Matt_T83 Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 For all the people complaining about WD or GM Benning, the real problem with this team is the owners. The Aquilini's have consistently interfered with the management of the team. For a while it wasn't that big of an issue. However, once Alain Vingeault was fired, the real problems began. Mike Gillis wanted nothing to do with John Tortorella, but was forced to hire him by ownership. We all know how well that turned out. So they fire everyone and hire new people. But instead of accepting the inevitable decline the team, ownership doubled down on trying to stay competitive. They have forced Benning to make trades, giving away multiple 2nd round draft picks. This was obviously doomed to fail, since we didn't really have anywhere near the prospect pool we needed to do this. We had a decent prospect in Jared McCann that we just let go for an average 2nd pairing defenseman in Gudbranson, who is now -7. I didn't expect Gudbranson to score goals, we knew that coming in. But I did expect him to be a dependable shut down defenseman and keep an even +/-. And all of this was done for a declining team that clearly isn't going to make the playoffs. Maybe ownership thinks we just need to trade away our 1st + 2nd round picks next year, and that will get us the last piece we need to complete this team. The only two ways this team is ever going to be competitive again is 1) sucking so badly for 5-10 years that we eventually get a few first overall picks or 2) firing Benning and hiring a GM that is willing to stand up to ownership and make tough decisions. Either way we are going to suck for a while. The question is, do we suck for 4-5 years and then become competitive? Or do we keep trying in vain to 'win now' and end up sucking for 10 more years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
combover Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Yep. Or new ownership. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dumb Nuck Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 We need a team that can stand up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV77 Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Then the owners will tell the GM "stfu you work for us b***h!'' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VIC_CITY Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 8 minutes ago, JV77 said: Then the owners will tell the GM "stfu you work for us b***h!'' Pretty much. Benning is doing what he can. It's gonna be a long season folks. Even ownership is gonna see things for what they really are. There will be no way around it. Hansen and one of Edler/Tanev will likely be traded by the deadline. The rebuild will be in full effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo053 Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 so you want a GM that will be immediately fired, ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guntrix Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Lol... This is like saying we need an employee who will stand up to their boss. We all know how that ends... Jim would be cleaning out his office by the end of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Biestra Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 I honestly have no idea how involved the Aquilinis have or have not been in management decisions. I think most of us share my position of ignorance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Where's Wellwood Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Hard to keep an even +/- when the entire team sucks. Horvat was like -30 last year. Does that mean he sucks defensively? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathew Barzal Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Why would hire someone who would actively try to undermine you? The Aquilini's went shopping for the best puppet on the market and they found it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaBamba Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Ownership won't stand for this. After seeing a few tank teams gaining traction they will embrace the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkyard Dog Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 1 minute ago, LaBamba said: Ownership won't stand for this. After seeing a few tank teams gaining traction they will embrace the tank. Perhaps then we can see what JB can do with, hopefully, a bunch of picks in the early rounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray_Cathode Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 52 minutes ago, JV77 said: Then the owners will tell the GM "stfu you work for us b***h!'' And the owners work for the fans, and the fans should remember that fact. If you want your voice to be heard, stop buying tickets - that is capitalism's way of getting the message across to businesses that just aren't getting the message any other way. It is amazing how fast ownership listens when the bottom line turns red. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khay Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Meh. I mean if the team sucks, it's the owners that take the most hit. They will be losing a lot of money this season; a 70 million dollars roster that finishes last or second last will not make you any money. If the GM needs to stand up to the owners, then the team has stupid owners. For fun, let's imagine if Torts was never hired. 2013-14: One regret that I have is that hiring Torts wasted one good year of the Sedins. The season after, they were basically PPG, which proves to me that their decline didn't begin until 2015-16 season. Sedins along with some depth (Bonino, Matthias, Richardson, Kassian, Vrbata) made WD look good in 2014-15. I think 2013-14 roster was still good enough to make the playoffs (wildcard). If we had kept AV, then we would have made the playoffs that year. Even if we fired AV, if we hired someone good, someone that Gillis liked, then I think we would have made the playoffs. Sure, we might not have won the cup, but who knows if we would have won a round or two? Then, maybe there wouldn't be Kesler trade demand. Of course, he might have still asked for a trade but with different circumstances, maybe he wouldn't have been so demanding. Either way, we make the playoffs, the owners make money. 2014-15: Bo would make the team as the 4th line center. This gives us Sedin-Kesler-Richardson-Horvat down the middle. Gillis would have made some changes as he saw fit to improve the roster (Vrbata? Maybe, maybe not). And although it's unclear if we would have traded Luongo mid-season but if yes, Matthias-Richardon-Kassian was one heck of a line. Kassian had 14 goals and 29 points in 2013-14 (sure, it was under Torts but let's say he achieved that despite Torts, not because of Torts' coaching). We go against the Flames. I think we win that round. Go against Kesler-less Anaheim and a Bruce Boudreau's team in the 2nd round. We would end this season by making the playoffs and having successfully inserted a youth (Horvat and Kassian improved). Owners are happy. 2015-16: It gets harder to know what would have happened at this point. But Gillis would have re-signed Richardson and Matthias (if Luongo trade happened). This decision to let both of them walk still puzzles me actually. JB was a bit too overzealous in terms of inserting youth: Jake and McCann weren't ready for the NHL. Oh but I guess we wouldn't have had them... so yes, this further confirms my belief that Richardson and Matthias would have been re-signed. Let's say Kassian is traded away because his alcohol problems would have been the same whether MG/AV or god was managing the team. But do any of you think that Gillis would trade Kassian + 5th for Prust? Gillis wasn't the greatest manager. He had his weaknesses and made mistakes but I just don't see us giving up a young player + 5th for 30 something years old grinder especially as he knows the team has to get younger. We would be looking to insert yet another young player. Sedins begin their slow down but Horvat going into his second year, sheltered by Kesler. Playoffs aren't a sure thing but would have been a possibility. Conclusion: The owners are idiots. They made a wrong choice for the head coach, ended up firing the GM to take the fall for their stupidity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RRypien37 Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 1 hour ago, JV77 said: Then the owners will tell the GM "stfu you work for us b***h!'' This and if he doesn't he will get fired. Ownership needs to change before anything else can if the rumours are true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Shotgun Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 The old tired and worn jerseys hanging in the back of the closet gathering dust should be given a new life. Raining down on the ice like a teddy bear toss. That willl get their attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancaster Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 Remember the old days when the owner was absent and didn't want to spend money? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SvenBae Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 1 hour ago, Bo053 said: so you want a GM that will be immediately fired, ok Orrrr not hired at all, which has probably previously happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khay Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 6 minutes ago, Lancaster said: Remember the old days when the owner was absent and didn't want to spend money? Good point. Most people here don't seem to remember. We would have a cup by now if those owners spent 70 million dollars like other powerhouses... We were only spending like 45 million dollars so... 25 million dollars = 3 elite players = cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jam126 Posted November 8, 2016 Share Posted November 8, 2016 This is basically saying: "We need someone who flips off his boss." Good luck with that strategy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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