What does a Travis Green hiring have in common with an inflammatory tweet from Donald Trump and another Cleveland - Golden State NBA finals matchup? All three are very predictable.
Reports indicate Green has been hired by the 麻豆传媒映画Canucks, filling the vacancy left behind by freshly punted coach Willie Desjardins.
The Castlegar native has been toiling away in the AHL for the last three years, guiding Vancouver鈥檚 prospects and young minor league players via the Aquilini-owned Utica Comets.
I must admit this was hardly an emotional announcement. There was much rejoicing, . First, I was prepared for it. Jim Benning鈥檚 Canucks are a loyal group and I knew Green would get his shot on the west coast.
But mostly it鈥檚 because this is not really an exciting hire. Green isn鈥檛 a high-octane kind of coach like, say, Sheldon Keefe. He鈥檚 reported to be a fundamentals guy with a calm disposition, well liked by the players. So... kinda like Willie Desjardins?
If that sends a shudder down your spine, consider this: most fans were over the moon when Desjardins was initially hired. So perhaps today鈥檚 shrug-worthy reaction is better; low expectations and all that.
And hey, Green has legitimately been great. In their first season in the AHL, the nascent franchise nearly scored a playoff berth. The next year Green guided them to a Calder Cup Finals appearance, followed by a semifinal loss in 2016.
This season was a tougher go. Utica was just edged out of a playoff spot, but that roster faced a lot of upheaval and was also much weaker than previous seasons.
Prior to the AHL, Green was part of the Portland Winterhawks' coaching staff. He led the team for one season, guiding them to a WHL championship and a Memorial Cup finals appearance.
And there lies the reason for some muted excitement: Green led a new AHL franchise to the Calder Cup finals in two years. He won a championship in his first year in the WHL. In other words, the guy has a track record of quick success.
Despite being just 46, Green is a pretty experienced coach. He player 14 years in the NHL, then worked under Mike Johnson for four seasons, and now has four years of AHL under his belt.
Also, , Green likes youths. He鈥檚 got a rep for working successfully with young players.
Why, as the CBC so kindly pointed out, he helped develop the Canuck鈥檚 can鈥檛 miss prospects, like Hunter Shinkaruk, Nicklas Jensen and Jake Virtanen.
This paragraph from CBC's article on Travis Green's imminent hiring really feels like they're trolling us.
鈥� Pass it to Bulis (@passittobulis)
Backhanded swipe from our national broadcaster aside, it鈥檚 nice to hear that the Canucks may have a bench boss who鈥檒l play the kids a bit more. In fact, I suspect it鈥檒l be part of his mandate.
In an interview with TSN 1040 several weeks ago, Trevor Linden seemed to recognize where the team was at.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to look for a coach who understands where we are as an organization, looks to develop young players, and plays a responsible, high-tempo game. We need a coach that鈥檚 detailed and structured and keeps players accountable.鈥�
Accountability and an uptempo game. That鈥檚 the dream, though we鈥檝e heard it before. If nothing else, I hope Travis gives the young players a bit more leash next season. That鈥檒l make Green look pretty golden.
