UPDATE: 11:23 a.m.
The Canadian Press
The Vancouver Canucks have fired head coach Willie Desjardins after a miserable 2016-17 season.
The team announced the move today, less than 24 hours after losing its eighth straight game in regulation.
The Canucks finished 29th in the NHL害羞草研究所檚 overall standings.
In three seasons with Vancouver, Desjardins compiled a 109-110-27 record.
The 60-year-old led the club to the playoffs as a rookie NHL head coach in 2014-15, but the rebuilding Canucks took a big step backwards last season and things actually got worse in 2016-17.
The team also let go assistants Doug Lidster and Perry Pearn.
A news conference is scheduled for Monday afternoon.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been a challenging season and we all share responsibility for the results,害羞草研究所� Canucks general manager Jim Benning said in a statement. 害羞草研究所淗owever, we felt this change was necessary as we continue to develop a young team and look ahead to the future.害羞草研究所�
Named the 18th head coach in franchise history in June 2014, Desjardins looked to have things back on track early this fall when Vancouver was perfect through its first four games. But the fast start was a mostly smoke and mirrors as the Canucks became first team in NHL history to win its first three games of a season while never leading in regulation.
Desjardins said following Saturday害羞草研究所檚 3-2 home loss to Edmonton that his future in Vancouver was on his mind.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 hard not to think about that, but the one thing you do as a coach is I coach,害羞草研究所� said Desjardins. 害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 control that.
害羞草研究所淓very day I will work to make our team the best it can be and others will decide what we are going to do. I like our team and I like how the guys competed. We didn害羞草研究所檛 get the results we wanted, but I liked how the guys competed.害羞草研究所�
And Desjardins also understood the potential sense of finality with Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 last home game.
害羞草研究所淭here could be,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淵ou always realize that is a possibility.
害羞草研究所淵ou don害羞草研究所檛 worry about that thought. If it is, I害羞草研究所檒l worry about that when it comes.害羞草研究所�
Vancouver committed to a defensive system this season under Desjardins that sacrificed offence. After their 4-0-0 start, the Canucks went on a nine-game losing streak (0-8-1) that included getting shut out four times in five games.
While rumours concerning his job security swirled, Desjardins seemed to have righted the ship by mid-season 芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 the Canucks were 23-20-6 on Jan. 25 and occupied the Western Conference害羞草研究所檚 second wild-card spot 芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 before things cratered in spectacular fashion.
A 3-0 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Jan. 26 where Vancouver didn害羞草研究所檛 register a shot until just before the midway point of the second period started a downward spiral that would see the club go an NHL-worst 7-23-3 over its final 33 games 芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 a 42-point pace over 82 games.
All told, the Canucks wound up 30-43-9 in 2016-17, including 10-25-6 over their final 41 games.
During his time in Vancouver, Desjardins害羞草研究所� deployment of superstar twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin, along with host of other players, was a lightning rod for criticism.
This season, a lot of the questions surrounded his loyalty to certain members of Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 veteran core 芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 he leaned heavily on the likes of Brandon Sutter, Luca Sbisa and Alexander Edler 芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 as well as fringe NHLers like Michael Chaput and Jayson Megna.
The power play and penalty-kill were also disasters, ranked 29th and tied for 28th, respectively.
Vancouver dealt veterans Jannik Hansen and Alexandre Burrows prior to the trade deadline for assets as the rebuild finally got into full swing, but things went from bad to worse for the injury-riddled club that has now missed the playoffs three of the last four years.
The Canucks scored just 178 goals this season to set a new franchise low (not including lockout-shortened campaigns), eclipsing the 186 goals of 2015-16.
Their 12 straight games without a victory at Rogers Arena (0-9-3) dating back to an overtime win on Feb. 18 to close out the schedule also broke a franchise mark previously set during the team害羞草研究所檚 inaugural 1970-71 campaign.
Just 2-13-2 over their final 17 games overall, the Canucks害羞草研究所� last victory in regulation in Vancouver came all the way back on Jan. 20.
As the 2016-17 season wore on, Desjardins became more candid with the media, especially regarding his expectations of some of the team害羞草研究所檚 younger players.
While there weren害羞草研究所檛 many highlights, Desjardins can be credited with helping develop Bo Horvat, who led Vancouver in scoring this season, Sven Baertschi and Markus Granlund into legitimate offensive contributors.
In his first year with the Canucks in 2014-15, Desjardins steered the team to a 101-point campaign and second place in the Pacific Division before falling to Calgary in a tough six-game first-round playoff series.
Already in the process of dismantling the aging core that got to within a game of winning the 2011 Stanley Cup, Vancouver continued down that course the following season with younger players taking on bigger roles in an attempt to rebuild on the fly while still trying to stay competitive.
The plan didn害羞草研究所檛 come close to providing the desired results, and Desjardins was eventually the one to pay the price.
The team stumbled to 31-38-13 mark in 2015-16, good for just 75 points and a 28th-place finish, and he managed to survive 2016-17 despite a couple of instances where his dismissal looked likely before the hammer finally fell after Game 82.
Desjardins replaced John Tortorella after his one tumultuous season in 2013-14 that saw Vancouver miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
害羞草研究所斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�
Canucks coach Willie Desjardins has been relieved of his coaching duties along with assistant coaches Doug Lidster and Perry Pearn.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been a challenging season and we all share responsibility for the results,害羞草研究所� said GM Jim Benning on 害羞草研究所淗owever, we felt this change was necessary as we continue to develop a young team and look ahead to the future. We害羞草研究所檙e grateful to Willie, Doug, Perry and each of their families for their dedication and hard work and wish them every success.害羞草研究所�
relieve Willie Desjardins of coaching duties, along with assistant coaches Doug Lidster and Perry Pearn.
害羞草研究所� Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks)
