A coaching change doesn't mean the players will suddenly develop rockets on their skates or truer aim when they shoot the puck.

I remember the first time I saw Travis Green run a practice. Teams visiting Vancouver would often practice at my old home rink at the University of British Columbia, but it was rare to see the hometown squad in our neck of the woods. This was one of Green’s first practices after being named head coach of the Canucks before the start of the 2017-18 season. It was a preseason skate including the likes of Henrik and Daniel Sedin, two highly-respected veterans in the twilight years of their careers, still more skilled than anyone on the ice, and with a work ethic to match. Between drills Green would simply call out “battle!” and players would pair up for a quick one-on-one keep-away confrontation on the boards. It was awesome to see. The Sedins weren’t much younger than Green and they were digging in and competing, leading the way. Following the battle coach Green would blow his whistle and call for a hard lap, at which point the exhausted players took off, doing their best to impress the new coach.

If any of my former players are reading this, now you know who I stole that “battle” idea from.

The atmosphere in the rink that day – the pace, the dedication of the players – it was inspiring to say the least.

Travis Green’s tenure as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks lasted just a little over four seasons before he was relieved in December of 2021.

An Early Warning System

I’ve talked to a few coaches who have been fired over the years, and some of them see it coming and some don’t. But you can be sure that whether the coach senes it or not, it’s coming. These decisions aren’t made lightly. At least I sure hope they’re not, seeing as this is my full-time job.

Anyways, let’s ask ourselves a common question – did Travis Green forget how to coach hockey? Did Alain Vigneault, who was also fired from his job as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers the next day? I’ve also worked with a fellow coach who played for Vigneault and called him one of the best coaches he’s ever had. This is also the same colleague who was playing on a dreadful team in Europe for a coach who was surely about to get fired. The players did everything they could to dig the team out of its rut because they wanted to save the man’s job, but in the end it wasn’t good enough. He was fired and everyone felt horrible. And the team remained in said rut.

Heat is fine. Pressure is a privilege. But the tension for Green and Vigneault and coaches everywhere is no fun.

The Earth Will Shake

I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say the entire atmosphere of a hockey team is turned on its ear when a coach gets fired in the middle of a season. Tremors are one thing, but when the big one hits – look out. There’s the initial shockwave when a voice you’ve heard for so long is suddenly replaced. Even though that voice might have been harsh or disappointed or angry, most hockey dressing rooms can be compared with a family dinner at Christmas. As long as everyone is on their best behaviour, there’s no disagreements. Well, my family likes to drink wine and talk about politics at Christmas dinner, and we support each other’s dumb ideas and wrong opinions. Imagine a hockey dressing room where strong-willed athletes trying to win games and earn bigger paycheques disagree vehemently about how things are being done.

Removing the coach removes the fuel for those disagreements. There’s a tangible outlet for blame.

And it’s wrong. Partly, at least. I’m not privy to the inner workings of the Vancouver Canucks’ dressing room, but I’m sure the outgoing coach is asking tough questions of himself. And I would hope the players are looking themselves in the mirror and doing the same, because the coach isn’t an excuse any longer.

Relief

Coaches I know who have been fired normally share the same emotion: relief. Every day as a full-time coach is stressful. It’s good stress, don’t get me wrong, but it can weigh on your mind. You’re never really done, you just decide to pack up and quit for the day. I try to leave hockey at the rink, but it’s not easy. Methods that help:

• Exercise: just showing up in the gym every day keeps my mind clear.
• Routine: I’m not smart enough to make up new schedules every day, so I stick with my routine, which is one less (gigantic) thing I have to worry about.
• Communication: most issues can be tackled, if not solved, by simply confronting them – You don’t have to have difficult discussions, you get to have them.
• Alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems – I enjoy a cocktail as much as the next guy, but I try to use alcohol to celebrate a win, when I’m happy, rather than using it to dull my anger or frustration after a loss or an aggravating day, because it just comes back to haunt me later – uglier and intensified.

And those methods are just for times of normal stress levels! Imagine being on the hot seat of one of our country’s hallowed thrones during a prolonged losing streak. I hope Green and Vigneault are feeling some sense of relief these days, even though they’re well within their emotional right to be disappointed or angry. But that team is not your problem any more, fellas. You can breathe.

I’m sure the players are relieved as well. The bandaid has been torn away, and the man they’ve looked up to during the good times and bad is now gone. You can’t go back, so it’s time to move forward and get better. Good start as far as the Canucks are concerned, who won their first game with new head coach Bruce Boudreau to the tune of a 4-0 shutout win against the LA Kings.

The Aftershock

So now what? The coach is gone. In the case of the Canucks, the General Manager is gone as well, accompanied by assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner and John Weisbrod. People with families. People who care. Is that good? Will that make the players feel better? Worse? Don’t get me wrong, just because people care about something doesn’t excuse them from the consequences of potentially failing to live up to expectations. Personal ramifications for these people aside, do the players feel pressure now to own up to their side of the bargain? I believe coaches and players should be on the same side, but I understand that a fresh voice and new systems can make a difference.

Is it a good difference? I immediately regret the following statement which is completely gutless low-hanging fruit, but it’s unfortunately accurate in this situation.

We will see.

The Canucks won their first game post-Green and Vancouver is planning the parade, but Boudreau himself, who’s no stranger to the disappointment Coach Green is currently facing (Boudreau has been fired by the Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks, and Minnesota Wild), is painting a realistic picture for Canucks fans. The players won’t suddenly develop rockets on their skates or truer aim when they shoot the puck.

But what they do have is a new way of doing things and a fresh voice delivering the message. In the case of the Vancouver Canucks, a historically dreadful start to the 21/22 season meant a change was necessary, one which followed tremors and tension for weeks before finally exploding.

Let’s check back in a few months to see if the change worked.