Sbisa and Dorsett's contract are idiotic.
No, they aren't.
1) Rebuilding/re-tooling teams have to overpay for players. It's the unfortunate reality. However - both Sbisa and Dorsett fill needs of this team. The Canucks were in dire need of a guy that was tough and could play the game reasonably well. They also needed more mobility on the back-end. Dorsett and Sbisa filled both those needs. Money isn't an issue because the Canucks will have tons of expiring contracts coming off the books over the next two seasons. Sbisa and Dorsett's contracts will also expire at the right time (i.e. when the next core should be up and running). Sbisa and Dorsett are great 'bridge gap' players from the current core to the next core.
Don't have a problem with Baertschi, Etem and Pedan's deals, massive problem with the handling of Miller vs Lack.
I have zero problem with Miller/Lack. Miller might be a shell, but he's been an elite goalie before. He's the type of guy that you want mentoring Markstrom. Miller has also played brilliantly at times this year when he hasn't been overworked. Lack proved in last year's playoffs that he's a good back-up goalie at best. The decision to proceed forward with Miller over Lack was the correct one. Markstrom should be ready to take the reigns from Miller when Miller's contract expires.
But the problem isn't necessarily any one deal in isolation, it's the pattern of behaviour, overpaying slightly on trades and then sometimes significantly overpaying on contracts for players that don't bring a whole lot to the ice.
It's the nature of hockey. Rebuilding-re-tooling teams have to overpay players to entice them to sign. Hence - any comparison to the Gillis regime or any current elite team's handling of the cap is inappropriate.
$5M+ for "mentorship" of knuckle-dragging ice blackholes in Dorsett and Prust, huge pay raise and term to all-tools-no-toolbox Sbisa, paying elite salary for at-best-average Miller, these not only add up in terms of lost value and limited cap-space (among the highest if not the highest cap hit in the league for bottom-level performance), but it also signals that Benning just has poor judgement. People fairly critique the number of NTCs Gillis handed out, but look how many NTCs we have now under Benning? And we didn't even get a discount out of them, which is supposed to be the upside of giving out a NTC.
It's a complete non-issue. Miller was a far better choice than Hiller, Lack, etc., etc., and the contracts of Sbisa, Dorsett, etc. are reasonable bridge gap contracts as the core shifts from the current core to a new core during this rebuild-retool.
During a re-tool, it is absolutely essentially to surround incoming prospects and picks with current/former elite vets and "character" vets known for their leadership. Hence - the signings of Miller, Prust, Dorsett, etc., were shrewd signings. Miller's contract will expire by the time Markstrom will fully be ready, while Prust is a much better lockerroom influence to prospects than Zack "stage 2" Kassian. Sbisa has his warts but has a strong skill set and is young enough to improve. He also gives the Canucks much needed depth and mobility on the back-end.
Hopefully we don't make the same mistake this TDL with Hamhuis and Vrbata.
Keep Hamhuis. Move Vrbata and Prust if the Nucks are out of playoff contention come TDL.
