terrible.dee

Don't worry, Gaunce is going to score in the NHL, it may not be a ton, but he's going to make his mark.

Hasn't Gaunce been rehabbing some injury this summer? That will really hold him back for the first half of the year

It really is sounding like he's taken his opportunity seriously, and although I don't see him being a top 6 player, it's looking like he will have an NHL career at least. Really glad, hate to see kids blow opportunities like he has.

Unlikely, he's making the big bucks, he's calling the shots, and the bucks are BIGGER in the KHL right now, why would he want to play here, if he can make more money playing at home? JB should have asked himself these questions instead of reading his height, weight and saying "Sold !"

JB was guilty of bad amateur level scouting on that pick, there is a clear reason why a guy of that stature fell to the second round and would have fallen much farther if JB hadn't have blundered onto the scene. You don't just read the guys stats and watch some video, you have to TALK to him and find out what his motives are. The myth of JB being good at the draft is just that, so far he has Boesser to show for all his opportunities....that's it. Talk to me about Jolevi, Peterson, and Virtanen when they have actually ACCOMPLISHED something in the NHL, every year JB passes on top line, to pick guys who are inferior, this year someone drafted AFTER Peterson will come into the league and provide a team with EXACTLY what we need, remember this everyone: If JB wasn't so god awful at the draft table, our rebuild would be over: Ehlers, Pasternak, Arvidson, and Tkachuk would make the difference, come back and argue with me when one of JB's "Off the board" pick-ups is worth a cup of coffee in the NHL, because right now, only Boesser is.

OMG..........Canucks! Hire some decent phony posters PLEASE....whoever you are paying to write this garbage is embarrassingly bad at it.....

Vegas Honestly, I blame his bad season on him KNOWING this was a cash-out deal, and that he really didn't want to play for a team like this, with his money guaranteed and the realization that he doesn't enjoy playing here his intrinsic motivation is at zero.....he needs to go, and I personally don't think he would block a trade either, this obviously isn't fun for him either.

The Canucks org. is getting WAAAY too obvious with the "astroturfing" and phony profiles, What's their QC test? Show the post to Benning? "Huhhuh! Sure fooled me!....any more F.A's we can sign? Don't want no depth problems in the playoffs this year."

My god, the truth has become very unpopular at this website......gee, I wonder why that is? Don't sweat the minuses buddy, I think there are only maybe 10 legit profiles still posting here, and none of them don't know what you said was true.

Yeah....this is from a legit profile, no "Astroturfing" here 100% legit fan opinion, brought to you by Dim Jim and....someone who should know better.

I think I was responding to the guy who you were responding to, I didn't intend to target you with it. Sorry about that.

This is the entertainment biz.....period, If some are more entertained by watching the intricacies, intrigue and "what goes down must come up" realities of building a team who might conceivably win a championship, who are you to tell them they should be enjoying it in some other way? To some, the prospects of "hot shot" roster building and the historic cap on success such tactics install, really isn't that much fun to watch. A haphazardly slapped together group of mercenaries trapping their way to round 2 of the SCPO, doesn't have quite the same emotional impact as watching a young group of players grow up, learn how to lose and eventually win together. The fact is this whole "YOU MUST ALWAYS WANT TO WIN OR YOU ARE BAAAAAD" choir of parrots didn't start their "Monkey hear, monkey say" routine until several years back when Brian Burke (With the Flames) went on an anti-tank tirade, the media picked up on it and ever since the sheeple have been "baaahhing" along, like it was ever their opinion, to begin with, No, you don't have to "ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS" (TM) You don't HAVE to do anything, this team is not the Police or Ambulance service, or another type of essential service.' It exists solely for the entertainment of its customers, you buy your ticket, you're entitled to enjoy or object to the obstacles to enjoyment as you see fit. In this day and age, the big corporate buzz slogan is" "A great brand tells its customers what they need to buy, not the other way around" And you don't need to look too far to see evidence of that here or anywhere else your dollars are being solicited, but a few of us hold outs know when a white wall has been painted black, we don't wait for the painting company to tell us which color it is. So keep your "Always.." and "Musts..." to yourself.....because they weren't even your opinion, to begin with,

He could really benefit from two linemates who don't mind laying the body...that line could work out, on paper it's amazing

That's an old school hockey line right there! Flashy RW / playmaking 2wC / LW powerforward Ahhh...pre "Devil's in '95 " Hockey, If you weren't there.....you missed out

The only guy I desperately want starting in the "A" would be Erikson

Sutter? You mean Gandalf? Jake needs someone he can give and go with, someone who can take advantage of his speed and get him the puck in full flight.....someone who likes to pass, that ain't Sutter, Maybe Gagne

Come on.....now you just sound like you're getting paid to post, "Astroturfing" is the term I'm looking for. Reality needs no outside interpretation, it's there, you can SEE it, the poster you are arguing with speaks the truth, and the truth is never complicated though those who are uncomfortable with it would have you believe it is. At any rate, training camp is on the horizon and Jake will have a clean slate to work with, he will show us what kind of player he his, and it will be what it is. No spins necessary, the truth about Jake Virtanen will tell it's self. I hope he does well.

It doesn't matter if you're playing against men if you are in a "No-hitting" league Excuse me....tier two....."No-hitting" league

Word on the street is he's under contract to his tier 2 (that's second rate, btw, he's not in the SEL in case anyone was confused) Swedish team for next year, and plans to play the next three years in Sweden. Probably has goals like, making the SEL, winning a championship there and such...maybe then he'll consider the Canucks, Looks like this guy won't be seen around these parts for a long long...long time Cool Oh and one more thing, I watched some highlights and from what I can tell he plays in a "No contact" league, on the big ice, That should get him nice and ready....like Phillip Larson, ready Kid may have talent but he isn't training to be an NHL player, that seems like a "Maybe latter on....at some point, kind of thing for him" But that's fine, we're all good over here....enjoy that big ice buddy

I don't understand why we didn't pick someone to play with Bo NOW We HAVE one of the two most important pieces possible, today was our shot at the other one, Why is Benning drafting for 3 years down the road? We aren't Detroit in 2009, trying to keep prospects far away until our vets retire, we need the best players we can get RIGHT NOW Benning did not get us that, look at the scouting lists, he went off the board AGAIN, If he had a great track record of making gut picks then fine, but his gut picks are always WRONG I repeat, he just did it again, it makes no sense, he did not give us the best chance at the best player He did..........I don't know what the hell he's doing

I strongly disagree, I feel he relies on his skating being so far ahead of his inferior competition that he is playing a game right now that will not be possible in the NHL. I think he may find himself in the AHL trying to re-build his entire game, I feel pretty strongly that's the case, and the Avs being what they are is why I laughed, in my mind he was the WORST choice. But, I hope I'm wrong and the kid has a great career.

Ummm....ok......is that "Benning-eese" or something? Because in English that post doesn't really do much, I suspect it's your attempt at a zinger but much like todays pick.....it uh, lacks.....well, it just lacks. Try for a patented "Benning-screw-up-Double-Down" What else ya got? I could use a laugh.....

OMG....the Avs got Makar??!?! Hilarious! Sakic and Benning......what a pair!

You don't pick some guy with #5 because some other guy who may never even make the league is on the same team as him.....you don't say "Hmm, this guy is better, but these two have played together.....yeah, let's draft him" That is the thought process of an idiot. A skilled pro, will make things work, he doesn't need his Jr. Hockey line-mates there to hold his hand. If this was his reasoning, our GM is not a smart man.

That list was ONLY FOR EUROPEAN SKATERS He was the #5 EURO SKATER, not including North Americans #10 sure #5? Whatever, we've done this too many times before......let Benning play at whatever he's playing at, I don't have to watch it, at least he will be enjoying the Canucks