Post-Game Talk: Canucks lose 2-0; Best player? Empty net

[bsjezz]

He had this team playing the way we all wanted them to play earlier in the season. When they stop playing like that, it doesn't mean the coach just stopped coaching. It's on the team, for whatever reason. Injuries is a big part of it, no doubt, but on the other hand a lot of us said before this season even started that this team isn't very good. Besides keeping his temper in check from now on, there is nothing more you can put on the coach.

um, how about micro-managerial decisions during the game? seems to be a fairly important duty of the coach

and the coach did stop coaching, if you'll recall. in fact he only just started again.

 

[NuxFan09]

um, how about micro-managerial decisions during the game? seems to be a fairly important duty of the coach

and the coach did stop coaching, if you'll recall. in fact he only just started again.

What decisions? What aspect of this team can make a difference right now? Do you really think that not keeping Kassian in the doghouse and playing him more would make a big difference?

I hear what you're saying, but at this point I don't think there is any sort of fundamental adjustment Torts could make that would change the fortunes of this team. Like he said so bluntly himself, this team is not good enough. Simple as that.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

You're only sorry because Kesler is playing for Team USA in a few weeks.

Yeah seemed out of character for him. But don't worry, I'm sure Kesler will be all healthy for team USA

Don't like to see that play out of any Wings player. Kesler is a local guy as well not just Team USA, but I hate kneeing really could have been on anybody. Like I said I hope Tatar went through the right avenues to apologize post-game. It was probably a complete mistake, but it is the kind you better apologize for in my opinion.

 

[bsjezz]

He had this team playing the way we all wanted them to play earlier in the season. When they stop playing like that, it doesn't mean the coach just stopped coaching. It's on the team, for whatever reason. Injuries is a big part of it, no doubt, but on the other hand a lot of us said before this season even started that this team isn't very good. Besides keeping his temper in check from now on, there is nothing more you can put on the coach.

i don't buy that for a second. the team plays good - it's the coach. team plays bad - it's everyone but the coach. it doesn't work that way.

we played so well during that span because our defence pairings with a fully healthy squad are amongst the best in the league. bieksa, tanev, hamhuis, edler, stanton and garrison - all could be top-4 guys. the scorers were also healthy and the group had confidence. but you know what? all teams will be hot at some point during the year: what a coach has to do is ride that wave for as long as possible, minimize the eventual downswing and ensure that success is systematic, rather than based on emotional highs and day-to-day lineups. tortorella hasn't done that.

of course, there are other reasons we've been losing. i think it would take a really, really good coach to have minimized losses in our current situation. but tortorella hasn't just not minimized losses, he's also lashed out, embarrassed himself and continues to do so even after having time out. that makes him... drumroll...

a bad coach.

 

[bsjezz]

What decisions? What aspect of this team can make a difference right now? Do you really think that not keeping Kassian in the doghouse and playing him more would make a big difference?

I hear what you're saying, but at this point I don't think there is any sort of fundamental adjustment Torts could make that would change the fortunes of this team. Like he said so bluntly himself, this team is not good enough. Simple as that.

there was one goal in this game. a single goal. if you don't think zack kassian has what it takes to produce scoring with his quick, physical play and laser passes, you haven't been watching him enough. he does not do more harm than good on the canucks, and he very well could have produced one in the second and third periods tonight.

 

[PG Canuck]

I look forward to the offseason....and we thought last year was going to be insane....

 

[cc]

I don't think that's very common or realistic to expect from a head coach. How many coaches even say what Torts said pre-game at any point in a season? He is a thousand times more accountable than AV. Also, Torts is only going to answer the questions asked, did anyone one ask him if the coaches should take any blame for tonight's loss?

Fact is, head coaches do take some responsibility and they do voice this from time to time, I've heard it even if you haven't. Especially for things like the Special teams or icetime management or not practicing enough or working on things in drills. It almost sounds like he doesn't know what to do and has given up...

Personally, I don't like how he manages ice time or runs a powerplay. Assuming that gillis can't trade the team for better players, what is he planning to do about improving the team?

 

[NuxFan09]

there was one goal in this game. a single goal. if you don't think zack kassian has what it takes to produce scoring with his quick, physical play and laser passes, you haven't been watching him enough. he does not do more harm than good on the canucks, and he very well could have produced one in the second and third periods tonight.

I've been watching him close enough to see that he has 16 points on the season. If you're advocating for Kassian as a potential difference maker than that tells you all you need to know about the state of this team.

I guess agree to disagree. Do I feel that Kassian should be getting consistent top 6 minutes? Hell yeah, I don't know what's up with him in the doghouse but I'm also not sitting here lamenting that he could have won the game for the Canucks if he had more ice time.

It's much easier to accept that this team sucks, as Torts pretty much said. Some people are still in such denial....

 

[iFan]

I look forward to the offseason....and we thought last year was going to be insane....

It'll be interesting tomorrow, if this team comes out and plays like **** again after their head coach saying what he said tonight then that's very telling about the personal on the team and where their at.

 

[me2]

Fact is, head coaches do take some responsibility and they do voice this from time to time, I've heard it even if you haven't. Especially for things like the Special teams or icetime management or not practicing enough or working on things in drills. It almost sounds like he doesn't know what to do and has given up...

Personally, I don't like how he manages ice time or runs a powerplay. Assuming that gillis can't trade the team for better players, what is he planning to do about improving the team?

I'm going to throw it out there - I would consider canning Torts if one of the better coaches became available in the off season. I don't like the way the team is playing with the personnel it has, TBH I thought AV handled it better. Hopefully Gillis can look into an offensive coach for the PP.

 

[cc]

He had this team playing the way we all wanted them to play earlier in the season. When they stop playing like that, it doesn't mean the coach just stopped coaching. It's on the team, for whatever reason. Injuries is a big part of it, no doubt, but on the other hand a lot of us said before this season even started that this team isn't very good. Besides keeping his temper in check from now on, there is nothing more you can put on the coach.

I think some of the problem may be that he overplayed the top players, and with the schedule they had, they were bound to get worn down faster and inheret more bumps and bruises. Even gillis mentioned that torts was still learning about what it means to be in the west coast and that he was confident that tortorella was going to be able to adjust accordingly.

 

[thepuckmonster]

I'm going to throw it out there - I would consider canning Torts if one of the better coaches became available in the off season. I don't like the way the team is playing with the personnel it has, TBH I thought AV handled it better. Hopefully Gillis can look into an offensive coach for the PP.

I think Gulutzan is a far bigger problem than Torts.

 

[Lonny Bohonos]

I've been watching him close enough to see that he has 16 points on the season. If you're advocating for Kassian as a potential difference maker than that tells you all you need to know about the state of this team.

I guess agree to disagree. Do I feel that Kassian should be getting consistent top 6 minutes? Hell yeah, I don't know what's up with him in the doghouse but I'm also not sitting here lamenting that he could have won the game for the Canucks if he had more ice time.

It's much easier to accept that this team sucks, as Torts pretty much said. Some people are still in such denial....

I dont think its about him winning the game for the nucks but about playing someone who is at least looking somewhat dangerous on offensive front vs guys who are killing the play.

Not to mention his size and strength alone create "something" which at this point is better than the "nothing".

 

[ShouldveDraftedFiala]

The coaching isn't the problem. Tortorella can only do so much with what he's given to work with. Gillis thought he could "re-set" the team by changing the coaching staff. I disagreed.

A lot of people disagreed. It was so obvious watching this team over the past 3 years, exactly where they were headed. How MG let it get to this is beyond me. He seems to have trouble differentiating the business side of things from the players' feelings. He needs to figure that out, and quick, or I see his tenure ending sooner rather than later.

Changing the coach was just the tip of the iceberg. Torts has been great, but it's now painfully obvious that wasn't the main issue for this team. Now that MG can finally clue in on that, it's time to do what should've been done in the off season.

Time to ship out at least Kesler and Edler. I would be open to moving the Sedins, but I doubt that will happen. So if not them, it has to be Kesler. Something has to give here.

 

[iFan]

I'm going to throw it out there - I would consider canning Torts if one of the better coaches became available in the off season. I don't like the way the team is playing with the personnel it has, TBH I thought AV handled it better. Hopefully Gillis can look into an offensive coach for the PP.

We going to give the Oilers a run for changing coaches?

 

[cc]

I'm going to throw it out there - I would consider canning Torts if one of the better coaches became available in the off season. I don't like the way the team is playing with the personnel it has, TBH I thought AV handled it better. Hopefully Gillis can look into an offensive coach for the PP.

The thing is, I like his attack and pressure system... To err on the side of aggression... But I think that can only be really applied properly when all four lines are playing with some cohesion and chemistry... Especially in this time zone

 

[iFan]

I think Gulutzan is a far bigger problem than Torts.

I think this core is a much bigger problem than the coaching staff

 

[me2]

I dont think its about him winning the game for the nucks but about playing someone who is at least looking somewhat dangerous on offensive front vs guys who are killing the play.

Not to mention his size and strength alone create "something" which at this point is better than the "nothing".

Need to get him on the 1st unit and get Daniel off. Kesler is our best one timer from left hash marks. Kassian can make plays when he's not screen and causing hell.

 

[bsjezz]

It's much easier to accept that this team sucks, as Torts pretty much said. Some people are still in such denial....

of course it sucks! nobody is doubting that! we're down to AHL callups - hell, even our fourth-liner-acting-as-a-second-liner, brad richardson, was out. the captain's missed games and appears to still be injured, the 'heart' of the team, kevin bieksa, isn't on the roadtrip, and a character guy like weise just got traded for a bloke nobody knows. it was always going to suck tonight. it could have sucked less - the powerplay needs to score, simple as that - but this is not the game you use to call out management with passive-aggressive moping about the make-up of the team. it's at its zenith.

but no, the team sucks, tortorella has decreed it, so now i suppose we just cop his gospel and feel sorry about ourselves until lawrence gilman somehow finds $6 million in cap space under the couch, so we can get a real scorer like thomas vanek. because the only dignifying asset for a coach is how naturally skilled his players are, rather than his motivational abilities or power to impart knowledge and technical skill onto an existing core of professionals.

 

[bsjezz]

in case you didn't notice i am a little wound up about this.

 

[thepuckmonster]

in case you didn't notice i am a little wound up about this.

You don't say.

 

[me2]

The thing is, I like his attack and pressure system... To err on the side of aggression... But I think that can only be really applied properly when all four lines are playing with some cohesion and chemistry... Especially in this time zone

It's not fitting the personnel very well. It's the sort of style that would suit a big team that is able to dominate the boards and do so with a man free to score goals. It seems to take all 3 forwards on the walls to make it work for the canucks - that means they cycle and cycle and cycle until they lose the puck or they throw it to a D for a predictable long range shot.

Teams are also find it really easy to defend against us off the rush, how many times have we been able to attack fast enough to catch the other teams defense napping. It feels like we are seeing a 4 or 5 to 1 ratio of rushes against to rushes for.

 

[mrmyheadhurts]

Fact is, head coaches do take some responsibility and they do voice this from time to time, I've heard it even if you haven't. Especially for things like the Special teams or icetime management or not practicing enough or working on things in drills. It almost sounds like he doesn't know what to do and has given up...

Personally, I don't like how he manages ice time or runs a powerplay. Assuming that gillis can't trade the team for better players, what is he planning to do about improving the team?

Sure, I didn't say they never take responsibility, just that it's rare. Like I said, he took responsibility pre-game and he has taken responsibility many times previously. I would say that clearly shows that he is willing to take "some responsibility". Just because he didn't say it to the media after this particular game doesn't mean he's given up or is not willing to share his load of the burden. It's just strikes me as an odd criticism on your part because it's the one area where he is light years ahead of AV and many other coaches. Be glad you're not an Oiler fan, have you ever seen an Eakins press conference!? Good God, he's been roasting players all year and not taking any of the blame for their disastrous season.

Whether he is a bad hockey coach or not is a slightly different discussion. He certainly has his weaknesses, it's not like I'm some fawning fan-boy here. I would agree that his ice-time management has been off and the PP is an unmitigated disaster. It's his first stint in the West, but he'll need to adjust.

I thought the team deserved to be read the riot act after the game. Tonight was one of their poorer games of the year. The Booth comment is also being blown out of proportion in my mind, he was calling out the Twins and Kesler more than insulting Booth.

 

[Tiranis]

Just watched the Torts post-game and are people really making a big deal about the Booth comments? Wow.

It's not fitting the personnel very well. It's the sort of style that would suit a big team that is able to dominate the boards and do so with a man free to score goals. It seems to take all 3 forwards on the walls to make it work for the canucks - that means they cycle and cycle and cycle until they lose the puck or they throw it to a D for a predictable long range shot.

Teams are also find it really easy to defend against us off the rush, how many times have we been able to attack fast enough to catch the other teams defense napping. It feels like we are seeing a 4 or 5 to 1 ratio of rushes against to rushes for.

AV's system wasn't fitting them either last season. They were a year younger and scoring just as little, playing in an easier division too.

 

[ihaveyuidonttouchme]

Just watched the Torts post-game and are people really making a big deal about the Booth comments? Wow.

its easy to overreact with tweet quotes compare to actually seeing the quote with expressions..