s necessary.
“I believe in our core players,” Benning said. “They're high-character people … We are going to try and help them out by having more depth on our roster and playing four lines. We need to hire the right coach. That will be an important decision for us going forward.
"Some of the players, for whatever reason, just didn't have a good season last year. It's a good team, it's a talented team, and I feel confident that these guys are going to have a good year next year."
Obviously, Benning is aware that his first major decision – the hiring of a new coach – will be pivotal to take the Canucks “back in the right direction.” In Tortorella’s one and only season with the Canucks, he was, at times, comical, ludicrous, sad and baffling.
For details, see his pre-season comments about reporters with cell phones and players’ use of Twitter; his effort to “get” Calgary Flames coach Bob Hartley by storming their dressing room; the Canucks’ losing streaks; injuries to the Sedins and others; and the decision not to call a timeout while the New York Islanders were overcoming a 3-0 third-period lead en route to a miraculous one-sided comeback win. Also, check out Tortorella’s decision to bench former top goaltender Roberto Luongo for the Heritage Classic; and Vancouver’s absence from the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Don’t expect the next Canucks coach to be as volatile or enigmatic.
“We want a coach that is firm, but fair, that has good communication skills so he can relate to the players,” said Benning. “We want a coach that is going to play a structured style of game when we don't have the puck, but give the players the freedom to skate and create when they do have the puck.”
You can expect no gong shows like the ones that occurred and longer practices than the short ones that Tortorella preferred. (Those sniffles you hear are from media types who had plenty of good quotes and story material.) The club’s style, which was often in question under Tortorella, should be more distinct under Benning and the new coach.
“We want to become a four-line team,” Benning said. “You watch the playoffs, the final four teams that are playing, they have four lines that contribute. We want our third and fourth lines to have a role in the team winning.
“We have some work to do there in getting to that point, but we want to be a four-line, (six-defencemen), complete team.”
He pledged to have third and fourth lines that have more physicality and grit, and can keep the puck in the offensive zone for a while and “take the heat off” the top two lines.
“We need to get back to what we're good at,” Benning said. “This organization needs to play an up-tempo, fast-skating, skilled game. Before last season this team had almost an attitude about them, a relentless attitude to skate and to wear teams down and to score. For whatever reason that didn't happen last year, but I am hoping with (Linden) we hire the right coach for this group and we can recapture that going forward.”
Whether Benning can get what he wants from within or outside the organization remains to be seen. This summer’s NHL draft, in which Vancouver has the sixth overall selection as its first pick, will also be crucial to the Canucks’ turnaround hopes. It could determine how long the process will take, pending the players chosen and trades that send draft choices the other way.
Benning’s skills as a scout should come in handy here.
After completing his playing career, the former Toronto Maple Leafs and Canucks defenceman went to work as a scout, initially on a part-time basis, with the Buffalo Sabres, where he spent 12 years. He rose to the post of director of amateur scouting with the Sabres and then moved on to the Boston Bruins for eight seasons and served as director of player personnel and assistant general manager.
He has worn a heavy coat and sipped hot beverages from on high in many frigid rinks. But, to his credit, he did not slag Vancouver’s beleaguered scouting crew. Head scout Ron Delorme and his cohorts have come under criticism after only one Gillis draft choice became an NHL regular. Ironically, Cody Hodgson was the former GM’s first-ever draft pick, but he now plays for Buffalo as a result of a trade that has worked heavily in the Sabres’ favour thus far.
Generally, Vancouver has had a poor draft record throughout its NHL existence. But there are some notable exceptions, including Linden, Pavel Bure and the Sedins. And, if you look closely, you will see that the bulk of the Canucks’ core was mined from the draft after being scouted by current top bird dogs.
What people tend to forget: Many teams have the same players on their lists and get access to other lists provided by NHL Central Scouting. At any rate, most scouts know who the best teenage players are and where – in the world – to find them. The challenge is to recognize other factors – namely, heart, desire, mental toughness and personal issues – and being able to forecast what most players will be like when they are supposedly ready for the NHL in about four years. The latter duty falls largely to senior management. Scouts are like waiters who serve appetizers during cocktail hour. However, with every team, the GM or, in today’s new front-office model, the GM and the president of hockey operations, investigate what is really underneath the top layer and then do the picking or the passing.
It has become increasingly evident that Gillis, Delorme and other scouts were not on the same wavelength at draft time and on many other occasions. How else do you explain the decision to draft under-sized centre Jordan Schroeder with the club’s first selection, ahead of David Perron, in 2010? Schroeder appears in danger of being let go as a restricted free agent this summer, although it should be noted that he has battled several injuries. How else do you explain other picks that have languished in the minors and not even been signed? How else do you explain the little heed paid to players from the Western Hockey League, which produces some of the league’s top players annually? These WHL players don’t just come from Canada. They also hail from the U.S. and Europe, because youngsters want to play in one of the top junior leagues in the world. What about several trades that did not work out or go as expected?
See Luongo and Schneider, Cory. Position: Goaltender.
In these matters, it was Gillis who had the final say.
To his credit, Benning did not slam Vancouver’s scouts, pledging to work with them instead.
“I come from a scouting background,” said Benning, who was drafted sixth overall by Toronto in 1981 after starring for the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL and went on to play 10 NHL seasons before concluding his career in the minors. “We are going to give these (scouts) direction. I'm going to communicate what we want, what we think a Vancouver Canuck player should be. And I'm going to work with them. I am going to get out and see games. I'm going to be part of that group and I am going to try and make that group better.”
The feeling here is that Benning’s cause will be aided if he also listens to his scouts and makes draft picks and trades based on their assessments and recommendations instead of ignoring their observations and advice. Considering that Benning used to make the recommendations and helped the Bruins make some excellent selections en route to their 2011 Stanley Cup victory, chances are that he will listen.
Again to his credit, Benning pledged to work with the management team that includes assistant general manager and salary cap specialist Laurence Gilman, who was passed for the GM’s post, and fellow assistant GM Lorne Henning and franchise icon Stan Smyl, who has the title of senior advisor to the general manager but should be called Canuck for life. Benning equated the management team to players in the dressing room who will work together and support each other.
The new GM stressed that he is not going to come in and make changes until he makes proper assessments. There was no mention of a sleep doctor or using “science” (a Gillis hallmark) to better the team, and analytics only came up briefly. In Benning’s view, they help when evaluating veteran NHLers, but not with amateurs who are still developing.
In other words, Benning is going to rebuild the Canucks in a methodical manner, largely on effort. He won’t blow up the building and start over. It remains to be seen whether that approach will appease Canuck fans, because there is considerable work to be done before the season starts. He has a coach to hire and the NHL scouting combine, draft, trades and contract matters to sort out. Not necessarily in that order.
However, if Benning’s first day on the job was any indication, he will give Canuck Nation reason to start believing in him – and his abilities – in the near future.
Monday, April 14, 2014
Tortorella calls for Canucks to improve on their lack of depth
It’s time for the Vancouver Canucks to stop dwelling on their 2011 Stanley Cup finals appearance and start retooling for the future, says coach John Tortorella.
“This is a group that’s been together for a long time,” he said Monday, a day after the Canucks’ 2013-14 season ended. “It’s stale. It needs youth. It needs a change – it needs a change – and I felt that from day one.
“We’re not in 2011. We have to stop talking about 2011. The team needs to be retooled, and that’s where change is. It is a young man’s game. It’s certainly not a criticism of them. We need to surround them with some enthusiasm.”
But he also called for changes to “some of the team’s core” as part of the “evolution” that’s necessary. He does not want to see massive changes, but noted "there is a heartbeat of a team, and it needs to be surrounded.”
Tortorella made his comments less than 24 hours after the Canucks missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008, knowing that he might not be around next season. In other words, even with his job on the line, nobody could accuse him of trying to be politically correct.
And, he wasn’t about to try to spin things as he prepares to discuss his future with new team president Trevor Linden.
“I don’t coach to keep my job,” said Tortorella. “I’m not going to go into any meeting trying to save my job. I just don’t do it that way. I am going to tell him what I think. Trevor is very efficient and, from what I understand, he is on top of everything as far as the interviews and what he’s doing. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. I loved him as a player and, (in) just a short time I’ve seen him here, you’re in good hands. The team is in good hands. But I’m not going to be rehearsed.”
The Canucks finished 12th in the Western Conference with a 36-35-11 record for 83 points. Only the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers finished behind them in the conference. The Winnipeg Jets, who fired their coach in mid-season, finished with one more point than Vancouver.
Tortorella said his biggest regret was not staying on top of his team to keep it playing well after a strong first half. But he contended that he did not know how his six-game suspension for storming the Calgary Flames dressing room area Jan. 18 affected his team, which battled numerous injuries that he and players contend forced it to play a different way, which they have described as less aggressive, more conservative and defensive-oriented.
But in addition to the injuries and inconsistency, Tortorella pointed to an obvious fact that was at the root of their woes: A lack of depth. While he has come under criticism for over-playing Daniel and Henrik Sedin at times, Tortorella said that when the outcome of a 2-1 game was on the line with six or seven minutes to go, he did not feel comfortable putting out other players.
“I did the things I needed to do to try to win games, because sometimes I looked down (the bench) and guys just weren’t ready, some other guys in our lineup” he said. “We lack depth, and that’s where we’re at. That isn’t being critical. It’s the truth.”
Well, it’s also an indictment of former general manager Mike Gillis’ poor drafting and trade records. The recently fired GM’s legacy will likely be botched trades involving goaltenders Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider, whose deals did not appear to bring back suitable asset returns. But Tortorella was not pointing a finger at him intentionally.
Tortorella also contended that, contrary to public perception, he gets along well with centre Ryan Kesler, whose future with the team is uncertain, although the Livonia, Mich., native said Monday that he never asked for a trade and hopes to stay.
“Kes and I have a tremendous relationship,” said Tortorella. “You guys think we hate one another (and) we don’t speak, but we have a tremendous relationship. We have a very honest relationship. I think he has stood in there and played hard every night.”
Kesler led the team in goals with 25 after a turnaround season following two seasons derailed by injuries. But Tortorella criticized himself for not getting through to defenceman Alex Edler, who is clearly Vancouver’s most gifted rearguard but finished minus-39.
(One of these years, a coach might realize that he just needs to let Edler play his game and not let him over-think it, which he admitted Monday that he does. But that realization might not come in Vancouver, if Edler agrees to waive a no-trade clause and gets moved.)
Kesler lamented the loss of what he thought would be a good season after former coach Alain Vigneault was fired last summer and all players felt they had something to prove after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year.
“We’re all flabbergasted right now that we’re sitting up here talking about the year that we just had. Going into this year, I would never think that we’d be sitting here in this situation,” said Kesler.
He agreed with Daniel Sedin’s contention that players, not the team’s system, were to blame for the club’s woes.
“It’s not like Torts is in there telling us not to play offence,” said Kesler. ‘He wants us to score. He wants us to produce.”
Added defenceman Kevin Bieksa: “Having a coach let go last year and a GM a (week) ago, it’s not a good feeling right now, especially (for) the four guys up here,” said Bieksa. “We feel responsible for it. The bottom line is, we win more games and guys don’t lose their jobs.”
With Gillis fired and Tortorella’s job anything but certain, players know that they are next in line to face the team’s revolving door.
“With Torts’ future in question, it’s a tough time for everybody,” said Bieksa. “We’ll see what decisions are made. But, right now, we look at ourselves first and foremost … and think: We could have been better. We should have been better. There are people that are suffering because of it.”
Notes_Daniel Sedin, who left Sunday’s season finale on a stretcher after Paul Byron sent him into the boards head-first, said he did not suffer a concussion or any other serious injuries. He was placed on the stretcher for “precautionary reasons” only. … Vancouver winger Alex Burrows will play for Canada in the upcoming world championships. … Edler does not plan to play for Sweden at the worlds. Lack said he is willing, but has not yet heard from Team Sweden.
“This is a group that’s been together for a long time,” he said Monday, a day after the Canucks’ 2013-14 season ended. “It’s stale. It needs youth. It needs a change – it needs a change – and I felt that from day one.
“We’re not in 2011. We have to stop talking about 2011. The team needs to be retooled, and that’s where change is. It is a young man’s game. It’s certainly not a criticism of them. We need to surround them with some enthusiasm.”
But he also called for changes to “some of the team’s core” as part of the “evolution” that’s necessary. He does not want to see massive changes, but noted "there is a heartbeat of a team, and it needs to be surrounded.”
Tortorella made his comments less than 24 hours after the Canucks missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008, knowing that he might not be around next season. In other words, even with his job on the line, nobody could accuse him of trying to be politically correct.
And, he wasn’t about to try to spin things as he prepares to discuss his future with new team president Trevor Linden.
“I don’t coach to keep my job,” said Tortorella. “I’m not going to go into any meeting trying to save my job. I just don’t do it that way. I am going to tell him what I think. Trevor is very efficient and, from what I understand, he is on top of everything as far as the interviews and what he’s doing. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. I loved him as a player and, (in) just a short time I’ve seen him here, you’re in good hands. The team is in good hands. But I’m not going to be rehearsed.”
The Canucks finished 12th in the Western Conference with a 36-35-11 record for 83 points. Only the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers finished behind them in the conference. The Winnipeg Jets, who fired their coach in mid-season, finished with one more point than Vancouver.
Tortorella said his biggest regret was not staying on top of his team to keep it playing well after a strong first half. But he contended that he did not know how his six-game suspension for storming the Calgary Flames dressing room area Jan. 18 affected his team, which battled numerous injuries that he and players contend forced it to play a different way, which they have described as less aggressive, more conservative and defensive-oriented.
But in addition to the injuries and inconsistency, Tortorella pointed to an obvious fact that was at the root of their woes: A lack of depth. While he has come under criticism for over-playing Daniel and Henrik Sedin at times, Tortorella said that when the outcome of a 2-1 game was on the line with six or seven minutes to go, he did not feel comfortable putting out other players.
“I did the things I needed to do to try to win games, because sometimes I looked down (the bench) and guys just weren’t ready, some other guys in our lineup” he said. “We lack depth, and that’s where we’re at. That isn’t being critical. It’s the truth.”
Well, it’s also an indictment of former general manager Mike Gillis’ poor drafting and trade records. The recently fired GM’s legacy will likely be botched trades involving goaltenders Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider, whose deals did not appear to bring back suitable asset returns. But Tortorella was not pointing a finger at him intentionally.
Tortorella also contended that, contrary to public perception, he gets along well with centre Ryan Kesler, whose future with the team is uncertain, although the Livonia, Mich., native said Monday that he never asked for a trade and hopes to stay.
“Kes and I have a tremendous relationship,” said Tortorella. “You guys think we hate one another (and) we don’t speak, but we have a tremendous relationship. We have a very honest relationship. I think he has stood in there and played hard every night.”
Kesler led the team in goals with 25 after a turnaround season following two seasons derailed by injuries. But Tortorella criticized himself for not getting through to defenceman Alex Edler, who is clearly Vancouver’s most gifted rearguard but finished minus-39.
(One of these years, a coach might realize that he just needs to let Edler play his game and not let him over-think it, which he admitted Monday that he does. But that realization might not come in Vancouver, if Edler agrees to waive a no-trade clause and gets moved.)
Kesler lamented the loss of what he thought would be a good season after former coach Alain Vigneault was fired last summer and all players felt they had something to prove after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year.
“We’re all flabbergasted right now that we’re sitting up here talking about the year that we just had. Going into this year, I would never think that we’d be sitting here in this situation,” said Kesler.
He agreed with Daniel Sedin’s contention that players, not the team’s system, were to blame for the club’s woes.
“It’s not like Torts is in there telling us not to play offence,” said Kesler. ‘He wants us to score. He wants us to produce.”
Added defenceman Kevin Bieksa: “Having a coach let go last year and a GM a (week) ago, it’s not a good feeling right now, especially (for) the four guys up here,” said Bieksa. “We feel responsible for it. The bottom line is, we win more games and guys don’t lose their jobs.”
With Gillis fired and Tortorella’s job anything but certain, players know that they are next in line to face the team’s revolving door.
“With Torts’ future in question, it’s a tough time for everybody,” said Bieksa. “We’ll see what decisions are made. But, right now, we look at ourselves first and foremost … and think: We could have been better. We should have been better. There are people that are suffering because of it.”
Notes_Daniel Sedin, who left Sunday’s season finale on a stretcher after Paul Byron sent him into the boards head-first, said he did not suffer a concussion or any other serious injuries. He was placed on the stretcher for “precautionary reasons” only. … Vancouver winger Alex Burrows will play for Canada in the upcoming world championships. … Edler does not plan to play for Sweden at the worlds. Lack said he is willing, but has not yet heard from Team Sweden.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Linden's hiring more than just a good PR move
Trevor Linden was discussing his personal situation, but he might as well have been talking about how most Vancouver Canuck fans felt.
“It just felt right,” he said Wednesday of his decision to become the NHL team’s new president of hockey operations.
Linden was quickly appointed to replace fired president and general manager Mike Gillis. The Medicine Hat, Alta., native returns to the organization with which he spent most of his 19-year NHL playing career in two stints.
Compared to previous news conferences involving Vancouver’s former top hockey executive, the change in mood was palpable in a packed room where a morning news conference was held. Prior to the announcement of Linden’s appointment earlier in the morning, owner Francesco Aquilini had been scheduled to appear and was expected to discuss his reasons for dismissing Gillis. Instead, Aquilini, after being decisive and quickly acting to end a bad situation, got to talk about hope for a better future with a fan favourite at the helm.
Linden quickly apologized for telling a TV interviewer the previous morning that he had not been approached by the Canucks about replacing Gillis – when clearly he had. But at the time of the interview, the former GM’s firing had not been announced and, as Linden said, out of respect for the process and the Gillis family, he did not reveal what was happening.
Linden acknowledged his apology to the TV interviewer, and his candidness about a mistake was something that was rarely, if ever, seen during the six-year Gillis era. For a pleasant change, pomposity was not oozing from Vancouver’s top hockey executive.
Gillis’ aloofness was something that had clearly alienated casual fans and season-ticket holders. And, it was no coincidence that Linden’s hiring was announced on a previously-scheduled deadline for season-ticket renewals. Nor was it a coincidence that Aquilini said the deadline has been extended in wake of Linden’s hiring.
As the owner indicated, Linden is “back where he belongs.” Although Linden felt a need to get away from hockey after his retirement as a player in 2008, it was strange for him not to be part of the Canucks team that he led to the 1994 Stanley Cup finals and helped prepare for the 2011 finals following his return after stints with the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens.
But it was evident that he would not return and work with Gillis, with whom he had clashed in his role as president of the NHL Players Association in the 2004-05 lockout that scrapped an entire season. Linden did not always get along with former coach Alain Vigneault, either, at a time when his playing skills were diminishing and the coach wanted more.
“I always believed that, once again, I’d work in this great game, a game that I’ve loved and felt it was such a privilege to be a part of ,” said Linden. “I wasn’t sure when or in what capacity, but it always remained a goal of mine.
"When this opportunity to be president of hockey operations was presented to me, I gave it great thought and I simply could not pass it up. "Through my 20 years as a player, 15 years with the NHLPA and my more recent work in growing and leading a private business, I believe I'm ready for this challenge. I'm young, I'm passionate about this team, and I want to win, just like the Canuck fans do.”
Another brief line could also prove highly insightful.
"I believe in this team and this organization,” said Linden, indicating that he will not make drastic changes to the team’s veteran core of players.
In other words, he is not going to blow up a roster that, the past three seasons aside, has enjoyed considerable success, and it appears that he will not make drastic adjustments to the hockey operations department. Gillis drafted only one player that became an NHL regular – Cody Hodgson, now with Buffalo, and made many unsuccessful trades and free-agent signings, but most of the scouts and executives – many of whom are former Canuck players – were in place when previous regimes led by Pat Quinn, Brian Burke and Dave Nonis made successful trades and free-agent signings. (Historically, Vancouver has been mainly terrible at the draft table, although the second-overall choice of Linden in 1988 was an exception.)
Following a model that the rival Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, among others, have adopted, Linden will supervise, and work with, a new GM.
“We will do a general manager search from within and from outside of our organization,” he said.
Linden hopes to hire a new GM by mid-June, pending any permissions that he might need to get to speak with employees of other teams. He plans to use the final games of the regular season to evaluate much-maligned coach John Tortorella and his coaching staff.
Aquilini has come under criticism for his perceived influence in the hiring of Tortorella, who failed to get the team to the playoffs. But the owner contended Wednesday that Gillis was responsible for hiring Tortorella and the ownership group endorsed his decision.
Aquilini indicated that Linden has the final say on hockey-related matters while chief operating officer Victor de Bonis will continue to run the team’s business side – which he does extremely effectively. These comments indicate a distinct separation from the hockey operations and business sides whereas Gillis previously held the position of team president and often tried to pass himself off as a top corporate executive.
“Trevor will make all of the decisions on hockey-related personnel – coaches, players, and free agents, whatever is (needed),” said Aquilini. “Trevor will be in charge of hockey operations and will make all the decisions.”
“I’ve had great conversations with Francesco and with (the Aqulini) family, and they’ve given me full control to make the right decisions and full autonomy,” said Linden. “Obviously, in any sports organization situation, a good relationship with ownership is important, and I intend to spend a lot of time working with them and help them fully understand the decisions we make and why.”
Linden, 43, has made Vancouver his home since he was drafted by the Canucks as an 18-year-old. He has been involved in private business, boosting the fortunes of an eyewear company, real estate development firm and fitness chain that bears his name. But he had always hoped to get back into hockey – and never really wanted to work with another team than the Canucks.
"You don't spend 20 years in the National Hockey League and spend your whole life in hockey and not have it in your DNA," he said.
This was the right time to get back in the game, he added. Now, he must prove that his hiring is more than a good public-relations move – and he can make a difference.
But his playing success, his name recognition and his relationships with many people in the NHL bode well for him – and the Canucks – in the future. As he has indicated during his playing career, it is never wise to underestimate him.
Yes, his hiring is a good – and welcome – PR move, but chances are that he will be much more than just a friendly face for the organization.
“It just felt right,” he said Wednesday of his decision to become the NHL team’s new president of hockey operations.
Linden was quickly appointed to replace fired president and general manager Mike Gillis. The Medicine Hat, Alta., native returns to the organization with which he spent most of his 19-year NHL playing career in two stints.
Compared to previous news conferences involving Vancouver’s former top hockey executive, the change in mood was palpable in a packed room where a morning news conference was held. Prior to the announcement of Linden’s appointment earlier in the morning, owner Francesco Aquilini had been scheduled to appear and was expected to discuss his reasons for dismissing Gillis. Instead, Aquilini, after being decisive and quickly acting to end a bad situation, got to talk about hope for a better future with a fan favourite at the helm.
Linden quickly apologized for telling a TV interviewer the previous morning that he had not been approached by the Canucks about replacing Gillis – when clearly he had. But at the time of the interview, the former GM’s firing had not been announced and, as Linden said, out of respect for the process and the Gillis family, he did not reveal what was happening.
Linden acknowledged his apology to the TV interviewer, and his candidness about a mistake was something that was rarely, if ever, seen during the six-year Gillis era. For a pleasant change, pomposity was not oozing from Vancouver’s top hockey executive.
Gillis’ aloofness was something that had clearly alienated casual fans and season-ticket holders. And, it was no coincidence that Linden’s hiring was announced on a previously-scheduled deadline for season-ticket renewals. Nor was it a coincidence that Aquilini said the deadline has been extended in wake of Linden’s hiring.
As the owner indicated, Linden is “back where he belongs.” Although Linden felt a need to get away from hockey after his retirement as a player in 2008, it was strange for him not to be part of the Canucks team that he led to the 1994 Stanley Cup finals and helped prepare for the 2011 finals following his return after stints with the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens.
But it was evident that he would not return and work with Gillis, with whom he had clashed in his role as president of the NHL Players Association in the 2004-05 lockout that scrapped an entire season. Linden did not always get along with former coach Alain Vigneault, either, at a time when his playing skills were diminishing and the coach wanted more.
“I always believed that, once again, I’d work in this great game, a game that I’ve loved and felt it was such a privilege to be a part of ,” said Linden. “I wasn’t sure when or in what capacity, but it always remained a goal of mine.
"When this opportunity to be president of hockey operations was presented to me, I gave it great thought and I simply could not pass it up. "Through my 20 years as a player, 15 years with the NHLPA and my more recent work in growing and leading a private business, I believe I'm ready for this challenge. I'm young, I'm passionate about this team, and I want to win, just like the Canuck fans do.”
Another brief line could also prove highly insightful.
"I believe in this team and this organization,” said Linden, indicating that he will not make drastic changes to the team’s veteran core of players.
In other words, he is not going to blow up a roster that, the past three seasons aside, has enjoyed considerable success, and it appears that he will not make drastic adjustments to the hockey operations department. Gillis drafted only one player that became an NHL regular – Cody Hodgson, now with Buffalo, and made many unsuccessful trades and free-agent signings, but most of the scouts and executives – many of whom are former Canuck players – were in place when previous regimes led by Pat Quinn, Brian Burke and Dave Nonis made successful trades and free-agent signings. (Historically, Vancouver has been mainly terrible at the draft table, although the second-overall choice of Linden in 1988 was an exception.)
Following a model that the rival Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, among others, have adopted, Linden will supervise, and work with, a new GM.
“We will do a general manager search from within and from outside of our organization,” he said.
Linden hopes to hire a new GM by mid-June, pending any permissions that he might need to get to speak with employees of other teams. He plans to use the final games of the regular season to evaluate much-maligned coach John Tortorella and his coaching staff.
Aquilini has come under criticism for his perceived influence in the hiring of Tortorella, who failed to get the team to the playoffs. But the owner contended Wednesday that Gillis was responsible for hiring Tortorella and the ownership group endorsed his decision.
Aquilini indicated that Linden has the final say on hockey-related matters while chief operating officer Victor de Bonis will continue to run the team’s business side – which he does extremely effectively. These comments indicate a distinct separation from the hockey operations and business sides whereas Gillis previously held the position of team president and often tried to pass himself off as a top corporate executive.
“Trevor will make all of the decisions on hockey-related personnel – coaches, players, and free agents, whatever is (needed),” said Aquilini. “Trevor will be in charge of hockey operations and will make all the decisions.”
“I’ve had great conversations with Francesco and with (the Aqulini) family, and they’ve given me full control to make the right decisions and full autonomy,” said Linden. “Obviously, in any sports organization situation, a good relationship with ownership is important, and I intend to spend a lot of time working with them and help them fully understand the decisions we make and why.”
Linden, 43, has made Vancouver his home since he was drafted by the Canucks as an 18-year-old. He has been involved in private business, boosting the fortunes of an eyewear company, real estate development firm and fitness chain that bears his name. But he had always hoped to get back into hockey – and never really wanted to work with another team than the Canucks.
"You don't spend 20 years in the National Hockey League and spend your whole life in hockey and not have it in your DNA," he said.
This was the right time to get back in the game, he added. Now, he must prove that his hiring is more than a good public-relations move – and he can make a difference.
But his playing success, his name recognition and his relationships with many people in the NHL bode well for him – and the Canucks – in the future. As he has indicated during his playing career, it is never wise to underestimate him.
Yes, his hiring is a good – and welcome – PR move, but chances are that he will be much more than just a friendly face for the organization.
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