Re: 2019 NHL ENTRY DRAFT - Vancouver
Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 2:17 pm
I think it's a combination of both, but we also tend to form opinions based on our most recent previous experiences.
Gillis was a shrewd negotiator when it came to keeping term and AAV manageable.....but he did so at the cost of giving out NTC's and NMC's to half the roster. He was an abysmal drafter, and sub par on the trade front. How many times did we hear strong rumours about a trade involving Vancouver giving up a 1st or 2nd round pick, and we all liked what that return was supposed to be, only to have nothing happen, see the asset we wanted traded elsewhere for a cost that we could have beat, and then listen to Eye Bags Gillis say, "There just wasn't anything that made sense." Only to then see him blow the un-traded draft pick on a White or Gaunce, or turn around and throw it into a shitty deal for a guy like Ballard?
It was maddening. He was a coward when it came to making a trade.
Jim is just the opposite. He doesn't like giving out big contracts with term, but he also doesn't like giving out clauses that will hamstring him down the road. So he ends up overpaying on players in free agency. Now, some of his previous over-payments are the result of him taking over a team that was headed south at warp speed and just not an attractive destination for free agents, hence the price goes up. But in general his free agency signings have bit him in the arse. That being said, only two of his contract extensions/re-signings have been poor: Gudbranson and Sutter.....Sbisa could be thrown in there too I suppose. In terms of trades, Jim has made a few blunders, but he hasn't been piss poor.....if anything he has missed out on some opportunities from our perspective (like taking on a bad contract to weaponize space), but we don't know for sure that those kind of offers were there for him. I give him a pass on the Eriksson deal because NOBODY saw Loui coming here and being so piss poor, his slow starts in new cities were established, but the fact that he never gained any traction was totally unexpected, and $6Mx6 for a 60 point scorer was good value. But he does go after what he wants.
In general Benning has the balls to back up his hunches and assessment of talent by paying the price to acquire what he wants. Gillis was a total pussy and would twist in the wind making excuses after the fact rather than risk pulling the trigger.
I'll take Benning over Gillis any day of the week.
However, I do think that Aquabros need to hire him an Assistant GM to handle trade negotiations. Benning can draft, he can work the extensions, he can build the team and deal with everything else, but at this point it is really starting to feel like every GM in the league can't wait to pick up the phone when they see Elmer is calling because their job just got way easier.
