It wasn't directed at you.

Just as many on this board are overly optimistic as there are are who are pessimistic. I wasnt referring specifically to you or your post.
- RealityChecker

With Benning at the helm, the team will be continuously building through the draft to create a Dynasty like Detroits

The reason I think this team is doing something right (even though it boggles my mind at the time) is that JB isn't just sitting around while the prospects develop. He is out there trying to make the team better now and in the long term. Not just throwing the prospects into the line up but putting good top prospects in the line up that has good complementary nhl players.

Circle jerkers vs whiners.

Going to be a long summer in here.
- bloatedmosquito

I don't want to be either.

I just want to point out that everyone was crying that this team needed an overhaul from the top down when JB came in. Other than the Sedins, Edler and Tanev this team has had an overhaul over 2 seasons. Burrows and Higgins I guarantee will be gone. Hamhuis is gone. Is it his fault there has been no interest over the last 2 years of their decline. We may not be seeing the improvements now but he has made moves to improve this teams future. I don't care about his sound bites and the media going after him. I care about the future of this team. He will go after a few free agents and try to make it competitive again. Perfect No. Full retard No. This isn't a 2 year fix. I am not nor will I ever be a part of tank nation. There is always a transition period 2 years doesn't cut it. Step off the ledge and stop looking for Bennings head.
- thundachunk

Bravo

Well said...who the (frank) cares what he says on the radio. People need to stop being hysterical female doges and focus on important things like our new defense. Rebuilds take time. I wouldn't be surprised if Linden and Benning quit with this fanbase
- CanuckDon

The NHL seems to care a lot about what dim Jim says on the radio.

How many NHL teams have you played on? How many Stanley Cup rings do you have? How many drafts were you sitting at the table for making selections. How many contracts have you sat down for and hammered out deals .

It is easy to sit back and call a guy an idiot, but he is actually making money at something you tried for years to do and were not qualified to do.

He has made a living out of something all of us wish we could do. He is actually damn good at it also, wether you like him or not. He is an easy target because he sounds funny.
- VANTEL

being "in the game" doesnt make you infallible


The number of absolute no nothing morons that have held positions of authority or made money in the game is huge.

Mike milbury basically traded away a bunch of players that could've been made into a cup winning juggernaut (Chara, luongo, bertuzzi, McCabe, spezza) drafted dipietro first overall. Gave yashin 10 mil. Etc etc
Just as brutal a coach too.

Or any number of gms like Steve tambellini that just sit on their hands and tank for high picks. Who couldntbfinish last 2x in a row, sign bottom of the barrel free agents and draft Taylor hall ?

Doug Maclean etc etc

And Jim benning hasn't actually proven anything yet by a few high picks. And he did look like a fool for getting fined for talking.
Maybe his moves will work out in the end, (the gudbranson move was horrible imo) but to claim him making money in the game is some sort of check mark for his quality is way off base imo

I expect Juolevi to play on the roster in 2018 or the latest 2019. I expect him to have the same type year Hutton had last year and steady improvement in years to follow
- VANTEL

I can see Juolevi here in 2018. Guy is 180lbs right now and needs to bulk up hard. I was chatting with the London Knights trainer at Mem Cup and they expect him to be 190-195 in the next two years…maybe sooner.

Circle jerkers vs whiners.

Going to be a long summer in here.
- bloatedmosquito

who are you hoping to play in the first round of the playoffs?

vs

who are you hoping to pick with another top 10 pick?

The NHL seems to care a lot about what dim Jim says on the radio.
- bloatedmosquito

Are you Bettmans bodyguard? (frank) the NHL

being "in the game" doesnt make you infallible


The number of absolute no nothing morons that have held positions of authority or made money in the game is huge.

Mike milbury basically traded away a bunch of players that could've been made into a cup winner most likely. (Chara, luongo, bertuzzi, McCabe, spezza) drafted dipietro first overall. Gave yashin 10 mil.
Just as brutal a coach too.

Or any number of gms like Steve tambellini that just sit on their hands and tank for high picks. Who could finish last 2x in a row, sign bottom of the barrel free agents and draft Taylor hall ?

Doug Maclean etc etc

And Jim benning hasn't actually proven anything yet by a few high picks. And looked like a fool getting fined for talking.
Maybe his moves will work out in the end, (the gudbranson move was horrible imo) but to claim him making money in the game is some sort of check mark for his quality is way off base imo
- Ihateallofu

Benning has helped build more cup winning teams than McLean and Milbury combined

He was targeting me. I said the reuild is mostly over. I never said it was a successful one. He is throwing his own twist on that.

I think we make the playoffs this year but we won't be beaten down like we were by LA or the Flames . We may lose but we won't be handed our asses in shame.

The following year we make more improvements
- VANTEL

I like what Gudbranson said when asked of people running the goalies "itll happen alot less"

being "in the game" doesnt make you infallible


The number of absolute no nothing morons that have held positions of authority or made money in the game is huge.

Mike milbury basically traded away a bunch of players that could've been made into a cup winner most likely. (Chara, luongo, bertuzzi, McCabe, spezza) drafted dipietro first overall. Gave yashin 10 mil.
Just as brutal a coach too.

Or any number of gms like Steve tambellini that just sit on their hands and tank for high picks. Who could finish last 2x in a row, sign bottom of the barrel free agents and draft Taylor hall ?

Doug Maclean etc etc

And Jim benning hasn't actually proven anything yet by a few high picks. And looked like a fool getting fined for talking.
Maybe his moves will work out in the end, (the gudbranson move was horrible imo) but to claim him making money in the game is some sort of check mark for his quality is way off base imo
- Ihateallofu

Steve Tambellini never did $hit because he was handcuffed by those fags Katty and his buttbuddy Lowe. He was put into a position to fail. I think to some extent so is Chirelli. Oilers biggest problem is the old boysclub.

This year the biggest concern on D is Sbisa . Last year it was Sbisa and and and

Baby steps

I like what Gudbranson said when asked of people running the goalies "itll happen alot less"
- phyllee

He said something along the lines of..."my job is to make people's night miserable."
Finally somebody with backbone

He was targeting me. I said the reuild is mostly over. I never said it was a successful one. He is throwing his own twist on that.

I think we make the playoffs this year is we won't be beaten down like we were by LA or the Flames . We may lose but we won't be handed our asses in shame.

The following year we make more improvements
- VANTEL

I think it was a big overhaul and is just about complete in a sense, but it will continue to be ongoing.

JB brought in some players via trade, too bad it cost some picks, but once he has some keepers, he will try to draft and develop and not rush young prospects into the lineup. I'm glad he isnt sitting on his hands.

as per JB, he comes across as Gomer Pyle, but whatever, judge him by the team that is on the ice in the fall.

Really though, with this market, I am continually surprised by JB and WD with their interviews, willingness to talk to a bunch of the media that go on and on about them needing to be fired. Maybe stay away from the tampering stuff, but I don't want them to clam up and give the minimal answers we hear in so many other markets.

I don't know exactly how to tell you that Bo Sven JV Gudbrandson might be better than an old Higgins a Burrows Hamhuis Weber
- VANTEL

No doubt. But simply 'improving' the roster from a bottom 5 team to a bottom 15 bubble team is simply delaying the inevitable.

We have finished third last this year and 6th worse the year before and yet have still failed to address the future of our top six.

believing this can be done through trades ( of which is certainly one of Bennings weaknesses) or by drafting in the 15 to 20 range is, frankly, pretty dumb.

Sure but can we also take a breath before claiming that the rebuild is over and how successful Benning is?
- RealityChecker

Yup.

This year the biggest concern on D is Sbisa . Last year it was Sbisa and and and

Baby steps
- VANTEL

For all the grief Sbisa gets he did make strides last year...hopefully he continues to grow his game

This year the biggest concern on D is Sbisa . Last year it was Sbisa and and and

Baby steps
- VANTEL

I'm very optimistic that playing for team europe that he will learn and improve. With age, he is growing as a player.

He's an idiot, plain and simple! Big mouth needs to shut his yap....period.

Secondly, he hasn't rebuilt jack poop yet, he's injected some youth into an aged lineup, but, they just finished third last in the league...and the team still has no true top six forwards beyond the Sedins.

The team has a long ways to go Vantel before they're good again. Benning needs more time I agree, but that doesn't excuse him for being an idiot and flapping his yap on tv or on the radio all the time.
- LeftCoaster

Font talk poop about Vantel like this....

No doubt. But simply 'improving' the roster from a bottom 5 team to a bottom 15 bubble team is simply delaying the inevitable.

We have finished third last this year and 6th worse the year before and yet have still failed to address the future of our top six.

believing this can be done through trades ( of which is certainly one of Bennings weaknesses) or by drafting in the 15 to 20 range is, frankly, pretty dumb.
- Whiskey-Tango

He is going to rebuild our top 6 through the draft which takes time. Baertchi was brought in cheap and the other trades were for depth not to replace the Sedins

Steve Tambellini never did $hit because he was handcuffed by those fags Katty and his buttbuddy Lowe. He was put into a position to fail. I think to some extent so is Chirelli. Oilers biggest problem is the old boysclub.
- thundachunk

Debateable for sure and a lot of guesswork there .
I did hear he was overrode by Katz on the yaks pick, but the two years previous, I never heard he was handcuffed at all. Maybe.


As far as now and chiarelli?
No. That's a tired narrative.
Nicholson runs the show.
While chiarelli has total autonomy.
Lowe isn't even involved in hockey operations


Anyways, the point was that being "in the game" doesn't prove anything.

For all the grief Sbisa gets he did make strides last year...hopefully he continues to grow his game
- CanuckDon

http://thehockeywriters.c...es-similarities-to-sbisa/

Debateable for sure and a lot of guesswork there .
I did hear he was overrode by Katz on the yaks pick, but the two years previous, I never heard he was handcuffed at all. Maybe.


As far as now and chiarelli?
No. That's a tired narrative.
Nicholson runs the show.
While chiarelli has total autonomy.
Lowe isn't even involved in hockey operations
- Ihateallofu

No action in the Oilers thread? This is a Canucks forum

I think it was a big overhaul and is just about complete in a sense, but it will continue to be ongoing.

JB brought in some players via trade, too bad it cost some picks, but once he has some keepers, he will try to draft and develop and not rush young prospects into the lineup. I'm glad he isnt sitting on his hands.

as per JB, he comes across as Gomer Pyle, but whatever, judge him by the team that is on the ice in the fall.

Really though, with this market, I am continually surprised by JB and WD with their interviews, willingness to talk to a bunch of the media that go on and on about them needing to be fired. Maybe stay away from the tampering stuff, but I don't want them to clam up and give the minimal answers we hear in so many other markets.
- hillbillydeluxe

I expect Boeser and Demko to be pushing for jobs next year.

My point is there are 18 new faces on the club at the beginning of this up coming year than there were when JB took over. In two years from now there is probably not going to be 18 more changes on the team.

The heavy work is over now promote players in and trade players out , one or two a year .

That is what I mean by the rebuild is over. Natural progression of one or two players a year is not a rebuild IMO

Nice…big home opener win by Lions…

#wallyballisback
- LordHumungous

I was at the game