I'm sorry, I call BS on all this "Benning was saved from himself here" revisionist history. That frames this as "Arizona was stupid to turn this down" which is a load of malarkey. This is Benning making a low-ball offer for a top pairing defender due to the current climate and it being rightfully turned down. Just because Vancouver didn't have a first rounder this year doesn't mean next year's first rounder is any more valuable to anybody save Vancouver itself. The Canucks are coming off an impressive playoff run led by a young core. That pick isn't going to be / should not be any lower than 20 overall next year. I'd way rather have Pod or Hoglander coming off the year he had or Demko than that pick. Rathbone, sure, probably the pick but the only reason people kept mentioning him is because he was the best blueline asset that most Canucks fans felt was at least somewhat reasonable to part with.
Throw all the stats about OEL declining out there you want, I'm not going to judge a 29 year-old former franchise face defender on the basis of a down year on an organization that has continually struggled. He probably needs to get out of Arizona and the Coyotes need to get something pretty good back for him. If he ends up on Boston, high likelihood he looks a lot better and people will suddenly be like "oh I guess OEL isn't an overpaid bum".
Benning should be praised for doing his due diligence and offering a deal that is very palatable to get a player like OEL. It got turned down, they moved on and Benning STOLE Schmidt for next to nothing. It all came up roses for Vancouver, 100%. That does not mean this was a good offer or that Bill Armstrong is a moron for turning it down.
