I see it as another loss. A second round draft pick pissed away for another "age-gap" experiment who tops out at 35 points and doesn't play half the games. Given how wretched the Canucks are on the right side Rasmus Andersson looks like a decent piece to have. He would probably be the Canucks #2 D prospect at this point. Even if that wasn't who they targeted, I'd still rather have the lottery ticket.
Would you be pleased right now if the Canucks traded a second round draft pick for Sven Baertschi? Or traded our #1 right side D prospect for Sven Baertschi? I think the forum would lose its mind.
The Canucks have been the worst team in the NHL since his arrival, so how was it a win? Call me an optimist, but I think we could have done that without him.
Statistically, forwards peak by the age of 24. Baertschi would have been a piece to grab as a depth forward for a playoff team weak on the left wing (probably what Benning thought we were when he made the move). In a complete Vacuum, where you're evaluating who won the trade immediately, I agree it was a "small win." But in the context of the rebuild timeline? I wouldn't say so. He'll either be retired (which I would recommend to him at this point, for the sake of his wife and child) or well into decline by the time the team is competitive. If his peak is 35 points, then when his offensive abilities decline he'll likely no longer be a useful component (he's soft and doesn't grind).
"Scores at a second line pace - when in the lineup" is a pretty big qualifying statement when he's injured half the year and Tim Schaller is the substitution.
To clarify, I don't think he's terrible, I just don't think the move made sense. I didn't hate the re-signing either, but he never seemed like part of the long-term solution. A right-handed D prospect drafted in the second round, who will turn 25 when Sven turns 30, seems far more in line with the timeline of our rebuild. The team has no prospects for that position. But we all know when this move was made the word "rebuild" was strictly forbidden by the organization. This was a "Re-Tool" move... We know how that turned out.
Benning is the type who would run around a restaurant asking strangers if he can eat their leftovers, then blame the subsequent illness on the seasonal flu. I hope, for our sake, that he has finally learned his lesson. The draft being in Vancouver may be the only thing saving us from more "Smart Hockey Trades" this year.
