Vancouver Canucks Plan To Retain Jim Benning As GM
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.
Snapshots: Lafleur, Sedins, Seider
The QMJHL will never again have a player wearing No. 4. Guy Lafleur‘s number will be retired league-wide as of next season, celebrating his status as the league’s all-time greatest player. Before all of his success at the NHL level, Lafleur dominated the Q, recording 379 points in 118 regular season games. Amazingly, he scored more than 100 goals in each of his two seasons in the league, including seven in a single game (and five in a period!).
Lafleur would go on to be the first player from the league to be selected first overall and won five Stanley Cup championships during his Hall of Fame career. He will actually join Sidney Crosby as the only players to have their numbers retired league-wide, though it seems likely that at least Mario Lemieux will join them before long.
- Though rumblings continue to emerge about more drastic changes in the Vancouver Canucks front office, no official announcements have been made by the team. Darren Dreger of TSN however has heard that team ownership is in talks with Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin about potential roles in the organization, without giving any specifics on what those would be. Thomas Drance of The Athletic tweets that the discussions are “not centered on a president or GM-type top decision maker role.” The twins are two of the greatest players to ever pull on a Canucks sweater and will likely be linked to the organization in some fashion for the rest of their lives; an official role would only be an extension of that connection.
- Get excited Detroit, Moritz Seider is coming. The 20-year-old prospect was named Defenseman of the Year for the SHL this season after recording 28 points in 41 games for Rogle. Selected sixth overall in 2019, Seider signed his entry-level contract later that year but has yet to play a game for the Red Wings. Instead, he spent the entire 2019-20 season in the AHL developing his game with the Grand Rapids Griffins, before heading to Sweden to ensure a full season this time around. Playing against opponents sometimes more than a decade his elder, Seider was a dominant force at both ends of the rink.
North Notes: Canucks Front Office, Campbell, Nash, Philp
There could be some changes in Vancouver this offseason in regards to the team’s front office. At least that’s what The Province’s Patrick Johnston states. The scribe writes that several names are surfacing if owner Francesco Aquilini is ready to make changes.
One name that Johnston writes about is Geoff Courtnall, who could serve as a middle man between ownership and the general manager. Despite the lack of NHL experience since retiring in 2000, he has expressed an interest in getting involved with hockey management and is quite familiar with Aquilini.
The scribe adds that there is a legitimate chance that Vancouver may be looking to replace Jim Benning as well. He makes several suggestions of candidates who could replace Benning, including recently fired ex-Rangers GM Jeff Gorton, Toronto assistant GM Laurence Gilman, Colorado’s assistant GM Chris MacFarland and possibly Scott Mellanby.
- Sticking with the Canucks, The Athletic’s Thomas Drance reports that forward Elias Pettersson will not play Sunday or any of the remaining three games of the season, shutting him down for the season. Pettersson, who has been out since March 2 with an upper-body injury, has 10 goals and 21 points in just 26 games this season.
- Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said that the team will go with Jack Campbell as their No. 1 goaltender to start the playoffs over veteran Frederik Andersen, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. Campbell likely deserves the nod after performing well this season, especially recently. Campbell finished the regular season with a 2.15 GAA and a .921 save percentage in 22 appearances. Keefe also said the team intends to put Riley Nash into the lineup immediately now that he’s been activated off LTIR (via Hockey News’ David Alter). Acquired for a seventh-round pick just before the trade deadline, the center has not played a game with Toronto yet. “We’re gonna get him involved right away and just rely upon the fact that he’s very smart player very experienced guy, and in the NHL and the playoffs in particular, trust that he’s going to fit right in.”
- The Calgary Flames announced that forward Luke Philp was injured in practice Sunday and will miss the team’s final three games of the regular season. Philp had yet to make his NHL debut and was likely to get a chance in one of the team’s next three games, but will now have to wait until next season for another chance. Philp had eight goals and 17 points in 30 AHL games this season.
No Extension Talks Yet Between Canucks And Alex Edler
- There haven’t been any extension talks yet between the Canucks and defenseman Alex Edler, notes Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston. The 35-year-old has spent his entire 15-year career in Vancouver and in the past, he has expressed a desire to stay there until he’s ready to retire. However, with the team already tight to the cap for next season; while they have nearly $16MM in room per CapFriendly, most of that will be going to restricted free agents Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson. Unless Jim Benning can free up some wiggle room, they may not be able to afford to bring Edler back unless he’s open to a substantial cut from his current $6MM price tag.
Zack MacEwen Suspended One Game
The Department of Player Safety has handed out another suspension, this time giving Vancouver Canucks forward Zack MacEwen a one-game ban for kneeing Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse. The incident occurred partway through the second period in last night’s game against the Vancouver Canucks. As the accompanying video explains:
It is important to note that while we agree with MacEwen’s assertion that the contact is not excessively forceful, the concept of intentionally kneeing a vulnerable player in the head is simply unacceptable. This is not a hockey play. It is only because the impact of this play is so light that MacEwen is not facing a substantial suspension for this action.
Nurse did not suffer a serious injury on the play and MacEwen has never been fined or suspended previously in his short NHL career. Both things would have helped the suspension stay at just one game, though couldn’t help him avoid the supplementary discipline entirely.
The Canucks and Oilers are set to play a rematch tomorrow night, which MacEwen will not be eligible to participate in. The two teams do have one other game on the schedule for Saturday, May 15. This is the second kneeing suspension the Canucks have received this season after Alexander Edler was given a two-game ban for his hit on Zach Hyman.
Zack MacEwen To Have Hearing With Department Of Player Safety
For the second time in a few weeks, a Vancouver Canucks player is having a hearing with the Department of Player Safety for kneeing. Zack MacEwen has a hearing today after a hit that occurred in last night’s game against Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.
This one is a little different than the incident with Alexander Edler earlier this season (which resulted in a two-game suspension) as Nurse was already down on the ice when MacEwen appeared to extend his leg to hit him again. The two were battling all night, even dropping the mitts and fighting in the third period.
Nurse did not suffer a serious injury from the knee, but MacEwen will likely be sat down for at least one game. The Canucks play the Oilers again tomorrow night, meaning the two will not be able to continue their war right away. The two teams do play again on May 15 however, meaning there could be some more shenanigans on the horizon.
Coaching Notes: Tocchet, Green, Brind’Amour
It seems that Rick Tocchet‘s days as the head coach of the Arizona Coyotes could be numbered. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports that there is growing speculation that Tocchet and the ‘Yotes will part ways this off-season. Tocchet’s contract expires at the end of the season and Dreger does not believe that it will be extended. If not for the NHL’s expanded playoff structure last season, Tocchet would have failed to make the playoffs in each of his four seasons as the bench boss in Arizona. The team was statistically eliminated from contention this season with last night’s loss to the Los Angeles Kings, marking the end of what at one time looked like a promising playoff push. However, this is the third consecutive season that the ‘Yotes have remained in the playoff picture until the very end of the season. Last year, it earned them a play-in series berth which the team turned into an upset win over the Nashville Predators and a first-round match-up with the Colorado Avalanche. Considering that Tocchet took over a team that finished last in the Pacific Division in his first season, three years of fringe contention and a play-in series win is far from failure for the veteran coach. Dreger does not definitively state that the separation is a unilateral decision by Arizona and it could be that this is an amicable breakup coming between Tocchet and the team. A highly-regarded assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins before joining the Coyotes, Tocchet should have no problem finding a job this summer and it could be that both sides equally want a fresh start.
- Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green is still waiting for his contract extension. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that a resolution is expected to come before the end of the season – which for the Canucks is still almost two weeks away – but he adds that there has not been any change to the status quo of late. Green, like Tocchet, took over a struggling team in 2017-18 and has improved the group, including finishing third in the Pacific Division last season and advancing to the second round of the playoffs. While the current campaign has not gone as planned, with Vancouver on the verge of statistical elimination even with a number of games in hand on their North Division competitors, the organization is happy with Green and LeBrun notes that there continues to be mutual interest in a new multi-year deal. With that said, Green is among the bottom-third of coaches in terms of compensation and is seeking a raise, but LeBrun reports that the Canucks have not improved their offer recently. If the two sides truly want to get a deal done before the end of the regular season, they need to get to work.
- Rod Brind’Amour is another coach who is awaiting a contract extension and there is little doubt that the leader of the President’s Trophy favorites will get a new, long-term deal. However, Dreger notes that the Hurricanes want to get the new deal done before the postseason, which leaves little time to work out the details. Brind’Amour has previously stated that he wants all of his fellow coaches and support staff to also have new deals finalized before he inks his own deal, so the Carolina Hurricanes have a number of negotiations to complete over the next week or two.
Canucks, Devils To Relocate AHL Teams
May 6: The AHL Board of Governors has approved the relocations to Abbotsford and Utica, from Utica and Binghamton respectively. The new divisional alignment will be announced at a later date, but Vancouver will be using Abbotsford and New Jersey using Utica for the 2021-22 season.
In addition, Utica and New Jersey have announced a new ten-year affiliation agreement. The organization will remain the Utica Comets, but jersey designs and colors will be revealed later in the year.
May 4: Amidst speculation that their current AHL affiliate in Utica will become New Jersey’s affiliate next season, Vancouver has found a new home for their prospects. The Canucks announced today that they will move their AHL squad to Abbotsford for next year, pending approval from the AHL’s Board of Governors on Thursday. Team owner Francesco Aquilini released the following statement:
With momentum starting to build, we are pleased to confirm our goal to bring our AHL franchise and Canucks prospects home to the City of Abbotsford. The move would bring significant opportunities for both our team and the community and it would begin a new chapter, bringing Canucks hockey to even more fans throughout the Lower Mainland.
Vancouver intends to operate the team out of the Abbotsford Centre which hosted Calgary’s AHL team from 2009 through 2014 after previously playing in Moline, Illinois. Travel was a concern as they were the westernmost city in the league and eventually, Calgary opted to head to New York.
Interestingly enough, the Canucks are taking the opposite approach, leaving New York to go to Abbotsford. Clearly, the fact that they’ll be able to have their AHL prospects in the same province is certainly ideal from a development standpoint but travel shouldn’t be as significant of a concern now with there now being an entire Pacific Division. At first glance, it would seem likely that Abbotsford would join that group, making it an eight-team division for next season with Palm Springs set to join that group for 2022-23.
Nikita Tryamkin Signs Two-Year Extension To Stay In KHL
Ever since 6-foot-7, 253-pound defenseman Nikita Tryamkin left the Vancouver Canucks back in 2017, they have been working to bring him back. There was plenty of optimism recently that the Canucks were close to convincing the blueliner to return to the team. Instead, it looks like Tryamkin’s chances of returning to Vancouver could be over after the KHL announced he signed a two-year extension with Yekaterinburg Automobilist. To make matters worse, Tryamkin’s rights with Vancouver will expire in two years, meaning he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2023-24.
The two sides did attempt to work out a deal recently, but were not able to work out a deal, according to Canucks reporter Rick Dhaliwal.
“I told the Canucks what it would take on both a 1 or 2 year term and they told me what they could guarantee today and the gap was just too wide for Nikita,” said Tryamkin’s agent, Todd Diamond. “Nikita didn’t want to wait and be in a situation like last summer where the team didn’t act and the KHL Club had nearly exhausted its budget.”
Diamond, revealed earlier this year that he believes Tryamkin was ready to take another chance in the NHL after struggling in his two years with the team years ago. The 26-year-old has developed into a solid two-way defenseman and could have had a major impact on the Canucks defense next year had they been able to come to terms. The blueliner was already known as a good skater considering his size, but only averaged 16:52 of ice time with Vancouver between 2015-17. He has excelled with Automobilist, scoring 17 goals and 63 points over four seasons there.
Canucks Place Jake Virtanen On Leave Following Sexual Misconduct Allegations
The Canucks have placed winger Jake Virtanen on a leave of absence following allegations of sexual misconduct. The team released the following statement:
We have become aware of the concerning allegations made about Jake Virtanen. Our organization does not accept sexual misconduct of any kind and the claims as reported are being treated very seriously by us. We have engaged external expertise to assist in an independent investigation and we have placed the player on leave as we await more information.
Glacier Media provides some background about the alleged incident which occurred back in September of 2017. Virtanen has declined to comment while NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly indicated that the league is aware of the allegations but wouldn’t comment further than that.
We are aware of this issue and have been in contact with the club regarding appropriate response. We don’t have any further comment at this time.