Marc Crawford Fired

[langdak]

No official announcement yet, but the news conference is at 3:30 pacific time today.


http://mojoradio.ca/news/sports_local.cfm?cat=74280912&rem=36327&red=801023aPBIny&wids=410&gi=1&gm=sports_local.cfm
MOJO Breaking News: Crawford fired
Apr, 25 2006 - 2:30 PM


MOJO Sports Radio AM730 has learned that the Vancouver Canucks have called a news conference for 3:30pm today where they are expected to announce the firing of head coach Marc Crawford.
Currently no replacement has been named.

The Canucks finished with a 42-32-8 record and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in six years.

Crawford holds a career record of 411 wins and 285 regulation losses in 823 regular season games.

He was hired as coach in 1999 and holds the club record for wins with 246.
Listen to the announcement live on MOJO Sports Radio AM730 at 3:30pm

[langdak]

Here is the announcement from TSN

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=163847&hubname=


Canucks fire head coach Crawford

CP with TSN.ca Staff files

4/25/2006 5:47:49 PM

Marc Crawford is out as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks.

General manager Dave Nonis made the announcement during a news conference at GM Place. He said Crawford was a good friend and that it was a difficult decision, but the team needed a kickstart.

"The decision to relieve Marc of his duties was a very difficult one for me to make," he said. "Our club has enjoyed a lot of growth and success under Marc and his staff. I feel very privileged to have worked with Marc over the last seven years and believe strongly that our organization took tremendous strides under his leadership behind the bench."

The Canucks finished ninth in the Western Conference this season with a 42-32-8 record - the first time since 2000 they didn't make the playoffs.

"This decision is about the future," Nonis added.

"Our club once again needs to become one of the hardest working teams in the League. We need to ensure that our attention to detail is second to none in the NHL."

Crawford, who was hired in 1999, took the Canucks to the playoffs four times and holds the franchise record of 246 wins. But the Canucks won just one playoff series and twice lost a Game 7 on home ice under his leadership.

Crawford, 45, had one year left on his contract, which paid him $1 million US a season.

The native of Belleville, Ont., began his NHL coaching career with the Quebec Nordiques in 1994 where he became the youngest coach to win the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year. He led the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup title in 1996.

Crawford played his entire six-year NHL career with the Canucks.

Nonis, who also worked closely with Crawford when he was assistant general manager, said the coach took the news well.

"He was very thankful for the time that he's had here," he said. "He would have liked another year to get back at it. But he's been around this game a long time. He handled it very well. Probably better than I did."

The team did not name a replacement yet, but names already being rumoured are Manitoba Moose head coach and former Montreal Canadiens coach Alain Vigneault and former Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Pat Quinn.

[langdak]

Here is the announcement from Sportsnet


http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20060425_171409_4644


Canucks cast Crawford out
April 25, 2006

VANCOUVER (CP) -- The Vancouver Canucks fired Marc Crawford on Tuesday, joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in jettisoning their head coach after missing the playoffs.

Crawford, 45, had one year left on his contract, which paid him $1 million US a season.

The Canucks finished ninth in the Western Conference this season with a 42-32-8 record. GM Dave Nonis said he felt the move was necessary to give the team a "kickstart."

"(We felt) that we haven't played with the fire that we have been known to have had," Nonis told a news conference at GM Place. "I felt that a change behind the bench was the first place to start."

Nonis, who called Crawford a good friend, said the coach took the news well.

"He was very thankful for the time that he's had here," he said. "He would have liked another year to get back at it. But he's been around this game a long time. He handled it very well. Probably better than I did."

Nonis said Crawford's firing will put more pressure on the players.

"I think there's a lot of blame to be spread around and I think a lot of that falls on the shoulders of those in that room," said Nonis.

The Canucks will begin putting together what Nonis termed "an appropriate short list" for Crawford's successor.

With eight games left in the regular season, the Canucks were two points out of first place in the Northwest Division and looked to control their own destiny.

The team went on to lose five of seven games in April and finished with a 42-32-8 record for 92 points. They were ninth in the Western Conference, three points behind the Edmonton Oilers.

The move wasn't a complete surprise. The Vancouver Province carried a photo of Crawford on Tuesday under the headline What's Taking So Long?

Since being hired in January 1999, Crawford took Vancouver to the playoffs four times and holds the franchise record of 246 wins. But during that time the Canucks won just one playoff series and twice lost a Game 7 on home ice.

There has been criticism the team were no longer listening to Crawford. Players continued to take undisciplined penalties and blew leads in crucial games as the Canucks battled for their playoff lives.

The Canucks missing the playoffs was a major topic of conversation in hockey-mad Vancouver. Newspaper columnists have speculated on what changes the team needs to make and sports radio callers have suggested all sorts of moves.

The move comes less than a week after the Leafs fired longtime coach Pat Quinn. There has been speculation that Quinn, a former Canucks GM who has a home in B.C., could be Crawford's successor.

The native of Belleville, Ont., began his NHL coaching career with the Quebec Nordiques in 1994 where he became the youngest coach to win the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year.

He led the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup title in 1996.

Crawford played his entire six-year NHL career with the Canucks.

[Dwight Schrute]

thank you nonis
i hope the replacement can do wonders with these guys
i also dont wanna trade bertuzzi now
(see how he does with a coach he doesnt hate)

[SectionNDeserter]

thank you nonis
i hope the replacement can do wonders with these guys
i also dont wanna trade bertuzzi now
(see how he does with a coach he doesnt hate)Yes, because those player-run teams are always a success....

[Blades 4 Life!]

I think that the Canuckes should pick up Pat Quinn as their head coach. He did great things for them in the past and he is available. I alos think that the Leafs should get Crawford as their head coach, the Leafs need someone like crawford coaching them. Crawford just has that coaching style that i Like in coaches.

[WHEATMAN]

I think that the Canuckes should pick up Pat Quinn as their head coach. He did great things for them in the past and he is available. I alos think that the Leafs should get Crawford as their head coach, the Leafs need someone like crawford coaching them. Crawford just has that coaching style that i Like in coaches.

I don't think Quinn will be coaching in Vancouver, he and the owners have a bad history going back to the mid 90's. I would consider Quinn going to Vancouver doubtfull

[Triton]

I can tell you that Quinn and Crawford won't be unemployed very long.They are elite coaches.The L.A Kings,Boston Bruins,St.Louis Blues,Pittsburgh Penguins and more will be looking for new head coaches soon.

[dondo]

I hope the assistants go with Crow, esp Mike Johnson who's special teams strategies were predictable and passive.

Crow is great coach, but its only so long you can listen to that nasal voice before you begin to shut him out. This was a necessary move, now hopefully Nonis actually addresses some of our other problems during the off-season.

I don't see Nonis taking a chance on minor league coaches no matter how good they are. He's going to want a proven NHL coach. Maybe Hitchcock will be available - he'd briong much needed dsicipline, would not tolerate floaters and have everyone playing a solid two-way game. I think a lot of our young guys would flourish under his coaching as well. We'll have to wait and see.

Quinn would be a step backward and a mistake as it would give Nonis another shadow to get out of. Quinn's history with this is such that the fans would be expecting him to push Nonis to implement a Quinn team and not a Nonis team.

[Dwight Schrute]

Yes, because those player-run teams are always a success....
well obviously when players arent getting the message or performing and dont seem to be following directions one has to go the players the coaches or both.
crow help resurect this team and has his place in canuck history, and for what he did with this team over 7 years i am thankfull. but... obviously with the players not responding to him and the fact that he couldnt get this team into the playoffs he needed to go. crow did great things here and will have future success
and its well documented that bert and crow didnt get along. how would he play under a new guy ??????? i dunno but id like to find out.

here's hoping they can pry brent sutter outta red deer and into vancouver :thumb:
seriously i think he will wait till brandon and brett are finished with the rebels before he moves on

[Flathead]

I would love to see Ted Nolan as the new coach in Vancouver.

[Beaner]

Marc Habscheid would be an interesting choice for the Canucks coach.

Not to sure if he would leave the Hockey Canada job.

[KBF]

Crawford is a good coach but he had the Canucks playing over their heads for years, Quinn is old and is the same guy who brought in guys like Reichel, Berg, Erikkson and other pathetic plugs. He's a dinosaur and couldn't get more out of the Canucks than Crawford did.


Canucks have to get rid of their thugs next ie Ruutu, Bertuzzi, Cooke etc. Also they have to release Linden, the guy is a freakin has been and taking up lots of valuable time from the Canucks weak ass farm system.


Canucks farm system has to be one of the worst I've ever seen, they have too many things they have to improve to get to the next level and I don't see that happening anytime soon.