Bad press is better than no press.


Benning is going to give a big Fukk You to some non believers this year.

Same as in here , it is just talk. Do you really value the opinion of Troy from WR , or Taj or Tambir? The only way that Pratt can remain relevant is to put a fire under the listeners, otherwise he doesn't have a job.
- VANTEL

I hate seeing taj's tweets. Whiniest little b!tch on twitter.

I hate seeing taj's tweets. Whiniest little b!tch on twitter.
- thundachunk

so take him off the follow list

Everyone seems to have a hate on for Benning and co. I could really care less. I personally think he is doing lots of good things. Is he perfect? No. Has he made mistakes? Yes. Am I drinking the coolaid? No. For me the things I like that he has done out weigh the things that he has faulted on. Our fans have no faith. Being to the dance and not winning it all a few times will do that.

so take him off the follow list
- SMBDragon

I keep him for the links he posts. Not his douche baggery comments about the links or his anti canucks crap.

Everyone seems to have a hate on for Benning and co. I could really care less. I personally think he is doing lots of good things. Is he perfect? No. Has he made mistakes? Yes. Am I drinking the coolaid? No. For me the things I like that he has done out weigh the things that he has faulted on. Our fans have no faith. Being to the dance and not winning it all a few times will do that.
- thundachunk

agreed.

No GM is perfect. When tasked with a need to completely overhaul a roster, fill a talent gap between the ages of 20-24, and add legitimate prospects to the pipeline mistakes will inevitability be made. It's impossible to win every transaction when you are required to take risks and make dozens of moves in a 2 year time frame.

Everyone seems to have a hate on for Benning and co. I could really care less. I personally think he is doing lots of good things. Is he perfect? No. Has he made mistakes? Yes. Am I drinking the coolaid? No. For me the things I like that he has done out weigh the things that he has faulted on. Our fans have no faith. Being to the dance and not winning it all a few times will do that.
- thundachunk

I think that has some merit to it. I would also say that during that stretch they collected quite a few new fans of the team (not the sport) and this downturn is not what they expected or signed up for. Longer term fans are more patient and accustom to this nature of the business, you can even look to other franchises and see the same thing: Leafs fans have stuck through it all, and proudly remain fans. Florida went to the finals and attendance rose, then were among the worst in the league both for performance and attendance, and they are on the rise again for both.

Everyone seems to have a hate on for Benning and co. I could really care less. I personally think he is doing lots of good things. Is he perfect? No. Has he made mistakes? Yes. Am I drinking the coolaid? No. For me the things I like that he has done out weigh the things that he has faulted on. Our fans have no faith. Being to the dance and not winning it all a few times will do that.
- thundachunk

I don't see how anyone could think he's a complete failure. There are GMs in the league who barely make any moves and are praised simply because they were gifted good players/teams. The way I see it he just got handed a tougher job and is probably batting the same average as many other GMs in the league.

Jim Benning isn't as bad as the idiot eastern media has conditioned people to think he is.

Their biased reporting has brainwashed local fans and media as well since people watch the programming from the East.

Our takes a lot to sift through the bs... And remain unaffected by the bias...

Everyone seems to have a hate on for Benning and co. I could really care less. I personally think he is doing lots of good things. Is he perfect? No. Has he made mistakes? Yes. Am I drinking the coolaid? No. For me the things I like that he has done out weigh the things that he has faulted on. Our fans have no faith. Being to the dance and not winning it all a few times will do that.
- thundachunk

Conventional wisdom in the NHL changes from season to season and right now conventional wisdom favours tearing your team down and starting from scratch. Blame the Leafs for selling their plan so effectively, and they did do a masterful job of convincing their fans. Benning is trying things differently. If it's a disaster then the media can publish numerous "I told you so" articles, and if it's successful then maybe conventional wisdom will change yet again.

I think that has some merit to it. I would also say that during that stretch they collected quite a few new fans of the team (not the sport) and this downturn is not what they expected or signed up for. Longer term fans are more patient and accustom to this nature of the business, you can even look to other franchises and see the same thing: Leafs fans have stuck through it all, and proudly remain fans. Florida went to the finals and attendance rose, then were among the worst in the league both for performance and attendance, and they are on the rise again for both.
- WhiteLie

Any fanbase that supports an organization for more than a few years of bad management is foolish. Those people are not to be praised but rather pitied at a minimum for their foolishness in enriching through product purchases a bad organization.

Conventional wisdom in the NHL changes from season to season and right now conventional wisdom favours tearing your team down and starting from scratch. Blame the Leafs for selling their plan so effectively, and they did do a masterful job of convincing their fans. Benning is trying things differently. If it's a disaster then the media can publish numerous "I told you so" articles, and if it's successful then maybe conventional wisdom will change yet again.
- CubanBuffet

What do the leafs have now though? Really nothing. No one player can do it by themselves.

What do the leafs have now though? Really nothing. No one player can do it by themselves.
- manvanfan

I don't understand this comment. Who cares what they have? They sold their fans on a rebuild and their fans have bought it. Whether they're doing things the right way or not, their fans believe in what they're doing.

And you have to be pretty biased not to admit that they don't have any good pieces. Even outside of Mathews they have a few players I'd take on the Canucks in a second. Reilly is a stud.

Any fanbase that supports an organization for more than a few years of bad management is foolish. Those people are not to be praised but rather pitied at a minimum for their foolishness in enriching through product purchases a bad organization.
- kaptaan

Not the point I was making, bad management is based on perception so who should stop supporting will depend on their views. My comment was related to "bandwagon" fans and Vancouver has a lot of them. I think if you pay little attention to the rest of the league, dont watch other NHL games besides the one your team is playing in, that explains the lack of patience or faith in your management. Those types of fans will look at Vancouver and its same core roster and be frustrated they missed the playoffs instead of acknowledging that players age and how much the rest of the West has improved since the cup run in 2011. To me that explains the crowd of fans that lack faith

This thread I think is good in acknowledging the mess that JB inherited, both in prospect pool and talent on the ice. Its not perfect but you can see he has added youth and taken chances on former top picks that had pedigree, while drafting fairly well. It might not be the path everyone wants, but the team is still only 2 years into its reassembly

I don't understand this comment. Who cares what they have? They sold their fans on a rebuild and their fans have bought it. Whether they're doing things the right way or not, their fans believe in what they're doing.

And you have to be pretty biased not to admit that they don't have any good pieces. Even outside of Mathews they have a few players I'd take on the Canucks in a second. Reilly is a stud.
- CubanBuffet

Sounds like your believing it too. Of course they have a few good players. Edmonton I'd take 5 or 6 of their forwards on Van. Just because Benning isn't pushing an excuse to lose for a number of years like Toronto is. Every year, every team is rebuilding. Called the NHL draft.

Everyone seems to have a hate on for Benning and co. I could really care less. I personally think he is doing lots of good things. Is he perfect? No. Has he made mistakes? Yes. Am I drinking the coolaid? No. For me the things I like that he has done out weigh the things that he has faulted on. Our fans have no faith. Being to the dance and not winning it all a few times will do that.
- thundachunk

Well said.

Sounds like your believing it too. Of course they have a few good players. Edmonton I'd take 5 or 6 of their forwards on Van. Just because Benning isn't pushing an excuse to lose for a number of years like Toronto is. Every year, every team is rebuilding. Called the NHL draft.
- manvanfan

Dude, all I said was that they did a good job of selling their plan to their fans. That is not an endorsement. If I forgot the obligatory "Leafs Suck" at the end of my post that's my bad.

Everyone seems to have a hate on for Benning and co. I could really care less. I personally think he is doing lots of good things. Is he perfect? No. Has he made mistakes? Yes. Am I drinking the coolaid? No. For me the things I like that he has done out weigh the things that he has faulted on. Our fans have no faith. Being to the dance and not winning it all a few times will do that.
- thundachunk

Just out of curiosity, what is the good that out weighs the bad?

I'm not trying to be a d1ck but my perception is all the good is still yet to be determined. Which is fine, I think he deserves time to see if he can make it work but I don't understand the sentiment that the good has actually been accomplished yet.

Dude, all I said was that they did a good job of selling their plan to their fans. That is not an endorsement. If I forgot the obligatory "Leafs Suck" at the end of my post that's my bad.
- CubanBuffet

i'm pretty sure you didn't forget it. you typed it but it was mysteriously edited out. i blame the eastern media bias.

Nice to see some JB support today, I like what he's done too.

Question: is Jonathan Miller of New York J.T. Miller? I'm assuming it is and if so that makes him the biggest name going into arbitration other than Barrie (and arguably Johanssen). Rangers are in some trouble, if only we had bought out a certain player and had more cap relief to offer...

I don't understand this comment. Who cares what they have? They sold their fans on a rebuild and their fans have bought it. Whether they're doing things the right way or not, their fans believe in what they're doing.

And you have to be pretty biased not to admit that they don't have any good pieces. Even outside of Mathews they have a few players I'd take on the Canucks in a second. Reilly is a stud.
- CubanBuffet

Every single team in the league has a couple players I'd take in an instant. Doesn't mean the team as a whole isn't failing to execute the "build" part of the "tear down and build" philosophy.

Just out of curiosity, what is the good that out weighs the bad?

I'm not trying to be a d1ck but my perception is all the good is still yet to be determined. Which is fine, I think he deserves time to see if he can make it work but I don't understand that sentiment that the good has actually been accomplished yet.
- belcherbd

This is going to be a big year for Benning. For his sake I hope the team makes the playoffs and wins a round.

If they are a bottom 10 team again it's going to be quite difficult selling "the plan" to ownership and the fans.

i'm pretty sure you didn't forget it. you typed it but it was mysteriously edited out. i blame the eastern media bias.
- RealityChecker

Foiled again by HB's swear filter.

Nice to see some JB support today, I like what he's done too.

Question: is Jonathan Miller of New York J.T. Miller? I'm assuming it is and if so that makes him the biggest name going into arbitration other than Barrie (and arguably Johanssen). Rangers are in some trouble, if only we had bought out a certain player and had more cap relief to offer...
- neem55

Kreider?

Nice to see some JB support today, I like what he's done too.

Question: is Jonathan Miller of New York J.T. Miller? I'm assuming it is and if so that makes him the biggest name going into arbitration other than Barrie (and arguably Johanssen). Rangers are in some trouble, if only we had bought out a certain player and had more cap relief to offer...
- neem55

Kilhorn, Mrazek, Schwartz, Hoffman, Schenn.... lots of players I would consider bigger names than JT Miller.

This is going to be a big year for Benning. For his sake I hope the team makes the playoffs and wins a round.

If they are a bottom 10 team again it's going to be quite difficult selling "the plan" to ownership and the fans.
- golfingsince

I think people who support Benning will say he is rebuilding if they are bottom 10 again and if they make the playoffs, they will say he is rebuilding on the fly.

That said, I'm not sure that Ownership would feel the same and really that's all that likely matters to the mgmt group.