Aquaman has a history of approving buyouts, retained salary and burying contracts so as much as I don't think Benning will want to have to take a loss on a bad contract that gets waived, he has a convenient fall guy in Linden now.
- belcherbd

There's not a snowballs chance in hell they waive any of the new ufa's or Eriksson so the only guy I can see getting waived is Gagner.

Yeah, this is what it sounds like when you are trying not to use the word fired.

- boonerbuck

I hear the gov is looking for people to billet a few of those white helmet fellas. You in?

What’s BS, that they might have been able to pick the same players they did later in the draft? Or that they had guys on their list that other teams didn’t?
- 1970vintage

Impossible to predict how teams lists look like past the first 2 rounds, there is always a lot of deviation. Past the 2nd round is where good drafting teams prove themselves and while I think Benning's drafting acumen is overrated by many in media and here, he has done pretty well in the later rounds it seems.

Forsling, Tryamkin, Gaudette all look to be solid picks and I expect Lockwood, Brisebois and Diepetro will at least get a cup of coffee and potentially much more.

Jasek, Rathbone and Palmu all are longshots but still look like great value picks.

I assume you are referencing Madden, who I agree likely would of been available later and didn't like the pick considering who was still available but Brackett/Benning have earned some benefit of the doubt.

Well there ya go.



M C G A
- VANTEL

Manitoba Corn Growers Assn???

There's not a snowballs chance in hell they waive any of the new ufa's or Eriksson so the only guy I can see getting waived is Gagner.
- LeftCoaster

Don’t bother trying to predict what this franchise will do next. But you can presume that whatever direction they take, they will end up lost.

There's not a snowballs chance in hell they waive any of the new ufa's or Eriksson so the only guy I can see getting waived is Gagner.
- LeftCoaster

I agree with the new additions, they will get their chance but I could see Gagner, Granlund, Del Zotto, Hutton, Pouliot waived if they poop the bed.

I could also see the above mentioned as well as Baertschi, Sutter, Eriksson (incredibly unlikely) Tanev moved in a trade whether its for good value or not.

I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Schaller is on waivers halfway through the season or Roussell/Beagle get waived/traded/bought out before the end of their contracts.

Impossible to predict how teams lists look like past the first 2 rounds, there is always a lot of deviation. Past the 2nd round is where good drafting teams prove themselves and while I think Benning's drafting acumen is overrated by many in media and here, he has done pretty well in the later rounds it seems.

Forsling, Tryamkin, Gaudette all look to be solid picks and I expect Lockwood, Brisebois and Diepetro will at least get a cup of coffee and potentially much more.

Jasek, Rathbone and Palmu all are longshots but still look like great value picks.

I assume you are referencing Madden, who I agree likely would of been available later and didn't like the pick considering who was still available but Brackett/Benning have earned some benefit of the doubt.
- belcherbd

NYN and Don didn’t like those trade offers, and we only see the video they wanted us to see, but they could have had 3 third round picks if they gave up Woo (he likely would have been gone by #63), or they could have had a fourth and two fifth round picks, where they might have still gotten Madden at 113, and if not, I’m sure there were other guys they liked there.

There's not a snowballs chance in hell they waive any of the new ufa's or Eriksson so the only guy I can see getting waived is Gagner.
- LeftCoaster

why not eriksson?

NYN and Don didn’t like those trade offers, and we only see the video they wanted us to see, but they could have had 3 third round picks if they gave up Woo (he likely would have been gone by #63), or they could have had a fourth and two fifth round picks, where they might have still gotten Madden at 113, and if not, I’m sure there were other guys they liked there.
- 1970vintage

I'm with you on them only releasing the poopty offers but that doesn't mean there were good offers.

I personally would of been pissed if they took 2 3rds for 63, although Woo wasn't the pick I wanted there.

NYN and Don didn’t like those trade offers, and we only see the video they wanted us to see, but they could have had 3 third round picks if they gave up Woo (he likely would have been gone by #63), or they could have had a fourth and two fifth round picks, where they might have still gotten Madden at 113, and if not, I’m sure there were other guys they liked there.
- 1970vintage

I've heard the organization had Woo as a first round pick, I think he's the sleeper of this draft and is going to be many a fan-favorite on this board a few years from now. Very similar to Matt Dumba.

I'm with you on them only releasing the poopty offers but that doesn't mean there were good offers.

I personally would of been pissed if they took 2 3rds for 63, although Woo wasn't the pick I wanted there.
- belcherbd

True, those might have been the only offers they received. But they had guys higher on their board than many of the prospect rankers, and probably most of the other teams as well. I’ve seen Jake Wise ranked in middle 2nd round and he went right after Madden. Maybe the 2nd isn’t the pick you trade, but after that it becomes a crap shoot anyway.

why not eriksson?
- neem55

Because that's self deprecating to Benning, he looks dumb enough already he won't add fuel to that fire.

I agree with the new additions, they will get their chance but I could see Gagner, Granlund, Del Zotto, Hutton, Pouliot waived if they poop the bed.

I could also see the above mentioned as well as Baertschi, Sutter, Eriksson (incredibly unlikely) Tanev moved in a trade whether its for good value or not.

I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Schaller is on waivers halfway through the season or Roussell/Beagle get waived/traded/bought out before the end of their contracts.
- belcherbd

It's a lot more likely these waiver exempt guys under contract stay in the lineup than are waived. IMO Eriksson and Gagner are the two most deserving candidates and no one will be too upset of they get claimed. That's only if they can't get a trade done though.

I've heard the organization had Woo as a first round pick, I think he's the sleeper of this draft and is going to be many a fan-favorite on this board a few years from now. Very similar to Matt Dumba.
- neem55

Yeah, like I just said, maybe the 2nd round pick isn’t the one you deal, but later in the draft there there is a lot of variation.

Because that's self deprecating to Benning, he looks dumb enough already he won't add fuel to that fire.
- LeftCoaster

I agree it's in his best interest to keep him, but if he looks bad in camp I think it will be hard to justify waiving a player you know will be claimed over him

Yeah, like I just said, maybe the 2nd round pick isn’t the one you deal, but later in the draft there there is a lot of variation.
- 1970vintage

for sure. I would have liked to see the deal they had for the Madden pick. Maybe work the phones a bit and try to get a pick next year if it's higher. If there's one thing I don't like about JB it's that he doesn't seem to trade for future picks very often. Frustrating when they've spent so much money building a world class scouting/development group (not being sarcastic hear, I really think they've done a great job)

I agree it's in his best interest to keep him, but if he looks bad in camp I think it will be hard to justify waiving a player you know will be claimed over him
- neem55

He would have to be Wade Redden bad to be placed on waivers. Benning would look bad (to the owner), the Canucks would look bad (to potential UFA’s). I guess they could just blame it on Linden...

Despite the press conference being an obvious damage control attempt I thought their were some interesting comments from both Benning and Green.

Specifically Benning went all in and made it clear he will waive or trade vets. This message has been inferred before but never been this strongly stated IMO. I tend to believe this means, they are already penciling in some young players.

When asked how the offence was going to be replaced, Liepsic and Goldobin were specifically mentioned which also makes me think they are not going to be willing to lose either on waivers.

Finally it was pointed out that there were 14 forwards and the question was asked if moves were going to be made. Green's ignored the question and made it clear he sees many more than 14 forwards who will be vying for those 12-13 spots.


I still think Benning is an idiot, that Linden is a legend but didn't belong in mgmt and that FA is a twat but can appreciate he never has hesitated to spend money on this team. I have hope that this year's camp will be a very competitive environment where the best 23 players end up on the team.
- belcherbd

Except TL was fired because he wanted to retain salary and take on bad contracts in order to gain draft picks.... sp in that instance, no, FA did hesitate to spend money.

Except TL was fired because he wanted to retain salary and take on bad contracts in order to gain draft picks.... sp in that instance, no, FA did hesitate to spend money.
- Pres.cup

Benning also suggested they were looking to do the same. Problem is, they guys who teams were looking to offload mostly have NTC, and Vancouver isn’t high on their wish list right now.

He would have to be Wade Redden bad to be placed on waivers. Benning would look bad (to the owner), the Canucks would look bad (to potential UFA’s). I guess they could just blame it on Linden...
- 1970vintage

I mean, it already looks pretty bad. He does have a reputation of coming into camp ready to rock, so I don't see it happening... more like wishful thinking

Benning also suggested they were looking to do the same. Problem is, they guys who teams were looking to offload mostly have NTC, and Vancouver isn’t high on their wish list right now.
- 1970vintage

That makes a lot of sense. If it's dead salary like Hossa it's moot though, but otherwise yeah I can't see callahan wanting to come hear for example.

Aquaman has a history of approving buyouts, retained salary and burying contracts so as much as I don't think Benning will want to have to take a loss on a bad contract that gets waived, he has a convenient fall guy in Linden now.
- belcherbd

Waiving low cost guys, retaining hundreds of thousands not millions. That's not the way TL wanted to do it. That's not what the quicker rebuilding teams did. Aquaman is a decent owner but he won't bleed money to speed up the rebuild.

What’s BS, that they might have been able to pick the same players they did later in the draft? Or that they had guys on their list that other teams didn’t?
- 1970vintage

When you take a guy in the third round that you could have had in the fourth round, or fifth, or sixth... they had guys on their board that no other team would have taken, why not get two of them?



I've added your original quote....This is bs. Madden was ranked 69th in Button's final list while Mackenzie had him at 62. The canucks selected him at 68. No other team had Madden on their boards? How did Mackenzie rank him then? You take your player and don't risk trading down unless it's an off the board pick. They may have had Madden at 40 for all we know! That;s some lousy armchair drafting Vintey

I still give the best post to Bullfrog about Jake being Aquilinis first pick.
- VANTEL

What makes it so funny is that it's the truth !

It's not that simple, there's things that could've been done to create a shorter path to success, therein lies the problem for most Benning naysayers.

Edmonton's one of the worst run franchises in the league and they still produced a 100+ point season two years ago. If you're bad long enough, you can't help but get better simply through drafting high.

- Trying to compete for the owner when you have no business doing so.
- Not acquiring more draft picks.
- Wasting draft picks on project players.
- Poor trades wasting assets like Forsling, McCann & a 2nd for Clendenning and Gudbranson.
- Etc.
- LeftCoaster

Oh I agree things could have been done differently...however with this prospect mix I think we'll be in better shape than people realise and maybe a bit sooner.

All GM's make bonehead moves and waste assets...part of the job Benning is no different than a lot of others.
I just think he'll be gone in 1-3 years and there will be some massive benefits from what he has done.