Baggins Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 I'm in agreement with the selling low of Kassian..I too,have no problem with trading him,but given his age and pedigree,he could have been given been built into a better asset....Seems like Benning couldn't get Kassian out of the door fast enough (even by throwing in that 5th for good measure..was it personal..?).....If Kassian does decide to get his act together,this trade could look really bad for JB..IMO I was saying this through the 13/14 season. His finish to the season gave me hope he was actually going to become something. The 14/15 season he just pissed me off. Inconsistent, stupid (and often selfish) penalties, no defensive effort. The icing was Henrik publicly saying "shut up and play better" when he was whining to the press about being a healthy scratch. Henrik never says anything bad about a teammate. That comment tells me even his teammates were fed up with him. Good riddance. He can be another teams source of frustration. Prust may not have Kassians skill, but at least he plays his role and puts in 100% effort. How do you build an asset who won't put in the effort himself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckledraggin Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 A mistake requires hindsight. You have to evaluate these transactions based on how the team performs during games. Considering there has been no hockey played by any teams involved in off-season moves, it's impossible for anyone to have made a mistake. There were 2 mistakes made though. That article, and this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 I think only Boston has had a worse off-season than the Canucks. Maybe there is one other team I am forgetting. San Jose imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawndy Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 As Per Sportsnet: When the Vancouver Canucks unveiled a new management regime, it was supposed to mark a fresh, positive chapter for the franchise. Fan favourite and former captain Trevor Linden gave the makeover an appealing face as the team’s president of hockey operations, while longtime NHL executive Jim Benning brought experience and gravitas to the department. The new administration handled its initial challenge — getting a suitable return for Ryan Kesler — and (rightly so) there was reason for optimism in British Columbia. In the just over a year since, however, that optimism has been steadily chipped away as Linden and Benning have committed sins of commission and sins of omission, allowing a decent Canucks roster to slowly erode in some instances — and unintentionally helping it along in others. The following are four key errors made by the franchise over the last year: Choosing Ryan Miller over Eddie Lack The Canucks solved their latest goaltending dilemma at the 2015 NHL Draft, shipping off cheap, young 1B goalie Eddie Lack to Carolina for an anemic return and thereby committing to Ryan Miller — an older, more expensive starter who had been outperformed by Lack the previous season. It’s a difficult choice to defend from both a salary cap and a performance perspective. Miller has two years left at a cap hit of $6 million, while Lack has a single season left at $1.15 million. And, given the return the Canucks garnered, will still be significantly cheaper than Miller on his next contract. Acquiring — and signing — Brandon Sutter One of Vancouver’s key additions this summer was ex-Penguins centre Brandon Sutter, acquired at the cost of Nick Bonino along with various futures as sweeteners to the deal. Sutter was promptly signed to a long-term contract at more than double Bonino’s cap hit, with the expectation that he’ll play a key role down the middle in the future. But there are problems. Touted as a big, physical, defensive centre, Sutter weighs pretty much the same as the Sedin twins, ranked 10th among Pittsburgh forwards in hits last season and routinely sees his team out-shot and out-scored when he’s on the ice despite the fact that he doesn’t often see top opposition. (Top opponents more commonly play against two guys named Crosby and Malkin.) He’s also a black hole offensively at even-strength, as seen by this comparison of his last three seasons to the other guys who played centre for Vancouver last year: Poor cap management Making cap mistakes makes it increasingly difficult over time to keep good teams together. (Or in some cases, to tear bad teams apart.) Over-spending on players is one of the worst mistakes a team can make, and often ends up costing a club guys who actually matter. Just ask Chicago GM Stan Bowman about Bryan Bickell. Vancouver has fallen into the bad habit of paying more than it needs to for replaceable pieces. The retention of Miller over Lack is a great example, as is Sutter’s long-term deal. But these aren’t the only cases. Under Linden and Benning, the Canucks have made a habit of overpaying players. Luca Sbisa, Derek Dorsett and Brandon Prust were all signed or acquired under the watch of this administration, and Vancouver will spend a total of $8.75 million on what is essentially a No. 5 defenceman and two fourth-line wingers. Altogether, the Canucks have spent nearly $7.5 million more on a quartet of players who make them worse than by simply retaining internal options would have. Struggling to have an overall plan More damning than any of the individual mistakes the Canucks have made is the lack of focus on an ultimate goal. At the macro level it’s hard to see how the course Linden and Benning have steered moves the team in a winning direction. The new management inherited a group of capable but older core players, which suggested one of two directions: Either they could build around that veteran core, pushing for a championship in the short-term, or they could make a concerted effort to get younger by moving veterans out while they had value and adding pieces for the long-term. The managers have not aggressively built up the Canucks in the here-and-now; instead they’ve opted to ship out key support pieces like Garrison and Kevin Bieksa for second-round picks. Nor have they gone into teardown mode; instead the last productive years of the team’s best players are being spent in the service of a club that isn’t a realistic contender. The following is a list of every forward to average more than 15 minutes per game, every defenceman to average more than 20 minutes per game, and every goalie to play more than 40 NHL games last year, along with age (as of Oct. 1, 2016) and contract status. For the most part, these players are entering the years in which we expect to see steep declines in performance. The entire forward core (save Sutter, who is problematic in other ways) is on the downswing; only Tanev can realistically be expected to improve at all on defence; and Miller’s already showing evidence that he’s slipping. With few exceptions, all of these players will be bound for free agency over the next three summers.http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/canucks-four-biggest-mistakes-of-the-past-year/ As per Sportsnet garbage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Positive Canuck Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Virtanen , Boeser , Cassells, Demko etc.... will be beauties . #InBenningWeTrust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UFCanuck Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 4 Biggest Mistakes. -Miller getting injured -team was too soft vs the soft flames -team has a tendency to get rattled in the playoffs -not trading Kassian earlier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dura_mater Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 agree. The worse thing Benning had to handle when he arrived was no doubt Kesler. The second priority was staffs...and we got WD...then our prospect pool,which is probably one of the worse in the league...He did some signing and I agree most of the AAV are on the higher end, but as far as I know, aside from Miller he did not hand out a single NTC/NMC Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Sutter has some form of NTC/NMC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fanuck Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 He did some signing and I agree most of the AAV are on the higher end, but as far as I know, aside from Miller he did not hand out a single NTC/NMC Sutter just got NTC, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Sutter just got NTC, no? Partial NTC. He gets it for the first 3 years of his new contract. Then it becomes a limited NTC for the final two (10 teams). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Vrbata also has one if I recall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alflives Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Failed right off the snap. The market sets the price, not Benning. Other teams have scouting departments too, and know about off ice issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 The market sets the price, not Benning. Other teams have scouting departments too, and know about off ice issues. Yep. All these scouts do is travel around and talk hockey. They're aware of any rumors that the average fan is. If Kassian was a hot commodity there would be a bidding war for him. Clearly Benning either had to take a poor offer, or actually go out and get a player he wanted in Prust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alflives Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Yep. All these scouts do is travel around and talk hockey. They're aware of any rumors that the average fan is. If Kassian was a hot commodity there would be a bidding war for him. Clearly Benning either had to take a poor offer, or actually go out and get a player he wanted in Prust. I really liked Kassian, and hoped he would mature, and put hockey before other stuff. He could have really helped his teammates, if he wanted to make the commitment. Prust is clearly not Kassian, when it comes to talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabcakes Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Partial NTC. He gets it for the first 3 years of his new contract. Then it becomes a limited NTC for the final two (10 teams). This is Bennings first NTC as a Canuck. What do you all think that means? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 I really liked Kassian, and hoped he would mature, and put hockey before other stuff. He could have really helped his teammates, if he wanted to make the commitment. Prust is clearly not Kassian, when it comes to talent. Yea, but based on the depth chart next season, Kassian would likely be on the fourth line playing Prust's role anyways. If he wasn't making strides to becoming a permanent top 6 as a skilled played, he was going to be in the bottom 6 as an energy guy/checker. You need guys who consistently work hard to play that role. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 This is Bennings first NTC as a Canuck. What do you all think that means? That he believes in Sutter and wants him to be here for the rebuild, so giving him a NTC for 4 years is a non issue to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaudette Celly Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Yep. All these scouts do is travel around and talk hockey. They're aware of any rumors that the average fan is. If Kassian was a hot commodity there would be a bidding war for him. Clearly Benning either had to take a poor offer, or actually go out and get a player he wanted in Prust. There are very few if any GMs taken by surprise with players. Word gets around. I think a lot of us expected Kassian and Lack to have more value, but when it came right down to it they didn't. Lack is regarded as a backup, and pretty much nobody wanted Kassian. Kindof sad, but reality and kudos to JB for clearing them out, making room, and moving the team forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeNiro Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 There are very few if any GMs taken by surprise with players. Word gets around. I think a lot of us expected Kassian and Lack to have more value, but when it came right down to it they didn't. Lack is regarded as a backup, and pretty much nobody wanted Kassian. Kindof sad, but reality and kudos to JB for clearing them out, making room, and moving the team forward. If Gillis would have acted sooner with Kassian, we may have gotten a decent young D-man back for him. I guess you can't blame him too much since Kassian did show quite a bit of promise his first couple years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabcakes Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 That he believes in Sutter and wants him to be here for the rebuild, so giving him a NTC for 4 years is a non issue to him. Oh that NTC is an issue, Sutter is an important piece as far as JB is concerned and he is willing to make a special exception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coryberg Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 If Gillis would have acted sooner with Kassian, we may have gotten a decent young D-man back for him. I guess you can't blame him too much since Kassian did show quite a bit of promise his first couple years. Funny thing is I recall it was speculated that Gillis wanted Sutter in exchange for coho. Carolina didn't budge so he moved on to kassian. Would have been nice to have had Sutter all along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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