Since general manager Jim Benning was hired in 2014, the Vancouver Canucks have been trying to retool on the fly. Benning and president Trevor Linden have tried to draft well and develop future superstars while also adding enough veterans so they could compete for the postseason.
It worked in 2015, as the Canucks surprisingly finished second in the ultra-difficult Pacific Division. However, the younger and faster Calgary Flames diminished the Canucks in six games.
Vancouver has missed the playoffs in each of the past two years, but it’s helped them add two more (hopeful), franchise cornerstones, defenceman Olli Juolevi and centre Elias Pettersson in the draft.