Fan In Van

Coaching Opportunities

The NHL season isn’t officially over until June, but there are already more coaching positions available around the league than there were before the first round of the playoffs began. And while nothing is official, there’s talk about more coaches being let go or being “relieved of their duties” following the season.

Canucks coach Alain Vigneault’s job is in evident jeopardy. The face lift Canuck ownership gave to the franchise has not been the prettiest of fix-its, but the surgery isn’t quite over. Among the highest priority of new GM Mike Gillis’ to-do list is to decide whether or not keeping Alain Vigneault is in the best interest of the franchise. But for argument’s sake, I’m breaking down the growing list of coaching candidates to replace him.

Paul Maurice - I have to say, Maurice would probably be my last option so it seems like he shouldn’t be on this list. That being said, Maurice knows how to run an effective powerplay and wouldn’t be a terrible option if the Canucks try to add some more assistant coaches to improve their terrible special teams.

Joel Quenneville - Quenneville is a great regular season coach but his numbers in the playoffs have been less than spectacular, to say the least. He managed to ride the Avalanche hot into the postseason but after sneaking by the Wild were blown out of the water by the Red Wings. Many Avalanche fans themselves think Q is overrated, claiming he’s a lesser Marc Crawford. Is that a good thing or bad thing?

Ron Wilson - Here’s another underachieving coach; how Ron Wilson could not lead his Sharks past the second round of the playoffs for three years is beyond me, especially a Sharks team that talented. Like Quenneville, he has a decent regular season record but has struggled in the playoffs. However, a change in scenery may be what is needed.

John Tortorella - Outspoken, brash and hard-nosed … and those are his good qualities! But make no mistake, Tortorella is that old school kind of coach who makes sure his players know who they’re coached by on that ice. He has won a Stanley Cup, now coaches the USA team at the World Championships and has had decent success in the postseason (Outside of the 2004 run). He’s currently under the gun in a Tampa franchise in much limbo.

Pat Burns - Burns battled cancer and won. In his previous coaching stints, he’s battled sub-par teams and given them success. Once he beat the colon cancer which sidelined him from New Jersey head coaching duties in 2005, he returned to coach Team Canada at this year’s World Championships and has indicated he would like to return to the NHL. He won one Stanley Cup with the Devils. He is also the only head coach to win three Jack Adams awards with three different teams (Montreal, Toronto and Boston). The knock on Burns is that he has not coached in the NHL for three years, and has not coached post-lockout.

Alain Vigneault - Alright, to Coach V’s defense. Look, the fact here is that he could not get the Canucks into the postseason even with Roberto Luongo in his arsenal. But don’t forget the Jack Adams award he won the season before, and don’t forget he steered the Canucks until the second last game before his team was eliminated from the playoff race, and with valuable players and less talented forwards. I’m curious to see whether or not Vigneault can right the Canucks’ offensive woes if he is given the proper pieces. There has to be a reason why he kept going back to Byron Ritchie on their powerplay.

And, for your viewing pleasure, the side of John Tortorella you can expect to see: