The Canucks have dismissed five of the seven people who were listed as part of their human performance department.
Article content
Another week, another series of departures from the Vancouver Canucks’ staff.
Advertisement 2
Article content
Friday the Canucks confirmed that a trio of longtime faces in the team’s human performance department had been let go.
As first reported by The Athletic, director of medical services and head athletic therapist Jon Sanderson, director of strength and conditioning Roger Takahashi and assistant athletic therapist — and occasional practice goalie — Dave Zarn have all been let go by the NHL team.
Additionally, the Canucks confirmed to Postmedia that athletic therapist Nick Abbey-Jibb and assistant strength and conditioning coach Ken Hetzel have been dismissed.
Moving out the bulk of your human performance department is a strong signal of wanting to take a new direction in how players are prepared to play and treated for injuries.
advertisement 3
Article content
Sanderson joined that Canucks in the 2000-01 season and was promoted to head therapist ahead of the 2015-16 season when Rick Celebrini was brought in to reorganize the Canucks’ training staff and longtime head therapist Mike Burnstein was dismissed.
Celebrini left in 2018 and joined the Golden State Warriors, but much of his treatment approach — avoiding surgery, focusing on preventive care — remained in place.
Originally from Kamloops, Takahashi joined the Canucks in May 2003, replacing former strength and conditioning coach Peter Twist.
As he once noted, Takahashi’s role had moved beyond being a specialist gym coach into the broader role of human performance, so not only did he have to have knowledge of optimal techniques for building strength and endurance, he had to have knowledge of things like nutrition , electrolyte retention and loss, hydration and fluid replacement and rest and recovery.
advertisement 4
Article content
Zarn joined the Canucks in 2009 after working for the Victoria Salmon Kings and the Okanagan Hockey Academy.
Both Addey-Jibb and Hetzel were more recent hires, joining the Canucks in 2019. Addey-Jibb has worked in pro hockey for three decades, first with the St. John’s Maple Leafs and Toronto Marlies, then with the Montreal Canadiens before moving to Vancouver .
Hetzel worked for the Utica Comets since 2014, then moved to the big team three years ago.
As it stands, Friday’s departures leave just director of applied sports science Bryan Marshall and rehabilitation therapist Graeme Poole on staff in the Canucks’ department of human performance.
