He's so calculated, he takes his time, has a plan and goes about executing it one step at a time.
Sure he makes mistakes, but look at the results, this team has finished higher every season for the last 4 or 5 seasons. That's progress, a result of a plan being executed.
My favorite thing about him is his blunt honesty. He literally tells everyone his plan and then does it. He told us he was going to sign a shudtown center, and did it.
Told us he'd toughen us up and he did it.
Etc.,
Now he's said he's looking for a 2nd line player (IIRC). I think that will come at the deadline and not from free agency.
I also love his drafting.
All the extra stuff on the side, the nutritionists, psychiatrists, sleep doctors, renovations in the arena, skills coaches etc.,
It all starts with the G-man.
And considering how terrible some GMs can be (Feaster, Sutter, I'm looking at you two) we're pretty fortunate to have good ol' Gillis running the show.
just don't like it when we get the table scraps from other teams. we should get rid the dead weight and sign some really good players. trade the trash for cash i say.
For an ex player agent that nobody was going to want to talk to, Mike Gillis has put together what some might call a pretty solid team. I know he walked into a solid base, but he has definately built from there. The guy is smart, and obviously knows hockey. Not like Gary Bettman. Keep it up Gillis, and I will personally head downtown to stop the ********** from ruining another year like that. Great job by you and all the players! Thanks from all of your real fans!
It's finally starting to make sense to me why Gillis chose to retain AV.
Gillis' player-centered approach fits in with AV's difficult 2-way system and philosophy of "playing hard at both ends of the ice." I know most coaches say that, but AV freaking means it.
Without Gillis' many initiatives to make players feel as comfortable as humanly possible, AV's system would likely end most players' careers if they were left to their own devices off-ice. Without Gillis' insistence that players be given every resource the organization can afford to help them get back from injury, a guy like Salo would have had to retire by his 445th injury (his injury count probably started at the 300s when Gillis first came in).
It's funny; AV's approach to coaching sounds a lot like some of the hard-***** Gillis has had to deal with as a player. Maybe he wants that in order to counteract it with his managerial approach?
It's finally starting to make sense to me why Gillis chose to retain AV.
Gillis' player-centered approach fits in with AV's difficult 2-way system and philosophy of "playing hard at both ends of the ice." I know most coaches say that, but AV freaking means it.
Without Gillis' many initiatives to make players feel as comfortable as humanly possible, AV's system would likely end most players' careers if they were left to their own devices off-ice. Without Gillis' insistence that players be given every resource the organization can afford to help them get back from injury, a guy like Salo would have had to retire by his 445th injury (his injury count probably started at the 300s when Gillis first came in).
It's funny; AV's approach to coaching sounds a lot like some of the hard-***** Gillis has had to deal with as a player. Maybe he wants that in order to counteract it with his managerial approach?
Is AV's system really that demanding on his players? Could the annual injury plague be a result from that? Good article though, and it really gives you an understanding on where Gillis' way of thinking came from - his own disappointment at "the establishment" for not being more accommodating back in those days due to his injury issues. He probably sympathizes the most with Salo, and I wouldn't be surprised to one day learn he'd been trying to turn the guy into an unstoppable cyborg who would never break down ever again.
For us, thankfully he has the experience of having played the game himself, as well as knowing what players want and need from his time as a player agent. He's made Vancouver pretty much a dream destination for players who want good quality of life and who to be treated with respect and care.
I really like that he refuses to believe that a player can't improve if you give him the proper guidance and training, in trying to draw out his maximum potential. It's why we saw him put Bernier on that offseason skills training program, and hiring Glen Carnegie as a skills coach would be a natural extension of that process... to me that's one of the biggest attitude changes he's instituted around here.
His innovation in leaving no stone unturned in trying to improve this team in every possible way is just a breath of fresh air. Really gives you a sense of optimism, and that MG is driven to make this team better, no matter in which area.
Is AV's system really that demanding on his players? Could the annual injury plague be a result from that? Good article though, and it really gives you an understanding on where Gillis' way of thinking came from - his own disappointment at "the establishment" for not being more accommodating back in those days due to his injury issues. He probably sympathizes the most with Salo, and I wouldn't be surprised to one day learn he'd been trying to turn the guy into an unstoppable cyborg who would never break down ever again.
For us, thankfully he has the experience of having played the game himself, as well as knowing what players want and need from his time as a player agent. He's made Vancouver pretty much a dream destination for players who want good quality of life and who to be treated with respect and care.
I really like that he refuses to believe that a player can't improve if you give him the proper guidance and training, in trying to draw out his maximum potential. It's why we saw him put Bernier on that offseason skills training program, and hiring Glen Carnegie as a skills coach would be a natural extension of that process... to me that's one of the biggest attitude changes he's instituted around here.
His innovation in leaving no stone unturned in trying to improve this team in every possible way is just a breath of fresh air. Really gives you a sense of optimism, and that MG is driven to make this team better, no matter in which area.
I'd be likely to suspect the team's training staff. There's been an awful lot of similar injuries in the past relating to hip issues among other things.
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Injuries from AV's system? I'm no expert, but aren't most teams playing a variation of the left wing lock? Systems play is so, well, systematic rather than specific. The variable is travel. Vancouver has more of it. That means more sitting in chairs, which can't be good for the legs, hips and butt. Seems to me that could lead to injuries.
Injuries from AV's system? I'm no expert, but aren't most teams playing a variation of the left wing lock? Systems play is so, well, systematic rather than specific. The variable is travel. Vancouver has more of it. That means more sitting in chairs, which can't be good for the legs, hips and butt. Seems to me that could lead to injuries.
Hmm, maybe Canucks should invest in a private jet equipped with all first class style reclining bed/seats?
I'm extremely happy with what Mike Gillis has done for this Organization, He has done what Burke and Nonis have failed to do, make us legitimate Stanley Cup contenders for consecutive years. Cheers MG
MG dropped the ball with the Hodgson trade... he should of traded for an impact player if he was going to trade young star rookie instead we got another rookie who is further behind in his development who can't even get 10 mins of ice time
While I think it's ridiculous to suggest we should fire Mike Gillis, I hope this loss demonstrates that he has made some fairly significant blunders during his tenure here.
The initial Sundin offer would've been a terrible mistake if Sundin accepted it, but he got lucky on that one.
Luongo contract was obviously a massive mistake that may cost this franchise for years to come.
From a more immediate perspective - I find Gillis' handling of the defense somewhat troubling.
Letting Mitchell walk was a mistake. Considering Ballard was benched for much of last year's playoffs, I don't think it would be unreasonable to assume that Mitchell would've been the 3rd pairing LS defenceman for much of last year's playoffs he had still been here, and how beneficial would his presence have been during meltdowns against Chicago and Boston? Would the defense and Luongo have been caught running around like chickens with their heads cut off with his calming presence on the backend? Doubtful. Purely speculation but I felt this was a mistake at the time.
And last year - same thing with Ehrhoff. Ehrhoff certainly had his flaws, but he was a also a key cog in the Canucks dominant transition game, and a big part of why they were an unstoppable juggernaut last season. 5x5.5 would've been reasonable for his skillset, and instead Gillis refused to budge on some arbitrary internal cap for defenceman. Didn't like the move at the time and even less so now.
So while he has been an amazing GM in many respects he has demonstrated a disconcerting ineptitude in regards to the defense which has bit this team in the ass a few years in a row now.
While I think it's ridiculous to suggest we should fire Mike Gillis, I hope this loss demonstrates that he has made some fairly significant blunders during his tenure here.
IMO that's a fair statement.
But if we don't progress further in next year's playoffs, he'll be on the clock, for sure.
It has been one of the worst one year stretches for a Canuck GM I've seen. Gillis needs to redeem himself, starting at the draft and later on July 1 - or he's next on Aquillini's hitlist.
MG dropped the ball with the Hodgson trade... he should of traded for an impact player if he was going to trade young star rookie instead we got another rookie who is further behind in his development who can't even get 10 mins of ice time
It has been one of the worst one year stretches for a Canuck GM I've seen. Gillis needs to redeem himself, starting at the draft and later on July 1 - or he's next on Aquillini's hitlist.
I totally agree with this. From the time the trade deadline ended last year to the time the deadline ended this year MG was completely awful, borderline clueless. I was shocked by the Sturm signing, that went as well as his horrible M. Schneider addition a few years ago. But wow we traded him and Sammy for Booth, the 3.8 million dollar concussion prone, heads down, tunnel vision, shoot it at the logo, 1 goal in his last whatever number of games I can't remember because its been so long since he had any offensive impact despite top 6 minutes, burden. I would have rather had Sammy for this playoffs and the cap space than Booth for another 4 years unless we can trade his ass.
Kassian gave us nothing. Deadline day I said he wasn't ready and needed to go to the Ahl for the rest of the season, while many were calling him a second liner. He was not ready for any real role on a playoff team and is still a few years away from having a big impact on the team. Our already awful playoff offence became much worse when it needed to get better. Gragnani flat out sucks. Pahlsson did just fine but his best days are way behind him, having two 4th lines was horrible strategy. I mean I like Lappy but he's not a second liner, it's a joke we had to resort to him and Raymond as top 6 answers and that explains why we are done.
A terrible year for Gillis, there's no way anyone can say otherwise. Here we are 4 years after we hired him and not a single MG draft pick played for us tonight or did at any time all season except hodgson.
I think it's time for Mr. ''the canucks prospect pool isn't good enough so I'm going to focus on drafting and developing'' and ''i make bold moves'' to actually do those things instead of sitting around waiting for the Burke/Nonis era players to win it for him.
