Lets open this to discussion Mike Gillis returning President

[Provost]

22 minutes ago, Crabcakes said:

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

We already signed Eriksson... but Karlsson is available!

 

I listened to that Benning interview, and he didn’t say he wasn’t planning on signing any $11 million players.  He said specifically that he was going tonsgij higher end guys and not depth pieces like other offseason.  The interviewer misunderstood and made the $11

milkion dollar comment.

[48MPHSlapShot]

It's not the worst idea I've ever heard. In fact, when Gillis was at the helm as president the team was financially very successful. Granted, that had a lot to do with the fact that the team was better at the time, but still. Gillis had his strengths and I think a lot of those strengths would be pretty well suited to the president role, with Benning still able to do his job as GM. 

 

If it ends up happening I won't bitch.

[tas]

2 minutes ago, Provost said:

We already signed Eriksson... but Karlsson is available!

 

I listened to that Benning interview, and he didn’t say he wasn’t planning on signing any $11 million players.  He said specifically that he was going tonsgij higher end guys and not depth pieces like other offseason.  The interviewer misunderstood and made the $11

milkion dollar comment.

there was definitely an interview where benning said, clear as day in his own words, that he likely wouldn't be involved in the upper echelon free agents. 

[Alflives]

Just now, tas said:

there was definitely an interview where benning said, clear as day in his own words, that he likely wouldn't be involved in the upper echelon free agents. 

Would Tyler Meyers be upper or next level?  I wouldn’t mind him, if the per year was 7 or less.

[Provost]

3 minutes ago, tas said:

there was definitely an interview where benning said, clear as day in his own words, that he likely wouldn't be involved in the upper echelon free agents. 

I know the exact interview that spawned this idea and listened to it several times.

 

He had actually said he wasn’t planning on signing the type of players he had in previous offseasons (Beagle,Schiller, etc) as he was happy with the team’s depth.

The interviewer misunderstood what he meant and replied “So not going to spend $11+ million dollars on a player.”  Benning after a little pause (probably

confused because he had been talking about depth signings) replies something along the lines “Well that’s probably not the plan”.   He then went on to clarify that he was looking for specific players this offseason.  Another top six scoring winger, and re-doing the defence, specifically noting, I think, a RD with a point shot.

[smithers joe]

i would want to know about philosophies of the new man. friction will kill a team very quickly. i hope it isn’t a ploy of FA to make the playoffs right away. if you make a plan you should stick to it. impatience can, change plans every year. i would vote for gretzky.

[Winter Soldier]

5 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.

The mean the same cap guru who left us laden with no trade clauses which in turn hampered out ability to jump start the rebuild? 

[Provost]

51 minutes ago, tas said:

there was definitely an interview where benning said, clear as day in his own words, that he likely wouldn't be involved in the upper echelon free agents. 

I found it...start listening at around 3:00 mark and at about 3:30 he literally says that he thinks he will go after high end UFAs, and the host completely goes the opposite way. Kind of left Jim in a weird spot, he probably doesn’t want to go on record publicly to agents  that he is willing to pay $11 million for their guy.... he does add a “but” if there is a guy that can help....

 

He literally said he wants to go after high end guys and the title of the story and clipis that he isn’t.

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/650/sportsnets-starting-lineup/jim-benning-pleased-canucks-depth-unlikely-go-big-name-free-agents/#respond

Edited April 27, 2019 by Provost

[JM_]

1 minute ago, Provost said:

I found it...start listening at around 3:00 mark and at about 3:30 he literally says that he thinks he will go after higher end UFAs, and the host completely goes the opposite way. Kind of left Jim in a weird spot, he probably doesn’t want to go on record publicly to agents  that he is willing to pay $11 million for their guy.... he does add a “but” if there is a guy that can help....

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/650/sportsnets-starting-lineup/jim-benning-pleased-canucks-depth-unlikely-go-big-name-free-agents/#respond

good catch 

[Alflives]

4 minutes ago, Provost said:

I found it...start listening at around 3:00 mark and at about 3:30 he literally says that he thinks he will go after higher end UFAs, and the host completely goes the opposite way. Kind of left Jim in a weird spot, he probably doesn’t want to go on record publicly to agents  that he is willing to pay $11 million for their guy.... he does add a “but” if there is a guy that can help....

 

He literally said he wants to go after higher end guys and the title of the story and clipis that he isn’t.

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/650/sportsnets-starting-lineup/jim-benning-pleased-canucks-depth-unlikely-go-big-name-free-agents/#respond

What is high end?  Would Tyler Myers be high end?  I see only ?eK and Parnarin as high end this class.  

[IBatch]

5 hours ago, DrJockitch said:

He would address some of the concerns I have with Benning on a general management side but really doesn't fix all the concerns.  

While it sounds like having Benning would keep the drafting strong.

Having Gillis would improve the general management and hopefully cap management.

Neither were any good at trading though and do question the pro scouting of both of them.

Not likely to happen anyway but ultimately I think if you are looking to compliment Benning he doesn't quite fit the profile.

How?  Teach Benning how to sign decent cap hitched with clauses all over the place?  He’s doing just fine so far on his own (see the majority of his RFA contracts).  Nonis would have looked good too if he kept his job, Gillis never got another job....why should we bring him back?.    This thread was click bait at best.

[tas]

29 minutes ago, Provost said:

I know the exact interview that spawned this idea and listened to it several times.

 

He had actually said he wasn’t planning on signing the type of players he had in previous offseasons (Beagle,Schiller, etc) as he was happy with the team’s depth.

The interviewer misunderstood what he meant and replied “So not going to spend $11+ million dollars on a player.”  Benning after a little pause (probably

confused because he had been talking about depth signings) replies something along the lines “Well that’s probably not the plan”.   He then went on to clarify that he was looking for specific players this offseason.  Another top six scoring winger, and re-doing the defence, specifically noting, I think, a RD with a point shot.

just listened to it again. i'm actually leaning more in your direction now. the bit i remembered was the response to the $11 mil question, which was:

 

"i don't ... i don't think we're gonna go in that direction, um, y'know, but if there's some players that I feel could help, um, like support our younger players, y'know, we're gonna look at those kinds of players."

 

that was the end of the conversation about his free agency goals. 

 

the more interesting part was the bit before, which, like you said, the interviewer mixed up:

 

"... I think if we were to dip into the free agent market, y'know, it would be maybe to help a specific area, um, and not so much ... I'm happy with our depth, we've got young players now that can come in and be depth players for us, but it would be, y'know, I guess if we were gonna do anything, it would be more high end stuff in free agency."

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/650/sportsnets-starting-lineup/jim-benning-pleased-canucks-depth-unlikely-go-big-name-free-agents/

[Provost]

6 minutes ago, tas said:

just listened to it again. i'm actually leaning more in your direction now. the bit i remembered was the response to the $11 mil question, which was:

 

"i don't ... i don't think we're gonna go in that direction, um, y'know, but if there's some players that I feel could help, um, like support our younger players, y'know, we're gonna look at those kinds of players."

 

that was the end of the conversation about his free agency goals. 

 

the more interesting part was the bit before, which, like you said, the interviewer mixed up:

 

"... I think if we were to dip into the free agent market, y'know, it would be maybe to help a specific area, um, and not so much ... I'm happy with our depth, we've got young players now that can come in and be depth players for us, but it would be, y'know, I guess if we were gonna do anything, it would be more high end stuff in free agency."

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/650/sportsnets-starting-lineup/jim-benning-pleased-canucks-depth-unlikely-go-big-name-free-agents/

Ya, it was strange that they missed his comment about going high end and their headlines for the story was the interviewer’s comment.

 

He was asked if he would go after a max or $11+ million dollar guy...  I don’t know that even Karlsson or Panarin even reach that level... certainly not at a starting point for negotiations.

[IBatch]

3 hours ago, Canuck Surfer said:

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.   

A billion?  That’s a bit of a stretch.  The Forbes lists I remember had them in the 750- 850 range with only MTL, NYR and TO breaking that mark.  I agree with some of the other things you’ve said but what year did they break the billion dollar mark?  

[Provost]

12 minutes ago, Alflives said:

What is high end?  Would Tyler Myers be high end?  I see only ?eK and Parnarin as high end this class.  

I would expect it includes any top 4 D or top six winger.

[Alflives]

Just now, Provost said:

I would expect it includes any top 4 D or top six winger.

Who do you think then?  Please don’t say Jake (I’m a big loser) Gardiner. 

[Provost]

12 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Who do you think then?  Please don’t say Jake (I’m a big loser) Gardiner. 

Anders Lee, Panarin, Karlsson, Myers, Duchene, Eberle, Skinner, Nelson, etc.

 

ideally sign a UFA forwArf and trade for a younger top 4 D.

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by Provost

[CanadianRugby]

6 hours ago, Pears said:

He constantly gave up picks for bottom six forwards and depth defensemen 

Which GM are you talking about?  

Vey, Prust, Gudbranson, Larsen, Etem, Sutter, Pedan, Dorsett.  

 

5 hours ago, cdubuya said:

hard no from me. MG was arrogant, disliked in the GM community, and simply not that great. He made a few good moves, but the main core was inherited from the previous regime.  

Main guys were inherited, but the Sedin's future in Vancouver was in question.  They said MG's visiting them in Sweden to resign them meant a huge deal.  He also signed a lot of our key players to very team friendly deals, which allowed for our depth.  He also didn't fire AV just to bring in his own coach.  He went to the NHL offices when NHL schedule was released and would get it changed to make it more travel friendly for the team.  Added key guys like Erhoff, Samuelsson, Malhotra & Hamhuis.  There's a reason he won GM of the year while here.  

 

In the end, he deserved to get fired but let's not understate the things he accomplished.  

 

I'm not holding my breath for him to come back to Vancouver.  Don't think our owner wants him back, don't think he'd want to work with our owner.  

Edited April 27, 2019 by CanadianRugby

[Tomatoes11]

1 hour ago, Winter Soldier said:

The mean the same cap guru who left us laden with no trade clauses which in turn hampered out ability to jump start the rebuild? 

It was either that or pay them a f lot more. Since we have zero cups, each and everyone one of us would take the NTC route. 

 

Like what I said before, it was Bennings incompetence that stalled our rebuild.

Edited April 27, 2019 by Tomatoes11

[Crabcakes]

1 hour ago, Provost said:

We already signed Eriksson... but Karlsson is available!

 

I listened to that Benning interview, and he didn’t say he wasn’t planning on signing any $11 million players.  He said specifically that he was going tonsgij higher end guys and not depth pieces like other offseason.  The interviewer misunderstood and made the $11

milkion dollar comment.

Yes, I mean't Karlsson......hard day at the office 

 

Thanks for the clarification.  Faulty memory on the other perhaps.....I had the distinct impression he meant true top 6/4 player(s) but not the very high salaried type.