Not enough love for Willie

[MCMackerel]

with the season coming to a close people are discussing biggest surprises of the season -- and I'm surprised people aren't talking more about the Vancouver Canucks.

With their season last year, their coaching problems, the offseason, did anyone see this season coming? I'm surprised Willie Desjardins is not getting some consideration for coach of the year

[RizzeeDizzee]

I think what the success of this season shows is truly how awful last season was under Torts. No question Willie has done well and was a shrewd hire. But the season looks even better than it should due to the trainwreck that was 2013-14. Plus, many players probably (sub)consciously played worse last season since they were so miserable, and/or better this season because it was like being paroled. The real test will be 2015-16.

[STONE.]

I think he's worth being in the conversation, but there are guys I'd pick first (and I'm a Nucks fan!).

As RizzeeDizzee said, last year was the bigger surprise. This year is what should've been. If anything, Torts should've won an award for "Worst Coach of the Year"

Babcock deserves the award most years, but he's really deserving again this year -- the way they keep rolling out contenders is amazing. Surprised their AHL guy Blashill isn't making the jump more quickly too.

[ericdaoust]

The problem is that people from 10-15 teams are saying "my team's coach should be in consideration for the award" and most of it gets lost in the shuffle. It's been that kind of year. Too many candidates that with enough spin become viable nominees.

[newfcollins]

Babcock deserves the award most years, but he's really deserving again this year -- the way they keep rolling out contenders is amazing. Surprised their AHL guy Blashill isn't making the jump more quickly too.

I think I read something last year that the Wings won't let anyone speak to Blashill until they know if they can sign Babcock.

[ericdaoust]

I think I read something last year that the Wings won't let anyone speak to Blashill until they know if they can sign Babcock.

Is Blashill the guy that sounds exactly like Babcock?

[Axeman33]

I think what the success of this season shows is truly how awful last season was under Torts. No question Willie has done well and was a shrewd hire. But the season looks even better than it should due to the trainwreck that was 2013-14. Plus, many players probably (sub)consciously played worse last season since they were so miserable, and/or better this season because it was like being paroled. The real test will be 2015-16.

Totally agree with this post. Desjardin inherited a team that still had a solid core but really needed some direction. Other coaches have done more with less in my opinion. This isn't saying Desjardin didn't do a good job with the Canucks, I just think other coaches had bigger hurdles to jump.

[Loch]

This thread title would be interpreted very differently if it had been posted in the lounge...

I wouldn't put Desjardins in coach of the year territory, as noted other coaches have done more with less (to some degree Laviolette gets hurt by similar things, a chunk of the Preds badness last year was due to adverse conditions).

Calgary gets my vote... on paper at the start of the season the only meaningful games they were going to be playing in March were related to McDavid, not the playoffs.

[2014olympicgold]

He’s done well with a solid group, others have done great with minimal talent. Paul Maurice with no No1 center (to what a lot thought at the beginning of the season) or No1 goalie has done wonders. Everyone knows what Hartley has done. Trotz made Ovi his old self again. WD has done well, but doing well doesn’t win you awards. If he had lost both Sedin’s for a long time with injury then yes he’d have more cache.

[audiopile]

Vancouver's perceived success is a combination of last year's disaster, a complete re-vamp of management and coaching, and a few key acquisitions in Vrbata and Miller to a lesser extent. Willie is Vigneault-light and the team played very well under his style.

[potatoetree]

Yea the team is basically the same minus Kesler, and although he is a solid player he wasn't adding much to the Canucks roster anymore.

[Pavel Bure 10]

Interesting discussion here… In particular the discussion around injuries… I remember no one batted an eye when the Canucks lost their D-men. People seem to forget that Hamhuis (arguably their #1 d-man) went down for 1/3 of the year. They also lost Bieksa for a significant amount of time. And, at one point, I think they were missing 3 or 4 of their top 6 d-men. Somehow, they kept winning at a decent rate- which is probably why it wasn't noticed/talked about in the media.

In my opinion, Willie Desjardin has done quite a lot with what he had (or didn't have!) this year. For most teams, losing your top 4 D would be a death blow. (Unless you're the Jets- I seem to remember them having to deal with a similar problem at the beginning of the year). Kudos to Paul Maurice as well.

[Zorro]

Paul Maurice has found success with his top center(Little) out, top free agent signing(Perreault) out, and his top 4 d-men all out at one time(Trouba, Enstrom, Bogosian, and Stuart).. And arguably no starting goaltender(Pavelec and Hutchinson)

[Dobber]

You can't consider Desjardins because Maurice and Hartley have turned chicken shit into chicken salad. Magic!

Desjardins took chicken salad that was only lacking the dressing, and he added the dressing.

[hawkdog]

I think you underestimating the talent on Calgary. They have one of the best defensive lineups in the league.
And considering its Desjardins first season coaching in the NHL he deserves some credit - Hartley is a vet.
consider the man down days for the nucks.