Bruce Boudreau snaps back at Jim Rutherford following yesterday's criticism

It's not exactly a secret that the Vancouver Canucks' season has gone off the rails early and that the team is having a difficult time getting things back on track. With a difficult five game road trip on the horizon, it's make or break for the Canucks over this next week and if they can't manage to get themselves back in the win column then there's a good chance that there could be full-scale changes both on the team's roster and its coaching staff.

Team President Jim Rutherford was on Vancouver's Sportsnet 650 radio today and he did not hold back in his criticisms of his team and, in particular, head coach Bruce Boudreau.

"We're at the point where we have to make players more accountable. Take the necessary steps to get their attention," Rutherford said while hinting at potential trades coming down the pipe. He also threw the gauntlet down for head coach Bruce Boudreau making many statements that seem to be pointed directly at the veteran coach.

"At this point I would have expected better. I didn't like our training camp and we continued into the early part of the season the same way as our training camp. There's a lot of things that have to happen. We have to play with a stronger system and really be more accountable for some of the things that some of the players are struggling with. It's a major concern and something has to be fixed. When you're at home and you're winning three to nothing... you shouldn't lose that game."

When asked if he has the right personnel behind the bench Rutherford said, "It's a loose style. It's more on the offensive side. I don't believe that that's a style of play that you can sustain for a long period of time if you want to contend for a playoff spot."

Yikes... to me that does NOT sound like a ringing endorsement of Mr. Bruce There It Is.

It's worth noting that Boudreau was not hired by Rutherford, but was rather hired by owner Francesco Aquilini when he made the decision to fire former GM Jim Benning and former head coach Travis Green. Just a year later and it looks like even more changes might be coming for the Canucks.

Today Boudreau responded to his President's comments and criticisms and, frankly, it doesn't seem like Bruce is too happy with Rutherford.

"We play as hard as we can, we play as well as we can and lay it all out on the line every night," said Boudreau to Vancouver reporter Ben Kuzma earlier today. "It is what it is. I try to keep the noise out of the room as much as I can."

"I'm not in the players' mind, but if we take the positive effect, it angers them to show that everybody is wrong. This is my 47th year in the business and I've seen a lot of things. It's another added to the book that I will never write."

Yikes... that pretty pointed.

More from Bruce: "I think every person wants to prove people wrong when they say things. I'm a pretty competitive guy at heart and maybe that's the message — prove that it's not a true statement."

Would you honestly be surprised to see the Canucks on a bit of a run for their beleaguered coach?