"That guy doesn't deserve to wear the crest."
-One of the Sedins, according to Rachel Kryshak, when she appeared on Sekeres & Price earlier today

Now, Ms. Kryshak deliberately didn't say which Sedin it was, but does that distinction matter? It's not just splitting hairs; it's arguing the difference between orange juice and the juice you get from oranges.

If we're talking about coaches, why am I bringing up the twins being annoyed about a current player? Because of some criticism the team has received about hiring them. Specifically, the belief that hiring someone already close to the team doesn't change enough of the management level of the team. It's not a bad criticism, frankly. The team still needs to flesh out the administration and will bring in "outside people" anyway, so it's not as bad as people think.

But the biggest advantage that the trio of Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, and Ryan Johnson bring is pride. They don't WANT the team to be a comfort zone for aging players. They don't want people with weak character anywhere near their room. And now they are empowered to do something about it. Whatever frustration, irritation, or even anger they've felt about their team, they can now act on.

Just imagine how satisfying that must be. Ask anyone in Vancouver what they would do if they were running the Canucks, and odds are you'll get an answer. Or six, depending on how long they've been a fan.

The Search That Isn't

Can we just cut to the chase and stick Manny Malhotra behind the bench, already? No? Okay, he could say no to the offer and see who else is interested out there. Despite the season Abbotsford had last year, he's still highly thought of around the league. He probably wouldn't be interested in taking an NHL assistant's job again. Doing that twice starts managers thinking of you as a perpetual assistant, not a head coach.

If he doesn't outright refuse the job, he's a solid bet to be there next season. It was hilarious hearing Johnson say they haven't hired Malhotra, but if you want to know what they're looking for in a coach, it's Malhotra. They aren't even calling it a "search" but a "process" to find their next coach.

The coach - whoever it is, wink wink - will need to work well with young players. Development of players, wherever they've been drafted, is arguably the most important factor in returning to relevance. Everyone needs to be coached, the young players the most. So, a coach who has worked with players trying to break into the league, who has given them a chance to find their game, would be best.

They're also going to need the patience of Job. Young players make mistakes, and this team won't have the talent to cover up for them. Yes, there will be some veterans, but that's not the point of having a young team. The coach needs to be ready to put those players back on the ice. Too many mistakes and it could mean a scratch later, but that's a conversation for after the game.

Speaking of mistakes: one of the maxims now-former coach Adam Foote liked was not compounding mistakes. If you make a mistake on a play, fine, those happen. But you'd better do the right thing next. That's the right idea, but too often the players would make a mistake, then not know what the "right thing next" was.

The systems the next coach brings will have to be communicated clearly and cleanly, so those skills are vital. They should be quickly explained to newcomers who are, say, filling in for players who have suddenly left the team.

And finally, it wouldn't hurt if the coach they bring in has experience with the city. They don't need playing experience specifically, but some idea of what happens in a town of two million coach/GMs. Now, if he does just happen to have a thousand NHL games under his belt, building a 16-year career despite a severe injury, and has seen the best and worst in the league? That's probably a mark in his favour, too. And if other players described him as a general on the ice, directing players when he was out there, that's not bad, either.

Folks, it's Manny. Just hire him already. There's a LOT more to do this offseason, even after the draft. Get this easy one out of the way and move on to the rest while you're on a roll.