ah, im sorry to hear that the comets lost all their games in a row, and missed the playoffs. i wish they could make it back next year, though with jim benning having as much influence as he does, it seems impossible
The Comets making the playoffs has zero to do with any activity by Jim Benning. You can heap the praise on this one upon Travis Green for his incredible ability to get the most out of anyone he coaches and the Comets' management staff for their acquisitions of the best ECHL players they could find beyond Kalamazoo.
They made this journey to the playoffs playing at least 5 and sometimes up to as many as 8 or 9 ECHL players over the last 25 games or more. They played with 4 last night and 3 more were scratched.
Toronto and the Canucks were 2 of the worst 3 teams in the NHL. The Marlies have 47 players in house for the playoffs. The Comets have 18 and currently 4 of them are injured. The marlies will play 14 players sent back to the Marlies papered by Toronto. The Comets will play with 0 players that meet that criteria.
I understand all of the circumstances that create this scenario, but it shows the Leafs are trying to finally develop a system with depth at both levels. They are finally rebuilding after years of filling in the blanks which is the path Jimbo is currently following. Even with the current young guys not yet turning pro, the depth players in the Vancouver system that are serious NHL possibilities is extremely scarce.
If you include the Comets and Kalamazoo the depth chart for serious NHL prospects is still scarce. Gaunce is the most likely to be a Canuck (bottom 6). Then you have Pedan, Kenins, Grenier, and Zalewski (Started the season not even under contract while Stewart was. BRILLIANT!). All 4 are borderline to make it as Jimbo has signed so many other bottom six guys that there probably won't be room for these 4 guys who are as good and cheaper. Subban is a long shot who needs at least another season in the AHL.
Current Benning projects are questionable, but seem to sit in the same level on the chart, bottom 6. Others not yet included like Demko and Boeser are up in the air as to ever actually signing. I think Boeser comes over, but if Demko goes back to BC you can chalk him up to a Boston UFA. Their goalie pool can handle a local boy on the rise. Subban is the #2 at the AHL level and he sucks. Everyone below Rask is within Demko's reach and Rask himself is getting older.
Many can idealize and hallucinate the current pool of incoming as great players for the Canucks, but the realists in the midst see it's just that, dreaming. There are no cup aspirations to think of with the current mix of Canucks and their prospects. There is a ton of work to do over several more years and Benning most likely won't be doing it. All one can hope for is that Jim doesn't make the job end up taking that much longer. I don't hate the guy, but believe he is just incapable of doing what has to be done. I'm not sure who is out there at the moment that can. Retreads don't seem to get the job done wherever they go. There must be some rising star in the field with some fresh ideas, but he would need the same thing any other Canucks GM would need and that's an ownership willing to let the guy do his job. You also need that ownership to find the team of higher ups who can find that guy in the first place. It's not Aquaman ,Trevor, and company either. This could be a lot longer time coming Canucks' fans and you have waited a long time already.
