VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Like it or not, there is a new culture in Vancouver.
Whether the new atmosphere surrounding the Canucks leads the franchise to its long-awaited first Stanley Cup championship remains to be seen.
But coach John Tortorella is sure going to try.
Following five division championships, two Presidents trophies, for the league's most points, and a Stanley Cup finals appearance in seven years under Alain Vigneault, Vancouver brass determined the Canucks needed a tougher voice. So Vigneault, the franchise leader in wins, was fired May 22 and replaced by John Tortorella, himself fired by the New York Rangers May 29.
Tortorella comes with an edge — he can be hard on the media, and often calls out his players in press conferences — but he wins, and that's what Vancouver needs. He won a Stanley Cup in 2004 behind Tampa Bay's bench, and took the Rangers to the Eastern Conference finals in 2012.
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