Confirmed with Link: Canucks name Ryan Johnson Player Development Consultant

[RobertKron]

Critiquing Ryan Johnson as a hockey player doesn't really have any impact on Ryan Johnson the "Player Development Consultant". It's been mentioned but some of the least accomplished players have gone on to become very good coaches.

John Tortorella - the highest level he played at was the ACHL (which would later become the ECHL). He played a bit in Sweden in Division 1 (2 levels below the SEL).

Alain Vigneault - was drafted and played 42 NHL games over 2 seasons. He played another 2 seasons in the AHL.

Marc Crawford - bounced between the AHL and NHL for 9 years before retiring as a player.

Scotty Bowman - played junior hockey in the Montreal system, but a fractured skull ended his playing career.

Don Cherry - had a long and storied minor pro career but never got the call to the NHL.

Tim Hunter - had a long NHL career, but he was primarily an enforcer. He's one of the better regarded assistant coaches and will likely get a head coaching gig some day if he wants it.

Al Arbour - had a long playing career as a defenseman, but in over 600 games played, he scored 12 goals (70 points). He won 4 Stanley Cups as a player and another 4 as a coach. But he was never a high skilled player and his NHL playing career was punctuated with spells in the WHL - a minor pro league in those days, and the AHL.

This is bang on - especially considering that we don't even really have a clear idea of what the position even entails.

 

[SighReally]

Should just hire Gretzky as head coach.

Oh wait...

 

[jimslob]

This is wrong on so many levels.

Don Cherry had a wonderfull NHL carrer and he wouldn't trade that one game for anything!

 

[Shareefruck]

I felt he kind of sucked at blocking shots in the tail end of his time here. Just flail around helplessly every time while the opposition dances around you.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Pat Burns, Ken Hitchcock and Jon Cooper have zero professional playing experience.

and nonis was just a fat kid who didn't even know what hockey was when burke found him in that orphanage...

 

[LeftCoast]

This is wrong on so many levels.

Don Cherry had a wonderfull NHL carrer and he wouldn't trade that one game for anything!

Doh - I didn't look at the playoff column! I thought he had been called up once, but his NHL total games (regular season) are zero. 1 playoff game.

 

[F A N]

I don't understand why anybody here would make fun of Ryan Johnson and think he's a bad hire without knowing more. This is a guy who was a high second round pick who ended up playing 10+ years in the NHL mostly as a 4th line center. He didn't play 10+ years on natural talent alone.

I don't know exactly what a development coach does, but I bet it isn't all about the ability to teach certain skills but a guy to offer guidance and serve as a mentor. A prospect looking to crack the NHL as a bottom 6 player will likely get more out of talking with Ryan Johnson than Pavel Bure.

As for hiring former players, lots of teams are giving former players a chance and it's generally well perceived. Not every team sticks with past alumni and every player succeeds in working up the corporate ladder so there's absolutely no need to worry that a former Canucks alumni will become the GM of the Vancouver Canucks or coach of the Vancouver Canucks without him deserving of the job. The Canucks under Gillis have developed a reputation for taking care of their prospects and being in touch with them constantly. Guys like Ryan Johnson and Dan Cloutier are additions.

 

[PG Canuck]

Pretty hard to call it a bad hiring when we're not even exactly sure what role he is consulting with player development.

 

[RobertKron]

and nonis was just a fat kid who didn't even know what hockey was when burke found him in that orphanage...

I know this is a joke, but Nonis captained his NCAA team and I believe he played pro in Europe. Played with the Capuanos and future deadline steal Eric Weinrich

 

[carolinacanuck]

Critiquing Ryan Johnson as a hockey player doesn't really have any impact on Ryan Johnson the "Player Development Consultant". It's been mentioned but some of the least accomplished players have gone on to become very good coaches.

John Tortorella - the highest level he played at was the ACHL (which would later become the ECHL). He played a bit in Sweden in Division 1 (2 levels below the SEL).

Alain Vigneault - was drafted and played 42 NHL games over 2 seasons. He played another 2 seasons in the AHL.

Marc Crawford - bounced between the AHL and NHL for 9 years before retiring as a player.

Scotty Bowman - played junior hockey in the Montreal system, but a fractured skull ended his playing career.

Don Cherry - had a long and storied minor pro career but never got the call to the NHL.

Tim Hunter - had a long NHL career, but he was primarily an enforcer. He's one of the better regarded assistant coaches and will likely get a head coaching gig some day if he wants it.

Al Arbour - had a long playing career as a defenseman, but in over 600 games played, he scored 12 goals (70 points). He won 4 Stanley Cups as a player and another 4 as a coach. But he was never a high skilled player and his NHL playing career was punctuated with spells in the WHL - a minor pro league in those days, and the AHL.

I think this is where the expression....those who can, do, those who can't, teach proves true.

 

[dave babych returns]

Pat Burns, Ken Hitchcock and Jon Cooper have zero professional playing experience.

Yep. Looking at guys who have done well in positions where you are supposed to be able to think the game (NHL head coach being the most obvious) you'll find that long and storied careers at the highest level are the exception more than the rule.

Comparing Johnson to NHL head coaches playing careers he'd probably be somewhere in the middle of the pack.. probably above that actually as I could at least 16 or 17 guys with little to no experience at the NHL level.

I think this is where the expression....those who can, do, those who can't, teach proves true.

At least, that's where it proves semi-flattering.

 

[cotillion]

When is Bulis getting hired?

 

[Betamax*]

Pretty hard to call it a bad hiring when we're not even exactly sure what role he is consulting with player development.

I don't think the users here are saying it's a bad hire per se -- more like relating their past memories of him being injury prone and an ineffective player for the Canucks.

 

[Free Edler]

I don't think the users here are saying it's a bad hire per se -- more like relating their past memories of him being injury prone and an ineffective player for the Canucks.

Also the nepotism. It's unusual how many mediocre ex-players this team brings back in coaching/development roles. Dan Cloutier, Dave Babych, Nolan Baumgartner and now Ryan Johnson. It's odd, I say.

 

[Betamax*]

Also the nepotism. It's unusual how many mediocre ex-players this team brings back in coaching/development roles. Dan Cloutier, Dave Babych, Nolan Baumgartner and now Ryan Johnson. It's odd, I say.

Organizations tend to give preference to people they know and have a history and familiarity with. The Oilers are probably another example of this. Not that it's helped its on-ice product.

Having said that, I can see one day the Canucks bringing back Linden in a Management capacity, similar to what Sakic is to the Avs.

 

[Tiranis]

Also the nepotism. It's unusual how many mediocre ex-players this team brings back in coaching/development roles. Dan Cloutier, Dave Babych, Nolan Baumgartner and now Ryan Johnson. It's odd, I say.

Every organization in the NHL does this. As has also been pointed out, being a mediocre NHLer has no impact on whether you're good or bad at your hockey-related job afterwards. Some of the best coaches, trainers, etc. were mediocre players or guys who never played in the NHL, or sometimes even AHL, and other times ones with no professional experience what-so-ever (even at the junior level).

 

[Free Edler]

I understand a lot of teams do this. I'm just glad the Canucks haven't done it with respect to upper management positions, like, say, the Edmonton Oilers. FWIW, as long as Mike Gillis is running the show in Vancouver, Trevor Linden won't be within 50 feet of a management position with the Canucks.

 

[Betamax*]

I understand a lot of teams do this. I'm just glad the Canucks haven't done it with respect to upper management positions, like, say, the Edmonton Oilers. FWIW, as long as Mike Gillis is running the show in Vancouver, Trevor Linden won't be within 50 feet of a management position with the Canucks.

Effectively, if that scenerio plays out, Linden would be the GMMG's heir apparent since Sakic is essentially the key decision maker in hockey ops.

 

[dave babych returns]

Effectively, if that scenerio plays out, Linden would be the GMMG's heir apparent since Sakic is essentially the key decision maker in hockey ops.

I think the point is that the scenario won't play out. Mike Gillis and Trevor Linden have a history and it's not a positive one (Gillis is a friend of Bob Goodenow who of course was the target of the coup Linden was involved in within the PA during the 2004-05 lockout).

Given Gillis is the GM and President and basically running the show, unless ownership is going to go over his head and hire someone he probably does not want to work with there's no way Linden will end up in the organization.

Nevermind Linden's stated preference to stay out of the hockey world for now.

 

[carolinacanuck]

all this nepotism and giving jobs to ex-players reminds me of the seinfeld episode when george is debating his next career move...

George: What about like an announcer? Like a color man? You know how I always make those interesting comments during the game?
Jerry: Yeah. Yeah. You make good comments.
George: So? What about that?
Jerry: Well, they tend to give those jobs to ex-ballplayers and, ya know, people in broadcasting.
George: That's really not fair.

 

[Betamax*]

I think the point is that the scenario won't play out. Mike Gillis and Trevor Linden have a history and it's not a positive one (Gillis is a friend of Bob Goodenow who of course was the target of the coup Linden was involved in within the PA during the 2004-05 lockout).

Given Gillis is the GM and President and basically running the show, unless ownership is going to go over his head and hire someone he probably does not want to work with there's no way Linden will end up in the organization.

Nevermind Linden's stated preference to stay out of the hockey world for now.

I wasn't advocated Linden getting back to hockey in the immediate future (given his outside of hockey business interests) but when GMMG either retires or is let go of his duties i.e. fired, bringing in Linden as a logical replacement in a Sakic type role would be something that FA would do since, given his background as a fan first and affinity for players from the 94 Cup run ... where Linden was probably the Heart & Soul of it.

 

[F A N]

I wasn't advocated Linden getting back to hockey in the immediate future (given his outside of hockey business interests) but when GMMG either retires or is let go of his duties i.e. fired, bringing in Linden as a logical replacement in a Sakic type role would be something that FA would do since, given his background as a fan first and affinity for players from the 94 Cup run ... where Linden was probably the Heart & Soul of it.

Umm... do you know Francesco Aquilini personally? Why presume that he will give a Sakic type role to Linden?

 

[Betamax*]

Umm... do you know Francesco Aquilini personally? Why presume that he will give a Sakic type role to Linden?

I'm not presuming he will. I'm speculating that someone like Linden could be brought back to the organization which was the theme of the past several posts. I think given the reports that FA was instrumental in bringing back Pavel back to the organization (when it came to mending fences to facilitate the number retirement ceremony) it seems to me that someone of Linden's stature and pedigree would be similar to what a Sakic was to the Avs. I think FA like most Canucks fans, still have a great affinity for the '94 team and the players most responsible for getting that team to game 7 of the finals.

 

[Labamba]

The guy broke his feet like every other game he played, he blocked a lot of shots but does breaking your feet mean you are good at it?

 

[F A N]

I'm not presuming he will. I'm speculating that someone like Linden could be brought back to the organization which was the theme of the past several posts.

I see. Don't mean to offend, but you do know that "would" is the past tense/past participle of "will" right?

I think given the reports that FA was instrumental in bringing back Pavel back to the organization (when it came to mending fences to facilitate the number retirement ceremony) it seems to me that someone of Linden's stature and pedigree would be similar to what a Sakic was to the Avs. I think FA like most Canucks fans, still have a great affinity for the '94 team and the players most responsible for getting that team to game 7 of the finals.

I don't think Linden's stature and pedigree here is similar to what Sakic was and is to the Avs for many obvious reasons. Regardless, Sakic did accept a management position with the AVs after retirement and one of the biggest "problems" with the Avs the past half a decade or more was nepotism/Lacroix who hired his own guys.