Crowded crease awaits Canucks
Nilsson’s star turn at worlds complicates camp, coaching roles revised
Glen Gulutzan is on the go because in Vancouver it’s status quo. He was fired in Calgary last month, wanted to return to Vancouver next season and is expected to land in Edmonton sooner than later.
The former Flames head coach and Canucks assistant didn’t interview here or in Dallas, where he served as head coach of the Stars for two seasons after guiding their American Hockey League affiliate the previous two seasons.
Detroit and St. Louis reached out to Gulutzan, but talks have been heating up with the Oilers about joining Todd McLellan’s staff. Three departures opened that door because the one in Vancouver was only slightly ajar.
Canucks general manager Jim Benning expects job description movement within his coaching staff because a commitment to a younger roster means having the right people in the right places. That’s why Gulutzan’s name popped up.
However, Manny Malhotra was lauded for his player development work and the assistant could have expanded responsibilities, while Doug Jarvis, retained after the Willie Desjardins dismissal, could have his role massaged.
“We’re in discussions and we’re going to figure it out in the next little while,” said Benning. “We really like Manny, but it’s a big job. Communicating and working with the kids after practice, there’s going to be more work involved.”
Assistant coach Newell Brown made an impact in turning around the power play. The club was operating at 14.1 per cent efficiency early this season and ranked 28th, but a Nov. 14 alignment decision in Los Angeles sparked the turnaround. Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat were added to the first unit and the power play struck twice in a 3-2 win.
The Canucks finished this season ranked ninth at 21.5 per cent efficiency — even with Boeser and Horvat lost for 16 and 18 games respectively due to injury. If assistant Nolan Baumgartner can get the back end in order and Dan Cloutier can get
through to his goalies, there will be coaching symmetry to build upon.
Nilsson, Bachman in spotlight
Benning was buoyed by Anders Nilsson backstopping Sweden to a 3-2 gold-medal shootout win Sunday over upstart Switzerland at the IIHF World Championship. The Canucks stopper went 6-0 and led all goalies with three shutouts.
Benning also knows a three-headed, training-camp battle for the net with Jacob Markstrom and Thatcher Demko will be intriguing and provide insurance should one falter. He also knows a club may kick the tires on Nilsson, who has a year left at US$2.5 million. But he’s coming off a forgettable season — 7-144, 3.44 GAA and .901 save percentage — where he lost his game and the trust of head coach Travis Green.
“It’s good for us to have competition from within,” said Benning. “If teams call on him (Nilsson), we’ll listen. That doesn’t necessarily mean we have to do anything, but we’ll see what that might entail. I’m fine with having all three come to camp.”
Detroit needs a backup to Jimmy Howard and with the sixth-worst
GAA per game (3.10), the Wings could choose between a half-dozen unrestricted free agents cheaper than Nilsson or roll the dice on the Swede.
The New York Islanders, who gave up a league-worst 3.57 goals per outing, also need help. Thomas Greiss played just 27 games and Jaroslav Halak is a UFA.
Meanwhile, Richard Bachman is also making news.
The Utica Comets backup goalie is a UFA and the 30-year-old could opt for a Swedish Hockey League offer. Bachman is coming off a one-year, two-way deal at US$650,000 and his 13-13-0 record, 2.98 GAA and .902 save percentage included being a mentor to Demko.
Bachman would want a raise and two-year term, especially if he’s going to eventually help guide 2017 draft pick Michael DiPietro.
“I talked to Bachman’s agent last week and told him he’s still in the mix and we’d like to keep him,” said Benning. “He’s a good mentor for our younger goalies.”
Kane watch officially ends
Lost in the optics of whether the polarizing Evander Kane was the right fit for the Canucks on the ice, in the room and on the payroll was the reality of what was actually right for the left-winger.
For the 26-year-old Vancouver native, it’s about money and term and winning and the city. It’s not about fuzzy hometown feelings.
San Jose has provided that with a reported seven-year, $49-million extension to a big, fast, strong and potentially dominant first-line force to help keep the Stanley Cup window open for the Sharks.
He’s not the answer, but on a roster that didn’t have a player in top40 scoring — Brent Burns was 42nd
with 67 points — there were 11 players in double-digit goals, including four north of 20.
After being acquired from Buffalo at the trade deadline, Kane had 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in 17 regular-season games and four goals in nine playoff games. It proved incentive and environment meant everything. The moment Kane was picked up at the airport by Joe Thornton, it signalled finally being in the right place at the right time.
In theory, Kane would have been a first-line fit here. In reality, he isn’t. The Canucks will be very young and several million under the salary cap ceiling next season. They aren’t swinging for free-agency home runs and Kane just hit a grand slam in San Jose.
Canucks pass on picks
Three Canadian Hockey League selections from the 2016 draft — fifth-round defenceman Cole Candella, sixth-round left-winger Jakob Stukel and seventh-round centre Brett McKenzie will not be signed by the June 1 deadline and will become free agents.