They had a blurb about Willie Desjardins going out of his way to meet his core players and establish a rapport.
I found this
Canucks coach Willie Desjardins went the distance to learn about his players article.
Quote:
Willie Desjardins went to great lengths—and travelled great distances—to learn more about his Vancouver Canucks.
After the 57-year-old was hired as the franchise's 18th head coach in June, he hit the road to meet with members of a veteran core that will need to rebound in a big way following a miserable 2013-'14 campaign that ended with the Canucks missing the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.
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It has been said so much that it has become a cliche but you always hear from coaches that the reason a team is doing poorly is that its best players are not playing like best players.
This just makes sense. The veteran core has to be playing well and leading the team.
Two years ago Hartley had a team being paid to the max with well over half the team with over 10M in career earnings. They were dreadful under achievers.
Last year there were a lot fewer veterans and Hartley coached them much better.... they exceeded incredibly low expectations.
Desjardins at least seems to understand that for the Canucks to have any success the Sedins, Hamhuis, Burrows and Bieksa all have to have good if not great seasons. If they do not play well they will not be motivated with benchings or threatened punishment .... They will all keep on cashing the cheques and will have no problem joining another NHL team than Iginla and Bouwmeester and Cammalleri had in leaving Hartley and the Flames.
This little episode with benching Wideman and apparently not having an adult discussion with Wideman does not seem to be the way to maximize the best players value with or for the Flames.
In 2-3 years .... when the Flames are coming out of the rebuild there will be a lot more of veteran multi-millionaires on long term contracts (similar to Wideman) that will have to be the Flames best players.
Anyone have confidence that Hartley will get them to play to their potential in the same manner he is able to motivate the AHL/NHL tweeners he had last year and this year?