Canucks’ four biggest mistakes of the past year

[Zuongo]

As Per Sportsnet:

When the Vancouver Canucks unveiled a new management regime, it was supposed to mark a fresh, positive chapter for the franchise.

Fan favourite and former captain Trevor Linden gave the makeover an appealing face as the team’s president of hockey operations, while longtime NHL executive Jim Benning brought experience and gravitas to the department.

The new administration handled its initial challenge — getting a suitable return for Ryan Kesler — and (rightly so) there was reason for optimism in British Columbia.

In the just over a year since, however, that optimism has been steadily chipped away as Linden and Benning have committed sins of commission and sins of omission, allowing a decent Canucks roster to slowly erode in some instances — and unintentionally helping it along in others.

The following are four key errors made by the franchise over the last year:

Choosing Ryan Miller over Eddie Lack
The Canucks solved their latest goaltending dilemma at the 2015 NHL Draft, shipping off cheap, young 1B goalie Eddie Lack to Carolina for an anemic return and thereby committing to Ryan Miller — an older, more expensive starter who had been outperformed by Lack the previous season.

It’s a difficult choice to defend from both a salary cap and a performance perspective. Miller has two years left at a cap hit of $6 million, while Lack has a single season left at $1.15 million. And, given the return the Canucks garnered, will still be significantly cheaper than Miller on his next contract.

Acquiring — and signing — Brandon Sutter
One of Vancouver’s key additions this summer was ex-Penguins centre Brandon Sutter, acquired at the cost of Nick Bonino along with various futures as sweeteners to the deal.

Sutter was promptly signed to a long-term contract at more than double Bonino’s cap hit, with the expectation that he’ll play a
key role down the middle in the future.

But there are problems. Touted as a big, physical, defensive centre, Sutter weighs pretty much the same as the Sedin twins, ranked 10th among Pittsburgh forwards in hits last season and routinely sees his team out-shot and out-scored when he’s on the ice despite the fact that he doesn’t often see top opposition. (Top opponents more commonly play against two guys named Crosby and Malkin.)

He’s also a black hole offensively at even-strength, as seen by this comparison of his last three seasons to the other guys who played centre for Vancouver last year:

Poor cap management
Making cap mistakes makes it increasingly difficult over time to keep good teams together. (Or in some cases, to tear bad teams apart.)

Over-spending on players is one of the worst mistakes a team can make, and often ends up costing a club guys who actually matter.

Just ask Chicago GM Stan Bowman about Bryan Bickell.

Vancouver has fallen into the bad habit of paying more than it needs to for replaceable pieces. The retention of Miller over Lack is a great example, as is Sutter’s long-term deal.

But these aren’t the only cases. Under Linden and Benning, the Canucks have made a habit of overpaying players. Luca Sbisa, Derek Dorsett and Brandon Prust were all signed or acquired under the watch of this administration, and Vancouver will spend a total of $8.75 million on what is essentially a No. 5 defenceman and two fourth-line wingers.

Altogether, the Canucks have spent nearly $7.5 million more on a quartet of players who make them worse than by simply retaining internal options would have.

Struggling to have an overall plan
More damning than any of the individual mistakes the Canucks have made is the lack of focus on an ultimate goal.

At the macro level it’s hard to see how the course Linden and Benning have steered moves the team in a winning direction.

The new management inherited a group of capable but older core players, which suggested one of two directions: Either they could build around that veteran core, pushing for a championship in the short-term, or they could make a concerted effort to get younger by moving veterans out while they had value and adding pieces for the long-term.

The managers have not aggressively built up the Canucks in the here-and-now; instead they’ve opted to ship out key support pieces like Garrison and Kevin Bieksa for second-round picks.

Nor have they gone into teardown mode; instead the last productive years of the team’s best players are being spent in the service of a club that isn’t a realistic contender.

The following is a list of every forward to average more than 15 minutes per game, every defenceman to average more than 20 minutes per game, and every goalie to play more than 40 NHL games last year, along with age (as of Oct. 1, 2016) and contract status.

For the most part, these players are entering the years in which we expect to see steep declines in performance. The entire forward core (save Sutter, who is problematic in other ways) is on the downswing; only Tanev can realistically be expected to improve at all on defence; and Miller’s already showing evidence that he’s slipping.

With few exceptions, all of these players will be bound for free agency over the next three summers.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/canucks-four-biggest-mistakes-of-the-past-year/

As per Sportsnet

[Caknuckle Puck]

In b4 everyone blasts this post

[Alflives]

As Per Sportsnet:

When the Vancouver Canucks unveiled a new management regime, it was supposed to mark a fresh, positive chapter for the franchise.

Fan favourite and former captain Trevor Linden gave the makeover an appealing face as the team’s president of hockey operations, while longtime NHL executive Jim Benning brought experience and gravitas to the department.

The new administration handled its initial challenge — getting a suitable return for Ryan Kesler — and (rightly so) there was reason for optimism in British Columbia.

In the just over a year since, however, that optimism has been steadily chipped away as Linden and Benning have committed sins of commission and sins of omission, allowing a decent Canucks roster to slowly erode in some instances — and unintentionally helping it along in others.

The following are four key errors made by the franchise over the last year:

Choosing Ryan Miller over Eddie Lack

The Canucks solved their latest goaltending dilemma at the 2015 NHL Draft, shipping off cheap, young 1B goalie Eddie Lack to Carolina for an anemic return and thereby committing to Ryan Miller — an older, more expensive starter who had been outperformed by Lack the previous season.

But there are problems. Touted as a big, physical, defensive centre, Sutter weighs pretty much the same as the Sedin twins, ranked 10th among Pittsburgh forwards in hits last season and routinely sees his team out-shot and out-scored when he’s on the ice despite the fact that he doesn’t often see top opposition. (Top opponents more commonly play against two guys named Crosby and Malkin.)

He’s also a black hole offensively at even-strength, as seen by this comparison of his last three seasons to the other guys who played centre for Vancouver last year:

Poor cap management

Making cap mistakes makes it increasingly difficult over time to keep good teams together. (Or in some cases, to tear bad teams apart.)

Over-spending on players is one of the worst mistakes a team can make, and often ends up costing a club guys who actually matter.

Just ask Chicago GM Stan Bowman about Bryan Bickell.

Vancouver has fallen into the bad habit of paying more than it needs to for replaceable pieces. The retention of Miller over Lack is a great example, as is Sutter’s long-term deal.

But these aren’t the only cases. Under Linden and Benning, the Canucks have made a habit of overpaying players. Luca Sbisa, Derek Dorsett and Brandon Prust were all signed or acquired under the watch of this administration, and Vancouver will spend a total of $8.75 million on what is essentially a No. 5 defenceman and two fourth-line wingers.

Altogether, the Canucks have spent nearly $7.5 million more on a quartet of players who make them worse than by simply retaining internal options would have.

Struggling to have an overall plan

More damning than any of the individual mistakes the Canucks have made is the lack of focus on an ultimate goal.

At the macro level it’s hard to see how the course Linden and Benning have steered moves the team in a winning direction.

The new management inherited a group of capable but older core players, which suggested one of two directions: Either they could build around that veteran core, pushing for a championship in the short-term, or they could make a concerted effort to get younger by moving veterans out while they had value and adding pieces for the long-term.

The managers have not aggressively built up the Canucks in the here-and-now; instead they’ve opted to ship out key support pieces like Garrison and Kevin Bieksa for second-round picks.

Nor have they gone into teardown mode; instead the last productive years of the team’s best players are being spent in the service of a club that isn’t a realistic contender.

The following is a list of every forward to average more than 15 minutes per game, every defenceman to average more than 20 minutes per game, and every goalie to play more than 40 NHL games last year, along with age (as of Oct. 1, 2016) and contract status.

For the most part, these players are entering the years in which we expect to see steep declines in performance. The entire forward core (save Sutter, who is problematic in other ways) is on the downswing; only Tanev can realistically be expected to improve at all on defence; and Miller’s already showing evidence that he’s slipping.

With few exceptions, all of these players will be bound for free agency over the next three summers.http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/canucks-four-biggest-mistakes-of-the-past-year/

As per Sportsnet

We are a rebuilding team. Those older players are certainly on the decline. The younger players coming up now (Horvat et al.) will step in and take over the tougher minutes. This type of transition has occurred before, and certainly will again. IMO the new management team is doing a good job of making the transition as palatable as possible. Last year the team earned a playoff spot, with 101 points. That is a factual sign of their success.

[Erik Karlsson]

I see Bennings plan, but feel we need to trade atleast 1 or 2 more vets before the season starts.

Virtanen, Kenins, Grenier, should be ready to play with the team this season.

I feel we should add a few of them this season and a couple next season, instead of adding 4 or 5 next season.

Atleast 1 of Cassels, Shink, McCann, Gaunce will be ready next season.

Hopefully Higgins is traded and maybe Hansen.. Don't want to see Hansen go, but there's really no one else to move..

[nux4lyfe]

Trade everyone.

[Alflives]

I see Bennings plan, but feel we need to trade atleast 1 or 2 more vets before the season starts.

Virtanen, Kenins, Grenier, should be ready to play with the team this season.

I feel we should add a few of them this season and a couple next season, instead of adding 4 or 5 next season.

Atleast 1 of Cassels, Shink, McCann, Gaunce will be ready next season.

Hopefully Higgins is traded and maybe Hansen.. Don't want to see Hansen go, but there's really no one else to move..

I agree with you, except we need Hasen. If a younger player proves he's better than a veteran (over time) management will move the veteran to make space. That might mean the younger guys goes to Utica for a while, but space will be made for him - in time.

[GreyHatnDart]

Seriously... How fans around here and supposed professional journalists don't understand the direction of this team under Linden and Benning is simply mind boggling to me. I don't even know what to say lol.

[Piggy Bank]

I agree more less. We didn't need to acquire Sutter. We didn't need to get a body back for Kassian.

We could have held onto both and sent them both off for better returns at the deadline. Just like we will likely do with RV and DH.

[HC20.0]

I see Bennings plan, but feel we need to trade atleast 1 or 2 more vets before the season starts.

Virtanen, Kenins, Grenier, should be ready to play with the team this season.

I feel we should add a few of them this season and a couple next season, instead of adding 4 or 5 next season.

Atleast 1 of Cassels, Shink, McCann, Gaunce will be ready next season.

Hopefully Higgins is traded and maybe Hansen.. Don't want to see Hansen go, but there's really no one else to move..

I really think Higgins and Burrows both need to go. We really need to get rid of the 2011 core left overs and bring in new blood. Hamhuis will be gone at the years end, so why not go for a sweep and get rid of Burr and Higgy, as both are heavily on the decline.

[Alflives]

Seriously... How fans around here and supposed professional journalists don't understand the direction of this team under Linden and Benning is simply mind boggling to me. I don't even know what to say lol.

Just because one is a professional journalist does not mean they have a sound knowledge base for sport, so no, I personally am not surprised by their lack of hockey knowledge. This is probably why quality sports journalists quote those who know the game: current, and ex players - management. Those so called sports reporters, who rely on their own understanding of the game, cannot be completely accurate, as they never played at the level they are reporting. Personally, I often find what they write insulting.

[Erik Karlsson]

I really think Higgins and Burrows both need to go. We really need to get rid of the 2011 core ledt overs and bring in new blood. Hamhuis will be gone at the years end, so why not go for a sweep and get rid of Burr and Higgy, as both are heavily on the decline.

Yeah once we find another winger that fits in with the twins Burrows should be moved. Maybe he can go to the Ducks with RK and KB.

Virtanen's shot and physicality would be awesome with the twins. He can wreak havoc on the forecheck and get them the puck and let them do their thing. The twins are smart and can change up their game a little to attack more on the rush since that's where Virtanen is at his best. Playing with them will also really improve his cycle game.

I'd really like to see Virt or Grenier get a shot with them. No one thought Burrows would be any good with them, so who knows.

[combover]

Agree with article. Benning continually says one thing the goes and does the opposite. He continually gets fleeced on every trade he makes. His poor return and over payment for third and fourth line players. He has down graded this team at every position. he pays top dollAr and still includes ntc's with contracts. Gillis and Gilman must be laughing at the mess benning has made of a declining but good team and the terrible return he's gotten on the players he traded. Some here argue they understand bennings plan yet fail to explain what he's doing. get younger trade bonino clendening 2nd for 26 year old sutter. Trade 24 kassian for 31 Prust. Bring in Bart on d who in his late 20's. He says this team will be competative but has done nothing to improve the club in the two areas that have been an issue scoring and d. Currently there's no spot for jake v Sven will be on the second line. Some will blindly support and defend every poor decision others will support but see the through the inconsistency bordering on incompetence in what benning and linden are doing.

[Erik Karlsson]

Agree with article. Benning continually says one thing the goes and does the opposite. He continually gets fleeced on every trade he makes. His poor return and over payment for third and fourth line players. He has down graded this team at every position. he pays top dollAr and still includes ntc's with contracts. Gillis and Gilman must be laughing at the mess benning has made of a declining but good team and the terrible return he's gotten on the players he traded. Some here argue they understand bennings plan yet fail to explain what he's doing. get younger trade bonino clendening 2nd for 26 year old sutter. Trade 24 kassian for 31 Prust. Bring in Bart on d who in his late 20's. He says this team will be competative but has done nothing to improve the club in the two areas that have been an issue scoring and d. Currently there's no spot for jake v Sven will be on the second line. Some will blindly support and defend every poor decision others will support but see the through the inconsistency bordering on incompetence in what benning and linden are doing.

His plan is going to unfold next year and the year after. This is just a transition year.

We're going to have a very hard working team that everyone is going to hate playing against.

Not only that, but most of the players he is drafting and trading for up their games in the playoffs.

[Alflives]

Agree with article. Benning continually says one thing the goes and does the opposite. He continually gets fleeced on every trade he makes. His poor return and over payment for third and fourth line players. He has down graded this team at every position. he pays top dollAr and still includes ntc's with contracts. Gillis and Gilman must be laughing at the mess benning has made of a declining but good team and the terrible return he's gotten on the players he traded. Some here argue they understand bennings plan yet fail to explain what he's doing. get younger trade bonino clendening 2nd for 26 year old sutter. Trade 24 kassian for 31 Prust. Bring in Bart on d who in his late 20's. He says this team will be competative but has done nothing to improve the club in the two areas that have been an issue scoring and d. Currently there's no spot for jake v Sven will be on the second line. Some will blindly support and defend every poor decision others will support but see the through the inconsistency bordering on incompetence in what benning and linden are doing.

Sorry, but I completely disagree with you. The market sets the value of players. It's only when the player has a strong NTC, where he can limit the market (Kesler) where the value is decreased. Plus, just because a player is younger, it does not mean he is better - going forward - for our team. I liked Kassian and Lack, but they needed to be moved. As for Bonino, I was never positive on his play.

[Winter Soldier]

Yeah once we find another winger that fits in with the twins Burrows should be moved. Maybe he can go to the Ducks with RK and KB.

Virtanen's shot and physicality would be awesome with the twins. He can wreak havoc on the forecheck and get them the puck and let them do their thing. The twins are smart and can change up their game a little to attack more on the rush since that's where Virtanen is at his best. Playing with them will also really improve his cycle game.

I'd really like to see Virt or Grenier get a shot with them. No one thought Burrows would be any good with them, so who knows.

Why would the Ducks want Burrows, exactly?

[Erik Karlsson]

Why would the Ducks want Burrows, exactly?

Probably wouldn't.

[aliboy]

I thought he was going to list 4 mistakes??

[slaythedragon]

Sportsnet lost all credibility in my eyes, with this dumb as hell monotonous article. I dont know who copies from who, the fans from media or media from fans. Not even a hint of origniality in this post. Its like the writer took out all the points from the posts in CDC and made them more fancy looking with non sensical graphs, and over used stats to justify what he or she said. There are same points being relayed EVERYWHERE. Its getting really mundane.

[-DLC-]

Naysaying pot stirrers always do this preseason....what a crock of crap.

It's become "cool" to slam the Canucks but let's see how their golden team, the Leafs do (again). Negative Nancy types try to bring me down but I just tune them out. Not credible...this just makes them every other idiot to me.

Canuck fans' biggest mistake of the year is to believe that Ontario biased journalists know half as much as they think they do.

[Mattrek]

As Per Sportsnet:

When the Vancouver Canucks unveiled a new management regime, it was supposed to mark a fresh, positive chapter for the franchise.

Fan favourite and former captain Trevor Linden gave the makeover an appealing face as the teams president of hockey operations, while longtime NHL executive Jim Benning brought experience and gravitas to the department.

The new administration handled its initial challenge getting a suitable return for Ryan Kesler and (rightly so) there was reason for optimism in British Columbia.

In the just over a year since, however, that optimism has been steadily chipped away as Linden and Benning have committed sins of commission and sins of omission, allowing a decent Canucks roster to slowly erode in some instances and unintentionally helping it along in others.

The following are four key errors made by the franchise over the last year:

Choosing Ryan Miller over Eddie Lack

The Canucks solved their latest goaltending dilemma at the 2015 NHL Draft, shipping off cheap, young 1B goalie Eddie Lack to Carolina for an anemic return and thereby committing to Ryan Miller an older, more expensive starter who had been outperformed by Lack the previous season.

http://assets1.sportsnet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Screen-Shot-2015-08-06-at-4.50.27-PM.png" alt="Screen-Shot-2015-08-06-at-4.50.27-PM.png">

Its a difficult choice to defend from both a salary cap and a performance perspective. Miller has two years left at a cap hit of $6 million, while Lack has a single season left at $1.15 million. And, given the return the Canucks garnered, will still be significantly cheaper than Miller on his next contract.

Acquiring and signing Brandon Sutter

One of Vancouvers key additions this summer was ex-Penguins centre Brandon Sutter, acquired at the cost of Nick Bonino along with various futures as sweeteners to the deal.

Sutter was promptly signed to a long-term contract at more than double Boninos cap hit, with the expectation that hell play a

key role down the middle in the future.

But there are problems. Touted as a big, physical, defensive centre, Sutter weighs pretty much the same as the Sedin twins, ranked 10th among Pittsburgh forwards in hits last season and routinely sees his team out-shot and out-scored when hes on the ice despite the fact that he doesnt often see top opposition. (Top opponents more commonly play against two guys named Crosby and Malkin.)

Hes also a black hole offensively at even-strength, as seen by this comparison of his last three seasons to the other guys who played centre for Vancouver last year:

Poor cap management

Making cap mistakes makes it increasingly difficult over time to keep good teams together. (Or in some cases, to tear bad teams apart.)

Over-spending on players is one of the worst mistakes a team can make, and often ends up costing a club guys who actually matter.

Just ask Chicago GM Stan Bowman about Bryan Bickell.

Vancouver has fallen into the bad habit of paying more than it needs to for replaceable pieces. The retention of Miller over Lack is a great example, as is Sutters long-term deal.

But these arent the only cases. Under Linden and Benning, the Canucks have made a habit of overpaying players. Luca Sbisa, Derek Dorsett and Brandon Prust were all signed or acquired under the watch of this administration, and Vancouver will spend a total of $8.75 million on what is essentially a No. 5 defenceman and two fourth-line wingers.

Altogether, the Canucks have spent nearly $7.5 million more on a quartet of players who make them worse than by simply retaining internal options would have.

Struggling to have an overall plan

More damning than any of the individual mistakes the Canucks have made is the lack of focus on an ultimate goal.

At the macro level its hard to see how the course Linden and Benning have steered moves the team in a winning direction.

The new management inherited a group of capable but older core players, which suggested one of two directions: Either they could build around that veteran core, pushing for a championship in the short-term, or they could make a concerted effort to get younger by moving veterans out while they had value and adding pieces for the long-term.

The managers have not aggressively built up the Canucks in the here-and-now; instead theyve opted to ship out key support pieces like Garrison and Kevin Bieksa for second-round picks.

Nor have they gone into teardown mode; instead the last productive years of the teams best players are being spent in the service of a club that isnt a realistic contender.

The following is a list of every forward to average more than 15 minutes per game, every defenceman to average more than 20 minutes per game, and every goalie to play more than 40 NHL games last year, along with age (as of Oct. 1, 2016) and contract status.

For the most part, these players are entering the years in which we expect to see steep declines in performance. The entire forward core (save Sutter, who is problematic in other ways) is on the downswing; only Tanev can realistically be expected to improve at all on defence; and Millers already showing evidence that hes slipping.

With few exceptions, all of these players will be bound for free agency over the next three summers.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/canucks-four-biggest-mistakes-of-the-past-year/

As per Sportsnet

100 bucks says in the next 3 years they praise Linden and Benning for transforming the team into a champion contender.