Alain Vigneault fired

[Deebo]

Louis Jean of TVA sports is reporting that Vigneault as well as assistants Rick Bowness and Newell Browne have been fired by the Canucks.

If confirmed, no one can say they didn't see this coming. I think Gillis should be the one to go though, but this doesn't really rule that out at this point.

 

[Sucker Punch]

Definitely.  Unless Gillis can pull off some genius moves, their cap situation is going to make him look real bad this summer.

 

[Peter D.]

Agreed that Gillis should be let go as well.  The few Vancouver fans I know aren't happy with this move, but realized it likely was going to occur based on this year's playoff.

So what happens first -- Vigneault finding a new job or the Canucks finding his replacement?

 

[L K]

If Gillis survives this thing over Vigneault something is seriously wrong with Vancouver's ownership. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

If Gillis survives this thing over Vigneault something is seriously wrong with Vancouver's ownership. 

I think it's pretty rare for a coach to get fired and then the GM as well shortly after. It's usually the other way around. If Gillis is going to get fired it's going to have to be very soon. Ownership won't keep him around to pick a new coach for a new GM to be stuck with.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

It's official now:

@VanCanucks

Alain Vigneault relieved of coaching duties by Vancouver Canucks. http://v.canucks.com/10UasHk

 

[bustaheims]

Well, there goes one of the most obvious moves of the summer. I would have announced Gillis being let go at the same time, but, it won't shock me if ownership in Vancouver doesn't have the nerve to let them both go in the same offseason.

 

[caver]

Well, there goes one of the most obvious moves of the summer. I would have announced Gillis being let go at the same time, but, it won't shock me if ownership in Vancouver doesn't have the nerve to let them both go in the same offseason.

just like Buffalo.

 

[Omallley]

If Gillis survives this thing over Vigneault something is seriously wrong with Vancouver's ownership.

Most in Vancouver think he'll be on a pretty short leash and will be given a year to improve the team's playoff performance. What I don't get about that is why you would give the existing GM of a team that has underperformed not entirely due to coaching another kick at the can, especially when so many significant roster moves need to be made?

He'll have his plate full: Where does Luongo go, and how bad of a deal will it be (or do you flip Schneider)? Do you use your two amnesty buyouts on Booth, Ballard? What players aren't coming back? Who will fill out the remaining 7-8 roster spots?

 

[ZBBM]

Ridiculous if Vigneault gets axed and Gillis doesn't.  But hey, if VAN wants to keep with the same guy who steered into the iceberg, so be it.

 

[Deebo]

Renaud Lavoie is reporting that the Canucks are talking to Tortorella about their coaching vacancy.

 

[KoHo]

Ridiculous if Vigneault gets axed and Gillis doesn't.  But hey, if VAN wants to keep with the same guy who steered into the iceberg, so be it.

Sedin
Sedin
Kesler
Burrows
Bieksa
Edler
Luongo
Schneider

All were there before Gillis became GM. Gillis has done nothing but fail to surround the core players he inherited with the right supporting cast.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Renaud Lavoie is reporting that the Canucks are talking to Tortorella about their coaching vacancy.

He'll go over well in a Canadian market.

 

[Kin]

Ridiculous if Vigneault gets axed and Gillis doesn't.  But hey, if VAN wants to keep with the same guy who steered into the iceberg, so be it.

Sedin
Sedin
Kesler
Burrows
Bieksa
Edler
Luongo
Schneider

All were there before Gillis became GM. Gillis has done nothing but fail to surround the core players he inherited with the right supporting cast.

Although that is also an argument for the current team not really being a Gillis creation.

 

[Corn Flake]

Renaud Lavoie is reporting that the Canucks are talking to Tortorella about their coaching vacancy.

Oh my god. I can't even imagine how much crap we are going to hear about on a daily basis if this happens.  Their media are nuts.. maybe more nuts than NY's. 

 

[KoHo]

Ridiculous if Vigneault gets axed and Gillis doesn't.  But hey, if VAN wants to keep with the same guy who steered into the iceberg, so be it.

Sedin
Sedin
Kesler
Burrows
Bieksa
Edler
Luongo
Schneider

All were there before Gillis became GM. Gillis has done nothing but fail to surround the core players he inherited with the right supporting cast.

Although that is also an argument for the current team not really being a Gillis creation.

Which scenario is more likely?

Scenario A: Gillis inherited a poor core that doesn't work and can't win a championship despite Gillis' best efforts to surround them with something.

Scenario B: Gillis inherited a very good core of all-stars and failed to surround them properly to win a Stanley Cup.

 

[Kin]

Which scenario is more likely?

Scenario A: Gillis inherited a poor core that doesn't work and can't win a championship despite Gillis' best efforts to surround them with something.

Scenario B: Gillis inherited a very good core of all-stars and failed to surround them properly to win a Stanley Cup.

Neither are all that accurate a description of the job Gillis did. The idea that a team that went to game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals was not assembled "properly" strikes me as just as hyperbolic as saying that the Sedins and Kesler are a "poor" core.

 

[Peter D.]

Tortorella is bordering on Mike Keenan territory, whose act is getting thin and is no longer a fit within the NHL.

The Canucks are one of the last teams who I'd think would be attracted to him.

 

[KoHo]

Which scenario is more likely?

Scenario A: Gillis inherited a poor core that doesn't work and can't win a championship despite Gillis' best efforts to surround them with something.

Scenario B: Gillis inherited a very good core of all-stars and failed to surround them properly to win a Stanley Cup.

Neither are all that accurate a description of the job Gillis did. The idea that a team that went to game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals was not assembled "properly" strikes me as just as hyperbolic as saying that the Sedins and Kesler are a "poor" core.

I guess that's true - I mean the series doesn't even go to 7 if Luongo doesn't give up 15 goals in the 3 Boston games. Still, it seems as if Gillis inherited a gold mine (from Burke and Nonis no less) is slowly pissing it away.

However, it is debatable on how much Gillis is at fault for and how much is actually just bad luck. The Sedins have regressed from 2011 and Kesler and Booth have been injured. The one knock on Gillis is he seriously bungled the Luongo file, from signing him to that contract in the first place to not trading him at the right time. Either way, the team has gone from Western Conference champions to twisting in the wind. Firing AV was a good move.

 

[Jalili]

Gillis' biggest mistake, from my perspective, is how he mishandled Luongo.

From making him captain, to giving him that contract, to letting him become a massive distraction, you can tell Luongo's been psychologically run down into the mud as a Canuck.

I still liked a few of Gillis' moves. Signing Hamhuis was smart, getting Ehrhoff for dirt cheap was also pretty sharp (..although not re-signing him hurt them a lot). There might be some others I've forgotten.

Gillis really messed up in a few places though.