Canucks: Steep learning curve as new coach gets to know his players

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Vancouver Canucks coach John Tortorella is looking forward to training camp, where he?ll get a chance to see the players he?s inherited on the ice for the first time.

Photograph by: Mark van Manen , PNG

John Tortorella had an aisle seat on his latest flight to Vancouver. The Canucks coach strained to catch views of the city because he needed to know if those amazing post-card images were accurate. Kind of like the roster he has inherited. Not bad on paper, but on the ice?

With a push to promote youth in a salary-cap challenged environment and a pledge to push a veteran core, the new bench boss doesn?t need to get a feel for Roberto Luongo, Ryan Kesler and Henrik and Daniel Sedin. They come as advertised.

Luongo has changed agents ? from Gilles Lupien to J.P. Barry and Pat Brisson at CCA Sports ? and Brisson confirmed Thursday that his new client will honour his contract and report to camp.

Tortorella has a short New York Rangers history with Chris Higgins and Dale Weise, but has no idea what to expect from Zack Kassian, Brendan Gaunce, Brad Richardson or Frank Corrado. And when Cody Hodgson trade questions repeatedly surfaced for general manager Mike Gillis on Tuesday during the annual summer summit with season-ticket holders, it gave Tortorella a sense of the angst among the local hockey populace.

?If we get the consistency out of Zack, you might change your opinion of that trade,? Gillis told the Rogers Arena faithful.

Fair enough. But that falls on Tortorella and assistants Mike Sullivan and Glen Gulutzan to get Kassian to that level where his game isn?t one-dimensional and his mind doesn?t wander. He had five goals in his first seven games last season on the first line and wound up with just seven goals in 39 games.

A wide-eyed, fun-loving free spirit, Kassian is like that impressionable kid brother that could use a mentor. Blessed with size, good speed and great passing ability, the 22-year-old winger has all the tools. But does he have the tool box?

If aligned with the Sedins again, it would provide second-line flexibility with Kesler centring Alex Burrows and David Booth, who has to be medically cleared.

?I?ve seen him play Buffalo and he didn?t play a lot, but I?ve done a lot of reading and asking what he?s about and everything that comes back to me is that there are a lot of things there ? as far as his toughness and hands,? Tortorella said of Kassian.

?Do I know where he?s at with our team? I don?t. We need to get to camp and I?m hoping the consistency stays with him and forces me to put him in spots that?s going to really help our team. He?s going to make those decisions for me. But he?s really interesting to me, just from the number of conversations I?ve had about him.?

The same could be said about Weise. The restricted free-agent winger avoided arbitration Wednesday by signing a one-year deal for $750,000 US and gets a second chance with Tortorella.

?We hated losing him (to waivers),? said Tortorella. ?I won?t lie, though. We?ve had a road of trying to understand each other, and he was improving. I love his willingness, and you can bounce him around on different lines, so I?m anxious to get back with him.?

How that third-line centre position plays out will be one of the biggest challenges.

Jordan Schroeder, another RFA who was also re-signed Wednesday to a one year, one-way deal at $600,000, had shoulder surgery in May but expects to be ready by September.

Gaunce and first-round pick Bo Horvat might not be ready for prime time, but they?re going to get long looks.

Richardson may have to start there, even though he?s better suited for a fourth-line role.

The versatile Mike Santorelli might be the new Andrew Ebbett because Gillis has no interest in unrestricted free agent Gilbert Brule, who?s going to the Phoenix Coyotes camp on a tryout. So the kids have to play sooner or later, and Tortorella knows that.

?There?s no plan,? he said. ?It?s watching them and putting them through different things we do in camp to test them ? and it?s not all physical ? and watching how they handle themselves. And then it?s are they ready? You need some youth.?

As for his assistants, Tortorella went with familiarity in his Rangers confidant Sullivan and a new voice in former Dallas Stars head coach Gulutzan. Tortorella disputed that he and Sullivan are cut from the same tough coaching cloth.

?I?ve heard that, too, but Mike is totally different than I am,? he said. ?You?re going to be really impressed. He?s going to be a good fit. And Gulutzan fits. We?re looking for some fresh ideas and he brings that.?

bkuzma@theprovince.com

twitter.com/benkuzma

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