That line is tough to judge. Hughes is obviously the best player but is he propping Zegras and Caufield up or are they holding their own. Caufield is different from the other two being the goal scorer and not play maker.
- manvanfan

Zegras is 100% a play driver. No (frank)ing doubt

In a perfect world we had the depth on D to kick him to the curb & use that $6mil to absorb another team’s short term cap headache while adding a future piece. Eg Stastny+. The thing I hate most about Edler is his contract/career will expire and we won’t have been able to turn him into anything for the future (which has been the case for most if not all of our previous core). Having a good Dman for the next 2yrs does our build absolutely no good. He’s a $6mil placeholder.
- DrChristianTroy

So in your "perfect world" we get sh!t defense and expect our young guys to pick up the slack(like what Edmonton did with Hall, RNH, Yakupov, etc) and develop while getting destroyed every night? Edler is the perfect place holder for them, he knows the market and can handle being the whipping boy while the young guys develop. Would you prefer we go get Gardiner at 8m for 7 years to be that place holder? Teams don't always have to turn aging players into assets. That is how you become Edmonton, Buffalo, Florida, etc.
Edler for 2 years is perfect for our team, and 6m is not a bad deal for us by any means.
You also assume that these cap dumps will waive for us. Stastny would likely make us one of the 10 teams he can't be traded to, as would a lot of cap dumps. Lucic is the type of cap dump we would have to take on to get assets. I would rather have Edler for 4 years, than Lucic and an asset for those 4 years.

In a perfect world we had the depth on D to kick him to the curb & use that $6mil to absorb another team’s short term cap headache while adding a future piece. Eg Stastny+. The thing I hate most about Edler is his contract/career will expire and we won’t have been able to turn him into anything for the future (which has been the case for most if not all of our previous core). Having a good Dman for the next 2yrs does our build absolutely no good. He’s a $6mil placeholder.
- DrChristianTroy

I hate the full NTC for sure, was hoping it would be limited to at least a 10-15 team list that he’d have to provide.

But this beats signing Tyler Myers for 5-6 years with a full NTC

Dude, the Canucks just drafted a dman with their first 2 picks in the last draft, it’s not like they’re completely ignoring dmen. Last year was a better draft for dmen.
- Nucker101

I'm not into drafting for need in the first round.

So in your "perfect world" we get sh!t defense and expect our young guys to pick up the slack(like what Edmonton did with Hall, RNH, Yakupov, etc) and develop while getting destroyed every night? Edler is the perfect place holder for them, he knows the market and can handle being the whipping boy while the young guys develop. Would you prefer we go get Gardiner at 8m for 7 years to be that place holder? Teams don't always have to turn aging players into assets. That is how you become Edmonton, Buffalo, Florida, etc.
Edler for 2 years is perfect for our team, and 6m is not a bad deal for us by any means.
You also assume that these cap dumps will waive for us. Stastny would likely make us one of the 10 teams he can't be traded to, as would a lot of cap dumps. Lucic is the type of cap dump we would have to take on to get assets. I would rather have Edler for 4 years, than Lucic and an asset for those 4 years.
- Retinalz

I’d never settle for a sh!t defense. I’d be active as (frank) trying to use our cap flexibility to maximize future impact & stop letting all of our long term impact players leave for nothing.

I’d never settle for a sh!t defense. I’d be active as (frank) trying to use our cap to maximize future impact & stop letting all of our long term impact players leave for nothing.
- DrChristianTroy

There's still value in having a guy that can play on your team now, especially as you groom the next generation of defenders. I would imagine we could be in the playoff mix in 2020-2021, after that you can re-examine if he's worth signing to a one year deal for less money as he slides down the lineup.

Jim
- Nucker101

He did good.

I’d never settle for a sh!t defense. I’d be active as (frank) trying to use our cap flexibility to maximize future impact & stop letting all of our long term impact players leave for nothing.
- DrChristianTroy

Fully weaponizing our cap also means a SH!T team on the ice, worse than last year. JB is doing it right by signing our Best Dman, probably getting another D either through trade or UFA. Same with forward. After that he should have some cap to weaponize. You basically suggested ONLY using cap for future gain, which reads as "who cares about next year and the year after." Signing Edler is the wise choice. There is no UFA dman that is a better option(and we HAVE NO CHOICE but to get better dmen) and non that would accept only 2 years, they will all want 5-7 years. Now we have the room to trade for D and be better next year. We will also likely move Tanev which will free over 4m.

Fully weaponizing our cap also means a SH!T team on the ice, worse than last year. JB is doing it right by signing our Best Dman, probably getting another D either through trade or UFA. Same with forward. After that he should have some cap to weaponize. You basically suggested ONLY using cap for future gain, which reads as "who cares about next year and the year after." Signing Edler is the wise choice. There is no UFA dman that is a better option(and we HAVE NO CHOICE but to get better dmen) and non that would accept only 2 years, they will all want 5-7 years. Now we have the room to trade for D and be better next year. We will also likely move Tanev which will free over 4m.
- Retinalz

no it doesn’t. Agree to disagree.

Fully weaponizing our cap also means a SH!T team on the ice, worse than last year. JB is doing it right by signing our Best Dman, probably getting another D either through trade or UFA. Same with forward. After that he should have some cap to weaponize. You basically suggested ONLY using cap for future gain, which reads as "who cares about next year and the year after." Signing Edler is the wise choice. There is no UFA dman that is a better option(and we HAVE NO CHOICE but to get better dmen) and non that would accept only 2 years, they will all want 5-7 years. Now we have the room to trade for D and be better next year. We will also likely move Tanev which will free over 4m.
- Retinalz

Next season Edler isn’t “better” than last season Edler. Trading Tanev for a draft pick is exactly the same as letting Edler walk, at least as far as this season and next go.

Rip off the Band Aid, and let the rebuild actually start.

Edler also does right by the Canucks too, given age, state of the team, etc. Benning definitely got the better deal imo.

Will be interesting to see the other changes on D. Edler, Hughes, Stecher, Tanev are locks. Hopefully tanev is traded ASAP
- Codes1087

Edler’s getting paid $12M to play roughly 70 games over the next two seasons. Alex got a pretty sweet deal too. The Canucks could have easily walked away.

Edler’s getting paid $12M to play roughly 70 games over the next two seasons. Alex got a pretty sweet deal too. The Canucks could have easily walked away.
- bloatedmosquito

He probably gets 3 or 4 years in this crazy market though. His unwillingness to leave this city is pretty wild lol

Edler’s getting paid $12M to play roughly 70 games over the next two seasons. Alex got a pretty sweet deal too. The Canucks could have easily walked away.
- bloatedmosquito

I would have been equally as happy if he signed elsewhere. We didnt have anyone to replace him though, would rather edler for 2 more years than Myers for 6.

He probably gets 3 or 4 years in this crazy market though. His unwillingness to leave this city is pretty wild lol
- Nucker101

High school sweethearts

Next season Edler isn’t “better” than last season Edler. Trading Tanev for a draft pick is exactly the same as letting Edler walk, at least as far as this season and next go.

Rip off the Band Aid, and let the rebuild actually start.
- 1970vintage

I disagree. Tanev does more for Hughes comfort & development than any conceivable partner. Open to hearing other options who put Hughes in that kind of position while he gets his feet wet, but it likely won’t be one I haven’t considered. Much much rather have Tanev than Edler for that reason. Now that we’re stuck with Edler I want to keep both.

Zegras is 100% a play driver. No (frank)ing doubt
- CanuckDon

I'll just say that Zegras will be a good NHL player. Is he as good as people are making him out to be... Personally, I don't think so.

The hype reminds me of Mittelstadt.

If Zegras doesn't fall to 10, I wouldn't move up to take him.

In a perfect world we had the depth on D to kick him to the curb & use that $6mil to absorb another team’s short term cap headache while adding a future piece. Eg Stastny+. The thing I hate most about Edler is his contract/career will expire and we won’t have been able to turn him into anything for the future (which has been the case for most if not all of our previous core). Having a good Dman for the next 2yrs does our build absolutely no good. He’s a $6mil placeholder.
- DrChristianTroy

This is incredibly well said

I'm not into drafting for need in the first round.
- golfingsince

Sometimes BPA and needs intersect.

So, if BPA targets up front are off the board, what should Benning do?

“If you’re sitting at 10 and a D-man is there, take him,” summed up Malloy

I disagree. Tanev does more for Hughes comfort & development than any conceivable partner. Open to hearing other options who put Hughes in that kind of position while he gets his feet wet, but it likely won’t be one I haven’t considered. Much much rather have Tanev than Edler for that reason. Now that we’re stuck with Edler I want to keep both.
- DrChristianTroy

What I’m saying as signing Edler and trading Tanev is the same as keeping Tanev and letting Edler walk, at least as far as next year’s roster. Ok, you say Tanev>Edler, whatever. Just saying that moving Tanev makes you worse, as does letting Edler walk.

What I’m saying as signing Edler and trading Tanev is the same as keeping Tanev and letting Edler walk, at least as far as next year’s roster. Ok, you say Tanev>Edler, whatever. Just saying that moving Tanev makes you worse, as does letting Edler walk.
- 1970vintage

Ah... Ok. I’m tired. Doesn’t change the fact that I think Edler’s cap $ could be used to not make us worse while making sure whatever it was spent on was more open to allowing us to move him for a future piece.

He probably gets 3 or 4 years in this crazy market though. His unwillingness to leave this city is pretty wild lol
- Nucker101

Don’t know the man but I’ve heard he’s pretty introverted. He’s been sheltered for years in this market. It might have killed him to play for another team. I don’t think he ever considered leaving. Hard position for his agent to be in.

I would have been equally as happy if he signed elsewhere. We didnt have anyone to replace him though, would rather edler for 2 more years than Myers for 6.
- Codes1087

Add Guddy then subtract him. Add Myers or not. Doesn’t matter. Same defence. Our D will still be a gong show this coming season regardless of what “big name” is signed. No depth so injuries will again be a factor.

I'll just say that Zegras will be a good NHL player. Is he as good as people are making him out to be... Personally, I don't think so.

The hype reminds me of Mittelstadt.

If Zegras doesn't fall to 10, I wouldn't move up to take him.
- manvanfan

I liked Mittelstadt - & wouldn’t call him a bust just yet. But he didn’t have Zegras X factor. Zegras as a prospect is (almost) Pettersson level exciting.

Hughes for Calder next season.

I'll just say that Zegras will be a good NHL player. Is he as good as people are making him out to be... Personally, I don't think so.

The hype reminds me of Mittelstadt.

If Zegras doesn't fall to 10, I wouldn't move up to take him.
- manvanfan

I was meh on Mittlestadt, I don’t think he was the prospect that Zegras is, Mittlestadt seemed more like a PP specialist that would need to be sheltered at 5v5. But I’ve admittedly not watched him play much at all since he was drafted.