Issue #68 — Good-bye: Garage, Walters
It was announced that the naming rights for GM Place have been purchased by Rogers, the Canucks will now be playing at the newly christened Rogers Arena. Blah, Blah, Blah. I actually sort of, kind of liked GM Place (sorry Naomi Klein), but I’m sure I’ll adjust. I’m not as attached as Torontonians were to their beloved SkyDome. Alas, the winds of change are blowing.
In other news of relative consequence, the Canucks announced this week that assistance coach Ryan Walter got the pink slip and will be replaced by Newell Brown.
(Could it have something to do with this?)
I’m all for a little coaching shake up, especially something that could bring a little consistency to a flaccid penalty kill (18th overall last year) and a bullshit goals-against (20th overall). Whether this falls under Browns jurisdiction isn’t known yet. If MG has any foresight he will keep the coaching staff on a short leash this year as the expectations on this nucleus run pretty high. Given the fire-sale of key support players in Chicago this summer you gotta wonder if the Canucks main arch-rival this year may be simply themselves.
In other news, word on the street is that Canucks brass have a few moves up their sleeve that may be exercized in the coming weeks. MG has been making little moves like signing Lee Sweattin May that could have huge upswing for a team aching for a bonafide support cast. The talent on this roster is indisputable, but this talent needs a figurative vitamin-E shot in the guise of a dark-horse-blue chip or Cody Hodgson. That might be enough to put em over the top.