Mercifully, itB次元官网网址檚 over.
It had been speculated for weeks that Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Bruce Boudreau would be relieved of his duties and the move finally took place this past Sunday when Rick Tocchet was introduced as the 21st head coach in the franchiseB次元官网网址檚 history during a press conference at Rogers Arena.
For the last fortnight, it was widely reported that Tocchet, the 58-year-old former head coach of the Coyotes and Lightning, would take over in Vancouver.
The whole thing stunk B次元官网网址� including the press conference.
The media availability session started off with Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin setting the tone by stating that B次元官网网址渁s of this morning I decided to do a coaching change.B次元官网网址�
That in itself was comical as everyone knows that itB次元官网网址檚 team president Jim Rutherford who calls the shots on every major decision in conjunction with the ownership group led by Francesco Aquilini.
It is, however, a concentrated effort by the organization to make Allvin look like the decision-maker but it sure didnB次元官网网址檛 fool the media, who then directed a barrage of questions towards Rutherford B次元官网网址� not Allvin.
Rutherford then took ownership of being too open with some of his comments regarding his teamB次元官网网址檚 play and the lack of structure associated with it. He apologised to Boudreau for being so transparent and even added that he needed to B次元官网网址榸ip itB次元官网网址� when it comes to his comments in the future.
But when pressed on how Boudreau was left to hang in the wind for a couple of weeks, Rutherford took a right turn and indirectly blamed the media for the situation.
B次元官网网址淚t was played out in way that was out of our control. We can only do our business the way we see fit. We canB次元官网网址檛 change our business based on speculation. ThereB次元官网网址檚 all kind of speculation out there. ItB次元官网网址檚 not any different than most situations in professional sports,B次元官网网址� explained Rutherford, then using BoudreauB次元官网网址檚 hiring in Vancouver as an example.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 pure garbage.
How did TocchetB次元官网网址檚 name surface in the first place?
The media B次元官网网址� particularly the so-called insiders B次元官网网址� get the vast majority of their information from hockey executives and agents.
Either someone from the Canucks organization leaked that info or Tocchet did so himself.
Jeff Marek of Sportsnet even reported on Saturday that Tocchet would be named head coach on Monday. He was a day late with that call, but again, ask yourself the question - where did he get the information?
Then there was the press conference last Monday that was supposed to be an update on the Tanner PearsonB次元官网网址檚 medical situation but quickly delved into BoudreauB次元官网网址檚 status.
When pressed by TSNB次元官网网址檚 Farhan Lalji on whether or not the organization had spoken to potential replacement candidates, Rutherford responded that B次元官网网址淚 have B次元官网网址� and IB次元官网网址檓 not going to get into namesB次元官网网址nd this is even going back a couple of months agoB次元官网网址hat I have called a few peopleB次元官网网址es.B次元官网网址�
ThatB次元官网网址檚 not speculation.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 you telling everyone youB次元官网网址檙e looking for a replacement for Boudreau, so own it.
Sorry Jim but IB次元官网网址檓 not buying what youB次元官网网址檙e selling, and if you took a look at social media, I donB次元官网网址檛 think Canuck fans are either.
What the organization did to Boudreau was classless.
As soon as the B次元官网网址榮peculationB次元官网网址� got to ridiculous levels, the Canucks should have relieved Boudreau of his duties and appointed someone such as assistant coach Mike Yeo to take over the reigns until TocchetB次元官网网址檚 alleged commitment to TNT as a studio analyst was observed.
When questioned on why that scenario didnB次元官网网址檛 play itself out, Rutherford answered by saying that Boudreau was B次元官网网址榰nder contractB次元官网网址� until June 30.
That response was complete rubbish as well.
Boudreau was also under contract when he was dismissed this past Sunday.
Rutherford isnB次元官网网址檛 stupid.
The Canucks were going through a tough stretch in their schedule with five road games back east and then returning home to face Tampa, Colorado and Edmonton.
They let Boudreau be the fall guy.
Tocchet, meanwhile, takes over the team as it heads into an extremely soft part of their schedule as only four of their next dozen games are against teams that currently qualify for the playoffs.
No one is arguing that Bruce BoudreauB次元官网网址檚 job should not have been on the line.
Professional sports are about winning and BoudreauB次元官网网址檚 team wasnB次元官网网址檛 getting it done this year.
And it is managementB次元官网网址檚 prerogative to make changes but there is a right way and wrong way to do things.
The Canucks embarrassed themselves on this one and no organizational spin can change that.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob B次元官网网址渢he MojB次元官网网址� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media. And check out his weekly podcast every Monday at or your local Black Press Media website.
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