VANCOUVER -- The man charged with the job of revitalizing the Vancouver Canucks made his first major move toward erasing the memory of one of the teams worst seasons in recent history. Trevor Linden, the former Vancouver captain who has taken over as the teams president, put his stamp on the Canucks by firing head coach John Tortorella on Thursday. Linden said the action was the first step in moving on from a frustrating season that saw the Canucks miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008. "Today is about the future of this team and the goal of getting it back to the Stanley Cup playoffs," Linden told a news conference. Tortorellas firing was expected, but Linden said he didnt want to rush the decision. "I tried to come in from a neutral place," he said. "At the end of the day I kept coming back to a lot of things I didnt like that I saw trending. I just felt to move forward and kind of put a new perspective and new direction, it was the right thing to do." Besides Tortorella, assistant coach Mike Sullivan was also relieved of his duties. They join fired president and general manager Mike Gillis as those paying the price for a dismal year that saw the Canucks finish 25th overall. Assistant coaches Glen Gulutzan and Darryl Williams and goaltender coach Roland Melanson will keep their jobs. Linden hopes to have a new general manager hired by the end of the month. The search for a coach could coincide with looking for a GM. "I have a real strong (GM) candidate list that I will be starting the interview process next week," said Linden. "I think the two processes can move along together for a certain period of time. "Its important the manager have a great deal of input on the coaching direction. That would be the ideal situation." One of the names most frequently mentioned for the Vancouver GMs job is Jim Benning, Bostons assistant general manager and a former teammate of Linden. The Bruins have the potential to play deep into the Stanley Cup playoff. Linden refused to be specific about any candidates but indicated playoff teams may be willing to let him talk to their staff. "I have not got any pushback on timing from a playoff standpoint," he said. Linden wants a coach with experience at "many levels." The person must be a teacher and be able to communicate with his players. One of the most popular Canucks of all time, Linden is trying to repair the teams image and its relationship with fans left disillusioned by Vancouvers drop from the ranks of the NHLs elite. "This is a fresh start for our team and youll see us make some other changes this summer," he said in a letter to season ticket holders. "It starts with how we shape our management and coaching staffs and the roster improvements were able to make." The Canucks had a good start under Tortorella but finished the year with a 36-35-11 record for 83 points. The Canucks had just 13 wins in the 41 games since Jan. 1. Vancouver also struggled to score, managing just 196 goals on the season, leaving the Canucks tied for second least in the league. At an April 14 season-ending news conference Tortorella was blunt when he said the Canucks are getting old and the core needed revitalizing. Linden was asked about the comments. "We talked about that," he said. "I dont totally agree with everything he said." Tortorella, who won a Stanley Cup coaching Tampa Bay in 2004, was hired as the Canucks 17th head coach last June to replace the fired Alain Vigneault. Vigneault took over Tortorellas old team, the New York Rangers, and has led them into the second round of this seasons playoffs. Tortorella has four years remaining on a contact which is estimated at US$2 million a season. Its estimated the Canucks owe Gillis $4 million for the remaining four years left on his contract. Tortorella could be cantankerous, even rude, when dealing with the media during his five seasons with the Rangers. He kept his promise to be different in Vancouver, where he was cordial and often humorous when talking to reporters. On the ice Tortorella preached defence and shot blocking. He used star players Daniel and Henrik Sedin on the penalty kill. He also faced criticism for the amount of ice time he heaped on front-line players like the Sedins and centre Ryan Kesler, who averaged 21 minutes 48 seconds of ice time a night. Tortorellas decision to start rookie goaltender Eddie Lack in the outdoor Heritage Classic game frustrated veteran Roberto Luongo. That decision eventually resulted in Luongo being traded to Florida. A rash of injuries took their toll, Both Sedins, Alex Burrows and defenceman Chris Tanev all missed a significant number of games with injuries. Noted for his fiery manner behind the bench Tortorella shocked management and the teams owners when he tried to get into the Calgary Flames locker-room following a line brawl in a Jan. 18 game in Vancouver. Tortorella was prevented from getting at Flames coach Bob Hartley and was suspended for six games. The Canucks were 2-4-0 during that period, then 2-7-1 when Tortorella returned. Linden said that incident did not factor in Tortorellas firing. Canuck players said they played a role in the fate of both Gillis and Tortorella. "The bottom line is if we win more games, then guys dont lose their jobs," said defenceman Kevin Bieksa. Among the available coaches is Barry Trotz, who was fired from Nashville last month after 15 seasons with the Predators. Other candidates include L.A. assistant coach John Stevens and former Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher. "We will do everything we can to make this team as good as it can be and get back to the Stanley Cup playoffs," Linden said. "We have ideas of how we can do that. "Going down that path you need things and puzzles to fit together." DJoun Smith Youth Jersey . Speaking to TSN 1200 on Friday evening, Bryan Murray said he has not made any final decisions on his team for next season and that includes giving a formal vote of confidence to head coach Paul MacLean. Trent Cole Colts Jersey . The former France forward, whose career has been marred by controversies, was suspended last month for performing a gesture which is known in France as a "quenelle" and regarded as anti-Semitic. Anelka said on his Twitter account on Friday that he decided to leave the club because he could not accept West Broms conditions for being allowed back into the squad. http://www.footballcoltsgears.com/authentic-dqwell-jackson-colts-jersey/ . The Qatar Open begins Monday in Doha, and the BNP Paribas Open is March 3-16 in Indian Wells, Calif. In a statement released by the Indian Wells event, Williams said: "After careful consideration, I will not return to the Indian Wells BNP Paribas Open this year. DQwell Jackson Jersey . Calgary Stampeders offensive guard Dimitri Tsoumpas announced his retirement in a team release on Wednesday. Matt Hasselbeck Jersey . -- Head coach Kent Austins staff with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats is staying pretty much intact.BOSTON -- Edwin Encarnacion continued his torrid run through May, which is only two-thirds over. Encarnacion hit a pair of two-run homers for Toronto as the Blue Jays took a big lead early and held on to beat the slumping Boston Red Sox 7-4 on Tuesday night. Encarnacion has hit nine of his 11 homers this season this month, which has 10 days left. "He is pretty good," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "But even last year I think he got off to a slow start somewhat. Its not going to hold him down. Its usually just a matter of time." Melky Cabrera and Erik Kratz also homered for the Blue Jays, who won for the sixth time in eight games and extended Bostons losing streak to five straight. J.A. Happ (3-1) struck out six in the first three innings and picked up his third win in four starts since joining the rotation. "I felt like it was going to be a good night," Happ said. "I was trying to attack the zone and I felt my location was good." Jonny Gomes hit a two-run homer for Boston. The losing streak is the longest for the Red Sox since 2012. Casey Janssen picked up his fourth save, with a rocky ninth inning. Dustin Pedroia and Shane Victorino led off the ninth with consecutive singles. David Ortiz nearly tied it with a long fly ball that drifted foul, and then struck out. Janssen got Mike Napoli to ground into a double play to end it. "If you get to the ninth inning with the lead and youve got your closer in there, youve just got to let it ride. You try to get to that point and the games on the line," Gibbons said. Encarnacion hit a two-run homer in the third and Kratz added a solo shot in the fourth off Felix Doubront (2-4), who left the game after Jose Reyes and Cabrera opened the fifth with back-to-back doubles. The Red Sox said Doubront complained of fatigue in his left shoulder. "This is the first night hes felt this to this extent. His stuff was diminishing even in the early innings, particularly between the fourth and fifth," Boston manager John Farrell said. Edward Muujica replaced Doubront and struck out Jose Bautista, but Encarnacion followed with a towering shot to left for his second two-run homer of the night and Toronto led 6-0.dddddddddddd Boston scored twice in the fifth, and then Cabrera added a solo shot to left in the sixth. Happ started the sixth but was pulled after Gomes two-run homer cut Torontos lead to 7-4. He allowed four runs on seven hits and struck out six. Napoli led off the sixth with a single and Gomes followed with a homer that bounced off the top of the Green Monster. Crew chief Gary Cederstrom needed only about 30 seconds to review the video before confirming it was a home run, pulling Boston within 7-4. Boston is on its longest skid since losing the last eight games of the 2012 season. The Red Sox were 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base. "Were in a little rut right now but well find a way to get out of it," Pedroia said. Boston loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but third baseman Brett Lawrie helped get Happ out of the jam. Lawrie lunged at a line drive by Xander Bogaerts that was headed for left field. The ball bounced out of his glove when he landed, but Lawrie quickly grabbed it, tagged third for the force out and threw it to Kratz to double-up David Ortiz at the plate. "Lawrie made an unbelievable play," Happ said. "I dont know if anybody else makes that play. Really athletic. That was huge." Doubront allowed five runs on five hits, striking out two and walking three. Notes: Toronto RHP Drew Hutchison (2-3) is scheduled to face Boston right-hander Clay Buchholz (2-3). ... Encarnacion hit multiple homers for the third time this season and 14th in his career. ... Red Sox manager John Farrell said before the game that Boston had re-signed veteran SS Stephen Drew, a member of last years World Series championship club who turned down a $14.1 million offer from Boston and become a free agent. ... Toronto LHP Rob Rasmussen made his major league debut when he came in from the bullpen with one out in the seventh. wholesale jerseys wholesale nfl jerseys china jerseys from china nfl jerseys cheap authentic cheap jerseys ' ' '
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