Official Francesco Aquilini Thread

[credulous]

Furthermore ,...Rutherford isnt a first time rookie GM (Gillis,Nonis,Benning) that Aqualini can browbeat..Any interference would have Rutherford telling Aqualini to stuff it where the sun doesnt shine.

this certainly isn't obvious to me

rutherford resigned rather than get fired in disgrace in pittsburgh (for off ice reasons that we don't need to get into) and was reportedly desperate to get back into hockey

people like rutherford survive for as long as they do in the industry because they work well with their bosses (ownership) not because they stand up to them. that's exactly how benning lasted as long as he did

 

[rypper]

We kept Miller and ditched Horvat, in the long run that will play out much better.

Horvat didn't do shit and was only captain because he was Canadian, a really shitty captain for real. Did nothing, didn't rally the troops, was always depressed when things didn't go right and you had Pettersson, Miller and f***ing Hughes being so pissed off at him for not doing anything to lead the way.

Horvat the person, nice guy. Horvat the captain, I'd rather have f***ing Harold f***ing Druken as captain than his ass.

Holy conjecture.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

this certainly isn't obvious to me

rutherford resigned rather than get fired in disgrace in pittsburgh (for off ice reasons that we don't need to get into) and was reportedly desperate to get back into hockey

people like rutherford survive for as long as they do in the industry because they work well with their bosses (ownership) not because they stand up to them. that's exactly how benning lasted as long as he did

So desperate to get back in to hockey that he initially turned down Aqualini's initial offer to join the Canucks..?..JR said he would give FA a week to think it over..When he finally agreed, he only agreed to be the POHO, not the GM...and you know that it was JR setting the conditions here..not Aqualini.

“I think for the very first time, they have a guy in charge in Rutherford who is truly running the show,” said Mason. “I do know that Francesco has so much respect for him that he wouldn’t dare try to be intrusive in any way, in terms of hockey decisions, in a way that he might have been in the past, in terms of sitting in on draft meetings and things like that.

“I think he has so much respect for Rutherford that he’s hands off and he’s letting Rutherford run the show and whatever Rutherford decides is going to be the way they go.”..Gary Mason...May 23,2023.

This is precisely the way the team is currently being run.

Aquilini was "absolutely livid" that Canucks picked Juolevi over Tkachuk | Offside

Despite his team missing out on Matthew Tkachuk, Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini left Jim Benning in charge for over seven years.

dailyhive.com

 

[EpochLink]

Numerous coaching changes, one GM that f***ed up too many times and where’s the blame gonna be now? Aquaman knows he has to stay the f*** off this shit because fans and media are turning their back on this backless prick.

Unless Aquaman wants his vehicle torched in a Vancouver back alley, he should back off and let the hockey people do their thing.

 

[credulous]

So desperate to get back in to hockey that he initially turned down Aqualini's initial offer to join the Canucks..?..JR said he would give FA a week to think it over..When he finally agreed, he only agreed to be the POHO, not the GM...and you know that it was JR setting the conditions here..not Aqualini.

“I think for the very first time, they have a guy in charge in Rutherford who is truly running the show,” said Mason. “I do know that Francesco has so much respect for him that he wouldn’t dare try to be intrusive in any way, in terms of hockey decisions, in a way that he might have been in the past, in terms of sitting in on draft meetings and things like that.

“I think he has so much respect for Rutherford that he’s hands off and he’s letting Rutherford run the show and whatever Rutherford decides is going to be the way they go.”..Gary Mason...May 23,2023.

This is precisely the way the team is currently being run.

Aquilini was "absolutely livid" that Canucks picked Juolevi over Tkachuk | Offside

Despite his team missing out on Matthew Tkachuk, Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini left Jim Benning in charge for over seven years.

dailyhive.com

your media literacy needs work. mason is out doing damage control for aquilini. you need to read that again in that light

 

[Izzy Goodenough]

FA will definitely keep his promise and back off this time.

Pinky swear.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

your media literacy needs work. mason is out doing damage control for aquilini. you need to read that again in that light

Read it again,..Mason is doing damage control regarding the relationship between FA and Benning.(not Rutherford)..He is putting a positive spin on the relationship between FA and Rutherford (the respect).

Regarding Benning and FA..After Linden was fired in 2018, everybody knew that FA and JB were two peas in a pod working together (making hockey ops decisions) ...This is precisely why they never hired a President..I dont know why this is suddenly news for some people.

 

[credulous]

Read it again,..Mason is doing damage control regarding the relationship between FA and Benning.(not Rutherford)..He is putting a positive spin on the relationship between FA and Rutherford (the respect).

if that's true, how does this factor in?

is johnson just wrong? lying?

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Rutherford should thank Aquilini all day long for not letting him fire Boudreau, it gave him the perfect fall guy for this disaster of a season.

do you honestly not think the disaster of the first half of this season wasn’t significantly caused by boudreau being there to start the year?

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

if that's true, how does this factor in?

is johnson just wrong? lying?

I'm not sure specifically what point you want me to answer about.?..What does any of this have to do with Rutherford?

My take from this interview was that working in the organization in the past wasnt fun for a lot of people (understandably so), and PJ is assuming that this wont be the case with JR at the helm.

 

[VanJack]

According to Canucks Army and writer Gary Mason, Francesco Aquilini was 'furious' with Jim Benning for picking Oli Juolevi over Matthew Tkachuk in t he 2016 entry draft. I suppose it begs the question, if the owner claims he doesn't meddle in player personnel decisions, why would he be 'furious' about any 18-year old kid the Canucks draft?

But I suppose that's the 'good news'. At it least it shows he wasn't sold on the departed GM.. But the bad news? Despite being 'furious' with Benning, he actually backed him to the hilt and even signed him to a contract extension.

The last time I looked at a calendar, close to five seasons went by between the 2016 draft and December of 2021, when Aquilini was finally forced to clean house.

I have no idea whether Canuck ownership is 'spinning the media' about the reasons for not picking Tkachuk in the first place.

But it's hardly a good look on either the owner or the fired GM, and is a sad commentary on how this franchise has been run for the past decade.

 

[StreetHawk]

Either the owner has no control which is what he has been implied by Mason. That he doesn’t know what is going on or willing having his GM explain the rationale behind the decision.

Or he was a meddling owner from all that we have heard.

Not good either way. Now, he sounds incompetent vs meddling.

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

According to Canucks Army and writer Gary Mason, Francesco Aquilini was 'furious' with Jim Benning for picking Oli Juolevi over Matthew Tkachuk in t he 2016 entry draft. I suppose it begs the question, if the owner claims he doesn't meddle in player personnel decisions, why would he be 'furious' about any 18-year old kid the Canucks draft?

But I suppose that's the 'good news'. At it least it shows he wasn't sold on the departed GM.. But the bad news? Despite being 'furious' with Benning, he actually backed him to the hilt and even signed him to a contract extension.

The last time I looked at a calendar, close to five seasons went by between the 2016 draft and December of 2021, when Aquilini was finally forced to clean house.

I have no idea whether Canuck ownership is 'spinning the media' about the reasons for not picking Tkachuk in the first place.

But it's hardly a good look on either the owner or the fired GM, and is a sad commentary on how this franchise has been run for the past decade.

Sounds like complete and utter BS to me. This whole interview was damage control for Frankie and to separate himself from the blame. I think he is just taking the most talked about and obvious Benning mistake and is going “see I hated that move too, I am just like you fans, please don’t hate me.”

 

[Javaman]

According to Canucks Army and writer Gary Mason, Francesco Aquilini was 'furious' with Jim Benning for picking Oli Juolevi over Matthew Tkachuk in t he 2016 entry draft. I suppose it begs the question, if the owner claims he doesn't meddle in player personnel decisions, why would he be 'furious' about any 18-year old kid the Canucks draft?

But I suppose that's the 'good news'. At it least it shows he wasn't sold on the departed GM.. But the bad news? Despite being 'furious' with Benning, he actually backed him to the hilt and even signed him to a contract extension.

The last time I looked at a calendar, close to five seasons went by between the 2016 draft and December of 2021, when Aquilini was finally forced to clean house.

I have no idea whether Canuck ownership is 'spinning the media' about the reasons for not picking Tkachuk in the first place.

But it's hardly a good look on either the owner or the fired GM, and is a sad commentary on how this franchise has been run for the past decade.

Amen.

I'm still gobsmacked that Benning & Co. were extended after the debacle of that season of the Canadian division. Canucks would be in a much, much better situation, despite Benning's multiple seasons of gross incompetence, had he been turfed at that point.

 

[Bubbles]

rutherford campaigning to the media about the coaching was absolutely a symptom of a dysfunctional relationship between himself and aquilini. if rutherford had the authority to fire boudreau he would have just done it rather than trying to make a case in the media/to aquilini

i also 100% believe miller was signed because aquilini stepped in. all the messaging/signalling up to that point was that miller was on his way out

Not to mention it was the "hockey genius" himself that hired Boudreau. What kind of an owner hires the coach before the president/GM? Aqua gets off on the fact that he know these hockey guys...it's some weird fascination with celebrity or something.

Just read up on his emails to Tom Brady. Fanboy to the extreme.

Also there was the fact that Rutherford did NOT know Bruce had a 2nd year option. LOL that's what happens when your owner is hockey ops.

Amen.

I'm still gobsmacked that Benning & Co. were extended after the debacle of that season of the Canadian division. Canucks would be in a much, much better situation, despite Benning's multiple seasons of gross incompetence, had he been turfed at that point.

Pretty simple reason, Benning is an idiot and will allow any meddling.

 

[Breakers]

Biggest PUFF piece in history

"He was livid"
Give me a break, no he wasn't. Captain Hindsight in the flesh.

lets not forget..................
if Columbus says any name other than PLD we commit probably the worst trade in the NHL in the past 20 years

5th, horvat, Tanev for Subban

 

[m9]

I believe that Aquilini was livid about the Juolevi pick, I just don't think it happened until like October 2021

 

[sandwichbird2023]

Sounds like complete and utter BS to me. This whole interview was damage control for Frankie and to separate himself from the blame. I think he is just taking the most talked about and obvious Benning mistake and is going “see I hated that move too, I am just like you fans, please don’t hate me.”

That is exactly how I read it too. He was so furious with the pick that he only disclosed it now, AFTER Tkachuk destroyed the playoff and named a finalist for league MVP? Where was this a couple seasons ago when Tkachuk's attitude was questioned in Calgary? He was so furious at the pick that he kept said GM almost 5 more years? Don't buy it.

Poor Frankie forced to keep an imbecile on as GM longer than he wants because Daddy Aquilini likes Benning? In the process allowed said GM to waste tens of millions on useless players and lowered the value of the franchise at the same time? So forced that he went along to wine and dine Myers in order to sign him? Again, don't buy it for a minute.

 

[Izzy Goodenough]

It is funny that some Fans think FA is not running the team nor making all the final decisions.

Back in the day, Gillis or one of his wingmen said FA would phone him many times a day with potential trade scenarios but people here have a hard time believing FA was that engaged.

At the end of the day, the Canucks are a business, not just a brand and like with almost every business, the owner calls the shots and micromanages his own risk, as is his right.

To conjure some magical separation of church and state that the owner is hands-off has some Fans "Tilting at windmills".

 

[Breakers]

Burke when he was working for sportsnet has talked about the draft and what happens and all that talking, and processes behind the scenes, who is at the draft table, what the owners are doing, having prospects phone numbers and such.

He said owners know the draft board for the 1st round, and that’s it and most aren’t even there on day 2.

Aqua Man 10000000% knew they were taking Juolevi

 

[Bubbles]

Burke when he was working for sportsnet has talked about the draft and what happens and all that talking about behind the scenes who is at the draft table with owners having prospects phone numbers and such.

He said owners know the draft board for the 1st round, and that’s it and most aren’t even there on day 2z

Aqua Man 10000000% knew they were taking Juolevi

If someone has the footage handy, we can see his reaction. Aqua has always been at the draft table. If he was so livid, he wouldn't have been able to hold it.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

It is funny that some Fans think FA is not running the team nor making all the final decisions.

Back in the day, Gillis or one of his wingmen said FA would phone him many times a day with potential trade scenarios but people here have a hard time believing FA was that engaged.

At the end of the day, the Canucks are a business, not just a brand and like with almost every business, the owner calls the shots and micromanages his own risk, as is his right.

To conjure some magical separation of church and state that the owner is hands-off has some Fans "Tilting at windmills".


View attachment 712298

if Rutherford walks..you will know right there and then, that there has been owner interference..

Again, Aqualini practically begged Rutherford to take the job..and I’m sure JR set the boundaries beforehand as to what his control is of the hockey ops would be.

 

[tradervik]

“I think he has so much respect for Rutherford that he’s hands off and he’s letting Rutherford run the show and whatever Rutherford decides is going to be the way they go.”..Gary Mason...May 23,2023.

This is precisely the way the team is currently being run.

Except for not letting Allvin fire Boudreau and I would speculate it's entirely possible FAQ "suggested" they needed to retain Miller to help sell season tickets.

I believe that Aquilini was livid about the Juolevi pick, I just don't think it happened until like October 2021

Mason clarified on Twitter that Aquilini's lividity was after the fact and based on how Tkachuk developed vs OJ.

Amen.

I'm still gobsmacked that Benning & Co. were extended after the debacle of that season of the Canadian division. Canucks would be in a much, much better situation, despite Benning's multiple seasons of gross incompetence, had he been turfed at that point.

I might have the timeline wrong on this but didn't Benning say during his press availability at the end of that sorry season something along the lines of "we're two years away" and didn't all the noise about FAQ looking for a President and involving Courtnall start right around that time? Fast forward a few months: the rumours have died down and Benning trades for OEL.

 

[Bubbles]

Except for not letting Allvin fire Boudreau and I would speculate it's entirely possible FAQ "suggested" they needed to retain Miller to help sell season tickets.


Mason clarified on Twitter that Aquilini's lividity was after the fact and based on how Tkachuk developed vs OJ.


I might have the timeline wrong on this but didn't Benning say during his press availability at the end of that sorry season something along the lines of "we're two years away" and didn't all the noise about FAQ looking for a President and involving Courtnall start right around that time? Fast forward a few months: the rumours have died down and Benning trades for OEL.

Yes, but some differences. We only learned the year before Benning's last that Courtnall has been some sort of inside (unpaid) advisor to Aqua for years. I believe he asked Courtnall if he should fire Benning and Courtnall told him NO.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Except for not letting Allvin fire Boudreau and I would speculate it's entirely possible FAQ "suggested" they needed to retain Miller to help sell season tickets.


Mason clarified on Twitter that Aquilini's lividity was after the fact and based on how Tkachuk developed vs OJ.

I had zero idea that FA gave the order that Boudreau couldn’t be fired..or blocked his firing…It was messy.

If the team wanted a successful retool..Milller would have to be a part of that..I’m not convinced FA had any part in that decision.