Petey to CBJ for Seth Jones. He asked for trade cause his brother is signing there and the know-it-all fans call him "Pouty" ...plus first playoff success a "thingy".

Thomas Drance with a new riveting article on why the Canucks need to part with Benning. I think, I don’t subscribe...

https://theathletic.com/2...a-crucial-trade-deadline/

One thing I did notice today when Benning was talking on SN. He made it very clear that he stressed when talking about Demko that he mentioned specifically he was drafted in his first year.

I also don't know if the reason re-signing Pearson was being made known to the public that they intend to because he was traded eventually for McCann . Instead of it ending here it and walking for nothing the draft pick still has traction.

If Jake is playing top 6 finally and Hoglander has replaced Loui then the complexion of his first year changes.

Anyone can be part of MSM these days it is turning into a joke.
- VANTEL

Turning into?

Even the Province getting in on the JB hate train...

"A rebuild actually doesn’t take that long if you plan it right. Mediocrity is what happens when you don’t have a plan. Just ask the Edmonton Oilers."

Also brought up the firing of Linden, saying Linden's long vision of the Canucks contending was 2022, when Benning said it could be done quicker... who now just said hopefully by 2023 Patrick Johnson also rips into Aqualini pretty good too

https://theprovince.com/s...lan-continues-to-carry-on

Thomas Drance with a new riveting article on why the Canucks need to part with Benning. I think, I don’t subscribe...

https://theathletic.com/2...a-crucial-trade-deadline/
- 1970vintage

The excuses rang hollow, the buck was passed and there was no sense of introspection.

There was zero indication Friday that Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning has even begun to grapple with the reality of his club’s plight as it lingers near the bottom of the North Division and NHL standings approaching the midpoint of the 2021 season, or with his role in bringing about that plight.

Forget selling proactively at the deadline or looking ahead to the future with a calculated plan, according to Benning. The Canucks plan to prioritize extension talks with 28-year-old middle-six stalwart Tanner Pearson over the five weeks ahead of the NHL trade deadline while saving the more formative extension talks with their core 22- and 21-year-old superstars Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson for after the deadline.

This is exactly backwards, but that’s fitting — particularly for a remarkable 35-minute news conference in which the embattled Canucks executive, now in his seventh season with the team, failed to address the mess he has steered the organization into.

Hopefully, you weren’t counting on a coherent articulation of a plan to get the club through it. Instead what you got was the general manager making a plea for patience. It came in response to a question from The Athletic about what his message is for fans who are no longer confident in his ability to construct a contending team around an impressive core group of young players that, in fairness, he has constructed with some hits at the draft table.

“Realistically our core players, they still need to mature a little bit yet,” Benning said. “And I think in two years’ time, we’re going to be real competitive and have a chance to compete for the Cup, but we have to keep building and keep adding players to our group.”

It was a stunning quote. And it was stunning because there are certain things that a long-tenured general manager can’t do or say without scorn from an attentive fan base, even if the assessment is dead on.

Let’s consider an analogy with Benning’s predecessor, Mike Gillis. One of Gillis’ final substantial moves as the Canucks’ president and general manager was to complete a complex Roberto Luongo trade with the Florida Panthers that returned Jacob Markstrom and would’ve been hailed as an unqualified grand-slam deal if it had been the first trade of an incoming regime launching a rebuilding effort.

Because it was Gillis who made the deal toward the end of his tenure, though, it took years for the public perception about that trade to catch up to the reality that it was a clear win for Vancouver.

This seemingly preposterous plea for patience is Benning’s much lower-stakes version of the Luongo deal. It’s a comment that’s being widely dunked on by sports talk radio hosts and Canucks fans in the digital space in the wake of Friday’s availability, but honestly, of all the baffling statements that came out of Friday’s newser, on this one, Benning’s is right.

This Canucks team is facing a longer, multiyear timeline in building toward contention. That logic was partly locked in because of the flat-cap era and the host of inefficient contractual commitments on the Canucks’ books, but it was compounded by a series of key departures and bad bets this offseason — most notably retaining Jake Virtanen and bringing in Braden Holtby.

Some of these problems are intractable, particularly in the short term. As it stands, for example, the Canucks have over $25 million in 2021-22 cap space committed to Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel, Tyler Myers, Holtby and a completely absurd salary cap-recapture penalty. It remains on the club’s cap sheet as a result of a contract it agreed to with Luongo 13 years ago that was legal at the time it was signed.

So for about a third of their overall cap space for the 2021-22 season, they’re getting a forward trio who, if combined, would make up one of the slowest and least-effective fourth lines in the league, plus a low-end second-pair defender and a below-average backup goaltender.

This is hugely inconvenient, considering that Pettersson, Hughes and Thatcher Demko are going to see their compensation increase by a factor of 10, year over year, this offseason.

The combination of the flat cap, the Canucks’ best young talent becoming more expensive on second or third contracts and what remains of the inefficient commitments that are as much a legacy of Benning’s tenure as his success in the early rounds of the NHL Draft make it so that two years looks about right to me as a realistic timeline.

It is going to take two more years for this club to clear the decks and rearrange and upgrade the supporting cast so that the core group will have any realistic hope of credibly contending. That much, Benning is right about. The window probably doesn’t reopen until 2022-23.

But whether Benning’s two-year assessment is accurate really doesn’t matter as much as it does that no hockey fan in this market wants to hear that difficult truth from the second-longest-tenured general manager in Canucks franchise history. Particularly if he’s ducking responsibility for creating these circumstances and shrugging off the Eriksson deal — which is the league leader for the contract with the highest AAV on an NHL team’s taxi squad — by suggesting that it’s just “the nature of the business.”

Fundamentally, the fact that this Canucks team is still hapless seven years after the end of the Gillis regime and three years after the Sedin twins’ retirement is largely on Benning — even if he won’t accept that publicly. And it’s going to take a good deal of focused, detailed work to course correct.

And here’s the worst part: There’s one more dirty little secret about the two-year timeline we just outlined.

Following the 2022-23 season, the Canucks will have to dole out another significant raise to another core piece in Brock Boeser, who is due a $7.5 million qualifying offer just to retain his restricted rights that summer. With the Luongo recapture hit and the Eriksson, Roussel and Beagle contracts all expiring, that shouldn’t be too cumbersome. In fact, the club should have real flexibility that offseason, depending on where it lands with Pettersson and Hughes’ second deals.

That moment, in two years’ time, will be the time to go for it.

Here’s where this gets ugly. That window lasts for only one season before both Bo Horvat, who will then be 28, and J.T. Miller, who will turn 30 during the 2023-24 season, see their deals expire. Essentially the Canucks are on pace, without significant reorientation, to lock themselves into two seasons of pain —including this mercifully shortened campaign — as they hurdle a wash of inefficient money during the flat-cap era. And in exchange for enduring this, they’ll get just one more kick at the can in the 2023-24 season with their current core group.

For all the talk in the industry in recent years about this club’s bright future, it’s crucial to note that the structural logic of Vancouver’s team-building cycle has been compromised by short-term thinking, by ugly contract work in unrestricted free agency and by a complete lack of strategic discipline.

In this context, hearing Benning discuss a possible Pearson extension on Friday — leaving aside the way Benning sacrificed his own club’s leverage in those talks with his commentary — is an insult to the intelligence of hockey fans in the Vancouver market. Pearson is a good, reliable professional. But he doesn’t in any way move the needle for this club when you consider what it needs and when, if the goal is actually winning a championship.

For reasons both of their own making and outside their control, the Canucks are entering a delicate and complicated stage of their team-building cycle. And the next five weeks leading up to the most complicated NHL trade deadline in the history of the sport are an opportunity for Benning to, as best he can, reload the Canucks’ war chest of draft picks and future assets by trading a variety of players who aren’t going to be contributors on the next Canucks team capable of making noise in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Dealing Pearson should be a no-brainer for any front office thinking critically about what this team needs and when. Same goes for Brandon Sutter. And Travis Hamonic. And Jordie Benn. And Alex Edler.

These deals are going to be complicated, though. They’re going to require the Canucks to retain salary. Deals involving Hamonic, Sutter, Edler and even Benn will require Benning to work with the players involved on three-dimensional transactions since all of those players are on deals with some form of no-trade or no-movement protection. It’s going to be a significant problem-solving test for Canucks hockey operations.

That’s why Benning’s characterization of his club’s pre-deadline posture was so mystifying Friday morning.

“I expect we’re going to get some calls on our players, and we’ll just see where it goes,” Benning said, as if winning in the NHL is a passive activity. It isn’t.

No one expects an NHL general manager to lay out the entire plan to the media or to wave a white flag on the season before the team is mathematically eliminated. What was so galling Friday, though, was that there was nothing in Benning’s commentary that even hinted at the stakes.

And nothing that indicated that the head of Vancouver’s hockey operations leadership has even begun to grapple with his own role in creating these dire circumstances.

A rebuild actually doesn't take that long if you plan it right. Mediocrity is what happens when you don't have a plan. Just ask the Edmonton Oilers - Patrick Johnston

I don't know how this is possible that I haven't seen the "NHL rebuild" blue print by now. Or anyone else for that matter.

Maybe Linden's 4 year plan was to somehow beat the draft lotto odds and get 3 generational stars in a row. Pittsburgh style.

Oilers tried it and since they didn't have a "plan", only GM's that have won cups have plans.

Even the Province getting in on the JB hate train...

"A rebuild actually doesn’t take that long if you plan it right. Mediocrity is what happens when you don’t have a plan. Just ask the Edmonton Oilers."

Also brought up the firing of Linden, saying Linden's long vision of the Canucks contending was 2022, when Benning said it could be done quicker... who now just said hopefully by 2023 Patrick Johnson also rips into Aqualini pretty good too

https://theprovince.com/s...lan-continues-to-carry-on
- NewYorkNuck

I was just quoting that.

Looking through teams that are going to possibly lose a good defenseman to Seattle... I'm hoping JB/new GM will target Tampa (Cernak), Carolina (Fleury/Bean), Colorado (JTM for Byram?), and Nashville (Fabbro).

Tampa seems the most fukced of them. Will probably end up doing a side deal though.

I don't know how this is possible that I haven't seen the "NHL rebuild" blue print by now. Or anyone else for that matter.

Maybe Linden's 4 year plan was to somehow beat the draft lotto odds and get 3 generational stars in a row. Pittsburgh style.

Oilers tried it and since they didn't have a "plan", only GM's that have won cups have plans.
- manvanfan

Lol, yes, there isn't an exact "plan" to follow that equals success. But I think we can all agree just going day-by-day when rebuilding a roster with a half-draft, half-throwing-money-and-term-at-vets-without-a-clear-direction is not a steady way to go.

Looking through teams that are going to possibly lose a good defenseman to Seattle... I'm hoping JB/new GM will target Tampa (Cernak), Carolina (Fleury/Bean), Colorado (JTM for Byram?), and Nashville (Fabbro).

Tampa seems the most fukced of them. Will probably end up doing a side deal though.
- NewYorkNuck

Van is going to lose a player either way in the expansion draft. Trading Miller for Byram is an upgrade on defence and then a hole in the top 6 to which Seattle could then take Schmidt or OJ. Losing two pieces to gain one.

Van is going to lose a player either way in the expansion draft. Trading Miller for Byram is an upgrade on defence and then a hole in the top 6 to which Seattle could then take Schmidt or OJ. Losing two pieces to gain one.
- manvanfan

Byram is exempt, so that wouldn't matter. Also, as is, the Canucks don't have any NMC on D so they can protect whoever they want. This is their list, protect 3:

Myers, Tyler
Edler, Alexander
Schmidt, Nate
Benn, Jordie
Hamonic, Travis
Juolevi, Olli
Sautner, Ashton
Rafferty, Brogan
Chatfield, Jalen
Brisebois, Guillaume
Teves, Josh

Even if they trade for a new defenseman, they can protect OJ, Schmidt, and the new guy. That leaves a lot of scrubs plus Tyler Myers – which would probably be long-term beneficial for the Canucks if he's taken.

I'm fine punching a hole in the top 6 right now. The Canucks are a couple years away, which could mean the development of a top 10 pick in this year's draft. Plus, with Podkolzin coming over, IMO he'll be able to lessen that blow.

Can play around with the expansion here: https://www.capfriendly.c...m/expansion-draft/seattle

I don't know how this is possible that I haven't seen the "NHL rebuild" blue print by now. Or anyone else for that matter.

Maybe Linden's 4 year plan was to somehow beat the draft lotto odds and get 3 generational stars in a row. Pittsburgh style.

Oilers tried it and since they didn't have a "plan", only GM's that have won cups have plans.
- manvanfan

I seen a comment on Twitter last night that there is a petition to bring back Mike Gillis. People are actually that stupid that they want to bring the worst GM in the history of the team.

The carnage that he left behind is the main reason people are screaming about still cleaning up the mess.

Byram is exempt, so that wouldn't matter. Also, as is, the Canucks don't have any NMC on D so they can protect whoever they want. This is their list, protect 3:

Myers, Tyler
Edler, Alexander
Schmidt, Nate
Benn, Jordie
Hamonic, Travis
Juolevi, Olli
Sautner, Ashton
Rafferty, Brogan
Chatfield, Jalen
Brisebois, Guillaume
Teves, Josh

Even if they trade for a new defenseman, they can protect OJ, Schmidt, and the new guy. That leaves a lot of scrubs plus Tyler Myers – which would probably be long-term beneficial for the Canucks if he's taken.

I'm fine punching a hole in the top 6 right now. The Canucks are a couple years away, which could mean the development of a top 10 pick in this year's draft. Plus, with Podkolzin coming over, IMO he'll be able to lessen that blow.

Can play around with the expansion here: https://www.capfriendly.c...m/expansion-draft/seattle
- NewYorkNuck

I've done it a few times.

There are many ways to go about it.

I really didn't have a problem letting Toffoli go to leave room for Hoglander. I think the same should be done with Pearson but seeing how badly the fans are crying about JB not re-signing Toffoli. He is probably thinking about the fans crying about letting Pearson go too.

Maybe Seattle would make a deal with Van to have Schmidt be available. I think that because he has gone through an expansion, he could be a big piece to them.

Even the Province getting in on the JB hate train...

"A rebuild actually doesn’t take that long if you plan it right. Mediocrity is what happens when you don’t have a plan. Just ask the Edmonton Oilers."

Also brought up the firing of Linden, saying Linden's long vision of the Canucks contending was 2022, when Benning said it could be done quicker... who now just said hopefully by 2023 Patrick Johnson also rips into Aqualini pretty good too

https://theprovince.com/s...lan-continues-to-carry-on
- NewYorkNuck

The Oilers changed their GM and are still Mediocre.

Being a nice guy in the media doesn't sell subscriptions. You need to be angry , incite a riot. That is what sells newspapers. They really don't know what the hell is going on but it doesn't matter as long as they can make you angry and you are willing to buy their bullsh1t.

Alright, playing nighthawk here...

Trade JTM for Byram
Trade Pearson for a 2nd
Trade Sutter for a 4th
Trade a 2nd+ for Fabbro/Cernak
Trade Virtanen+ for 3C?

UFA / Petey / Boeser
Hoglander / Bo / Podkolzin
Gaudette / Michaelis or Hawrlyuk or JV trade / Lind
Motte / Beagle / MacEwen

Hughes / Fabbro or Cernak
Byram / Schmidt
OJ / Myers

Ya, there's a hole in the top 6, but the back end looks much better for the future.

I've done it a few times.

There are many ways to go about it.

I really didn't have a problem letting Toffoli go to leave room for Hoglander. I think the same should be done with Pearson but seeing how badly the fans are crying about JB not re-signing Toffoli. He is probably thinking about the fans crying about letting Pearson go too.

Maybe Seattle would make a deal with Van to have Schmidt be available. I think that because he has gone through an expansion, he could be a big piece to them.
- manvanfan

Benning said yesterday they already have a pretty good idea who they will lose in the draft and are not concerned at all.

I seen a comment on Twitter last night that there is a petition to bring back Mike Gillis. People are actually that stupid that they want to bring the worst GM in the history of the team.

The carnage that he left behind is the main reason people are screaming about still cleaning up the mess.
- VANTEL

Drance was just saying how smart the fan base is though.

Drance was just saying how smart the fan base is though.
- manvanfan

Followers =dollars.

Benning said yesterday they already have a pretty good idea who they will lose in the draft and are not concerned at all.
- VANTEL

The options are pretty basic unless moves are made.

The options are pretty basic unless moves are made.
- manvanfan

Moves will probably be made after the E Draft no big moves.

I think on the SN650 one on one with Rintoul, Benning gave people an actual look down the rabbit hole unlike the fiasco on Zoom.

Even the Province getting in on the JB hate train...

"A rebuild actually doesn’t take that long if you plan it right. Mediocrity is what happens when you don’t have a plan. Just ask the Edmonton Oilers."

Also brought up the firing of Linden, saying Linden's long vision of the Canucks contending was 2022, when Benning said it could be done quicker... who now just said hopefully by 2023 Patrick Johnson also rips into Aqualini pretty good too

https://theprovince.com/s...lan-continues-to-carry-on
- NewYorkNuck

Yup, the story/plan changes as time goes on.

The Oilers changed their GM and are still Mediocre.

Being a nice guy in the media doesn't sell subscriptions. You need to be angry , incite a riot. That is what sells newspapers. They really don't know what the hell is going on but it doesn't matter as long as they can make you angry and you are willing to buy their bullsh1t.
- VANTEL

Like Gillis, Chiarelli left a pretty big mess in EDM. It will take Holland more than one year to clean it up.

Like Gillis, Chiarelli left a pretty big mess in EDM. It will take Holland more than one year to clean it up.
- LordHumungous

I am going to disagree there. Benning walked in they had Bo for a prospect and Edler Tanev and a bunch of old unmovable guys.


Holland walked into Draisitl McDavid Nurse Kleffbom RNH .

Of course it will take more than one year he is just going to continue the process that Chaiarelli started. His goalie situation still stinks and his choice for third line center is just as bad as it ever was.

Like Gillis, Chiarelli left a pretty big mess in EDM. It will take Holland more than one year to clean it up.
- LordHumungous

Gillis didn't leave a complete mess, this is such a crock of BS! He was mandated by the owner to be competitive but when he left, Jim Benning had a perfect opportunity to to start a rebuild, but again, they chose not to. That's not Mike Gillis's fault.

Jim Benning didn't really have any prospects because Gillis's drafting was so bad but he had 18 million dollars in cap space, with a 69 million dollar cap, he had a bunch of guys of value to trade like Ryan Kesler, Kevin Bieksa, Chris Higgins, Jannik Hansen, Jason Garrison, Alex Burrows and Dan Hamhuis.

The notion that Mike Gillis left a complete mess because he didn't draft well is complete bullshit.

Benning turned Kesler, Bieksa, Garrison, Hansen, Lack and Burrows into a 1st, two 2nds, three 3rds, two 7ths and two first round project drafted guys. They had a 100 point season Benning's first year, there was plenty of opportunity when Jim Benning arrived.