The Great Jim Benning Debate! (And personal insult thread)

[Mickey107]

I still think Linden had some input there. They didn’t even interview Tkachuk. His dad used to smack Trevor around back in the day. I wouldn’t be surprised if Trevor held a grudge.

From what I recall of the Olaf draft, JB went out and drafted on positional need rather than best player overall. They felt they needed a D-man in the system and thought Olaf could be a very good top 4 defender. I remember them saying it's almost impossible to acquire a top D-man, the only way is to draft one. Trev and JB spoke highly of Tkachuk: skilled and tough like his father, so I thought they were going to take him if he was there. Whether they interviewed him or not, I don't know. At the time, I was surprised and disappointed they went for Olaf. I figured they made the mistake of passing on a Tkachuk once (Keith), so they weren't going to do it 2X. Man, I was really intrigued with a possible future young guns line of Tkachuk-BoHo-Shotgun Jake. The Team 1040 guys were joking that when Matthew Tkachuk's kid grows up, the Nucks will not make the mistake of passing on him.

Agree they drafted best defense man available in 2016 and , yes, did say, pretty much, that's what they were going to do.
At the time, I was wanting Tjachuk too. They were desperate for defense.

Do not agree at all with Paddy's take on being disappointed with Jake.
I mean; This will be Jake's third year with coach Green, mostly, so what can one expect?

[Island Nucklehead]

Fuck Paddy that vid is depressing.

I still think Linden had some input there. They didn’t even interview Tkachuk. His dad used to smack Trevor around back in the day. I wouldn’t be surprised if Trevor held a grudge.

I would Love to ask Trevor over a beer or 2 if he was being honest about the whole process how much of NOT drafting Tkachuk had to do with Protecting Virtanen... Translation did the Canucks pass on Tkachuk cause they didn't want another power forward who at the time was STRUGGLING and if they thought Tkachuk would struggle as well or if they thought Tkachuk would outshine the pick of Jake cause they never even considered Tkachuk when it was blatantly obvious that the Player was a LEGIT TOP 5 pick who could do more things to help this team than Jake can ever dream of... How do NOT INTERVIEW a consensus top 5 pick in the draft when U have one of the picks in the top 5 if for know other reason then to do your due diligence... thats a bad job by the GM any way u wanna sugarcoat it...

I think it was less about protecting Virtanen, but merely a classic case of draft-by-perceived-need mentality. They didn't draft the BPA, and everyone knew it at the time.

[Chef Boi RD]

IMO the not drafting Tkachuk talk doesn’t get enough ink. If we don’t talk about it enough how are we supposed to heal from it?

[Topper]

Would Eli be a Canuck if Tkachuk was drafted by Benning?

Rebuilding, 2016, 2017, 2018, which draft years have better defenders available and which years have better options at forward.

Big picture Genius.

[Cousin Strawberry]

All things aside...why didnt they interview him? Is Trevor still scared of his dad?...would his dad be in on that kind of interview?

The reality is the path that was chosen led to Pettersson who as already stated likely isnt a canuck if we draft MT. My eye tells me EP is a far more valuable asset for this franchise. Top centers dont grow on trees but top wingers can always be added via free agency

[Blob Mckenzie]

LOL so Elmer drafted a far inferior player because he knew Petterson was coming down the pipe the following year. The pipe washers must think Tkachuk is really good if he was going to be the catalyst as an 18 year old to drag the Canucks up the standings so far that they’d miss out on Petterson. Good times.., carry on with the mental gymnastics.

Wouldn’t drafting an inferior player in 2016 in order to have a shittier team in 2016/17 be considered tanking?

[Cousin Strawberry]

It definitely wasnt by design if thats what youre implying. Its purely circumstantial.

I am pretty sure they werent taking a winger regardless of who was still available and that most likely why they didnt even interview him. Imagine the uproar if they had picked 2 similar wingers 2 years in a row with that gaping hole on defense.

I doubt they imagined how poorly OJ would develop otherwise i we would be watching Sergachev in canucks colors

[Blob Mckenzie]

It definitely wasnt by design if thats what youre implying. Its purely circumstantial.

I am pretty sure they werent taking a winger regardless of who was still available and that most likely why they didnt even interview him. Imagine the uproar if they had picked 2 similar wingers 2 years in a row with that gaping hole on defense.

I doubt they imagined how poorly OJ would develop otherwise i we would be watching Sergachev in canucks colors

Yes imagine the uproar to taking a far better player. At the time and now they needed help at every position.

[Cousin Strawberry]

At the time OJ projected to be exactly what we lacked a future puck moving smooth skating defenseman. Too bad hes stalled at 17 in strength and agility. Smurfs are regularly bumping him off pucks in his own end still

[Mickey107]

2014-Jake; right wing, shoots right.
2015-Brock; right wing shoots right.
2016-Mathew left wing shoots left.

Not the same, right?

[Blob Mckenzie]

2014-Jake; right wing, shoots right.
2015-Brock; right wing shoots right.
2016-Mathew left wing shoots left.

Not the same, right?

They are allowed to make trades. Ryan Johsnsen for Seth Jones ring a bell?

What would Olaf fetch in a deal?

[Cousin Strawberry]

I fucked up the timeline lol.

Well thats even worse then. Imagine 3 wingers in a row taken 1st round with zero top end defensive prospects. I can see why we might draft positionally...too bad our boy hasn't stepped up though. If he had tracked the same as his comparable Ollie Maata maybe we aren't wasting our friday morning on this

[Mickey107]

I fucked up the timeline lol.

Well thats even worse then. Imagine 3 wingers in a row taken 1st round with zero top end defensive prospects. I can see why we might draft positionally...too bad our boy hasn't stepped up though. If he had tracked the same as his comparable Ollie Maata maybe we aren't wasting our friday morning on this

In all fairness, he was hyped as a superman. Looked real good in London, then that fucking world juniors wearing the C.
No idea how bad the press was in Finland but, BAD.
Sports shrink! Others have done that with success.

Dan: you see the pic Topper left you of ur long lost bro downstairs?

[Cousin Strawberry]

No i haven't. What pic? Linky?

As far as the hype on OJ...i think we worked him into a top pairing asset more than media did at the time. Maata is a 2nd pairing guy and was his draft day comparable.

[Chef Boi RD]

Would Bubbles be this ‘not drafting Matthew Tkachuk’ depressed had we let’s say drafted Dylan Ankle Skater Strome instead of Mitch “his favourite” Marner?