The Canuck Way
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Vancouver Canucks Trade Analysis: Benning Knows Trading

By David Joun

Jan 10, 2016; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers defenseman Erik Gudbranson (44) skates against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period at Rexall Place. Florida Panthers won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2016; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers defenseman Erik Gudbranson (44) skates against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period at Rexall Place. Florida Panthers won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 27, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning announces Jake Virtanen (not pictured) as the number six overall pick to the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

GM Jim Benning is a Confident Scout

What was Jim Benning thinking when he traded away two picks, one of which is essentially a high second rounder that is just as good as a late first? Is this draft not packed deep with talent that the Canucks need? What happened to “building from the draft”?

With one of Matthew Tkachuk or Pierre-Luc Dubois sure to be available at the number five selection, the Canucks were looking to draft a defenseman with their second pick. But in getting Gudbranson, a top-four material, the Canucks have relieved themselves of the duty to draft a defenseman with the 33rd pick, and hence relinquished the pick in the trade.

Benning is confident in his assessment of Gudbranson and deemed the potential defenseman at 33rd-overall a surplus.

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The issue that I would raise, however, is that of much finer detail. The Canucks lack scoring defensemen. Although a Nikita Tryamkin-like Gudbranson certainly stabilizes the defense and makes netminders’ lives easier, it doesn’t help the offense a whole lot.

And yet this draft is almost littered with offensive defensemen, starting with top picks Olli Juolevi and Dante Fabbro to late first-round guys like Kyle Clague and Samuel Girard.

Jim Benning quotes the deal that saw his former club, the Boston Bruins, say goodbye to then-RFA Dougie Hamilton. Calgary had acquired Hamilton for their first-round pick (#15) in the 2015 NHL Draft and the two second-round picks (#45 and #52).

Although a Gudbranson-to-Hamilton comparison may not be the most suitable, the Canucks did essentially send two late first-round picks for Gudbranson; think of the fourth-to-fifth round trade down and the early second collectively as equal value to a late first, and couple that with McCann.

Compare that to the price the Flames had to pay and consider the fact that Hamilton was a free agent bound for a mega deal, this deal is definitely not the worst one the NHL has seen draft pick-wise.

Next: Who cares what Jared McCann becomes?

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