Here is my master list of what was said during the interview today. I think it was absolutely fascinating, and gives a stark reality to what happened, and is still happening with this team
Role would have to be the right role, not as much dealing with the media. Would be overseeing, educating, creating an organization that appreciates science and technology
Biggest regret the young people who passed away, Rypien, Bourdon, Taylor Pyatts wife, Demitra.
Biggest regret in hockey was not changing the scouting staff early enough. Thought they could work it out, wanted to evaluate it properly, came to the conclusion to late that wasn’t the case. Process of how draft was finally formulated well with Eric Crawford put in charge. The first pick you have a lot of influence over, the rest of the picks are done by the scouting staff. People think that we are in charge of it all, but that isn’t the case at all.
Liked the Hodgson pick, Pat Quinn gave glowing report, but things happened after we selected him that hindered his progress, and our opinion of him. Rightly or wrongly, we came to the conclusion we had to move him, lots of factors in the decision. We wanted a bigger, faster, stronger player for Hodgson. Knew there where problems with Zac, but teams knew there was problems with Hodgson
We built a team that was around speed, skill, and a defence on fast transition. We got surprised in the finals by how the officiating went. There was police in the building. Contrarty to popular belief, they didn’t want to build the team differently after the finals.
the plan if he hadn’t left in 2014 to ownership. Team wasn’t going in the direction I wanted. Players drop off dramatically, that was built in a certain way, and still wanted to play that way. High tempo, high skill, fast transitional play.
We wanted to win hockey games. Felt the best way to win games was not be in the penalty box. Had to find the balance with physicality. A lot of people misinterpreted what happened in the finals. Should have won the cup with no problem, Malhotra/Kesler hurt was a huge loss, among others. Ran into the wrong team at the wrong time with too many injuries.
Don’t think I handled the media properly, would have handled it very differently. Not take things as personally.
Doesn’t watch the Canucks, but thinks Petttersson is fabulous, would fit the mold of a player I’d like to have.
Spent some time in Russia, players aren’t as fast and as good.
Deal for Schneider at the deadline wasn’t there. Top flight goalie and we hadn’t decided what we where gonna do yet. Didn’t have the track record at that point to get the deal we would have wanted
With the long term contracts, we wanted to win the cup, and thought those contracts gave us best competitive chance to win. Talked to Gary about the changing the rules. Oddly enough a couple teams after tried complaining tried to trade for Roberto anyway. Unfortunate that they changed the way they did
If he was in charge of the roster, likes speed and skill, especially the backend. That would be his focus with a roster, (mentioned Erhoff as an example). Make the forwards as effective as possible with good defenceman.
When asked if he had carte blanche to run the Canucks again, he literally laughed, and said it would take “quite a lot for that to happen again”
On Seattle, thinks its gonna be a terrific market, natural place to put a team, great sports market(now), lots of contact with the Seahawks, think they’d do well. I’d be interested in hearing from Seattle about a potential job. Lots of connections to different Seattle personal.
Dave Tippet was a couch we had under consideration. Respected his work, got the most out of his players. Good coach.
On no trade clauses, his mandate was to win. Constructing a team means you need to find every advantage, and further to that, middle of the pack as fas as no trade clauses. Didn’t feel skewed one way or another. Even if you gave a no trade contact to a player, threat of minors or not wanted makes him possible to trade. Invested in there careers, but if there is a younger player comes along, mortality stares you in the face, need to move anyway.
Doesn’t think no trade clauses hamstrung team, wasn’t there to do the trade, thinks with his background, could have been handled differently.
On trading picks, no regrets, had a plan, and had the assets to do it. Timing was just off. We had some trade on the table before the deadline I got fired that could have changed the whole complexion of the team, they just didn’t get done.
Given the choice, would have done it again. 2nd round pick wouldn’t help us win the cup in our competitive years. Team demonstrated the ability to win the cup, so had to go all in. Chris Higgins, Lapierre were huge for the team. Loss of Malhotra can’t be understated.
Think the NHL tries the best they can to prevent concussions. Due to size speed and strength of players its hard to be as good as they can with that, but trying. Mitigate it as much as possible.
If Daniel was healthy for 2012, perhaps they could have made another run, but Quick was unbelievable and they knew how to beat us. Hard to say if they could have beaten them.
We were coming to the conclusion that after 2012, that it was time to start changing things. The intent was to do that, but things intervened.
Alain Vigneault was great. Started off rocky, didn’t know what was gonna happen. Sat there for most of a day asking questions. Needed a guarantee that he’d do the style of play I wanted. Changed from a defensive minded coach to offensive minded. I just thought he was incredibly passionate about the team, and he was agreeable to changes. Liked the way we played during the losing streak, then we really took off.
Negativity in the canadian media was a small number of people, that made media requests for players at bad times. Didn’t like the way we played, didn’t do it the right way. Marchand doing it in front of the official, with a 4 minute power play that changes the whole game. Didn’t want them to do it that way, some members of the media didn’t feel like we deserved to be there, and I took that personally. Should have just ignored it.
Easiest players ever to work with where the Sedins. Zero maintanence, hard working, dream players. We had others that were similar, but they were the best.
Went after Shea Weber really hard. Thought he would bring something we were missing. Thought we were close on Weber, visited him, then he got that massive offer, then we got knocked out of the running.
If you recall, Aaron Rome, hit Horton at the blue line, thought it was clean, and he got suspended 4 game. Thought we played hard enough, but after that we had not enough depth. Not turn the other cheek, but play really hard, and not go in the penalty box.
Thinks fan, media negative attention has an effect on players wanting to play here. Very different landscape in this day and age, in city like Canucks, there are some people that don’t want that level of scrutiny, and it prevents some players from coming here. Would have been a hero if won, but then we lost and there was riots and we couldn’t leave, so its a double edge sword.
Sent Sedins a text on retirement, thanked them, then told me best time of there careers, and realized how hard it is to build a championship team. Would be there for Sedins retire night.
Relationship with Luongo, got along really well. Work ethic set the tone for the team. Thinks when Rollie got brought it, made Luongo that much better, thinks he’s the best goalie coach in the world. When we made him captain, we wanted to recognize his work ethic. Wasn’t right decision in hindsight but just trying to recognize his talent.
When you get fired from a a job, you have a lot of considerations. Didn’t pay attention to who the Canucks hired, and didn’t think about it.
I don’t think I’ll ever be over 2011, just with the whole thing. WE worked so hard, we traveled so much, went through the first series, suddenly overtime of 7th game. Having gone though it the first time int he finals. Just the pressure from everything was draining. Lost the series, stuff happens, was just I couldn’t believe it.
I made a decision that this wasn’t gonna work. Didn’t like the direction of the team. I realized I was becoming part of the problem, watched a lot of things go out the window that made successful. I disagreed with certain things that happened, when I wasn’t influential in the decisions that I should be influential in. When your coach gets suspended for 15 games, you are done. He couldn’t remain after the outdoor game.
Unsung hero of management was Eric Crawford. Thinks he’s outstanding in his job, if I take another job, I would attempt to get him hard. Thought the way, took instruction, and did all the right things really hard.
There was a reason we didn’t call up Rypien during 2011, there was something that prohibited that, but can’t remember.
Can’t disagree with anything Jason wrote about that season
John wanted to live in Point Roberts for tax reason, impacted the job on occasion. Built him a murphy bed so he could stay over at the rink on occasion. Doesn’t think John was invested in the team and where it was going at any point.
Manny suffered a catastrophic eye injury. Flew him to New York to get the best eye surgeon possible. Manny went through the rigours to get healthy, had a young family, concerned about his safety and health. Knew he couldn’t see certain things. Certain plays where Raffi could have clocked him, and he missed on purpose. Thought he was at severe risk, and didn’t want that and was uncomfortable with that.
My relationship with other GMS was great, got along with all of them, and played with all of them. Heard about it, and took great issue with it. Highly competitive business, everyones trying to get an edge, treated highly respectively, treated everyone respectively, no issues with other managers.
Couple opportunities for Luongo to be a Leaf
Way trade deadline works, you frame the trade way ahead of the deadline. Wait as long as possible to get a better offer. Don’t want to preempt the market. At the mercy of the teams who are moving players out. Teams always trying to extract the most value.
Thanks all the people who he worked with at the Canucks. Thought they were dedicated, hard working, and wanted to thank them cause he never had the chance before. His success was there success and vice versa. Everyone was on board, and can’t thank they enough.
Hated how media painted them as evil and worst Canucks in history. Know what we did in the community, and its more than just the superficial stuff, and didn’t enjoy that.
If you made it this far congrats, but that was me summing up the whole interview.
