Cupless44

Probably not but it also depends on what those expectations were. Personally I took into account that he was coming off a major injury that involved major surgery, causing him to miss all summer training, all training camp, and the start to the season. That would be a hurdle to overcome in any young players development curve.

Do Baertschi AND Linden Vey play for the Canucks next year? That is two not very big, soft players, who have much to prove and cannot be exposed to waivers. What if Virtanen lights up training camp and Kenins continues to impress. What if a Cassels suprises or Shink or Jensen get it together? There is only so much room on the roster for youth to break in. Are these two penciled in just because of their waiver situation if they are not the best looking young players who have earned it?

I have a strong feeling that McCann will be a grittier and more well rounded player

I am ok with the trade. Not crazy about giving up the 2nd, but the gamble seems worth Baertschi's upside from a pure cost standpoint. I am a fan of Benning as our GM. I see what he is trying to do with adding some prospects in the 21-25 range. But here is what I don't like: You now have Vey, Clendening, and Baertschi who all have to clear waivers next year. You have given up 2 2nd round picks and Forsling to acquire them. With those costs paid you cannot expose them to waivers. So are you now guaranteeing all 3 a roster spot on the Canucks next season?? First of all roster spots need to be EARNED with good play and hard work. 2nd there are other good youngsters pushing for spots. Baertschi while talented has far from proven he should be handed an NHL job. Clendening has been up and down, has a lot to work on starting with his mobility. Vey is well documented. At 23 he is not going to get bigger or much stronger. He has been ok in his rookie season but hardly deserves a guaranteed roster spot for next year Not sure all fans are looking at this element of these Benning moves.

The Sedins are really classy, really nice guys...really nice, good players albeit on the decline of their careers...but it has been proven over many years...in really tough series against the big tough teams in the West and in the NHL...you are not going to win a Stanley Cup with these guys as your top players. Not in their prime and certainly not now. Lets extrapolate that to Nylander and just give Benning the benefit of the doubt in going a different direction in drafting a big, fast, tough, Canadian power forward and going a different direction.

Lets keep some perspective. Virtanen is the 3rd youngest player on Team Canada. This is a 19 year old's tournament. Max Domi...the best player in the tournament for Team Canada, didn't even make the team as an 18 year old. In addition Virtanen has been shuffled from line to line, never getting a chance to settle in and really hasn't had much ice time. I am looking forward to a big, tough, fast, talented BC boy in a Canuck uniform personally. The Nylander comparisons really need to die, really old. They are 2 totally different players. Lets see how the soft 170 lb Swede will do against the Kings and Ducks. Probably about as effective as Daniel is while falling all over the ice

A lot of pretty negative posts about Virtanen after a weekend when he went a long ways to securing a spot on the national junior team

A bit early to be trashing the Virtanen pick. Does Jim Benning look like he knows what he is doing as our GM so far? Yeah I thought so. Why don't we leave scouting and drafting future players to Benning who has extensive experience in this area. I don't see a problem adding a big tough skilled winger to a soft team that has to compete with the big teams in the west.

Sorry all the whiners are disappointed we have a GM with some stones who can act decisively and actually wants to build a team that isn't soft and doesn't get pushed around. How awful that we have a local kid that is dying to play in vancouver who skates extremely well and will play at about 220 and will be an Iginla-Kane type player.

Seriously how do you know. I mean really. Do you make your living scouting and drafting hockey players? Didn't think so.

All Canuck fans see Anaheim as the perfect fit and I am one of them but it is not about what we think it is about what Bob Murray thinks and if Benning will get past the division thing. the price on Kesler is reportedly high and Murray also has interest in Spezza. Other centres are out there as well.

I noticed that comment as well and agree with you that sounds like Nylander to me. it could be Ritchie if they are in love with the idea of the very imposing and unique player he could turn out to be but it seems like Nylander.

I see the fantasizedabout Anaheim trade less likely than an eastern team like Pittsburgh, as much as I like it myself

You could be right. We don't really know the future of these 18 year olds. Ehlers has talent for sure. I just don't see the Canucks taking him. If they go this route I would think Nylander first but I know they want some size.

That "grit" will be severely tested when he steps up to the next level and plays in a men's league where 200 lbs is now merely average size.