Off Season Assessment
TRADES
Trade for Miller - There were several deals during this off season where salary strapped teams needed to make one sided trades to get out of cap problems. Tampa certainly was a team that seemed in this position and, given that, Benning should have done more to exploit is superior trading position. Trading a possible lottery choice was iffy enough but adding a third, when Tampa was under pressure to do something to ease their cap issues, makes this deal absolutely questionable. Moreover, Miller has been a solid middle six player with some scoring upside but has never been a top line player. He should have been obtained for less than Benning gave up. Grade C -.
Perron Trade – All right minor league move. However, you never like giving up draft choices just to help your minor league team. Grade C
Trading 102nd Draft for 122 and 196. Keppen dropped so that seems like a good move. Grade C+
SIGNINGS
Ferland Signing – Cap hit is appropriate but the term is a little long. That said, the signing is a decent gamble that Ferland can be the player he has shown at times when he provided both scoring and jam. You do have some worry about Ferlund long term especially given the streakiness of his play and his concussion issues. No great bargain but seems a worthwhile deal. Grade B.
Myers - very much open to question. Canucks did get a character player that has shown ability to give you some offense from the back end. (something the team desperately needs) . However, Myers also can be suspect on defense. There is doubt that Myers is worth 6 mill a year and if he doesn’t pan out that term is going to be Eriksson level ugly. In the end, Canucks had to try to upgrade the defense and pursuing Myers was decent move in that direction. But you have to wonder if they ended up paying too much for too long. Grade C
Benn – Appears to be one of the best off season moves. Benn has been a solid contributor to his teams during the past few seasons and has developed into a decent lower end NHL defender. Also the price and term seem good. If nothing else signing was a very good depth move. Grade B
Fantenburg - at the price is a relatively good deal. Was not impressed with Fantenberg‘s play in either LA or Calgary. (although I thought he was better in Calgary). At 27, Fantenberg is unlikely to improve although there is chance he might get somewhat better with more NHL experience. As a depth signing not a bad move but players like Biega have clearly played better to date and you hope that he is not retained over someone like Biega. Also, team might have had Schenn at lower cost and Schenn appears better than Fantenberg. Grade C
Boucher Resigned. – Important move for Utica. Always a wonder why a player that shows so much skill in the AHL can’t cut it at the next level. But that now is sadly the case. Grade C+
Graovac, Bailey, MacKenzie - appear good minor league deals. Grade C+
Rafferty, Teves. Gives them a look see in the AHL. However, Canucks were again not able to sign the major collegiate free agents. Grade C
Silvos – Canucks again look for depth in goal. With the possibility that Demko will be lost in the expansion draft not bad thinking. Grade TBD
PLAYERS DUMPED
Granlund – Many have said that the team will show improvement when players like Granlund don’t have to be used. Probably a lot of truth in that. Maybe a reality the team should have recognized long ago and provided others with more of a chance. Moreover, the cap situation meant there was no way he could be brought back anyhow. Move gets downgraded b/c of not moving Granlund at the deadline last year but certainly not for letting him go. Grade C+
Gaunce dumped – might have considered a two way deal here but his disappointing play during the latter part of the year in Utica seems to justify just letting him go. Also extremely doubtful there was any future for Gaunce with the Canucks. Team made right decision here. Grade C+
Hutton dumped – another cap casualty. There was no way they could improve the defense and retain Hutton at the expected price required. Also Hutton could never get it done defensively on any kind of consistent basis. Again fault in the situation lies with not moving Hutton last season. Grade C
Spooner bought out. – did the right thing here to get more cap space and move out a player with no future with the team. Hard to congratulate any one here, however, since the buy out represented just one more bad consequence of the signing Gagner. Indeed, Benning trying to find his way out of some original blunder, through some mitigating action to lessen the overall damage, has been far too often the story. This needs to be factored into the grade. Grade C.
RE-SIGNINGS
Edler – Edler’s play last season merited this deal. Always the concern that last season was contract year and you hope there is no slippage in his play moving ahead. Both term and cap hit are very suitable. Edler would have got at least this contract if had he gone on the market. Grade A.
Levio – Levio showed enough to get another contract. Might be slightly too much and leaves him a free agent after this season which makes you question the long term interest in this player. If so, then you might have wanted to keep the cap money to give you some leeway with Boeser. However provides you some depth if a player like Baertschi goes down or if Boeser fails to report. Grade C+
Motte – player that suited Green’s system very well and still has some upside. Good skater that competes very hard and is relatively good on the PK. Gets a “show me” contract which at this point seems appropriate. Grade C+
Goldobin – might be the most difficult move to assess. There is always the hope that his offensive potential will be realized. But you see real troubling aspects to his play that makes you believe that possibility is a pipe dream. He must finish plays and score to be of much use since there are real problems with many areas of his game. Might be the team wasn’t willing to make the hard decision here and just cut bait. Yet, like Levio, he may provide a cheap top 6 backup plan if Boeser and Baertschi aren’t ready to play. Grade C+
Demko – might quibble that he hasn’t played enough NHL level hockey to get over million but his pedigree and potential make the deal fitting. Grade B
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Lunogo Recapture Penalty – not really a move by the team. Yet the fact that was met by a shrug from Benning is troubling and you might wonder if the team could have done more to anticipate the penalty and maybe should have done more to react to it. Might be that a more forceful GM would have spoken out more about the unfairness of the move (and it was definitely that) and sought some way to reduce the penalty. (maybe try to stretch the recapture out over a longer period, etc..). As it is, the team seemingly did nothing except meekly accept its fate and become pretty much the stooge in the situation. Grade F
Eriksson not moved – Self created nightmare that Benning couldn’t solve. Luckily avoided bringing in dead weight Lucic but you wonder if he could have somehow done something with teams with cap space or got in on the Neal deal. Freeing up at least some of Eriksson hideous cap hit remains crucial and the situation could become even messier. Grade F.
Boeser not Signed - Benning appears to holding the line which is smart IMO. Really have to let this play out before much can be said.
OVERALL RATING
There is never anything clever or nuanced about Benning’s moves. Just plod ahead and do the obvious. The Plan, as Benning described it, seems now evident. Build up a young base and then add veteran help. Really pretty standard. The problem is that Benning might well have overpaid and over-termed players in the process. Nor is there any certainty that the players brought in are going to push the team into contender status. Indeed, if players like Myers and Miller do not excel, the team likely ends up a mid-pack, fringe playoff team for the foreseeable future. And one that gave up first round draft to achieve what amounts to mediocracy. Moreover some real problems created by earlier moves (such as with Eriksson, Sutter and such) have not been at all resolved. Beyond that, the Canucks have maneuvered their way into a cap bind which may hurt their negotiations with Boeser and will make it difficult to use free agency to improve the team moving ahead.
Yet, Benning did make some steps to improve the team this off season. He has made an attempt to fill some obvious holes on the team and the Canucks are in better position to compete than they were at the end of last season. For that he deserves some credit.
Overall Grade C+
TRADES
Trade for Miller - There were several deals during this off season where salary strapped teams needed to make one sided trades to get out of cap problems. Tampa certainly was a team that seemed in this position and, given that, Benning should have done more to exploit is superior trading position. Trading a possible lottery choice was iffy enough but adding a third, when Tampa was under pressure to do something to ease their cap issues, makes this deal absolutely questionable. Moreover, Miller has been a solid middle six player with some scoring upside but has never been a top line player. He should have been obtained for less than Benning gave up. Grade C -.
Perron Trade – All right minor league move. However, you never like giving up draft choices just to help your minor league team. Grade C
Trading 102nd Draft for 122 and 196. Keppen dropped so that seems like a good move. Grade C+
SIGNINGS
Ferland Signing – Cap hit is appropriate but the term is a little long. That said, the signing is a decent gamble that Ferland can be the player he has shown at times when he provided both scoring and jam. You do have some worry about Ferlund long term especially given the streakiness of his play and his concussion issues. No great bargain but seems a worthwhile deal. Grade B.
Myers - very much open to question. Canucks did get a character player that has shown ability to give you some offense from the back end. (something the team desperately needs) . However, Myers also can be suspect on defense. There is doubt that Myers is worth 6 mill a year and if he doesn’t pan out that term is going to be Eriksson level ugly. In the end, Canucks had to try to upgrade the defense and pursuing Myers was decent move in that direction. But you have to wonder if they ended up paying too much for too long. Grade C
Benn – Appears to be one of the best off season moves. Benn has been a solid contributor to his teams during the past few seasons and has developed into a decent lower end NHL defender. Also the price and term seem good. If nothing else signing was a very good depth move. Grade B
Fantenburg - at the price is a relatively good deal. Was not impressed with Fantenberg‘s play in either LA or Calgary. (although I thought he was better in Calgary). At 27, Fantenberg is unlikely to improve although there is chance he might get somewhat better with more NHL experience. As a depth signing not a bad move but players like Biega have clearly played better to date and you hope that he is not retained over someone like Biega. Also, team might have had Schenn at lower cost and Schenn appears better than Fantenberg. Grade C
Boucher Resigned. – Important move for Utica. Always a wonder why a player that shows so much skill in the AHL can’t cut it at the next level. But that now is sadly the case. Grade C+
Graovac, Bailey, MacKenzie - appear good minor league deals. Grade C+
Rafferty, Teves. Gives them a look see in the AHL. However, Canucks were again not able to sign the major collegiate free agents. Grade C
Silvos – Canucks again look for depth in goal. With the possibility that Demko will be lost in the expansion draft not bad thinking. Grade TBD
PLAYERS DUMPED
Granlund – Many have said that the team will show improvement when players like Granlund don’t have to be used. Probably a lot of truth in that. Maybe a reality the team should have recognized long ago and provided others with more of a chance. Moreover, the cap situation meant there was no way he could be brought back anyhow. Move gets downgraded b/c of not moving Granlund at the deadline last year but certainly not for letting him go. Grade C+
Gaunce dumped – might have considered a two way deal here but his disappointing play during the latter part of the year in Utica seems to justify just letting him go. Also extremely doubtful there was any future for Gaunce with the Canucks. Team made right decision here. Grade C+
Hutton dumped – another cap casualty. There was no way they could improve the defense and retain Hutton at the expected price required. Also Hutton could never get it done defensively on any kind of consistent basis. Again fault in the situation lies with not moving Hutton last season. Grade C
Spooner bought out. – did the right thing here to get more cap space and move out a player with no future with the team. Hard to congratulate any one here, however, since the buy out represented just one more bad consequence of the signing Gagner. Indeed, Benning trying to find his way out of some original blunder, through some mitigating action to lessen the overall damage, has been far too often the story. This needs to be factored into the grade. Grade C.
RE-SIGNINGS
Edler – Edler’s play last season merited this deal. Always the concern that last season was contract year and you hope there is no slippage in his play moving ahead. Both term and cap hit are very suitable. Edler would have got at least this contract if had he gone on the market. Grade A.
Levio – Levio showed enough to get another contract. Might be slightly too much and leaves him a free agent after this season which makes you question the long term interest in this player. If so, then you might have wanted to keep the cap money to give you some leeway with Boeser. However provides you some depth if a player like Baertschi goes down or if Boeser fails to report. Grade C+
Motte – player that suited Green’s system very well and still has some upside. Good skater that competes very hard and is relatively good on the PK. Gets a “show me” contract which at this point seems appropriate. Grade C+
Goldobin – might be the most difficult move to assess. There is always the hope that his offensive potential will be realized. But you see real troubling aspects to his play that makes you believe that possibility is a pipe dream. He must finish plays and score to be of much use since there are real problems with many areas of his game. Might be the team wasn’t willing to make the hard decision here and just cut bait. Yet, like Levio, he may provide a cheap top 6 backup plan if Boeser and Baertschi aren’t ready to play. Grade C+
Demko – might quibble that he hasn’t played enough NHL level hockey to get over million but his pedigree and potential make the deal fitting. Grade B
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Lunogo Recapture Penalty – not really a move by the team. Yet the fact that was met by a shrug from Benning is troubling and you might wonder if the team could have done more to anticipate the penalty and maybe should have done more to react to it. Might be that a more forceful GM would have spoken out more about the unfairness of the move (and it was definitely that) and sought some way to reduce the penalty. (maybe try to stretch the recapture out over a longer period, etc..). As it is, the team seemingly did nothing except meekly accept its fate and become pretty much the stooge in the situation. Grade F
Eriksson not moved – Self created nightmare that Benning couldn’t solve. Luckily avoided bringing in dead weight Lucic but you wonder if he could have somehow done something with teams with cap space or got in on the Neal deal. Freeing up at least some of Eriksson hideous cap hit remains crucial and the situation could become even messier. Grade F.
Boeser not Signed - Benning appears to holding the line which is smart IMO. Really have to let this play out before much can be said.
OVERALL RATING
There is never anything clever or nuanced about Benning’s moves. Just plod ahead and do the obvious. The Plan, as Benning described it, seems now evident. Build up a young base and then add veteran help. Really pretty standard. The problem is that Benning might well have overpaid and over-termed players in the process. Nor is there any certainty that the players brought in are going to push the team into contender status. Indeed, if players like Myers and Miller do not excel, the team likely ends up a mid-pack, fringe playoff team for the foreseeable future. And one that gave up first round draft to achieve what amounts to mediocracy. Moreover some real problems created by earlier moves (such as with Eriksson, Sutter and such) have not been at all resolved. Beyond that, the Canucks have maneuvered their way into a cap bind which may hurt their negotiations with Boeser and will make it difficult to use free agency to improve the team moving ahead.
Yet, Benning did make some steps to improve the team this off season. He has made an attempt to fill some obvious holes on the team and the Canucks are in better position to compete than they were at the end of last season. For that he deserves some credit.
Overall Grade C+
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