Vancouver Canucks have June 1 deadline to re-sign coach Bruce Boudreau
A 57-game pattern dimension was not large enough for Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford to decide to a contract extension for head coach Bruce Boudreau.
“We might be keen to have him again underneath the contract that he agreed to when he got here right here,” Rutherford stated on the Canucks’ season-ending media availability on Tuesday.
“That’s actually to not say that on the finish of subsequent yr we wouldn’t need him again if he continues to do the job he’s doing. I simply really feel nearly as good a job as he’s accomplished, it wasn’t a full season.”
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The Canucks began the 2021-22 marketing campaign with a file of 8-15-2 earlier than then-coach Travis Inexperienced and normal supervisor Jim Benning had been fired in early December. Workforce proprietor Francesco Aquilini instantly employed Boudreau earlier than Rutherford got here on board a number of days later.
“In our settlement, each side have till June 1,” Rutherford defined concerning the timeline on a choice for Boudreau’s future.
“Our talks with him have been very optimistic. He’s nicely conscious that we admire and respect the job he’s accomplished. We defined to him why we’re doing it the best way we’re doing it, and why we wish him again.”
“I instructed (GM) Patrik (Allvin) and Jim that I wished to educate right here subsequent yr,” Boudreau stated in a separate availability on Monday. “We’re simply speaking proper now and I’m positive, hopefully, issues get accomplished.
“However I believe they need me again and I do know I wish to be again, so I believe it ought to work out.”
Beneath Boudreau, the Canucks posted a file of 32-15-10, a 106-point tempo over a full 82-game season. They remained within the playoff hunt till the ultimate week of the common season, finally ending 5 factors out of a wild-card playoff spot.
However whereas the staff confirmed promise, Rutherford was unflinching in his evaluation that extra modifications are wanted.
“We’d prefer to see our staff play a extra structured recreation and never rely upon our goalie as a lot,” he stated. “However we actually really feel that there are sufficient good gamers right here to proceed to construct right here within the subsequent yr or two towards attending to be a constant playoff staff and a contender.”
The low season to-do listing begins with skilled and beginner scouting conferences this month, forward of the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal on July 7-8 and the opening of free company on July 13.
“We’d like to stick with our identical plan,” Rutherford stated. “We’ve got gamers, preserve them of their mid-20s or youthful in order that the staff can come collectively within the subsequent yr or two.
“There could also be a case the place it leads to free company, possibly a few weeks in, {that a} participant of their 30s falls again and we might really feel that that’s the correct factor to do on the proper worth and the correct time period. However our plan continues to be the identical.”
One of many membership’s high low season priorities shall be dealing with the following contract of ahead Brock Boeser. The 25-year-old is ready to turn into a restricted free agent with a qualifying provide requirement of $7.5 million with arbitration rights.
“We’ve had optimistic talks with Brock and his agent,” stated Allvin. “So we’ve simply obtained to proceed to do this.”
Two different high forwards, captain Bo Horvat and main scorer J.T. Miller, every have one yr remaining on their present offers. They are going to be eligible to signal contract extensions after July 13.
“When the time comes, we’ll undoubtedly attain out to their brokers,” Allvin stated. “I had exit conferences with J.T. and I’ll have with Bo subsequent week. They’re good gamers, so we wish to discuss it, for positive.”
Rutherford’s low season plans prolong nicely past participant personnel selections.
He introduced on Tuesday that the membership shall be endeavor a significant low season renovation of the dressing rooms and staff companies areas at Rogers Area, and that plans are progressing for the Canucks’ first devoted follow rink in franchise historical past.
The low season schedule additionally consists of the return of the post-draft growth and prospects camp on the College of British Columbia from July 10-15, coaching camp in Whistler on Sept. 23-24, and the return of the YoungStars Traditional and rookie camp in Penticton from Sept. 14-18, following a three-year hiatus.
With a view towards enhancing the group’s footprint throughout B.C., the Canucks moved their AHL farm membership to the Fraser Valley this season.
“This might be one of the best franchise within the American Hockey League over time,” Rutherford stated. “When Francesco first got here and talked to me, that was a precedence of plenty of issues that we talked about, the significance of getting that franchise right here in British Columbia.
“And be sure to have good gamers there, so we’ve staff yearly. It’s essential to our franchise.”
The Abbotsford Canucks started their best-of-three first-round playoff sequence on the highway Tuesday evening, towards the Bakersfield Condors.
Key gamers embody Spencer Martin, who signed a contract extension that places him in place to turn into Thatcher Demko’s backup on the NHL squad subsequent season, and Vasily Podkolzin, the 20-year-old first-round draft decide who completed with 14 targets and 26 factors in his rookie season with Vancouver this yr.
“I believe it’s an awesome alternative for all these younger gamers to get the expertise of taking part in within the playoffs and taking part in essential hockey in Might,” stated Allvin.
