WWYDW: Mikael Backlund?

By transforming two offseason free agent signings into prospects, he got something for nothing. Ironically, that’s what the “fanbase” wanted because of his inaction with Vrbata and Hamhuis. Yet it’s not good enough because he should have got “draft picks”. If the Snakes on a Plane box office failure has taught us anything, the online community is vocal but don’t know jack squat.

As a one-off it’s not a complete disaster of a deadline. The loss of a potential 3rd round pick for Vanek is not going to make or break the Canucks future. The problem is that its been four years of this regime unable or unwilling to be bold in this ‘rebuild’. It seems like a breaking point for so many fans because it’s the same story over and over. The Rangers went extreme but, as many people have said, they did more proactive moves in the span of a week than Benning and co have done in 4 years. This myth that Canuck fans couldn’t handle a rebuild is such BS.

Here’s a good question for people to answer: What’s the boldest/most proactive move this regime has ever made to move this team forward? I’d say the Hansen trade maybe…but they were losing him to the expansion draft anyways. It’s really hard to think of any.

I wasnt expecting much for our trashcan garbage players.
Was hoping that maybe Granlund would have been added to Vanek trade, bit woth season ending injury, that hope went out the window.
Buffalo ran into the same problem as we did trying to move garbage players like Gorges and pouliot.
Nobody wants or is willing to give up a pick for these types of players. It appears they are willing to give up reclamation projects/small speedy guys is the going currency for these types of player trades.

They gave up very little and got a bit more in return. The Canucks didn’t surprise me. I thought Vanek might’ve gotten them a 3rd but clearly that wasn’t on the table. Most of the insiders say this was a buyer’s trade deadline. So, I am not too upset over the minimal type moves made by the Canucks.

Benning et al seem to be afraid of making bold and significant moves. As a result, they get fringe prospects in return. It’s the calling card of this front office. They had the opportunity to get 1st overall the year of the Matthews draft (I believe they finished 6 points ahead of the Leaves after Canucks swept California). Imagine if they dealt Hamhuis at that deadline and maybe shut down some injured players – we may have had Matthews or Laine. Anyway, maybe this draft day they’ll deal Tanev or Edler.

Does anyone know how strong this draft is expected to be? If it’s a weak one then deal Edler and/or Tanev for picks the following year (when we host the draft).

My thoughts:
1. I wish I drank because I could really use a drink right now.
2. This team is going to be terrible for the next decade.
3. I’m hitching my bandwagon to the Leafs. That’s how you rebuild a team that’s lost in the wilderness.

Trading Holm for Leipsic was fine. The Canucks had 12 (!) left-shooting defensemen under contract, and somebody had to go. May as well trade someone moderately good so you get a player with the true potential in return, and I think Benning did a good job of that.

Vanek for Motte and Jokinen is more controversial, but for all we know that was the best offer on the table. I would have preferred a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick for 2018, but Motte was a highly rated prospect for Chicago just 18 months ago, and he’s certainly better than a late-round pick. I’m keen to see what he looks like on the ice.

My issue with the trade deadline, is not so much what they did; rather what they didn’t.

Since players peak around 24, then in my opinion, the majority of the team will be past their peak when Boeser and Bo peaks, and we don’t have enough players in the system coming up, unless we have a 100% hit rate (300% for defencemen) to support them.

The lack of will to move out current key pieces for futures leaves me genuinely concerned that we will waste Boeser and Bo and have to do a second (first?) rebuild.

From that perspective I believe management failed to have a passing grade deadline.