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Crabcakes

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Everything posted by Crabcakes

  1. Benning made a ton of deals this past year and last year, he let a number of glue players slide. The result was the loss of team identity that Smyl has been talking about. Failure to know his team is what Benning was guilty of. The thing is, this can be recovered from but it takes time. I think that they may have been starting to find their jam but certainly the coaching and management change jump started the recovery. Green was unable to make the adjustments necessary for what ever reason. They were playing to cover their deficiencies vs playing to their strengths. I feel a sense of relief because there is now trust in the new guy at the helm. He's a great communicator for starters and the trust that Rutherford can get the job done helps the entire organization. The team has come together all of a sudden and is playing like the team that we thought we would have. The roster is all Bennings so give him credit. The fiasco that was the last 2 years is also Bennings and was largely unnecessary. Moving on from Markstrom was probably the right call in hindsight but at the cost of losing a big personality in the room. Marky was well loved. Add to this, the unnecessary loss of Tanev, Toffoli and Stecher and you have no need to make the OEL and Garland deal.
  2. The boss has already said he isn't trading 1st round picks. We're not in that part of the cycle.
  3. That's right Jan. The Canucks have cap allocation issues and there are a few players that don't fit given the holes that exist in the line up. These players are mid-term support players that are holding important positions in the line up while the core matures. First of all, who is the core? In order: Demko, Hughes, Petey, Horvat, Boeser...... reserving core status but honourable mentions to Podkolzin and Hoglander Now the clear big hole in the line up is a top 4 (top pair) RHD..... this is a spot for a core player and there are others High level support players: Miller (28, $5.25), Garland (25, $4.95), Pearson (29, $3.25), Dickinson (26, 2.65), Motte (26, 1.225), OEL (30, 7.26), Myers (31, 6.0), Hamonic (31, 3.0), Poolman (28, 2.5), Schenn (32, 0.885) How do you fill holes in the line up? Draft Free Agency Trade high value support players - dollars in, dollars out. Hate to burst your bubble OP but this is the most likely route for this team at this stage of the cycle. Having said that, love Miller. But, reality bites.
  4. If you've got the puck in the slot, why pass it to the point? These habits will have to be beaten out of the Canucks
  5. VP makes Smyl an executive. Whatever Stan did as Interim GM, he opened his mouth and said that the Canucks had drifted from their core values. This is what I see as one of his core duties as an exec. As VP Hockey Operations, to Rutherfords, President of Hockey Operations, Steamer will make sure that the moves that are made align with core values. And that the moves that management makes are not done at the expense of team culture; something that was frittered away over the past couple of seasons. These are things that having an executive branch to club management can do. As for hands on management, that will be up to the future GM and his team. I see Smyl's duties at a higher level.
  6. Burkie knows the city but I dare say most of the media have turned over since his day (May 2004) but his tenure is pre Aquilini. I'm not sure what Price means by nudge other than a recommendation for the city. Is Price trying to imply that a favour was granted and is expected to be repaid? Honestly, one would expect Rutherford to hire based on past relationships and trade for players that he knows well. It's only natural. Not a conspiracy.
  7. Aquilini purchased his first 50% of the Canucks on Nov 17, 2004. Nonis became GM on May 6, 2004 so was not an Aquilini hire. To be fair, every GM was a first time GM once whether they were successful or not. Their success depends on their quality and training / mentorship. FA didn't have to say that even though we all know it wasn't true. Rutherford didn't react to this whopper. The good news is that Aquilini went after quality this time and SOLD him, rather than being sold himself.
  8. Talk about managing up. Here is what Rutherford is dealing with Francesco said that he likes to hire experienced executives...... Like....wait, Gillis, Linden, Benning.....no.....AV had very little, Tortorella (check, how did that work out?), Dejardins, Green.....not so much.....
  9. What is the core? 2 or 3 guys who you build a team around? 4 or 5? More? I think he's saying Demko (26) for sure. You build from the net out. Hughes (22) keeps getting better and better. Pettersson (23) possibly. Does it go farther than that? If he adds players to support this core, he wants them to be younger so that when the window is truly open, that there are young players who are playing well who are on lower priced contracts. This presumably is 2, 3 or 4 years down the road. As for players who are older than the "core" they are the assets that may be moved for prospects or picks and some just for cap room. Miller (28), Pearson (29), OEL (30), Myers (31) But these are all generalities and he is going to need some time for evaluation 1. to build a front office team and 2. to fix some flaws in the line up and to build around the core
  10. I love how in these between period interviews, players tend to parrot what the coach has been telling them
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