Lets open this to discussion Mike Gillis returning President

[Canuck Surfer]

It would be interesting to know how good, or bad, the relationship with Aquillini deteriorated at the time of his firing.

 

Its hard to argue with Gillis's success.  Or the critique that he left any rebuild crippled with hard contracts & poor prospect base. At the end of the day we elevated to top 4 in the NHL profitability, over a billion dollar franchise value according to Forbes, during his tenure. And was adept at finding critical parts, just like Benning has been more adept at drafting. But at the end of the day?

 

Gillis no longer has a $10 million dollar contract. Aquillini no longer has a billion dollar franchise. I would not be shocked at all to see a role in the background. Gillis still teaches in Victoria if I'm not wrong?

 

I could see it being a nice match of strengths with Benning.   

[VegasCanuck]

I think we can do better. However, as I stated in another thread, I always thought that Mike was better suited to being President and that someone like Benning should have been on deck to handle GM duties.

 

Really won't be disappointed though, if we never see MG in the Canucks organization again.

[apollo]

[-AJ-]

I think a lot of people seem to be confusing the roles of president and GM. Gillis couldn't trade all our picks or give out NTCs if Benning is still the GM.

[6string]

                                                                 GILLIS OMG!

[wildwood12]

It must be a slow news day.

[Tomatoes11]

3 hours ago, Tom Sestito said:

Why? Gillis was an objectively better manager over his tenure than Benning was.

 

And yes, I agree that Gillis deserved to be fired at the time due to the moves made from 2012-2014.

 

It seems as if people just want to be on board with whatever is currently here for the sake of being supportive. As soon as a change is made, so many people change their minds to say "yeah good move"  See - Linden.

Lol that’s exactly how it’s like here. Bordering on ridiculous actually the amount of supporters Benning has when he is bar none the worst GM we ever had.

[Tomatoes11]

3 hours ago, Fanuck said:

We need a legit cap guru before we need a president imo. 

 

We're fine now, but when Demko, EP,QH,BB,OJ, ect....all come due I don't want to get caught like the Laffs are right now.

Gilman was excellent. Benning fired him for that clown Weisbrod though unfortunately.

[Tomatoes11]

3 hours ago, Pears said:

He constantly gave up picks for bottom six forwards and depth defensemen and handed out NTCs/NMCs like candy. That is the reason why Benning didn’t have much to work with when he started. 

Eh?! you are confusing him with Benning lol.

[Tomatoes11]

2 hours ago, Blue Jay 22 said:

Gillis is the reason it is taking GMJB so long to turn this team into a playoff contender.

 

By the time he left the Canucks, the prospect cupboard was a wasteland. His drafting record is horrific. He can take credit for Horvat and Hutton. He can also wear Shinkaruk, Gaunce, Jensen, Schroeder, and Hodgson. That's just the 1st round round misses, I'm not even listing the no names in the mid to late rounds that never panned out. Mixing him with a young team like ours would be mixing oil and tequila. 

 

Why would we want a retread anyway? Look how well that is working out in Edmonton.

No Benning is the reason he is taking so long. He simply didn’t know how to clean up after a  go for broke cup run.

[UFCanuck]

He'll lure gilman back and he can be master of coin.

[Pears]

3 minutes ago, Tomatoes11 said:

Eh?! you are confusing him with Benning lol.

Ok let’s test that theory

 

Traded a 3rd round pick for Andrew Alberts

Traded 2nd and 3rd round picks for Steve Bernier (lol)

Traded Bernier, Hordichuk and a 1st round pick for Keith Ballard and Darcy Hordichuk

Traded Kevin Connauton and a 2nd for UFA Derek Roy

Traded 2 4ths for Samuel Pahlsson

Gave up Cody Hodgson who was having a fine rookie season for Zack Kassian

 

How many impact players do you see there?

[Tomatoes11]

4 minutes ago, Pears said:

Ok let’s test that theory

 

Traded a 3rd round pick for Andrew Alberts

Traded 2nd and 3rd round picks for Steve Bernier (lol)

Traded Bernier, Hordichuk and a 1st round pick for Keith Ballard and Darcy Hordichuk

Traded Kevin Connauton and a 2nd for UFA Derek Roy

Traded 2 4ths for Samuel Pahlsson

Gave up Cody Hodgson who was having a fine rookie season for Zack Kassian

 

How many impact players do you see there?

Benning has him beat soundly and Gillis was a buyer and Benning should be a seller.

 

2nd for Baerschit

 

3rd for Dorsett

 

Kassian AND a freaking 3rd for Prust 

 

Forsling for clendenning

 

mcann, 2nd, and a 3rd for Pearson.

 

Another thing you fail you mention was that most of those are hot commodities at the time, they just didn’t work out. And Pahlsson was the original G prototypical 3rd line checking center.

 

Benning? I don’t know wtf he is doing because no one he traded for was high profile. 

 

Both Ballard and Roy were sought after by many teams and Bernier had more potential than JV has right now. Lol

[Pears]

7 minutes ago, Tomatoes11 said:

Benning has him beat soundly and Gillis was a buyer and Benning should be a seller.

 

2nd for Baerschit

 

3rd for Dorsett

 

Kassian AND a freaking 3rd for Prust 

 

Forsling for clendenning

 

mcann, 2nd, and a 3rd for Pearson.

 

Another thing you fail you mention was that most of those are hot commodities at the time, they just didn’t work out. And Pahlsson was the original G prototypical 3rd line checking center.

 

Benning? I don’t know wtf he is doing because no one he traded for was high profile. 

 

Both Ballard and Roy were sought after by many teams and Bernier had more potential than JV has right now. Lol

It was a conditional 5th in the Prust trade but good try

[ruilin96]

Speaking of Gillis, does anyone know which city he lives in currently? Because about a week ago, I think I saw him (if not him, it must be someone like his doupleganger) at a bakery in downtown Victoria. I didn’t went up and ask if he is Mike Gillis, but I am confident that it was him. I know he took a teaching job at Uvic a few years ago, but don’t think he kept on teaching there, but it is possible that he now lives in Victoria after his year of teaching at Uvic. 

[Down by the River]

I wouldn't mind somebody like Gillis but just not Gillis himself. 

 

I liked that he was innovative, forward thinking, had a clear purpose for every player, knew how to express his position/feeling about a topic, and wasn't afraid to go against the grain. However, he was also arrogant, burned a ton of bridges, and doesn't seem like a guy that is willing to use the voices of others to help him. In some ways, he seems like the antithesis of Benning. Not saying one is better than the other, just interesting that they seem to be polar opposites of each other. 

 

[Lancaster]

The fact of the matter is that he was a good president/GM for the team.  If the Canucks actually won the cup and still suffered the same decline.... the naysayers will be less. 

I wonder how many of his critics are also complaining about how the Canucks needed more toughness.  

[Crabcakes]

4 hours ago, Fanuck said:

We need a legit cap guru before we need a president imo. 

 

We're fine now, but when Demko, EP,QH,BB,OJ, ect....all come due I don't want to get caught like the Laffs are right now.

That's why the Canucks shouldn't sign Eriksson.  For what it's worth, Benning has said that he wasn't going to be signing any $11M players

[The Lock]

Great. Keith Gretzky and now Gillis being talked about by the media.....

 

....this is going to be a long off-season.....

[Coconuts]

It's not like he'd be GM. If he'd be interested I'd give him an interview like any other candidate and go from there.