Canucks News and Notes

[Strangelove]

Didn't we also get a seventh next year? I mean that's two draft picks for a back up!

Oh yeah... he fleeced Francis like a sheep!!

OMG Benning is a GENIUS!!!

[Chef Boi RD]

The author has a Toronto Maple Leaf d**k stuck in his/her mouth, thus the reason why he/she couldn't exactly present their thoughts properly. We must feel sorry for the person.

Personally I think it is a very very very bitter Laugh fan who cannot stand how crappie his/her team is and will be until the earth explodes in a few billion years.

The leaves are tanking for the big 3 in 2016 - Matthews, Puliarvi, Chychrun. To be honest, I hope we are too

[Boston Canucker]

Here's one that should get Blob on a rant again.

Tonight Benning said he had several trade calls on Miller but in the end he did not think Lack was a number one and did not see any other number ones available so he held onto Miller and traded Lack. In support Linden said all the GMs they talked to about Lack viewed him as a back up which is why they got the return they did, and it was the best deal they could get for Lack.

So........if I'm hearing this right, they could have traded Miller, to whom and for what I have no idea, but decided to keep Miller and trade Lack. Benning is insistent that the team has a tried and true number one at all costs. Added that Miller is here to mentor Markstrom for the next two years AND Demko after that. So........I guess we will be extending Miller, pumping Markstrom's tires and trading him in two years.

Yeah, I saw that, that was a bombshell. I had diverging views of the summit. I was pretty impressed with the fans holding mgmt's feet to the fire. There were a lot of great, tough questions, until they turned to kiss asses at the end. It is better to have fans that angry, keep mgmt on their toes. That said, I was impressed with Benning's responses. He didn't sugar coat it. He said this is the way he is building the team, and didn't seem concerned with it being a popularity contest. Who knows if he turns out to be right, hope damn so, but I respected his honesty and not needing to please and just going ahead with his plan, the success of which will come down to his drafting acumen.
On the other hand, Linden (of whom I am a huge fan, love #16) came off terribly I think. He was filibustering, patronizing, and even self-pitying at times ("people asked me if I could make tough decisions last year, then we made tough decisions and people aren't happy"...geez, let me get my violin Trev!), and then even worse when he put Cassels on the sport about shutting down McDavid. That shit was not fair to a young kid who seeks to play and build a rep in this league. Cassels, to his credit, responded by saying it was a team effort - which of course is true - rebutting Linden's effort to save his own ass by putting the singular spotlight on a kid.

While I do question some of these moves this summer, I'm feeling pretty good about the fact that Benning seems to be clear about what he wants to do, clearing out the old material, bringing in the new, and is willing to take the heat for it. Still, fans need to stay on them.

[ukcanuck]

yes, that assessment reads very eastern press. I'm not saying the Canucks deserve a good grade, at all, but how was the Bieksa deal botched. One fairly legitimate story has it that SJ was balking on an extension, how is that the Canucks botching it, and the canucks got a 2nd rd pick in 16 which apparently is what SJS was offering, so explain the botching. On Kassian, one can criticize, but nonsensical? It's only nonsensical if one has been absent from the debate about Kassian ever reaching his potential that has been going on for 3 yrs and 3 coaches now...

Sorry BC, after taking some time to really digest the trade, and putting aside the fact that I really liked Kassian.....the Kassian trade is fairly nonsensical. Unless Zack was a cancer in the room, a brutal teammate, a party boy, or some other kind of problem child, then the Canucks giving up a 5th round pick on top of him to acquire a player has a fraction of the skill, is older and smaller, and has none of the untapped potential, just doesn't add up. But maybe some of those things were true. As of now The Canucks traded a potential top-six winger and a draft pick for a 4th line grinder.

From the outside looking in, and that outside includes anyone not on the team or part of the coaching/management group, that trade is damned confusing, and Jimbo's "leadership and good mentor" spin doesn't cover it, and these grades are simply based on an outsiders observations. The "F" is fair.

I don't totally fault Benning for not doing more. He can't do much more with the current cap situation and plethora of NTC's that hamper negotiations. People can point to diminished returns, but I suspect that if JB had his way he would have sold big at the deadline and done a more immediate rebuild. However, you can't fault him for following the owners directive regarding the playoffs, and judging by the report that he is not looking to extend Hamhuis or Vrbata at this time, if the Canucks are outside of the playoff picture come TDD, then count on seeing guys like Higgins, Vrbata, and Hamhuis, moved as rentals for better returns.

I'm not sure why we keep talking about the owners directive to make the playoffs. My understanding is that when Trevor was hired he was clear he wanted approval to move in the direction he felt was necessary and that he has the green light. I think past management had clear directives that anything short of the playoffs was unacceptable but my understanding is that now, with the change in management, everyone is pretty much on the same page about this transition.

For sure everyone wants to make the playoffs every year but I don't think ownership has that as a mandated directive right now. They are more realistic than that. Benning is doing what Benning is doing because he feels it is the right direction and course of action. And again, to be clear, he still wants to make the playoffs, sure, but he wants more than anything to ice a team that competes, develop the kids the right way, whatever that means, and to surround the younger players with character guys to support them in their development.

I think we can let go of this notion that somehow Benning has his hands tied due to ownership pressure and that somehow he would do things drastically different if he had his way. This, for better or worse, is all Linden, all Benning, all the time. They own it.

I think we can assume that Benning's hands are tied by the fact that he has diminishing assets from a one hit wonder (2011) post gillis "give everyone a NMC " team.

[Boston Canucker]

I think we can assume that Benning's hands are tied by the fact that he has diminishing assets from a one hit wonder (2011) post gillis "give everyone a NMC " team.

Quite possibly so, but I'm not really concerned with that. Every GM walks into a situation not of his making and has to figure out next steps. Hands tied, maybe, and he's paid to figure it out. I'm not interested in making any excuses for him. He had to know the situation going in. That said, my sense is he's probably doing the right thing. He's moving out the old and bringing in the new, and the question will be how well does he draft and develop the new guys. Like many Canuck fans, I can live with some down years if I see the kids developing, and then we'll see how close we are in 3-4 years.

[Chef Boi RD]

Fuck its a rebuild people, it ain't fucking pretty. Doesn't matter what GM was hired to clean up the Gillis shit show the mess remains the same and tough decisions are to be made. At least we now have a GM who aint scared to make unpopular decisions unlike baggage eyes who was too chicken shit to pull the trigger. Benning has a vision and he plans on seeing it through, it aint going to happen overnight

Can't believe the moaning, everybody knew this day was coming, the break it down and start a new. The two guys that have been hoisting this team on its back since the WCE are 35. It's over. Everyone is screaming for it - the rebuild, yet when it actually happens people are hurt by it.

I have great confidence in a GM who knows what he wants - Benning. Not a wishy washy fence sitter who shat the bed when the team he inherited and rode on needed for him to make hard moves and decisions. Since 2011 Gillis was a scared puppy with out a clue on what to do

All hail Benning - the true bird dog scout

We should all be jacked about the coming Horvat, Virtanen, McCann, Boeser, Cassels years. Really good pieces to build around which is exactly what Benning is doing. Patience my friends

[dbr]

I'll say this, the way the Gillis regime ended and what we were hearing in the last year or so, I had a bad feeling that ownership had their big fucking noses in hockey operations and couldn't stomach a down period in terms of the on ice product, even if was necessary to get back to contention.

(A cynical read on their replacement - pretty boy spectacles-and-fitness magnate Trevor Linden - did not help at all.)

(Nor did the return on their first big move, and only major trade chip in Ryan Kesler.)

If the messaging that we're seeing in the last few weeks is true and accurately represents the vision for this franchise - that we're going to see them strip this thing down to the frame if that's what it takes - that's heartening, at least.

There's still a lot that's unsettling going on - like Linden talking up Weisbrod as the guy behind Gaudreau (drafted before Weisbrod was hired) and Monahan (drafted exactly where he was expected, and by most accounts after Weisbrod was marginalized in the Flames organization) - but at least they are fundamentally doing the right thing.

[bckev]

I like that Benning and Linden are willing to take the heat and stick to their guns. It is important to do what you think is going to work and be committed to it. Time will tell if they were right or wrong. The one thing I know for sure is they know more about what they are doing and how to do it than I do, so I will defer to their decision making.

[Topper]

Traded a career backup for a high third and a seventh. Well done Jim. Well done.

[ukcanuck]

Traded a career backup for a high third and a seventh. Well done Jim. Well done.

^^^
We seem to be on the same page here

[Meds]

Traded a career backup for a high third and a seventh. Well done Jim. Well done.

Yeah, the Lack trade hasn't bothered me at all. It made sense, even more so when we hear that GM's around the league viewed Eddie as just a very capable backup goaltender and not a true starter.

[Hockey Widow]

While I think it is far too early to know whether the moves Benning is making will substantially pan out to bring us back to contender status down the road, I like the decisiveness of his moves. Imagine if MG moved that quickly in dealing with our goaltending situation, either trading Luongo or Schneider right away. True, we may not have Bo right now, but we would have more that Markstrom, a 15% hold back and future staggering cap recapture penalties. Imagine if he had moved Kesler at the TDD for the best return when more than one team was in the bidding. Imagine if he had only handed out a few NTC to players who you truly wanted to build around. Imagine if all his draft years were like his last.

I liked MG and supported him until his last season. For whatever reasons he could not get it done. Benning came in last year and made major changes right away.

Garrison was moved quickly. Keep in mind Benning had an up close and personal view of him while he was with Florida.he was not a fan of his game at that cap. Gone.

Was not convinced Lack/Markstrom combo would leave us competitive every night. Miller signed.

Tried to keep Kesler, even contemplated letting him sit until he softened his stance on his team list but in the end decided it was in the best interests of the team to get that extra first last year and to move on. Kesler traded.

Wanted a top six, couldn't land Iggy as he wasn't willing to bite on four years so he went to plan B and the Vrbata signing was seen by most as one of the top FA signings last year.

Saw a glaring hole in the organization of players in the 20-25 year range who were ready for NHL playing time and went about, methodically, acquiring those players. Yes he gave up a couple of seconds and a promising prospect in Forsling but he plugged some holes.some of those players may end up being serviceable place holders, some may actually work out long term.

Targets the type of character players he believes the organization needs and goes out and gets them, Dorsett and Prust.

Decides Bieksa's time here is done and moves quickly to move him out, while accommodating a great team guy.

Decides, rightly or wrongly, Lack is a career back up, a good one, but that Markstrom has more upside. An assessment by the way that is historicall between these two. At every level Markstrom has always been rated ahead of Lack. Benning makes a business decision that trading a soon to be UFA for a soon to be FA is the smarter move.

By all accounts he had been trying to trade Kassian pretty much from last Christmas until he finally succeeded in July. We may never know the whole story but Benning made his assent then acted as soon as he could. He wanted to free up a RW spot and he did. He wanted to add another character guy and he did.

My point in all this long winded recap is that right or wrong, Benning has a plan and is following it. He has traded, in 12 months, three players with NTC. One who demanded it but two who most felt would never waive. he has talked with agents for Hamhuis, Vrbata, Higgins and Burrows. You know he has broached the subject of NTC. I would venture that not one of those players, will at this point, refuse to waive should they be asked. Of course they will use their NTC to control where they go, as they should and in my opinion the real benefit and intent of holding a NTC. But I trust should Benning decide it is time to move any of those four he will make it happen. He has hinted as much regarding Vrbata and Hamhuis. He will move them out NOT because he is worried about the return but to clear space for younger guys he feels are ready for the NHL and to free cap for 2016. In that respect I think Hamhuis is the easiest one to keep for a couple of more years as our defensive prospect pool is very thin.

But we could over the course of the next year or year and a half move out Vrbata, Higgins and Burrows as we see how our prospects develop. We have the potential depth to replace this three within that time frame.

I think most will agree his drafting has been excellent.

I think most will agree he has done a solid job of building Utica and creating a winning culture there.he has coaches who give a shit and actually spend time with the prospects and watch their development, unlike the Torts culture.

Some of his signings are cause for major debate. Dorsett a tad too much and one year too long, but no NTC. Sbisa 500,000-600,000 above his qualifying offer and perhaps a year too long but he bought two years of FA, no NTC for a team dearth of defensive prospects ready to take the next step. He brought in Bartkowski, one year. Brought back Weber one year. Signed Corrado and Clendening one year. Resigned Vey one year. Resigned Kenins on a two way. A pattern here. A whole whack of show me contracts for players who may end up being place holders or who may earn longer deals. And there is Miller. The one that seems to cause the most emotion second to Sbisa of course. But let's face it. He wanted a goalie he perceives to be a proven number one to stabilize the team and mentor Markstrom and then perhaps Demko. And if people are honest they will say that prior to his knee injury Miller delivered. Sure he had a few blow out games and that sucked but overall, he delivered. He gave us a chance to win most nights, in front of a horrible defence for the most part.

I like that Benning is owning it. I like that he was pissed with our playoff showing and made changes. I may have liked that he did some things a little different, like getting a pick for Matthias at the TDD, but overall I like that he has a plan and is willing to take the heat for sticking with it. It would be far to easy to give into the pressure and change mid stream but he seems to be sticking with it. Had he been successful in trading for Lucic I would have been very confused because to me that does not fit the long term plan. And I know if LA does not resign him then we will be big suitors next July. I think part of Benning's plan now is to free the cap to be in a position to target him and if available Seabrook. But that's a year away.

Ok I'm done.

[the toucan kid]

Well said Hockey Widow. And any executive that gives a darn about what his moronic fanbase thinks is not a good one. 98% of sports fans are slobbering, reactionary loons with whom I'm ashamed to share species designation.

The truth is that most of what Benning has done so far is really insignificant in the big picture. We're just shedding layers before building back up. That's when we measure the mettle of the man.

[ukcanuck]

While I think it is far too early to know whether the moves Benning is making will substantially pan out to bring us back to contender status down the road, I like the decisiveness of his moves. Imagine if MG moved that quickly in dealing with our goaltending situation, either trading Luongo or Schneider right away. True, we may not have Bo right now, but we would have more that Markstrom, a 15% hold back and future staggering cap recapture penalties. Imagine if he had moved Kesler at the TDD for the best return when more than one team was in the bidding. Imagine if he had only handed out a few NTC to players who you truly wanted to build around. Imagine if all his draft years were like his last.

I liked MG and supported him until his last season. For whatever reasons he could not get it done. Benning came in last year and made major changes right away.

Garrison was moved quickly. Keep in mind Benning had an up close and personal view of him while he was with Florida.he was not a fan of his game at that cap. Gone.

Was not convinced Lack/Markstrom combo would leave us competitive every night. Miller signed.

Tried to keep Kesler, even contemplated letting him sit until he softened his stance on his team list but in the end decided it was in the best interests of the team to get that extra first last year and to move on. Kesler traded.

Wanted a top six, couldn't land Iggy as he wasn't willing to bite on four years so he went to plan B and the Vrbata signing was seen by most as one of the top FA signings last year.

Saw a glaring hole in the organization of players in the 20-25 year range who were ready for NHL playing time and went about, methodically, acquiring those players. Yes he gave up a couple of seconds and a promising prospect in Forsling but he plugged some holes.some of those players may end up being serviceable place holders, some may actually work out long term.

Targets the type of character players he believes the organization needs and goes out and gets them, Dorsett and Prust.

Decides Bieksa's time here is done and moves quickly to move him out, while accommodating a great team guy.

Decides, rightly or wrongly, Lack is a career back up, a good one, but that Markstrom has more upside. An assessment by the way that is historicall between these two. At every level Markstrom has always been rated ahead of Lack. Benning makes a business decision that trading a soon to be UFA for a soon to be FA is the smarter move.

By all accounts he had been trying to trade Kassian pretty much from last Christmas until he finally succeeded in July. We may never know the whole story but Benning made his assent then acted as soon as he could. He wanted to free up a RW spot and he did. He wanted to add another character guy and he did.

My point in all this long winded recap is that right or wrong, Benning has a plan and is following it. He has traded, in 12 months, three players with NTC. One who demanded it but two who most felt would never waive. he has talked with agents for Hamhuis, Vrbata, Higgins and Burrows. You know he has broached the subject of NTC. I would venture that not one of those players, will at this point, refuse to waive should they be asked. Of course they will use their NTC to control where they go, as they should and in my opinion the real benefit and intent of holding a NTC. But I trust should Benning decide it is time to move any of those four he will make it happen. He has hinted as much regarding Vrbata and Hamhuis. He will move them out NOT because he is worried about the return but to clear space for younger guys he feels are ready for the NHL and to free cap for 2016. In that respect I think Hamhuis is the easiest one to keep for a couple of more years as our defensive prospect pool is very thin.

But we could over the course of the next year or year and a half move out Vrbata, Higgins and Burrows as we see how our prospects develop. We have the potential depth to replace this three within that time frame.

I think most will agree his drafting has been excellent.

I think most will agree he has done a solid job of building Utica and creating a winning culture there.he has coaches who give a shit and actually spend time with the prospects and watch their development, unlike the Torts culture.

Some of his signings are cause for major debate. Dorsett a tad too much and one year too long, but no NTC. Sbisa 500,000-600,000 above his qualifying offer and perhaps a year too long but he bought two years of FA, no NTC for a team dearth of defensive prospects ready to take the next step. He brought in Bartkowski, one year. Brought back Weber one year. Signed Corrado and Clendening one year. Resigned Vey one year. Resigned Kenins on a two way. A pattern here. A whole whack of show me contracts for players who may end up being place holders or who may earn longer deals. And there is Miller. The one that seems to cause the most emotion second to Sbisa of course. But let's face it. He wanted a goalie he perceives to be a proven number one to stabilize the team and mentor Markstrom and then perhaps Demko. And if people are honest they will say that prior to his knee injury Miller delivered. Sure he had a few blow out games and that sucked but overall, he delivered. He gave us a chance to win most nights, in front of a horrible defence for the most part.

I like that Benning is owning it. I like that he was pissed with our playoff showing and made changes. I may have liked that he did some things a little different, like getting a pick for Matthias at the TDD, but overall I like that he has a plan and is willing to take the heat for sticking with it. It would be far to easy to give into the pressure and change mid stream but he seems to be sticking with it. Had he been successful in trading for Lucic I would have been very confused because to me that does not fit the long term plan. And I know if LA does not resign him then we will be big suitors next July. I think part of Benning's plan now is to free the cap to be in a position to target him and if available Seabrook. But that's a year away.

Ok I'm done.

So works for me

[bckev]

Well put HW. I really like Lack, and have since I first saw him in Penticton, but I agree I do not think he is a starter. I think Benning made the right move, even though I would love to have moved Millers 6 million dollar cap hit. I believe it is important to build in a winning tradition. I know everyone thinks Edmonton is going to be great guns this year but it is a big shift from being a loser to a winner. I don't think LA will bounce back as much as everyone thinks. There is so much that goes into creating a team. I think Benning and Linden understand that. I think the team this year will be better than we think. If we aren't I am okay with that too, because I think it will be only for a year. We were the 8th best team in the regular season last year. We play in the toughest division. People forget this so quickly, it is not fluke that we did that well. We will probably drop off a bit, nothing is going to surprise me. I won't be surprised if we get a lottery pick, and I won't be surprised if we make a long playoff run. The only thing that would surprise me is if Benning changes his tactics and blows it up all at once. I see him being a seller at trade deadline, even if we are in the running. I think we will see a lot more young guys getting looks during the year, to get a taste of playing in the bigs, as part of their development. It is going to be a fun season for a lot of different reasons. I don't want to wish my life away but I am having a hard time waiting.