The one thing that I'm enjoying about the Canucks after AV is the lack of diving going on. If there was one thing that the Canucks seemed to be always stuck with, it was a reputation for diving. With John Tortorella behind the bench, there is no more of that kind of behavior, at least no more than other teams. In actuality, the team is developing a reputation for being hard-nosed, tough to play against, and grinding their way. And despite the standings (right now, Vancouver is out of the playoffs and potentially only in playoff contention due to a wildcard position. Make no mistake, the Pacific Division is a tough division and the top three teams made significant off-season acquisitions to make their teams playoff ready. It wasn't like the cake-walk Northwest Division of the past. Top three in each division go to the playoffs and right now Anaheim, San Jose, and Phoenix sit in the top three spots as of 18 games.
Reputations are what develops after players and teams do things continually that either make fans rally around the team or irk opponents. Vancouver was known during AV's tenure as head coach to be a soft team which sat on their leads and let the game be dictated by the opposition as well as a reputation for "diving to get the call". Whether the last was deserved, I don't know, but the team certainly didn't do anything after they were up 2 goals in a game. They didn't try to press for 3 or 4 or more and completely shut down the opposing teams offence. They dove to get penalties called on the other team and most opposing teams fans hated that about the Canucks.
With the coaching change, John Tortorella has instituted a "no diving" rule. He wants the Canucks to play hard-nosed, honest and tough - stick up for your team mates. No more Marchand-like speed-bagging of #22's head. To see that happen on Tort's tenure will invite swift and harsh retaliation from the likes of Ryan Stanton (former Blackhawk) or Kassian or Sestito or Bieksa. Burrows may still chirp, but he dropped the gloves cleanly and without any dirty play against Kessel when Vancouver blanked Toronto 4-0 on November 2, 2013.
When San Jose Sharks forward, Andrew Desjardins threw up snow in Luongo's face, Ryan Stanton jumped on Desjardins and pummeled him. Anybody who plays hockey knows that you don't do that sort of thing to a goalie. Throw snow in a goalie's face and you're a cheap-ass player.
hockeyfights.com
You just don't do the shit that Desjardins did to Luongo.
John Tortorella even pointed this out going to the point of decrying Alain Vigneault for allowing such a reputation to fester.
"I know the reputation from the outside looking in. When I wasn’t coaching here everybody thought Vancouver dove and did some whining. Our team is not going to dive. They’ve been talked to. I don’t think there’s much whining going on either.".
“I’m certainly not trying to accuse the refs of that. But I know there’s been a reputation. I’ve been in the league long enough I know sometimes that hangs around too. This is my chance to to say we’re going to be an honest team. We’re trying to be an honest team. And I hope we get some goddamn calls along the way."
Other teams' fans, especially (Dead)monton, Boston and Toronto fans tend to deride the team still as whiners, divers and dirty cheapshot artists. Like all reputations, it's going to take a lot of honest, tough grinding hockey, with no diving calls to eliminate that reputation.
That being said, I look forward to Dec 14, 2013. A word of warning to Chiarelli and Julien. Target our players and Bieksa, Kassian, Sestito and Stanton will sandbag Marchand and anything in a yellow and black jersey.
