Meister der Farbe » d was also the recipient of the Brian Kilrea Coach

VANCOUVER - Willie Desjardins has built champions in major junior hockey and the AHL. Now hell get the chance in the sports biggest league. Desjardins was hired as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. Its his first NHL head coaching job, and hell join new president of hockey operations Trevor Linden and first-time NHL general manager Jim Benning as the Canucks rebuild following a disappointing 2013-14 campaign. "Ive been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time," said the 57-year-old Desjardins, whose coaching career has taken him from Japan to the Canadian national program, and from the WHL to the minor leagues, since he was first hired as an assistant with the University of Calgary in 1985. "To be part of such a great organization and NHL city is just a real honour." Desjardins was also rumoured to be a candidate to take over in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins boast a roster that includes superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The former coach of the WHLs Medicine Hat Tigers said a chance to return to Canada was too good to pass up. "Sidney Crosbys a heck of a hockey player obviously, but for me, when I looked at what was here — I looked at the two guys who are leading this (Benning and Linden), I looked at the quality of the players ... Canadian market, Vancouver fans — it was the right choice to come here." Desjardins, a native of Climax, Sask., most recently led the AHLs Texas Stars to a Calder Cup championship. He spent two years with Texas, winning the AHLs coach of the year award in 2012-13 when he led the Stars to their first ever South Division regular season title and the number one seed in the Western Conference for the 2013 playoffs. Prior to his tenure in the AHL, Desjardins spent two seasons as an associate coach with the Dallas Stars from 2010 to 2012. He also served as head coach (2002-2010) and general manager (2005-2010) of the Tigers, where he led the team to two Memorial Cup tournaments, including an appearance in the 2007 final. Desjardins was named WHL coach of the year for the 2005-06 season, and was also the recipient of the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award as the top coach in the Canadian Hockey League in 2006. Desjardins resume also includes stints on Canadas staff at two world junior tournaments and one world championship, as well as time coaching with the University of Calgary and in Japan. "Ive watched Willies teams play over the last 12 years," Benning said. "His teams play fast and work extremely hard. They play an up-tempo hard-skating kind of game. His teams play with that relentless attitude that we want our players to play with." Desjardins becomes the 18th head coach in club history and succeeds John Tortorella, who was fired after just one year behind the Canucks bench. Tortorella and former Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis were casualties of Vancouvers disappointing season that saw the Canucks miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Desjardins says he thinks the Canucks can become a playoff contender again. "We have so many great leaders on this team, and to get to be part of that group, Im looking forward to it," Desjardins said. "Theyve won in the past, theyll win again." Austin Seibert Browns Jersey .? It was his second straight start for the Jets; he suffered a 1-0 loss against Minnesota Monday. So this season Hutchinson has now won games in the ECHL, AHL and NHL. He was perfect three- for-three in the shootout to nail down the win. Sheldrick Redwine Womens Jersey .J. -- Travis Zajac of the New Jersey Devils took a lot of grief considering his scored the first of his career-best three goals just 12 seconds into a crucial game against the Florida Panthers. http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/Browns-...rrett-Jersey/.J. -- John Elway says Peyton Manning cannot stamp himself as the greatest quarterback in NFL history even if he wins the Super Bowl on Sunday. David Njoku Womens Jersey . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. David Njoku Jersey .I shared with him how much I appreciated all he had done for us, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said of that Thursday night farewell.Jamie Carragher says if Everton want to sack Roberto Martinez then they should do it before Sunday. Wednesday nights 3-0 defeat at Sunderland stretched their run to just one win in 10 in all competitions and banners were held up in the away end calling for the manager to go.Martinez did not want to discuss his future after the game, but Carragher says Evertons new owner Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright should not let him face the Goodison Park fans on Sunday if they intend to bring in a new manager this summer. Patrick van Aanholt scores for Sunderland against Everton He told Sky Sports: If Bill Kenwright and the new owner who has come in alongside him want to change the manager at Everton Football Club for next season theyve got to do it tomorrow.Basically, they shouldnt be putting Roberto Martinez through the final game of the season at home to Norwich.Everton have got a fanatical support home and away and I couldnt believe how many empty seats there were in the away end tonight. Everton boss Roberto Martinez would not answer a qquestion about his future There were the normal banners that weve seen in the last few weeks and theres very few, if any, supporters now wanting him to stay in the job.dddddddddddd.I think it could be a poisonous crowd and reaction to Roberto Martinez and the team at the weekend. If they want to keep the manager then keep him and he obviously has the final game and back him.But if they are thinking of changing the manager, dont let him go through the weekend.Martinez was appointed in 2013 and he guided the team to fifth place with 72 points in his first season in charge. If they are thinking of changing the manager, dont let him go through the weekend. Jamie Carragher They dropped to 11th last season and despite heavy investment in the squad they are currently 12th with one game to play - and Carragher says it will be tough for Martinez to recover from that slump.Its been a poor season for Everton, you cant dress it up, he added.Last season wasnt really good enough. He made a fantastic start. On the back of David Moyes doing a great job for 10 years, you thought there would be a drop-off, but there wasnt and he actually took Everton forwards. Fabio Borini (left) challenges with Evertons Ross Barkley They won big away games and got the most points theyd ever had and you though they were on the cusp of something; maybe challenging for trophies and getting in the top four.They fell away last year and its fell even further this season. After two years on the bounce it will be difficult to come back from that. Also See: Martinez quiet on exit talk Sunderland 3-0 Everton As it happened Premier League table ' ' '