Seven years without a clear plan from Canucks brass.

[wallstreetamigo]

1 minute ago, spur1 said:

And I would strongly disagree with you. 

Based on what though? I gave very clear reasons why I think there are far superior options to Benning. Saying there is no one out there who is a better overall GM is just not realistic especially when your only evidence is Terliving is worse. Jim Rutherford is a far superior GM as one example.

[Aladeen]

48 minutes ago, Silky mitts said:

Aqua is part of the problem himself. His pockets are bleeding 

Then you should be able to buy the team for a deep discount and run it just the way you like 

[wallstreetamigo]

4 minutes ago, Aladeen said:

Then you should be able to buy the team for a deep discount and run it just the way you like 

I would buy it but I am too much of a fan to be the owner. I would make Aquilini look so hands off it would be like he actually had no hands.

 

I will have to settle for screaming into the wind on cdc.

[spur1]

29 minutes ago, wallstreetamigo said:

Based on what though? I gave very clear reasons why I think there are far superior options to Benning. Saying there is no one out there who is a better overall GM is just not realistic especially when your only evidence is Terliving is worse. Jim Rutherford is a far superior GM as one example.

I do believe he just quit his job due to personal issues. And he is going to move to Vancouver?

[JM_]

3 hours ago, DSVII said:

 So Loui was Trevor's idea? 

 

Again, this doesn't line up with the reason TL was let go (wanting a more slow cook rebuild)

 

But again don't think it being a competitive offseason absolves the GM of chasing the wrong assets. (If it comes out later aquilini pushed for Loui then sure)

 

 

of course it was, he was the boss. I don't know why this keeps coming up. He said it many times publicly that he wanted to give the Sedins another crack at the playoffs. 

 

Yes it does line up. TL's original re-tool on the fly failed, and he couldn't sell Aqua on leading the next phase. If he could have he'd still be here. 

 

[JM_]

3 hours ago, janisahockeynut said:

Solid post Jimmy

Probably spot on with my own feelings

 

I think probably the only thing that has been glaring is how he has let assets walk away. Overall, I think he is a very positive person, and works off of feel more often than not.

 

IMO, this is generally no more evident than how he plays his UFA's right to the end of the season, not wanting to send the wrong message to his core. I think that this is what makes him look bad, to his distractors. IMO, I think hockey players understand the business more than he gives them credit for.

 

In the trades and UFA's signings,I feel, it is really a hit and miss proposition for most GM's, as there are not many trades where 2 equal players are traded for each other. Most times it is garbage for garbage. Just like CDC, no one wants to trade good players unless they have too. And signing UFA's is a normally a real crap shoot, as the player is now getting closer to the end of their productive years.

 

I will also never blame Benning for the Eriksson trade. Never! That was a executive decision based on the owners desire to help the Sedin's. A no win for Benning once it failed.

 

I think your point of the U25 players is a very good point. And really the one that gets him out of jail. 

 

As for the "Retool" in the early years. I am pretty much convinced that when the owner says to not tear it down, you don't. That pretty much sums that up there.

 

In saying all that, I believe next year is Benning's make or break season. IMO, no owner is going to fault a GM for this year, especially when he had a part of it (Eriksson)

Imagine how that 6 million (Eriksson) would have played into this year, if it had been available with out sell the farm.

 

Again, solid post!

 

 

thanks Jan.

 

It seems clear that pro-scouting and communications aren't Jim's strong points. Maybe a guy like Lombardi can fill in the weak spots.

 

Anyway, I'm pretty happy thinking about next year and this one ...well, it is what it is, a bad memory like a lot of 2020/21.

 

[xereau]

46 minutes ago, wallstreetamigo said:

Treliving is just as bad. No way I would want him. If your response was meant to suggest there is no currently unemployed GM or prospective GM available that is better than Benning I would strongly disagree. 

Top untested GM with a mind for the big picture, imo, is Mark Hunter.

 

Both he and Dale were fan favorites, and he's kept his team in the mix every year in the OHL.

 

I can see him being a major piece for some team looking to shake things up.

[Convincing John]

2 hours ago, wallstreetamigo said:

I would disagree a bit as to me an A+ grade means flawless which no GM ever is. The Juolevi and Virtanen picks vs what were clearly better pucks at the time is really what precludes me from bumping him to an A.

 

The Miller and Schmidt trades were good and did redeem him somewhat but looking at the entire picture its hard to say he has been even average. The Canucks are one of the worst pro scouting teams in the NHL and its been that way for awhile. Bleeding picks for tweeners and not trading pending UFA significantly and negatively impacts his rating to me on trades. 

 

Free agent signings probably could be graded as low as an F to be honest. I dont think the players he got are that bad, or werent at the time in the case of Loui, but the combination of being improperly utilized by the coaches to take advantage of their strengths and limit their weaknesses and terrible dollars and term really make me feel had he done none of them and just kept the less expensive players we had as placeholders and/or used young players, the Canucks would be far better off.

 

I really dont think he is even an average GM at this point. There are better options out there for sure.

His addiction to UFA’s is really all that’s holding him back. I’m not excited for the bottom 6 trash to come off the books cause I know he’ll just add more trash as soon as he gets $50 of cap space. That cap space will last like 3 hours. 

[J.I.A.H.N]

1 minute ago, Jimmy McGill said:

thanks Jan.

 

It seems clear that pro-scouting and communications aren't Jim's strong points. Maybe a guy like Lombardi can fill in the weak spots.

 

Anyway, I'm pretty happy thinking about next year and this one ...well, it is what it is, a bad memory like a lot of 2020/21.

 

I will probably contradict myself here but

As I see how Benning has built the club

I almost think Jim's job is done and we need to have someone else take over

Not because of anything he has done, but more so, IMO

His strengths are not in the field of completion

Matter of fact Jim has hinted we are complete several times

The acquisition of Miller and the trading for Toffoli

IMO, both premature, although I love/loved both of them

I think it was too soon...........

Sure I get the idea of letting the young guns experience the playoffs and winning

But, and it is a big for me, this season underlines exactly why

JB's decision was premature............he was not ready, and still had too much dead cap

preventing him from keeping his assets....good assets!

So, if we take a step back, imo, JB's decision was not a good one

and he should have used those assets to clear that dead cap

Now, IMO, it would be a mute point.........

So what next? Well, this is where, I think JB falls down

I am personally worried he goes back after OEL

Which, IMO, would be a huge mistake.

This is why, I think a greater mind than JB is needed, which is to know when to 

real JB in, and prevent those mistakes

In My Opinion JB has done a great job with, drafting, the farm team,, but I am not sure what else????

From that POV, maybe it is time he leaves????? I do not trust him to complete the job, in the right order

and in the proper amount of time...........

But in saying that, JB needs to be recognized for getting us here

I a perfect world, I would very much like to keep JB on in a advisor role, particularly in the drafting/development area

and on that note................what the hell is going on with DiPietro?

JB cetainly makes you go down the rabbit hole................ I got a head ache!

[wallstreetamigo]

19 minutes ago, Convincing John said:

His addiction to UFA’s is really all that’s holding him back. I’m not excited for the bottom 6 trash to come off the books cause I know he’ll just add more trash as soon as he gets $50 of cap space. That cap space will last like 3 hours. 

Thats a concern I have as well.

[wallstreetamigo]

36 minutes ago, spur1 said:

I do believe he just quit his job due to personal issues. And he is going to move to Vancouver?

He said a month later he still has a desire to be back in the nhl though. His leaving pittsburgh doesnt seem to be about stepping away from being a GM.

[wallstreetamigo]

24 minutes ago, xereau said:

Top untested GM with a mind for the big picture, imo, is Mark Hunter.

 

Both he and Dale were fan favorites, and he's kept his team in the mix every year in the OHL.

 

I can see him being a major piece for some team looking to shake things up.

Ya he is regularly on nhl gm opening short lists. 

 

So was Paul Fenton though just to give abot of a devils advocate point of view. I do think Hunter is a candidate though.

[J.I.A.H.N]

23 minutes ago, Convincing John said:

His addiction to UFA’s is really all that’s holding him back. I’m not excited for the bottom 6 trash to come off the books cause I know he’ll just add more trash as soon as he gets $50 of cap space. That cap space will last like 3 hours. 

 

4 minutes ago, wallstreetamigo said:

Thats a concern I have as well.

I think it is not the fact that he will go after a UFA, but his ability to sign the right ones is the problem, in general.

I love Beagle..........

Eriksson explains its self

and Roussel drives me crazy

Ferland was just stupid

So, for me, 1 out of 4 just isn't good enough

Benn and Hamonic I get, but only agree in Hamonic

but what ever on Benn.........but he is a disappointment to me

He is just not good enough to be in control of UFA signings

Of the 6 he is good on 4 million of 18.5 Million..............bleck!

[xereau]

39 minutes ago, Jimmy McGill said:

of course it was, he was the boss. I don't know why this keeps coming up. He said it many times publicly that he wanted to give the Sedins another crack at the playoffs. 

 

Yes it does line up. TL's original re-tool on the fly failed, and he couldn't sell Aqua on leading the next phase. If he could have he'd still be here. 

 

I can't find where I read it, but it was reported that when Benning re-upped his contract there were certain clauses which explicitly stated that he did not have to report certain activities to the president. This was shortly before Trev bailed, and I'd bet my best steel that somewhere behind this smoke is the fire.

[spur1]

10 minutes ago, wallstreetamigo said:

Ya he is regularly on nhl gm opening short lists. 

 

So was Paul Fenton though just to give abot of a devils advocate point of view. I do think Hunter is a candidate though.

JB is going nowhere. He is one of the top ten GMs in the league. 

[xereau]

1 minute ago, janisahockeynut said:

 

I think it is not the fact that he will go after a UFA, but his ability to sign the right ones is the problem, in general.

I love Beagle..........

Eriksson explains its self

and Roussel drives me crazy

Ferland was just stupid

So, for me, 1 out of 4 just isn't good enough

Benn and Hamonic I get, but only agree in Hamonic

but what ever on Benn.........but he is a disappointment to me

He is just not good enough to be in control of UFA signings

Of the 6 he is good on 4 million of 18.5 Million..............bleck!

Beagle won a cup, tests #1 on all the fitness grinds. He was brought in, and rightly so, for  reason.

Eriksson simply fell off the earth. Contract was a no brainer at the time.

Roussel was brought in for the playoffs, and only the playoffs. Which were and still are a pipedream. Dumb.

Ferland was a smart signing, for if he regressed, LTIR was guaranteed. It was a gamble, and a smart one tbh.

Benn is and always has been a bubble guy. He's okay.

Hamonic is the same. Dime a dozen bubble guy. Has been okay.

Myers was a good signing, if you don't listen to the rabble.

 

Every single one of these guys are merely complimentary to the new young core, which are still several years from peaking.

 

Myers is the only one which will still be with the team when is does, and so all the rabble over this and that, is almost all meaningless noise.

[BertaNuck]

If the Canucks some how manage to get first over all in the draft lottery for the first time in franchise history, would you move down to pick up some assets and draft Luke Hughes to have the dynamic brother duo in van once again 

[wallstreetamigo]

25 minutes ago, spur1 said:

JB is going nowhere. He is one of the top ten GMs in the league. 

Again, based on what factual evidence?

 

Winning seasons? Playoff success? Cap management? Incremental improvement year to year? Trading? Free agent signings? 

 

Hard no to all of those.

 

I would say there might be 4 or 5 worse GM's at most currently in the NHL. My personal feeling is there are probably 3. 

[Convincing John]

31 minutes ago, janisahockeynut said:

 

I think it is not the fact that he will go after a UFA, but his ability to sign the right ones is the problem, in general.

I love Beagle..........

Eriksson explains its self

and Roussel drives me crazy

Ferland was just stupid

So, for me, 1 out of 4 just isn't good enough

Benn and Hamonic I get, but only agree in Hamonic

but what ever on Benn.........but he is a disappointment to me

He is just not good enough to be in control of UFA signings

Of the 6 he is good on 4 million of 18.5 Million..............bleck!

I like Beagle but not for that term and money. Hamonic is exactly the kind of signings he should be making. Benn is holding Juolevi back. Roussel’s game smells like my compost pile. That entire bottom 6 is like a 5gal pail being dragged behind a speed boat. The drunk uncle that ruined the family wedding. The kid with the patchy beard that corrects you at Starbucks. The poop that comes 20 mins after taking a shower. I could go on forever. 

[Provost]

1 hour ago, Jimmy McGill said:

of course it was, he was the boss. I don't know why this keeps coming up. He said it many times publicly that he wanted to give the Sedins another crack at the playoffs. 

 

Yes it does line up. TL's original re-tool on the fly failed, and he couldn't sell Aqua on leading the next phase. If he could have he'd still be here. 

 

He wasn’t the boss.  Aquilini was and still is.