Ossi Vaananen Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 He has every team's depth chart on his office walls, pretty committed guy. VANCOUVER - He may be able to remake a team, but Jim Benning could use some help from Martha Stewart redecorating a workspace. Three months into his job as the Vancouver Canucks’ general manager, Benning’s office remains sterile white, largely uncluttered by artwork, pictures and memorabilia. The last occupant, former GM Mike Gillis, had a big photo of himself and a trophy fish. Brian Burke proudly displayed a portrait from his minor-league playing days: Burke bloodied but stoic. (He was injured in the warm-up). Benning could show off a photo, too — for instance, holding the Stanley Cup he won three years ago. “I just cleaned my office up,” Benning said Thursday. “I usually have these sheets spread out all over the office. I like to keep wall space available.” Benning is an active thinker. He writes down ideas, makes lists, charts. He has a hand-written roster of his team, with age, salaries and contract status noted by the players’ names. Another poster-size sheet displays the traits he believes a Canuck should possess. But Benning’s masterpiece is a positional depth chart that includes every team in the National Hockey League, penned by Benning on feltboard and arranged by team rank. It contains the colour-coded names of more than 700 NHL players and occupies most of the south wall of Benning’s office at Rogers Arena. It’s like what Michelangelo might have created for the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were he a hockey nerd and not a Renaissance genius. “This is my work space,” Benning explained. “I need to know every player in the league. This is just an example, but if I’m talking to Anaheim and (GM) Bob Murray and I say I want Jakob Silverberg or Kyle Palmieri included in the Kesler trade, and Bob says, ‘I can’t do that or I’ll have no right-wingers,’ I can say: ‘Actually, you still have Corey Perry, Palmieri, (Devante) Smith-Pelley and (Tim) Jackman.’ ” Benning, of course, traded Kesler to Anaheim on June 27 for centre Nick Bonino, defenceman Luca Sbisa, a first-round draft pick and a swap of third-rounders, which allowed the Canucks to acquire Derek Dorsett from the New York Rangers. It was the most important day in a titanic draft week in which Benning and team president Trevor Linden profoundly altered the Canuck landscape, making the team younger and deeper. That week began with the hiring of Willie Desjardins as head coach and was followed by free agency and the signing of starting goalie Ryan Miller and offensive winger Radim Vrbata, who will probably play this season with Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Benning packed a year of change into 10 days. If ever someone needed a summer holiday, it was Benning. “I put some pressure on myself because I know ... that’s one of those times in the year you can get stuff done,” Benning said. “I understood I had a window. I’m glad we were able to do the things we did because it pushed up the curve for us to have success. “We have six new players from last year — that’s a third of the team. I think we did the things we set out to accomplish. If we go into the season with this group, I’m happy. I think we’ve gotten younger, I think we’re more enthusiastic and have more energy, we’ve got a deeper roster and when Ryan Miller is on his game he’s one of the top six goalies in the league.” As non-B.C.-based players trickle back into town for the start of training camp in Whistler in three weeks, Benning said he likes the projected lineup far more now than when Linden hired him on May 21. “From the players that were here last year to the players we acquired, they all have something to prove,” he said. “The players that were here want to recapture where they were the previous couple of years, and the players we acquired all have something to prove to themselves and each other.” Benning is emphatic that the Canucks can be a 100-point playoff team and doesn’t accept the popular theory that even if they are that, their Stanley Cup tournament will be over early against a Pacific Division monster like the Los Angeles Kings. He is equally emphatic that the wave of newly acquired Canucks doesn’t preclude prospects like Bo Horvat or Nicklas Jensen from making the lineup. “If these guys come in and show they deserve to be on the team, then I’ll move somebody to make room for them,” Benning said. “But it’s going to be earned, not given. Coming from the organizations I worked for previously (Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres), we let players develop properly in the minor leagues. I don’t want to rush our players on development. I’m glad we have good, young players. But they have to earn their spot on the teams, and when they do we’ll make room for them.” Benning’s summer holidays consisted of a few short visits home to the Portland area, where he and wife Rhonda own a rural acreage and horses. Mostly, he has continued working, walking to his office from the couple’s Olympic Village condo. Benning returned this week from the Canucks Autism Network fishing derby in Haida Gwaii. Benning, who hadn’t gone saltwater fishing since leaving Vancouver as a player 24 years ago, caught an 18-pound salmon. He said a sea lion stole his biggest fish as it was being landed. For a change, the big one got away from Benning. “The last four days, I spent with Dan Hamhuis and Ryan Stanton,” Benning said, referring to Canuck defencemen. “I said to Willie: ‘Crap, if all of our guys are high-end guys like this, we’ll have something here.’ If you get a group of guys together that have the talent to win, then want to support each other and help each other, and be responsible and accountable, then there’s no ceiling on what they can accomplish.” The ceiling, too, is blank. http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Benning+remake+Canucks+uncluttered+picture/10158316/story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Gillis had a picture of himself holding up a fish, Benning has depth charts... Read into it what you will, but I personally like the lack of arrogance from this guy. It's a breath of fresh air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I Benning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spotted Zebra Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Gillis had a picture of himself holding up a fish, Benning has depth charts... Read into it what you will, but I personally like the lack of arrogance from this guy. It's a breath of fresh air. All that' proves is Gillis is human. If I'd caught a fish that big you bet I'd have a framed picture of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tearloch7 Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Tremendous read Ossi .. thanks a lot for sharing .. this just made me feel very positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrChill Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Nice little article nothing new, but it is the low time of year. Can't wait till penticton starts up as it snowballs from there into the season. Should be a interesting year no matter what happens with trader Jim at the helm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 All that' proves is Gillis is human. If I'd caught a fish that big you bet I'd have a framed picture of it Whether a big picture of himself was a testament to his arrogance, I don't know. But there's no denying that Gillis was an arrogant human being. Everyone in the media who had to deal with him knew that. Even his actions proved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harvey Specter Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Thanks for posting this Ossi! He has every team's depth chart on his office walls, pretty committed guy. It's awesome seeing him smile (well... the Jim Benning kind), now that he's settled into his workspace and ready to take on the season. #IsItOctoberYet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollieo Del Fuego Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Seems like a guy who can actually do his job rather than just defend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhillipBlunt Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 This guy lives and breathes hockey. The fact that he is preparing already in such an in-depth way bodes extremely well for the future of this team. Having the trifecta of Benning, Desjardins, and Linden is something to look forward to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I like Benning, but there are mixed messages. He likes his group, but has a wall in his office dedicated to trading them? He thinks we've gotten younger, but our biggest signings are 33yrs old apiece? He's not arrogant, but he thinks he's turned a team from 6th-worst to being able to defeat the cup champs after a handful of moves? - Okay he wasn't quoted on that. Hmmm, I think one thing is definitely uncluttered about this picture... ps. Somebody get him a laptop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I like Benning, but there are mixed messages. He likes his group, but has a wall in his office dedicated to trading them? He thinks we've gotten younger, but our biggest signings are 33yrs old apiece? He's not arrogant, but he thinks he's turned a team from 6th-worst to being able to defeat the cup champs after a handful of moves? - Okay he wasn't quoted on that. Hmmm, I think one thing is definitely uncluttered about this picture... ps. Somebody get him a laptop? Bonino - 26 Sbisa - 24 Vey - 23 Dorsett - 27 We definitely got younger. As for wanting to trade everybody, I don't see that. He just seems like a guy who not only likes to know everything about his own roster but about other rosters too. That shows that he's sizing up the competition and is aware of possible moves to upgrade this team. I like it. He definitely never implied that we're cup contenders yet. We definitely should be a much more competitive team than last year though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rollieo Del Fuego Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Younger would be Bonino, Sbisa and Vey, he likely thinks Jensen or Horvat will make it from the get go and maybe an injury call up (Gaunce, Fox, Shink, Grennier,etc.,) makes it by mid season. That's 2 or 3 vet's to trade by the deadline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrible.dee Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Very interesting read, Made me think about how important relationships and having a network of people you trust are in that job. If you're thinking about bringing a player in you have to know people who know him to find out if he's a personality that would fit. You also have to know those people will tell you the truth, and have other people you can call to see if their answers are similar. Very "people person" job, I don't think I would be able to do it. Also shines on light on the disadvantage Gillis had being a former agent and all, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrible.dee Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Whether a big picture of himself was a testament to his arrogance, I don't know. But there's no denying that Gillis was an arrogant human being. Everyone in the media who had to deal with him knew that. Even his actions proved it. Not asking for a link, but are you saying you have direct personal knowledge of Gills being labeled "arrogant" by people who had to deal with him often? Mistrust of the media can lead one to act in ways that might be construed as arrogant, and I think Gillis had every right to be mistrustful of them, I have never heard a first hand report on Gillis' persona from someone who knew him, however my impression of him through the media is of a guy who enjoys working behind the scenes but hated being in the spotlight. I never perceived it as arrogance, just a guy trying to get through an interview who knows he isn't very good at doing them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Sestito Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 He's emphatic about the guys being ready. Okay, the guys coming into training camp hungry that currently aren't penciled in include Jensen, Horvat, Gaunce, Shinkaruk, & Corrado. Even if one does show enough, that means it's going to be a top nine role because playing a young kid in a fourth line role would be redundant. I do believe his top nine is Daniel - Henrik - Vrbata Burrows - Bonino - Kassian Higgins - Vey - Hansen. Gotta believe that it would be the bolded who are shopped. I think he wants Corrado in the AHL again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balls of Bure Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 "Brian Burke proudly displayed a portrait from his minor-league playing days: Burke bloodied but stoic. (He was injured in the warm-up)." LOL Ryan Stanton is "High-end" ? News to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Not asking for a link, but are you saying you have direct personal knowledge of Gills being labeled "arrogant" by people who had to deal with him often? Mistrust of the media can lead one to act in ways that might be construed as arrogant, and I think Gillis had every right to be mistrustful of them, I have never heard a first hand report on Gillis' persona from someone who knew him, however my impression of him through the media is of a guy who enjoys working behind the scenes but hated being in the spotlight. I never perceived it as arrogance, just a guy trying to get through an interview who knows he isn't very good at doing them. You're not serious are you? Gillis was the king of arrogance. Nothing was ever his fault, and everything was by design or part of "the process". He was right even when he was wrong. The guy deflected every ounce of blame to circumstances or onto someone else. It's the only way he was able to hold onto his job after two first round exits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhillipBlunt Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I ran into Gillis at the Chevron on MacDonald and 16th in the middle of June. He still had that silly throatee. As he was filling his tank, I called out and said "Thanks for 2011!" Wasn't sure what else I should say. He looked up and instead of smiling and returning the goodwill of a fan, he shot me a dirty look and got back into his car. Then he sped off heading east on 16th, cutting off a bus. In hindsight, I think I probably should have thanked him for dealing so well with Luongo and Schneider, and told him to go fuck his hat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrible.dee Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Younger would be Bonino, Sbisa and Vey, he likely thinks Jensen or Horvat will make it from the get go and maybe an injury call up (Gaunce, Fox, Shink, Grennier,etc.,) makes it by mid season. That's 2 or 3 vet's to trade by the deadline. I would disagree, I was given the impression that either of those guys you mentioned would have to outplay a vet, to land a spot. He also said he has no problem parking someone in the minors. I disagree with that philosophy for the most part. Sometimes the best route of development is to "give" a prospect a spot, even if he didn't outplay a vet to get it. On the job training, for some, is the best route to fulfilling their potential. I know a few people who have not been given positions based on short term testing, who would have proved their worth over a longer sample period. (Not in Hockey, other businesses) had they been given the opportunity. Because they did just that when hired elsewhere. It's kind of a catch 22: You're not getting this job because you have no experience, and you're not doing it better than the other guy with years of experience over a 3 week period." Of course the guy with more experience is going to be better! Not against developing guys in the minors, just that sometimes that might not be the best way to develop them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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