Benning all ears ahead of draft
Canucks GM willing to deal but only for young players with plenty of upside
It’s difficult to gauge what’s more pervasive here; the Texas heat or Canucks’ rumours.
Just when you thought you’d heard it all, another bombshell drops. The latest, a report that Vancouver GM Jim Benning confirmed: the Canucks are searching for a new goaltending coach.
It will send waves up and down Vancouver’s organization. Dan Cloutier has had a big hand in developing both Jacob Markstrom and top goalie prospect Thatcher Demko.
Cloutier has been successful following one of the best goalie coaches in Canucks’ history, Rollie Melanson. His relationship with Demko has long been cited as one of the key reasons Demko turned around his first season as a professional in Utica, which was rocky for months.
Cloutier is stepping aside for “family reasons.” Add that bombshell to a long list of news and speculation that has engulfed the Canucks for the months since they last played a game.
There’s been noise about Vancouver trading the No. 7 overall pick for Noah Hanifin of the Carolina Hurricanes. And, of course, endless Chris Tanev trade scenarios.
“A lot of that stuff is not happening, but it’s interesting to me,” Benning said.
“I do understand it. Some of the stuff you guys talk about, I wish we could do.”
He then erupted in a robust laugh.
“But some of it isn’t realistic, and it is what it is.”
Benning didn’t shy away when asked about the theory that his organization is eager to be very active on the trade front, not only this week but through the off-season.
“I would like to be, yes,” Benning said. “I’ve had lots of conversations. I don’t know where they end up. But as we get younger, we’d like to add pieces that fit into the age group of our young core of guys.”
The Canucks are chasing players aged in the 20-23 range and are willing to move veterans to do it. Unfortunately, the organization isn’t exactly flush with vets for whom hockey executives will part with young, promising players.
There’s Tanev and Brandon Sutter, who teams have called about. But the Canucks have shown zero interest in moving Sutter. After those two? A ton of question marks with some “meh” sprinkled in.
“What’s happening with us, when I talk to other teams, they want ... the Horvats, the Petterssons, the Boesers and Juolevis,” Benning said. “We’re not moving those players. They’re the future of our team.”
He didn’t include the No. 7 pick in that list of assets he wouldn’t move and that’s Vancouver’s biggest chip this weekend. It’s one some are sure remains in play.
When asked what he would need back if he traded his first round pick at No. 7, Benning didn’t say it was a non-starter.
“If we decided we were going to go down that road, it would have to be a young player that fits into our mould ... a player in that 20- to 23-range,” Benning said.
Does he have to be someone already in the NHL?
“We’ll talk to teams and do our due diligence on all the players,” Benning said. “... I’m taking calls. I’m listening.
“But at seven, I’m going to get a real good player.”