It might be the start of June but the Canucks are still making news, so lots for the guys to talk about. The team announced changes to their coaching staff today, so Matt and Blake discuss what that means to Rick Tocchet’s bench, and maybe the PP as well. Plus, their reaction to reports of Ian Cole moving on, and the poll question on whether the Canucks should overpay to get any of their free agents locked up.
Daily Faceoff’sFrank Seravallli stops by to reveal he doesn’t think the Canucks will likely win the Martin Necas sweepstakes (but adds that Brett Pesce will get to July 1), plus his latest temperature check on the Flip Hronek negotiations, and the future of Boeser and Garland on the Canucks' wings.
Then TSN’s Farhan Lalji stops by with his view on the Luke Gazdic incident, and a look ahead to the BC Lions season overall, not to mention their well-attended home opener. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.
The Vancouver Canucks Promote Yogi Švejkovský to Assistant Coach and Strengthen Coaching Staff: In a move that has energized the Vancouver Canucks community, General Manager Patrik Allvin has announced significant changes to the team’s coaching staff. Yogi Švejkovský, previously serving as a Skills Coach, has been promoted to Assistant Coach of the Vancouver Canucks. Additionally, Canucks legends Daniel and Henrik Sedin will have an expanded role in the day-to-day coaching activities for both the NHL and AHL teams. This strategic shift promises to bring a fresh dynamic to the Canucks’ bench as they gear up for the upcoming season.
Coaching: The Internal Promotion of Yogi Švejkovský
Yogi Švejkovský’s promotion is a testament to his hard work and the trust he has earned within the Canucks organization. Švejkovský has spent the last two seasons as a Skills Coach, focusing on player development in both Vancouver and Abbotsford. His deep understanding of the team’s systems and his ability to develop talent were key factors in his promotion.
“After exploring all of our options, it became clear very quickly that the best candidate was already in our organization,” said General Manager Patrik Allvin. “The ability to promote from within will help us in the transition, as Yogi has a great understanding of our systems and the way we want to play.”
Švejkovský’s resume is impressive, boasting a rich background in player development and coaching. Prior to joining the Canucks, he was the Head Coach for the U17 Prep team at the Delta Hockey Academy and served as a skills coach for the Vancouver Giants in the WHL from 2006 to 2018. His extensive experience also includes a stint as the Director of Hockey Operations for the Seafair Minor Hockey Association.
A native of Tabor, Czech Republic, Švejkovský’s playing career included 113 NHL games with the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning, during which he recorded 42 points (23 goals, 19 assists). He also captured the Dudley “Red” Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s most outstanding rookie during the 1996-97 season. Švejkovský was a first-round draft pick, 17th overall, by the Washington Capitals in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
Head Coach Rick Tocchet praised Švejkovský’s promotion, noting, “Since I arrived in Vancouver, I have been very impressed with Yogi’s work ethic and willingness to do anything and everything to help us become a better team.”
Sedin Twins Take on Expanded Roles
The announcement also revealed that Daniel and Henrik Sedin, iconic figures in Canucks history, will be more involved in the team’s coaching duties. This increased involvement is a significant boost for the Canucks, given the Sedins’ unparalleled knowledge of the game and their deep connection to the organization.
“Daniel and Henrik have also had a seat at the table, and I have leaned on them more and more as the year went on,” Tocchet said. “Their knowledge and ability to teach the game is a huge plus, and they fit in extremely well with our group.”
The Sedin twins’ return to a more hands-on role is exciting news for fans who have long admired their on-ice chemistry and leadership. Their transition from star players to influential coaches underscores their commitment to the Canucks’ success and their desire to impart their wisdom to the next generation of players.
Ian Beckenstein Joins as Assistant Video Coach
In addition to Švejkovský’s promotion, Ian Beckenstein has been promoted from Abbotsford to join the Vancouver Canucks as an Assistant Video Coach. This move further strengthens the coaching staff, providing valuable support in video analysis and game preparation.
Coaching Staff Looking Ahead
These coaching changes signal a new era for the Vancouver Canucks, one that emphasizes internal growth and the integration of legendary players into the coaching framework. The promotions of Yogi Švejkovský and Ian Beckenstein, along with the increased involvement of the Sedin twins, reflect the organization’s commitment to fostering a culture of development and excellence.
As the Canucks prepare for the upcoming season, fans can look forward to seeing how these changes translate on the ice. The combination of Švejkovský’s player development expertise, the Sedins’ strategic insights, and Beckenstein’s video analysis skills creates a robust coaching team poised to drive the Canucks to new heights.
The Canucks community is buzzing with anticipation, eager to see the impact of these strategic moves. The commitment to promoting from within and leveraging the unique strengths of former players like the Sedins demonstrates a thoughtful approach to building a competitive and cohesive team.
Stay tuned for more updates and insights as the Canucks continue to shape their coaching staff and prepare for what promises to be an exciting season. Your thoughts and feedback are always welcome as we navigate this journey together.
Connor McDavid has led the Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006.
He tops all playoff scorers with 31 points in 18 games, making him the favorite at +200 (33.3% implied probability) to win the Conn Smythe Trophy even though the Oilers are slight underdogs to the Panthers.
Having the Conn Smythe favorite on the underdog team proves how important the betting market believes McDavid is to the Oilers' success, and it also accounts for the rare possibility that McDavid can still win the award if Edmonton falls short in the final.
Oddsmakers at theScore Bet priced McDavid's chances of winning the playoff MVP on a losing Oilers side at +1000 (9.1% implied probability).
If he pulls off that feat, it would be the first time the award went to someone on the losing team since Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who lost to the Devils as a member of the 2003 Ducks.
McDavid can strengthen his Conn Smythe case with another series of elite point production. He's averaging 1.72 points per game but will need to increase that to break Wayne Gretzky's single-playoff record.
It's a long shot, but the odds for McDavid to eclipse Gretzky's 47-point single-postseason record are set at +2500 (3.8% implied probability).
McDavid would likely need the series to go to seven games - odds are +200 it will go the distance - and he would need to record nearly 2.5 points per game against a stout Panthers team.
However, McDavid is only six points away from breaking Evgeni Malkin's mark for most playoff points since 2000, so his heroic effort during this playoff run shouldn't go unrecognized.
Perhaps a more obtainable record for McDavid is most points in a Stanley Cup Final. The current mark is 13, also held by Gretzky, and oddsmakers at theScore Bet are giving McDavid a 15.4% chance (+550 odds) of recording 14 or more points against Florida.
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Here is a list of Canadian NHL teams that have won the Stanley Cup since 1993: __
Here is a list of Canadian winners of the Conn Smythe Trophy over that same period: Cale Makar, Ryan O'Reilly, Sidney Crosby (twice), Duncan Keith, Justin Williams, Jonathan Toews, Scott Niedermayer, Cam Ward, Brad Richards, J.S. Giguere, Scott Stevens, Patrick Roy, Joe Nieuwendyk, Steve Yzerman, Mike Vernon, Joe Sakic, and Claude Lemieux.
There have been 15 Canadian Hart Trophy winners in that time. Nine world championships for the Canadian men's team. Three Olympic gold medals.
Canada, despite the lengthy Cup drought for teams based north of the border, is unquestionably still pretty good at hockey.
And yet, every spring, there is an attempt to give greater meaning to the collective playoff disappointments of Canada's NHL teams, as though they somehow create a nationwide melancholy and the country as a whole would be boosted if the drought could be broken.
To which I say: Bah. Canadian NHL fans outside Edmonton might want to see Connor McDavid lead the Oilers to the Cup because he's an incredible talent, and it is fun to watch great players succeed. But it doesn't make you a bad Canadian if you would rather watch the Oilers suffer, especially if you're a Calgary Flames fan. It's also not an indictment of your patriotism if you don't care either way. An Ottawa Senators fan is allowed to feel total indifference at this point of the season. (If we're honest, they've probably felt that way since about January.)
This playoff season, the question of Canada's Cup drought was placed in our collective laps quite early thanks to a couple of advertising campaigns that have been prominent on Rogers hockey broadcasts. In one, Chris Cuthbert narrates a Boston Pizza advertisement that recounts past playoff failures and exhorts Canadian fans to cheer for other Canadian teams. Maybe the drought was our fault all along?
A Co-operators insurance commercial, meanwhile, depicts Maple Leafs fans - sorry, fans of Generic Toronto Hockey Team for licensing reasons - removing their jerseys to support Edmonton and Vancouver as backup plans. (Let's hope they had alternative versions ready; otherwise, it seems like an indictment of Leafs management that the Co-operators marketing department wasn't worried about how this ad would play if Toronto was in the middle of a lengthy playoff run.)
The commercials suggest that a Canadian hockey fan's second-choice team should be another Canadian team. And if that team loses, they should pick the next Canadian team.
Andy Devlin / NHL / Getty Images
This is just weird. Should Los Angeles Lakers fans be expected to root for the Sacramento Kings because they are also based in California? Do Pittsburgh Steelers fans have the Philadelphia Eagles as their second-choice team for Pennsylvania reasons? Are Tampa Bay Lightning fans supposed to show pride in their state by supporting the Florida Panthers against the Oilers? This seems like the exact opposite of how fandom generally works, where a team's biggest rivals are geographically nearby. Senators fans hate the Leafs, as they should. And it's called the Battle of Alberta, not the Pleasant Renewal of Acquaintances of Alberta.
In many parts of the world, a person could be disowned for deciding to throw their support behind the team from the adjoining neighbourhood. Do you like Liverpool now, or would you like to remain in the will?
It's tempting to say this is all a media narrative; that the idea of rooting for Canadian teams just because they are Canadian is cooked up by people who aren't hockey fans in the first place. But stories about the Canadian NHL drought always find a few people who say that, yes, they hope that another Canadian team wins it. Which is, obviously, fine. Cheer for who you want! Maybe you just find Chris Cuthbert very persuasive!
There is actually a good reason for Canadian hockey fans to hope that Edmonton can manage the four wins needed to lift the Cup: We would finally be done with drought stories. No more questions about whether the pressure of trying to win playoff hockey in a passionate Canadian market is too much for the teams to bear. No more stories about how it's too hard to sign free agents in Canadian cities, or how hockey players don't get enough privacy in Canada and would rather just walk around anonymously, like a CFL player in Toronto. No more arguments about whether the weather is too cold, or the media too cruel, or the currency too colorful.
Edmonton could disprove a lot of those hoary theories in one fell swoop: It's a small market, the weather is not exactly ideal, and the fan base is wildly passionate. The Oilers even have free-agent signings playing significant roles, like Zach Hyman and Jack Campbell. OK, scratch that last one.
But just think of all the narratives that would be buried if McDavid, Leon Draisatl, and friends could beat the Panthers. It would take at least another five years without a Canadian team winning the Cup before anyone would dare to call it a drought again. Ten years? Five would at least be a start.
I guess what I'm saying is: Go Oilers.
Scott Stinson is a contributing writer for theScore.
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