Alain Vigneault

If the Canucks don’t win the Stanley Cup this year, it’s not likely ever going to happen with Alain Vigneault as their head coach. This may seem outlandish and ridiculous. But it’s the cold, harsh reality of NHL history. A look at the past 82 Stanley Cup winners shows that only three times has a head coach been with a team for more than four years before winning a Cup. It suggests that if the chemistry between a coach and his team doesn’t result in a championship within four years, it’s not likely ever going to happen. Think of it like a flipped hourglass ... Read Full Story

Shane O’Brien has received a one-game suspension for sticking it to Sean Avery on Tuesday at GM Place. The Vancouver Canucks defenceman, who had been benched after taking a double-minor penalty late in the second period, stormed the length of the players’ bench early in the third period to challenge the agitating Avery and stuck his stick into the abdomen of the New York Rangers winger. O’Brien was so worked up that he had to be restrained by Canucks coach Alain Vigneault. “You never want to be suspended and I don’t think it deserves one, but I’ll take my punishment,” said O’Brien, who won’t ... Read Full Story

Finally, the last game of the Canucks' road trip that has seen the team be inconsistent in almost every area. Highs and lows. The signs are there for this Canucks squad to succeed at a more consistent basis but it needs to find an identity, road-weary or not. I was saying after the loss to Chicago that I miss Alain Vigneault's "trap" system of the previous 2 years. I don't like seeing our defencemen get caught up ice over and over again, or all players running around in their own zone, or having skilled players that don't back check. To me, that was the ... Read Full Story

From Tony Gallagher at the Province : For one night at least, it was back to reality for the Canucks and their fans. And while there were a lot of factors that played into Monday 's disastrous replay of the Alamo with the Canucks in the roles of Daniel Boone and Jim Bowie, perhaps coach Alain Vigneault outthinking himself contributed to the remorseless cuffing. Then again, maybe they were so bad nothing would have mattered. ... What Vigneault apparently did not take into consideration was the fact that with both Hordichuk and Bieksa out of the lineup, the physical edge the Canucks have enjoyed ... Read Full Story

friom Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal via the Vancouver Sun, In Alain Vigneault’s eyes, there is only one positive to Daniel Sedin being on the shelf with a broken foot. “Now, when I see (the twin) Hank in this environment I know it’s him, and when I see Danny on crutches, well, I know who he is … first time since I’ve been here (four years) that I can say that,” chuckled the Vancouver Canucks’ head coach, who makes no bones about the fact he still can’t tell Daniel from Henrik, unless they’ve got numbers on their jerseys. “Any time I crossed one ... Read Full Story