What signing Myers and Benn mean for Jim Benning and the Canucks this season.

[CanadianRugby]

3 hours ago, DeltaSwede said:

1. Canucks miss playoffs this year, trade Tanev (and other rentals) for picks in the 2021 draft to compensate for the 1st going to Tampa

If you think the Canucks are going to trade for draft picks, you haven't been paying attention. 

[oldnews]

16 hours ago, PhillipBlunt said:

No one picked up Hutton yet.....and yet St. Louis picked up Pouliot. 

 

Ferland and Gardiner are also still without new teams. 

 

Benning did really well. When I heard that Myers was looking for $7 x 7, I was a tad concerned, but Benning brought him in on a solid contract, and ensured that he won’t take up an ED spot. That’s amazing. 

 

Well done one once again, Jim. Solid work. 

I'm not surprised.

Pouliot is a tremendous skater, solid center of gravity, is actually evolving into a decent defensive blueliner - just hasn't shown the confidence to be himself - the puck carrier he once was.  Maybe playing in St Louis will change that - that team is the epitome of 'structure' imo.

Hutton may be equally tempting, but it sounds like Pouliot is far more prepared to accept market value, whereas Hutton - who knows - but it may be harder for him to walk back his expectations after earning far more than he's worth for a few years - it seems to leave an impression with people that he's in another tier of talent/ability/performance than a Pouliot.  I don't think he is - or at least I think it's situational, and these two flip flopped above each other in the depth chart over that time.  If there were no Juolevi/Hughes around, I'd probably re-sign Pouliot.

Edited July 2, 2019 by oldnews

[Cargo]

Pouliot is a former first round pick, with huge offensive upside, if someone can get his head straight. And he’s cheap, he’s never been given the bigger contract. Hutton, I understand why JB walked away, it’s all about cap, as I’m pretty sure if we could retain him, we would. Is top pairing? No. Is he top 6? Yes, I’d say so. Normally, they’d keep him around, as he did a decent if not spectacular job last year. 

 

But clubs are wary. If he’s asking for 4 mill, he might have to pull back a bit.

[Phat Fingers]

13 hours ago, PhillipBlunt said:

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lucic don the Orca soon. 

I hope not.  

 

Adding dead salary is a dumb move and I dont see Lucic as a playable option anymore.  

 

He isnt the indimadating player either.  

 

Eriksson was bad, bit Lucic would be worse.  

 

Taking back some salary or retaining with Eriksson is expected, adding term should be a last resort.  

 

[Phat Fingers]

15 hours ago, Canucks Curse said:

sign Patrik maroon to like 2.75 x 2 yrs

a package of beartschi Virtanen and dipietro should be able to fetch a quality forward to play right wing in the 22-26 age range

JB said that he is still looking for another forward.  IDK how we can still be adding forwards...   

 

Maroon is an option, but I think he wants to stay in St Louis.  

 

Either way, we have alot of forwards.  

 

Miller Ep40 Boeser

Pearson Horvat Baer

Leivo Gaudette Virtannen 

Rousell Sutter Motte

Goldy Beagle Schaller

Eriksson McEwan 

 

I am sure I am missing at least one guy.  

 

Gone Gaunce, Granlund and Spooner.  Schaller could be AHL bound. 

 

Eriksson should just be sent home.  

 

Miller Ep40 Boeser

Our 1st is improved with Miller.  Possesses all the ingredients to be a damn good line.  Baer and Miller are interchangeable as to the situation.  

 

Baer Horvat Pearson.  Two players that Bo has shown chemistry with.  Our second line is a good blend of size skill two way play.  If Pearson regresses, move up Virtannen.  

 

Rousell Gaudette Virtannen

 

I like this line with Rousell skating with Gaudette and Virtannen.  Two younger guys that can learn from a vet how to agitate and be abrasive.  Be a great line if the chemistry is there.  

 

Leivo Beagle Motte. 

 

Energy line.  All 3 play a good 2 way game and should get the odd goal.  

 

McEwan Schaller Eriksson Goldy and Sutter.  Some are depth, some are dead weight.  2 have to be moved.  

 

With Beagle, Miller, Gaudette, Horvat and Ep40, maybe Sutter can be dealt.  IMO Eriksson is going to be a hard contract to trade.  Sutter still has value as a player and we can retain 1m 

 

Unless we can move out 2 guys, I see no room to add a forward.  

 

Plus, Boeser needs to.be signed.  

 

 

 

 

 

[DrJockitch]

There were a lot of rumors going around that Benning was in on a lot of D like Tyson Barrie and Risto. 

In the end wasn't been able to pull any of those off.

He did manage to significantly change our blue line and improve it somewhat.

I think with EP, a full season of a healthy Brock and the addition of Miller we are a bubble team.  A lot depends on very young players though.  If Pettey has a sophomore slump we will be awful again.

This may also be the worst thing for us.  Sutter and Tanev should probably be moved in season after they demonstrate some healthy hockey.  If we are fighting for the playoffs I don't see Jim doing this and we really need to try to recoup some value from them (as diminished as it already is).

A lot depends on very young players though.  If Pettey has a sophomore slump we will be awful again.  Maybe Demko comes in and forces Marky out, who knows with so many undefined commodities.

It looks to me like Benning is building up to having a good team that will contest for the playoffs and may ride a hot goalie for a lucky run at some point, not a perennial championship contending team like the Hawks, Pens and Bruins have been over last decade.

Now there is no perfect team and maybe we will get lucky and find a number one D at some point. 

I am not discounting Quinn, he just isn't going to be a guy lining up against top lines night in night out.

We have been amazingly unlucky in the draft lottery and good at the draft table and maybe that will continue when we have first rounders..

[timberz21]

I think Myers will be paired with Edler and eat 22-26 minutes per night.

 

Hughes and Tanev will be second pairing and get 18-24 min (depending on PP and PK time).  Benn might see time with Tanev in a shutdown role at the end of tight game and every other night to give Hughes a little rest and shelter.

 

Hughes and Myers will be paired on the 1st PP, Edler/Stetcher on the 2nd PP while Tanev and Edler reunited on PK, with Benn/Myers as the 2nd unit.

[IBatch]

24 minutes ago, DrJockitch said:

There were a lot of rumors going around that Benning was in on a lot of D like Tyson Barrie and Risto. 

In the end wasn't been able to pull any of those off.

He did manage to significantly change our blue line and improve it somewhat.

I think with EP, a full season of a healthy Brock and the addition of Miller we are a bubble team.  A lot depends on very young players though.  If Pettey has a sophomore slump we will be awful again.

This may also be the worst thing for us.  Sutter and Tanev should probably be moved in season after they demonstrate some healthy hockey.  If we are fighting for the playoffs I don't see Jim doing this and we really need to try to recoup some value from them (as diminished as it already is).

A lot depends on very young players though.  If Pettey has a sophomore slump we will be awful again.  Maybe Demko comes in and forces Marky out, who knows with so many undefined commodities.

It looks to me like Benning is building up to having a good team that will contest for the playoffs and may ride a hot goalie for a lucky run at some point, not a perennial championship contending team like the Hawks, Pens and Bruins have been over last decade.

Now there is no perfect team and maybe we will get lucky and find a number one D at some point. 

I am not discounting Quinn, he just isn't going to be a guy lining up against top lines night in night out.

We have been amazingly unlucky in the draft lottery and good at the draft table and maybe that will continue when we have first rounders..

I don’t think our window will really open until all the chaff is gone (2-3 years), the kids get a few years under their belts (they aren’t Crosby/Malkin good like the pens first cup) and Podz is playing plus the guys in our pool take over some of the Sutter/LE spots (instead of more high priced placeholders moving in to do so).  

 

In the meantime playoffs are a definite possibility, seems more likely then not we can win 5-6 more games with this lineup and get in then stagnate or regress.  If we do well, then lottery ticket and I’d expect Benning might be gone.  If we don’t then well  playoffs.   Once that chaff is gone and the kids are paid there might be money to add a Duchene-Stone level free agent during our window phase. 

 

Hard to tell because that money money might be needed for the defense, re-up Horvat/Miller too etc.  It does appear that we’ve got the core in place (you can only pay so many guys after all) depending how well they do will depend on everything, and if it’s enough to contend later.   Have my doubts, but then again I never thought it would be possible to go from a top team to a top team back to back in the first place.   No team has done that yet (Det had Osgood, Lidstrom and several other carry overs but they’d be the closest) under the cap or really since expansion.    

 

If anything there is hope we can do it.

Edited July 2, 2019 by IBatch

[Pickly]

I wonder if the Canucks could get Ferlund for say 3 years @ 4 million. I know he’s not a bonafide top 6 and the Canucks have a ton of tweeners up front but he adds an element that they sorely lack. 

[IBatch]

As for the OP what  this means for Benning is he’s trying to make the playoffs and his job likely depends on it. What it means for the Canucks we won’t be wasting our cores early years, any playoff experience is better then none, especially for guys like Horvat who’ve toiled his entire career on our down years.   This reminds me a little of when he first came in and his only choice to keep us relevant as per the plan was to sign Miller, which he went out and did, this time it was Myers and a top six player to play with EP, check and check. 

 

But there is a big difference between those teams.  This one is on its way up, the other barely hanging on, about to fall. 

 

Its not entirely out of the realm of reason that this year this  could be a start of a new set of consecutive playoff runs, 5-10,  with our window opening in two or three years.  Likely some in some out along the way but I think most know what I mean.  

 

The teams far from perfect but it’s only going to get better.   Maybe I’d have waited one more year before activating cap this way, but I’m not sitting where Benning is a cant criticize this.  It looks like he’s learned from previous mistakes, Miller, Benn and Myers are all on fair - good cap hits.   Think he can manage the same with Boeser, somehow Dubas managed to repair SOME of the damage he did by signing good deals with Kapanen and Johnsson.   Don’t think it will be enough with AHO set to make close to 9, and god knows what Marner and Rantanen will get, Point too. Sure it won’t be too bad...once Boeser is re-upped we will have a better idea of how things stand.

[Jester13]

I think it means we start making the post season and learning what it takes to win the cup. Better to start going for it now than later, as it takes a while to learn how to win (see the Sedin era and how many heartaches it took for them to learn how to win and advance). 

[189lb enforcers?]

If EP goes down, this team will follow.

This needs no elaboration. 

[Jester13]

3 hours ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

If EP goes down, this team will follow.

This needs no elaboration. 

It will be interesting to see how much size he puts on over the summer. He said he'd be trying to get stronger, so hopefully he can stay healthy all year. 

[Boudrias]

7 hours ago, IBatch said:

I don’t think our window will really open until all the chaff is gone (2-3 years), the kids get a few years under their belts (they aren’t Crosby/Malkin good like the pens first cup) and Podz is playing plus the guys in our pool take over some of the Sutter/LE spots (instead of more high priced placeholders moving in to do so).  

 

In the meantime playoffs are a definite possibility, seems more likely then not we can win 5-6 more games with this lineup and get in then stagnate or regress.  If we do well, then lottery ticket and I’d expect Benning might be gone.  If we don’t then well  playoffs.   Once that chaff is gone and the kids are paid there might be money to add a Duchene-Stone level free agent during our window phase. 

 

Hard to tell because that money money might be needed for the defense, re-up Horvat/Miller too etc.  It does appear that we’ve got the core in place (you can only pay so many guys after all) depending how well they do will depend on everything, and if it’s enough to contend later.   Have my doubts, but then again I never thought it would be possible to go from a top team to a top team back to back in the first place.   No team has done that yet (Det had Osgood, Lidstrom and several other carry overs but they’d be the closest) under the cap or really since expansion.    

 

If anything there is hope we can do it.

Do we all have the almost inevitable optimism of summer ambitions? A dash of reality might be that most teams surge upwards and then either stall or actually slide backwards at the point they become playoff teams. NYI. Oilers and Habs. I do think the core could be in place but only a couple of seasons will tell that. Yes, I do think the Canucks will make playoffs this year. 

 

Painful but I will say again CUP play is not regular season play. Different game and playoff games are how players realize the dif. The downside risk to this roster is a reality. What encourages me is the depth of the prospect pool and the likelihood of a surprise or two in that group.  

[appleboy]

The defense looks better. Maybe Tanev and Edler can stay healthy with a balanced load. Maybe.

It doesn't look like LE is on the move so I wonder how he will respond after his negative comments. He might show up with something to prove. 

Two spots on D for Biega, Sautner and the new guy( what ever his name is)

I like the fact that Juolevi and Briosbois start in Utica. Juolevi has only played 20 some games so an entire season wouldn't hurt the kid. (can he stay healthy)

Baer and Sutter are two guys who could add that depth to the forward group to allow Green to have a balanced lineup.  The big question is can they stay healthy? We know they both have the skills to score twenty goals but they have been so fragile and one more pop to the head for Baer and his career is over.

There is a lot of things that need to go right for this club to make the playoffs but they should be improved.  The clubs progression is still hung on the backs of the kids. They will be the driving force and the team will only go as far as they can take it.

Petey, Bo , Boeser and we hope Hughes. Two of them are barely twenty. 

At this point the cap expenditures will clear out to allow them to continue to add over the next few years. Let's hope they keep that under control.  I also hope that fans have been paying attention and understand how important it is to plan years in advance.  Cap management can make you or break you.

[NewbieCanuckFan]

22 hours ago, PhillipBlunt said:

No one picked up Hutton yet.....and yet St. Louis picked up Pouliot. 

 

Ferland and Gardiner are also still without new teams. 

 

Gaunce got a NHL deal so I wouldn’t read too much into that.  It’s still early in free agency.  

[kanucks25]

8 hours ago, Phat Fingers said:

I hope not.  

 

Adding dead salary is a dumb move 

See below but replace "going to trade for draft picks" with "not adding dead salary".

 

20 hours ago, CanadianRugby said:

If you think the Canucks are going to trade for draft picks, you haven't been paying attention. 

[Honky Cat]

20 hours ago, Cargo said:

Pouliot is a former first round pick, with huge offensive upside, if someone can get his head straight. And he’s cheap, he’s never been given the bigger contract. Hutton, I understand why JB walked away, it’s all about cap, as I’m pretty sure if we could retain him, we would. Is top pairing? No. Is he top 6? Yes, I’d say so. Normally, they’d keep him around, as he did a decent if not spectacular job last year. 

 

But clubs are wary. If he’s asking for 4 mill, he might have to pull back a bit.

You can't say that coach Green didnt give Poo every opportunity to redeem himself here.

[TheCammer]

On 7/1/2019 at 9:13 AM, Ghostsof1915 said:

Maybe haters can shut it for a few weeks days. 

You'll be lucky if it's a few minutes.

[Nucker 67]

D is much better than last year

If Markstrrom and Demko play great again, and the team stays relatively healthy, they have a good shot at a playoff spot. They were on pace last year, without the D they now have, but injuries stopped them in their tracks. Horvat could only do so much from there. I think Miller will help provide offence. I am hoping Jake and Goldy come to camp ready and improved. Other teams in the west may struggle a bit this year, which will benefit the Canucks in the standings.