#firebenning: The Movement Has Gone Mainstream

[valkynax]

It will take a Herculean effort to do worse than Benning. By which I mean the new GM will have to get a deep sea submarine, dive down to the ocean and find where Benning threw "the bar". Then actively work to get lower than the bar.

Granted, Benning's performance had improved somewhat over the last 12 months or so, I'll give him that. It still baffles me how this dumb ass survived through so many mistakes that would've gotten other GMs fired on the spot.

 

[Fire Benning]

Disagree. There's always time for that. And whoever takes over after Benning is going to inherit maybe 4 or 5 genuinely good hockey players moving forward and then a whole ton of overpaid mediocre to bad players after that. There's still going to be a ton of holes, no matter how you slice it. Draft picks will probably be all that can reasonably be recouped for them. I hope. Just as long as that idiotic "age gap" theory is put to bed.

There’s always time to acquire picks absolutely, but in terms of loading up on picks, that should’ve been done long ago, likely around the time Benning came in.

Right now the situation should be that over the past 5 years we’d have established a good pipeline of guys that come up through the system every year that help provide reinforcements for the core players, and then you’d also have an excess of quality players which you could then use to bring in another bigger piece via trade.

But of course, that isn’t the case today, and now we’re risking wasting some of the best years of the higher end players on the team, the best route right now might be to help supplement the team with pro acquisitions. Obviously Benning isn’t well suited to go in that direction since the last half decade has been littered with failed moves with the intent of doing exactly this, the longer he sticks around the longer we’ll remain in this position.

 

[iFan]

Would be hard to believe he’ll still be our GM to start the next season, you’d think his time is up.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

There’s always time to acquire picks absolutely, but in terms of loading up on picks, that should’ve been done long ago, likely around the time Benning came in.

Right now the situation should be that over the past 5 years we’d have established a good pipeline of guys that come up through the system every year that help provide reinforcements for the core players, and then you’d also have an excess of quality players which you could then use to bring in another bigger piece via trade.

But of course, that isn’t the case today, and now we’re risking wasting some of the best years of the higher end players on the team, the best route right now might be to help supplement the team with pro acquisitions. Obviously Benning isn’t well suited to go in that direction since the last half decade has been littered with failed moves with the intent of doing exactly this, the longer he sticks around the longer we’ll remain in this position.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda. He didn't. Those years are going to be wasted anyway. There's no way around that now. Supplement with pro acquisitions...uh no. That's literally all Benning's done since he got here. We've got one more season of Benning sitting on his hands making irrelevant moves around the perimeter...a Pearson here, a Leivo there, a Schenn the other place, then hopefully next year he's gone and the actual rebuild can start.

 

[Fire Benning]

Supplement with pro acquisitions...uh no.

Well ideally you have someone who can actually evaluate talent, instead of having a guy who sees Marcus Granlund as a good supporting cast player.

 

[vanuck]

Even if Holland or anyone else came in and wanted to accumulate picks the roster that Benning would leave behind for them has basically no pieces of value to acquire said picks, I also think the time to really stockpile picks has passed anyway.

Whoever new that comes in can always sign UFA's to short-term deals like how Toronto did and trade them away for picks at the deadline and stockpile from there. But actually being able to negotiate picks for these players and execute on these deals is the key.

 

[tantalum]

It will take a Herculean effort to do worse than Benning. By which I mean the new GM will have to get a deep sea submarine, dive down to the ocean and find where Benning threw "the bar". Then actively work to get lower than the bar.

Granted, Benning's performance had improved somewhat over the last 12 months or so, I'll give him that. It still baffles me how this dumb ass survived through so many mistakes that would've gotten other GMs fired on the spot.

Has his performance improved over the last 12 months? I don’t think it has. If it had I would think it would be reflected in the team being better and I don’t think it is. I think some good individual performances are masking a team that is no better defensively and offensively (when you back out the overall goal increase in the league).

I guess if better = no longer actively harming the team to a huge degree then yes he’s been better. I’m not sure he’s doing anything to improve the club or organization except to use the picks the league gives him for free.

 

[Cancuks]

Benning's time has run out. He has no cards left to play. First one was Boeser, and we waited patiently for his college career to finish and then signed him. Then it was wait for Pettersson. And this year it was "wait for Hughes". Barring a draft lottery miracle, Benning won't be able to sell the fans and Aquilini on "wait until Soderstom or Broberg" develop or whoever they select 12 or 13th that won't play for 2-3 years. There are no premier young UFAs available to throw money at. I'm sure Aquilini is gunshy on letting Dim Jim go hogwild on July 1st and sign a bunch of overpriced crap and getting another Eriksson. Maybe I'm wrong but I think they'll bring a new GM in to clean up some of the mess Benning made. Either we get a top 3 pick next Tuesday or Benning is gone IMO.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Benning's time has run out. He has no cards left to play. First one was Boeser, and we waited patiently for his college career to finish and then signed him. Then it was wait for Pettersson. And this year it was "wait for Hughes". Barring a draft lottery miracle, Benning won't be able to sell the fans and Aquilini on "wait until Soderstom or Broberg" develop or whoever they select 12 or 13th that won't play for 2-3 years. There are no premier young UFAs available to throw money at. I'm sure Aquilini is gunshy on letting Dim Jim go hogwild on July 1st and sign a bunch of overpriced crap and getting another Eriksson. Maybe I'm wrong but I think they'll bring a new GM in to clean up some of the mess Benning made. Either we get a top 3 pick next Tuesday or Benning is gone IMO.

Boeser was a Calder finalist..as EP will be ?..Bennings cards are running out if he doesn’t get a top 3..?..Elaborate please..

 

[Peter10]

Boeser was a Calder finalist..as EP will be ?..Bennings cards are running out if he doesn’t get a top 3..?..Elaborate please..

Probably because everything else has been a huge desaster so far.

 

[me2]

It will take a Herculean effort to do worse than Benning. By which I mean the new GM will have to get a deep sea submarine, dive down to the ocean and find where Benning threw "the bar". Then actively work to get lower than the bar.

Granted, Benning's performance had improved somewhat over the last 12 months or so, I'll give him that. It still baffles me how this dumb ass survived through so many mistakes that would've gotten other GMs fired on the spot.

So long as they are so bad at their job they spend the next 5 years sabotaging the team and getting top draft picks they will be heroes to the Benning brigade.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Boeser was a Calder finalist..as EP will be ?..Bennings cards are running out if he doesn’t get a top 3..?..Elaborate please..

So what you're saying is being one of the worst teams over the last 4 years has produced good young players. Really ground breaking stuff that Benning deserves credit for.

Jesus Christ, the bar is set so incredibly low for you.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

So what you're saying is being one of the worst teams over the last 4 years has produced good young players. Really ground breaking stuff that Benning deserves credit for.

Jesus Christ, the bar is set so incredibly low for you.

What are you expecting after 4 years starting with an abysmal prospect pool consisting of one impact player?

All I’m saying is that JB has hit some great home runs without ever winning the lottery,or picking higher than 5th..

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

What are you expecting after 4 years starting with an abysmal prospect pool consisting of one impact player?

All I’m saying is that JB has hit some great home runs without ever winning the lottery,or picking higher than 5th..

It's been 5 years since Benning took over, with the 6th overall pick he blew on Virtanen in 2014. This will be Benning's 6th draft as GM here.

What am I expecting? Asset management and retaining future assets. Not trading countless picks and prospects to try to fast-track the rebuild only to be left with scraps. A top 9 that could easily include Tkachuk, McCann, Nylander/Ehlers, DeBrincat, etc. and we're a playoff team. Benning is too stupid to have made that happen, though. Then he fails to capitalize on pending UFAs like Hamhuis, Miller, and Vrbata. He targeted the wrong assets in our major pieces (Sbisa and Bonino in the Kesler deal).

You don't need to win the lottery to build a good team, especially when you have 5 drafts with FOUR top 7 picks.

I feel like I have this rebuttal with you every week and it never resonates, though. Being a contrarian must get boring after a while, no?

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

It's been 5 years since Benning took over, with the 6th overall pick he blew on Virtanen in 2014. This will be Benning's 6th draft as GM here.

What am I expecting? Asset management and retaining future assets. Not trading countless picks and prospects to try to fast-track the rebuild only to be left with scraps. A top 9 that could easily include Tkachuk, McCann, Nylander/Ehlers, DeBrincat, etc. and we're a playoff team. Benning is too stupid to have made that happen, though. Then he fails to capitalize on pending UFAs like Hamhuis, Miller, and Vrbata. He targeted the wrong assets in our major pieces (Sbisa and Bonino in the Kesler deal).

You don't need to win the lottery to build a good team, especially when you have 5 drafts with FOUR top 7 picks.

I feel like I have this rebuttal with you every week and it never resonates, though. Being a contrarian must get boring after a while, no?

I don’t buy he blew the Virtanen pick..Bennett,Dal Colle,Fluery were all higher consensus BPA (bob mcK) picks....Demko and Tryamkin were drafted that year as well.

Agreed that the rebuild on the fly and ‘age gap’ signings were flawed..

There was never going to be a fast track rebuild (ownership).

It’s not the rebuild ‘you’ wanted..and they went the wrong way about it,initially...but you can clearly see how we’re on the right track now..

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

I don’t buy he blew the Virtanen pick..Bennett,Dal Colle,Fluery were all higher consensus BPA (bob mcK) picks....Demko and Tryamkin were drafted that year as well.

Agreed that the rebuild on the fly and ‘age gap’ signings were flawed..

There was never going to be a fast track rebuild (ownership).

It’s not the rebuild ‘you’ wanted..and they went the wrong way about it,initially...but you can clearly see how we’re on the right track now..

Your first point makes no sense. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but you're saying that: because other consensus picked players busted, that were drafted before Virtanen and weren't even available at the time we made our pick, then Virtanen (a reach at 6th overall) wasn't a blown pick? When the draft rankings consensus had Nylander/Ehlers in our spot and they are both consistent ~60 point players early in their careers? Man, that's some serious mental gymnastics you've had to do to make yourself believe that. It appears you have hit the abort button on logic and reasoning to come up with this rationale. Side note, but Fleury was a small reach at 7th overall as well. The only way to fairly judge the pick is based on who was available at the time we made the pick. It was a bad pick based on this criteria.

Take a look at this:
2014 NHL Draft Prospect Rankings

Even if you ignore all the fast-track moves, it still doesn't excuse to Juolevi and Virtanen picks. Those set us back a year at the very least. It also doesn't excuse not getting assets back for our pending UFAs that we lost for nothing. It also doesn't excuse targeting the wrong assets in trying to speed up the rebuild (Gudbranson and Sutter). Benning is just bad at his job man, all objective data points to this. Give it up already.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Your first point makes no sense. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but you're saying that: because other consensus picked players busted, that were drafted before Virtanen and weren't even available at the time we made our pick, then Virtanen (a reach at 6th overall) wasn't a blown pick? When the draft rankings consensus had Nylander/Ehlers in our spot and they are both consistent ~60 point players early in their careers? Man, that's some serious mental gymnastics you've had to do to make yourself believe that. It appears you have hit the abort button on logic and reasoning to come up with this rationale. Side note, but Fleury was a small reach at 7th overall as well. The only way to fairly judge the pick is based on who was available at the time we made the pick. It was a bad pick based on this criteria.

Take a look at this:
2014 NHL Draft Prospect Rankings

Even if you ignore all the fast-track moves, it still doesn't excuse to Juolevi and Virtanen picks. Those set us back a year at the very least. It also doesn't excuse not getting assets back for our pending UFAs that we lost for nothing. It also doesn't excuse targeting the wrong assets in trying to speed up the rebuild (Gudbranson and Sutter). Benning is just bad at his job man, all objective data points to this. Give it up already.

I was mostly demonstrating how screwed up that 2014 top 10 was..in a redraft it would look completely different.

The JV pick was not the greatest,but the overall 2014 draft was a very good one for the Canucks..I’m guessing the reason they picked him was players like Schroeder,Hodgson,Grabner not really working out previously.

Right now,the OJ pick is not looking good (although the books not closed on him yet)

Absolute home run picks in Boeser,EP and Hughes makes up for lost ground on other picks..

Saying that the JV and OJ pick set us back years is just more doomsaying/fear mongering which is rampant here..

 

[y2kcanucks]

The only 2 words that ever need to be said to Jim Benning:

 

[ccjon]

I don’t buy he blew the Virtanen pick..Bennett,Dal Colle,Fluery were all higher consensus BPA (bob mcK) picks....Demko and Tryamkin were drafted that year as well.

Agreed that the rebuild on the fly and ‘age gap’ signings were flawed..

There was never going to be a fast track rebuild (ownership).

It’s not the rebuild ‘you’ wanted..and they went the wrong way about it,initially...but you can clearly see how we’re on the right track now..

What teams in the NHL are currently and actively rebuilding? I just want to understand what you define as a "rebuild".

 

[y2kcanucks]

What teams in the NHL are currently and actively rebuilding? I just want to understand what you define as a "rebuild".

Based on his definition of rebuild, Tampa is rebuilding.

 

[Pip]

Boeser was a Calder finalist..as EP will be ?..Bennings cards are running out if he doesn’t get a top 3..?..Elaborate please..

He’s running out of distractions from the fact that the team performs terribly every year. Benning should already be fired based on his work to date, but when Hughes joins the team and they still struggle public opinion will turn even more than it has now and the promise of another young draft pick isn’t going to cut it.

 

[m9]

With these college signings & rumors of a Schenn extension being worked on I'm pretty concerned that Benning has been given the green light here to continue business as usual.

Not good when this should be his last week on the job.

 

[y2kcanucks]

With these college signings & rumors of a Schenn extension being worked on I'm pretty concerned that Benning has been given the green light here to continue business as usual.

Not good when this should be his last week on the job.

I look at the lack of an Edler extension for hope. Why was there a lot of talk about him re-signing, all of a sudden for that to quiet down?

These college signings are no big deal. The one signed yesterday is a free agent again after these final 3 games.

 

[lush]

Fired or not fired, my biggest concern is that the current management team will try to "fix" the D this summer and/or throw big money at the wrong winger for EP. I just want someone else with a better track record to oversee those two things, or barring that -just don't let Benning do them

 

[Phenomenon13]

Benning is here to stay for the next season. I dont see him gone. There's no indication from the organization hes on the hot seat. The media isnt even rumouring any front office changes. Everyone's job is safe. I dont like it but you guys overvalue aquilini resolve to get rid of benning