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Torts calls Canucks ‘stale,’ says it’s not 2011 anymore

Calgary Flames v Vancouver Canucks

VANCOUVER, BC - APRIL 13: during the third period in NHL action on April 13, 2014 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

Rich Lam

In what may have been his last public appearance as Vancouver’s head coach, John Tortorella told reporters today that the Canucks’ core needs to change.

“I felt from day one that it’s stale,” said Tortorella. “It needs youth. It needs a change. ... We’re not in 2011.”

(You can listen to the audio here.)

Direct as the message may have been delivered, it was no big revelation. In fact, Mike Gillis emphasized the “need to get younger, faster and stronger” well before he was fired last week as president and general manager.

The Canucks’ core is comprised of Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin (33 years old), Alex Burrows (33), Ryan Kesler (29), Kevin Bieksa (32), Dan Hamhuis (31), and Alex Edler (27). Kesler and Edler have been linked to numerous trade scenarios (the former more so than the latter). The Sedins are generally considered untouchables.

As for Tortorella, his future in Vancouver remains uncertain. The consensus is that he’ll be fired as part of new president of hockey operations Trevor Linden’s overhaul, possibly as early as this week.

Related: Linden thinks Torts misused the Sedins