What should be Bennings #1 priority this summer?

[WHL rocks]

Try to upgrade Defense via draft, trades, and UFA signings.

Benning should try to sign Vermette as he is UFA next season. Solid two way C.

[Guest]

Three parts to this answer:

1. Unloading some of the NTC contracts we have. Juice, Hammer, Miller. Two of three need to go.

2. Guaranteeing youth in the line-up next year. Horvat, Baertschi, Clendening, Kenins at the minimum.

3. Drafting well. Trade up to snag a great D man, or trade down if there isn't one to obtain multiple picks in a deep draft.

[klosetotheheart]

100% this

Hamhuis

Bieksa

Higgins

Miller

out

should be able to get a 1st for hammer and 2nds/3rds for the rest

sign franson and paul martin (short term contract)

and commit to a rebuild

we need high end draft picks and next year is going to be a great draft, better top 10 depth than this year.

Hamhuis is the only real 1st pairing defense men we have. Edler should have been but never developed to what we thought he might, to inconsistent. The only way that it would make sense to get rid of hamhuis is if we were fully blowing up the team and rebuilding. Meaning that the sedins, hamhuis, edler, burrows, bieksa should all be gone.

I personally dont think thats what will happen. The REAL list of those who need to go is:

Bieksa

Burrows

Higgins

Sbisa

Mathias

Bonino

Miller

Bieksa and Burrows because they are on the decline and neither offer what they used to (sorry love them both)

Higgins plays like a 2nd line scoring player (brings nothing else) unfortunately he doesnt put up the points to be a 2nd liner.

Mathias and Bonino are the softest big players Ive ever seen. Neither through a check all series and were a large part of us getting b-slapped by a team of 150 pound rookies in Calgary.

Sbisa was god aweful,no explanation really needed.

Miller is just not needed, Lack is just as good, younger, cheaper etc.

2016 Roster

Sedin-Sedin-Vrbata

Virtanen-Horvat-Kassian

Hansen-Mccan- (player that can skate/check/not be a wimp)

Dorset - Richsardson- Kenins

Hamhuis - (Need someone badly)

Edler - Tanev

Corrado - (anyone but sbiza,weber, or Bieksa)

Lack, Markstrom

[Scorvat]

Sign Martin St. Louis. Would give us a good top 6 next year.

Sedin Sedin Vrbata/St. Louis

Baertschi Horvat St. Louis/Vrbata

[Scorvat]

Hamhuis is the only real 1st pairing defense men we have. Edler should have been but never developed to what we thought he might, to inconsistent. The only way that it would make sense to get rid of hamhuis is if we were fully blowing up the team and rebuilding. Meaning that the sedins, hamhuis, edler, burrows, bieksa should all be gone.

I personally dont think thats what will happen. The REAL list of those who need to go is:

Bieksa

Burrows

Higgins

Sbisa

Mathias

Bonino

Miller

Bieksa and Burrows because they are on the decline and neither offer what they used to (sorry love them both)

Higgins plays like a 2nd line scoring player (brings nothing else) unfortunately he doesnt put up the points to be a 2nd liner.

Mathias and Bonino are the softest big players Ive ever seen. Neither through a check all series and were a large part of us getting b-slapped by a team of 150 pound rookies in Calgary.

Sbisa was god aweful,no explanation really needed.

Miller is just not needed, Lack is just as good, younger, cheaper etc.

2016 Roster

Sedin-Sedin-Vrbata

Virtanen-Horvat-Kassian

Hansen-Mccan- (player that can skate/check/not be a wimp)

Dorset - Richsardson- Kenins

Hamhuis - (Need someone badly)

Edler - Tanev

Corrado - (anyone but sbiza,weber, or Bieksa)

Lack, Markstrom

I agree with these 4. But Bonino has to be our 3rd/4th C not 2nd. Sbisa is exactly what we need. He is coming along very nice. Miller wont be moved. Its Lack or Markstrom

[Gollumpus]

Every team in the league has scouts to view players throughout the league. If edler is as bad as you say (which generally he isn't), then surely a professional scout would see it too. Why the hell would a team like Colorado give up O'Reilly PLUS picks for a guy like him, even if he was only half as bad as you say? Assuming he was that bad, if we don't want him then why would other teams at that price? It just doesn't make sense.

For example, would you pay Tanev plus pucks for a much lambasted player like dion phaneuf? I sure as hell wouldn't, and that's probably a pretty fair comparison to what you're making.

No, wait a minute... this makes sense! Stop it right this very minute!!!

Everyone knows that whichever player any poster doesn't like, is trash, and may be freely traded to any other team, regardless of factors like the other team's need for a player like the one in the proposal, caphit and NTC's. Further, that other team will trade to the Canucks 1st round picks and A level prospects in return for this guy who is a waste of a roster spot with the Canucks.

regards,

G.

[Gollumpus]

Hoff is a UFA, may not want to come here, but worth the phone call. If we could find one defensive beast out there it would help, still think we should have grabbed Olsen. Hammer just looks like he has lost a step out there.

He's likely hoping to get back with the Sabres, his best chance at winning a Cup and all that.

Aside from the above, what would the Canucks have to pay to get Ehrhoff, here, assuming he'd want to come back and that the team asked him? I'm figuring he'll want at least $4 million per season, and he'll also want a few years. I'm not sure that the team can afford him, in more ways than one.

And what if he asked for a NTC?

regards,

G.

[Gollumpus]

I think Bieksa would eventually agree to waive if Benning asked him to. As much as I criticize him, I don't think he is so selfish that he would put one more year with the team (if they are asking him to waive they obviously don't want him back at the end of his contract) ahead of the team's wishes. Because that actually just makes him look bad when he then walks away as a UFA. He would probably be the most hated guy on CDC if he did that.

It's either trade him (while working with him to find somewhere he wants to go), re-sign him at too much money and term to keep him, or have him walk for nothing as a UFA. Benning already screwed up with not trading Matthias. I don't think he will make that mistake again.

Having said that, the NTC to Bieksa was the single worst move of Gillis entire tenure. And boy is THAT saying something.

Bieksa might indeed change his mind. If he did, then I believe he wouldn't agree to be moved until the trade deadline. The folks who believe that he will agree to a trade prior to the start of the next season are being a bit unrealistic. Among other reasons, I think he would like to explore one last chance of winning with this team, and if the Canucks looked like they weren't going to make it to the playoffs he might then agree to a trade.

There is another option which you hadn't noted above, Bieksa agrees to a shorter term contract (say two years tops) and he agrees to a massive paycut in order to remain here (say $2.5 million or less per season). It could happen.

I'd probably go with Gillis not being able to acquire a top-6 winger as the single worst (non-)move.

regards,

G.

[Gollumpus]

You really think one Sedin would waive to play a part from one another? They've been playing together for their whole careers.

And for the thousandth time, Sedins' offense is not the problem, the team's secondary scoring is.

Man if the team had a goal for every time....

regards,

G.

[messier's_elbow]

The D is hooped. Thats where they need to concentrate. Bieksa, Edler and Hamhuis need replacingwith some big tough D men. The fix is up to Bening, but right now there are so many problems with this team and coach.

Unless its for a huge ass return, thats a big NO to trading Edler.

[ice orca]

Moving Miller and Bieksa.

Sign Mike Green

Sedin - Sedin - Vrbata/Burrows

Baertschi - Horvat - Vrbata

Higgins - Bonino - Burrows

Hansen - Vey - Dorsett

Edler - Tanev

Hamhuis - Green

Sbisa - Stanton/Weber

Lack

Markstrom

What did you trade Kassian for?

[Crabcakes]

Defense was exposed against Calgary.

It's ironic that last summer, Benning saw the defense as deep and decided to move Garrison so that he could sign Vrbata and after a year, we're all crying for defense. Don't get me wrong, I think getting Vrbata was a good move.

Benning did have a plan. Sbisa was supposed to take Garrison's place but wasn't quite the player he thought. Benning has prospects in Utica who may step in over the next couple of years because Bieksa won't be renewed and it remains to be seen how long Hamhuis will remain useful (he still has a good reputation around the league as evidenced by being asked to join team Canada at the Worlds).

So, Pedan I think is in line to replace Bieksa's grit on the back end but realistically needs another year in Utica.

Smaller guys like Corrado and Clendening are ready and will likely fill some role next year.

Ben Hutton, 6'3" 201, will likely also need another year and does not have a size issue. Is he Hamhuis' replacement?

Tryamkin at 6'7" 230 brings some size, I haven't heard a recent scouting report is on him to judge his progress. He's playing in the KHL for 1 more year.

So there are prospects and I would like to see a D selected in the first round but there is nobody who can add size and grit for next year and it will be an issue. I think they need somebody who can play now. If they bring any players in from the outside, it should be some sandpaper on the back end who can clear the front of the net.

[Red Light Racicot]

A big, physical and/or mobile defenseman or two.

[combover]

A bonified playmaking, power play d-man. Salo hoff type.

[PistolPete13]

I spoke with my actuary and he said that I only have about 20 years or so to live.

For a brief moment, I thought that Hockey dude's plan had so merit, but then I realized something.

He's that guy in my hockey pool that picks a whole bunch of past their prime guys and fails to win.

What we need is simple. Observe Anaheim's defense. Three great puck movers that seemed to come out of nowhere

and three stay at home types to keep the traffic away from their average goaltenders.

Edler and Tanev as our top pairing? With all due respect Nuh-Uh.

We also need a big fast first line, and the Sedins as our second line.

If we can't land a big top six forward through FA than why not

Sedin-Vrabta-Kassian

Sedin-Horvat-Baertschi.

I'm excited about some of the youngster coming up the pipeline, but it may take a few years before we see how many of them are ready for prime time. It would be awesome if Virt was ready for top six duty, because then maybe we could package Vrbata and a few others for a stud defenseman.

And if none of the above works I would like the Nucks to send six reps to my funeral, so they can let me down one last time.

[Gollumpus]

A second choice I would have (assuming there isn't an acceptable d-man option available) is for the team to take a big LW like: Crouse (probably gone), Bittner or Greenway.

The team looks to have a fair amount size and talent at center (Horvat, Gaunce) and on the RW (Kassian, Virtanen), but there looks to be a lack of size, talent and physicality on the left wing (Kenins is not that big, maybe Jensen if he makes it).

regards,

G.

[Junkyard Dog]

We have some depth in our defense pool but we lack a blue chip prospect on the back end.

Perhaps this could be the draft that we find one?

[Orka]

A second choice I would have (assuming there isn't an acceptable d-man option available) is for the team to take a big LW like: Crouse (probably gone), Bittner or Greenway.

The team looks to have a fair amount size and talent at center (Horvat, Gaunce) and on the RW (Kassian, Virtanen), but there looks to be a lack of size, talent and physicality on the left wing (Kenins is not that big, maybe Jensen if he makes it).

regards,

G.

Kenins does have the game style of a power forward, and although he isn't incredibly skilled; he can play the role of a power forward.

I do understand what you mean though.

[Orka]

Not sure if anyone has posted this already, but it looks like O'Connor has narrowed his choices down to: Ottawa, New York and Vancouver.

[insomniac604]

We have a number of prospects. The 25 and under (most likely to make roster) crowd looks like this ;

Tanev, Corrado, Clendening

Kassian, Horvat, Vey, Baertschi, Virtanen

Possibly (but probably not) likely :

Subban

Jensen, Shinkaruk, McCann

Markstrom, Demko

I think our prospect pool is well stocked. It's just a matter of giving the boys a season or two to develop in the NHL. If we want to be playoff-minded I would say somebody like Bieksa, Burrows, Hansen or Sbisa has to go. I'm not sure if we will resign Matthias or Richardson. I expect our roster to look something like this..

Sedin - Sedin - Kassian

Burrows - Horvat - Vrbata

Higgins - Bonino - Baertschi

Dorsett - Vey - Hansen

Jensen, Virtanen

Edler -Tanev

Hamhuis - Bieksa

Sbisa - Clendening

Corrado

Miller

Markstrom

Let Matthias & Richardson walk, drop Weber, trade Lack for picks. Markstrom gets 2 years as a backup under Miller. Miller walks after his contract. Our G becomes Markstrom with Demko. The plan all along was Demko for another year in College plus 2 in Utica so it fits. 4 years from now Demko will challenge Markstrom for #1 and we will have a(nother) solid under 30 starting goalie to trade.