I've been letting it sink in; the Canucks exploding down the stretch run, going 1-6 in their last 7 games, to lose out on a playoff spot and a chance, albeit a small chance, to win the Stanley Cup this year. This was a season of disappointments and its hard to put it all into words.
I've been busy commenting on various other blogs about my feelings for the season and my theory all comes down to, coach Alain Vigneault lost control...and he lost control early in the year.
Way back when, I was not an enthusiastic supporter of the hiring of Viggy. His previous record in the NHL was mediocre and his announced style of play was defense first in the mold of the boring, yet winning, tradition of the New Jersey Devils. His first year proved to be successful, winning the Jack Adams award as coach of the year. A recognition of taking a team that tanked the year before and driving them into the playoffs with his defense-first style. Again, I was the first to say, well, maybe I was wrong...but, this season is proving my original theory too well.
One of the main reasons Viggy did so well last year was not because the Canucks could score goals...they struggled mightily in that category...rather it was inserting the best goaltender in the world between the pipes and hoping he could stand on his head night in and night out. It worked.
Then, this year started with a whimper...the Canucks stumbled out of the gate and the players began pointing fingers. I found it especially surprising that captain Markus Naslund went public for his distaste in the offensive style of the team. Naslund is known for his politically correct posturing with the press at all times (choking comments aside) and to hear him say things like this, was stunning, to me:
"We're not getting enough chances and I think we have to work too hard
to get our chances compared to other teams," Naslund said. "I have my
own views. I think we're throwing away way too many pucks instead of
trying to be creative and not giving the puck away when we've got it."
Indeed. Those comments were made October 24, 2007...barely 3 weeks into the season. Shortly after that, Viggy called out veteran defense man Willie Mitchell in the press, saying:
"He got beat twice," Vigneault said afterwards. "That's not the Willie Mitchell we know as a defensive specialist.
"He's having a tough time and his partner is having a tough time. We need those guys to pick up their play."
And then, there is the well publicized benching of Canuck icon Trevor Linden 23 times this season in favor of 'grit'.
In the world of management, pissing of three of your top 5 leaders on the team is not really a recipe for success. Now, I don't favor pampering those, but when you have skilled players and leadership that can help you over the hump, using their experience and motivation to succeed is smart business. Running the show the way you want to run it can sometimes work, but often will bite you in the butt.
Finally, the trade of Matt Cooke and the comments he made on TSN shortly after the trade were eye opening.
"I like Alain as a person," Cooke said. "Him and I had some issues and maybe didn't see quite eye to eye."
He clearly echoed the sentiments of Markus Naslund earlier in the year and seemed elated to be leaving Vancouver (watch the video on the article linked). This was a guy that played for the team for 10 years and was every bit as much of an icon for the team as is Naslund and Linden.
To me, it all adds up to some poor people skills by management. Certainly when a new manager comes into any situation, you have your ways of doing things and your system...but, you have to use the talents you have been given to its fullest extend. Turning Markus Naslund into a 3rd line checking forward, is not necessarily the best use of your assets.
During the course of last year and this year, the Canucks have turned into a boring team. Certainly, winning last year helped ease some of that pain, but when you are boring and losing, something has got to give.
The New Jersey Devils changed the way the game was played back in the early 90's...trapping, dump and chase, slow it down hockey has been the norm. People have called that era the 'dead puck era' for the stifling style of play. The lockout of 2004 was partly about business, but partly about an opportunity to improve the game. Rules were enforced and the play opened up...for a time. But, the problem has been, the stifling style of play has never gone away...coaches continue to coach it because 'it wins.' But, professional hockey is supposed to be entertaining! 
Bold change is needed in the league. There have been some exciting players to come into the league the past couple of years, but there have been no exciting coaches. Everyone plays the same style of game. The league (and the Canucks) need someone that is bold and brave enough to say...hockey is about skating and passing and defeating your opponent through offense. Playing in the offensive zone, diminishes the need for stifling defense.
Vigneault and Nonis built a team of grinders and they played the game they needed to...but, when you look at the top of the roster, you have some very skilled players that need open space to operate and Viggy didn't understand that. Naslund, the Sedin's, Morrison, Kesler are all players capable of putting up numbers, if there is a system that allows them to. Putting the Sedin's against the boards digging at pucks, demanding Naslund play on the 3rd checking line and leaving Kesler on that line was probably not the best use of personnel.
In the meantime, here is to Trevor Linden and a phenomenal career...let's hope this career can go in a different direction, as head coach of the Canucks.
