But you want to get younger? Fair enough, but judging by most opinions on here that mcaan should be trade bait I think most posters disagree. I find it hysterical that everyone is anxious to move the kid last week and now Canucks fans are hysterical
- CanuckDon

Funny how that works huh 😂😂👍🏻

He's on radars to be a middle six center, from my viewing and from reports I've read, Pronman being the latest this morning.

In three years time id rather Horvat and McCann down the middle than Sutter and Horvat.

Sutter is not a good top six option.
- LeftCoaster

Bonino woulda been a good option

Anybody notice how we aren't getting chirped by Florida fans? They are pissed
- CanuckDon

Which one?

He's barely shown he can be an AHL center...please, you sound like Leaf fan. This is a realistic discussion
- LeftCoaster

Not yourself, but the majority of posters here would fit in well as a Leafs fan.

He's on radars to be a middle six center, from my viewing and from reports I've read, Pronman being the latest this morning.

In three years time id rather Horvat and McCann down the middle than Sutter and Horvat.

Sutter is not a good top six option.
- LeftCoaster

He fits fine on the wing & can take FO's. Hank is not too good at that.

Bonino woulda been a good option

- DeflatedPucks

We don't have a Kessel to play with a 3C like Bonino is in Pitt though.

This years draft.
- Marwood

To that I'd say look at Bo Horvat's development curve, he's 21 next year and had issues with top six minutes. This years prospect won't be ready to be in a top six role and Horvat is only a second line center, you're still without a number one guy and you just traded a kid you've developed for two years.

Benning took five dollars out of his left pocket and put it in his right and said he's feels better about his financial situation.

Both the center and defense need fixing. Free agency looks to be the only three year window chance they have for another top six center. A lot of luck involved there though.

To be fair, the deadline deals were about acquiring futures not giving them away.
- golfingsince

"Giving them away"?

Anybody notice how we aren't getting chirped by Florida fans? They are pissed
- CanuckDon

lol...really only matters what Bettman and the 400 FLA fans down there think...will this hurt Bettmans relocation plan??

Bonino woulda been a good option

- DeflatedPucks

No...he sucks worse than Sutter in a top six role

I know, but he's cut off his nose to spite his face. Two young centers in the system and he trades one, where's the succession plan for Henrik.
- LeftCoaster

#Stamkos.

"Giving them away"?

- boonerbuck

We did give away futures, but we got Gudbranson in exchange. Maybe my wording is wrong, but we did lose futures.....and acquired present.

#Stamkos.


- LordHumungous

What you guys be willing to give up for Marner?

#Stamkos.


- LordHumungous

I think he wants to win somewhere....

"You get a 2nd round pick, and you get a 2nd round pick..Everyone gets a second round pick!"
- Jim "White Oprah" Benning

(has traded away 4 2nd rounders...so far)
- DeflatedPucks

So what... if you get a player like Baertchi out of the 2nd round, it's a success. If you trade that 2nd for the same player it's not? It sounds so much worse when you don't consider what comes back in the trade or what the intentions were. EG washes the gamble we would take with this years 2nd rounder targetting a D. There are gambles that work and there are some that don't. This team needs to take gambles to fill the gap and that blame lands on the shoulders of Gillis.

People forget that those 2nd round picks are gambles as well. We have acquired a couple of good players with those four second rounders... your one sided observations are laughable.

I think he wants to win somewhere....
- Arctic_AARDVARK

If that's the case he'll stay in Tampa.

My bigger picture says if you're gonna trade for a needed player like Gudbrason, trade from a position of strength. The team has two centers under the age of 25, Horvat and McCann, now they have one.

I'm a big proponent of building with centers and defense. Henrik retires in two years, where's the succession plan for down the middle?

Dubois, if he's available and they select him, will be 19 years old (turning 20) or in the same position Horvat was in as a fourth line center last year. He doesn't fill Henriks spot.
- LeftCoaster

It's safe to say that JB thinks the chances of JM replacing hank as the #1 are a lot slimmer than you do obviously. I'm with Jim.

McCann is not big and strong enough. Sure he will get a bit bigger and maybe a bit stronger if they figure out how to keep him from losing too much muscle mass. I'm not sure they want to bank on him as being our #1 in the future. I like how they are going after a bigger and stronger top 6. McCann as our #1

I think he's a knucklehead to begin with, his one and only talent is prospect evaluation, what he says just makes me laugh even harder at him.

I'm not wound up...just up for a lounging discussion day. If I'm coming across as all wound up, I'm not, just passionate about how I'd like to see the future unfold.
- LeftCoaster

You've been wound up about his interviews for a long time... you just denied it in this post where you called him a knucklehead...many other insults in the past...lol.

Strange how you think JB can only evaluate talent before it gets to the NHL but cant evaluate the talent of someone in their early 20's

If that's the case he'll stay in Tampa.
- LeftCoaster

Tampa clearly doesnt want to pay him what hes demanding.

So what... if you get a player like Baertchi out of the 2nd round, it's a success. If you trade that 2nd for the same player it's not? It sounds so much worse when you don't consider what comes back in the trade or what the intentions were. EG washes the gamble we would take with this years 2nd rounder targetting a D. There are gambles that work and there are some that don't. This team needs to take gambles to fill the gap and that blame lands on the shoulders of Gillis.

People forget that those 2nd round picks are gambles as well. We have acquired a couple of good players with those four second rounders... your one sided observations are laughable.
- boonerbuck

Defenseman 1:
6.05 216 lbs. 24 years old
43 pts in 309 games

Defenseman 2:
6.04 225, 27 years old (at the time of trade, plus couple lbs lighter)
35 pts in 215 games (at the time: 29 in 162)


Defenseman 1:
Acquired along with 5th for McCann and a 2nd, 4th
Defenseman 2:
Acquired for a bum and a 4th rd pick


In all seriousness, I just think Benning doesn't like 2nd round picks or something

Ya, I don't like how this is going either. JB was brought in for his perceived ability to assess young talent. So I'm pretty sure Linden and JB are on the same page. They're both smart hockey guys and they know that good drafting is key to long term success.

So there must be something else that's driving the desire to be competitive now. I wonder what that could be...
- bloatedmosquito

Who has he brought in that isnt young in the last year?

I know, but he's cut off his nose to spite his face. Two young centers in the system and he trades one, where's the succession plan for Henrik.
- LeftCoaster

Where was it to begin with? McCann? Are you serious?


There are unknowns to us fans. JB may already know that the Oilers are taking Tkachuck and why wouldnt they? He looks to be the better winger for them and they are set down the middle. You keep going on about JB's prospect evaluations... unless his evaluations are on McCann then you totally dismiss it. I'm having a hard time finding any honest rationalization on your part.

Defenseman 1:
6.05 216 lbs. 24 years old
43 pts in 309 games

Defenseman 2:
6.04 225, 27 years old (at the time of trade, plus couple lbs lighter)
35 pts in 215 games (at the time: 29 in 162)


Defenseman 1:
Acquired along with 5th for McCann and a 2nd, 4th
Defenseman 2:
Acquired for a bum and a 4th rd pick


In all seriousness, I just think Benning doesn't like 2nd round picks or something
- DeflatedPucks

That pretty much sums up your intelligence.

That pretty much sums up your intelligence.
- boonerbuck

Why because you have a hard time understanding other people's arguments. Join Jim Benning! He'd love to have you on his team!