Who Can Be The Canucks New GM?

[Boston Canucker]

The Pens are clearly in a better position short/near term. I mean, Crosby/Malkin down the middle, even with their problems in the playoffs, that's damn sweet. However, if a GM takes over that team the mission is clear...win Cups soon before that Crosby/Malkin window closes, because from what I read the Pens' prospect cupboard is not exactly jammed full.

So, this also comes down to what sort of job Benning might be looking for. Does he want to parachute into Pitt with the very obvious expectation that competing for Cups, now and fast, get on it, is his task while Crosby/Malkin are still in their prime? Or, does he want to go Vancouver where none one is expecting Cups soon and he can do a tear down and rebuild over time, re-building the team with his model in mind, not retrofitting the Crosby/Malkin Pens to grab Cups right away?

I don't know which he'd prefer, maybe he'd be up for the challenge of going after it all right away in a conference with which he is most familiar, but the pressure will be on, right from the get go, anything less than winning at least one cup with Crosby/Malkin would be deemed a failure I'd presume. I could see the Canuck job, in that light, being more to Benning's liking, to be able to take his time and re-set the foundation his way. We'll see.

[Chef Boi RD]

Crosby and Malkin are what 28/29 years of age? Not exactly old men. There is a lot of hockey left in 2 of the best players in the game. Nice pieces to work with IMO but that being said, take those two off the team that's a pretty bad team. The drop off after those 2 is pretty steep. Too many draft picks and prospect sacrifices at the Deadline for rentals like Iginla, Morrow, Murray have hurt the depth of this team. You only win at the deadline if your a seller. Even though the Pens sold Staal for futures the team really hasn't been the same since they traded him. The Goligoski/Neal, Niskanen trade seems to have worked out for both teams, edge to Pens but Goligiski has been a nice fit in Dallas.

Maata, Pouliot are good futures for them. Bennett, Despres, Dumolin, Harrington etc are decent young players. The next GM would be foolish to keep eroding the teams drafting and developing

[rikster]

Crosby and Malkin are what 28/29 years of age? Not exactly old men. There is a lot of hockey left in 2 of the best players in the game

Problem with those 2 players is when was the last time they elevated their play in high stake poker type games?...

The Olympics? The NHL playoffs?

And as you've pointed out after you get past them what are you left with?...

I'm not sure what I'm most suprised by, how gutted their organization appears to have become or how silent the media has been about it...

Take care...

[Chef Boi RD]

The Pens situation is enough proof in that "Depth" wins in the end. Wasn't that what Kesler was demanding from Gillis? More depth? The Canucks are very thin at the top end, just like the Pens. Our youth is no better

[TDA Rum]

Crosby will be 27 in August...

[Chef Boi RD]

Crosby will be 27 in August...

So they have lots of time to re-build around Crosby, they just need to do it in a patient, grass roots kind of way. Much better situation in Pitt than here as our 2 best players will be 34 at game 1 of next season

[2Fingers]

Sedin's can still get over 70 points next season with the right line mate and they no longer play on the PK.

Many player their age or older still get it done.

Sedin's play a skill game and it will not magically disappear in 1 season.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=679638

[Chef Boi RD]

Sedin's can still get over 70 points next season with the right line mate and they no longer play on the PK.

Many player their age or older still get it done.

Sedin's play a skill game and it will not magically disappear in 1 season.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=679638

I believe they will rebound under a new coach and if they graduate some more youth into the lineup instead of keepin on with the journeyman reclamation projects.

Heard an interesting discussion about the Pens and how at some point this season they were playing good hockey, apparently the reason for that good hockey was that they brought up a bunch of their kids up from the farm. That enthusiasm is infectious, we here seem to discount that and feel much better with the Higgins types in the lineup.

If the Canucks don't inject youth into this lineup that is centered around our aging, old and stale core next season will be a rerun. It may be better than Torts season here, not hard to improve upon that but the choke factor when it starts to count as the season wears on will be the same old story if there isn't a serious change in the philosophy

[rats19]

Do you not believe a serious change in philosophy is forthcoming Dude?

I do..

[2Fingers]

Do you not believe a serious change in philosophy is forthcoming Dude?

I do..

As do I.

I do believe finally that the next coach/GM dual will be injecting youth into the team in a more consistent manor. Yes they have to earn more icetime and PP time but at least they will be getting a chance to play.

[Chef Boi RD]

My faith in this club no matter who is at the helm is fragile. The new GM like the old GM could just as easily believe in this stale, aging, thin core and start dreaming of trying to recapture that 2011 lightning in a bottle

[Chef Boi RD]

The new guy needs to hedge his bets like Burkie did with the Sedins and give Horvat, Jensen, Corrado and maybe Gaunce or Shinkaruk a job, live through their growing pains. We got the vets to teach them how to be pros. It will benefit this team faster than you might think.

[rats19]

My faith in this club no matter who is at the helm is fragile. The new GM like the old GM could just as easily believe in this stale, aging, thin core and start dreaming of trying to recapture that 2011 lightning in a bottle

Half Empty

[rats19]

The new guy needs to hedge his bets like Burkie did with the Sedins and give Horvat, Jensen, Corrado and maybe Gaunce or Shinkaruk a job, live through their growing pains. We got the vets to teach them how to be pros. It will benefit this team faster than you might think.

Half full...see the difference

[SKYO]

Hopefully tomorrow the Canucks call a conference to introduce our new GM!