Culture.

ItB次元官网网址檚 a word that is used extensively in sports and in business.

There are different interpretations of it but when you ask Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet to come up with a definition, the response is a quick one.

B次元官网网址淐ulture to me is doing the right things every day - earning every day. WeB次元官网网址檙e owed nothing and I feel the message that the players have bought into is that every day we have to earn our day. And thatB次元官网网址檚 how you build culture. There is no entitlement B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 about earning. I call it the two EB次元官网网址檚. Either youB次元官网网址檙e going to be a team thatB次元官网网址檚 entitled or team that earns it and I think weB次元官网网址檙e a team that wants to earn it every day,B次元官网网址� Tocchet explained after the game day skate prior to the contest against the St. Louis Blues at Rogers Arena on Friday night.

Building that culture is an ongoing process. Success, they say, is a journey and not a destination. ItB次元官网网址檚 about constantly trying to find ways to improve through the B次元官网网址榮taplesB次元官网网址� that Tocchet mentions on a regular basis - staples such as discipline, a consistent work ethic, attention to detail and holding one another accountable.

The good news is that the organization is trending in the right direction when it comes to building that culture.

Tocchet and his staff are holding players accountable to a level that wasnB次元官网网址檛 seen with previous head coach Bruce Boudreau. As much as the players liked Boudreau, to a man they will agree that there is a different standard now.

B次元官网网址淔or sure, yeah,B次元官网网址� Brock Boeser replied when questioned about there being more accountability with Tocchet. B次元官网网址淚n general, heB次元官网网址檚 not afraid of calling someone out if theyB次元官网网址檙e not doing their job. ThatB次元官网网址檚 one of the things he said from the start is that there is going to be more accountability around here and heB次元官网网址檚 been good with that.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 something that Canucks captain Quinn Hughes has also noticed.

B次元官网网址淚 do (think thereB次元官网网址檚 more). HeB次元官网网址檚 so smart that he sees things that maybe other coaches would let slide. HeB次元官网网址檚 really on the details. HeB次元官网网址檚 not crazy about it and yelling at guys every meeting but he wants to work with the players. He doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to embarrass anyone. He just wants to teach and help us get the best out of each individual,B次元官网网址� Hughes stated.

Tocchet, however, will take more of a direct approach if needed to make sure his message is getting across.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 not afraid to call someone out if theyB次元官网网址檙e not doing their job. ThatB次元官网网址檚 one of the things that he said from the start - that thereB次元官网网址檚 going to be more accountability around here. So heB次元官网网址檚 been good with that,B次元官网网址� said Boeser.

Better yet, Tocchet has communicated to his leadership group to hold the players accountable amongst themselves.

B次元官网网址淲hen Rick came in last year, we started talking about that. Guys have become better with each other when it comes to communicating and talking about that aspect. I think we kind of set the standard and we want to continue to build on that,B次元官网网址� noted Boeser.

For Tocchet, a positive sign in that regard was how the team responded to a lacklustre effort in a 2-0 loss in Philadelphia on their recent five-game road trip.

B次元官网网址淲e stated the fact. The leadership group knew where we were at and they chipped away at it and I thought we got better each game (afterwards). To me thatB次元官网网址檚 a positive sign - that theyB次元官网网址檙e running the room and not the coaches. Obviously, we have to guide the team and do our thing but I really like it when thereB次元官网网址檚 a little bit of a brush fire and the players can put it out. It doesnB次元官网网址檛 always have to be the coach. If you donB次元官网网址檛 put out those little fires, they become forest fires and I think our leadership group has done a nice job of getting to the problems before they get to me,B次元官网网址� said Tocchet

But building that culture doesnB次元官网网址檛 stop in Vancouver, itB次元官网网址檚 a focal point with the AHL farm team in Abbotsford and down the line according to Tocchet.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檒l actually take it a step further for you. I think thatB次元官网网址檚 important that you know what is a Vancouver Canuck? What are our values? How do we practice? How do we play? WhatB次元官网网址檚 important to us? I think thatB次元官网网址檚 really what it comes down to. ItB次元官网网址檚 the (Mike) Komisareks, the (Chris) HigginsB次元官网网址� and the (Mikael) Samuelssons that are running our player development. TheyB次元官网网址檙e preaching what weB次元官网网址檙e talking about. And then all of a sudden, itB次元官网网址檚 a conveyor belt. Now they go to Abbotsford where Jeremy Colliton, who is a great coach, takes it. So now they get to us. You donB次元官网网址檛 have a finished product, but at least you got some parts to work whereas sometimes you have an 18-year-old player that really hasnB次元官网网址檛 been taught and now you get him at 23 and you have to re-teach him things,B次元官网网址� explained Tocchet.

Tocchet and his staff have a lot of currency with the players for a couple of reasons.

ItB次元官网网址檚 easier to get players to buy in to your program when youB次元官网网址檙e winning B次元官网网址� which is what the Canucks are doing now B次元官网网址� because winning reinforces the process.

Then throw in the fact that Tocchet has three Stanley Cup rings to his credit and knows what it takes to win in the NHL, which is something that hasnB次元官网网址檛 gone unnoticed by his players.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 a guy thatB次元官网网址檚 been there and done it. He understands how the players might feel. HeB次元官网网址檚 done everything weB次元官网网址檙e trying to do. He loves the game and has a lot of passion for it and understands at a high level. He has a high compete level and just wants to win. HeB次元官网网址檚 going to give the players the best opportunity to perform at their best,B次元官网网址� said Hughes.

Despite the Canucks solid start to the season which saw the team improve to 5-2-0-0 after knocking off the Blues by a score of 5-0, life in the NHL is only going to get tougher according to Tocchet.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 great (the start). We all wanted it. I was just worried that guys would be too tight but I felt they were sticking with the process. The mental toughnessB次元官网网址�itB次元官网网址檚 going to get harder. If guys think itB次元官网网址檚 not going to get hard, well itB次元官网网址檚 going to get really hard. So we have to embrace that itB次元官网网址檚 going to get harder,B次元官网网址� said Tocchet.

The good sign for the hockey club is that it appears to be better-equipped to handle the grind of an 82-game NHL season given what theyB次元官网网址檙e building in that dressing room.

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.