Jim Benning, An Excellent Evaluator of Talent, BUT NO GM!

[Crabcakes]

7 hours ago, hockeygod77 said:

not easy being a gm i still think mike gillis was the guy...he made good trades i think and yes he made errors too on some but overall think he knew his stuff...i love the guys on the canucks but they are still missing a few ingredients....

I'd like a GM who is a combination of both.   Trades and contracts like Gillis.  Drafts like Benning.

 

It's clear that Gillis did get us to the SCF but he also set us up for the past decade of misery by drafting essentially nobody.  Ok, Horvat is a Gillis pick but don't forget the tire fire goalie controversy on his watch that saw the exit of the best goalie tandem in the league.

[TheCustodian]

Brutal roster management. Seems like a guy who would be a legendary GM if there was no salary cap and he had unlimited money. You'd probably have a farm team with $50M in salary in the AHL, but whatever. I said originally, Markstrom, Tanev and Stecher were two of the true leaders on this team ... bringing in mercenary leadership in the form of all these terrible bottom-six players at the expense of our homegrown leadership was truly stupid. Toffoli was probably a more valuable part of the dressing room than Beagle even though he was here briefly because he at least provided some swagger.

Edited January 24, 2021 by TheCustodian

[Lazurus]

14 hours ago, goalie13 said:

15 hours ago, Seeker1 said:

Ownership, you need to find, and put into place, a talented, new management team, NOT PREVIOUSLY FIRED RE-TREADS.

You mean, like Jim Benning when he first arrived here?

Unfortunately the old retreads are necessary to get into the old boys club. Gillis was a brilliant GM that never really got to the inside, that probably started with his  adamant affirmation of trying to win a cup followed up with the offer sheet for Backes.

Benning was a sidekick for decades, as an assistant with Boston he didn't have too much responsibilities, this is on the Boston videos they put out, he was kind of a yes man and his body language showed a lack of confidence, crossed arms, tilt of head, timbre of voice, clothing choice and colors.

Even here, dying his hair made him look like count chocula.

Benning was a rookie, had not scouted in years.

 

Most of the first 4 years were blamed on Gillis and those bad contracts that were flushed within 2 years except the Sedins. Gillis continued to take the blame for bad draft picks, but Benning hasn't done too much better with the same draft spots, numbers. Gillis got two top ten, one he inherited and the other he traded for, the first was in the rookie of the year race playing 8 minutes a game less than the leader and would have been outstanding if not for a horrible debilitating disease and the other is the backbone and captain of the team and this year the best player on the team, that would be 2 for 2 in top ten picks, but hey blame him because the team was drafting in the late 20's and 30's because they were CUP CONTENDERS and the best team in the league for two years.

 

No, Benning has had almost 7 years to get this team to win 40 games and as all can see the defence, Gillis's defence, has finally aged out or moved on and the team has no top four replacements except for one, Tryamkin not playing now.

[Crabcakes]

2 minutes ago, Lazurus said:

Unfortunately the old retreads are necessary to get into the old boys club. Gillis was a brilliant GM that never really got to the inside, that probably started with his  adamant affirmation of trying to win a cup followed up with the offer sheet for Backes.

Benning was a sidekick for decades, as an assistant with Boston he didn't have too much responsibilities, this is on the Boston videos they put out, he was kind of a yes man and his body language showed a lack of confidence, crossed arms, tilt of head, timbre of voice, clothing choice and colors.

Even here, dying his hair made him look like count chocula.

Benning was a rookie, had not scouted in years.

 

Most of the first 4 years were blamed on Gillis and those bad contracts that were flushed within 2 years except the Sedins. Gillis continued to take the blame for bad draft picks, but Benning hasn't done too much better with the same draft spots, numbers. Gillis got two top ten, one he inherited and the other he traded for, the first was in the rookie of the year race playing 8 minutes a game less than the leader and would have been outstanding if not for a horrible debilitating disease and the other is the backbone and captain of the team and this year the best player on the team, that would be 2 for 2 in top ten picks, but hey blame him because the team was drafting in the late 20's and 30's because they were CUP CONTENDERS and the best team in the league for two years.

 

No, Benning has had almost 7 years to get this team to win 40 games and as all can see the defence, Gillis's defence, has finally aged out or moved on and the team has no top four replacements except for one, Tryamkin not playing now.

I'll give you the Count Chocula crack but here's a man who learns from his mistakes.  His hair colour is much better today 

[Nucker 67]

1 hour ago, Pears said:

Seven words: Pettersson Boeser Hughes Demko Gaudette Höglander Podkolzin

Pettersson, Hughes, Podkolzin were easy high picks. Gifts, almost.

Gaudette and Boeser were great picks, credit due.

Demko and Hoglander were good picks.

 

Benning was hired in May 2014, Canucks went to the playoffs after that season and got bounced by CGY (Ferland) 

Then the Canucks missed the playoffs for 4 straight seasons.

They caught fire in the bubble in 2020 and made it to Round 2.

This season, they'll probably miss the playoffs again.

 

We can blame the coach, but he hired the coach. We can blame the players, but he brought in those players (and lost some players). Benning has had 6 years, with several Top 10 Draft picks, to build a playoff team. He was so close, until he let the team MVP walk. Last straw? 

 

[Fred65]

The bad news is we have to go yet another season before we loose Ericksson, Beagle, Rousell, and Holtby = $16.4 mill maybe Virtanen $2.5 mill.

[Nucker 67]

1 minute ago, Fred65 said:

The bad news is we have to go yet another season before we loose Ericksson, Beagle, Rousell, and Holtby = $16.4 mill maybe Virtanen $2.5 mill.

Don't forget the Luongo penalty!

[Fred65]

1 minute ago, NUCKER67 said:

Don't forget the Luongo penalty!

Yeah I missed that one, he's worth $3mill but I'd put that on Luongo/Gillis

[IBatch]

17 hours ago, ItsMillerTime said:

The Canucks cup window is coming up they honestly should be contenders now, but we'll have to wait a couple years. If Benning's cap management was a bit better we would have been able to bring back Toffoli and Marky this year and looked probably a lot more solid. They got prospects and players continuing to get better i'm not worried about the Canucks now I know they'll be really good in the future. 

Honestly should be contenders now?   In what hockey universe does that happen...not in this one.   

[IBatch]

1 hour ago, Lazurus said:

Unfortunately the old retreads are necessary to get into the old boys club. Gillis was a brilliant GM that never really got to the inside, that probably started with his  adamant affirmation of trying to win a cup followed up with the offer sheet for Backes.

Benning was a sidekick for decades, as an assistant with Boston he didn't have too much responsibilities, this is on the Boston videos they put out, he was kind of a yes man and his body language showed a lack of confidence, crossed arms, tilt of head, timbre of voice, clothing choice and colors.

Even here, dying his hair made him look like count chocula.

Benning was a rookie, had not scouted in years.

 

Most of the first 4 years were blamed on Gillis and those bad contracts that were flushed within 2 years except the Sedins. Gillis continued to take the blame for bad draft picks, but Benning hasn't done too much better with the same draft spots, numbers. Gillis got two top ten, one he inherited and the other he traded for, the first was in the rookie of the year race playing 8 minutes a game less than the leader and would have been outstanding if not for a horrible debilitating disease and the other is the backbone and captain of the team and this year the best player on the team, that would be 2 for 2 in top ten picks, but hey blame him because the team was drafting in the late 20's and 30's because they were CUP CONTENDERS and the best team in the league for two years.

 

No, Benning has had almost 7 years to get this team to win 40 games and as all can see the defence, Gillis's defence, has finally aged out or moved on and the team has no top four replacements except for one, Tryamkin not playing now.

Myers, Schmidt say hello as does QHs although he sure isn't having fun like he was last year - OJ isn't the problem either.    Why would you pick Tree, who had one season with us - as your guy?   Crazy talk.  Only Edler remains BTW what does any of this even mean. 

 

[IBatch]

30 minutes ago, Fred65 said:

The bad news is we have to go yet another season before we loose Ericksson, Beagle, Rousell, and Holtby = $16.4 mill maybe Virtanen $2.5 mill.

Virtanen's ice time - least amount of goals scored against this year so far ...

[IBatch]

1 hour ago, TheCustodian said:

Brutal roster management. Seems like a guy who would be a legendary GM if there was no salary cap and he had unlimited money. You'd probably have a farm team with $50M in salary in the AHL, but whatever. I said originally, Markstrom, Tanev and Stecher were two of the true leaders on this team ... bringing in mercenary leadership in the form of all these terrible bottom-six players at the expense of our homegrown leadership was truly stupid. Toffoli was probably a more valuable part of the dressing room than Beagle even though he was here briefly because he at least provided some swagger.

Markstrom and Tanev don't match the cores age... not good contracts to give if you want to maximize chances - great fit in CAL but not in Vancouver.   Stetcher was never a lead player - look at his contract in Detroit - like the guy but come one that's a stretch. 

Edited January 24, 2021 by IBatch

[IBatch]

Blah blah blah... this fanbase has some of the most misinformed jokers in the league.    Enjoy your circle jerk folks.   I'm considering taking a break and coming back when it's fair weather good roads etc.   In the meantime spend some time and look around the league at other teams - suggest starting with Detroit.   Another top team - Larkin and Horvat drafted around the same time, Holland considered the leagues best GM for a couple decades.   Good grief.    

[Fred65]

6 minutes ago, IBatch said:

Virtanen's ice time - least amount of goals scored against this year so far ...

I threw in Virtanen as he's maybe trade able, but heck Ericksson was pretty good defensively too

[IBatch]

51 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

Pettersson, Hughes, Podkolzin were easy high picks. Gifts, almost.

Gaudette and Boeser were great picks, credit due.

Demko and Hoglander were good picks.

 

Benning was hired in May 2014, Canucks went to the playoffs after that season and got bounced by CGY (Ferland) 

Then the Canucks missed the playoffs for 4 straight seasons.

They caught fire in the bubble in 2020 and made it to Round 2.

This season, they'll probably miss the playoffs again.

 

We can blame the coach, but he hired the coach. We can blame the players, but he brought in those players (and lost some players). Benning has had 6 years, with several Top 10 Draft picks, to build a playoff team. He was so close, until he let the team MVP walk. Last straw? 

 

EP wasn't an easy pick - a lot of folks had him outside the top ten.  Glass and Valardi were.   That's a fact. 

[86Viking]

2 hours ago, BENN said:

it`s funny how Benning goes from hero to zero and other way in a very short time.

It's a what have you done for me lately business in the sports world. Other sport leagues have won a championship and no longer have the same manager, Blackhawks won 3 cups and have dismantled the team multiple times with this go around being more of a rebuild and basically gave up on this short season before it started when they decided to run with 2 inexperienced low quality Goalies.

 

Fact is, even with quarantine the team as a whole can't use that as an excuse for not making a trade or firing a coach/manager etc just because of the quarantine rules....You have to improve your team or make a change sooner than later and not just waste a season...guys get older, players need new contracts etc etc.

[Pears]

1 hour ago, NUCKER67 said:

Pettersson, Hughes, Podkolzin were easy high picks. Gifts, almost.

Gaudette and Boeser were great picks, credit due.

Demko and Hoglander were good picks.

 

Benning was hired in May 2014, Canucks went to the playoffs after that season and got bounced by CGY (Ferland) 

Then the Canucks missed the playoffs for 4 straight seasons.

They caught fire in the bubble in 2020 and made it to Round 2.

This season, they'll probably miss the playoffs again.

 

We can blame the coach, but he hired the coach. We can blame the players, but he brought in those players (and lost some players). Benning has had 6 years, with several Top 10 Draft picks, to build a playoff team. He was so close, until he let the team MVP walk. Last straw? 

 

Interesting because I thought the consensus around Pettersson and Podkolzin were considered by most to be reaches/questionables at the time of their drafts. 

[coolboarder]

I do not think that it's Benning's fault for this off-season moves.  Pandemic has ruined his plans to grow the team as he will have to start all over again.  He could easily keep Toffoli and Markstrom and let go Tanev and cap would go up but now it's reality and the cap is flat and he will have to adjust.  He has commented before the season that the defence will have to go from within, not through free agent.   It is only one season of growing pains and we still have its own first round pick rather than losing them this year from Miller's trade.  I feel that it is better to give away the first round pick last year as he saw the timing that trade was necessary to maintain the confidence of their young forward and he has done the job.  It's the defense which will be the focus this year.  I would give Benning one more season after this and if result don't improve even with boatload of cap space this summer, then I'd consider him gone in 2022.   I think he will be given a chance to hire another coach to see if coaching aspect has improved.   I was impressed on how he was able to assembly the team together last season and this year as well and I feel that it is the veterans letting us down, rather than the young core.    I do not expect Edler to resign us again for 6 million, rather, he might seek a lower cap hit for 2-4 million or let him walk.   Edler is not 6 million dollar man and Eriksson could call its quit this summer, giving us boatload of cap space.  I still like Benning's work and we all did not expect the Canucks to make any noise until after 2022-23 season anyways.  

[coolboarder]

2 hours ago, NUCKER67 said:

Pettersson, Hughes, Podkolzin were easy high picks. Gifts, almost.

Gaudette and Boeser were great picks, credit due.

Demko and Hoglander were good picks.

 

Benning was hired in May 2014, Canucks went to the playoffs after that season and got bounced by CGY (Ferland) 

Then the Canucks missed the playoffs for 4 straight seasons.

They caught fire in the bubble in 2020 and made it to Round 2.

This season, they'll probably miss the playoffs again.

 

We can blame the coach, but he hired the coach. We can blame the players, but he brought in those players (and lost some players). Benning has had 6 years, with several Top 10 Draft picks, to build a playoff team. He was so close, until he let the team MVP walk. Last straw? 

 

Several top 10 draft picks do not make a team.  Look at Edmonton and we are more respectable team than Edmonton despite them having McDavid.  We literally had no first overall draft pick during the years we missed the playoffs.  The Canucks' rookies over the years were able to stay above the waters and were not thrown amongst the wolves.  They made the team because they were better than the veterans and Canucks was not afraid of making trades.  A boatload of draft picks don't make sense when you are trying to rebuild.  A complete roster turnover take 7-8 years, assuming you have two draft picks that are hits and Benning was able to get those picks that are in the line-up and is not looking out of places.  I feel that it is the veterans letting us down and I don't really like Edler but he is the best we have right now in veterans department over the years.  

 

Benning will have its opportunity to get the better free agent this summer with boatload of cap space to bolster the roster easily.  I do not expect Sutter to be back as he has of no value for us now.  He could be traded at the deadlines for assets and Maybe Pearson if he is not resigned with us.  If Edler wants to play in the playoffs, he would have to waive the NMC and move on. This might be a bad draft year because of pandemic and I feel that Benning would go for trades that involves prospects rather than draft picks.

Edited January 24, 2021 by coolboarder

[aGENT]

CDC - Excellent at prematurely panicking, but NOT AT BEING CALM AND RATIONAL!