* Cloutier will not be shopped around until and unless Luongo signs long-term. If Luongo signs a one-year deal, they will go with a Luongo-Cloutier tandem next season. Otherwise, Noronen will back up. He says he has received calls regarding Cloutier.
* There's a less than 20% chance Jovanovski will be back. If the Canucks sign Luongo long-term, there's no way he will be back.
* Negotiations with Anson Carter aren't going well.
* Bourdon and Bieksa will be in the top 6 next season. Incidentally, this means that our 4-5-6 defensemen next season will have, between them, around 100 games of NHL experience. Please save us Luongo.
* The biggest need is RW. He is looking to add two guys, through trade or free agency. One to replace Bertuzzi, and one to potentially replace Anson Carter. Right now, he says that the top three left wing/center pairings are set (Naslund-Morrison, Sedin-Sedin, Cooke-Kesler). RWs have to be decided for all three of those lines.
* He expects the team will make one more big trade. ( )
* The team has a shortlist of about 6 UFA d-men, and are looking to make at least one, hopefully two, impact signings in that regard.
* Assistant coaches will be in place by next week. One of them will be Rick Bowness (Vigneault used to be his assistant in Ottawa...awkwaaaaaaard...)
* The most interesting thing he said, IMO, was that while Crawford is one of the best coaches in the league, he definitely played favorites to whom the rules would apply differently. Vigneault has a more businesslike approach, and Nonis thought it was time for a philosophy change.
* Linden will be back, in a leadership/PK role at a reduced price. Vancouver is grooming him for a role in management once he retires( ). I would be surprised, though, as typically NHLPA Executives stick around with the PA after retirement.
* Chubarov isn't coming back. The Canucks would have to pay him $2.5 million to make it worth his while. This is why they traded for Santala, who's good on faceoffs and the PK, and has size and speed.
* While talking about the PK, said it was a huge problem last season, expects Vigneault to use a more aggressive system next year.
* Pronger isn't coming. Vancouver doesn't have the cap space, or the trade assets to land him. File this under "DUH!".
* Next season, the team will score fewer goals and instead focus on defensive support for Luongo. He wants the Canucks to be able to break the trap as well as play the trap - he noted that the teams that had success in the post-season this year were able to do so playing a variety of styles.
* Luongo has always had trust problems with NHL management. They began on Long Island when the team sent him to the minors after 29 games because he had a bonus clause that paid him $750K if he got to 30. After going to Florida, contract negotiations were always acrimonious. Vancouver, at this point, is just trying to send as much love as possible his way. He said once Luongo gets here and realizes that Vancouver is one of the best cities in the world, a long-term deal won't be a problem.
* Brent Sopel has been told by management in Los Angeles that him and his $2.6 million contract is not in the team's plans. However, don't look for him to return to Vancouver. (Terrific use of Tambellini and Grebeshkov there, DT. That's asset management for you!).
* He thinks Naslund is a great captain, but when the new coaching staff meets next week, if that's something that needs to be discussed, it will be ( ...I don't what this implies...)
* Naslund and Morrison are all recovering well from their injuries, and will be ready for training camp with plenty of time to spare. Nathan Smith and Jason King are much, much further away from being 100%
