Bravo Benning. The D is pretty much rebuilt.

[Chairman Maouth]

A reminder.

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[alternate]

Except the left side of that ledger is likely to be worse in every single instance. And there's no Salo there.

So everyone is going to underperform relative to expectations, and no one is going to exceed them. Seems likely.

 

[Yggdrasil]

It was a solid pick......the more i watched of this kid the more impressed i was. Hes a much better prospect than Hamhuis. We just acquired a 15yr anchor and probably the best ever Canuck defenseman.

As mentioned its disapointing we didnt get a goal scorer but you build from the backline and we can now move Edler in a year or 2 for a forward.

yes, that we potentially may have acquired a #2 LW Dman...now to acquire #1 true RW dman...oh thats gonna be too hard, would rather stick with a #1 elite center cuz thats what we need now for our future.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

I really like whats happening with this back end renovation.
Its not over but progressing well.

Jim has added much needed muscle and beef and now just grabbed the most coveted junior Defenceman on the planet in Juolevi (Bob McKenzie) and College NCAA All-Tournament Team Troy Stecher from North Dakota.

The same people that were screaming murder for signing Gudbranson a few weeks ago and not a puck moving D are the same people that are now screaming murder for signing the best young pmd on the planet arguably.
Anything Benning and Linden do they will hate.
Ignore them.



Juolevi-Tanev
Hutton-Gudbranson
Edler-Tryamkin
Pedan-Subban-Stecher-Brisebois etc...

Marky/Demko



Benning hasn't been perfect and i haven't cosigned all of his moves but he has done a stellar job at rebuilding this D in less than 2 years with limited assets.

1. Juolevi is NOT signed. He is drafted. We have his rights, but there is no contract.

2. Who is screaming bloody murder about Juolevi? Pretty much everyone thinks he is a good player, just maybe not at #5 when we need scoring.

3. For every fan who hates everything Linden/Benning do, there are 3 fans who love everything they do, and will even bend over backwards saying things like "we shouldn't question the GM because he's the GM." and have changed opinions entirely on players over the span of mere days just to fit the bill. Should we ignore them as well? And yes, those are literally things people have said on this board.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Not sure what you are seeing. The Canucks both lack a true PP quarterback and also a true #1 d-man and aside from that have a pretty average group beyond with little in terms of prospects. All this for a team that needs to address scoring goals more than anything.

 

[RandV]

2007 - Thomas Hickey 4th overall

Just wanted to comment here, to be fair Thomas Hickey was a huge reach to go 4th overall. The top dman that year, and the guy that went 5th, was Karl Alzner.

Anyways for the OP...

Arizona: OEL, Goligoski, Murphy, Stone, Chychrun
Anaheim: Lindholm, Vatanen, Fowler, Despres, Manson, Theodore
Calgary: Giordano, Brodie, Hamilton, Kylington
LA: Doughty, Muzzin, Martinez
San Jose: Burns, Vlasic, Braun, Dillon, Mueller

Just because it's not looking like the train wreck Benning built last year doesn't mean our D core is anything to write home about. Right now the only team in our division we look better than is Edmonton, and that's off the strength of Edler & Tanev. If Edmonton can pull of the right deals and add some good D alongside Nurse & Klefborn, they could jump past us too.

 

[turkulad]

Just wanted to comment here, to be fair Thomas Hickey was a huge reach to go 4th overall. The top dman that year, and the guy that went 5th, was Karl Alzner.

Anyways for the OP...

Arizona: OEL, Goligoski, Murphy, Stone, Chychrun
Anaheim: Lindholm, Vatanen, Fowler, Despres, Manson, Theodore
Calgary: Giordano, Brodie, Hamilton, Kylington
LA: Doughty, Muzzin, Martinez
San Jose: Burns, Vlasic, Braun, Dillon, Mueller

Just because it's not looking like the train wreck Benning built last year doesn't mean our D core is anything to write home about. Right now the only team in our division we look better than is Edmonton, and that's off the strength of Edler & Tanev. If Edmonton can pull of the right deals and add some good D alongside Nurse & Klefborn, they could jump past us too.

If you're building a D for your future, I obviously have a more lowsy build today than other teams. Trick is to make sure your core is better than your competitors 5 years now. That's what we're building up for right now, and no one knows what's happening with the other cores then and there. We just have to keep our eyes on OUR prize.

 

[Cupless44]

i wanted Dubois...Tkachuk and Boeser would have been nice but juolevi is a stud.

Bob McKenzie ranked him the top D on the planet this draft.

Maybe he's an idiot too and you're the expert.


http://www.tsn.ca/matthews-goes-wire-to-wire-as-tsn-s-top-prospect-1.511597

All fine and dandy that he was ranked the top D but it was also universal that there is no true #1 defencemen in this draft and the top end talent is at forward. I know you have just showed up here on draft day but if you follow closely you will realize that the Canucks have needs everywhere, were 29 th in goal scoring and have no first line succession plan after the 36 year old Sedins.

 

[Cupless44]

Let me make this abundantly clear, unless we have Corey Perry this team has nothing comparable to Tkachuk. Juoveli isn't so far above and beyond Sergachev and co that he's worth taking over those guys.

Not to mention that a smart, competent GM would have traded down and got the same player.

Can anyone actually state an instance lately where Benning has shown even reasonably good asset management?

 

[Jimson Hogarth*]

Not to mention that a smart, competent GM would have traded down and got the same player.

Can anyone actually state an instance lately where Benning has shown even reasonably good asset management?

Which team was ready to trade? It takes two teams to make a trade. Benning and co worked the phones until literally the last second.

But I guess the tv watchers know it all smh

My god is their a more overused word on this forum than "asset management?" People sound like 1st year poli Sci students running around spouting some bs they heard in their second lecture.

 

[Cupless44]

Which team was ready to trade? It takes two teams to make a trade. Benning and co worked the phones until literally the last second.

But I guess the tv watchers know it all smh

My god is their a more overused word on this forum than "asset management?" People sound like 1st year poli Sci students running around spouting some bs they heard in their second lecture.

Like he worked the phones at the trade deadline and embarrassingly came up with zilch for an asset like Hamhuis? Really have not seen anything so useless from a GM in recent memory.

His excuses were an embarrassing moment for this franchise.

So was his amateur comments that will result in fines for tampering.

I think you know I kept an open mind for a long time and was on the defending side of Benning in many threads on here. But you have to keep it real. At some point you have to admit the guy is an idiot and in over his head.

 

[F A N]

Not to mention that a smart, competent GM would have traded down and got the same player.

This is so baseless. McKenzie had Juolevi as the consensus #6 pick and 9 out of 10 scouts he surveyed had him going in the top 10. The TSN crew on NBC stated that Calgary liked Juolevi and Tkachuk. There was no trading down and getting the same player. I mentioned this already. Why do you keep repeating your points without looking into it or providing support?

 

[Paulinvancouver]

Love that we picked Olli!! He's exactly who I would have taken given the circumstances. I think he will become our #1 D in time and we desperately need a pmd.

I would have been happy with PLD but I can totally understand why Columbus took him where they did. I think the talent drops off past the first four. Seems he's got a great attitude in coming here and think our Europeans will do a great job in mentoring him. Would love to see him play here for the next 15 years plus!

I hope to see him on the big club next season but not depending on it. He's got a big frame but needs to fill it out. He's got a good support staff in London.

It would be really very nice and good if all the people who keep ******** all over every single thing Benning and linden do could find another team to cheer for and stop posting here.

 

[WhiteCurse]

Love that we picked Olli!! He's exactly who I would have taken given the circumstances. I think he will become our #1 D in time and we desperately need a pmd.

I would have been happy with PLD but I can totally understand why Columbus took him where they did. I think the talent drops off past the first four. Seems he's got a great attitude in coming here and think our Europeans will do a great job in mentoring him. Would love to see him play here for the next 15 years plus!

I hope to see him on the big club next season but not depending on it. He's got a big frame but needs to fill it out. He's got a good support staff in London.

It would be really very nice and good if all the people who keep ******** all over every single thing Benning and linden do could find another team to cheer for and stop posting here.

Benning and Linden both have said there is no #1 dman in this draft.

Maybe some of us are tired of the flames getting the better of us at every chance they get

 

[F A N]

Benning and Linden both have said there is no #1 dman in this draft.

Maybe some of us are tired of the flames getting the better of us at every chance they get

There's a difference between a #1 Dman and 1st pairing Dman. Juolevi isn't going to be a #1 Dman I don't think. Those are your Norris trophy winners/candidates. Juolevi is potentially a 1st pairing Dman according to Benning.

 

[kanucks25]

I appreciate the optimism but this has got to be some sort of joke.

He traded away Garrison for low value and then acquired a worse D-man a few years later to replace him with a stupid overpay.

He inherited his (other) 4 best D-men in Tanev, Edler, Hamhuis and Hutton and is letting one of them walk for nothing.

And then he gets credit for Juolevi? The product of his complete incompetence? Being arguably the worst team in the league while being over the cap and trying to make the playoffs?

Give me a break lol. He gets credit for what seems to be, at least so far, a good pick in Tryamkin but other than that, he did nothing for this defense.

 

[turkulad]

The ones who can't deal with this stage of the team can surely just take off on a holiday. When all's said and done, Benning is fired, maybe even Linden, and all the pain we've suffered through them is rewarded with a new core which would undoubtedly be constructed by the high picks sustained from the drafts. Even if the man is a fool in negotiating trades, it's his draft skills that can give the franchise it needs - the current core is run to the ground by either old age or bad management. Maybe option #2 is even more effective.

Not saying Benning is a mole for this sort of consequences, if that's the end result, who cares in the end? Water under the bridge, a new generation abound sooner rather than later.

I'm already waiting for the next draft, as well as the regular season that'll show us another year of development in Marky/Horvat/Hutton/Trammer/Guds/Granlund/Virtanen/bae as well as our younger guns Boeser/Demko/Juolevi. Hopefully some trades for futures, as surely - surely - we won't be competiting. Even Leslie Nielsen doesn't buy it.

 

[WhiteCurse]

There's a difference between a #1 Dman and 1st pairing Dman. Juolevi isn't going to be a #1 Dman I don't think. Those are your Norris trophy winners/candidates. Juolevi is potentially a 1st pairing Dman according to Benning.

The person i quoted said #1 D. Look i Like OJ i saw him play close to 30 games this year. I just question his ability to put up any real points at the Nhl level

 

[nuckfan insk]

Benning and Linden both have said there is no #1 dman in this draft.

Maybe some of us are tired of the flames getting the better of us at every chance they get

Benning also said after failing to get a 2 for lack after he pretty much said he would, he said the 2016 draft was deeper, now that he pissed away a bunch of pics, changes his tune and suddenly 2016 sux

 

[CP]

Benning also said after failing to get a 2 for lack after he pretty much said he would, he said the 2016 draft was deeper, now that he pissed away a bunch of pics, changes his tune and suddenly 2016 sux

From my understanding this draft was good in the top end but may not have depth, specifically the top 3 which Dubois broke into, then the next 2, which Juolevi broke into, then 6 to 12 were lumped together, then up to 21. After that top 21 the draft becomes much weaker, and a complete crap shoot.

Loved the Canuck's pick after Dubois was off the board. Did not want Tkabust at all. If everything goes perfectly for Tkachuk, he may be a Hartnell type player, but I doubt he becomes that good. He'll never have the speed to score like Perry. Juolevi has a higher upside because of his elite skating. Top end he becomes a Norris challenger like Josi, at worse he'll be a defensive gem like Tanev. Great pick that in a couple years will change what was last years team's greatest weakness into a team strength. The defense looks completely rebuilt and so much better going forward. Goalies and defense look set for the long hall. Focus on FAs at forward and this team can compete now and even more later as the youth develops.

 

[Wisp]

The D isn't rebuilt until its rebuilt and performing in the NHL.

Anyone who has followed the Canucks for a period of time should know it doesn't always play out how you expect when you're dealing with guys playing in Junior or who aren't NHL regulars. always reminds me of people who trumpeted "Hodgson, Shroeder, Rodin the next wave of Canucks greats!" back in the day.

Juolevei I like but he's four years out from being an impact player (more likely to benefit a future Canuck GM than Jim Benning). Good NHLers emerging Tryamkin-Subban-Stecher-Brisebois Brisbois pool seems a long way off too. In particular I'm not confident with Gudbranson amounting to anything. Modern NHL to me should be able to move and transition the puck much better than he can.

TL,DR - OPs confidence is overstated.

 

[canadianmagpie]

The biggest problem the Canucks had last year was moving the puck out of their own zone to the forwards, a lot of passes weren't stick-to-stick and turnovers were common. You can say that the team couldn't score and couldn't keep the puck out, but if you can't make a pass, you will always have that problem.

I'm sure everyone wanted some help up front, but honestly, I'm glad we've prioritized fixing the blueline. Now we just need to move Sbisa.

 

[Hit the post]

Juolevi is potentially a 1st pairing Dman according to Benning.

Hopefully it'll be a more accurate prediction from Benning that Pizza being a top 4 D.

The defense looks completely rebuilt and so much better going forward.

By default it will be better by virtue of the fact I doubt even Benning makes the dumb mistake of thinking a career #7 (Weber) in the top 4 full-time is a good plan.

The biggest problem the Canucks had last year was moving the puck out of their own zone to the forwards, a lot of passes weren't stick-to-stick and turnovers were common. You can say that the team couldn't score and couldn't keep the puck out, but if you can't make a pass, you will always have that problem.

I'm sure everyone wanted some help up front, but honestly, I'm glad we've prioritized fixing the blueline. Now we just need to move Sbisa.

At 5th overall - you should go for 'best player available'. If that's Juolevi so be it.

 

[MikeK]

IDK. I love the enthusiasm of the OP but I can't get on board. As it stands right now I feel our D one of the weakest in our Division.

 

[Tobi Wan Kenobi]

Not at all. You're wrong. Drafting Tkachuk would have given us that elite forward prospect and elite scorer that we desperately need. Instead we take a defenseman who's tools project as a Dan Hamhuis.

Glad you prefer building around second pairing defensemen rather than top line forwards though. Sure-fire way to keep the team in the basement.

Juolevi is closer to OEL than Hamhuis