Tanking is important to me, but it does not have to be for you

It’s not secret that tanking divides a fanbase. There are reasons why I am willing to sit through short-term suffering for long-term gain. You are free to disagree, but stop throwing empty phrases about “real fans” out there.

The Vancouver Canucks are unique in more ways than one. There aren’t many teams that have made it to three Stanley Cup Finals and failed to capture a single championship. As with any franchise, there are peaks and valleys and right now, the Canucks are in an incredibly deep valley.

In a time where the Canucks have lost far more than they have won (137-150-36 in the Jim Benning era to this point), fans debate the merit (or lack thereof) in tanking. Even the casual fan understands what tanking is. Simply put, it’s creating a situation where the goal is to lose as many games as possible.

Based on that record, you would think Jim Benning has succeeded in that regard. Unfortunately, I would only agree with that if losing was originially part of the plan. It never was. Benning wanted his team to make the playoffs every year. This was done accidentally. The NHL has shown over the years that it is difficult to be good, but fairly easy to be bad.

Although it may not make sense to cheer for losses on the surface, perhaps you can see my perspective. I am more than willing to suffer early on for the long haul. You don’t have to agree, but at the very least, hear me out.

Only general managers can tank

Players and coaches do not tank. They want to win every game, even it compromises the long term future of the franchise. People in this category are not responsible for making the team better.

The GM tanks by building a poor roster with assets to flip at the deadline for picks. Benning has had no problem with the first part. The second part is a work in progress. You can’t tell players to lose on purpose.

However, a GM can tell the coach to start shifting minutes away from his veterans and letting the kids play, mistakes and all. There is no logical reason to lean heavily on Jussi Jokinen in games that have not mattered since the start of March.

The Canucks have several players who require waivers for assignment next season and should be getting a detailed look at what these guys can offer. Some of the older players are fighting for jobs for next year, but honestly, I could not care less. They can fight for jobs at training camp. Since they won’t be with the team in five years from now, they don’t matter.

Additionally, this is why the trade deadline is so important. Hopefully, the GM spent the previous offseason signing vets to cheap contracts on one-year deals. The logical step would be to move these veterans at the deadline, creating roster spots for younger players, leaving the coach no choice but to play them.

NHL coaches may not like that at the end of the year, but as a GM, that should not bother you. The GM isn’t here to make the coach and players happy when the season is over before March. Their goal is to win a Stanley Cup and failing that, lay the groundwork that will lead to that.

Tanking isn’t just about losing

Most people look at tanking as losing on purpose, but I think it’s more nuanced than that. On first glance, people say it’s unnatural to cheer for losses, because you cheer for another team. That does not make sense to them. The problem in that shallow analysis is the prerequisite of context.

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The reason why 31st overall is the goal this year is not for the first overall pick. It is to guarantee that team does not slide lower than fourth overall. Not bad, considering how many times the team has picked fifth.

However, there is one area where finishing last is of greater importance. Assuming the GM has not moved any of his draft picks after the first round, he would have the first selection from rounds 2-7. With an amateur scouting group like the one Vancouver has, this is one of the best advantages you can give them in a given draft.

It is rare to find elite talent in free agency or the trade market. Given Jim Benning’s record in either area, he needs to play to his strengths at the draft table. More picks provides more opportunities to obtain elite talent.

This is not a difficult concept. If the team wants to build through the draft (and they have said it too many times), then you need the appropriate currency to do that. Ultimately, that currency is draft picks, not the flotsam and jetsam from every other team in this league.

Stop being divisive

Like I said before, you don’t have to like tanking. I understand and respect people that can’t cheer for losses. That’s your prerogative. However, when you start calling out people for not being “real fans,” then you are part of the problem.

You are driving wedges in this fanbase when everyone wants the same thing: to see the Vancouver Canucks hoist the Stanley Cup. I know the word fan comes from fanatic, but I would be very careful about preaching blind loyalty. You don’t want to blur the line between sports fan and cult member.

None of us on Team Tank want the players to stop trying. However, we find it inconvenient that the team happens to win at the worst possible time. We are angry that this team is following a myopic plan. Angry, because mediocre stop gap players like Brandon Sutter and Erik Gudbranson are just delaying the inevitable.

Next: Roberto Luongo reflects on 2011

I know the most ardent anti-tank people think we will end up like the Oilers if we tank, but we are already there. The management style is identical, but the lottery luck is not. Vancouver needs a better plan in place. Something that looks three to five years ahead and not one. Losing is the easy part. The NHL rewards losing. Building a great team and not just a good team is where the real skill comes through.