The Management Thread | Live, Play, Repeat Edition

[vanuck]

The depressing thing for me, is how exactly does a new GM fix things and rights the ship for the Canucks?

I'm not saying that to advocate against removing Benning, but I'm just looking at the Canucks being the Augean Stable of the NHL.

Our cap structure is f***ed.

The incoming GM is going to have to, in short order:

- Sign Pettersson and Hughes to new contracts, which is going to eat up a ton of flexibility.
- Re-sign or replace Tanner Pearson. This is going to be difficult as I don't think Pearson has earned a raise, which means he'll likely be looking at term as a trade off. I'm not fond of retaining Pearson, but that then creates the problem of finding a new top six winger.
- Salvage a manageable defensive corps. Edler might just say 'f*** this shit, I'm out' and retire, plus his better days are behind him. We effectively have 3 second-to-third pairing defensemen, Hughes as our one gem back there and Chatfield/Juolevi as random passengers.
- Contend with the expansion draft. Who are we going to lose to Seattle? I'm guessing JT Miller, because lol, which means that our top six is going to become even emptier.
- Figure out the issue with coaching. It's looking increasingly as though Green is in over his head.

So all the new GM has to do is fix our top six, fix our defense, find a new coach all while having his back up against the salary cap thanks to the garbage contracts Benning has signed.

This isn't going to be undone overnight, and the clock is ticking on Pettersson, Horvat and Hughes.

To me, doing a mini tear-down in order to retool is the only way forward. Management has not built a team good enough to contend despite having been in charge for 7 years. VAN was basically bottom 10 in terms of defence and 5v5 shot/goal differential last year... and that was with guys like Markstrom and Tanev. We could very well end up with a top 10 pick in the coming draft. I'm fully expecting us to be a cellar dweller again next season if Benning's still here.

I've talked about this before but there's still a chance we can recoup some value at the deadline by moving out guys like Pearson and Benn for picks, who both should have some appeal to teams that are going for it and are looking to add depth. Maybe Hamonic (albeit Western Canada only) and even Sutter if you can still find a GM who's old-school enough. Take on whatever expiring deadweight contracts you can for whatever we can get with the small amount of cap space that's freed up.

Then use those assets to try and ship out Eriksson who only has one more year left after 2020-21 (probably costing a 1st round pick). Likewise with Beagle/Roussel (likely 2nd or 3rds).

With the cap staying flat, we should be able to sign a few UFA's on short-term deals for cheap this summer like smarter teams did (e.g. FLA with Wennberg). If we're out of contention by the 2022 TDL, ship them out for more picks to recover what we gave up. This is what we should've done earlier but never did.

Incorporate the youth (Podkolzin, Rathbone etc.) and run with them in the meantime.

By the time this reset is done Miller will most likely already be 30. TBQH, I'd look at moving him too for a 1st plus extra.

However this isn't happening if Benning's still here - he's shown zero ability to think ahead. They need to get him out of here ASAP so the new guy can start salvaging asset value and planning out the rest of this year and the offseason. The quicker he's gone, the sooner we can start fixing this.

#FireBenning

 

[racerjoe]

Looking back, I became a Canucks fan at age 4, back in '72.

I didn't choose it. Maybe it chose me. I had to step on the ice at Karen Magnusson at 5:45am at a hockey practice for 6 year olds (of my 3 older brothers, the 6 yo was being coached by my dad, and my mom had my other two brothers at Lonsdale, it was the only way to babysit me at that time of day - our best friends next door also had all 3 boys on the ice at NSWC). We played street hockey virtually every day on the upper field of Monteray.

I started playing the next year, for NVMHA. Our crest is the Canucks original jersey, with "North Van" above and below the stick.

How could I not be a Canucks fan?

But if Benning is GM of this team come the beginning of the next season, the Vancouver Canucks will have chosen me not to be a fan.

I may have to choose, for the first time in my life.

just a shout out for skating at Karen Magnusson, I use to make the ice there and at Harry Jerome.

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

I tend to agree with him. It's no sure thing but we have the core of a good team in place, and the bad Benning contracts quickly expiring. Next season will likely be a bit of a write off too but after that if we get competent management who can fill out the depth with shrewd moves and hire an effective coach the team could be turned around quickly. Basically there's no reason we can't afford to keep all of Petterson-Horvat-Miller-Boeser-Hoglander-Hughes-Schmidt-Demko, we just need someone who can complete the defense and create an effective bottom six at more of a $15M cap hit rather than wasting like $30M on replacement level players.

The problem is that Miller and Horvat will be UFA the following summer after the bad contracts come off the books, and they may sign somewhere else if the team struggles. Miller will for sure. We would have 1 season to convince them to stay, and there is no garuntee we will fix our defensive issues by then. Boeser will also only be 2 seasons from UFA eligibility once the bad contracts expire. It will be a lot tougher to sign him to UFA years if the team is bad. That's why waiting it out until 2022-23 isn't a good option either.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

The depressing thing for me, is how exactly does a new GM fix things and rights the ship for the Canucks?

I'm not saying that to advocate against removing Benning, but I'm just looking at the Canucks being the Augean Stable of the NHL.

Our cap structure is f***ed.

The incoming GM is going to have to, in short order:

- Sign Pettersson and Hughes to new contracts, which is going to eat up a ton of flexibility.
- Re-sign or replace Tanner Pearson. This is going to be difficult as I don't think Pearson has earned a raise, which means he'll likely be looking at term as a trade off. I'm not fond of retaining Pearson, but that then creates the problem of finding a new top six winger.
- Salvage a manageable defensive corps. Edler might just say 'f*** this shit, I'm out' and retire, plus his better days are behind him. We effectively have 3 second-to-third pairing defensemen, Hughes as our one gem back there and Chatfield/Juolevi as random passengers.
- Contend with the expansion draft. Who are we going to lose to Seattle? I'm guessing JT Miller, because lol, which means that our top six is going to become even emptier.
- Figure out the issue with coaching. It's looking increasingly as though Green is in over his head.

So all the new GM has to do is fix our top six, fix our defense, find a new coach all while having his back up against the salary cap thanks to the garbage contracts Benning has signed.

This isn't going to be undone overnight, and the clock is ticking on Pettersson, Horvat and Hughes.

I think the tl;dr answer is that we're going to be stuck with a similar (or slightly better) version of this team for the next 2-3 years and then be able to hopefully have a contender with the right moves. If we can dump some contracts like Myers in a few years with lesser assets going out, then that gives us options. We need at least a couple of slam dunk draft picks, UFA signings, or trades, as well as much better and cheaper depth players (hopefully from being drafted and developed within the team).

 

[Jyrki21]

Pretty much everyone out-of-market (who doesn't work for one of the game-hosting TV stations) knows what's up:

 

[David71]

its time to fire benning.



there was another tweet by blake price. saying that from an NHL source if canucks lose saturday... heads will be chopped off. im exaggerating that part but you know what i mean. could the team playing this poorly because of the way benning constructed the team..

 

[m9]

Not much else to add. I'm still pretty convinced that they won't make a change in-season as it's tough given the circumstances. Pittsburgh is basically rushing a GM hire because they know it's a tough situation with the pandemic. Would love to be wrong.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

So when is the trade deadline again?
Do we really want another "draft picks are hard to get, I didn't have enough time" dilemma if the team is done for the season? Benning is donezo.

 

[PavelBure10]

I honestly hope Aquilini, Benning, and Green all get flushed down the toilet. The time for a complete overhaul, "Including the owner selling his rights to the team', is now. The Canucks name will greaten when these guys are no longer affiliated with them. It's time to make the Canucks a respectable franchise again. We have a decent group to build around with Pettersson, Hughes, Boeser, Horvat Hoglander, and Demko, we just need to give the management a complete overhaul. Hire a veteran coach who has experience, that knows how to ignite a team, while playing structured hockey. One who can outwit the opposing coach, with his own creative strategies. Who can also teach defense.
Hire a general manager who can admit fault. Know when to erase his mistakes *cough* Virtanen, Juolevi, and find trade value in the fading assets. That will "actually" negotiate when talking trades, not just pull the trigger on the first proposal discussed. Who can efficiently sign and priceout upcoming free agents, and expiring contracts.
Get a owner who allows buyouts, and lets the general manager actually have control of the team. One who actually gives a damn about it's fans, and more importantly human beings.

It's time for a complete makeover.

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

The problem is that Miller and Horvat will be UFA the following summer after the bad contracts come off the books, and they may sign somewhere else if the team struggles. Miller will for sure. We would have 1 season to convince them to stay, and there is no garuntee we will fix our defensive issues by then. Boeser will also only be 2 seasons from UFA eligibility once the bad contracts expire. It will be a lot tougher to sign him to UFA years if the team is bad. That's why waiting it out until 2022-23 isn't a good option either.

Unfortunately, waiting is also our only option too. We don't have the cap space to build a contender, and Aqua will never allow another rebuild( if he allowed one in the first place).

 

[Bonham]

So when is the trade deadline again?
Do we really want another "draft picks are hard to get, I didn't have enough time" dilemma if the team is done for the season? Benning is donezo.

Then it will be "we are going to look into trading our garbage for picks" in the week leading up to the draft.

 

[David71]

I honestly hope Aquilini, Benning, and Green all get flushed down the toilet. The time for a complete overhaul, "Including the owner selling his rights to the team', is now. The Canucks name will greaten when these guys are no longer affiliated with them. It's time to make the Canucks a respectable franchise again. We have a decent group to build around with Pettersson, Hughes, Boeser, Horvat Hoglander, and Demko, we just need to give the management a complete overhaul. Hire a veteran coach who has experience, that knows how to ignite a team, while playing structured hockey. One who can outwit the opposing coach, with his own creative strategies. Who can also teach defense.
Hire a general manager who can admit fault. Know when to erase his mistakes *cough* Virtanen, Juolevi, and find trade value in the fading assets. That will "actually" negotiate when talking trades, not just pull the trigger on the first proposal discussed. Who can efficiently sign and priceout upcoming free agents, and expiring contracts.
Get a owner who allows buyouts, and lets the general manager actually have control of the team. One who actually gives a damn about it's fans, and more importantly human beings.

It's time for a complete makeover.

the question is are there any local owners thats willing to purchase this team off aquamans hands.. they musst have alot of dough in their pockets to even consider doing so.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Don't put much stock into the Blake Price thing. A 'big move' might be firing Travis to so...who cares.

 

[RobertKron]

I don’t understand why anyone is surprised that a team has to go into a down cycle after a historic and legendary run to the Final Eight like the Canucks had.

 

[IslandBeast]

I remember Doug Lidster wheeling around the ice in his baseball batters helmet, comparing Philip Larsson's game to that of Erik Karlsson, What an oaf. We need to cleanse this whole franchise, how are people with zero modern day knowledge of the game continuing to get jobs here? Everything from the logo and it's lame, childish colors, the music and the color schemes inside the arena, the happy go lucky, keep quiet in your seats attitude etc, it all needs to be vanished. It's not going to work

Willie "the teeth sucker" Desjardins. Ugh. Just a blatantly bad NHL coach. Coaches are interchangeable and you shouldn't really notice their errors that often, with Willie it was glaring and obvious. Just brutal

The Sbisa contract was a warning to us all.

How do you come from Boston and then let Pastrnak fall to them one pick after yours? Aren't you the one who would of been a part of scouting him?

How do you break even on draft selections made after all this time, when your strength is supposed to be drafting?

 

[Dab]

the question is are there any local owners thats willing to purchase this team off aquamans hands.. they musst have alot of dough in their pockets to even consider doing so.

The only way the Aquilini’s sell is if they are offered BIG money. Unlikely.

 

[m9]

So when is the trade deadline again?
Do we really want another "draft picks are hard to get, I didn't have enough time" dilemma if the team is done for the season? Benning is donezo.

We already heard the excuse from him - it's hard to make trades because of the quarantine.

 

[Peen]

Don’t know where else to put it but I’ve thought Beagle has played really well this season.

 

[TraderJim]

Don't do that. Don't give me hope.

 

[iFan]

something has to happen, the cap management has been horrible here and Green can't get the player playing somewhat respectable. Its pretty clear the players aren't happy with the offseason moves.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

this thread was six and a half years ago, late june 2014

GMJB moves so far - HF grades

a majority of us knew this was going to be a total complete disaster almost literally the moment he arrived. ryan miller hadn't even been signed yet when that thread was made.

(in post #132, i call for him to be fired for drafting virtanen)

my favourite exchange —

 

[CpatainCanuck]

 

[MS]

Don’t know where else to put it but I’ve thought Beagle has played really well this season.

Beagle and Motte have both played well and that line has - surprisingly - been the least of our problems.

 

[Svencouver]

there was another tweet by blake price. saying that from an NHL source if canucks lose saturday... heads will be chopped off. im exaggerating that part but you know what i mean. could the team playing this poorly because of the way benning constructed the team..

Ugh I hate this shit so much. Why not just fire them today? Why do we have to wait to fulfill some dramatic narrative climax? We all know they should be fired, the outcome of one extra game won't change that.

 

[LordBacon]

That’s still a lot more polite than what I would’ve said