Vancouver Canucks: Management promise a rebuild and fail to deliver

Revisionist history

While the Canucks continue to fail on keeping promises, they have a habit of rewriting history. Specifically, they seem to say things that contradict what they said in the past.

I don’t think Jim Benning is intentionally lying, but he does have a habit of forgetting what has happened. In an interview with Bob McKenzie, Benning assured that room would be made for young players if they earned it, just like Troy Stecher. The GM had seemingly forgotten that Stecher was sent to Utica and only called up because of an injury to Chris Tanev.

Canucks management was reluctant to admit that they were rebuilding. At first, Trevor Linden said a rebuild would not be fair to the Sedins. Personally, that is a terrible excuse. The Sedins deserve respect for all of their years with Vancouver, but they should not be scapegoated because management is too cowardly to do a proper rebuild.

And then we have this:

A team with an eye on the future does not sign Brandon Sutter to such an expensive contract. The ridiculous deal given to Loui Eriksson is a poor move made by a contending team. It is a catastrophic move for a rebuilding one. Eriksson’s contract is bloated and designed to be buyout-proof.

Finally, the negative pressure put on by fans and the media forced Linden to say this:

Thanks, Trevor. But, you are about three years late on what everyone had wanted to hear. He is so condescending, saying “if that’s what will unite fans, then it’s a rebuild.” Linden is trying to shift the blame of the team’s direction onto the fans, which is pathetic.