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Brandon Sutter

Brandon Sutter Hoping To Resume NHL Career

March 9, 2023 at 12:19 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 6 Comments

It’s been nearly two years since Brandon Sutter appeared in an NHL game. The former Vancouver Canucks forward finished the 2020-21 season with a loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and entered the offseason as an unrestricted free agent.

After playing through a five-year, $4.375MM contract as an important leader and role player for the Canucks, he wouldn’t fetch a ton on the open market. He ended up signing a one-year, $1.125MM contract to stay in Vancouver.

Unfortunately, he wouldn’t play a single game on that contract. After showing up to training camp in September 2021, Sutter experienced some unexplained fatigue and was given time to try and recuperate away from the group. By October, he was ruled out indefinitely with long-term symptoms of COVID-19. He would miss the entire season.

Last summer, as a UFA once again, Sutter admitted that he was still dealing with the symptoms and wasn’t sure if he would ever play again. Many assumed that would end his NHL career, given his age and situation.

Not so fast, says the 34-year-old veteran. Speaking with Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK TV today, Sutter explained that he is finally feeling better and that there is “light at the end of the tunnel.” He hopes to play again and will try to catch on somewhere in the fall.

Landing an NHL job will be difficult, but there was a time when Sutter was considered an integral two-way center. As a fourth-line option, perhaps he still has enough juice left to be a helpful addition to a club looking for leadership and work ethic, even in a part-time role.

Brandon Sutter| Vancouver Canucks

6 comments

Brandon Sutter Still Dealing With COVID Symptoms

July 26, 2022 at 8:51 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 35 Comments

Former Vancouver Canucks center Brandon Sutter, who’s now an unrestricted free agent after his contract expired this offseason, hasn’t played an NHL game since May 1, 2021. That fact doesn’t look to change anytime soon, as Sutter tells The Province’s Ben Kuzma that he’s still dealing with symptoms of long COVID, presumably from his infection during the widespread outbreak on the Canucks during the 2020-21 season.

Sutter didn’t suit up at all in 2021-22 after symptoms worsened during the offseason. Overall in 2020-21, the now 33-year-old Sutter had nine goals and 12 points in 43 games.

With Sutter noting in the interview that he still can’t do any cardio training at this point, a return to NHL play for him seems like an infinitesimally small chance. He does say he’s still focused on returning to play, but with his symptoms not improving yet, it just doesn’t seem like a reality.

If it’s the end of the road for Sutter, he finishes with 152 goals, 137 assists, and 289 points in 770 career NHL games.

Brandon Sutter| NHL| Vancouver Canucks

35 comments

Snapshots: Zadorov, Rodrigues, Laine, Canucks

July 12, 2022 at 10:00 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 2 Comments

On top of Johnny Gaudreau opting to get the open market, defenseman Nikita Zadorov will also be doing so, reports Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic (Twitter link).  The 27-year-old had a career-high 22 points last season but also averaged a career-low in ice time at 16:55 per game.  A veteran of over NHL games 500 games between the regular season and playoffs, Zadorov is a well-known commodity around the league and will have interest from teams looking to shore up the left side of their back end in free agency.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • Pending UFA forward Evan Rodrigues has changed representation to Darren Ferris of Quartexx, PuckPedia reports (Twitter link). After bouncing around the previous two seasons, the 28-year-old had a breakout year in 2021-22, collecting 43 points in 82 games with Pittsburgh while spending plenty of time in their top six.  After being on one-year deals the past three years, Rodrigues should be able to secure a multi-year commitment this time around.
  • While Patrik Laine is a year away from being eligible to test unrestricted free agency, Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen told reporters including Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch that there is mutual interest in getting a long-term extension done with the winger. Laine is coming off his first career point per game season, notching 26 goals and 30 assists in 56 games and received his $7.5MM qualifying offer.  He’s eligible to file for arbitration if an agreement can’t be worked out in the coming days.
  • Canucks president Jim Rutherford told CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal (Twitter link) that the team will not be looking to re-sign pending UFA forwards Alex Chiasson, Brad Richardson, and Brandon Sutter right away but could circle back at some point this summer. Chiasson had 13 goals in 67 games last season, a decent return on a league minimum deal while Richardson won over 58% of his faceoffs in 2021-22.  Sutter, meanwhile, missed all of last season with long COVID symptoms and there’s no word yet on whether or not he’ll be able to play in 2022-23.

Alex Chiasson| Brad Richardson| Brandon Sutter| Columbus Blue Jackets| Evan Rodrigues| Nikita Zadorov| Patrik Laine| Snapshots| Vancouver Canucks

2 comments

Brandon Sutter Unlikely To Play This Season

February 14, 2022 at 7:56 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 6 Comments

Canucks center Brandon Sutter hasn’t played this season as he deals with long-term COVID symptoms and it doesn’t sound like he’ll suit up at all as head coach Bruce Boudreau told beat reporter Jeff Paterson (Twitter link) that he doesn’t anticipate the veteran returning to play at any point this season.

The 33-year-old has been with Vancouver since being acquired in a draft day trade back in 2015 and after playing out his five-year, $21.875MM contract last season, he opted to not test the market, instead inking a one-year, $1.125MM contract at the start of free agency.  The deal made lots of sense from a value standpoint as Sutter’s defensive game and faceoff prowess made him a quality fourth-liner but unfortunately, he had to shut his offseason training down soon after signing.

Sutter was among the many Vancouver players who contracted the virus last March that resulted in a lengthy shutdown for the team.  He was able to return in April but things have certainly worsened for him since then and he currently is on long-term injured reserve (joining winger Micheal Ferland and defenseman Brady Keeper).  He’ll once again become an unrestricted free agent in July but at this point, his focus will simply be on recovering over trying to find a contract for 2022-23.

Brandon Sutter| Coronavirus| Vancouver Canucks

6 comments

Brandon Sutter Out Indefinitely For Vancouver Canucks

October 11, 2021 at 3:03 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Vancouver Canucks aren’t expecting Brandon Sutter back anytime soon. The veteran forward is dealing with long-term symptoms from COVID-19, general manager Jim Benning told reporters including Thomas Drance of The Athletic, and will be out “for a while.” The team is focused on getting Sutter back to full health before putting him on the ice.

Sutter, 32, signed a new one-year, $1.125MM contract with the Canucks this offseason to stay with the team he’s been a part of since 2015. The checking center had just nine goals and 12 points last season but is still an effective enough bottom-six option that can take some of the tough defensive matchups. Without him, the team has Nic Petan in the fourth-line center spot at practice.

Earlier this year, Sutter detailed his experience with COVID-19 to Drance after being one of the many Canucks that tested positive for coronavirus last season. He explained then that he had trouble catching his breath and experienced light-headedness. Benning explained as camp started that Sutter was experiencing “fatigue” and he has not joined the team since. The executive confirmed today that Sutter does not have myocarditis. Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet tweets that Sutter trained for most of the offseason without experiencing issues, but the fatigue “started to become debilitating” in mid-August.

Sutter will not be listed on the Canucks active roster and it is not clear when he will be available to the team this season.

Brandon Sutter| Coronavirus| Jim Benning| Vancouver Canucks

0 comments

Snapshots: Rielly, Tkachuk, Canucks, Memorial Cup

September 22, 2021 at 7:57 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 9 Comments

Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly is heading into the final year of his contract and with a $5MM price tag on his current deal, it’s safe to say that he’s heading for a sizable raise on his next deal.  The blueliner spoke with reporters today including TSN’s Kristen Shilton to discuss his situation:

My approach this year is that I don’t really want to discuss it publicly. …You know how I feel about being a Leaf, but at the same time, it’s a business. But being a Toronto Maple Leaf is special to me. …  I’m not going to put any rules on [my agent]. And I’ll take care of what I can do hockey-wise. That’s the best approach for me.

With the price tag for number one defensemen going up considerably this summer, Rielly’s camp could push for a contract upwards of $8MM.  With nearly $68MM in commitments to just 14 players for 2022-23 per CapFriendly, they may have a hard time fitting that contract in with the Upper Limit likely only increasing by $1MM for that season.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • In his latest 32 Thoughts column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wonders if the delay in discussions for Senators restricted free agent Brady Tkachuk is more about structure than actual dollars. Year-to-year distribution has become more important with a high escrow rate now while it declines in future years while signing bonuses and trade protection are always important elements in talks for core players.  Tkachuk is only eligible for trade protection in the UFA-eligible seasons of a long-term agreement and he’s four years away from getting to that point.
  • Canucks forward Justin Bailey will not be available at the start of training camp following a positive COVID-19 test, reports Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston (Twitter link). The 26-year-old played in just three games with Vancouver last season; he spent most of the first month of the year on the taxi squad before suffering a season-ending shoulder surgery.  Meanwhile, GM Jim Benning also indicated that center Brandon Sutter is dealing with some fatigue with the team not fully sure of what the cause of it is at this time but ruled out the possibility of it being the COVID-19 virus.
  • After the event wasn’t held the last two seasons due to the pandemic, the CHL announced that the Memorial Cup will return in 2022 and will be held in Saint John, New Brunswick, a QMJHL city. The event pits the host city against the champions from the QMJHL, OHL, and WHL in a short tournament that will take place in early June.

Brady Tkachuk| Brandon Sutter| Justin Bailey| Memorial Cup| Morgan Rielly| Ottawa Senators| Snapshots| Toronto Maple Leafs| Vancouver Canucks

9 comments

Brandon Sutter Expected To Re-Sign In Vancouver

July 28, 2021 at 10:24 am CDT | by Josh Erickson Leave a Comment

Per TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Vancouver Canucks forward Brandon Sutter is expected to re-sign with the team when free agency opens. McKenzie expects a one-year deal for the veteran forward. The Athletic’s Thomas Drance reports that the deal is worth $1.125MM.

Sutter’s a seasoned veteran, but he’s seriously struggled to stay healthy. The last time Sutter played a full season was 2016-17 where he played in 81 contests. Since that season, Sutter’s topped 10 goals and 20 points just once in a single season. He had a bit of a goal-scoring rebound last season, potting nine markers in 43 games, but tallied only three assists for 12 points. He’s also seen his ice time steadily deteriorate over recent years, now largely serving in a third- or fourth-line role.

A veteran of 770 NHL games, Sutter will return to a Vancouver Canucks forward core that’s been rejuvenated this offseason. With some free agent turnover in depth spots, both Conor Garland and Jason Dickinson will be injected into the Canucks’ offense. And with Dickinson’s acquisition, Sutter will either serve as a right-winger for Dickinson on the third line or as the team’s fourth-line center. Sutter’s health could be a rather key piece for a Canucks roster that’s fighting to get back into the playoff picture.

Brandon Sutter| Free Agency| Transactions| Vancouver Canucks

0 comments

Expansion Primer: Vancouver Canucks

June 13, 2021 at 3:47 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 3 Comments

Over the next few weeks, we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, who will likely warrant protection, and which ones may be on the block to avoid the risk of losing them for nothing? Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4:00 PM CDT on July 17th. The full eligibility rules can be found here, while CapFriendly has an expansion tool to make your own lists.

When the Vegas Golden Knights entered the NHL in 2017, it was unclear who might become the expansion team’s biggest rival. Las Vegas was located close to a number of Pacific Division foes, but with deep-seated rivalries already in place in Southern California, it was unclear if there would be room for the Knight. The Seattle Kraken don’t have that problem. The Vancouver Canucks, located on the same body of water less than 150 miles north, will be immediate geographical rivals of the NHL’s newest team. While Seattle may not be as competitive right off the bat as Vegas – opposing teams learned their lesson in the last Expansion Draft – an attainable goal for the club in their inaugural season could be to get the best of the rival Canucks in the season series and the division standings. The rivalry could get off to a hot start if the Kraken can steal a player of value out of Vancouver in next month’s draft.

The problem? Just as they did in the last Expansion Draft, in which they lost stay-at-home defenseman Luca Sbisa, the Canucks have again set themselves up well to protect their key players from exposure. Seattle will have a number of options, but it is hard to picture any of them swaying the tide in the new rivalry.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards:
Jay Beagle, Brock Boeser, Loui Eriksson, Micheal Ferland, Jonah Gadjovich, Jayce Hawryluk, Matthew Highmore, Bo Horvat, Lukas Jasek, Kole Lind, Zack MacEwen, J.T. Miller, Tyler Motte, Petrus Palmu, Tanner Pearson, Elias Pettersson, Antoine Roussel, Jake Virtanen

Defense:
Guillaume Brisebois, Madison Bowey, Olli Juolevi, Tyler Myers, Nate Schmidt

Goalies:
Thatcher Demko, Braden Holtby

Notable Unrestricted Free Agents

D Alexander Edler, D Travis Hamonic, F Brandon Sutter

Notable Exemptions

G Michael DiPietro, F Nils Hoglander, D Quinn Hughes, F Marc Michaelis, F Vasily Podkolzin, D Jack Rathbone, D Jett Woo

Key Decisions

The Canucks really only have decisions to make at one position: forward. In goal, last summer’s free agent addition Holby was expected to be a player that Seattle might pursue, but after a poor season the 31-year-old not longer looks like an attractive option. Vancouver will protect the younger and superior Demko and won’t put any effort into a side deal to protect Holtby. No other goalies are eligible for selection. On the blue line, only five non-UFA defenseman are eligible for selection and Bowey was acquired specifically to meet the exposure requirement on defense. Barring a trade addition, the Canucks face the easy choice of protecting top-four defensemen Myers and Schmidt and choosing the younger, more experienced, and more highly-regarded young player in Juolevi over Brisebois. Even if any of their impending UFA defenders were re-signed, including veterans Edler and Hamonic, it is unlikely to change the protection plan on the back end. Signed or not, the Kraken selecting and extending career Canuck Edler would be a fun start to the rivalry albeit an unlikely result.

Up front, things are not so simple. The Canucks have a whopping 18 eligible non-UFA forwards and it is a mix of both NHL contributors and promising prospects. The locks are core forwards Horvat, Boeser, Pettersson, Miller and the recently-extended Pearson, leaving two spots available for the remaining 13 forwards. From there, it may be easier to begin with who won’t be protected. Veterans Ferland (injury), Beagle (injury), and Eriksson (overpaid and ineffective) will be exposed. Roussel is also very likely to fall into that group after consecutive seasons of poor play and injury concern. Prospects playing overseas in Jasek and Palmu also have no chance at protection. MacEwen, if only by process of elimination, is also unlikely to be protected as a one-dimensional checking forward.

What is left is a group of six bubble forwards, all with a case for why he should be protected. Despite a disastrous 2020-21 season, the best NHL resume of the bunch belongs to Virtanen Even with just five points in 38 games this year, the 2014 sixth overall pick has 100 points in 317 games, outpacing his fellow bubble candidates. The Canucks shopped the struggling Virtanen this year, but also refused to give him away for less than what they felt he was worth. If that sentiment remains, the team will not allow Seattle to get him for nothing.

With that said, Virtanen’s $2.55MM cap hit is also the heaviest of the bunch and was a roadblock in trade dealings this year. His ongoing legal troubles are also a serious cause for pause. If Vancouver feels that the Kraken will not select Virtanen based on these issues on top of his poor production this year, they could expose him. That idea becomes more likely when considering that three other, more affordable forwards outscored Virtanen on a per-game basis this year: Motte, Hawryluk, and Highmore. All three have a strong case for protection too. Motte, 26, when healthy last season, saw a major uptick in ice time to near top-six levels. A talented defensive forward involved in the checking game and serving on the top penalty kill unit, Motte has proved himself valuable to the Canucks and his timely offense in last year’s postseason helped to make him a fan favorite. However, with Motte out of the lineup down the stretch, it was Highmore who took on a similar role and thrived following a trade from the Chicago Blackhawks. Recording five points in 18 games and taking on some short-handed responsibility, Highmore, 25, looked at home in a bottom-six role with Vancouver. His ease of transition to a new team could peak the interest of Seattle. Hawryluk, 25, surprisingly has the second-best career offensive profile within the bubble, with 27 points in 98 games despite playing for three different teams over three years. Underutilized by the Canucks this year, Hawryluk showed promising flashes with more opportunity late in the year.

The two names remaining are prospects Gadjovich and Lind. Both 2017 second-round picks, Gadjovich and Lind are each high-scoring junior products who have improved every year in the pros and were point-per-game players in the AHL this year, as well as seeing their first NHL action. Both should see increased roles next year with the Canucks, potentially ahead of any of the aforementioned bubble forwards. The upside is certainly greater for either scoring winger than any of the group outside of possibly a resurgent Virtanen. If Seattle was to select either one, they would not be selecting “prospects”. Both will lose their waiver exemption next season. If the Kraken want to take and keep Gadjovich or Lind, they would need to be prepared to hand them a roster spot, as neither would be likely to clear waivers. This calculus would of course change if the Kraken plant to select then trade one of the promising young players.

One mitigating factor to the selection of Lind, as well as Hawryluk, is that they are unsigned restricted free agents. Seattle must select 20 players under contract in 2021-22. With just ten slots to use on both unrestricted and restricted free agents, the team may not feel that Lind or Hawryluk are worthy of a spot. Vancouver could extend Hawryluk to make him a more attractive selection and possible convince Seattle to take him over another more valuable forward. They will not do the same with the coveted Lind.

Projected Protection List

F Brock Boeser
F Jonah Gadjovich
F Bo Horvat
F J.T. Miller
F Tyler Motte
F Tanner Pearson
F Elias Pettersson

D Olli Juolevi
D Tyler Myers
D Nate Schmidt

G Thatcher Demko

Skater Exposure Requirement Checklist

When Vegas had their expansion draft, a minimum of two forwards and one defenseman had to be exposed that were under contract and played either 40 games in the most recent season or 70 over the past two combined.  Due to the pandemic, those thresholds have been changed to 27 games played in 2020-21 or 54 in 2019-20 and 2020-21 combined.  In creating our expansion list for each team in this series, we will ensure that these criteria are met.

Forwards (6): Jay Beagle, Loui Eriksson, Matthew Highmore, Zack MacEwen, Antoine Roussel, Jake Virtanen
Defensemen (1): Madison Bowey

With several top young players and near future contributors exempt and all core players protected, the list of options for Seattle is not strong. Vancouver does not appear to be a team that offers any UFA’s worth selecting, so the team will still lose a current roster player. However, they stand almost no chance of losing a player of any great meaning. The greatest impact would perhaps be if the Kraken went with the surprise selection of Holtby, as it would force the Canucks to find a new backup this off-season. However, this season provided little evidence that Holtby would be a worthwhile pick, especially at his current cost. There are no defenseman of value to Vancouver available and it hard to envision Seattle going in that direction anyway.

So again, it all comes back to forward. With Vancouver opting to protect defensive ace Motte and budding power forward Gadjovich with their final two protection slots, the Kraken will be looking at the other four bubble forwards and MacEwen, as barring trade incentive from the Canucks they will not touch any of the overpriced veterans. Virtanen and Lind have the highest upsides, but each come with concerns. Virtanen is expensive, has off-ice baggage, and is coming off a poor season. If selected, he likely has no trade value as the Canucks were unable to deal him themselves this year. Lind would have to be selected with the intention of being a key, everyday starter. He would not clear waivers and would require a roster spot and would take up a valuable unsigned draft slot if selected. Lind is still a very viable option in this scenario, especially if the Kraken are high on him, as his junior and minor league production shows NHL potential and he would have trade value to other teams if he cannot crack the Seattle roster. If either of these two are selected and blossom with the Canucks new rivals, it will sting.

If the issues surrounding potential top-nine forwards Virtanen and Lind are too much for the Kraken, they will likely look for a dependable fourth-liner in Highmore or MacEwen rather than a depth option in Hawryluk, who is also unsigned. In fact, Highmore’s recent success jumping from Chicago to Vancouver and thriving in a bottom-six role could inspire the Kraken. If they don’t love Lind and don’t want to risk Virtanen, then Highmore is the likely choice.

Antoine Roussel| Bo Horvat| Braden Holtby| Brandon Sutter| Brock Boeser| Elias Pettersson| Expansion| Expansion Primer 2021| Guillaume Brisebois| Injury| J.T. Miller| Jake Virtanen| Jay Beagle| Jayce Hawryluk| Las Vegas| Loui Eriksson| Luca Sbisa| Madison Bowey| Micheal Ferland| Nate Schmidt| Olli Juolevi| Pro Hockey Rumors Originals| Seattle Kraken| Vancouver Canucks| Waivers

3 comments

North Notes: Giordano, Sutter, Senators Arena

May 22, 2021 at 10:38 am CDT | by Brian La Rose 9 Comments

Mark Giordano has been a fixture on Calgary’s back end for well over a decade and has gone from a role player to a top-line fixture while taking over as their captain.  However, Seattle’s expansion draft is on the horizon and the Flames could be inclined to protect players that are going to be around a little longer than the 37-year-old in Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev who all have at least three years left on their respective deals.  Accordingly, Sportsnet’s Eric Francis suggests that Giordano would be a viable target for the Kraken who would be able to afford the $6.75MM on his deal for next season where he’d be a valuable mentor (and perhaps a late-season trade chip).  For his part, Giordano acknowledged that “there are certain situations where you have to be an adult about it and know there are certain things that have to happen”, suggesting that he seems to see the writing on the wall.

More from the North Division:

  • Canucks center Brandon Sutter’s preference is to re-sign with Vancouver this offseason, notes Thomas Drance of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 32-year-old certainly hasn’t lived up to the $4.375MM cap hit on the deal he signed after joining Vancouver but he can still be an effective role player, scoring nine goals this season while winning 55.5% of his faceoffs.  A significant pay cut is coming one way or another but given his fit on the team, it’s understandable that Sutter may want to stick around.
  • Ottawa’s arena situation has been a concern for a few years now after the LeBreton Flats development fell through but it has been off the radar lately. However, team owner Eugene Melnyk indicated in a recent appearance on the Bob McCown Podcast (audio link) that he’s hoping to commit to a new plan within the next few years.  His preference is to stay in Kanata but he indicated an openness to considering Gatineau, Quebec as a potential fallback.

Brandon Sutter| Calgary Flames| Mark Giordano| Ottawa Senators| Vancouver Canucks

9 comments

Vancouver Canucks Plan To Retain Jim Benning As GM

May 18, 2021 at 8:41 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 17 Comments

Things are getting interesting in Vancouver. On the eve of their season finale, a disappointing season at that, rumors are swirling around the Canucks. Earlier reports suggested that sweeping changes could be coming to the organization, including a potential return of Daniel and Henrik Sedin in front office roles. Meanwhile, head coach Travis Green is still working on an expiring contract and there has been no indication that a resolution is in sight. Given all of this mystery and speculation, the Canucks have made perhaps the most surprising move they could: retaining GM Jim Benning. The often-criticized executive has been informed that he will be back with the team next year, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

As Friedman relays, given all of the uncertainty that has arisen over the past 24 hours, ownership indicated to their front office leader that he would be returning. It’s a major decision to make ahead of a crucial off-season, as Benning will be charged with managing the Canucks’ approach to the NHL Expansion Draft (made more important by the Seattle Kraken becoming a geographical rival right away), properly executing a top-ten overall draft pick, and otherwise handling an off-season in which his roster must significantly improve despite sorely lacking cap space.

Therein lies most of the criticism of Benning as well. The GM, who has been on the job since 2014, has made some questionable decisions in regards to his most precious resource, cap space. Benning has deemed the likes of Brandon Sutter, Erik Gudbranson, Sam Gagner, Antoine Roussel, Jay Beagle, Sven Baertschi, and Micheal Ferland as being worthy of sizeable commitments during his tenure, which has hurt the team on the payroll and in opportunity cost. It also forced the departures of superior players, such as Jacob Markstrom, Chris Tanev, and Tyler Toffoli last off-season. Those losses were felt this year as the Canucks, fresh off a run to the Western Conference semifinals last year, lived in the basement all season. Benning is left having to pick up the pieces and will try to find a way to squeeze more talent into his roster this summer.

Why is it Benning fixing the problem though? For starters, his track record on the trade market and in the draft at least come close to balancing out his contract negotiation mistakes. Since the 2018-19 trade deadline, Benning has added core members Tanner Pearson, J.T. Miller, and Nate Schmidt at below-market prices. His recent draft picks also include current and budding stars such as Quinn Hughes, Nils Hoglander, Vasili Podkolzin, Jack Rathbone, Michael DiPietro, Jett Woo, Kole Lind, Jonah Gadjovich, and more. So while some of Benning’s criticism is fair, too often his successes are ignored. Despite allegedly wanting to make major internal changes, the Canucks understand and appreciate what Benning has achieved and what he is trying to build in Vancouver. It seems that he will now be given at least one more year to show that he is still steering the organization in the right direction. It’s unlikely to appease the fans in the meantime, but the club hopes that their loyalty will be rewarded.

Antoine Roussel| Brandon Sutter| Chris Tanev| Elliotte Friedman| Erik Gudbranson| Expansion| Henrik Sedin| J.T. Miller| Jacob Markstrom| Jay Beagle| Jim Benning| Micheal Ferland| Nate Schmidt| Seattle Kraken| Travis Green| Vancouver Canucks

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