VANCOUVER -- The man charged with the job of revitalizing the Vancouver Canucks made his first major move toward erasing the memory of one of the teams worst
seasons in recent history.
Karl Klug Jersey . Trevor Linden, the former Vancouver captain who has taken over as the teams president, put his stamp on
the Canucks by firing head coach John Tortorella on Thursday. Linden said the
action was the first step in moving on from a frustrating season that saw the
Canucks miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008. "Today is about the
future of this team and the goal of getting it back to the Stanley Cup
playoffs," Linden told a news conference. Tortorellas firing was expected, but
Linden said he didnt want to rush the decision. "I tried to come in from a
neutral place," he said. "At the end of the day I kept coming back to a lot of
things I didnt like that I saw trending. I just felt to move forward and kind of
put a new perspective and new direction, it was the right thing to do." Besides
Tortorella, assistant coach Mike Sullivan was also relieved of his duties. They
join fired president and general manager Mike Gillis as those paying the price
for a dismal year that saw the Canucks finish 25th overall. Assistant coaches
Glen Gulutzan and Darryl Williams and goaltender coach Roland Melanson will keep
their jobs. Linden hopes to have a new general manager hired by the end of the
month. The search for a coach could coincide with looking for a GM. "I have a
real strong (GM) candidate list that I will be starting the interview process
next week," said Linden. "I think the two processes can move along together for
a certain period of time. "Its important the manager have a great deal of input
on the coaching direction. That would be the ideal situation." One of the names
most frequently mentioned for the Vancouver GMs job is Jim Benning, Bostons
assistant general manager and a former teammate of Linden. The Bruins have the
potential to play deep into the Stanley Cup playoff. Linden refused to be
specific about any candidates but indicated playoff teams may be willing to let
him talk to their staff. "I have not got any pushback on timing from a playoff
standpoint," he said. Linden wants a coach with experience at "many levels." The
person must be a teacher and be able to communicate with his players. One of the
most popular Canucks of all time, Linden is trying to repair the teams image and
its relationship with fans left disillusioned by Vancouvers drop from the ranks
of the NHLs elite. "This is a fresh start for our team and youll see us make
some other changes this summer," he said in a letter to season ticket holders.
"It starts with how we shape our management and coaching staffs and the roster
improvements were able to make." The Canucks had a good start under Tortorella
but finished the year with a 36-35-11 record for 83 points. The Canucks had just
13 wins in the 41 games since Jan. 1. Vancouver also struggled to score,
managing just 196 goals on the season, leaving the Canucks tied for second least
in the league. At an April 14 season-ending news conference Tortorella was blunt
when he said the Canucks are getting old and the core needed revitalizing.
Linden was asked about the comments. "We talked about that," he said. "I dont
totally agree with everything he said." Tortorella, who won a Stanley Cup
coaching Tampa Bay in 2004, was hired as the Canucks 17th head coach last June
to replace the fired Alain Vigneault. Vigneault took over Tortorellas old team,
the New York Rangers, and has led them into the second round of this seasons
playoffs. Tortorella has four years remaining on a contact which is estimated at
US$2 million a season. Its estimated the Canucks owe Gillis $4 million for the
remaining four years left on his contract. Tortorella could be cantankerous,
even rude, when dealing with the media during his five seasons with the Rangers.
He kept his promise to be different in Vancouver, where he was cordial and often
humorous when talking to reporters. On the ice Tortorella preached defence and
shot blocking. He used star players Daniel and Henrik Sedin on the penalty kill.
He also faced criticism for the amount of ice time he heaped on front-line
players like the Sedins and centre Ryan Kesler, who averaged 21 minutes 48
seconds of ice time a night. Tortorellas decision to start rookie goaltender
Eddie Lack in the outdoor Heritage Classic game frustrated veteran
Roberto Luongo. That decision eventually resulted in Luongo being traded to
Florida. A rash of injuries took their toll, Both Sedins, Alex Burrows and
defenceman Chris Tanev all missed a significant number of games with injuries.
Noted for his fiery manner behind the bench Tortorella shocked management and
the teams owners when he tried to get into the Calgary Flames locker-room
following a line brawl in a Jan. 18 game in Vancouver. Tortorella was prevented
from getting at Flames coach Bob Hartley and was suspended for six games. The
Canucks were 2-4-0 during that period, then 2-7-1 when Tortorella returned.
Linden said that incident did not factor in Tortorellas firing. Canuck players
said they played a role in the fate of both Gillis and Tortorella. "The bottom
line is if we win more games, then guys dont lose their jobs," said defenceman
Kevin Bieksa. Among the available coaches is Barry Trotz, who was fired from
Nashville last month after 15 seasons with the Predators. Other candidates
include L.A. assistant coach John Stevens and former Tampa Bay coach Guy
Boucher. "We will do everything we can to make this team as good as it can be
and get back to the Stanley Cup playoffs," Linden said. "We have ideas of how we
can do that. "Going down that path you need things and puzzles to fit together."
Al Woods Jersey . Toronto will also send a 2015 second-round pick to Atlanta in the deal. Raptors general manager Masai
Ujiri had been shopping Salmons and his cap-friendly contract through last weeks
draft, hoping to turn him into an asset that can help the team next season. The
34-year-old can be bought out of the $7 million hes owed in 2014-15, the final
year of his deal, for just $1 million if hes waived prior to Monday evening.
Derrick Morgan Titans Jersey . - The Baltimore Ravens and left tackle Eugene Monroe reached agreement on a five-year
contract Friday.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nolan Ryan is leaving the Texas Rangers
again, stepping away from his CEO role 20 years after ending his Hall of Fame
career as a pitcher. In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said
Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move
effective at the end of this month. He is also selling his ownership stake in
the team to co-chairmen Ray Davis and Bob Simpson. "It closes a chapter of my
life in baseball," Ryan said. "I feel like its time for me to move on to other
things. Its been a decision that weighed on me heavily, but I feel like its the
right decision. ... At this point and time, its the correct thing for me to do."
Asked about the difference in the team announcing that he was retiring and him
calling it a resignation, the 66-year-old Ryan paused and then said he wouldnt
be the CEO of another major league team and called this perhaps the "final
chapter" of his storied career in baseball. Ryans older son, Reid, became
president of the Houston Astros earlier this year. Nolan Ryan dismissed any
speculation that hes leaving the Rangers to join his son and another of the
teams he pitched for and worked for in the past. The move takes effect Oct. 31.
Ryan became the 10th president of the Rangers in February 2008 when he was hired
by former owner Tom Hicks. Ryan added the title of CEO three years later. He was
also part of the ownership group that acquired the team in August 2010, months
before its first World Series. Ryans departure comes less than a year after
ownership gave general manager Jon Daniels and chief operating officer Rick
George new presidential titles and took the presidents title from Ryan. Davis
insisted the change in Ryans title earlier this year was just that. "From a
corporation standpoint, Nolans authority didnt change at all," Davis said. "On
all major decisions on baseball, Nolan made all final decisions." Ryan said the
title change wasnt a factor in his decision. "I dont look at it from that
perspective," Ryan said. "I just look at it from where I am in life and what I
want to do going forward and thats what really drove my decision." George left
in July to become the athletic director at the University of Colorado. Daniels
attended the news conference at Rangers Ballpark, but left without speaking to
reporters. Davis said the ownership group is disappointed with Ryans decision
but understands it. Simpson said he tried to talk Ryan out of leaving.
Dexter McCluster Titans Jersey. "You dont wake up one day and make a decision of this magnitude," Ryan said. "It was
something Ive been thinking about on and off for a while now. Just felt like it
was probably time for me to move on." Ryan said he planned to go home and enjoy
getting back out to his ranch "and doing things I havent done for six years now.
... I dont know what a year from now might bring. This may be the final chapter
of my baseball career." Texas made its only two World Series appearances during
Ryans six seasons in the front office. The Rangers have averaged more than 90
wins the past five seasons, though they missed the playoffs this year after
losing an AL wild-card tiebreaker game to Tampa Bay. "During times of
significant change for the franchise, Nolan has been a constant -- accessible,
dedicated and an icon to his fellow Texans who love our game," Commissioner Bud
Selig said. "Nolans unique perspective as a legendary player and an accomplished
executive has been invaluable to the Rangers franchise." Ryans name has been
synonymous with the Rangers for decades. The major league strikeout king with
5,714 spent the last five seasons of his playing days in a Rangers uniform,
getting his 300th victory, throwing the last two of his record seven no-hitters
and getting his 5,000th strikeout. He retired as player after the 1993 season.
His No. 34 jersey is the only one worn by a Rangers player to be retired, and
there is a statue of the pitcher at Rangers Ballpark. He is the only player in
the Hall of Fame whose bust is topped by a Texas cap. "As his son, I am
extremely proud of what he has accomplished as both a player and as a front
office executive. He was an integral part of all three of the World Series
appearances by Texas teams, in 2005 with the Astros and in 2010-11 with the
Rangers," Reid Ryan said in a statement. "He has always treated the game with
dignity and respect and has appreciated those that make our game great: the
fans, players and employees," he said. The co-chairmen said there are no
immediate plans to announce a new CEO. Rob Matwick, whos currently executive
vice-president of ballpark and event operations, will take on more
responsibilities with the help of others who have also been shifted into new
roles. As for representing the Rangers in MLB business, Davis said hed "be the
control person for the next two or three years, and Bob and I will rotate that
title."
Wholesale Jerseys China ' ' '
