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Canucks Name Dan Cloutier Goalie Coach, Retain Rollie Melanson in Player Development Role

After four years in Utica working with goalies on the farm, Cloutier makes a step up to working with goalies in Vancouver.

By Thos Pratt
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Turns out, all the drama around Rollie Melanson was just a bunch of wasted energy, as is often the case with Canucks-related agita lately. While Melanson is stepping away from his full-time role as Canucks goalie coach, he's not leaving the organization after all.

Dan Cloutier has been promoted from the Utica Comets to become the Vancouver Canucks full-time goalie coach. Rollie Melanson will fill the newly-created part-time role of goalie coach, player development.

From the press release:

"Our team and goaltenders have benefited from some of the best coaching in the League and we’re very grateful to continue that tradition with Dan and Rollie in their new roles," said General Manager Jim Benning. "Dan has been instrumental in the development of our goaltending prospects over the past four seasons and will now work with our NHL team on a daily basis in his new role."

"We are also very pleased to have Rollie continue to work closely with our talented, young goaltending prospects. His hard work over the past six years contributed significantly to our franchise having some of the best goaltenders in the NHL. With both Dan and Rollie, we’re confident our goaltending will continue to be a position of strength for the future."

Melanson will work with Canucks goaltenders in Utica, college, and junior. He wanted to be based in Eastern Canada for family reasons and, according to Kevin Woodley, chose to stay with the Canucks organization rather than take the part-time goalie coach gig with the Ottawa Senators.

Cloutier and Melanson collaborated to rescue Jacob Markstrom's NHL career, a testament to their coaching skill and Markstrom's work ethic. Now Melanson will have a huge role in helping Thatcher Demko become a professional goaltender.

Dan Cloutier was on TSN 1040 this morning to discuss his promotion.

Willie Desjardins also weighed in on the moves.

In other Canucks chatter, according to Ben Kuzma of the Province, current Canucks assistant coach Glen Gulutzan will be named head coach of the Calgary Flames. He guesses the press conference will be held Thursday, out of respect for Gordie Howe's visitation and funeral.

With Randy Carlyle getting a second chance in Anaheim, it appears Travis Green will stay in Utica for another year. Unless the Canucks promote him to replace Gulutzan as a Canucks' assistant coach. If I'm Green, I'd rather keep my AHL bench rather than become an NHL assistant. It would also keep Green as an option to replace Willie Desjardins, should Desjardins be dismissed sooner rather than later. Although I've never really thought the Canucks would replace one coach who lacked NHL experience with another.

With reports that the NHL has decided to expand to Las Vegas, Elliotte Friedman confirms that team will join the Pacific division. Road Trip!

You can plan a slightly less exciting road trip now, as some details of the Canucks 2016-17 Preseason schedule involving the Alberta teams have been announced today.

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