Well, I’ve been predicting that Canucks General Manager Dave Nonis would be out and this afternoon at 4:45PM Pacific Time it happened. Facing the utter collapse of the Canucks as a team this summer Nonis was fiddling, chasing down yet another Swede on a team that hasn’t finished a check since Bertuzzi finished a guy’s career. Of Nonis’ four years as GM of the Canucks, they played only three — and made the playoffs once.
Thankfully the Canucks’ new owner Francesco Aquilini has also realized that Nonis has no coherent vision for the team and it’s time to move on.
So now I’m gonna start the rumour mill. I highly doubt that Brian Burke will be back as GM of the Canucks next season. For one thing, he still has a year on his contract — and for another, Burke is actively engaged in watching his team compete for the cup at the moment, and I have to believe that Aquilini wouldn’t toast the Nonis without having another solution lined up. For Burke to be negotiating with another team at the moment would be pretty disingenuous and an announcement would be disruptive to the Ducks.
Therefore, my prediction is that this available post will be filled from within the confines of Vancouver, either by Steve Tambellini, who has been the shadow GM of the Canucks for a number of years; or by Pat Quinn, who lives in Vancouver and hasn’t been working since he was fired by the Leafs in 2006.
As an owner of the Vancouver Giants, Quinn has appeared before fans in Vancouver frequently since, and is still beloved by the crowd for leading the Canucks to fame in the team’s last Cup run in 1993-94.
That said, Quinn owning one team in town and being employed by another one might represent a troubling conflict of interest for Aquilini (Orca Bay, under different ownership, famously bought the Vancouer Voodoo in order to shut them down) but establishing a development pipeline from the Giants to the Canucks might benefit both teams.
More on the topic… lots of great options out there…
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=b259cbd7-d871-4d36-bbe2-e7503bfe8de5
Well, i think you are being a bit tough on Nonis – the team is always stronger with a Dave aboard (e.g. Babych, Williams, Gagner, Scatchard) and i feel we are in for a bit of wild time again as Canucks fans with mucho turmoil in the org.
The Swedish triplet Fabian to Canucks rumours will stop with the restructuring (he’ll go to Detroit) and there is no way UFA are eager to sign on with a team in transition.
I interviewed Mr. Quinn (who is much shorter than i woulda supposed on Giant Day at City Hall last year and asked him if the phone had been ringing with offers to which he replied “no” and he wish it was. Great dude and well liked in Vancouver (and a noted player’s coach) but I am apprehensive about Vancouver going back to the future.
Hear Pat, Don Hay and Bruin emerging star Milan Lucic at: http://hockeynw.com/vancouver-giants-memorial-cup-championship-podcast-city-hall
BTW, i am wearing my old-school (not new retro) Capital sweater today to celebrate Nonis’ last deal and entertaining hockey in general.
Nonis out, Quinn in.
Nonis being fired was the right move. More heads to roll. As each day passes I think the big trade will be Luongo this summer. This might be the best for both the Canucks and Luongo who needs to be closer to family and have confidence he is with a contender. This will leave the Canucks to build… AGAIN.
This move will also open the door for Ian Bell to crack the line-up as a walk-on in September. All eyes will be on the Whistler Tournament this coming weekend as Bell and team return as defending Champions.
BTW, if Quinn is indeed in, it won’t be announced until the end of the under-18 tournament in Russia, which is where Pat is working as Team Canada’s head coach.