Canucks News: Desjardins Not on Board for Rebuild, NCAA D-Targets
The Vancouver Canucks are trying to retool during their transition phase, but it seems like head coach Willie Desjardins is not on board.
We have discussed the situation of Vancouver Canucks head coach Willie Desjardins at length (here, here, here and here). But, unfortunately, we are not done yet.
Canucks Nation is waiting for the club to start tanking and, in a way, lose purposely. That does not mean the Canucks should switch rosters with the AHL Utica Comets; fans simply expect Desjardins to hand out plenty of ice time to youngsters, with losing being a possible side effect.
But are you really surprised Desjardins won’t do that?
Not on Board
Daniel Wagner (Vancouver Courier) — If the Canucks are rebuilding, the coach needs to be on board
"That has included Willie Desjardins as well, whose lineup decisions, as sometimes infuriating as they may be, still seem to be aimed at winning games. Some of his decisions may actually run counter to that goal, but that seems to be the intent.But at some point, if the Canucks are truly rebuilding, the head coach needs to be on board."
Sorry, Daniel, but I disagree 100 percent.
Desjardins is likely on board with the Canucks’ management decisions and hence he is likely on board with the rebuild. But in no way does that imply a desire to lose hockey games.
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We all know fringe NHL players like Jack Skille, Joseph Cramarossa and Jayson Megna are fighting for their jobs 24/7. That’s common knowledge. But for some strange reason, it seems like fans assume coaches are different.
Willie Desjardins is fighting for his job, and the only way to keep it is to win games.
If the Canucks were on board with Desjardins losing games, he would certainly be doing it. But, the opposite is the case, as club president Trevor Linden has publicly stated he would consider different coaching options at the end of the season.
Of course, being on board with the rebuild and purposely losing games are still two different things. But if Desjardins thinks having Nikolay Goldobin and Reid Boucher in the bottom six and Jayson Megna on the top line is what it takes to win — then so be it.
Desjardins needs wins to keep his job. So he will do what he believes he needs to do to win. It’s logical.
NCAA UFA D-Men to Target
Ryan Biech (Canucks Army) — NCAA UFA Targets: Defencemen
"We’ve profiled some centres and some wingers who have been attracting some interest as NCAA free agents. Today we turn our attention to the defence, and see what could be had.As the Canucks have seen immediate returns on the NCAA UFA market with defencemen in Troy Stecher, and Chris Tanev."
The signing of Troy Stecher turned out to be a success for the Canucks. So why not go for another one?
This year, there are no comparable UFA D-men in the NCAA in regards to NHL potential and hype they have received throughout the season. That said, there are some that have drawn NHL interest, and getting a prospect for free never hurts.
He one that interests me the most is probably Daniel Brickley. The 21-year-old of Minnesota State University is one of the top point producers among NCAA defencemen, while measuring 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds.
With eight goals and 30 points in 28 games, along with NHL size, Brickley is certainly an intriguing prospect that should be worth a contract this summer.
Next: How to Continue the Rebuild
The Canucks have recently developed some depth on the back end, and Brickley would be a great addition to the group.
Especially if Jordan Subban doesn’t make the NHL anytime soon.