Post-Game Talk: Willie Desjardins 4, Los Angeles Kings 3: The one with the gilded bench

[Ozone]

Interesting read:
http://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/the-provies-goldygate-willie-watch-and-a-confrontation-with-team-tank

 

[jigsaw99]

so good

 

[petrishriekandgo]

Canucks need to change their team slogan again:

 

[cc]

our system is Megna

Willie: "I've got a fever... and the only prescription is more Megna!!"

 

[rune74]

Willie: "I've got a fever... and the only prescription is more Megna!!"

I already went there

 

[Huggy]

tweet @fr_aqualini

#firewilly

 

[ChilliBilly]

Interesting read:
http://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/the-provies-goldygate-willie-watch-and-a-confrontation-with-team-tank

Thanks ... excellent article.

 

[PancakeHero]

Boucher and Goldobin played well together on the Sting. I'd put them together on a line.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

I still think it is funny that all this Megna stuff is coming out now.

Guy has been playing Megna 14 minutes/game for 3 months. Last night Megna played 9:30 and people are losing their minds. He also benched Megna after taking a bad penalty and I would not be at all surprised if Megna sat the next game.

 

[VanJack]

You know, Willie was a great junior hockey coach....Free Willie!....Send him back!

 

[Ozone]

Thanks ... excellent article.

No prob!

I also found the Boucher and Goldobin past interesting..

 

[LeftCoast]

I still think it is funny that all this Megna stuff is coming out now.

Guy has been playing Megna 14 minutes/game for 3 months. Last night Megna played 9:30 and people are losing their minds. He also benched Megna after taking a bad penalty and I would not be at all surprised if Megna sat the next game.

I too think the Megna thing is overblown. To me, the issue is more about the whole "we have to be a 4 line team, blah, blah, blah" and then when the games become meaningless, he shortens his bench and benches a player that was brought to Vancouver (rather than Utica) so they could evaluate him for next year.

The handling of Boucher on the other hand is a head scratcher.

 

[Cupless44]

To not use the last 20 games to evaluate young players and see what you have for the future and next season is inexcusable.

If the coach is not on board, then management needs to step in and make him get on board. Victories do not matter, he has already coached them out of contention.

If there is any chance to keep his job for next season it should be based on his willingness to give icetime to the players of the future, not a few meaningless late season wins grinded out.

 

[PancakeHero]

I don't think you can argue that Willie D hasn't coached his team to work hard pretty much most nights. Motivation is there. The line combos, deployments etc though are becoming increasingly head-scratching. That and they just don't have the talent yet. Part of me thinks that allowing the team to crater like the Maple Leafs, Sabres, Avalanche and Arizona would be bad for the team. I'm torn.

 

[PancakeHero]

Bleh

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Interesting read:
http://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks/the-provies-goldygate-willie-watch-and-a-confrontation-with-team-tank

It's been a while since I've read Botch on line. So sports "journalism" now is just reblogging tweets, memes and youtube clips with a bit of filler to tie it all together? Sweet gig, if you can get it, I guess.

 

[PancakeHero]

It's been a while since I've read Botch on line. So sports "journalism" now is just reblogging tweets, memes and youtube clips with a bit of filler to tie it all together? Sweet gig, if you can get it, I guess.

It's the new "journalism".

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

It's been a while since I've read Botch on line. So sports "journalism" now is just reblogging tweets, memes and youtube clips with a bit of filler to tie it all together? Sweet gig, if you can get it, I guess.

Dying gasps of mainstream media.

 

[TruGr1t]

It's been a while since I've read Botch on line. So sports "journalism" now is just reblogging tweets, memes and youtube clips with a bit of filler to tie it all together? Sweet gig, if you can get it, I guess.

The Provies are clearly aimed at that specific internet demographic that likes listicles and lots of pictures. Some say millennials, but it's broader than that, I think.

That being said, I bet it's one of (if not the most) popular features for the newspaper in terms of generating traffic. I read them because sometimes Botch sneaks juicy rumors in there about ownership/management and the franchise. If you're critical of management it's also pretty anti-Benning a lot of the time.

 

[VanJack]

I don't think you can argue that Willie D hasn't coached his team to work hard pretty much most nights. Motivation is there. The line combos, deployments etc though are becoming increasingly head-scratching. That and they just don't have the talent yet. Part of me thinks that allowing the team to crater like the Maple Leafs, Sabres, Avalanche and Arizona would be bad for the team. I'm torn.

I've heard this argument all year, about how the team "works hard for Willie"....sorry, but these are NHL players who're well paid for what they do....every team in the NHL "works hard" most nights unless injuries or travel catches up with them.

I'm not buying the fact that Desjardins gets much more out his team than any other coach in the National Hockey League. The problem is that in terms of "in-game" management and player deployment, he's just not at an NHL level.

 

[PancakeHero]

I've heard this argument all year, about how the team "works hard for Willie"....sorry, but these are NHL players who're well paid for what they do....every team in the NHL "works hard" most nights unless injuries or travel catches up with them.

I'm not buying the fact that Desjardins gets much more out his team than any other coach in the National Hockey League. The problem is that in terms of "in-game" management and player deployment, he's just not at an NHL level.

Counter argument: The Colorado Avalanche

Otherwise it must be his even strength systems.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

As bad as the Canucks have been and as terrible as their roster is constructed, they have been in almost every game this season. They virtually never get outright blown out, even by far superior teams. That is notable.