JamesB Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 When Benning was hired last summer there was a lot of goodwill. He benefited from the "anyone but Gillis movement" and from the halo effect of being hired by the very popular Trevor Linden. The team defined success as making the playoffs, so TL and JB claimed success in today's news conference (April 29). But I think Benning will get a much more critical appraisal this summer. First, I am not convinced that this year's performance earns Benning a lot of credit. Last summer I felt that my own expectations were about average -- I expected the Canucks to contend for the playoffs, probably make it, and then lose in the first round. That is what happened and is what a lot of people expected to happen. I would say this season was neither a failure nor a big success relative to expectations. I think the big reason for the improvement over last year was due to having a real coach (WD) after last year's train wreck with Tortorella. As a result we got a big bounce-back from the Sedins, Edler, Burrows, etc. Statistically, that is the biggest difference. New players helped, particularly Vrbata, Horvat, and Kenins. Vrbata was a Benning pick-up; Horvat and Kenins were from the Gillis era. Lack also played very well and was also a holdover. Benning's other big moves that affected this year's performance were the Miller pick-up, the Kesler trade, and the trade of Garrison for a second round pick (which turned into Linden Vey). The jury is out on Miller. He has a high cap hit and his save percentage was below the NHL average and well below Lack's. And let's face it, the final playoff game was a big disappointment. Yes Miller was still getting over his injury, but that was an opportunity for the big investment in Miller to pay off, and it didn't. There is room for disagreement but it is at least possible that that the Canucks would have been better off with Lack and Markstrom. That is my opinion. The Kesler trade brought in Bonino, Sbisa, and a low first round pick (McCann). Kesler had to go and Benning did not have many options. But I do not know who else Benning might have got from Anaheim instead of Bonino and Sbisa. Both were very disappointing in the playoffs and were up and down in the regular season. And Benning overpaid to re-sign Sbisa. I hated trading Garrison for a second round pick in order to create cap room. Garrison had a great year in Tampa and he was a great guy and a local guy, and asking him to waive his NTC still does not feel right. And the second round pick was traded for Linden Vey, who has to be viewed as a disappointment so far. We think the draft was good but of course will not know for a while yet. The big issue is whether Virtanen turns out to be better than Nylander, Ehlers, and Ritchie, who were all picked later. The jury is out. I sense some unease about Benning. He paid a lot for Sbisa, Dorsett, Miller, Tanev, and even Vrabta (who I agree turned out to be good value). He did nothing at the trade deadline to pick up draft picks. He has said he plans to re-sign Weber, which has a lot of people scratching their heads. The moves he makes leading up to the draft and later in the summer will be important. And next year we will need to see more returns from his acquisitions (Sbisa, Clendening, Vey, Baertschi, Pedan, Virtanen, McCann, Miller, etc.) We need a lot more than the one unambiguous positive from this year (Vrbata). I don't think the fan base has bought into the claim that the team is trending up. I haven't. It looks to me like the team has lost ground to Calgary and Edmonton this year, and I don't see LA and Anaheim and San Jose going way. And I think Benning will be on a short leash from the fans' point of view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spotted Zebra Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 First of all, Garisson may have been a great guy, but he was owed nothing. I'm glad Benning had the stones to ask him to waive and I hope he asks Juice sooner than later. This leash you speak of is not as short as you speak, the test of his mind, will be if the team misses the playoffs this year, is he smart enough to sell, or is he going to keep signing stop gaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuongo Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 We sure are tough on these guys. Jesus I'm going to trust their judgement more than anyone's opinion on this forum. Lets see what happens shall we. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuck73_3 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 We sure are tough on these guys. Jesus I'm going to trust their judgement more than anyone's opinion on this forum. Everyone knows Luca Sbisa is the worst hockey player ever, someone on CDC said it. CDC >>>>>>>>>>Benning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Karlsson Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Agreed, I'm not liking a lot of Benning's moves. Sbisa should not have gotten that much of a raise and should have been signed after the playoffs since he played so bad. Dorsett is overpaid too, there are lots of guys who can play his role for much cheaper, he was a no show in the playoffs imo. He was supposed to be like our Ferland, but didn't even record a hit some games. I'm not really sold on him being some super scout yet either. Vey and Clendening were both very underwhelming and I have no idea why he signed Sautner. I guess we'll have to wait and see next year. It sounds like WD doesn't want young guys on the team, even after Horvat proved him wrong and his team got beat by another team led by a bunch of rookies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRussianRocket. Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 What? smh This won't be fixed in the summer. It'll be fixed as our top prospects transition into the NHL and take over as the veterans age out. It'll take a lot of time and patience, not one summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 FIX THE DEFENSE. I almost don't even care at this point what he does with the forwards or our 3 goalie "problem". Our defense is a small, slow, hodgepodge of mediocrity and uncomplimentary role players. FIX IT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithers joe Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 it is a test every summer for every gm...they have a plan and are sticking to it...i agree with everything he's said so far...easy to see that he is a smart hockey man...plus he doesn't take his advice from cdc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanuck Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 JB has stated from the beginning that he wants to build a winning culture around this organization - culture doesn't get created overnight (or even in one season for that matter). Unlike other people, I'm ok with this team being ok (competetive, but not elite) for a couple years before they are great. People who want the team to be great overnight should time-travel back to the 90's before the salary cap and see how that worked out for most teams in the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lui's Knob Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 After the presser today, management pretty much accepted defeat and it was part of the process. While nothing earth shattering, could see the following in the offseason: - Dmen group back minus Stanton and one of hamhuis and bieksa (weber signed? Ugh) - Mattias and Richardson dealt for mid round picks - Will look a scooping up a younger player waiting to breakout but stuck on depth chain (similar to Vey, Pedan) - Kassian may or may not stay - if o Connor signs, 2 goalies go; if he doesn't only one goes (likely lack outside chance of markstrom) - one veteran moves either Higgins/Hansen/vrbata - canucks stay picking at 23 in the first round and don't choose a defensemen - UFA will be a couple minor depth signings nothing more - Virtanen given every chance to impress at camp; Cassels or McCann still the show instead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
250Integra Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 After the presser today, management pretty much accepted defeat and it was part of the process. While nothing earth shattering, could see the following in the offseason: - Dmen group back minus Stanton and one of hamhuis and bieksa (weber signed? Ugh) - Mattias and Richardson dealt for mid round picks - Will look a scooping up a younger player waiting to breakout but stuck on depth chain (similar to Vey, Pedan) - Kassian may or may not stay - if o Connor signs, 2 goalies go; if he doesn't only one goes (likely lack outside chance of markstrom) - one veteran moves either Higgins/Hansen/vrbata - canucks stay picking at 23 in the first round and don't choose a defensemen - UFA will be a couple minor depth signings nothing more - Virtanen given every chance to impress at camp; Cassels or McCann still the show instead Matthias and Richardson are UFA's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John316 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 My personal opinion is I always felt Gillis was an incredible GM to bring us to odds on favorites for the Stanley Cup 2011, 2 back to back President Trophy's. I always felt after ownership got too involved Gillis couldn't make the decisions he really wanted. Even Benning said IF the Canucks were not so injured Boston would have NOT won the Cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithers joe Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Everyone knows Luca Sbisa is the worst hockey player ever, someone on CDC said it.CDC >>>>>>>>>>Benning.what do you mean everybody?...d-men take longer to reach their potential and benning got him because he was physical..everyone wants to get younger but aren't willing to live with the growing pains...we have horvat, kenins, vey, kassian, corrodo, clendening, baerschi, and stanton all still learning their trade..if virtanen, shinkaruk, mccann, jensen, pedan, subban, or gaunce can make the team, there will be a lot more growing pains..but will the fans be able to live with it and still buy tickets.?...i doubt it...you move the core out, when the younger guys can take their jobs from them...exactly what benning, linden and willie were saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuck73_3 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 what do you mean everybody?...d-men take longer to reach their potential and benning got him because he was physical..everyone wants to get younger but aren't willing to live with the growing pains...we have horvat, kenins, vey, kassian, corrodo, clendening, baerschi, and stanton all still learning their trade..if virtanen, shinkaruk, mccann, jensen, pedan, subban, or gaunce can make the team, there will be a lot more growing pains..but will the fans be able to live with it and still buy tickets.?...i doubt it...you move the core out, when the younger guys can take their jobs from the...exactly what benning, linden and willie were saying. Was being sarcastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herberts Vasiljevs Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Only idiots have Benning on their short leash and think that the retool can be fixed in just one summer... People need to just sit back and shut up. Grab a beer and watch the draft or something. I dunno… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Only idiots have Benning on their short leash and think that the retool can be fixed in just one summer... People need to just sit back and shut up. Grab a beer and watch the draft or something. I dunno… Nope, going to take last summer, this summer and probably another 1-2 summers before it's largely "fixed". That said, I do hope (and believe he will) to see some fairly drastic changes to our D in particular this summer, this season and the following summer. It's far from being competitive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HC20.0 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 People need to chill and be patient. We're rebuilding whether you admit it or not. We're staying competitive, but still rebuilding. Be patient, rebuilds take awhile. We wont magically be elite in 1 summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Marchand Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 People think CDCers are harsh? Read HFBoards, the Canucks section already thinks he's the worst GM in the league and should be fired immediately. A team lots of people said on that forum wasn't good enough to make the playoffs bounces back and suddenly last season was entirely Torts' fault. Now JB is an idiot for signing Miller, trading Garrison, trading for Vey, bringing in Baertschi and Clendening, and extending Dorsett & Sbisa to cap-crippling contracts. Apparently that's going to be the downfall of the team. Might even cost the team some young players, as if the ones actually making money can't be moved. Not to mention that players, let alone those 25 and under, are as good as you will ever see them and never develop or improve. Not going to say Benning is perfect because he isn't. Mistakes were made, so be it. But believing he isn't a complete idiot doesn't make me one, either (according to those people, anyone who doesn't think JB is the league's worst GM isn't a credible poster). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THERETOOL Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 People need to chill and be patient. We're rebuilding whether you admit it or not. We're staying competitive, but still rebuilding. Be patient, rebuilds take awhile. We wont magically be elite in 1 summer. your right but its easier said than done .. that playoff failure was a tough pill to swallow .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lui's Knob Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Matthias and Richardson are UFA's Teama get first dibs on them in exchange for a low pick to talk to them... Smh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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