Bruce Boudreau Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 THOMAS DRANCE JULY 1, 2015, 6:28 PM It’s fitting that the Vancouver Canucks, who struggled so mightily in April to transition the puck in a first-round playoff series loss to the Calgary Flames, have appeared to struggle in making the larger transition from a contending team to a rebuilding one. Jim Benning’s Canucks rebuild isn’t a traditional one. There is no talk of tanking on Griffiths Way. There are only discussions of how winning is a crucial part of the player development process. “We want to be competitive,” Benning told the media Wednesday afternoon. “We want to develop our kids in a winning environment, so we want to be competitive for a playoff spot.” Make no mistake though: despite the Canucks’ short-term playoff aspirations, this is a club that is looking to the future and playing a longer game. It has been an occasionally painful, and messy process. For Canucks fans it’s been frustrating to observe, particularly as the rest of the Pacific Division has actively improved, and improved enormously. The Los Angeles Kings have loaded up for one more run, and the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers have positioned themselves to be juggernauts for years to come. Meanwhile the Canucks spent the past few weeks housekeeping. “To make big moves you need cap space and you need good young prospects in your system,” explained Benning, summarizing his team’s moves during a busy week. OVER $2.6 BILLION IN SALARIES HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO NHL PLAYERS ON DAY 1 OF #NHLFREEAGENCY SINCE 2008. — SPORTSNET STATS (@SNSTATS) JULY 1, 2015 This wasn’t Vancouver’s year to make those moves, to hear Benning tell it. They didn’t have cap space, and they don’t have the depth in their system. “We’re just starting that process, I would say,” Benning continued. “We’ve had now three good drafts and we don’t want to move any of our good young prospects. We’re just starting to build up depth in our system.” Like at the 2015 NHL trade deadline, this isn’t a team that’s carrying itself like a contender. It’s partly because they recognize that they’re not at that stage yet. During the past seven days the Canucks dealt Kevin Bieksa, a well liked, but aging veteran who was penciled onto their third defense pair; they dealt a backup goaltender with the potential to be a decent starter in fan favourite Eddie Lack and they traded an underachieving young forward in Zack Kassian. In completing these deals the Canucks shed enough cap space to retain key power-play contributor Yannick Weber and to sign a 27-year-old puck mover in Matt Bartkowski to affordable one-year contracts. They willing parted with a fifth-round pick in order to rid themselves of Kassian and received in exchange a useful contributing pugilist in Brandon Prust. Bieksa netted the club a second-round pick from the Anaheim Ducks, and Lack brought back a third-round selection, which the club used to select Guillame Briseboise. Looked at individually, some of those deals netted Vancouver poor value. Lack generated less of a return on the trade market than any of the other goaltenders dealt over the past 10 days, and he has a legitimate shot at outperforming all of them next season. The way Bieksa’s situation played out was modestly embarrassing for all parties involved. Kassian is still a work in progress, but if he can figure it out, that trade could be a steal for the Montreal Canadiens, something Benning admitted willingly on Wednesday. “With a young player, they have a window of opportunity to prove what they can be in the league and for whatever reason we couldn’t find it with Zack on a consistent basis,” Benning said. “That’s not to say that with a fresh start on a new team that he can’t be the player that he thinks he can be…” As a whole however, Vancouver managed to upgrade the speed and depth of their back-end, they added some decent draft picks, and they carved out salary cap space for next summer and beyond. If the moves were underwhelming individually, on the whole, you can see why the Canucks feel that their gradualist approach to rebuilding took a step forward. Small as that step may be. “We’re in a transition period where we’ve got some good young players now in our system,” explained Benning. “When these guys are ready to play we want the room for them to step in and play. With cap room next year we can be more active in the high-end unrestricted market.” Finding room for young players, in part, explains why the club allowed Shawn Matthias and Brad Richardson to walk in free agency. It also explains why they deemed Kassian an expendable asset. “Basically we traded a right winger for a left winger, so now, with (Jake Virtanen) included in that group, we have five right wingers,” Benning said, explaining that he wanted any young players who earned a spot at training camp to have that opportunity. “Brad was a real good player for us last year, but we didn’t want to get locked in long term, on a player like that, because we want to make sure when our young kids are ready to come up and play that there’s an opportunity for them,” Benning added on the subject of Richardson, referring to the potential he sees in prospects Jared McCann and Cole Cassels. The risk that the Canucks are taking, of course, is that they’ll get stuck on the fringes of the playoff picture and prolong a potential period of mediocrity. As teams like the Buffalo Sabres and the Flames have recently demonstrated, you can rebuild quite rapidly if you’re bad enough for a year or two. That’s easy for analysts and fans to say though, and tougher for a business to execute. There is a high cost to rebuilding in a market place that certainly doesn’t compare to Edmonton or Toronto when it comes to fan loyalty. So this is what rebuilding looks like in Vancouver: a gradual, messy, competitive process. Is it a misguided process too? Time will tell. http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/welcome-to-vancouvers-long-messy-rebuild/ Decent read seems fair to question if Canucks can keep trying to be competitive while slowly ushering in a youth movement and retooling on the fly instead of doing a full rebuild like the Leafs are prepared to do. The writer also points out how Buffalo and Calgary are two teams who have turned it around rather quickly after getting rid of their dead weight. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
falcon45ca Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Such a foolish article, especially as it opens with a sentence describing the Canucks performance IN THE PLAYOFFS...rebuild teams should be so lucky to have a glimpse of the post season...just ask Flames fans of the past 6 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THERETOOL Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 depressing article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disaronno Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Everything he has written lately has been very negative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesB Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I think it is fair to say that the moves made this year have been "messy". Lack was a young, cheap and very popular goalie who had a much better SVP than Miller last year. He was traded because he was the only guy who could attract a meaningful offer -- and that was only a third rounder. Trading Bieksa was the right move, but he was popular player who has contributed a lot to the Canucks and to the community. And the Kassian deal was downright weird. Prust will apparently play LW next year ahead of Kenins. (The three LWs ahead on the depth chart are Daniel, Higgins, and Baertschi). I am not sure Prust is an upgrade at all. And he is overpaid with a 2.5 million cap hit. And he is an older player with only one year on his contract before he is a UFA. AND we gave up a fifth round pick. Bascially we paid Montreal to take Kassian. It would have been better to put Kassian on waivers. But I think the Canucks were afraid he would clear waivers and contaminate the young guys in Utica. The Canucks obviously feel he is a bad influence to have around. So, yeah, it was messy. The Canucks will do poorly next year, get a high draft pick, trade off vets for additional picks at the deadline and have a monster draft in 2016. Then I see things moving up as the good young guys in the pipeline start to mature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
combover Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Thanks Captian obvious. The deals look bad individually but even worse when you clump them together to see what was given up to what was returned . Robbed fleeced "it is what it is" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down by the River Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Kassian trade I didn't particularly like, but Benning really believes in ensuring that the well is never poisoned. He wants players that work their asses off. That's what Prust does, and if it rubs off on prospects, fantastic. A lot of one-year deals. Look at the UFA class of 2016. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=773024. It is phenomenal. Making petty moves now that ensure available salary next year could really help speed up the 're-tool' at the same time that some more prospects get ready to take the next step Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadcanucks Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 You knew this article was going to bad when Drance talks about transitioning from a contending team to a re-building one. The Canucks have been a bunch of pretenders since they got bounced by the Kings in the spring of 2012. Where's Drance been? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 What the article fails to mention about Calgary's rebuild is that they manage to get good returns for their expendable players. If Benning continues to get low value for our old core, it will prolong the rebuild even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaudette Celly Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Apparently none of the people calling for a rebuild are prepared to go through one. They even call this "not" a rebuild, and they're antsy about it already. They want vets shipped out and youth brought in, but then cry foul when their favourite player gets traded. Time for people to make up their mind. As for high draft picks, Calgary has had 4 and 6 the past two years, and 13 before that. Not near the same ineptitude as some teams (Buffalo, Edmonton, etc.). The difference with the Canucks and doing a rebuild is that they do already have some quality prospects, and ones that are ready to start coming in this year and next. In two years, a good number of them will be with the team. How quickly they produce and how good they become we won't know until it happens, but things aren't near as dire as they're made out to be. Toronto for example is just starting, and their prospect bin isn't much to look at. Maybe they can pad it up with more trades like today (Phaneuf) but they're stocking it with a lot of small players. I'd say people should wait for one year from now. A number of expiring contracts coming up which means capspace and probable trades for more picks. Things are going to look very different, very soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rounoush Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I was reading this earlier and this guy just fundamentally doesn't get it. This is a proper rebuild. The Edmonton way of just blowing everything up and bringing in kids just doesn't work all that well. Young players need to be brought into winning environments or their growth and confidence just disappears. Although I'm somewhat disappointed with the handling of the Kassian trade (I would have played him this season to, at least, try and raise his value a little), Benning has showed today that hard work and character are what he is looking for in players. He doesn't want floaters and he doesn't want guys who won't give 100%. This is important as it shows management is going all in on what it means to be a 'Canuck' and that they will work their hardest to make sure we are a hard working, character team every night and every year. This, above all else, is what makes me optimistic for the future. Where some say we are lacking a direction, I say the direction couldn't be more clear. We will only accept players on this team that truly have the heart of a Canuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsedin33 Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 my eyes... can you make a smaller font? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24K PureCool Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 JB don't messed up 2016 deadline and draft. If you play your cards right, you could turn around this ship over one season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken. Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 “We’re in a transition period where we’ve got some good young players now in our system,” explained Benning. “When these guys are ready to play we want the room for them to step in and play. With cap room next year we can be more active in the high-end unrestricted market.” Best part of the article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Soldier Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Apparently none of the people calling for a rebuild are prepared to go through one. They even call this "not" a rebuild, and they're antsy about it I'd say people should wait for one year from now. A number of expiring contracts coming up which means capspace and probable trades for more picks. Things are going to look very different, very soon. Save the pitchforks for the deadline, at least, people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Provost Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 JB don't messed up 2016 deadline and draft. If you play your cards right, you could turn around this ship over one season. Yep, a year too late I think... but realistic. We could have traded Higgins and Hansen last deadline for 2nd or 3rd rounders each (worse players were fetching that). Bieksa would have fetched more as well. At that time, we knew Horvat was solid so had an opportunity to slot in another youngster or two without significantly impacting our playoff aspirations. Would Baertschi for Higgins have made us that much worse? Jensen or another prospect for Hansen? Maybe slightly less defensively capable, but more offensive punch to offset it, especially when surrounded by vets as linemates. That isn't even blowing up the roster like some want, just a responsible steady introduction of youngsters into sheltered situations while maximizing our assets. Veteran players are worth more at the deadline, other teams give away draft picks like candy at that point in order for a sniff at a Stanley Cup run. Trading those same guys at the draft brings in squat because everyone values their draft picks more when they don't have a playoff run right in front of them. So we are left to do that this year, if we are way out of the playoffs you send out a bunch of guys, if we are within hitting distance, you send out the guys on expiring contracts for picks. You can then flip some of those picks at the draft for a good NHL player, and use some to select prospects. If we had have ditched Bieksa, Hansen, and Higgins last deadline we would have had the assets to trade for Lucic and/or Hamilton. Similar storylines could play out next draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireGillis Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 I was reading this earlier and this guy just fundamentally doesn't get it. This is a proper rebuild. I'm afraid you're the one that doesn't get it. This isn't a proper rebuild at all. You should have heard the people like ferraro on the tsn panel today and they have it right. They said the canucks are trying to do half a retool and half a rebuild and when you try to do two things at once you do neither one well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salmonberries Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 The article doesn't mention that Calgary spent years trying to 'rebuild on the fly' before finally committing to a proper rebuild. And that's where we are at today, of course. In that futility chase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24K PureCool Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Yep, a year too late I think... but realistic. We could have traded Higgins and Hansen last deadline for 2nd or 3rd rounders each (worse players were fetching that). Bieksa would have fetched more as well. At that time, we knew Horvat was solid so had an opportunity to slot in another youngster or two without significantly impacting our playoff aspirations. Would Baertschi for Higgins have made us that much worse? Jensen or another prospect for Hansen? Maybe slightly less defensively capable, but more offensive punch to offset it, especially when surrounded by vets as linemates. That isn't even blowing up the roster like some want, just a responsible steady introduction of youngsters into sheltered situations while maximizing our assets. Veteran players are worth more at the deadline, other teams give away draft picks like candy at that point in order for a sniff at a Stanley Cup run. Trading those same guys at the draft brings in squat because everyone values their draft picks more when they don't have a playoff run right in front of them. So we are left to do that this year, if we are way out of the playoffs you send out a bunch of guys, if we are within hitting distance, you send out the guys on expiring contracts for picks. You can then flip some of those picks at the draft for a good NHL player, and use some to select prospects. If we had have ditched Bieksa, Hansen, and Higgins last deadline we would have had the assets to trade for Lucic and/or Hamilton. Similar storylines could play out next draft. Problem was we were in a playoff position last year at deadline if JB traded anyone then this fanbase would have blown up. Next season is possible because there is a high probability that we won't be near a playoff spot due to increased competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Soldier Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 The article doesn't mention that Calgary spent years trying to 'rebuild on the fly' before finally committing to a proper rebuild. And that's where we are at today, of course. In that futility chase. Any reason you have to believe that more vets won't be moved at the deadline for picks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.