5Fivehole0

Jake shows flashes of why he was drafted high. When you see his elite shot(power not accuracy), and skating, it shows why he was drafted so high. On a top end team, he would be brewing nicely in the AHL.

Hindsights 20/20. Gillis' group was bad at drafting. Just remember how many other teams passed on Jenner/Theodore/McAvoy/Pastrnak etc...

how did nobody catch this?

But that's really what the discussion @ForsbergTheGreat and I are having. Did Benning take the correct route, or did he make unnecassary moves.

When you put it that way. I was really upset that we let Richardson walk. Maybe he didnt want to resign, either way, can't argue with that reason.

In the Sutter trade, and I'm talking about the Mallet for Pedan trade. Also I don't really know what anyone of those kids other than Dube or Raddysh have done to be better than Lockwood, who for all we know could still be the better pick. Would JB have taken Raddysh or Dube? Was Lockwood his guy? Hypothetical. Regardless, he recouped a pick and landed a decent prospect in the 3rd round while getting a shut down centre who can play solid defensive minutes.

Ironic to this debate, Benning actually got that pick back and took Lockwood :P. and the pick that was given to Pittsburgh (Anaheims 2nd) ended up being a mediocre goalie. And there was no one taken in between that seems better than Lockwood. -Maybe Dube? Win for GMJB

Yea, aside from your sentiments on Dorsett I agree actually. Though the league, and Anaheim were quite high on Bonino at the time. He was running their 2nd PP unit I do believe. Never was able to replicate that success in Van, and had limited success in Pitts. Though I still stand pat turning Mallet into Pouliot was a good set of moves. Good post.

Regardless if we gave up a 4th, it's still a big win. The probability of us getting a player even as good as Pouliot is very slim.

Well said Alf, I think I'm just in a bad mood cooped up in this hospital.

Mallet (ECHL) for Pedan (KHL) for Pouliot (NHL) Again, do people even fact check themselves before posting?

Im honestly just tired of repeating myself, you can read through the thread on why I think you're wrong.

Once again I ask. Where would this team be today with Kesler/Bonino, McCann, Pedan, and Forsling?

Few more posts like that and you'll be making another new account.

Yea, I don't think people really understand what the average career in the NHL looks like. Nor do they understand how unlikely it is for a 2nd round pick to become a full time NHLer, let alone an above average player.

Agreed, i remember him coming out and saying he wanted to blow the team up a lot earlier, too bad his scouting staff was terrible, and he made a lot of poor draft picks I think GMMG with Benning as Assistant GM couldve been a great duo

I remember reading that the 10th OA was not available from Anaheim, and Gibson Vatanen and Theodore were definitely not up for grabs. I also agree with the sentiment that the retool wad a bad idea, but i think Aquaman was desperate to sell seats, and i do believe we made the playoffs with Bonino, so according to Aquaman, not the fans, that season was successful. But I also, as a fan, would "fire" Aquaman over Benning

Detroit also had assets to trade. Benning had an Edler who wont waive, Sedins who weren't getting traded, and though i disagree with the trade overall, a Kesler who basically pigeon holed himself to Anaheim. The Canucks had a bare cupboard with an old washed up core. Benning was essentially building a team from scratch. People really under estimate the damage GMMG did

I agree with your sentiments on Kesler, but those trades people are scrutinizing are mostly Benning turning GMMG busts and expiring NHLers into servicable YOUNG nhlers who show promise and line up with the rebuild timeline. To sum it up, and please answer honestly, given their production after the trade, no anecdotals or hypothetical. Would you trade... Goldobin 4th(?) for Hansen Granlund for Shinkaruk Baertschi for 2nd(Rasmus Anderson) Dahlen for Burrows Motte Jokinen for Vanek He made the team better with what he had. That is good value for the leftovers we traded away. Dont know what else you think you could've got. I guess next time he should let them walk like Hamhuis?

I still think Jake will take another big step next year. He's only 22 and already a main stay on an NHL team. He has shown top 6 potential and is arguably the 2nd or 3rd fastest skater in the NHL already. Like I said, I'm happy with both... A lot of people are sleeping on OJ on this board.

@Toews before we continue, I actually want to apologize for being crass. You weren't even the one I was annoyed with, but regardless there was no need for me to be an donkey about it.

To be fair, Benning whiffed on two top 5 selections. Virtanen, as much as I like him, and Olli Juolevi. But Im happy to have both

https://www.google.com/search?q=average+career+length+of+nhl+player Does that help at all?

and who would slot in to replace them. Where would the upgrade come from?

-srry meant to be an edit