Do you mean because he isn't just sitting on his hands and waiting? He's addressing needs now instead of hoping and praying that oh maybe a guy I draft will turn out to be that player.

It took the Oilers how many years before they were like "hey, we need a defensemen and a goalie." By that time the NHL gifted them McJesus.

Toronto didn't say "oh we will wait till one of our drafted goalies pans out then we will win hockey games"

Both of these teams finished last for almost 10 years. Neither maybe any trades they just accepted sucking and sucking.

Oilers trade for a goalie and a defensemen and signed some free agents.

Toronto traded for a goalie. Signed some free agents. Even now talk is Toronto want a top 4 D. They aren't just sitting around waiting for a drafted player to turn out.
- manvanfan

This is where I think he's failed miserably, he hasn't addressed any needs, in fact he's made things worse by making poor decisions. All the things you're alluding to as far as "addressing needs" has been fruitless. He should have been rebuilding two years ago when they got their asses handed to them buy Calgary.

Thanks Gillis
- VANTEL

That was Gillis Luongo & his agent in a threesome.
As much as i was no fan of MG its not all on him.

It's the swedes...mainly Backstrom
- CanuckDon

I heard it was brett connoly.

I don't think he's playing catch-up, personally, he's continually tried to win since he got to Vancouver. He signed a 30 something year old guy to a 36 million dollar contract less than a year ago.

I think he had a perfect opportunity to rebuild three years ago and he chose not to, or the owner wouldn't let him, to that we'll never know.
- LeftCoaster

This. I refuse to believe that Benning committed to a proper re-tool/rebuild since that Eriksson signing. The only argument I'll buy is that he finally committed to one at this year's TDL.

Moving forward, I hope he continues on that path and doesn't feel the need to spend to the cap every single season until the team is on the rise again. Sell off any 30+ year olds you realistically can for any picks/prospects. If you can get a great offer for Tanev, move him instead of Edler, if he doesn't want to waive. Explore the idea of trading Sutter and his contract.

Let the Sedins walk after next year. Down the line, if you feel like you need some stopgap vets to keep the team respectable and insulate the youth, then use the cap space to offer up 1-2 year deals to UFA's without NTC's, or offer to take on a overpaid veteran player on an expiring deal from a team in cap hell if they'll sweeten the deal with a solid pick/prospect as well.

Do this until the team has added enough talent to the pipeline and is ready to make a move out of the basement.

This is where I think he's failed miserably, he hasn't addressed any needs, in fact he's made things worse by making poor decisions. All the things you're alluding to as far as "addressing needs" has been fruitless. He should have been rebuilding two years ago when they got their asses handed to them buy Calgary.
- LeftCoaster

Well he added tree for one season Added toughness.

Guds brings toughness as well. Eriksson does bring in skill. Goldobin and Boeser both bring the ability to finish.

Not everything is done through drafting.

This. I refuse to believe that Benning committed to a proper re-tool/rebuild since that Eriksson signing. The only argument I'll buy is that he finally committed to one at this year's TDL.

Moving forward, I hope he continues on that path and doesn't feel the need to spend to the cap every single season until the team is on the rise again. Sell off any 30+ year olds you realistically can for any picks/prospects. If you can get a great offer for Tanev, move him instead of Edler, if he doesn't want to waive. Explore the idea of trading Sutter and his contract.

Let the Sedins walk after next year. Down the line, if you feel like you need some stopgap vets to keep the team respectable and insulate the youth, then use the cap space to offer up 1-2 year deals to UFA's without NTC's, or offer to take on a overpaid veteran player on an expiring deal from a team in cap hell if they'll sweeten the deal with a solid pick/prospect as well.

Do this until the team has added enough talent to the pipeline and is ready to make a move out of the basement.
- Nucker101

10 years?

This is where I think he's failed miserably, he hasn't addressed any needs, in fact he's made things worse by making poor decisions. All the things you're alluding to as far as "addressing needs" has been fruitless. He should have been rebuilding two years ago when they got their asses handed to them buy Calgary.
- LeftCoaster

You always assume Benning didn't want to rebuild. I disagree

You think posting snarky sh!t out of context is productive? I've explained my complete view of skillsets & value going back a dozen threads... If the best you can do is reach for ways to mock my model, get a new (frank)ing hobby.
- DrChristianTroy

Snarky shlts post snarky shlt.
I for one think your ideas & insights r good reads.
Beats the heck out of flamers & trollers posts.

He was brought in to help the team compete. He did that in the first year. Van won the division. Traded a few picks who may have never played in the NHL for players that have turned out to be decent hockey players.

Season 2 they were bad. Tried to sell a few players, didn't happen. Saw that the team had needs to be addressed. Toughness, and some more skill. He did that by making trades and signing FA's. It's kind of how you do it.

Season 3 hasn't turned out to be any better. Didn't turn out any better. Traded away some players for other teams prospects. Van currently has 12 players that are between that 20-27 range that MG had 1!

This team still needs more elite talent kids. They will get that this year and probably next.
- manvanfan

This was the mistake, a team that is slow, lacks skill/size shouldn't be trying to sign an expensive 31 year old UFA to a 6 year deal, they should be looking for a youth movement and trying to give the team as much financial/roster flexibility as realistically possible in the future.

The problem with his "age gap" theory/execution is that it made more sense to trade vets for to fill that gap, not picks/prospects, because all he did was weaken his next age gap by doing that.

10 years?
- manvanfan

No.

You always assume Benning didn't want to rebuild. I disagree
- CanuckDon

He's said that he thinks that either Benning/ownership didn't want to rebuild until this TDL. The moves made suggest that he's right.

I hear it is always a brilliant move to find loopholes in the NHL structure. Nothing makes Gary happier.
- VANTEL

Life is all about find loop holes & quick n easy fixes lol

This was the mistake, a team that is slow, lacks skill/size shouldn't be trying to sign an expensive 31 year old UFA to a 6 year deal, they should be looking for a youth movement and trying to give the team as much financial/roster flexibility as realistically possible in the future.

The problem with his "age gap" theory/execution is that it made more sense to trade vets for to fill that gap, not picks/prospects, because all he did was weaken his next age gap by doing that.
- Nucker101

You continually ignore the simple fact that they were dealt poor veterans and NTC's. their main currency was draft picks

10 years?
- manvanfan

Pretty much until we get a McJesus or Mathews, or enough Bo Horvats on the team.

Well he added tree for one season Added toughness.

Guds brings toughness as well. Eriksson does bring in skill. Goldobin and Boeser both bring the ability to finish.

Not everything is done through drafting.
- manvanfan

I just don't agree with your assessment he's added "needs". Not everything's been terrible, however, we've been down this road before.

I agree with Nucker in that I believe they FINALLY committed to a rebuild this TDL, hopefully he continues down that path.

You're definitely an independent thinker (I would bet large sums of money you voted Green lol)
- LeftCoaster

In my line of work, I have too make sure your line of work comes to fruition. So no you would be incorrect again..

He's said that he thinks that either Benning/ownership didn't want to rebuild until this TDL. The moves made suggest that he's right.
- Nucker101

Place blame where is due. If you want blame Benning for acquiring Vey that's reasonable. Blaiming Linden or Benning for Erickson is misguided in my opinion

You always assume Benning didn't want to rebuild. I disagree
- CanuckDon

Actually if you read on I just wrote he might not have been able to even if he wanted to. Neither crowd will ever know the real truth so I won't belabor the point.

Suisse making a game of it.

True, although I think they underestimated the Leafs. Leafs are really well coached and have a decent team, just need to improve the defense.

Caps have a really nice roster, they need to re-tool instead of blowing it up. Either way, they're going to lose some good players this summer.

Ovie is definitely not the same player he used to be at 5v5, still an amazing PP weapon though.
- Nucker101

Coaching

Ovie is a true elite 3W

In my line of work, I have too make sure your line of work comes to fruition. So no you would be incorrect again..
- Makita

In this case, I'm more than happy to be wrong

You continually ignore the simple fact that they were dealt poor veterans and NTC's. their main currency was draft picks
- CanuckDon

Nope, I've very clearly acknowledged that they were dealt a poopty hand. And that's exactly why I think it made more sense for them to not weaken the future "age gap" by trading away picks/prospects for other team's prospect cast offs to makeup for MG's bad drafting.

It's morphed into a fanboy club where independent thought is not encouraged or tolerated. Conform or you're an outsider. Probably a lot of NDP voters here lol. When Nucker was shunned into another thread, even though he's still an avid Canucks fan, I changed....and not for the better!
- LeftCoaster

Is your alt the RightCoaster? 😜
FYI the Liberals allow Alberta scabs to work in BC costing BCers well paid jobs.
But what do u know other than move to Alberta if u like it better. Ppl who don't give a crap about losing well paid jobs & the trickle down effect for the other jobs lost here to out of province workers or foreign companies exploiting it live in a bubble.

Actually if you read on I just wrote he might not have been able to even if he wanted to. Neither crowd will ever know the real truth so I won't belabor the point.
- LeftCoaster

Where there is smoke there is fire....I'll just leave it at that as I don't want to get in trouble

That all goes back to the original convo which was basically 'what's Bo's true value cap share now & moving forward?' I'm saying we can't afford to pay his skillset $5.75-$6 million per just because of what he accomplished in a role that he won't be filling in a few years.

We're perfectly set up to be realistic about Bo ($4.75per for an elite 3C & future captain), draft our 2C (floor) skillset this year, then throw the chequebook at our ideal 1C via offer sheet or UFA when the Sedins are off the books.

The Oilers (as you stated) already made this mistake with Hall & RNH who are both way more capable of filling a top 6 role than Bo. If we want to avoid cap trouble during the rebuild, gotta start by being realistic about the pieces we lock up along the way.
- DrChristianTroy

Horvat is better than RNH in a bottom 9 role. Bigger, more physical, faceoffs, not as good a playmaker but a better goal scorer.

I think where we differ is that i view horvat as being able to be like Dr Dre, more so than RNH.