...a few days ago. So the shock has subsided somewhat, though the arguments for and against (mostly against) have remained pretty boisterous. Deserved or not? Here's a quick look at Dave Nonis in Vancouver:
The Good:
-Traded for Roberto Luongo. This could be the whole list frankly, because this was a trade where, right after I heard it, thought holy GOD, that's an incredible steal for Vancouver. This was when Bertuzzi was still considered an elite player, albeit one who needed out of Vancouver after SteveMooregate and probably starting his decline. Still, playing with Olie Jokinen in Florida I still figured him for 30-40 goals in what was still being called the "New NHL." WELL. Bertuzzi hardly played the following year due to injury, only 8 games for Florida, and was traded to Detroit for promising prospect (and future Canadian World Junior hero) Shawn Matthias and some conditional picks. Vancouver, with Luongo signed to a long-term contract, would win the division, set a team record for points and went to the second round of the playoffs. Luongo set team records for wins, shutouts, shutout streak, saves in a single game, and save percentage while finishing second in Vezina, Hart, and Pearson trophy voting. It's already considered, after just two years, one of the most lopsided trades in NHL history. The other players in the deal cancel themselves out, in my mind.
-What, more? That's not enough for you? Guess you're qualified to own the Canucks. Okay then, he also managed to dump Dan Cloutier to Los Angeles after acquiring Luongo, signed Willie Mitchell (the next Canuck captain?), replaced Marc Crawford with subsequent Coach of the Year Alan Vigneault, and currently has the team set up with lots of room under the salary cap with which to pursue desperately needed scoring. In other words, the team has the NHL's best goalie, excellent defensive depth, and money to spend on goal-scoring.
The Bad:
-Missed the playoffs two of the last three years.
-A team on the rise clearly took a step backwards after winning the division last year.
-Failed to acquire scoring at the deadline, with the rumored Brad Richards-for-a-LOT deal not going through.
-Um. That's all I can think of. He only had the job three years. Go read the Stupid Draft Analysis From Hell I did a while ago for his draft record.
Addressing The Bad:
-Yes, they missed the playoffs two of the last three years but last year they won the friggin' DIVISION. A very, very tough division no less. The year before that they barely missed out despite having more wins than powerhouse and Finals-bound Edmonton, so nothing to be ashamed of. Still, in 2005-2006 they were considered a Cup favorite and missing the playoffs was certainly unexpected, but most GMs get a few years on the job before you hold them accountable. They're also not judged on their first seasons either since that's when they're still using the old regime's players and staff. True, Nonis was the Assistant GM but he wasn't the Boss, as nobody could be under Brian Burke. You do what you're told or YOU'LL BE YELLED AT LOUDLY. Gms aren't coaches, they aren't judged year-to-year and generally get at least five years to show results. You can also add in that a season after a lockout is going to be more prone to fluxuations and unpredictability than a normal season, especially considering the many rule changes. So one write-off season, one division title, and...
-Yes, the team took a step back in 2007-2008 but look at this: Sami Salo missed 19 games (that's their powerplay right there), Aaron Miller missed 25, Mattias Ohlund 29, Brenden Morrison 43, Kevin Bieksa 48, and Lukas Krajicek 43. That's a stunning amount of injuries and except for Morrison, all to defenseman. Missing the playoffs this past season was certainly a disappointment, especially after leading the division at one point, but you could make the argument they were lucky to have any shot at all.
-Just to counter-point myself, despite all those injuries to the defense they still finished 6th best in the NHL in total goals against. So there wasn't much better they could have been defensively had they been healthy.
-Counter-counter-point: Yeah, but they would have had more goal scoring from the defense, especially from Salo, which would have made a difference.
-The Richards trade. Click that link and read where Darren Dreger says the proposed deal was for Cory Schneider (their top goalie prospect), Luc Bourdon (top defense prospect, arguably), and a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks. That seems like a monster price to pay for a very good player to be sure, but also one with a $7.8 million contract and only 62 points by the time the season was over. That's a big chunk of the cap gone, as well as two good prospects and three draft picks when $7.8 million this summer might get you Marian Hossa. If that was the price then that's an excellent trade not made.
-Counter-point: I realize that Bourdon has tailed off in his development (not exactly the next Dion Phaneuf, as some had hoped) and Schneider won't play in Vancouver maybe ever because of Luongo. These are definitely tradeable prospects then, not keepers, but if you can keep them for another trade while spending your $7.8 million somewhere else this off-season, that's a smarter deal to me.
I know that new ownership often means new personnel and that's probably why Nonis was fired. New owners like their own guys and a fresh start. If you weren't sure about Nonis, you wouldn't want him taking this team forward at a point where they have so much cap room and flexibility. Even when a new GM comes in the coach doesn't usually last (not that they last long anyways), so from this angle it wasn't unexpected. Here's the thing though: you don't actually HAVE to fire them. When Brian Colangelo took over the Toronto Raptors, he took over a mess of a team with a coach who'd been voted the worst in the NBA. Colangelo ripped apart the roster but decided to keep Sam Mitchell as coach and the team would win the division and Mitchell Coach of the Year. These intact transitions can be done with success. If you look at Dave Nonis' record, this is a terrible decision. It would be one thing if the official reason from owner Francesco Aquilini had simply been "We want our own guy," but to blame it on missing the playoffs (and implicitly on Nonis' record) is foolish, ignorant, and a bad sign of things to come for Canuck fans. Maybe he hires Doug Armstrong or Neil Smith and stays the hell out of their way, but hiding behind this idiotic rhetoric is pretty underwhelming.
Nonis to the Leafs? Naw, they'll put Dougie in there.
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