NOBODY WANTED KASSIAN. NOBODY WAS GIVING UP DRAFT PICKS FOR HIM.
- KB3Point0

MTL didn't want him?

I can understand how some people think that trading Garrison was necessary but I have no idea how you can call it a great move. Ignoring what he did with the 2nd round pick, he got bad value for a very effective player and still ended including a draft pick in the deal.

Unless you think Desjardin was the one who targeted Sbisa a as a "top 4 D" then that has to be on Benning as well, the decision to resign him before playoffs and after a brutal season is likely on the whole mgmt group but Benning ultimately is the one who is responsible.

Benning also called Bonino a fundamental piece, top 6 C etc. and said he was key to the Kesler trade.... If Bonino didn't work out here and expected him to be a part of this team long term then that is an example of his player evaluation.

I'm fully on board with giving Benning time for his moves to show their true colors but suggesting that the players he has brought in, signed, resigned are not fair to judge him on is strange.... what else would you judge him on?
- belcherbd

Trading garrison gave us the cap flexibility to sign vrabata. Resign Tanev.
Bieksa was still a good top 4 RHD 2 years ago. Tanev was unproven.
Had to trade one of the 3 lhd who all had ntc and were making more then 4 million each.
Edler and Hamhuis are better then garrison. The trade was a cap dump by us. If we hadn't done it we would not have had the money to resign Tanev.
Tanev is better then garrison and is a RHD.
One of the for 4 million dollar d had to go and to suggest that it should have been Bieksa is ridiculous. Yes we would have gotten more but then our top 4 would be 3 leftiez and a rookie.

Hindsight is 2020. I was a Gillis fan and wanted him to have at least one more year but you can't blame Benning for those moves.

it's not just that Sbisa was part of the Kesler deal, it's the contract that doesn't make any sense if he's the guy to go...

why anyone in their right mind would sign him to 3 years at 3.6 mill when 2 years would have sufficed. only to put him on waivers or trade him doesn't make sense...

if this guy goes, it's another black mark on JBs record in talent evaluation...

Mistakes
1. Garrison trade
2. keeping bieksa
3. trade for Vey
4. Sbisa 3 year deal
5. Dorsett 4 yr deal
6. ...
- kaptaan

Who cares if he's traded after signing him. Worse case scenario is that it looks odd or like they just carelessly signed him as insurance. They don't need a return on him... the kesler deal is looking good with the development of McCann regardless of the other crap we picked up with little choice in the matter thanks to Kesler's demands and restrictions...

I'm ok with keeping Sbisa as well. He will get us a better draft pick. We can get youth on the blue line by moving Weber.

Yeah, I get why he dwelt him but to give away a later pick and get an older/more expensive player on top of it.
Prust looks slow as hell these days.
- Nucker101

Prust has trade value though. Kassian did not.

If he wanted another goon coulda just signed one, could of probably got a late second or third for kassian
- phyllee

I think he would have done that deal if he could get it. He could have just waived Kassian or traded him for a late pick or random prospect alone though.

Prust looks washed up. Maybe he's just coasting through pre-season but Dorsett/Cracknell have outplayed him.

I think we would of had to take a bad contract back or retain salary.

Some thought that Marleau - Miller was the proposed trade but I doubt those two are of equal value.
- belcherbd

Marleau

Talk about a guys who's production dropped off a cliff

Plus last night he got schooled by Gaunce and Hutton.

I will never understand why Benning has to add picks into deals. Otherwise I don't hate the trades.

-- We should have been receiving the 5th round pick in that deal for Kassian, not giving it away
-- Not sure why we had to include a 3rd in the Kesler trade
-- Giving a 2nd in the Sutter trade was very very odd.
- classic321

What was it like in the negotiating room? Must have been weird when all those trades got agreed to and then Benning just threw in draft picks.

I was actually not too pissed about Lack either. But I do think he has the potential to be a top 20 starter. He's definitely not Schneider 2.0.

Miller signing still doesn't make sense to me. Even if they wanted a vet starter, he could have signed him to a 2 year deal or less $$ if he wanted 3 years which would have made him more valuable in the trade market if Benning wanted to explore that option in the future depending on the two Swedes development.
- Nucker101

I think it makes perfect sense. We only had a backup goalie unproven with any legit starting time. Benning went after the best goalie on the market at the time. A goalie whom he drafted as well as knows his game and character. Out east all he knew of Lack was he backed up one of the best goalies ever and made silly jokes on Twitter.

it's not just that Sbisa was part of the Kesler deal, it's the contract that doesn't make any sense if he's the guy to go...

why anyone in their right mind would sign him to 3 years at 3.6 mill when 2 years would have sufficed. only to put him on waivers or trade him doesn't make sense...

if this guy goes, it's another black mark on JBs record in talent evaluation...

Mistakes
1. Garrison trade
2. keeping bieksa
3. trade for Vey
4. Sbisa 3 year deal
5. Dorsett 4 yr deal
6. ...
- kaptaan

Love how you blame JB for not trading Bieksa. Did Bieksa ask to be moved the year JB was hired? He had a NTC that was from Gillis not JB. Agents and GM historically discuss this in the final season and Bieksa kept repeating he didnt want to go anywhere... You are so full of it...

Who cares if he's traded after signing him. Worse case scenario is that it looks odd or like they just carelessly signed him as insurance. They don't need a return on him... the kesler deal is looking good with the development of McCann regardless of the other crap we picked up with little choice in the matter thanks to Kesler's demands and restrictions...

I'm ok with keeping Sbisa as well. He will get us a better draft pick. We can get youth on the blue line by moving Weber.

- boonerbuck

Well if Aquilini is demanding the playoffs or at least a playoff race then Sbisa could be one of the players who costs JB his job or puts him on thin ice heading into next year.

Prust has trade value though. Kassian did not.
- KB3Point0

Here's hoping to god we don't sign him to an extension at years end.

unless it was 2 years and under 2 million.

Trading garrison gave us the cap flexibility to sign vrabata. Resign Tanev.
Bieksa was still a good top 4 RHD 2 years ago. Tanev was unproven.
Had to trade one of the 3 lhd who all had ntc and were making more then 4 million each.
Edler and Hamhuis are better then garrison. The trade was a cap dump by us. If we hadn't done it we would not have had the money to resign Tanev.
Tanev is better then garrison and is a RHD.
One of the for 4 million dollar d had to go and to suggest that it should have been Bieksa is ridiculous. Yes we would have gotten more but then our top 4 would be 3 leftiez and a rookie.

Hindsight is 2020. I was a Gillis fan and wanted him to have at least one more year but you can't blame Benning for those moves.
- Pres.cup

Garrison wasn't bad and is a good hockey player but it was a what have you done for me lately move? And who are you beating for a job?

What people fail to understand is that even these minor things can make a big difference. You need every little advantage you can get in this league, but Benning has shown less concern with the minor details like overpaying in trades/contracts to get them done quicker. It'll come back to bite him unless Aquilini is cool with missing the playoffs the next 3 years.
- Nucker101

Not at this point, if you don't expect to contend for the Cup until a few years after the Sedins retire when the new core is assembled and reaches it's prime then these 'minor things' don't matter. I'm ok with this, by the time we get good again, the dollar should be relatively close to par with the US and the cap should be around 85-90 million and we'll be fine with cap space.

I will never understand why Benning has to add picks into deals. Otherwise I don't hate the trades.

-- We should have been receiving the 5th round pick in that deal for Kassian, not giving it away
-- Not sure why we had to include a 3rd in the Kesler trade
-- Giving a 2nd in the Sutter trade was very very odd.
- classic321

It's a miracle we got anything for kassian. Guy is a coke head and a cancer in the dressing room.
The other team wouldn't make the trade unless he included pics. Have you ever been in a negotiation? 2 parties negotiate back and forth and if a deal can't be formed you need to revert to your BATNA. Best alternative to a negotiated agreement. Which in this case would be keeping Bonnino who clearly didn't work out. Benning swapped a late 2nd for an early 3rd because he felt he had too.

I think he would have done that deal if he could get it. He could have just waived Kassian or traded him for a late pick or random prospect alone though.

Prust looks washed up. Maybe he's just coasting through pre-season but Dorsett/Cracknell have outplayed him.
- Nucker101

Maybe, hopefully, if not I'd rather have Higgins or gaunce in the lineup, and I strongly dislike higgins

What was it like in the negotiating room? Must have been weird when all those trades got agreed to and then Benning just threw in draft picks.
- KB3Point0

I'm sure other GM's take notice whenever they see another GM overpaying in a trade/contract negotiation. They'll push for the same when they deal with that same guy.

Love how you blame JB for not trading Bieksa. Did Bieksa ask to be moved the year JB was hired? He had a NTC that was from Gillis not JB. Agents and GM historically discuss this in the final season and Bieksa kept repeating he didnt want to go anywhere... You are so full of it...

- boonerbuck

Garrisson had one to and didn't ask to get moved

Not at this point, if you don't expect to contend for the Cup until a few years after the Sedins retire when the new core is assembled and reaches it's prime then these 'minor things' don't matter. I'm ok with this, by the time we get good again, the dollar should be relatively close to par with the US and the cap should be around 85-90 million and we'll be fine with cap space.
- DariusKnight

The minor things can matter long-term when talking about picks. Every time you move down in the draft or have one less mid/late round pick, your odds of drafting an impact NHL player decrease a bit. I'd rather have Benning working hard to increase those odds rather than decrease them, even if it's only by 2-3%.

I truly believe Markstrom will be a good starting goalie in the league.

Lack I could never get on board with as a starter. He may yet prove me wrong and I wish him the best but JB's intentions to keep him and move Lack was the right one regardless of Miller here or not.
- thundachunk

Markstrom has look very good so far but I need to see him put in some good performances in the NHL before getting too excited.

If there were and Florida fans, I'm sure they would telling us how many times Markstrom looked like he was ready for the NHL and fell flat on his face.

Lack is what he is, an excellent backup who has been able to carry the load when forced to. He arguably outplayed Luongo and Miller over the last two seasons with us, which IMO means he deserved a legit shot.

A lot of good back ups got moved this offseason and will be given the chance to be starters. I think Jones is the best of the bunch but I don't think a lot separates Lack, Lehner, Talbot as well. The unfortunate part is that there is a big difference in what the other players fetched in return.

Lehner & Legwand (cap dump or vet ?) for 21st overall
Talbot for 57th, 79th and 184th
Jones for 1st round pick 2016 and Sean Kuraly ( long shot prospect)
Lack for a 66th and 201th overall.

Maybe, hopefully, if not I'd rather have Higgins or gaunce in the lineup, and I strongly dislike higgins
- phyllee

I said that last night. Only time I'd miss Prust is against LA/ANA/WPG

I can understand how some people think that trading Garrison was necessary but I have no idea how you can call it a great move. Ignoring what he did with the 2nd round pick, he got bad value for a very effective player and still ended including a draft pick in the deal.

Unless you think Desjardin was the one who targeted Sbisa a as a "top 4 D" then that has to be on Benning as well, the decision to resign him before playoffs and after a brutal season is likely on the whole mgmt group but Benning ultimately is the one who is responsible.

Benning also called Bonino a fundamental piece, top 6 C etc. and said he was key to the Kesler trade.... If Bonino didn't work out here and expected him to be a part of this team long term then that is an example of his player evaluation.

I'm fully on board with giving Benning time for his moves to show their true colors but suggesting that the players he has brought in, signed, resigned are not fair to judge him on is strange.... what else would you judge him on?
- belcherbd

The Garrison trade was a great move because he had a full NMC. Getting him to waive that untied our hands a little.

Rumour has it that Desjardins really like Sbisa from his time in the WHL. To much is made of the contract extension IMO.

Bonino was an asset. We used that asset to help get a better asset. It wasn't Benning's evaluation, it's that was all we could get from Anaheim who had us over a barrel.

Who said not to judge him on the players he's brought in and the ones he's signed? I just said that you can't judge him on the Kesler trade because the Ducks had us over a barrel and his only other option was to keep Kesler (and when Daniel and Henrik come to you and tell you a guy has to go, that guy HAS TO GO).

Garrison wasn't bad and is a good hockey player but it was a what have you done for me lately move? And who are you beating for a job?
- thundachunk

You do realize he led the D core in scoring the year he was traded right?

I'm not saying he is an amazing player but still a effective top 4 with a great shot.

I would prefer Garrison and Stanton in the line up over Sbisa and Weber.

Prust has trade value though. Kassian did not.
- KB3Point0

100 %. We could get a 2nd or 3rd at the deadline for Prust from some desperate team.

MTL didn't want him?
- Nucker101

No. They wanted the draft pick!

100 %. We could get a 2nd or 3rd at the deadline for Prust from some desperate team.
- CanuckDon

Doubt it. I'll be happy to eat the crow if I'm wrong though. I'll be happy if they can get a 4th or the 5th they gave up to get him .