Jump to content
The Official Site of the Vancouver Canucks
Canucks Community

[Confirmed] Jim Benning signs as new Canucks GM


TheRussianRocket.

Recommended Posts

Confirmed:

http://www.thescore.com/news/506132

Report: Canucks, Jim Benning agree to multi-year deal

The Vancouver Canucks have agreed to a multi-year deal with Boston Bruins assistant general manager Jim Benning, who will be formally introduced as the 11th general manager in franchise history on Friday, according to a report from TSN's Darren Dreger.

Though the organization did their due diligence and reportedly interviewed a number of candidates including Nashville's Paul Fenton and former Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson, the Vancouver Canucks only ever had one real candidate in their search for a new general manager. On Wednesday, reportedly, Vancouver locked up their man.

@sportsnetmurph:

With NHL games tonight + tomorrow expect the #canucks to announce Jim Benning as the team's new General Manager Friday.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Breaking:

http://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=452632

CANUCKS EXPECTED TO NAME BENNING NEW GM LATER THIS WEEK

The Vancouver Canucks are expected to name Jim Benning the team's new general manager later this week, TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported Tuesday.

Naming a head coach is next for the organization, with former Nashville Predators bench boss Barry Trotz high on the team's list of candidates.

Benning, a former Canucks defenceman who spent nine seasons in the league with Vancouver and the Toronto Maple Leafs, has been an assistant with the Bruins since 2006. Following his playing career that ended in 1990, he worked as a scout for the Anaheim Ducks and the Buffalo Sabres before a six-year run as the Sabres Director of Amateur Scouting starting in 1998.

Benning won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011.

Newly appointed team president Trevor Linden parted ways with former general manager Mike Gillis last month and fired head coach John Tortorella in early May.

Trotz was relieved of his head coaching duties with the Predators in mid-April, the organization he had been with for 15 seasons.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Latest:

@gvalksportsnet

Linden just confirmed at alumni tournament tonight that he is expecting to announce Canuck new G.M this week.

@DarrenDreger:

Expect the Vancouver Canucks to finally name Jim Benning as their new GM later this week. Hiring coach will be next. Trotz high on the list.

7:35 AM - 20 May 2014

@TEAM1040:

Bob McKenzie: "Seems to be an overriding sense that Jim Benning is the guy (for the Canucks GM job)"

@DarrenDreger:

Some believe Benning is getting the Canucks job and Linden is simply waiting until the conclusion of round 2 to make it official.

@DarrenDreger:

Hearing Boston's Jim Benning met with the Canucks yesterday. He's considered the frontrunner for the GM job in Van.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Original Post:

@News1130Sports:

Just talked with #Bruins assistant gm Jim Benning who would be high on Trevor Linden's wish list for gm.

@WCHockeyNews:

WCHN has information that the Vancouver Canucks are speaking to Jim Benning, Boston Bruins Asst. GM as candidate for vacant GM position.

News is slowly leaking out from reputable sources that the Canucks/Linden has indeed been speaking to Jim Benning, assistant GM of the Bruins for the vacant GM spot. Linden strictly said in his press conference he wanted someone with lots of experience to take the spot and someone who could help him settle in. Jim Benning has every bit of that, check it out:

Jim has worked his way up the ranks and knows just about everything in managing a team. After playing his last four NHL seasons for the Canucks from '86-'90, Benning officially retired one year later. He then quickly looked for positions on teams and was given the chance where he would then pave his own legacy. '93-'94 he was hired as an amateur scout for Anaheim. He soon-after joined as a scout with Buffalo from '94-'96 where he was then promoted as Director of Amateur Scouting from '96-'04. After taking a couple years off, he joined the Bruins in '06 for one year as Director of Player Personnel and was promoted as AGM from '07-now. ...as you can see, Benning has had a taste at almost all levels of management with nearly 20 years of organizational scouting-managing involvement, wisdom, understanding, and exposure.

He must have a lot of ties around the league being around so long and Trevor wanting experience to help him get settled in, this is the guy it seems. No coincidence the Bruins began building their current empire when Benning joined in '06 and he must have played huge dividends with that. In fact, the B's haven't missed the playoffs since acquiring Benning which is a crazy track record, Benning also has his name on Lord Stanley from 2011. Rumour also has it Aquilini wants the Canucks to play Bruins style hockey and what better way to do so then getting the guy responsible for creating it? It all adds up and with Trevor saying he'll likely have a GM announced early June, would make sense considering Benning will likely be with Bruins for a mid-long playoff run until they lose or potentially win the Cup. Gives enough time for Trev to talk to him and Benning to make the transition.

Linden was also a teammates of Benning's during his last season as a Canuck and like Linden, Jim is a Western Canadian born in Alberta. If there's anyone who can up Gillis for what he's done, I confidentially say it's Benning and hope we get him. His scouting and GMing experience is flawless and he's the man responsible for drafting Paul Kariya, Ryan Miller, Brian Campbell, Thomas Vanek, Milan Lucic and plenty of others.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edit 2:

Benning is undoubtedly the front runner at this moment in time.

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2014/04/24/linden-meets-with-neely-to-talk-about-stuff/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Trevor Linden met with Boston Bruins president Cam Neely on Thursday which means, naturally, he sought permission to talk to Bruins assistant general manager Jim Benning about the vacant GMs job in Vancouver.

But he didnt. Or maybe he did but he didnt make the request through official diplomatic channels. Its hard to know.

As you might have guessed by reading that excerpt, the Canucks new president of hockey of operations didnt share many specifics from his trip to Boston. In meeting with Neely, its possible Linden was mostly curious to learn how the Bruins run their operation, one former player in charge of a team he used to star for to another.

As guarded as Linden was in his comments, he did seem to suggest that the hiring of Benning, or any other candidate currently with another organization (like, say, Ron Hextall in Philadelphia), wouldnt necessarily have to wait until that particular organization was no longer participating in the playoffs.

The one thing Ill say is I spoke to several GMs and I havent got any push back on timing, whether theyre playing or not, he said.

Time is a concern for Linden, who still has to decide on the future of head coach John Tortorella. Unless, of course, Linden chooses to leave the coaching decision to the new GM, in which case Tortorella may have to twist in the wind a bit longer.

I know from the outside people are wondering whats going on, said Linden. But this isnt a two-week project. The ripple effect of each decision is significant. I have to understand things in the full situation. not just a sliver here or a sliver there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After taking a couple years off, he joined the Bruins in '06 for one year as Director of Player Personnel and was promoted as GM from '07-now. ...as you can see, Benning has had a taste at almost all levels of management with nearly 20 years of organizational scouting-managing involvement, wisdom, understanding, and exposure.

Benning is assistant GM, Chiarelli is the Bruins GM.

That being said, this is good news!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like it a lot. With GM postions there is so much learning involved and such a short tenure that direct experience doesn't always seem necessary. However, unlike MG he has extensive, almost 20 years experience being around running a club.

I love that we give another guy a chance. Going off the board is better than some old has been. Especailly a Flames old has been.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With Bostons 4.5m cap penalty next year, Lucic being a fan of Linden, and Jim Benning possibly coming to Vancouver, can we expect a Lucic to Vancouver trade?????

Probably not.

"but one can only dream"

-Pears/Derek Roy/Steven stamkos mullet

Lucic would be high on a list of potential acquisitions. But at $6mil per and the trade return worth, he's probably out of reach. We also have a few more urgent needs.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless the Bruins get eliminated early? .. *fingers crossed*

I would say there is a good chance of this ... well not good but possible, especially if the play Detroit. If the Leafs can take them to 7. Also, most teams are trash in the East, Detroit will show why they are the model franchise for the NHL. Columbus is no slouch either. I'll picking upsets like crazy in the East this year.

I love how people make these wild assumptions like Boston should be in the Conference Final for sure. That's short sighted and lacks hockey knowledge. Even the best teams ever couldn't be considered shoo ins for the Conference Final or Cup. Also every team is an injury away from disaster.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nill has done a good job in his first year in Dallas, maybe Benning can duplicate that in Vancouver. I'm all for getting new blood in for this position, but keeping Gillman as a capologist is paramount. No to the likes of Feaster, Nonis, Burke, and any of those other retreads.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...