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Vancouver Canucks: Benning Speaks as Utica Comets Reach Calder Cup Final |
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To start today, congratulations to the Utica Comets for reaching the Calder Cup final in just their second year of existence as a franchise!
For the second straight series, Jacob Markstrom was perfect in an elimination game as the Comets beat the Grand Rapids Griffins by a score of 2-0 to close out the series at home in six games.
Cory Conacher was the offensive star of the series and scored the game-winner early in the second period. Alexandre Grenier chipped in with an empty-netter to seal the deal.
No Canucks farm team has ever won the AHL championship.
The Comets will play the Manchester Monarchs for the title, starting this Saturday. No home-ice advantage this time—they'll open on the road in the 2-3-2 series.
Game time on Saturday will be 3 p.m. PT—a couple of hours before Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final gets underway. I'll be giving this promo code a try!
Since the NHL's draft combine is taking place this week in Buffalo, plenty of Canucks staff was able to make the 200-mile trip to Utica to take in the win.
Vancouver general manager Jim Benning did a radio hit with Sekeres and Price this morning on TSN1040.
The interview addresses lots of issues we've been batting around over the past few weeks. I think point form is the best way to cover everything here:
• on Markstrom - "The thing I notice about him now is his mental toughness." "He's showing that he's a guy that can play in the big games and win the big games."
"Dan Cloutier has done an excellent job with him. I think even from the start of the year till now, you see a different goaltender."
"Every night there's 10 pro scouts in the rink. They see the improvement." Here, he pauses to correct himself, adding "If that's the direction we decide to go..." before saying "there'll be teams interested for sure."
Benning then reiterates that they haven't sat down and made that decision yet. Decisions will be made among the Canucks staff regarding the goaltending situation over the next couple of weeks.
• on Jake Virtanen - "He's been good. This has been a great learning experience for him to play in these high-intensity playoff games."
• on Cole Cassels - An emphatic "No chance" that he'll suit up for the Comets in the Calder Cup Final. "He won't be joining the team in Utica."
• on the draft combine - "The combine, I feel, is very important. It's a chance to meet the kids and get to know them." Emphasizes the off-ice element, learning the character of the players, more than the physical testing elements. "We're looking for character people going forward."
• which of the Comets has been "fast-tracked" to a chance to make the Canucks thanks to his AHL playoff performance?
This is a classic Benning answer: "We've had a lot of guys play really good. We've got a four-line team and on any given night different guys have stepped up and been good."
But then, he goes on to name Alex Grenier. "If he has a good summer, I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do at training camp and maybe he can push for a spot." Brendan Gaunce, Hunter Shinkaruk, Adam Clendening and Frank Corrado also get name-checked.
• which Utica players other than Markstrom have made you rethink who's going to be competing for jobs on the Canucks next year? Does it impact treatment of impending UFAs?
"Sven Baertschi's been excellent and he needs waivers next year. I expect him to challenge for a spot on the team. Jake Virtanen—same thing. He's a big, strong kid. He can really skate. He's physical." "We're going to sit down next week and have our pro meeting in Utica and watch three games of that series and talk about what's going to give us the best chance to ice the best team that we can next year."
• Matthias and Richardson? "I've been in contact with both their agents. We have up till July 1. I can't say anything more than that."
• picking 23rd at the draft - "I'm excited about the 23rd pick. I feel like we're going to get a good player at 23. I feel like there's enough depth in this year's draft."
• is Eddie Lack the odd man out in your goaltending plans? Benning doesn't bite. Says they'll decide next week, then execute on that decision. They haven't made any decisions yet, and they'll keep watching Markstrom in the final.
Nothing too earth-shattering, though it's good to hear that Benning joins us in thinking that Alex Grenier could be NHL-ready and fully intends to see Sven Baertschi—and possibly Jake Virtanen—make the most-likely pushes to crack the Canucks lineup full time.
On the goaltending front, the landscape won't really settle until we see what Markstrom does in the final, I guess.
Consider this:
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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