Benning has to stop drafting these upper tier players. That is the solution. Or perhaps trade more 1st rounders away because they keep screwing everything up in contract #2.


Sometimes you just can't win so middling players it is.
- boonerbuck

It's not the upper tier players that's the issue, it's that he surrounds them with overpriced, overvalued and just plain disappointing middling players so that he can't sign the actual TALENT properly.

His drafting is decent, but his pro scouting is beyond poop... it's unbelievably total poop

Wrong. After seeing analytic nerds like Dubas and Chayka fail, I changed my stance and realized that analytics are better suited for a more controlled game like baseball.

Benning has decades of hockey experience, my main concern is about how much ownership meddles since they aren’t hockey people, they’re just fans like you and I
- Nucker101

You hate Benning. You don’t blame ownership for anything. If you are confused just head over to HF boards and see your posts from yesterday

You hate Benning. You don’t blame ownership for anything. If you are confused just head over to HF boards and see your posts from yesterday
- CanuckDon

Yes and no. Highly offensive talents have been accommodated for their other areas that are not up to par for years. Ovechkin, Nylander, marner, Seguin, hall, even draisatl to an extent.

On the defensive side, it's harder to compare to anyone for Hughes as most defenseman don't come into the league at 19 or 20 and are studs defensively right out the gate. Makar is a freak. I remember werenski having hiccups, Hedman certainly wasn't elite defensively either. Doughty was really bad defensively. Subban was absolutely dog poop defensively in Montreal in his first few years. Defenseman trajectory for hitting their prime and being more well rounded is much slower than forwards.
- Codes1087

Yes, but you're naming forwards who were supposed to provide offense and weren't expected to be two-way players that come back and backcheck. And also note that it's a lot easier defensively on a winger/forward than a defenseman/center who have a TON more responsibilities.

Werenski also spent a few years in the AHL, Hedman was an all-rounder type defenseman who was 1st overall, but I will agree with you on Doughty and Subban. That said, even the most optimistic scouting reports on QH said that he would top out as a PP specialist that could play top 4 minutes, not an elite Norris D.

Myers seems to have managed it.
- 1970vintage

Yes, but you're naming forwards who were supposed to provide offense and weren't expected to be two-way players that come back and backcheck. And also note that it's a lot easier defensively on a winger/forward than a defenseman/center who have a TON more responsibilities.

Werenski also spent a few years in the AHL, Hedman was an all-rounder type defenseman who was 1st overall, but I will agree with you on Doughty and Subban. That said, even the most optimistic scouting reports on QH said that he would top out as a PP specialist that could play top 4 minutes, not an elite Norris D.
- DariusKnight

i just have never been under the impression that Hughes was ever deployed to be a shut down type defenseman either. He gets favorable zone starts and heavy PP minutes. I think he is deployed for his offense, creativity and breakouts, much like offensive forwards are deployed to score goals, while true defensive defenseman are deployed to get the puck out of the zone and up the ice. I think catering to a players instincts and strengths is fine. Ovechkin is never going to be like Mark Stone defensively, much like Mark Stone will never hit the same point totals as Ovechkin.

But the two players are not one... or they would share a contract.
- boonerbuck

1 Team
2 Players
1 Agent

It is either collusion or it is not .

So…another Jim Benning wasted first round pick to go along with Virtanen & Juolevi? For a guy who’s supposed to be a drafting guru he’s not very good at it…no?
- LeftCoaster

That was Brackett dude, Benning is Rathbone and Demko.

That's a problem, if he's that bad that he needs someone to babysit him, then he shouldn't have been in the NHL to begin with. I think if he had 1-2 years in Utica/Abbotsford, he might be "The Guy" that can be the 1D going forwards. His offense was never the issue, it was being able to defend and play the big minutes in all situations that was always the question. It's still a huge question mark and may never really be answered.
- DariusKnight

Also applies the Nuckers comment that he is just 21, then pay him like one if we are using age as a crutch.

I have no problem with him with a contract like Dahlin. When his game matures in three years hopefully pay him more. If it doesn't improve pay him less

Benning has to stop drafting these upper tier players. That is the solution. Or perhaps trade more 1st rounders away because they keep screwing everything up in contract #2.


Sometimes you just can't win so middling players it is.
- boonerbuck

- VANTEL

No news at all today eh, everyone just whining about 650?

Dhali saying he has Hamonic news but won’t share it because people were mean to him.

That was Brackett dude, Benning is Rathbone and Demko.
- 1970vintage

You hate Benning. You don’t blame ownership for anything. If you are confused just head over to HF boards and see your posts from yesterday
- CanuckDon

I gave that account to a friend who got banned over there, his username was Addison Rae

Also applies the Nuckers comment that he is just 21, then pay him like one if we are using age as a crutch.

I have no problem with him with a contract like Dahlin. When his game matures in three years hopefully pay him more. If it doesn't improve pay him less
- VANTEL

That’s fair

i just have never been under the impression that Hughes was ever deployed to be a shut down type defenseman either. He gets favorable zone starts and heavy PP minutes. I think he is deployed for his offensive, creativity and breakouts, much like offensive forwards are deployed to score goals, while true defensive defenseman are deployed to get the puck out of the zone and up the ice. I think catering to a players instincts and strengths is fine. Ovechkin is never going to be like Mark Stone defensively, much like Mark Stone will never hit the same point totals as Ovechkin.
- Codes1087

But again, he's asking to be paid what typical all-around Norris calibre D are getting paid, when as you say that's not his game or ever will be. I don't have a problem with Hughes being on the team as a PP specialist/PMD that plays protected minutes, but if he is then he shouldn't be asking for, nor getting that type of money and we should look to find someone that can be a Werenski, Makar or Hedman-like D-man and then pay them that much.

That was Brackett dude, Benning is Rathbone and Demko.
- 1970vintage

I love throwing the ole Brackett cookie out there to stir the shit pot

That was Brackett dude, Benning is Rathbone and Demko.
- 1970vintage

Benning is responsible for all of the picks that have been made since hes been GM of the team and (genrally) managing all major decisions including draft picks. Just like every other GM in league history, which is why no one cites Washingtons scouts or Tampas scouts when they talk about who drafted which player.

I gave that account to a friend who got banned over there, his username was Addison Rae
- Nucker101

Lol

I love throwing the ole Brackett cookie out there to stir the shit pot
- LeftCoaster

Its effective mostly because some on here actually believe that stupidity

No news at all today eh, everyone just whining about 650?

Dhali saying he has Hamonic news but won’t share it because people were mean to him.
- 1970vintage

Rintoul might be a hell of a good guy but if I was ever driving around and had the radio on he was boring as hell.

Radio is going the way of the Dodo . Too expensive to the talent . Podcasts are the new thing I guess.

Hamonic we will find out Friday.

Lol
- CanuckDon

No joke lol, they IP banned him because he made fun of some mod repeatedly lol, his original username was k2b, dude posted there like everyday, so now he uses my account but I still have access to it so I do sometimes post as well but not nearly as often as him.

Its effective mostly because some on here actually believe that stupidity
- neem55

exactly

That was Brackett dude, Benning is Rathbone and Demko.
- 1970vintage

Rintoul might be a hell of a good guy but if I was ever driving around and had the radio on he was boring as hell.

Radio is going the way of the Dodo . Too expensive to the talent . Podcasts are the new thing I guess.

Hamonic we will find out Friday.
- VANTEL

I liked Rintoul, I played golf with him and Barry McDonald at a couple of charity golf tournaments and he was always a nice guy... for a ginger, but man if you pissed him off or he missed a shot he'd be swearing like a sailor.

Rintoul might be a hell of a good guy but if I was ever driving around and had the radio on he was boring as hell.

Radio is going the way of the Dodo . Too expensive to the talent . Podcasts are the new thing I guess.

Hamonic we will find out Friday.
- VANTEL

I get all my hockey news here, which is why I’m so informed

But yeah, podcasts. Am radio quality is crappy on the Island so I never listen in the car. Used to listen to 650 online but podcasts have fewer ads and I only listen to the people I enjoy listening to, no Bro Jakes or that other guy.