What would you suggest. He go to the press a la torts and say what amounts to this team sucks?
Coaches have to maintain a sense of sobriety and a little optimism while remaining calm for the press, even if they know what they are saying is crap. As a prior poster typed, "Coaching 101". All good coaches are good at it. Even if they melt the paint off the walls behind the scenes, before the media, it's all cool. Never throw a player or the team in general under the bus. They always have their players' backs. If you lose your players, turn in your resignation. You are done.
In his 4 seasons in Utica he not only never lost his team, he never lost a player. Don't expect that to happen in Vancouver any time soon.