Vancouver

VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Canucks have fired the most successful head coach in club history. Alain Vigneault lost his job after the Canucks were swept by the San Jose Sharks — a year after the heavily favoured Canucks were dumped 4-1 in the opening round by the Los Angeles Kings.

After consecutive seasons with disappointing playoff performances, the axe has finally fallen on Canucks coach Alain Vigneault, as well as his assistants Newell Brown and Rick Bowness. Via TSN: Vigneault served seven years behind the Canucks bench, compiling a regular season record of 313-170-57. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2007 and was voted a finalist on two other occasions. His playoff record, though, was inconsistent. He took the team to the second round on three separate occasions, missed the playoffs once, and most memorably led them to the Stanley Cup Final against Boston in 2011. However, the Canucks were upset in the first round in the last two seasons, sealing his fate. The Canucks also fired associate coaches Newell Brown and Rick Bowness. There will be much more reaction to this news here on Nucks Misconduct, but for now what are your thoughts about the firing of AV? Good move? Knee jerk reaction? Any thoughts on who should replace him? Regardless of your view of AV, this is definitely the end of an era in terms of Canucks coaching. Hopefully the move sparks the team to greater success next season.

from Mark Spector of Sportsnet, It is time to either put Vigneault (read: us) out of his (our) misery, not to mention a couple of assistant coaches who would be networking for their next job already, if what we suspect to be pending was actually announced as fact. Penned beat man Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province: “Like a carton of sour milk, the expiration date on Vigneault has passed. Move on.” We’re not so sure that analogy isn’t a tad harsh, as we’ve always found Vigneault to be anything but sour. Guarded around playoff time, yes. Sour? No, he’s usually good for a laugh or two. But after seven seasons at the helm in Vancouver there is no doubt: The Big West Coast problem might not be Vigneault’s fault entirely, but it is his problem. more

The Vancouver Canucks have dismissed Vigneault, along with assistants Rick Bowness and Newell Brown, according to NBC Sports: We asked yesterday about the fate of Alain Vigneault, and found out today — the Vancouver Canucks have dismissed Vigneault, along with assistants Rick Bowness and Newell Brown, according to TVA’s Louis Jean. Jean also reports that Canucks GM Mike Gillis met with ownership before breaking the news to the three. The move marks a massive changing of the guard in Vancouver, as nearly the entire coaching staff has been terminated, and there’s still no word on what the club plans to do with assistant coach (video) Daryl Williams and/or goaltending coach Roland Melanson. Vigneault was the 16th head coach in Canucks history and the most successful in franchise history. Since taking over in June 2006, he led the Canucks to two Presidents Trophies, a Stanley Cup finals appearance, multiple Northwest Division titles and six postseason berths. Vigneault may be the winningest coach in Canucks history — with 313 regular season victories — and he may have taken Vancouver to Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals; however, two straight first-round playoff exits were, in the words of Canucks GM Mike Gillis, “unacceptable.” More to come on this story as developments unfold. Click to go to NBC Sports Link The Vancouver Canucks have dismissed Vigneault, along with assistants Rick Bowness and Newell Brown, according to NBC Sports: We asked yesterday about the fate of Alain Vigneault, and found out today — the Vancouver Canucks have dismissed Vigneault, along with assistants Rick Bowness and Newell Brown, according to TVA’s Louis Jean. Jean also reports that Canucks GM Mike Gillis met with ownership before breaking the news to the three. The move marks a massive changing of the guard in Vancouver, as nearly the entire coaching staff has been terminated, and there’s still no word on what the club plans to do with assistant coach (video) Daryl Williams and/or goaltending coach Roland Melanson. Vigneault was the 16th head coach in Canucks history and the most successful in franchise history. Since taking over in June 2006, he led the Canucks to two Presidents Trophies, a Stanley Cup finals appearance, multiple Northwest Division titles and six postseason berths. Vigneault may be the winningest coach in Canucks history — with 313 regular season victories — and he may have taken Vancouver to Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup finals; however, two straight first-round playoff exits were, in the words of Canucks GM Mike Gillis, “unacceptable.” More to come on this story as developments unfold. Click to go to NBC Sports Link

Vancouver, Wash.-based company Investist has a new idea for rolling in style. It's called Hovertrax, and it's an auto-balancing, electronic transporter with two-wheeled gyro technology — or, more simply, a wiggle board with power. The group is collecting funds for the gadget through Kickstarter, and, as of Wednesday afternoon, has already raised more than $50,000 — exceeding its original goal of $40,000, with 39 days remaining to donate SEE ALSO: Flying Concept Car Could Hover Over Congestion The concept behind Hovertrax is simple: Its two motors, one in each wheel, correspond with your movements. To move forward, lean in to your toes; to move backward, tilt your heels behind you. Spin the board in circles by placing one foot behind the other. The company assures there's no learning curve — just hop on and hit the road Read more...More about Gadgets, Videos, Crowdfunding, Kickstarter, and Small Business

For sale: one quite good, slightly used coach. Source says Alain Vigneault, Rick Bowness and Newell Browne have been fired by Vancouver Canucks. — Louis Jean (@LouisJean_TVA) May 22, 2013 The secret to keeping your job in Vancouver is to pay two goalies a combined nine-plus million a year, keep half of that on the bench, and have it overshadow everything you do all season. Told GM Mike Gillis met with ownership before breaking the news to Vigneault, Bowness & Brown. — Louis Jean (@LouisJean_TVA) May 22, 2013 Gillis: “And as the video clearly shows, gentlemen, this is all of you cheating on your wives while simultaneously extorting money. So, who were we talking about firing?”

Vancouver cleans house.

Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media. • Alex Ovechkin got his KHL medal for Dynamo Moscow's Gagarin Cup win. And you said he never wins anything. Wait, what's that? He left the team before they won? Well. Still. [Dmitry Chesnokov] • The NHL's most stylish men. Yes, Henrik Lundqvist is on the list. [Sharp] • Sidney Crosby was nearly killed by a mozza stick. [Sportsnet] • Nick Cotsonika on Paul MacLean's "fun" approach to coaching. [Yahoo!] • Meet Tim Thompson, the guy who makes CBC's awesome playoff hockey montages. [National Post] • Stephen Walkom, Game 3's referee, coached Mario Lemieux's daughter. Is this a conflict of interest? I highly doubt it. Have you ever coached a bunch of kids? By the end, you hate them all and you hate their parents for making them. Or maybe that was just my experience. [Senshot] • Speaking of officiating conspiracies, the New York Rangers' last penalty call at home came in Game 4 versus the Washington Capitals. [CSNNE] • Elliotte Friedman's 30 thoughts, which includes this wild notion: "Conspiracy Theory: Sharks GM Doug Wilson wasn't going to trade Dan Boyle at the April 3 deadline, but he wanted Boyle -- and his other veterans -- to think he might. There's been a lot written and said about Extreme Makeover: San Jose edition, but the more I look back at it, it's not just about increasing Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski's roles. He wanted Boyle and Joe Thornton, among others, to believe, 'If this doesn't work, I'm next.'" [CBC] • Cory Conacher comes out for the Senators in Game 4, and Mark Stone draws in. [Senators Extra] • Vancouver resident Jay Adams spends a year as a Florida Panthers season-ticket holder. Sounds, uh, great. [Cave Mag] • The Vancouver Canucks have been awarded over $800,000 after winning a suit filed against Canon for a sponsorship deal gone awry. [Vancouver Sun] • Speaking of the Canucks, three young forwards Thomas Drance thinks they should target. [Canucks Army] • The AHL's Toronto Marlies, otherwise known as the baby Leafs, blew a 3-1 third period lead last night to be eliminated from the postseason. Solidarity. [AHL] • The Chicago Blackhawks are making some friends at NBC with their ratings. [Sherman Report] • Wherein Chris Neil and Brooks Orpik argue over a hit. [Ottawa Sun] • Would the Dallas Stars consider trading Loui Eriksson? [Defending Big D] • Might Ray Emery get a start soon? [Blackhawk Up] • The Nashville Predators have hired Phil Housley as an assistant coach. [Smashville 24/7] • Analyzing Sean Couturier's offensive woes in 2013. [Broad Street Hockey] • Finally, Colin McDonald boosts for teammate John Tavares for the NHL 14 cover, because his living situation depends on it:

It’s midnight when we return to the Fairmont Pacific Rim after a night out on the town in Vancouver. When we walk into the Lobby Lounge, the place is overflowing with well-dressed lookers--locals, guests and residents of the hotel. And we know why. Yes, it’s partly because of the atmosphere – West Coast cool with loads of glass, some woody features and a clean white background overall – but mostly, ladies and gentlemen, it's because the cocktails are to die for. We took it upon ourselves to try a few of the bevvies on order but we kept coming back to the seriously tasty Absolut Beta Martini. This cocktail was created by the oh-so-charming head bartender

Vancouver lawyer lands in team president’s seats for final home game