John Tortorella was brought to Vancouver this year in order to help an offense-first team improve shot-blocking and defensive hockey. Everything seemed to be going fairly smoothly for a while up until Tortorella was involved in an incident with Calgary Flames head coach Bob Hartley, which got Tortorella suspended for six games.

After Tortorella's suspension, the Canucks were sent reeling in a competitive Western Conference and turned into sellers at the trade deadline, shipping off goaltender Roberto Luongo and practically giving up on their playoff chances this season.

Maybe this season is more to blame on General Manager Mike Gillis rather than Tortorella, but the blame normally falls on a coach when his team fails to meet expectations. After all, some expected the Canucks to contend for a Stanley Cup this season if they could round out their overall play.

So far, it looks as if the Canucks are staring an age of rebuilding in the face. They traded Luongo and Cory Schneider, their two goaltenders who are both above average in today's NHL, in the past nine months, and got a first round pick (which turned into Bo Horvat), Shawn Matthias and Jacob Markstrom in return.

While they remain just a few points out of a playoff spot, the Canucks' roster lacks the overall appeal to make a strong enough run at the playoffs against stronger teams like the Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars.

If rebuilding is what is on Vancouver's mind, Tortorella may be kept for a few more years to weather the storm and try to turn the team around quickly. If this is nothing more than a "failed season" and the Canucks expect to contend again next year, it would not be too much of a shocker to see Tortorella relieved of his duties, even if he is not completely to blame for Vancouver's struggles.

Sure, the suspension coincided with the downfall of the Canucks this season, but he has a very good track record as a head coach in the National Hockey League and Gillis's moves do not make much sense to the common hockey mind.

Nevertheless, there is a very real possibility that Tortorella could be let go this summer in favor for a coach that Gillis believes either gives the Canucks a better chance to contend immediately or is better suited for the way the team is going to rebuild.

Firing Tortorella after just one season, however, would be quite the shocker. Expect him to have at least one more year behind the bench in Vancouver with a chance to turn things around.