This is weird, if you've been following me this closely, you'd know I barely post here any more because it's a pro Benning site and I'd rather not bring the place down (I am no troll) Also even though this is the prediction thread designed not to debate in, you called me out personally, so I'll respond. Though I feel it's a waste of time since you seemed to already have written a back story for me
If you knew me and seen me on this site I am positive about moves a observe as positive and negative about those I disagree with. My metric to rate a GM is if he did a move for a team I hate would I have to admit it's a good move or not? Benning has made no such move in his time here. Benning has spent to the cap, created holes to plug others called "mission accomplished" that we'd compete and consistently bombed every season
I am aware that Rome wasn't built in a day. It's Jim "we can turn this franchise around in a hurry" Benning who didn't know that.
When we first got him, sure. That was exciting. It seemed like we were heading somewhere, we wanted a guy and got him. Things looking up after we turfed lamed duck Gillis out. Then he botched the Kesler trade, traded picks for waiver trash and rode the last gasp of what was a great team to one humiliating playoff defeat. The follwing seasons are one example after another of mediocre moves at best
had he started cleaning house, stockpiling picks and made savvy cheap moves you'd have never heard me say anything negative. He did the opposite. Think of where we would be now. At least better than a team that rank making the playoffs in a bad division and a league where half the teams make it as some kind of noteworthy accomplishment. (Probably from the same posters that trashed the Leafs for losing in the first round?)
You can point at EP40 if you like (you also can't find a post of me saying anything negative about him being picked, it doesn't exist) but I would counter to ask what ingenious move did Benning make to acquire him? Did he pull off a savvy deal or did he default into it after another failure season and get him through using one of the minimum picks the NHL hands to you that he actually went into a draft with? I'll credit the pick but it doesn't make Benning a good GM. The contracts for the two yoots are fine, if you can find me yelling about them somewhere as well then feel free to call me out on that. Doesn't forgive the horrid contracts to waiver replaceable bottom six trash, though. Benning still has brutal pro scouting.
Hey, if I'm wrong and we're a danger to win the cup I'll be happy to eat the plate of crow. Canucks are my only team. When we don;t make the playoffs I don't choose another team to cheer for, they all hate us and I hate them back. And if we don't make the playoffs or are blown out easily and early I won't even rub your nose in it because despite what you and other posters think, I don't want the team to fail. I just want better management.
I'm not going to pretend Benning is good just because it's my team.