VANCOUVER -- After a frustrating season which saw his team miss the playoffs, Vancouver head coach John Tortorella was rather blunt Monday in his assessment of what the Canucks must change if they hope to return to the NHLs elite. Jonathan Ogden Jersey For Sale . While Tortorella took some of the blame, he also didnt pull any punches. He said the Canucks are getting old, the core group has become complacent and the team needs to get younger. "I felt from day one that its stale," said Tortorella. "Thats not their fault. This is a group that has been together for a long time. "It needs youth. It needs a change. The team needs to be retooled. Its a young mans game. Its certainly not a criticism of (the veterans). We need to surround them with some enthusiasm." After a promising start under Tortorella, the Canucks finished the year with a 36-35-11 record for 83 points. Vancouver managed just 13 wins in 41 games since Jan. 1 and settled for a 25th-place finish in the overall standings. The poor showing has already cost Mike Gillis his job as president and general manager. New president Trevor Linden -- the Canucks former captain -- still must decide Tortorellas fate. The two were scheduled to meet later Monday. Centre Ryan Kesler, who was the subject of trade rumours this year, said the players have to take responsibility for the season. "Were all flabbergasted right now," said Kesler, who led Vancouver with 25 goals. "Going into this year I would never think we would be sitting here in this situation." The Canucks ended their season with a 5-1 win over the Calgary Flames last Sunday but the victory was soured by an ugly incident late in the second period. Daniel Sedin was taken off the ice on a stretcher after being hit from behind by Calgarys Paul Byron. Sedin was taken to hospital and later released. After the hit, Sedin lay crumpled on the ice and couldnt raise his head. "I was scared," he said at Mondays season-ending news conference. "I tried to lift my head at first and couldnt get it off the ice. "The only thing I thought was lay still. I tried to move my hands and it felt good. I went to the hospital and everything looks good. I feel OK today." Tortorella said fans and management cant keep reminiscing about the Canucks loss in Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup final, but instead must concentrate on making the team better again. "Were not in 2011," said the man hired last year to replace the fired Alain Vigneault. "We have to stop talking about 2011. "The core needs to change." Canucks captain Henrik Sedin said the team was "really good" until halfway through the season when injuries became a problem. Both Sedins, Alex Burrows and defenceman Chris Tanev all missed a significant number of games with injuries. "You never want to use injuries (as an excuse but) we had a tough year," said Henrik. "We had guys playing out of position. We had guys playing more minutes than they were used to. "We had to play a different way and we werent able to win playing that way." Tortorella said during this period he made a coaching mistake by giving the room to the players. "I didnt get back in the room and continue to teach the details," he said. "I didnt stay on top of it. "I needed to be pounding away at the details. I think that hurt us in situational play. I think that hurt us in trying to understand how you change momentum. Thats not the team, thats me. Thats my biggest regret." A lack of scoring haunted Vancouver all season. The Canucks managed just 196 goals, leaving them tied for second fewest in the league. For the first time in a non-lockout season, Vancouver had just one 20-goal scorer in Kesler. Daniel Sedin finished the year with 16 goals and went through a stretch of 23 games without scoring. Henrik Sedin had just 11 goals. Burrows, who hadnt scored less than 25 goals in the last four full seasons, had just five. "People talk about we are playing too much defence," said Daniel. "Honestly we played as aggressively as we have been. "That has nothing to do with why our production is down. Its up to us to play like we can." Defenceman Alex Edler, who begins a US$30-million, six-year contract next season, finished the season at -39, the worst plus-minus in the NHL. "There was a lot of changes this year (in how we played in own end) and a lot of new things to get used to," said Edler. "I think I didnt have the year I should have had but I know I am a good player." The Canucks have had several distractions to deal with over the last year. Tortorellas hiring was a surprise. Goaltender Cory Schneider was traded during the summer, meaning Roberto Luongo was the Vancouver starter after believing he was gone. Luongo was eventually traded to Florida. Tortorella missed six games after being suspended for trying to get into the Calgary locker-room following a line brawl to open a Jan. 18 game against the Flames. The Canucks were 2-4-0 during that period, then 2-7-1 when Tortorella returned. "When you lose a head coach its never good," said Henrik Sedin. "I dont think it was specifically that incident that made us start losing." Brandon Williams Elite Jersey . The Texas Rangers right-hander will probably reconsider now. Wolf pitched five strong innings for his first big league win in his first start in the majors, David Murphy and Adrian Beltre homered in a three-run first inning, and the Rangers avoided a sweep with a 3-1 victory against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday. Owen Daniels Womens White Jersey . United released a statement saying Mata will move for a club-record fee "subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms." Although United didnt give any further details, the club this week made a bid of 37 million pounds ($61 million) for Mata, which would eclipse the 30.With less than a week until the NHL Trade Deadline, check out the latest trade-related reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. LeBrun doesnt think John Gibson or Frederik Andersen are on the block, so by process of elimination, Viktor Fasth might be an option. Hes signed for another season at $2.9 million. Meanwhile, Washington Capitals GM George McPhee told LeBruun that his priority is still finding a suitor for Martin Erat. "The only thing Im working on that has to be done is moving (Martin) Erat," Caps GM George McPhee told LeBrun on ESPN.com. "There are some teams interested. He still wants out. Id love to be able to do it this weekend. But well see." Where the Edmonton Oilers are concerned, LeBrun hears that winger Ales Hemsky is getting decent traction on the market and that its a guarantee he gets dealt before Wednesday. LeBrun also says that veteran winger Ryan Smyth and Nick Schultz could be moved to contenders. Finally, theres no contract extension on the horizon for pending unrestricted free agent David Legwand, but with a full no-movement clause, Nashville Predators GM Poile says theres limit in his ability to explore the trade market. Unless an offer blows Poile away and is something Legwand wants, theres a good chance hell stay. In an update on the Vancouver Canucks, LeBrun writes that the Philadelphia Flyers could be interested in centre Ryan Kesler or defenceman Alexander Edler. If Kesler is in their sights, LeBrun imagines that the Canucks asking price in any Kesler deal would start with Brayden Schenn. But hes not sure the Flyers would go there. Crunch Time For Phillips? TSN Hockey Darren Dreger tweeted Friday that the Ottawa Senators contract talks with defenceman Chris Phillips are expected to continue. He adds that a trade is still an option, with the Boston Bruins believed to be among teams with interest. Eyes On Brodeur? Randy Miller of NJ.com writes that Chicago Blackhawks director of player personnel Pierre Gauthier and pro scout Dennis Bonvie attended Thursday nights Devils-Blue Jackets game, as well as Minnesota Wild assisttant general manager Jim Nill. Terrell Suggs Elite Jersey. Miller mentions that, according to rumours, both teams have been linked to Martin Brodeur. Still Shopping Around Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun wrote this week that the Senators could be interested in St. Louis Blues winger Chris Stewart and adds that the team likely wont be involved in the race for for Thomas Vanek and Matt Moulson unless the asking price goes down. Garrioch also reports that theres been interest in forward Milan Michalek. The Sun story says its not known if hes talked contract with GM Bryan Murray and a decision may have to be made before Wednesday. Ward Off? Tough decisions lie ahead for Carolina Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger. Dreger says that the team is open to trading any one of its three goaltenders ahead of Wednesdays trade deadline, including veteran Cam Ward. The Hurricanes have 61 points through 59 games this season and sit five points out of the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. Market For Mez? Philly.com writer Sam Carchidi writes that Flyers GM Paul Holmgren faces a tough decision on pending UFS defenceman Andrej Meszaros - trade him or keep him for the stretch run. Carchidi adds that the Boston Bruins - without Dennis Seidenberg for the season - are among the teams reportedly interested and that Bruins captain Zdeno Chara could be nudging the Bruins to add Meszaros. Carchidi also speculates that the Flyers could get a third-round pick or a prospect for Meszaros. No Big Sales In Sunrise Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon may be a seller, but he wont be conducting an all-out fire sale, writes George Richards of the Miami Herald. "Were going to do whats best for the Panthers to build a championship team," Tallon said during the recent Olympic break. "Were not blowing this thing up. If we can sell some assets to get better, well do that. It depends what happens in the next few weeks. Well be aggressive either way." Theres ample trade speculation surrounding pending UFAs Tim Thomas, Brad Boyes and Tom Gilbert, but Tallon said all three, deserve to stick around if they so wish. "Those guys have had good years and deserve the chance to stay," he said. "Im happy with the way theyve played, happy with their professionalism." Richards adds that other free agents the Panthers could offer include Marcel Goc, Mike Weaver and Dmitry Kulikov. wholesale jerseyscheap jerseys ' ' '
