Changes in the wind for Canucks
In the aftermath of their loss to the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Vancouver Canucks are facing a couple of decisions that could have ramifications elsewhere in the National Hockey League.
The first involves the future of head coach Alain Vigneault. Under his leadership, the Canucks have forged the best regular-season record in each of the past two seasons. But the Canucks collapsed last spring in the Stanley Cup final against the Boston Bruins and then put up only token resistance this year against Los Angeles.
There are t wo reasons why most observers feel Vigneault is on thin ice. The first is that he has one year remaining on his contract and the Canucks haven’t been in a hurry to grant him an extension. The second is that Vigneault wasn’t present at the annual postmortem after the team’s loss.
General manager Mike Gillis borrowed a page from the Pierre Gauthier school of micromanagement by saying he wanted to make a solo appearance. Gillis had some kind words for the absent coach, but there was a discordant note when he said the Canucks might have peaked on Jan. 7 when they beat the Bruins 4-3 in Boston.
“I really felt the game in Boston for some reason was such an emotional and challenging game, it was almost like playing a Stanley Cup final game in the middle of the season, and from that point on I don’t think our team really ever collectively got their emotions together,” Gillis said.
It seems ludicrous to suggest that a mid-season win could change a team’s focus, but if Gillis is going that route, it’s hardly a ringing endorsement for the coach.
If the Canucks do decide to part ways with Vigneault, he should jump to the top of the list of candidates for the coaching vacancy with the Canadiens. Vigneault is a better coach than he was in his previous stint in Montreal, and has more experience and a better resumé than any of the other candidates.
The second decision involves goaltender Roberto Luongo. Gillis insists no decision has been made on the future of the St. Léonard native, but it appears that 26-year-old Cory Schneider has supplanted the 33-yearold Luongo as the No. 1 goaltender.
The situation is similar to the Carey Price-jaroslav Halak controversy in Montreal. Schneider will get the nod because he had significantly better numbers in the regular season, makes far less money and is considered to have more of an upside.
Luongo has 10 years remaining on a ridiculous 12-year deal, but there will be suitors for his services. While Gillis denied there was a list of teams Luongo would accept a trade to – he has a no-trade clause – it isn’t difficult to identify the teams that need goaltending help.
Toronto heads the list because Luongo has a history with goaltending coach François Allaire and assistant GM Dave Nonis, who traded for him in Vancouver. Chicago is interested, and so is New Jersey, but the smart money says Luongo will wind up in Florida.
That’s home for his wife, and the Panthers and Lightning both need help between the pipes.
phickey@montrealgazette.com