a pre-game ceremony on November 3. In his third year behind the bench, Smyl was involved in his second Stanley Cup Finals with the Canucks in 1994. Vancouver went to seven games with the New York Rangers, losing 3–2 in the deciding game. Smyl helped coach opposite Rangers assistant coach Colin Campbell, who was also a part of the Canucks' 1982 Cup run as a player. Between 1994 and 1999, the Canucks' head coaching position changed five times. Ley overtook head coaching duties from 1994 to 1996 as Quinn returned to his executive positions as president and general manager. After Ley was fired late in the 1995–96 season, Quinn served as the Canucks' interim head coach until Tom Renney was hired for the beginning of the 1996–97 season. In turn, Renney was fired after one-and-a-half seasons and replaced by Mike Keenan. Throughout the changes, Smyl remained in his position as assistant under all four head coaches. Minor league head coach In June 1999, Smyl was named head coach of the Canucks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. He became the second coach in Crunch history, replacing Jack McIlhargey, who had served for five seasons. He coached the Crunch to a .500 season in his debut behind the bench. In the 2000 off-season, the Canucks signed a two-year affiliation agreement with the Kansas City Blades of the International Hockey League (IHL). Smyl was reassigned to Kansas City, replacing their previous coach Paul MacLean. When the IHL folded following Smyl's first season with the Blades, he was moved back to the AHL, named coach of the Manitoba Moose on June 28, 2001. He coached them to the second round in 2002–03. On March 2, 2004, he notched his 100th win as head coach of the Moose in a 3–0 win over the Milwaukee Admirals. However, as the Moose missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years in 2004, Smyl was dismissed as head coach on June 7, 2004, and reassigned within the Canucks organization. He was replaced by Washington Capitals assistant coach Randy Carlyle. Some Moose players later commented that Carlyle exhibited a stronger presence and was more demanding in comparison to Smyl. Canucks front office Let go as Moose head coach, Smyl was named the Canucks' Director of Player Development in the 2004 off-season. Much of his time was spent overseeing the play of prospects within the