Heading into his fourth year as general manager of the Vancouver Canucks, Jim Benning finally seems to have constructed a roster that knows where it’s going in the long run.
Benning’s first three seasons as GM were highlighted by the frustrations of trying to balance a rebuild while also making the Canucks a team that was capable of pushing for the playoffs. It worked in 2015 when they finished second in the Pacific Division, but they’ve since followed after placing 28th and 29th over the last two seasons.
Benning has been criticized for extending fairly average players like Luca Sbisa and Derek Dorsett, while handing out aging veteran Loui Eriksson a six-year deal worth $36 million.