Canucks land Brandon Sutter and 3rd round pick

[Hockey Widow]

On Bonino, Benning said he loved playing in Vancouver, was shocked by the trade. They liked his hands, his PK game, his hockey smarts. Said they had high hopes that he could centre the second power play unit but he never quit got there (this to me is key) I think they saw he wasn't what they wanted on the 2nd PP unit and decided he didn't fit long term. I like this approach of Benning's. If you don't see a future for a player don't be afraid to move him out.

On Clendenning, said Pens insisted on him. He didn't want to move him but it was the deal breaker. In any event he wanted to move one of his 7-8 guys on D because he didn't want two rookies holding those spots and potentially both sitting in the press box not playing. Will likely go with 7 D now with the ability to call up a player. Would still like to upgrade on D but it has to be the same dollars in as out.

Don't pencil anyone in at 2C as I think they all have a shot (this is me, not Benning). WD still wants to roll 4 lines so I think that 2C spot goes to whoever gives them the best balance. I really think it could be Vey's to lose with Horvat and Sutter holding down the 3rd and 4th spot. But the again I hate the thought of Vey as our 4th line centre.

Benning sees Sutter as the leader of the new core, sheltering Horvat, Mcann and Cassels, while they continue to develop. Sees Jones as having the potential to make the team at centre. So maybe he gets the 4th line leaving Vey on a wing again?

Benning still wants to tinker, cap wise anyway but is content to go to camp with what he has and let the players compete for jobs. The good thing about moving Clendenning to me is that it does open up a chance to rotate some of the kids on the back end. It also opens up a spot for a 14th forward.

And next year when we add Lucic

[Boston Canucker]

To be honest, I see little rhyme or reason to what is going on with the team right now. I think my main concern with Sutter is his pricetag, 3.3 mill, possibly a raise on a new contract extension. I guess the way to read it as them opening up as many slots as possible for the young guys to move in to the lineup, given now there is an extra forward spot. It does seem, however, that Benning the draft man keeps giving up better picks in deals, and that doesn't really add up to me (he did it with the Kassian deal and here, and and I know it's Ana's 2nd probably in the 55-60 range for the best Pitt 3rd, but it's still a drop back in the order), and Benning the talent scout makes deals for guys he think are up n' comers, Clendenning, and then in a year decides he's not worth holding on to. Hey, it may all work out swimmingly, I'm not angry about the deal just, well, nonplussed.

[Meds]

Benning sees Sutter as the leader of the new core, sheltering Horvat, Mcann and Cassels, while they continue to develop. Sees Jones as having the potential to make the team at centre. So maybe he gets the 4th line leaving Vey on a wing again?

Who is Jones?

[Boston Canucker]

Benning sees Sutter as the leader of the new core, sheltering Horvat, Mcann and Cassels, while they continue to develop. Sees Jones as having the potential to make the team at centre. So maybe he gets the 4th line leaving Vey on a wing again?

Who is Jones?

Blair Jones...or maybe Tom "What's New Pussycat" Jones, although he'll probably cost us a 3rd round pick.

[herb]

Benning said he was angry with our playoff showing. He is aggressively moving out players he feels failed to compete and replacing them with guys he feels will and can compete in the west. The Ferland principle at play

This is good.

On Sutter, I think the fit is good. He's not a dynamic player by any stretch, but he'll eat up minutes. He's a downgrade on Bonino offensively, but an upgrade over Richardson. We get better in some areas, and worse in some.

I like the trade in principle. Sutter fills a need. This means Bo doesn't have to be our best defensive center next season. He doesn't have to try and shut down a Getzlaf as a 20 year old, and we won't need to have to match Hank against the likes of Getzlaf either.

Not a big fan of the value Benning got out of a decent prospect like Forsling, though.

Out of the two, I would have rather kept Corrado than Clendening.

[Chef Boi RD]

Big thumbs up for me.

Did not like how quiet Bonino goes and for long stretches. very streaky. Did not like his lack of sandpaper.

Benning apparently said he hopes to ink Sutter to a new contract over the next few days.

He's a Western Canadian, we lose an American

Love the trade

Was never a fan of Clendenning, too small and not enough tangibles for me to like. He's a throwaway, disposable player. Plus it wasn't a fit with both him and Corrado trying to make the line-up at the same time. Much more of a Corrado fan than Clendenning

Lets face it, the Ducks are a favorite to win the Presidents trophy, so their 2nd pick won't be too far ahead of the 3rd we pick up from Pittsburgh as it will be the better of the 2 third round picks Pittsburgh holds next year, ours for the Pedan trade or the Islanders. I'm assuming ours will be better

Go Benning!

[Chef Boi RD]

Benning said he was angry with our playoff showing. He is aggressively moving out players he feels failed to compete and replacing them with guys he feels will and can compete in the west. The Ferland principle at play

Yeah, did not like the disappearance of Bonino in the Flames series at all. Totally on board with it.

[Chef Boi RD]

lol

lol^^^

[Hockey Widow]

Sutter on being a Canuck

* rumblings first started in Carolina, Hodgson for Sutter. Then the Pens in a swap for Kesler. Just before the draft his agent told him he would likely be traded. Vancouver was a likely destination but over the last couple of days he was told it was highly probable.

* looking forward to the move. Likes the city and thinks it will be fun. Glad to be back in Western Canada.

* Is excited to be put into a leadership role. This will be a change for him. Thinks he can add some grit. Willing to play in any role, doesn't know if he is slated to be 2nd line centre but he doesn't care. Doesn't pay attention to stats, just plays a hard two zone game and will play were he is asked to.

* Knows WD from his junior days, played against him for four years and seems like he always lost. Looking forward to having him as a coach and playing with Dorsett and not against him

* wants an extension and agrees with Benning, something will get done very soon.

* likes the mix of vets and youngsters and thinks it is an exciting team that can make the playoffs.mfeels he brings a lot of playoff experience that will help the team.

* Likes that he will have a new role and not just a complimentary piece (like I'm sure he is happy to not be stuck behind Crosby and Malkin in the depth chart)

* Overall, very very excited with this move and can't wait to get to Vancouver and get going. Looking forward to playing against uncle Darryl more knows what the Canucks expect from him and will do his best to deliver. He knows he is in a mentoring role and at this point in his career, 7 years, he is excited about the new challenge.

[SKYO]

Cool thanks for the info H-dub..

All in all imesho Sutter is a much better fit for what this team needs right now and for the long haul with all the prospects making their way onto the team in the upcoming years.

[Hockey Widow]

Benning said he was angry with our playoff showing. He is aggressively moving out players he feels failed to compete and replacing them with guys he feels will and can compete in the west. The Ferland principle at play

This is good.

On Sutter, I think the fit is good. He's not a dynamic player by any stretch, but he'll eat up minutes. He's a downgrade on Bonino offensively, but an upgrade over Richardson. We get better in some areas, and worse in some.

I like the trade in principle. Sutter fills a need. This means Bo doesn't have to be our best defensive center next season. He doesn't have to try and shut down a Getzlaf as a 20 year old, and we won't need to have to match Hank against the likes of Getzlaf either.

Not a big fan of the value Benning got out of a decent prospect like Forsling, though.

Out of the two, I would have rather kept Corrado than Clendening.

Sounds to me that the Canucks didn't have a choice of it being Corrado being moved. Pens insisted on Clendenning and Benning wanted to keep him. What Benning didn't want was our 7-8 guys being Corrado and Clendenning. One of them was going. He still wants to improve the D but we are up against the cap, once we get Sven inked. The only way he can upgrade D is if the dollars in match the dollars out at this point. He is still working on this but doesn't know if he can make it happen. So if he could move a Higgins and Corrado he could trade for a D around the 3m mark. But he seems happy to run with 7 D and have 14 forwards. He also confirmed today that Grenier does not have to clear waivers, nor does Kenins.

[Hockey Widow]

Cool thanks for the info H-dub..

All in all imesho Sutter is a much better fit for what this team needs right now and for the long haul with all the prospects making their way onto the team in the upcoming years.

I think this is the key. Benning all along has said they will identify players that don't fit long term and move them out. he wants to identify the new core and will surround them with complimentary pieces to aid their development. The Sutter move fits both these criteria. Bonino did not fit long term, out. Sutter is a complimentary piece that has a number of good years left to help aid the development of the new core while fitting the criteria of helping keep the team competitive, allegedly

Almost everyone seems to agree that Bonino was a short term solution and the best most could say was it was his contract status that made him valuable. I really don't mind losing him.

[Tciso]

The Anaheim 2nd for our own third back is still perplexing. Although not as bad as it could be I still want Benning to hang onto those seconds. But Benning has just shown he is not adverse to trading players he acquired which to me is a good thing. Hope Vey is next

You need your own picks for offer sheets. Offer sheets are not common, but it's still good to have the option, especially with what you can get for under$1,826,328 or the $3,652,659-to-$5,478,986 range

[Hockey Widow]

The Anaheim 2nd for our own third back is still perplexing. Although not as bad as it could be I still want Benning to hang onto those seconds. But Benning has just shown he is not adverse to trading players he acquired which to me is a good thing. Hope Vey is next

You need your own picks for offer sheets. Offer sheets are not common, but it's still good to have the option, especially with what you can get for under$1,826,328 or the $3,652,659-to-$5,478,986 range

Good theory but it is a conditional third, the better of our own back or the NYI third.

[Chef Boi RD]

well, if we tank it like I hope we do (Matthews, Pujujarvi, Chychrun), the 3rd round pick should only be a few spots behind the Ducks 2nd