I think every year you coach you have an opportunity to improve as a coach, and I know over the years in Vancouver, I’ve improved every year and become a better coach every season.
“When you go through challenges and you go through adversity, sometimes you grow even more in those situations than when you’re having success.
With everything including the global health crisis stacked against the Canucks this year, it’s difficult to know how to judge them beyond the obvious conclusion that Vancouver has slipped backwards for the first time since Green arrived.
The gigantic COVID-19 outbreak, a debilitating schedule and injuries to a roster that wasn’t good enough to begin with made it impossible for the Canucks to do anything more than try to survive till the end of the season.
The prospect of losing many millions this year and possibly next has led to widespread staff reductions within the organization during the pandemic season.
Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour has reportedly solved his impasse with ownership, but only by accepting a $1.8-million average salary on his three-year extension that is at least $1 million less than what a lot of people figured he would get.
Move on to the cost of assistant coaches whose salaries are a small fraction of the head coach’s, and the Canucks’ potential “savings” are infinitesimal.
As with good players, the nearer good coaches get to free agency, the less likely they are to return.
It certainly would have value to the players who mostly like Green, universally respect him and continue to play hard for him.