Carol Schram: Vancouver Canucks Acquire Erik Gudbranson From Florida for Jared McCann The Vancouver Canucks made their first big move of the offseason on Wednesday, trading Jared McCann and two draft picks to the Florida Panthers in exchange for defenceman Erik Gudbranson and a draft pick.

Carol Schram: Vancouver Canucks Acquire Erik Gudbranson From Florida for Jared McCann
The Vancouver Canucks made their first big move of the offseason on Wednesday, trading Jared McCann and two draft picks to the Florida Panthers in exchange for defenceman Erik Gudbranson and a draft pick.
- Carol Schram

Meh.

It is almost as if Benning is running a sale that includes draft picks in every trade. Trade one player get a draft pick free!

Just another piece for the 2016-17 tank job?

Yeah, he's a good hitter. But those videos don't show how many times he puts himself so far out of position that a player on the bench is closer to making a defensive play than he is. He's always taking bad penalties and leaves a lot to be desired in the defensive zone.

High price to pay, but JB is filling the age gap left by the poor drafting between 2007-2011:

11th overall from 2007 (Sutter)
19th overall from 2008 (Sbisa)
3rd overall from 2010 (Gudbranson)
29th overall from 2010 (Etem)
13th overall from 2011 (Sven)
45th overall from 2011 (Granlund)

The Kesler trade alone has brought in 3 of these players, so while we debated JB's ability to trade, he has moved many pieces and the result is more promising than the original deal of Bonino/Sbisa/1st rounder IMO. The top end talent on the roster in a few years will have come from the draft

Jim Benning: "These draft picks ain't loooyal"

I like the player, only thing I dont like is how are we going to recover the draft picks. This team has a weak prospect pool and the picks keep flying out the window.

My next issue is we can only protect 3 Dmen with expansion. Tanev, Hutton and now you have to protect Gudbranson or you look like a dumb poop. Which means you let a top pairing Dman in Edler walk for nothing. Now if we can move Edler at the draft and replace him with Goglokoski or another LD that would be fine because then the player getting picked up cost us nothing.

I am also now doing what I can to unload(trade, waive, buyout) Sbisa, burrows and higgins because this rebuild(I had hoped for) is over. If we can now sign Hamhuis to home town discount to play on the 3rd pairing with Larsen/Tryamkin I do that too.

I expect some UFAs to now be coming this way. I just really hope benning waits to try and get someone on the cheap and doesnt give out some stupid contracts to a Ladd or Backes, like a 6x6 or something crazy.

Ownership is all over this and the direction of the team. I see this team as still not making the playoffs again and they wont be anytime soon.

High price to pay, but JB is filling the age gap left by the poor drafting between 2007-2011:

11th overall from 2007 (Sutter)
19th overall from 2008 (Sbisa)
3rd overall from 2010 (Gudbranson)
29th overall from 2010 (Etem)
13th overall from 2011 (Sven)
45th overall from 2011 (Granlund)

The Kesler trade alone has brought in 3 of these players, so while we debated JB's ability to trade, he has moved many pieces and the result is more promising than the original deal of Bonino/Sbisa/1st rounder IMO. The top end talent on the roster in a few years will have come from the draft
- WhiteLie

None of those players are great and some are terrible. This age cap stuff is crazy you dont pick up an average player for picks and prospects that can easily be replaced by a UFA who is a couple years older.

@Marwood regarding succession plan for Henrik.

To that I'd say look at Bo Horvat's development curve, he's 21 next year and had issues with top six minutes. This years prospect won't be ready to be in a top six role and Horvat is only a second line center, you're still without a number one guy and you just traded a kid you've developed for two years.

Benning took five dollars out of his left pocket and put it in his right and said he's feels better about his financial situation.

Both the center and defense need fixing. Free agency looks to be the only three year window chance they have for another top six center. A lot of luck involved there though.

Idk if Hutton will need to be protected.
Edler could be a TDL deal or before the expansion draft.

None of those players are great and some are terrible. This age cap stuff is crazy you dont pick up an average player for picks and prospects that can easily be replaced by a UFA who is a couple years older.
- mauryballstein

I like none of these so called older D UFA's.
The price makes no sense & none r a RHD worth getting IMO

List a bunch of UFA RHD available this year or next.

High price to pay, but JB is filling the age gap left by the poor drafting between 2007-2011:

11th overall from 2007 (Sutter)
19th overall from 2008 (Sbisa)
3rd overall from 2010 (Gudbranson)
29th overall from 2010 (Etem)
13th overall from 2011 (Sven)
45th overall from 2011 (Granlund)

The Kesler trade alone has brought in 3 of these players, so while we debated JB's ability to trade, he has moved many pieces and the result is more promising than the original deal of Bonino/Sbisa/1st rounder IMO. The top end talent on the roster in a few years will have come from the draft
- WhiteLie

What does draft positioning have to do how the players develop?
In retrospect most those players have all failed to live up to expectations so far.

@ lefty

I know you seem to think Horvat and Mcann are our future top 6 centers (I don't see Mcaan as a center). Keller, Jost, Brown and Dubois are all significantly higher ranked center prospects than Mcaan. I'm not worried in the slightest about losing him. He will be replaced in spades in June

None of those players are great and some are terrible. This age cap stuff is crazy you dont pick up an average player for picks and prospects that can easily be replaced by a UFA who is a couple years older.
- mauryballstein

None are great but all are young enough to potentially improve from their current levels. You cant have a team of all stars, but you need a team of NHL players which they are

I've asked this already but I am genuinely curious, what would you guys want the Canucks to do if Dubois is picked again 4? There seems to be an assumption Van will draft him, but if they can't would you guys want Nylander, Tkatchuk or a defenceman?

Hey Marwood. You'll love this blog from Tanner...

http://www.hockeybuzz.com...nalytics-Debate/200/77211

I like none of these so called older D UFA's.
The price makes no sense & none r a RHD worth getting IMO
- Nighthawk

Demers would be an excellent pickup, he was top four on the best team in the West and his 56% corsi means he's a puck possession monster.

He's a 6'1" 205lb right shot dman...

Yeah, he's a good hitter. But those videos don't show how many times he puts himself so far out of position that a player on the bench is closer to making a defensive play than he is. He's always taking bad penalties and leaves a lot to be desired in the defensive zone.
- Panthers88

Such are the vices of playing 26min/game. Have you ever watched Edler here when his over 20min/game? Tough to watch sometimes. The positives of having a guy like Gudbranson here far outweigh a few negatives on the ice.

I've asked this already but I am genuinely curious, what would you guys want the Canucks to do if Dubois is picked again 4? There seems to be an assumption Van will draft him, but if they can't would you guys want Nylander, Tkatchuk or a defenceman?
- BetterCallSaul

Trade Horvat for Bozak most likely.

I like none of these so called older D UFA's.
The price makes no sense & none r a RHD worth getting IMO
- Nighthawk

Im talking about how the players mentioned like Sbisa,vey and granlund are a bust. None of the free agent dmen are great i agree with you but i would rather have signed demers and not given up what we gave up.

What does draft positioning have to do how the players develop?
In retrospect most those players have all failed to live up to expectations so far.
- belcherbd

Not about draft positioning, though it has some indication on potential, but I was simply stating that because the Canucks have zero players drafted from that range, these are solid replacements in the age gap left behind. You need to fill the roster somehow

@ lefty

I know you seem to think Horvat and Mcann are our future top 6 centers (I don't see Mcaan as a center). Keller, Jost, Brown and Dubois are all significantly higher ranked center prospects than Mcaan. I'm not worried in the slightest about losing him. He will be replaced in spades in June
- CanuckDon

You talk about his size and yet you name two kids who are smaller than him in Keller and Jost?

Such are the vices of playing 26min/game. Have you ever watched Edler here when his over 20min/game? Tough to watch sometimes. The positives of having a guy like Gudbranson here far outweigh a few negatives on the ice.
- LordHumungous

Well, we'll see how you feel about that when he leaves the front of his net to hit some guy in the corner leaving the goaltender to fend for himself. Happens all....the....time.....