2. Signing Loui Eriksson
This was a classic example of “it seemed like a good idea at the time.”
The Canucks were the NHL’s third-worst team of 2015-16, but didn’t get to draft until fifth overall. As a result, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine weren’t going to go to Vancouver to give this team a much-needed boost of offence.
So, Benning signed Swedish star Loui Eriksson to a six-year deal worth $36 million. The 31-year-old was coming off a 30-goal, 63-point season with the Boston Bruins. Pairing him with the Sedins was a match made in Heaven, on paper.
But, Eriksson has struggled mightily in Vancouver. The two-way forward scored just two goals and six points with a minus-four rating through his first 16 games. Even if Eriksson was the NHL’s top scorer through those first 16, this contract wouldn’t make much sense.
A team that has too many core players on the wrong side of 30 needs to get younger, not older. Eriksson’s contract won’t expire until he’s 37. There’s a good chance the Canucks are only getting three quality years out of this from Eriksson.
There’s no denying that Eriksson is a talented player. But assuming Bo Horvat, Jake Virtanen, Thatcher Demko, Olli Juolevi and Brock Boeser all become NHL regulars and need new contracts down the road, Eriksson will be taking up significant cap space.