5 Memorable Alain Vigneault Moments as Canucks Head Coach

Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Alain Vigneault was fired as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks last Wednesday after two consecutive first round exits. We take a moment in this post to remember five moments that stood out in my mind as I reminisced about Vigneault’s time with the Canucks.

AV’s Coin

The goaltending was a big story throughout the Canucks season this year, especially early on when it wasn’t clear whether Roberto Luongo or Cory Schneider was the number one goaltender. At every media availability Vigneault was asked whether it was Luongo or Schneider who was starting.

Vigneault stated, “I’m not going to get into all of the reasons behind [the decision to start Luongo].” A reporter then asked if he could get into “some of the reasons.” Vigneault responded by taking out a coin from his pocket and doing a coin toss.

For a short time, the starter was declared “the winner of the coin toss” and a Twitter parody account was even created.

Bolland “has a face that only a mother can look at”

Chicago Blackhawks centre Dave Bolland, during an appearance on WGN Radio in Chicago, referred to Daniel and Henrik Sedin as “sisters” and said they slept in bunk beds.

“Well, they’ll never become Hawks,” Bolland said. “I don’t think we’d let them on our team. That’d probably be one thing. We’d be sure not to let them on our team. And, yeah, they probably still would be sisters. I think they might sleep in, like, bunk beds. The older one has the bottom one, the younger one’s got the top.”

Vigneaulted fired back on behalf of the Sedins.

“When you have, comments like Bolland’s, he’s obviously an individual whose IQ is probably the size of a birdseed and he has a face that only a mother could look at.”

Playing with a Football

The trade deadline can be a tense time for teams as it represents the last chance for a team to improve itself or sell players before the stretch drive and Stanley Cup playoffs. It isn’t stressful for Vigneault, however.

In this behind the scenes video of the Canucks war room during the 2011 trade deadline, he can be seen playing with a football with VP of Communications, T.C. Carling, and Director of Professional Scouting, Eric Crawford.

Can’t Control Himself

A reported called centre Kyle Wellwood a “man possessed” after “knocking players off the puck” in the previous stretch of games. Vigneault couldn’t control himself and kept on bursting in laughter as he tried to offer a response.

Can’t Control Himself…Again

Dallas Stars forward Vernon Fiddler did an impression of Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa on his way to the bench. Vigneault saw and couldn’t stop laughing…again.