Ted Nolan to Islanders ...

[LonelyGhost]

so who's gonna coach the 'nucks?

 

[twoblues]

I'd like Andy Murray because he's a BC boy, but we'll probably end up with Alain Vigneault (sp?), our farm team coach.

May as well give the job to a guy who couldn't win with the Canadiens as opposed to a guy who was decent with the Kings.

As for Nolan to the Islanders, hmm, interesting choice. I know he turned down a job with the Lightning quite a few years ago, but I guess he's learned his lesson that he is in no position to turn down jobs.

Whether or not he'd be able to handle the egos on that team, is another question. Hasek was a bit of handful for him in Buffalo, will Yashin be the same?

 

[tarbender]

If Bobby Clarke and the Philadelphia Flyers

ever fire Mr. Ken Hitchcock

,

maybe we can get that nut to run our insane asylum...He's made for west coast hockey !!!

 

[kehoe]

Hitchcock's style is defense first, defense second. Offence comes only after everything else has been taken care of. Canucks aren't built like that. Also, he is not a Cloutier fan at all (I have insider info on this) and like it or not we are probably stuck with him for this year. Nonis is in a tough spot as he has only one year left on his deal so to hire a coach with a longer term deal than him puts him in the "lame duck" category. We could be in line for a rookie coach or someone unproven anyways. I would think that if Vigneault was to be the guy that they would have announced it by now. The current assistant coaches could be in jeopardy as well. Look for one or more of them to be fired and/or joining Crawford in LA. I don't have a lot of expectations for the coming season. I believe the roster needs a huge adjustment, beginning with getting whatever they can for Bertuzzi and looking at more speedy, gritty forwards. If Jovo signs elsewhere then he needs to be replaced with a Chara, Redden or the like. Nonis is going to earn his money this year.

 

[Smother]

I absolutely agree with you kehoe ....I don't have high hopes for this team....in fact.....honestly.....i'm losing hope period towards the canucks....this team is turning me into a anti canuck fan now!!!
i'm FRUSTRATED with this team....I'm at the point that I don't care what happens to them....I also hope the games don't sell out this year...so the fans are sort of speaking out!! Nolan not being chosen doesn't surprise me with this management .....we'll get someone that is mediocre......fit's this team just right.....and watch...we'll still have Cloutier.......A WINNING SPIRIT TEAM FOLKS!!

Also...the only thing I'm interested in....is seeing how AULD and Noronen are.....!!!

YA RIGHT!!! WHATEVER!!!!

 

[twoblues]

I didn't want Nolan here. I think he is a good coach, but I do not think he has the ability to deal with the likes of Jovo, Bert, and Nazzy.

I especially didn't like the fact that he pulled the racism card as the reason why he wasn't coaching in the NHL. He was offered a 1 year extension by the new Buffalo Sabres GM after his successful year there, but he turned it down because he thought he deserved more security, which was a valid choice.

Turned down the Lightning job because his kid didn't want to move to Florida. Again, a valid choice, but you can only turn down so many jobs before people start to overlook you.

As for Hitchcock, I think Philly is stuck with him due to his fairly substantial contract. In Philly, I'd be quicker to blame injuries and Clarke before I blamed Hitchcock for their loss.

Who is available for coaching anyways, who's been mentioned?

Andy Murray
Alain Vigneault
Dineen (Out due to being a drunkard)
Stan Smyl?
Rick Ley?
?
just pulling some names out of my you know what

Edit (hit the submit too quickly)

 

[Smother]

I didn't want Nolan here. I think he is a good coach, but I do not think he has the ability to deal with the likes of Jovo, Bert, and Nazzy.
I especially didn't like the fact that he pulled the racism card as the reason why he wasn't coaching in the NHL.

good point...but I do believe he's learned his lesson....I would hope anyway...as for coaching styles....remember...these Canuck players are use to the same coach for ....what.....6 years or so.....Bert....nazzy...jovo...yes...as pro as they are...it's a team effort and they too have to adjust to new things as well....and by last season's results....I hope they too would agree....change in most cases is good....for the better anyway.......

 

[ValleyGuy]

With the hiring of Ted Nolan official now, I guess the blackball is finally over. Good on Neil Smith for having the guts to bring him back to the NHL.

 

[dirk_dog]

Neil Smith did NOT hire Nolan. In the press conference today, Nolan clearly stated the owner hired him. This is going to be another messy situation. This is setting up Nolan for another feud with the GM.

I dont know how long its going to take before Nolan and Smith disagree on a player and both are going to talk to ownership. The coach needs to be beneath the GM. This is a mess. I feel sorry for Nolan walking into this. Lets wait a couple of years before he cries racism again.

With the hiring of Ted Nolan official now, I guess the blackball is finally over. Good on Neil Smith for having the guts to bring him back to the NHL.

 

[bartendr]

Neil Smith did NOT hire Nolan. In the press conference today, Nolan clearly stated the owner hired him. This is going to be another messy situation. This is setting up Nolan for another feud with the GM.

I dont know how long its going to take before Nolan and Smith disagree on a player and both are going to talk to ownership. The coach needs to be beneath the GM. This is a mess. I feel sorry for Nolan walking into this. Lets wait a couple of years before he cries racism again.

Mukler and the other 'Old school GM's' are gonna have nothin to do with these guys. These are still very powerful men in the business of hockey. And I think the Ted Nolan 'blackballing' goes alot deeper than anyone in the general public could possibly know about.

 

[OTBn]

It's good to see Nolan back in the NHL after he got blacklisted over some old bull shit by John FUCK...I mean Muckler.

Huh? It was Muckler who was let go from Buffalo - Nolan stayed. Then it was Nolan who refused to sign again with the Sabres when he couldn't get the pay raise he was after - and that's when Regier sent Nolan packing from Buffalo. Then Nolan is offered the Lightning head coach spot by Esposito and it's Nolan who turns Espositio down.

Blackballing? Seems Nolan had at least 3 chances offered his way; the first by Muckler when he was a relatively unknown, the second by Regier when all he'd really won was a single playoff and the third by Esposito to coach Tampa Bay. Along the way Nolan's had disputes with several guys, management and players - ya, Nolan's da man.

 

[Dr.Naughtypants]

not just the Muckler stuff...

Rumour has it that not only did he go over Muckler's head and create that shituation, but that Nolan was banging Hasek's wife.

How do I know this?

Because a guy at a bar told me, so it's totally got to be true.

Dr.N

 

[LonelyGhost]

i am disappointed in the canucks

i agreed with your whole post, except that i think that naslund had a greater
detrimental impact on the team than bertuzzi ever did!

from the moment he put on the C the team has lost focus and the
killer edge needed to make it in the league. there have been some
team problems, but the talent was there to do more (they were one
team that the coaches had voted most likely to win the cup this year!).

it may seem crazy, but i'd rather see them trade naslund (if they could)
for even a good handful of draft picks, than to keep going with his
loser attitude at the helm!

this team won't win until he is gone, and if he has three years left
on his contract then you might as well be an Oilers fan for that time!

and trade bert for a new zamboni ... we'll toss in clouts too!