I don't understand how the Sbisa thing is even a debate. Even a year on it was the correct decision to expose him. Contract was bad and he is still a terrible Dman. His underlying metrics place him at almost exactly the same level as Gudbranson
- NorthNuck

Sbisa has been a healthy scratch multiple times this season, let’s not pretend that he’s become some rock on the back end. He’s still inconsistent. And yeah, he’s still not worth 3.6M per year.

I miss Forsling and McCann

Vegas wanted speed and skill, don’t think they’d have much interest in Gaunce who’s an average skater(decent for his weight though) and sucks offensively.

The prospect would have had to been at least semi-decent or a pick instead.

At what point does Gillis stop becoming an excuse? Edler is literally the only Gillis contract left on the team now. And outside of Boeser, the best players on this team are still non-Benning players. Horvat, Edler and Tanev.

Did Gillis tell the team to do the stupid age gap strategy that failed? Did he tell Benning to sign Eriksson and cater to the Sedins?

By that logic, every GM who’s ever taken over a team left behind by a bad/mediocre GM has never had success.

It’s okay to admit that your favourite team (frank)ed up and still be a fan, let’s just hope they’ve learned from it and be glad that the drafting seems to have improved.
- Nucker101

It's not about the players that remain holdovers from the Gillis era, it's the fact that we had no picks/prospects in the pipeline and made trades to get some youth in the lineup (using picks to do so, which people complained about).

I don't understand how the Sbisa thing is even a debate. Even a year on it was the correct decision to expose him. Contract was bad and he is still a terrible Dman. His underlying metrics place him at almost exactly the same level as Gudbranson
- NorthNuck

In theory, having Sbisa might have made Gudbranson expendable and brought back picks/prospects.
Justsayingisalli'msaying

Sbisa has been a healthy scratch multiple times this season, let’s not pretend that he’s become some rock on the back end. He’s still inconsistent. And yeah, he’s still not worth 3.6M per year.
- Nucker101

I agree, this should never be a conversation

Sbisa sucks, he has bottom of the league defensive abilities.
Out of qualifying D-man he is bottom of the league in multiple defensive metrics.

In theory, having Sbisa might have made Gudbranson expendable and brought back picks/prospects.
Justsayingisalli'msaying
- dbot

They would've been trading Sbisa at the deadline for peanuts in all likelihood. Guddy got his extension and hes a right shot, I doubt JB wants to get rid of him yet, it'd make the trade look even worse.

I miss Forsling and McCann










- Nucker101

Vegas wanted speed and skill, don’t think they’d have much interest in Gaunce who’s an average skater(decent for his weight though) and sucks offensively.

The prospect would have had to been at least semi-decent or a pick instead.

At what point does Gillis stop becoming an excuse? Edler is literally the only Gillis contract left on the team now. And outside of Boeser, the best players on this team are still non-Benning players. Horvat, Edler and Tanev.

Did Gillis tell the team to do the stupid age gap strategy that failed? Did he tell Benning to sign Eriksson and cater to the Sedins?

By that logic, every GM who’s ever taken over a team left behind by a bad/mediocre GM has never had success.

It’s okay to admit that your favourite team (frank)ed up and still be a fan, let’s just hope they’ve learned from it and be glad that the drafting seems to have improved.
- Nucker101

Hutton Tanev Bo

I agree, this should never be a conversation

Sbisa sucks, he has bottom of the league defensive abilities.
Out of qualifying D-man he is bottom of the league in multiple defensive metrics.
- classic321

meh. He's obviously no bobby orr.
He hits and can skate. He has value.

Vegas wanted speed and skill, don’t think they’d have much interest in Gaunce who’s an average skater(decent for his weight though) and sucks offensively.

The prospect would have had to been at least semi-decent or a pick instead.

At what point does Gillis stop becoming an excuse? Edler is literally the only Gillis contract left on the team now. And outside of Boeser, the best players on this team are still non-Benning players. Horvat, Edler and Tanev.

Did Gillis tell the team to do the stupid age gap strategy that failed? Did he tell Benning to sign Eriksson and cater to the Sedins?

By that logic, every GM who’s ever taken over a team left behind by a bad/mediocre GM has never had success.

It’s okay to admit that your favourite team (frank)ed up and still be a fan, let’s just hope they’ve learned from it and be glad that the drafting seems to have improved.
- Nucker101

A couple more years I'd say. Gillis left us with nothing to in the cupboards and it takes time for players to develop. Sure our prospect pool could be better. Normally you would like to see at least 1 NHL player each draft year from a GM and Gillis found 2 in all his years, Horvat and Hutton. he did get Tanev as a college UFA to make 3. But it takes time for that to be fixed, and realistically this is the year you would hope the kids from 2014/2015 really take over while 2016/2017 continue their development. Once 2016/2017 become big contributors is when we should judge Benning on the team he built. As of right now it is primarily scraps that were considered busts on their old teams.

Thanks Carol, we are very fortunate to have you as the Canuck blogger.

meh. He's obviously no bobby orr.
He hits and can skate. He has value.
- dbot

By that logic Guddy has more value as he is younger, a right shot and essentially the same type of player

It's not about the players that remain holdovers from the Gillis era, it's the fact that we had no picks/prospects in the pipeline and made trades to get some youth in the lineup (using picks to do so, which people complained about).
- dbot

alright, fair enough


Do you remember what the counter arguments were to trading away picks/prospects for Linden Vey, Andrey Pedan, Markus Granlund, Adam Clendening, Sven Baertschi, Philip Larsen and Erik Gudbranson?

We'll exclude Dorsett/Prust/Sutter since those guys were acquired for different reasons and not an age gap.

1) By the time this team was on the upswing again, the picks being traded away could potentially be future prospects ready to break into the league or already on the team.

2) Why were those players being shopped? Most of them were passed over by better players on those teams. Also quite likely that their own GM's/coaches thought that they were tweeners, or had limited upside, or just stopped developing. And it's not like Benning was trading away 5th, 6th and 7th rounders for all of these guys, some of the picks he gave up were quality picks in the first 3-4 rounds.

3) By filling one age gap, he's potentially created one in the future. You're taking away from future draft classes that could be on cheap ELC's and 2nd RFA contracts when Bo and Boeser are in their primes.


These were the arguments being made against management back then.

I miss Forsling and McCann










- Nucker101

A couple more years I'd say. Gillis left us with nothing to in the cupboards and it takes time for players to develop. Sure our prospect pool could be better. Normally you would like to see at least 1 NHL player each draft year from a GM and Gillis found 2 in all his years, Horvat and Hutton. he did get Tanev as a college UFA to make 3. But it takes time for that to be fixed, and realistically this is the year you would hope the kids from 2014/2015 really take over while 2016/2017 continue their development. Once 2016/2017 become big contributors is when we should judge Benning on the team he built. As of right now it is primarily scraps that were considered busts on their old teams.
- Retinalz

Benning has already found 3 in Boeser Gaudette and Virtanen, you could also count Forsling. Likely to be 3 more this year in Pettersson Juolevi and Demko.

He also signed Stecher

If you add that up it's 2 NHL players per year and he could end up averaging even better with Lind, Gadjovich, Dipietro all having strong NHL potential

meh. He's obviously no bobby orr.
He hits and can skate. He has value.
- dbot

Not a chance Benning would have dealt him by the deadline.

He would have kept him

Benning has already found 3 in Boeser Gaudette and Virtanen, you could also count Forsling. Likely to be 3 more this year in Pettersson Juolevi and Demko.

He also signed Stecher

If you add that up it's 2 NHL players per year and he could end up averaging even better with Lind, Gadjovich, Dipietro all having strong NHL potential
- NorthNuck

Just my opinion but you can’t count players that you think will be NHL player, to date Benning has two guys who’ve played a full year with that club that are still with the club.

Just my opinion but you can’t count players that you think will be NHL player, to date Benning has two guys who’ve played a full year with that club that are still with the club.
- LeftCoaster

Well, give it 1-2 years and we'll know. But every single sign points to him having done a great job in the draft, especially compared to Gillis

It's not about the players that remain holdovers from the Gillis era, it's the fact that we had no picks/prospects in the pipeline and made trades to get some youth in the lineup (using picks to do so, which people complained about).
- dbot

And still do so to this very day...

And still do so to this very day...
- Makita

I never said the team doesn't want him. It was a quote he said when someone was asking about waiving his NTC and IF the team asked him what he would do.
- Retinalz

I remember when Edler was asked this last season. He said something like he would waive if the team no longer wanted him after all the usual "I want to stay" answers. It was quite some time before TDL. Maybe early season even.

It gets in the way of the narrative so people quickly "forget" these bits of information. Edler says he would waive under certain circumstances. People claim he wouldn't anyways. Group think.

Benning has already found 3 in Boeser Gaudette and Virtanen, you could also count Forsling. Likely to be 3 more this year in Pettersson Juolevi and Demko.

He also signed Stecher

If you add that up it's 2 NHL players per year and he could end up averaging even better with Lind, Gadjovich, Dipietro all having strong NHL potential
- NorthNuck

For that alone he should forever be called an idiot, right Lefty...Lefty

There's a question, what company has the better cups for throwing a latte, Starbucks or Timmy's?

I would say Starbucks, but the lid has to be tight.
- A_SteamingLombardi

It doesn't matter when you add hot tomato sauce like I do. It's the Latte version of Napalm. Lot's of weight and well above waters vape temperature from the high acid content. Sticks like glue. Hits multiple targets. Deep red for visual aspect. Sure to cause a stampede in Yaletown.

I miss Forsling and McCann


- Nucker101

Honestly, this team could use them

Wouldn't have needed to trade a 4th away for Pullout.

Wouldn't be looking for another Center this off season.

Could have kept the 2nd and got Jordan Kyrou.

Man that trade looks really really really bad.

Honestly, this team could use them

Wouldn't have needed to trade a 4th away for Pullout.

Wouldn't be looking for another Center this off season.

Could have kept the 2nd and got Jordan Kyrou.

Man that trade looks really really really bad.
- manvanfan

I was ok with the first two points, but that one stung