Crawford Fired?

[Drigger]

The canucks are holding a press conference at 3:30 pst where they are expected to announce the firing of head coach Marc Crawford.

SAY IT AIN'T SO!

I like Crawford and I hope they don't send him away. I really don't think it was his fault of the down year of the Naslund, Bert and Morrison. Such an unproductive line. A new goalie is what they need. Vancouver hasn't seen a such goalie in years!

If so... let me guess.... Quinn comes back??!?!

:dunno:

Plays later...
Probably SJ -heavy juice. Maybe a couple more units but its really expensive....

[benrik]

Wow I thought Nonis said he had confidence in Crawford. Maybe Quinn would come in cause there is nobody else better than Crawford.

Linden, Quinn, bring back McLean too.

[Drigger]

There is my thought...

Bring by Mclean! LOL!

I'll bite...

2 Units -155 ML
Ottawa > Tampa Bay

Ottawa still the better team in my mind. Tampa Bay got away with a win in game 2 but I think Ottawa will regain the lead in the series. Only bad trend that isn't with me is that Ottawa is 0-6 in their franchaise in game 2. Redden will be in the line up.

3 Units -207 ML
I want to play 4 or more units but the juice is just way to high.

SJ comes back splitting the series in Nashville. I loving playing game 3's when a split first 2 games and the team takes advantage of their home ice advantage. SJ has been great at home and are 11-2-2 last 15 at home.

[molybdenum]

I think they made a mistake in axeing Marc Crawford. I think he is one of the best coaches in the NHL. I doubt he'll be out of work long, some team will snap him up. If the Leafs don't hire Paul Maurice, maybe they'll hire Crawford. I don't think the Canucks should hire Quinn. I think Quinn has had his day and needs to hang 'em up as a coach.

[FlyersFan]

Canucks fire Crawford
Canucks fire Crawford

April 25, 2006

AP - Apr 25, 7:35 pm EDT
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Marc Crawford paid the price for failing to meet the high expectations he helped set with the Vancouver Canucks.

Touted as Stanley Cup contenders in September, the Canucks fired Crawford as coach on Tuesday after missing the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.

"We need some new energy, some new juice," general manager Dave Nonis said. "We felt our team needs a kick-start, that we haven't played with the fire we had been known for in the past. A change behind the bench was the first place to start."

Crawford was behind the Vancouver bench for seven seasons, leading them to the Northwest Division title in 2003-04. They entered this season expected to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference, but that didn't pan out.

The Canucks finished ninth with a 42-32-8 record, losing six of their last eight games to fall three points behind Edmonton for the final playoff spot.

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Nonis was quick to point out that not all the blame should fall on Crawford, calling him "a great coach" and hinting player changes may follow.

"I want to make it clear this does not absolve the players for their part in this season," Nonis said. "In no way does this mean there will be no further changes. No way. The fact is there is a lot of blame to be spread around and a lot of it falls on the shoulders of people that were in that locker room."

Crawford, who led the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup in 1996, finished with a 246-197-70 record in Vancouver, but only won one series in four trips to the playoffs. The Canucks twice lost a Game 7 on home ice under his leadership.

With a playoff berth on the line this year, the Canucks struggled defensively, blowing leads in back-to-back games against San Jose to seal their fate. And there were too many nights earlier in the season when they were simply outworked.

"If you want to use the words tuned out or didn't buy in, use whatever phrase you want, the fact is there were too many nights it happened," Nonis said. "It wasn't because the message wasn't correct. It was because in some cases certain players weren't listening to that message."

Crawford, who had one year left on his contract, has 411 career NHL wins and became the third-youngest coach to win 400 career games on Feb. 3 -- 10 days before his 45th birthday. Only Hall of Fame coaches Scotty Bowman and Glen Sather were younger when they hit that mark.

Crawford played every game of his nine-year pro career in the Canucks' organization, finishing with 19 goals and 31 assists in 176 NHL games. He began his NHL coaching career in Quebec in 1994-95, becoming the youngest to win the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year that season.

He took over a Vancouver team midway through the 1998-99 season that had missed the playoffs three straight seasons. They went from 58 to 83 points the following season, just missing the postseason before breaking through 2000-2001, the start of four straight playoff appearances.

"His legacy is one of resurrection," Nonis said. "He gave us credibility when we didn't have any. He'll go down as one of the best coaches who ever coached here."

Crawford also was the head coach of Team Canada in the 1998 Nagano Olympics.



Updated on Tuesday, Apr 25, 2006 8:09 pm EDT

[FlyersFan]

Originally posted by molybdenum
I think they made a mistake in axeing Marc Crawford. I think he is one of the best coaches in the NHL. I doubt he'll be out of work long, some team will snap him up. If the Leafs don't hire Paul Maurice, maybe they'll hire Crawford. I don't think the Canucks should hire Quinn. I think Quinn has had his day and needs to hang 'em up as a coach.

Problem is as stated in that article, the message gets old. Doesn't matter the sport, most coaches only have a shelf life with the same club of about 5-7 years. I agree he is a great coach....3rd youngest to 400 wins is pretty darn respectable. Not an indictment on Crawford, more so on the VAN players. He won't be out of work long, i agree.

[flmmkrz]

to be honest i've never been a huge crow fan. He has the credentials but to be fair most of us could've earned a coaching ring with the teams he had in Colorado. It was evident to me that he has a tendency to get outcoached and handles goalies terribly. He also has issues dealing with stars as him and bert dont coexist very well. He had his chances here and fact is van only made it out of the first round with him once so it was time for a shake up. Was it his fault completely that the nucks did what they did this year, hell no, but could a coaching change things around? possibly but with him losing the room its worth the look to find out and I hope as a nuck fan some changes are made with the team itself and nonis doesnt rest here. Here's hopin for Mark Habscheid, or hell even Quinny. I know lots aren't fans but he hasnt forgotten how to coach like crow the message got old. A players coach instead of a disciplinarian might be a nice change for the nucks but leaning Habscheid or another up tempo coach, say no to hitch.

[Drigger]

They should trade Crawford and a conditional 18th rounder to Toronto in exchange for Pat Quinn. LOL! I would just find it hard to accept after Quinn got the axe in Vancouver that he would come back like 10 years after... i don't know when he actually got fired. 1999 when the hired Crawford?!?!

But I was thinking... what about Nonis?!?! No one has said anything about him. Here is what I think of it. Yes he did make some good moves in my mind aquiring some D men down the stretch but take a look at the facts. I was really disappointed that they got rid of Brian Burke. I believe that was an awful move. And now guess what... Burke has rebuild a Anaheim team in less than a year and they are in the playoffs and Vancouver is not. Where is the blame on Nonis?!?!? I somehow see that he is forgotten in all this blame game...

Hopefully the Ottawa game holds so I can dump the winnings on SJ!

:thumbs:

[Angelus]

Burke was the best thing to ever happen to the Canucks. I cannot understand why they would have gotten rid of him. I'm still scratching my head at that move.

Vancouver's loss is Anaheim's gain.

Really...if Vancouver had Burke and the Ducks didn't, the Canucks would have had that playoff spot and Anaheim would be golfing...

[Drigger]

Taking on another 1 Unit to the SJ game. Take the 2 Units from Ottawa game and putting onto the SJ game.

Making it a total of 4 Units! I think they will take it to them at home!

:thumbs:

[Drigger]

2-0 +6.0 Units!

SJ takes advantage of that home ice!

:thumbs: