"Benning believes culture change will improve Canucks" Bob Mackenzie Interview

[SaintPatrick33]

lol. did you see Sbisa grinning like he won the lottery after he was signed?

'Popcorn anyone?'

He must eat a lot of popcorn while analyzing game tape so he can learn that passing it up the middle to the other team does not lead to good results.

[Baggins]

10.8M/3 years?

Not big in the grand scheme IMO, especially if the cap continues to climb. Not even Benning's biggest contract.

Don't get me wrong. I do think we overpaid slightly for Sbisa's contract but not nearly as much as a lot of people here think.

With the amount of cap coming in next year while more and more young players come in replacing vets I don't see us reeling from lack of cap space moving forward.

Had Sbisa signed for what most wanted (the reasonable ones anyway) it would have been a one year deal. A young player isn't going to sign a long deal at his current worth unless he's a fringe player. So Benning is obviously banking on a continued improvement from him. By the third year he could be a real bargain at his salary.

[TheCerebral1]

I've been a Benning supporter from day one. There have been some moves that are questionable, but you cannot stay in the past or present. Transition to the next wave of Canucks has to go in a sometimes violent transition. Losing Kesler, Bieksa, and others is not an easy thing to do as a Canuck fan, but to prolong the inevitable just for one or two patchwork seasons seems like a waste. The defense is the one area that I do agree that he's not been aggressive enough to improve it.

[Valentine]

In my opinion this means we're trading the Sedins for Nurse and Moroz.

At the rate Benning is going it'd be more like the Sedins for Moroz and Gazdic, and we'd probably have to add a pick.

[KeslerPlaysLikeACanadian]

That is a league-wide trend among players, coaches, managements, media and fans. Incredibly annoying. Even more so when it then is translated into other languages without getting sorted out as superfluous nonsense.

There is almost no aspect of hockey-speak that doesn't sound moronic. My favorite is "specialty teams"; someone said it and everyone else quickly jumped on-board. Special means not regular, whereas specialty actually means unique and specific. Classic.

[KeslerPlaysLikeACanadian]

When a person says "The" Kopitars and Getzlafs he's referring to those players and all others like them. It's a common way referencing a type of person, or in this case player.

Is that precisely what makes it annoying? The Crosbys of the world. Nope. Sorry, I don't consider Sid the greatest in the world, but there is no player that is very much like him.

[thejazz97]

Is that precisely what makes it annoying? The Crosbys of the world. Nope. Sorry, I don't consider Sid the greatest in the world, but there is no player that is very much like him.

It could be a legitimate thing to say the Subbans of the world, the Subbans of the world, and the Subbans in the world in 5 years

[homersexual]

Sbisa at 3.6 or Franson at 3.325? Why didn't Benning go after Franson at that price?

[Ghostsof1915]

Sbisa at 3.6 or Franson at 3.325? Why didn't Benning go after Franson at that price?

Because he jumped the gun and misjudged the market. A few other GM's did this too. There was an expectation there would be a buying frenzy and because of a lack of d-men the prices would be high. Turns out almost every GM had cold feet, and were struggling to stay under the cap.

My bigger question is with Miller. I get where he says goalies can play until their 40. However, that's not the case for EVERY goalie.

I'd feel better if he said what skills Miller provides that makes him such a good goalie at his age, and that the goaltending coaches are very confident in him. Because he got wins last year which is great, but I'm concerned how durable he is and if he's able to hold the fort for 55-60 games and the playoffs?

[baumerman77]

When a person says "The" Kopitars and Getzlafs he's referring to those players and all others like them. It's a common way referencing a type of person, or in this case player.

I think most people understand that is his point. It is just a sub-par, dare I say poor, form of communication. It is just a turn of phrase that has spread throughout the hockey world. The "correct" way to have communicated this thought would be to first describe the general traits of these players and then cite specific examples. For example, one would say "we need tough and fast players who can match up against the big, strong, dominant centers such as Getzlaf and Kopitar." It is just lazy, imprecise, communication to throw out examples and let the audience discern the generalities, the onus is on the communicator to do this.

[Jack Fig]

Probably Benning, since Sbisa would turn it over to the wrong guy

I REALLY hate when the popcorn I just paid for is handed over to a third party. I get evil at that point.

[Amish Rake Fighter]

Sbisa at 3.6 or Franson at 3.325? Why didn't Benning go after Franson at that price?

probably because he doesn't like slow, one dimensional, overrated defencemen

[TexasCanuck]

It sounds like he has a spot penciled-in for Virtanen.

If he is ready then why not?

[bobby-b]

Change is never comfortable, nor is seeing ole' buddies leave while you're suppose to grow up about it.

Benning has changed the neighbourhood and our streets will never be the same.

ABOUT F%&$%*g Time!!!

[5 decades and no cup]

Sbisa at 3.6 or Franson at 3.325? Why didn't Benning go after Franson at that price?

So easy being an online GM when you get to speak in hindsight.

As I recall, Franson was holding out for +++$ and +++term. How does $5M for 5yrs grab you?

[KeslerPlaysLikeACanadian]

Because he jumped the gun and misjudged the market. A few other GM's did this too. There was an expectation there would be a buying frenzy and because of a lack of d-men the prices would be high. Turns out almost every GM had cold feet, and were struggling to stay under the cap.

My bigger question is with Miller. I get where he says goalies can play until their 40. However, that's not the case for EVERY goalie.

I'd feel better if he said what skills Miller provides that makes him such a good goalie at his age, and that the goaltending coaches are very confident in him. Because he got wins last year which is great, but I'm concerned how durable he is and if he's able to hold the fort for 55-60 games and the playoffs?

Also, the contract isn't unilateral. It's a negotiation. So Sbisa's agent's perception of the market was also a factor. It's nice to say we should have given him $2 mil, but he wouldn't have taken it, and then people would be crying about letting him walk.

[Chalky]

People can argue that a positive culture doesn't increase the level of play but I don't necessarily agree. The Flames of last season over achieved because of a culture of hard work, energy and cohesion. In the off season they made acquisitions that I believe were based on players identifying and wanting to be a part of that culture. Now, SAYING you are changing the culture and actually changing the culture and obviously different. If Benning does succeed in a positive change to our culture, we could aver achieve as well. What is over achieving for the Canucks? Making the playoffs? 2nd round? I dunno, but I do believe that if we don't outwork our opponents every night we are in tough to just make the playoffs. Honestly though, in my opinion, the sky is the limit.

[Bigturk8]

He said at one point that despite their policy of drafting the BPA, it may be time to prioritize a D-man. Should be interesting to see if we go that route in the 1st round next year.

[KeslerPlaysLikeACanadian]

He said at one point that despite their policy of drafting the BPA, it may be time to prioritize a D-man. Should be interesting to see if we go that route in the 1st round next year.

I think he meant that it's time to prioritize acquiring a Dman, not necessarily by draft.

[Bigturk8]

I think he meant that it's time to prioritize acquiring a Dman, not necessarily by draft.

You could be right, but since he said it in the same point as drafting the BPA, I got the impression that he was referring to the draft.