[Interview] Jim Benning on TSN1040 | 4:30pm, Oct.7 |

[wallstreetamigo]

I don't see the need for a PMD quite as urgently as most seem to. As long as we can play solid defensively 5 on 5 and get solid production from the number 1 power play unit, our current D core should be good enough. It looks like WD likes the 4 forwards with Vey on the point for the top unit, so the need for an offensive defenseman is less than it would be with 2 D-men. Juice likes to jump into the play and has Hammer backing him up. Edler has Tanev watching his back. Sbisa is the wildcard, but Stanton is steady, so that pairing should work. Giving up prospects and picks just doesn't seem like a good idea, now that we finally have some talent that will fight for NHL spots in the next few years. If we continue to draft well and players become redundant then Benning is in a better position to pull the trigger on a top D-man. Otherwise we're pretty much committed to the group we have now.

A PMD is just as necessary to drive the play 5 on 5 and in the type of system WD and Benning say they want to have, the transition game especially becomes even more important. A true puck moving dman would certainly help there.

Our D is wildly overrated imo. They are good players overall but the unit as a whole is not much better than average. They just don't seem to fit together into a cohesive unit on either side of the puck the way they need to for our team to be successful. Look at all the best and most successful teams in the league to get a consensus on just how important puck moving D are in the grand scheme of things. We need to either get one or develop one in a hurry. Or else our inability to transition the puck quickly and effectively from our own zone to start offensive plays that do not involve dumping and chasing will continue.

Guys like Edler and Bieksa join the rush but for this team to find success they need to rely on the puck being faster than any player. It has to hit the right stick for that to matter though.

I sincerely hope that WD can find the magic formula with this D corps because honestly we have seen this movie a few times with them already and big improvements in how they play on both sides of the puck are needed imo.

[I.Am.Ironman]

A PMD is just as necessary to drive the play 5 on 5 and in the type of system WD and Benning say they want to have, the transition game especially becomes even more important. A true puck moving dman would certainly help there.

Our D is wildly overrated imo. They are good players overall but the unit as a whole is not much better than average. They just don't seem to fit together into a cohesive unit on either side of the puck the way they need to for our team to be successful. Look at all the best and most successful teams in the league to get a consensus on just how important puck moving D are in the grand scheme of things. We need to either get one or develop one in a hurry. Or else our inability to transition the puck quickly and effectively from our own zone to start offensive plays that do not involve dumping and chasing will continue.

Guys like Edler and Bieksa join the rush but for this team to find success they need to rely on the puck being faster than any player. It has to hit the right stick for that to matter though.

I sincerely hope that WD can find the magic formula with this D corps because honestly we have seen this movie a few times with them already and big improvements in how they play on both sides of the puck are needed imo.

What he said.

When on his game Edler is a great dman. Key word there being 'when'. I believe he will have a bounceback season but to what degree remains to be seen. Our success, or lack of it, depends (mostly) on Alex Edler.

[Canuck Surfer]

I don't see the need for a PMD quite as urgently as most seem to. As long as we can play solid defensively 5 on 5 and get solid production from the number 1 power play unit, our current D core should be good enough. It looks like WD likes the 4 forwards with Vey on the point for the top unit, so the need for an offensive defenseman is less than it would be with 2 D-men. Juice likes to jump into the play and has Hammer backing him up. Edler has Tanev watching his back. Sbisa is the wildcard, but Stanton is steady, so that pairing should work. Giving up prospects and picks just doesn't seem like a good idea, now that we finally have some talent that will fight for NHL spots in the next few years. If we continue to draft well and players become redundant then Benning is in a better position to pull the trigger on a top D-man. Otherwise we're pretty much committed to the group we have now.

Jumping into a play is not pushing the play. Its filling an empty hole when the transition play is already well and truly started. Thats still useful. So is a guy who can rotate the puck or make a breakout pass. But what I want is a guy who can beat his man if the pass is not available.

It could be to burst through a forecheck and ''push the play'' through the neutral zone to start a transition. Thats a world of difference from being hemmed in by fore checking pressure. Or it could be whirling off a check at the point on the PP. And blowing past them into the middle where you then draw another two defenders and passing lanes open up all over the place. We need a guy who can beat his man!

Our guys are passers, not puck handlers... When opponents know that we can only do that one thing you become predictable. It's much easier to defend.

[wallstreetamigo]

I don't get that at all. He hasn't proven one way or another. All he is at this point is not Gillis and that isn't enough.

I'll not condemn him yet but I sure as hell am not going to praise him till I see some results. I am slightly optimistic for the future but he's a long way to go. Here's hoping he can live up to some's praise.

I think he has shown his hand in this area somewhat already in direct comparison to how Gillis approached things.

He traded Garrison quickly when it was obvious that even though he is a good player and reportedly a good guy, he did not fit in with the other pieces on our D or bring something that was not replaceable by others already here.

He traded Kesler quickly once he determined that Kesler did not want to be here no matter what and that he would be a distraction to the team if he was made to stay.

Gillis kept Ballard even when everyone knew that he would never get an opportunity here wasting cap space and a roster spot that could have been better filled by a player the coaches would use. Gillis also had the opportunity to trade Kesler when it became obvious he did not want to be here. Had Gillis stayed I would not have been surprised to see an unhappy Kesler still here.

He held onto Luongo for two years beyond when he wanted out creating a goalie controversy unlike any other in Vancouver. He allowed the situation to fester looking for the home run trade rather than realize a quick move even for a lower return would have been better for the team in the long run.

Benning has a lot to prove for sure and should not be "praised" yet which I didn't do anyway. I simply said based on how he has operated so far here (plus how Boston operated while he was AGM there) strongly gives off the feeling that he is willing to make moves when he determines something is not working unlike Gillis who became the definition of paralysis by analysis his last few years.

[erkayloomeh]

I reckon wait to see how Edler, Tanev, Sbisa and Stanton look this year before going for defensive depth. Also watch how Corrado develops in the AHL.

We need a star top-2 defenceman, not necessarily depth.

could we pry jack johnson out of columbus?

Hes got good size and skill mixed. Corrado hansen a second and a third?

[JeremyCuddles]

Raymond, Ballard + 1st obviously.

In all seriousness, any offer for Myers that doesn't include a 2015 1st is probably not going to cut it, so I'm not sure it would be worth pursuing Myers at this point in time.

I think Myers gives our defence a huge boost. If he finds his game. That first may end up being late if he does find his game. Question is, does Benning gamble that pick. We have 4 first rounders in the last two years. Although our D prospects are pretty thin. All of them are later draft picks we are kind of hoping come out of left field and become awesome.

[wallstreetamigo]

I think Myers gives our defence a huge boost. If he finds his game. That first may end up being late if he does find his game. Question is, does Benning gamble that pick. We have 4 first rounders in the last two years. Although our D prospects are pretty thin. All of them are later draft picks we are kind of hoping come out of left field and become awesome.

I am not overly worried about gambling the pick. But Myers would get eaten alive in Vancouver if he did not immediately blossom into that true #1 guy that can do it all within a matter of 6 minutes after the trade was announced.

[Guest Dasein]

[...]

Benning has a lot to prove for sure and should not be "praised" yet which I didn't do anyway. I simply said based on how he has operated so far here (plus how Boston operated while he was AGM there) strongly gives off the feeling that he is willing to make moves when he determines something is not working unlike Gillis who became the definition of paralysis by analysis his last few years.

Gillis definitely over-analyzed himself out of a job. His horrific drafting prior to 2013 didn't help either.

[tyhee]

I think Myers gives our defence a huge boost. If he finds his game. That first may end up being late if he does find his game. Question is, does Benning gamble that pick. We have 4 first rounders in the last two years. Although our D prospects are pretty thin. All of them are later draft picks we are kind of hoping come out of left field and become awesome.

Trading for Myers would certainly be swinging for the fences. It would be a risky trade for both teams and for the Canucks raises the question about what is the current goal.

Since his rookie season Myers hasn't been anything special (sometimes reasonably good, sometimes poor) for the Sabres-and he carries a long-term contract at $5.5 million. He has tremendous potential that hasn't been realized.

Is there any reason to think Buffalo still wants to trade Myers? I know there was talk in the spring, but Buffalo isn't exactly flush with NHL level d-men, and as the season went on Myers play improved to the extent he was ok at the end. Also, Vancouver's depth right now is not in defencement (a clear Buffalo need) but in third-line level forward and goaltending prospects. They probably don't have a great need for a goaltending prospect (as we do, they've got 3 slated for the AHL) and probably need a third-line forward less than they need Myers. Of course, they could trade him to get rid of the inflated salary (to save salary, not cap space, as they're well under the cap at present) or a return on his potential if they don't think it will be realized in Buffalo.

If Buffalo were to trade MyersThe price would likely be high-a regular forward, regular defenceman (Vcr would need to trade players to make the cap hit work anyway) and a 1st rd pick. If he were to be traded and his play weren't to improve on being moved from Buffalo then his future trade value would plummet (as after failing to play up to this salary in a new situation it would seem much less likely that a change in situation would help.)

Because of Myers potential he would still command a fair bit in exchange-but he hasn't shown he deserves that $5.5 mil a year. If:

(a) he develops into an elite d-man, say at the level of his rookie season (something possible but which has not been what he's produced for a few years now) then the price at $5.5 mil and whatever Canucks would have to give up for him would be worthwhile-it would make the team considerably better and he wouldn't be out of his prime years at about the time Vancouver could hope to return to championship-level play if things go well.

Would adding someone who becomes an elite defenceman on arriving make the Canucks a championship team this year-or next? I don't see that they're that close.

( he continues as he has the last two years at the level of a fairly good NHL player-here the $5.5 mil is too much and giving up what it takes to get him would be too much.

© he goes downhill and becomes a 3rd-pair defenceman-then the trade and cap hit would be a disaster.

IMO, the second scenario is by far the most likely, the third is possible but quite unlikely and the first is against the odds but wouldn't be a shock.

On balance, despite the possible upside, the risk seems more than I'd be happy seeing the Canucks take at this time. I'd rather that they look for a right-hand shooting Ryan Stanton to play with the left-shooting Stanton they've already got. That would give them two pairs that are good (assuming things go ok for Bieksa-Hamhuis and Edler-Tanev, which some will doubt) and a steady, fairly safe 3rd pair.

The other possibility, of course, is that someone they've already got pans out. Corrado could develop, and then there is the enigma that is Luca Sbisa. Sbisa does some things extremely well, but seems prone to mistakes in positioning and in moving the puck. The Canucks have been propping him up so far and might continue to hoping that his confidence and awareness can come around and he'll become solid. I see Weber as a reasonable depth (i.e. 7th) defenceman.

tyhee

[aGENT]

If Buffalo were to trade MyersThe price would likely be high-a regular forward, regular defenceman (Vcr would need to trade players to make the cap hit work anyway) and a 1st rd pick.

What do you think of Higgins, Stanton (and I'd be tempted to make it a 2nd or "B" prospect rather than the 1st but... not sure Buf bites)?

They get a young, improving D, a legit, hard working middle 6W and a prospect.

Matthias can either move up in to Higgins 2nd/3rd line tweener spot or Burrows moves down (also possibly opening a spot for Jensen if he shows he's ready later this season).

D pairings become:

Edler, Myers

Hamhuis, Bieksa

Sbisa, Tanev (Tanev can also swap with either Myers/Bieksa in case of slumps, injuries etc).

[aGENT]

In that ^^^ scenario, we'd also need to move Weber for a LHD (preferably a big mean SOB) to be our 7th IMO as we'd then be lacking left side D.

We'd still have Corrado (and maybe Sanguinetti) as first call up for any RHD injuries but that left side would be who? Tommernes? Not sure I'd be real comfortable with that....

[Benchsplinters]

Also folks, if you listen to the feed, Benning doesn't actually suggest that he's looking to add to the blueline. That was something BMac pushed and if anything Benning emphasized that he likes the 8 guys he's got, and that Green is pretty high on the blueline he has in Utica.

Benning simply acknowledged that in the West a team can wind up going through 10 defensemen in a season, so if anything presents itself, of course his ears are open, but I did not get the sense from that interview that he's actively pursuing depth for the blueline. If he is, his cards are pretty close to his chest.

Isn't it strange how a singlt statement can be interpreted in 25 different ways. People just don't listen and because they personally want something to happen, they interpret what is said differently and along the lines they want.

[Benchsplinters]

Well if we get a defender I think Sestito is as good as gone - if we decide to keep Bo - since he's the 14th forward right now because we want to see what Bo can do in the regular season.

If we send Bo down, then Sestito becomes the 13th forward.

One must ask the question do we want to keep an enforcer or a high round draft pick we feel in a year or two will be one of our core players. Not trying to rag on Sestito but common sense needs to prevail don't you think?

[aGENT]

One must ask the question do we want to keep an enforcer or a high round draft pick we feel in a year or two will be one of our core players. Not trying to rag on Sestito but common sense needs to prevail don't you think?

If we get a defender, we mostly likely will be shipping some of our NHL forward depth out as part of the package. *poof* space.

But no, I wouldn't be sad to waive Sestito.

[higgyfan]

- One thing that has surprised JB is how bad the current team wants to win. Says he's heard it before he became GM but after joining the team and seeing them in person, it amazes him how dedicated they are to winning.

And here it is...for the people that have described them as 'country club' or uninterested.

There were so many distractions and injuries in the past couple of years no wonder the team struggled.

I think we'll be pleased with their effort this year.

[Benchsplinters]

If we get a defender, we mostly likely will be shipping some of our NHL forward depth out as part of the package. *poof* space.

But no, I wouldn't be sad to waive Sestito.

If I was the coach looking down the bench at my players, I would rather see Bo sitting there than Tom. Simple as that. Horvat will only get better. Sestito is now at his maximum playing level.

[wallstreetamigo]

And here it is...for the people that have described them as 'country club' or uninterested.

There were so many distractions and injuries in the past couple of years no wonder the team struggled.

I think we'll be pleased with their effort this year.

Or they know they have received a pass for two seasons and realize that if they continue it this core will be broken up.

They have said for three years they want to win. But too many of them unfortunately havent put their money where their mouth is often enough.

Under av they were too relaxed and comfortable they would always keep their jobs no matter what. Under torts the team just simply gave up. Hope Willie is the happy medium to get the most out of these guys for 60 minutes over 82 games and hopefully beyond.

[Stackin'ThePads]

- Team's pace and execution today was the best as he's seen in practice, which is a good sign with the season opener tomorrow.

Good to hear.

The most important thing to do, to improve from last year is get Willie's system down. A good system that's well coached will bring the best out of our players, despite our questions on offence and defence. Seem's like Willie Desjardins' is versatile and understands that he needs to play to our players strengths.

[aGENT]

Or they know they have received a pass for two seasons and realize that if they continue it this core will be broken up.

They have said for three years they want to win. But too many of them unfortunately havent put their money where their mouth is often enough.

Under av they were too relaxed and comfortable they would always keep their jobs no matter what. Under torts the team just simply gave up. Hope Willie is the happy medium to get the most out of these guys for 60 minutes over 82 games and hopefully beyond.

Country *derpa* club *derp*

[menace]

Definitely wondering who Benning would be eyeing in regards to a defenseman. Glad to hear that he isn't completely content with the defense and looking to augment.

Will he be looking more for mobility (PMD) from the back end or size (SAH) for crease clearing?

Will he achieve this through a trade or waivers?

Interesting Boychuck or Leddy weren't inquired about or maybe they were. Love the signature btw!.