TSN: Deadline || Captain Benning: The Winter Blunder

[Nuckles]

We don't really have the assets too benefit from trades. What do you expect?

Yeah, it's a shame we didn't have someone as good as Roman Polak or Nick Spaling.

 

[Flik]

Someone kill that thing on Gillis' face, kill it with fire!!!

 

[BDG123]

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

Different things.

You can't manage a hockey franchise if you don't know hockey.

 

[HankNDank]

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.

I don't see how missing out on a 26th-30th overall pick and a 56th-60th overall pick set the franchise back two years. Picking that low, it's not even guarantee that either pick would ever play in the NHL. Getting something back for the pair was the correct/ideal choice, but if the market wasn't giving that 1st and 2nd, don't blow this out of proportion, it was not a 2 year setback. Caman

 

[Zombotron]

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

Different things.

Essentially. Being a high-level amateur scout doesn't give you the knowledge to man the GM post.

*cough*

 

[BDG123]

Yeah, it's a shame we didn't have someone as good as Roman Polak or Nick Spaling.

It's a lot easier to complain. But what would you do differently?

 

[Nuckles]

You can't manage a hockey franchise if you don't know hockey.

How would you know, you're not a GM.

 

[Zombotron]

Oh my god his tie turned black!

It's rather poignant.

 

[Bettman Returnz]

At the end of the day we can all speculate... We will never know the exact story, i am sure it's a combo of many reports that are out there.

All and all it is very disappointing and we did not get what we wanted/hoped. The ball was dropped by the Canucks organization. We will see what, if any, type of backlash there will be.

 

[tantalum]

It's a lot easier to complain. But what would you do differently?

Something....

 

[Hit the post]

It's a lot easier to complain. But what would you do differently?

How about getting more that sweet **** *** for Hamhuis?

 

[Zombotron]

At the end of the day we can all speculate... We will never know the exact story, i am sure it's a combo of many reports that are out there.

Our ace in the hole is Hockey Widow. I'd love to hear a TDL postmortem from her

 

[earl grey]

You can't manage a hockey franchise if you don't know hockey.

You're right, you cant manage a hockey franchise if you don't know hockey.

You also cant manage a hockey franchise if you don't know how to sell, negotiate, motivate, and insulate yourself with good hockey people in your "circle"

I don't doubt that DIM JIM knows hockey, and knows some tricks to finding players... I do doubt his ability to do anything else. We all know players we would love to add to our club, however, what good does that do for us if we can't do the rest.

I mean if Dum Dum wants to go out and get a top prospect from another organization that he values, it's going to be very difficult if you are a terrible salesman, and even worse negotiator. You'll always come out looking like an idiot.

Benning is best in a scout, or, at the top level, an assistant GM position like he previously held so he can focus on more of the things he does best. He's in over his head. We all hoped it would work out but it hasn't.

 

[CCF]

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 agree with giving people a fair shake, and not reacting too quickly before things play out. But in the nearly two years since Benning has been GM, he has made one good move and that was signing Vrbata.

He's made two 'fair' moves in trading for Baertschi, and Etem. Although these moves are still far from certain. But overall I think they look to be positive additions.

Basically in every other move he has made during his tenure, he has been on the losing side. Through trades, signings, and waiver wire moves this team has continue to lose assets. This team has no clear direction. The moves that are made often contradict previous decisions. From my own perspective, the moves being made do nothing to instil any sort of confidence in this group. It's as if they are trying to do make as many moves as possible and hope they find a diamond in the rough.

We are in a much worse position than we were prior to this management group taking over. I expect that to last as long as this group is in charge.

 

[big boi]

I've been reading the tank threads for a while with interest. Not only were they entertaining but I found myself caring again after being apathetic toward this team for a couple of years now. I found myself really caring that we might be able to manage our assets well, acquire picks and prospects and draft in the top 5 with a shot at the top 3 this year. I thought finally, the organization had come around to the idea that a well executed rebuild was the most efficient way back to relevance. I had hope. The events of yesterday have robbed me of that hope. I have no hope for this organization while this management team is in charge and while this ownership team is in place.

The company I work with purchases half of a box each year which we split with another company. I will be suggesting that we do not renew. I will be suggesting that I won't need any tickets for 2016/2017.

 

[DFAC]

Our ace in the hole is Hockey Widow. I'd love to hear a TDL postmortem from her

Not trying to sound like a jerk, but who is she?

 

[Zombotron]

Not trying to sound like a jerk, but who is she?

Insider. Gossiper. Posts on a different Canucks forum.

 

[Peter10]

Oh my god his tie turned black!

He actually looks like he is attending a funeral and I am pretty sure who looks like 6 feet under right now (hint it rhymes with Bennucks)

 

[arttk]

You can't manage a hockey franchise if you don't know hockey.

Actually that is not all true, someone with good operation background can probably run a hockey franchise if they treat it like a business and evaluate everything based on key metrics.

Right now we have a bunch of idiots running this based on gut decision. I would take a guy who knows nothing about hockey but knows how to run a business over these 3 idiots who knows some parts of hockey and thinks they know how to run a business.

Look at Mark Cuban as an example of a guy who knows how to run a business turning into a great GM.

 

[MS]

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.

Based on the body of work we've seen so far, he doesn't know jack **** about hockey.

He can't evaluate talent, he doesn't seem to understand what makes teams win games in 2016, and his grasp of the financial aspects of the game is downright farcical.

Most people here could do a better job.

 

[Bettman Returnz]

I agree with giving people a fair shake, and not reacting too quickly before things play out. But in the nearly two years since Benning has been GM, he has made one good move and that was signing Vrbata.

He's made two 'fair' moves in trading for Baertschi, and Etem. Although these moves are still far from certain. But overall I think they look to be positive additions.

Basically in every other move he has made during his tenure, he has been on the losing side. Through trades, signings, and waiver wire moves this team has continue to lose assets. This team has no clear direction. The moves that are made often contradict previous decisions. From my own perspective, the moves being made do nothing to instil any sort of confidence in this group. It's as if they are trying to do make as many moves as possible and hope they find a diamond in the rough.

We are in a much worse position than we were prior to this management group taking over. I expect that to last as long as this group is in charge.

Agreed. I've definitely given JB the benefit of the doubt for the last year... I actually defended him and want to see things play out. But it's too the point where i can no longer stand in his corner.

Those few moves you listed are his brightest, for sure. But the several other bad ones are overshadowing them. You're right on when you say he keeps looking for that diamond in the rough. I think this fan base is over him rolling the dice on a player that may/may not work out. We want something with a little more certainty (i say this knowing that you can never be sure but i hope you know where i am going with that statement). At this point get whatever you can, fill the cupboard so you can at least have options down the road to package for something greater. Right now he is basically making lateral moves with the hopes he has a gem.

 

[Hardyvan123]

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

And at the end of the day they are bad ones as they got absolutely zip for 2 expiring contracts and Vrbata most certainly shouldn't be back either but with Benning who knows.

 

[MS]

I agree with giving people a fair shake, and not reacting too quickly before things play out. But in the nearly two years since Benning has been GM, he has made one good move and that was signing Vrbata.

He's made two 'fair' moves in trading for Baertschi, and Etem. Although these moves are still far from certain. But overall I think they look to be positive additions.

Basically in every other move he has made during his tenure, he has been on the losing side. Through trades, signings, and waiver wire moves this team has continue to lose assets. This team has no clear direction. The moves that are made often contradict previous decisions. From my own perspective, the moves being made do nothing to instil any sort of confidence in this group. It's as if they are trying to do make as many moves as possible and hope they find a diamond in the rough.

We are in a much worse position than we were prior to this management group taking over. I expect that to last as long as this group is in charge.

... and the one 'good' move you refer to in Vrbata, the guy is apparently untradeable by the 2nd year of his contract.

That was still a decent move, but Vrbata's performance this year takes some of the shine off that signing.

 

[Bobby Digital]

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 hate this "it's not a video game" narrative. What the Leafs are doing right now was something a select few of us wanted to do after the SJ series. Alot of the responses were "Its not a video game". Well guess what? They're doing it and I'll bet you anything they'll be relevant again before we are.

 

[mossey3535]

Our ace in the hole is Hockey Widow. I'd love to hear a TDL postmortem from her

She did something posted in another thread, it wasn't impressive. And I'm not a HW skeptic. All she did was poorly summarize a Dallas news article.