TSN: Deadline || Captain Benning: The Winter Blunder

[I am toxic]

This cannot be said often enough (from the Puck Daddy report card):

Toronto Maple Leafs: The war chest grows. The Leafs secured three second-round picks in trades involving Roman Polak, Nick Spaling and Daniel Winnik. They acquired Brooks Laich and Connor Carrick from the Capitals. They keep making smart little decisions. It’s really starting to scare us. GRADE: A-minus

They keep making smart little decisions.

While I read this forum about how Benning is fine because (paraphrasing) "none of his moves in isolation have crippled the team".

And then I read someone quoting Bowie Horvat, and I am reminded it is just a game.

 

[MadaCanuckle]

Perhaps, just MAYBE this colossal failure will lead to a big off season of actually smart moves.

I wont get my hopes up though

Nope. The backlash will only get them to panic and make even stupider trades with Gillis prospects.

 

[Desai87]

He's not qualified. That simple. To be honest, there are guys on this forum who are likely 10x as qualified as McKenzie is. And that's not because I think he's stupid or doesn't know hockey but simply because he doesn't have any of the necessary qualifications (including law or business experience).

He does have common sense which Jimbo doesnt...

 

[Tiranis]

He does have common sense which Jimbo doesnt...

Of course but that's a pretty low standard.

 

[Desai87]

Of course but that's a pretty low standard.

I just thought he knows alot about hockey/scouting and is very well respected.

Was just wondering.

 

[Siludin]

This cannot be said often enough (from the Puck Daddy report card):



They keep making smart little decisions.

While I read this forum about how Benning is fine because (paraphrasing) "none of his moves in isolation have crippled the team".

And then I read someone quoting Bowie Horvat, and I am reminded it is just a game.

Not managing to secure an additional 1st and 2nd in this year's draft set this team's rebuild/retool progress back two years.

 

[Peter10]

Has a guy like BobbyMac ever got an offer for a GM job?

Or is he even interested?

Not sure where I read it but he was actually asked about it in an interview and pretty much said himself what Tirans was mentioning. He said its much easier talking about the stuff than doing it. He also said he doesnt even want such a job.

 

[Samzilla]

Sekeres just said on the radio that it wasn't a first, it was a second. I couldn't agree more....targeting another teams top prospects is one of the dumbest things you can do, teams fall in love with their top prospects and they are more likely to deal their first.

tell that to shinkaruk

 

[dave babych returns]

He's not qualified. That simple. To be honest, there are guys on this forum who are likely 10x as qualified as McKenzie is. And that's not because I think he's stupid or doesn't know hockey but simply because he doesn't have any of the necessary qualifications (including law or business experience).

Also, guys in the media who come off as bright and well informed have the considerable advantage of having the chance to confer with tons of executives, coaches and scouts in forming their opinions.

Stick McKenzie inside an NHL organization (where he is cut of from the vast majority of the NHLs accumulated intelligence) and the network he uses now is of pretty limited utility. He might be able to stock a decent scouting department though.

 

[Samzilla]

would love some details

They were not prepared.... waited too long to move on deals.

and have shown they are terrible at cutting deals.

once again the Canucks as they have been all through out there 46 years on this league close but could not come through in the clutch


They are truly the Chicago Cubs of the National Hockey League


Mark my words. if Benning misses the palyoffs next year. He and Willie are Done


pm for some details

hey, would love some details.

 

[BDG123]

Benning isn't an idiot, he sure as hell knows more about hockey than most people on this forum. With such limited knowledge on the situation, It is unfair to judge him. Clearly management thought it wasn't worth trading Hamhuis away for the offers provided. If we didn't get value equal value for Hammer then he wasn't going to be traded. This isn't a video game, guys have feelings and morale. So stop blaming Benning and understand that he made the best decision under the circumstances he faced.

 

[Tiranis]

Benning isn't an idiot

Comes across as being one.

 

[Hardyvan123]

Not managing to secure an additional 1st and 2nd in this year's draft set this team's rebuild/retool progress back two years.

I agree but it seems like the market also said that Hammer and Vrbata wasn't worth that.

 

[BDG123]

Comes across as being one.

Look he makes a lot of money being a GM and he didn't get there by being a stupid lucky idiot. He knows hockey.

 

[Nuckles]

Comes across as being one.

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

 

[Hardyvan123]

Benning isn't an idiot, he sure as hell knows more about hockey than most people on this forum. With such limited knowledge on the situation, It is unfair to judge him. Clearly management thought it wasn't worth trading Hamhuis away for the offers provided. If we didn't get value equal value for Hammer then he wasn't going to be traded. This isn't a video game, guys have feelings and morale. So stop blaming Benning and understand that he made the best decision under the circumstances he faced.

Look Benning has hockey experience but Razor had it right when he said this season is done and to get nothing for Hammer is just a loss....period.

And GM's do get judged and either keep or lose their jobs on their performance plain and simple.

 

[mrmyheadhurts]

He's not qualified. That simple. To be honest, there are guys on this forum who are likely 10x as qualified as McKenzie is. And that's not because I think he's stupid or doesn't know hockey but simply because he doesn't have any of the necessary qualifications (including law or business experience).

How many current GMs have those qualifications? Seems like a great number of them are ex-players who go straight into scouting and work their way up, but it's hard to find any info on their educational background. Would be interested to know how it breaks down.

 

[Diamonddog01]

Benning isn't an idiot, he sure as hell knows more about hockey than most people on this forum. With such limited knowledge on the situation, It is unfair to judge him. Clearly management thought it wasn't worth trading Hamhuis away for the offers provided. If we didn't get value equal value for Hammer then he wasn't going to be traded. This isn't a video game, guys have feelings and morale. So stop blaming Benning and understand that he made the best decision under the circumstances he faced.

I do believe there's more going on here than has been reported. Perhaps I may rethink my stance on ownership interference. And I strongly disagree with labeling people in such derogatory, insulting terms. I've liked a fair bit of what Benning & co have done but yesterday was an unmitigated disaster, as well as an abject failure, for this organization. There's simply no other way to look at it.

 

[Zombotron]

Not sure where I read it but he was actually asked about it in an interview and pretty much said himself what Tirans was mentioning. He said its much easier talking about the stuff than doing it. He also said he doesnt even want such a job.

Bob Mack probably has enough much fun watching these GMs murder each other and waste away. GM-ing is a nasty business - just look at these GMs for an example!

Would you want the same thing to happen to Bob?

 

[BDG123]

Look Benning has hockey experience but Razor had it right when he said this season is done and to get nothing for Hammer is just a loss....period.

And GM's do get judged and either keep or lose their jobs on their performance plain and simple.

I agree but Benning obviously had his reasons for not trading Hammer and Vrbata.

 

[earl grey]

Benning isn't an idiot, he sure as hell knows more about hockey than most people on this forum. With such limited knowledge on the situation, It is unfair to judge him. Clearly management thought it wasn't worth trading Hamhuis away for the offers provided. If we didn't get value equal value for Hammer then he wasn't going to be traded. This isn't a video game, guys have feelings and morale. So stop blaming Benning and understand that he made the best decision under the circumstances he faced.

Look at the body of work since he's taken the job.

You let us know how you feel about all his trades, one by one, I don't believe he's won one yet, I feel like the first reaction is he lost the trade. One trade isn't a big deal, but when you look back on it and go, wow, its now 2 years of nothing... 2 years of nothing = 2 years wasted. I'm not willing to waste more time doing nothing. Time to do something.

 

[coldsteel79]

hey, would love some details.

Yeah me too

 

[Nuckles]

Bob Mack probably has enough much fun watching these GMs murder each other and waste away. GM-ing is a nasty business - just look at these GMs for an example!

Would you want the same thing to happen to Bob?

Oh my god his tie turned black!

 

[BDG123]

Look at the body of work since he's taken the job.

You let us know how you feel about all his trades, one by one, I don't believe he's won one yet, I feel like the first reaction is he lost the trade. One trade isn't a big deal, but when you look back on it and go, wow, its now 2 years of nothing... 2 years of nothing = 2 years wasted. I'm not willing to waste more time doing nothing. Time to do something.

We don't really have the assets too benefit from trades. What do you expect? I think he won on Shinkaruk too

 

[arttk]

Look he makes a lot of money being a GM and he didn't get there by being a stupid lucky idiot. He knows hockey.

Knowing hockey does not mean he knows how to manage a hockey franchise.

Different things.