Who should the Canucks target as their next GM?

[Paulinvancouver]

Why should we be looking for a new GM? Benning has been doing a great job so far...

Exactly! 20 pages for nothing.

 

[F A N]

Fair points, one caveat is I wouldn't necessarily put a lot of weight on previous employees like Gillis not saying bad things about ownership on things like interference. I've fired or had employees move on enough times to know that it's part and parcel of business these days to have non-disparagement agreements as standard operating procedure. Even where employees and employers really hate each other, if they had a half competent lawyer you would never hear a smidgen of it in public for fear of significant penalties. In much smaller businesses than the Canucks I've seen companies not hire a person without a pre-agreed non-disparagement clause inserted into the employment agreement, in fact, I've never worked for a company and never hired a person without lawyers inserting these clauses as standard.

Right and the reasons behind the lack of disparagement doesn't matter in the context I was discussing. Something new is going to dominate the news cycle. When Benning gets fired and if he speaks he's not going to say anything bad about Aquilini. He might even thank Aquilini for the opportunity and shoulder the blame. Meanwhile, Aquilini is going to welcome a new GM and Aquilini is just going to say that he never meddled and gave Jim his full support and resources etc. Then the new GM is either going to say something like Gillis did about ownership involvement and or say that Aquilini has promised him full autonomy which Aquilini will confirm. Failures of ownership isn't going to be what would dominate the news cycle.

So I don't see how Aquilini is somehow at the end of his rope. To be fair to Aquilini, he has proven to be willing to write the cheques if you convince him that it will help the team win. Mind room? Sleep Doctors? Firing Torts with 4 years left on his contract? That's not something we should necessarily take for granted.

 

[Bleach Clean]

A smart GM won't touch FAQ with a ten foot cattle prod...

This is essentially it. Odds are that Aquilini's reputation has already cost him in courting talent. What GM worth his salt will want to come here?

There was speculation via the media about Ken Holland prior to vacating DET. When he actually did leave, there were no rumours connecting him to VAN. Coincidence? Fast forward to Ken's media introduction for EDM. In that presentation, he keeps repeating the word "autonomy". You think he doesn't know what working for Aquilini will mean?

The Lombardi rejection is also interesting. Here you have an individual that favours his current situation even though GM jobs are relatively scarce. Why? Is that an impractical decision? Irrational? Or, does it include a higher sense of logic? In other words, does he intentionally avoid a situation that he knows will fail? That's a decision of the utmost prudence.

Where is the President? One of the smallest management teams league wide and no president for a year... Aren't those roles scarce as well? Very confusing. You should have a line-up of candidates there too, yet, nothing. The silence speaks.

There certainly was.

Yes indeed. It seems as though POM has forgotten his defense of Benning's work during that era.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Where is the President? One of the smallest management teams league wide and no president for a year... Aren't those roles scarce as well?

I believe Mr Aquilini has found himself to be a very capable replacement filling the roles formerly occupied by Linden, Henning and Gilman. Otherwise, he would have hired new people to fill their positions in the hockey department. My guess is that he found himself to be an excellent hockey executive and is probably hungry for even greater control and responsibility in the next regime.

 

[F A N]

This is essentially it. Odds are that Aquilini's reputation has already cost him in courting talent. What GM worth his salt will want to come here?

There was speculation via the media about Ken Holland prior to vacating DET. When he actually did leave, there were no rumours connecting him to VAN. Coincidence? Fast forward to Ken's media introduction for EDM. In that presentation, he keeps repeating the word "autonomy". You think he doesn't know what working for Aquilini will mean?

The Lombardi rejection is also interesting. Here you have an individual that favours his current situation even though GM jobs are relatively scarce. Why? Is that an impractical decision? Irrational? Or, does it include a higher sense of logic? In other words, does he intentionally avoid a situation that he knows will fail? That's a decision of the utmost prudence.

Where is the President? One of the smallest management teams league wide and no president for a year... Aren't those roles scarce as well? Very confusing. You should have a line-up of candidates there too, yet, nothing. The silence speaks.

Well the rumors suggest that they are looking to hire a President of Hockey Operations. There's been no word that the new hire would be allowed to fire Benning on the spot and bring in his own team immediately. In that context, why would Holland come here when his desire is to be a GM and not just a President of Hockey Operations? He could have stayed in Detroit and do that. As for Lombardi, Eliotte Friedman reported that Lombardi's contract has no outs. He also hasn't interviewed anywhere else either. There's also rumors that he has no interest moving to Canada. The silence you speak of is speaking to different conclusions that the ones you drew.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I believe Mr Aquilini has found himself to be a very capable replacement filling the roles formerly occupied by Linden, Henning and Gilman. Otherwise, he would have hired new people to fill their positions in the hockey department. My guess is that he found himself to be an excellent hockey executive and is probably hungry for even greater control and responsibility in the next regime.

Yes, it’s about control. Aquilini has it and will not relinquish it. He will not defer to more learned hires.

Linden was supposedly the highest decision maker when it came to hockey ops. Above Benning. It didn’t matter that Benning was the GM and Linden the President. Linden had veto authority. Well, that is until Aqua decided he didn’t. It would be the same for any other incoming President/GM. There are no assurances. No autonomy.

Lombardi was shrewd to avoid Aquilini in this regard. Per rumour Aqua was rebuffed twice (Botch was laughing about this in a PatCast). These reports suggest that PHI is not standing in the way, and that a coveted GM position is there for the scout to take. Scouts want those positions don’t they? Yet, he passed... twice.

No smoke about Holland either? Like, none.

Aquilini is the President. 1 year without a hire... 1 year. Is he having trouble finding people? What about the scarcity of the position?

Add to this the recent rumour about Brackett and Benning not seeing eye to eye (Sekeres) and it looks like even a small group at the top cannot get on the same page.

 

[F A N]

Aquilini is the President. 1 year without a hire... 1 year. Is he having trouble finding people? What about the scarcity of the position?

Add to this the recent rumour about Brackett and Benning not seeing eye to eye (Sekeres) and it looks like even a small group at the top cannot get on the same page.

Benning said that Aquilini told him that they weren't looking to hire a President of Hockey Operations. So maybe they weren't looking? Of course it disproves the points you were trying to make so ignore away,.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

There certainly was.

I wasn't even a poster here at that time?

 

[Bleach Clean]

Well the rumors suggest that they are looking to hire a President of Hockey Operations.

Benning said that Aquilini told him that they weren't looking to hire a President of Hockey Operations. So maybe they weren't looking?

I'll just leave this here for reference.

 

[Jay Cee]

Why should we be looking for a new GM? Benning has been doing a great job so far...

Post of the thread.

 

[vancityluongo]

Watch us turf Benning and hire a Chia/Fenton superduo lmao.

 

[Szechwan]

Watch us turf Benning and hire a Chia/Fenton superduo lmao.

Classic Canucks fan, trying to imagine the worst case scenario.

You should know by now that trying to figure out where rock bottom is will only lower it further - You've just made sure we'll get a three headed monster of Chia/Fenton/Weisbrod

 

[F A N]

Watch us turf Benning and hire a Chia/Fenton superduo lmao.

Along with Weisbrod you have two Harvard grads and a Boston University Grad. High IQ trio?

 

[HankNDank]

George Parros

 

[morrisbp95]

Throw a bunch of money at George McPhee to be President/GM

Maybe he's bored just serving as President in Vegas

 

[F A N]

Throw a bunch of money at George McPhee to be President/GM

Maybe he's bored just serving as President in Vegas

Does Vegas have any assistant GMs? Seems like they have a 2 man operation there, not unlike here.

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

Does Vegas have any assistant GMs? Seems like they have a 2 man operation there, not unlike here.

Vegas has a Director of Hockey Ops, two Hockey Ops analysts and an Assistant to Hockey Ops.

 

[rypper]

Does Vegas have any assistant GMs? Seems like they have a 2 man operation there, not unlike here.

I'm guessing they don't have an AGM currently because they promoted him only 2 months ago. See how things shape up over the summer into the new season.

 

[F A N]

Vegas has a Director of Hockey Ops, two Hockey Ops analysts and an Assistant to Hockey Ops.

Thanks. The Director of Hockey Ops role seems similar to the one Jonathan Wall has here. And then the analysts are essentially the analytics department? Of course McPhee appears to be a much bigger believer in analytics than Benning.

 

[y2kcanucks]

President- Mike Gillis
GM- Laurence Gilman
AGM- Eric Tulsky
AGM- Lorne Henning
AGM- Judd Brackett

 

[vanuck]

What you on about?..You're the one saying that if Aqua had hired a 'smart GM',we wouldn't be in this mess now ?..The incoming GM's mandate (by the ownership) was to make the playoffs in 2014.(so you and the other armchair GM's on here, wouldnt have even gotten a sniff to begin with)...There was not going to be any rebuild ,or extra picks..The outgoing GM probably got fired for suggesting such a thing a year earlier.

Then you go on about how Aqua is rich and greedy..and has ruined the past ,present and future of the team (I thought you said Benning,...but its still completely absurd hyperbole)..The future of the team is not ruined at all.

You would have to be pretty naive if you think that Aqualini is going to hire a GM without that person following his mandate.

So basically Benning has done nothing wrong and does not deserve blame for all the screwups and mistakes he's made. Because being given a mandate to make the playoffs means that you have to:

• suck at evaluating pro talent (especially D-men)
• get bent over in trade negotiations
• throw away picks on low-percentage reclamation projects
• fire any and everybody who disagrees with you because you're so all-knowing you don't like being told you're wrong
• blow cap space on mediocre to bad players

Because being bad at GM'ing is all part of the process, and therefore it's okay. So why don't we see this from every other team mandated to make the playoffs?

Answer me this: all of the above things I listed are inevitable aspects of trying to make the playoffs and thus there's no way to avoid them right? So Benning automatically has to suck at being a GM?

And you still say it's all Aqua's fault? Lol... give me a break.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

So basically Benning has done nothing wrong and does not deserve blame for all the screwups and mistakes he's made. Because being given a mandate to make the playoffs means that you have to:

• suck at evaluating pro talent (especially D-men)
• get bent over in trade negotiations
• throw away picks on low-percentage reclamation projects
• fire any and everybody who disagrees with you because you're so all-knowing you don't like being told you're wrong
• blow cap space on mediocre to bad players

Because being bad at GM'ing is all part of the process, and therefore it's okay. So why don't we see this from every other team mandated to make the playoffs?

Answer me this: all of the above things I listed are inevitable aspects of trying to make the playoffs and thus there's no way to avoid them right? So Benning automatically has to suck at being a GM?

And you still say it's all Aqua's fault? Lol... give me a break.

Where did I say that Benning has done nothing wrong?..and where did I say its 'all Aquas fault'.Lets start with that one...Seems to be either black or white with you..

The things you listed are not all inevitable things 'of trying to make the playoffs'..Have I not said that some of the 'rebuild on the fly' moves were not good (you haven't been paying attention)...Why do you think he tried to acquire reclamation projects?...How do you know he fired guys who disagreed with him?..Maybe he just wanted his own guys?..(as a GM ,that is your right).

 

[vanuck]

Where did I say that Benning has done nothing wrong?..and where did I say its 'all Aquas fault'.Lets start with that one...Seems to be either black or white with you..

The things you listed are not all inevitable things 'of trying to make the playoffs'..Have I not said that some of the 'rebuild on the fly' moves were not good (you haven't been paying attention)...Why do you think he tried to acquire reclamation projects?...How do you know he fired guys who disagreed with him?..Maybe he just wanted his own guys?..(as a GM ,that is your right).

My original point has always been that it's too simplistic to just blame Aqua for why this franchise is where it is. His supposed demand that we make the playoffs every year should not be an excuse for poor job performance from Benning in the areas I mentioned.

The poster I originally quoted said:

So much energy and hatred being burned up here (and in other similar threads) when it is obvious to anybody who is capable of looking at the big picture that it is the ownership that is what is ruining this franchise.

Zippgunn's statement is the point that I was contending.

You then said:

Aqua is not the excuse?..but apparently, he literally employs a guy that's killed the past, present, and future of the team?..Okey Dokey.

FYI...Aqua didn't hire the GM...but he did extend him.

Naturally, your response to me leads one to conclude that you think Aqua is at fault for why we're in this present situation. Because if not for him, why would Benning have been extended? After all, it's not like Aqua hired him...

Otherwise, why question the bolded above if you aren't laying the blame at Aqua's feet? Hence, implying he alone is to blame and nobody else?

As for what I listed... we've been through them over and over and over again on this forum. Surely you can find the Twitter quotes from past threads when Gilman and Henning were turfed.

 

[TomP24684]

President- Mike Gillis
GM- Laurence Gilman
AGM- Eric Tulsky
AGM- Lorne Henning
AGM- Judd Brackett

I will admit that I have absolutely no clue who Eric Tulsky is, but I have no doubt in my mind that this would be a top half of the league front office. Gillis and Gilman I would have full faith to figure out their own deficiencies and throw Frankie’s money at them.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

My original point has always been that it's too simplistic to just blame Aqua for why this franchise is where it is. His supposed demand that we make the playoffs every year should not be an excuse for poor job performance from Benning in the areas I mentioned.

The poster I originally quoted said:

Zippgunn's statement is the point that I was contending.

You then said:


Naturally, your response to me leads one to conclude that you think Aqua is at fault for why we're in this present situation. Because if not for him, why would Benning have been extended? After all, it's not like Aqua hired him...

Otherwise, why question the bolded above if you aren't laying the blame at Aqua's feet? Hence, implying he alone is to blame and nobody else?

As for what I listed... we've been through them over and over and over again on this forum. Surely you can find the Twitter quotes from past threads when Gilman and Henning were turfed.

Aqua and Linden/Benning are all to blame for the 'rebuild on the fly' while trying to compete..Aqua for setting the mandate..,Linden for setting the direction..and Benning for poorly executing the job at hand..(I think he's done a decent job since TDL 2017..but thats another story).

I put blame on ownership because it was clear from 2012-15 that the team needed to be radically deconstructed....Gillis asked for (and was denied) a rebuild in 2012....Torts said the core was cooked in 2013,and the Flames proved it without a doubt in 2015.

Gilman and Henning were Gillis' guys...

I believe the reason Benning was retained was because ownership realized that he had come in during a 'tough spot' (plus he was drafting consecutive Calder candidates),and gave him a short leash to see what he could do.

He has precisely one more season to demonstrate it.