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Canucks’ GM drops big news as team now looks to back up moves

Published

5 years ago

February 19, 2020

VANCOUVER – You would think after nearly six years as one of the leading figures in this wonderful, wacky, often infuriating Vancouver Canucks soap opera, Jim Benning would have a better sense for the dramatic.

Let the tension build, tease the audience a little, build the drama and then leave them wanting more.

But, no. In comes Benning to Tuesday’s press conference, after making his biggest trade in years on a holiday Monday evening a full week ahead of the trade deadline, and casually starts spilling news bombs like they’re tic-tacs dropping through a hole in his pocket.

The general manager traded for Tyler Toffoli because Brock Boeser is actually out for the season.

And by the way, Josh Leivo’s knee injury is worse than thought and he too is probably out until at least the playoffs, joining Boeser and the concussed Micheal Ferland.

Trading excellent collegian Tyler Madden to the Kings for Toffoli on Monday wasn’t too hard because Benning has identified seven Canucks prospects who will be ready for the NHL in the next couple of years.

And just because: The Canucks and goalie Jacob Markstrom have halted negotiations on a new contract until after the season. Markstrom is having a Vezina Trophy-calibre year and could leave as an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

And then Benning moved on to the second five minutes of his news conference.

Eventually, he called what the Canucks have been through the last four years a black hole and said minor-league call-up Zack MacEwen is ready to be an every day NHL player.

The Canucks boss had enough material to keep reporters busy for the rest of trade deadline week – even without making another trade – but buried them with his news avalanche.

Somebody please get this guy a script writer.

Where to begin?

Well, let’s try on the ice where this season’s drama will be decided in the next seven weeks.

With Boeser out up to eight weeks with a rib cartilage fracture – not the three weeks the Canucks inferred in a press release Monday night – the expensive acquisition of Toffoli now looks vital to Vancouver actually making it across the playoff finish line in the top eight of the Western Conference.

Benning gave the Kings his second-round draft pick and Madden, the 160-pound Northeastern University scoring star who appeared as high as third on a lot of insiders’ prospects rankings for the Canucks, but was deemed expendable by hockey operations in light of the tidal wave of other Vancouver prospects rolling towards the NHL.

“I feel we have seven players, young players, in our system that I think are going to be on our team here in the next two or three years,” Benning said. “I count, like, seven on the conservative side. That’s a third of the team. With the five or six or seven young guys we have now, that’s two-thirds of our team in the next three years that are going to be 25 years or younger.

“I don’t think it’s a change in philosophy, I just felt like we have enough depth in prospect pool that we can give up (Madden).”

Benning did not identify his super seven, but we’re guessing it’s something like: forwards Nils Hoglander, Vasily Podkolzin and Kole Lind, defencemen Olli Juolevi, Brogan Rafferty and Jack Rathbone, and goalie Mike DiPietro.

Toffoli, a 27-year-old former Stanley Cup winner who is on an expiring contract, is a close friend and former linemate of Canucks forward Tanner Pearson. But on Tuesday, Toffoli practised in Boeser’s spot beside Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller.

Just 2-4-1 in their last seven games and with their playoff cushion deflated to just four points before the chasing Winnipeg Jets played the Kings on Tuesday, the Canucks face the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday at Rogers Arena.

“We always got along with each other,” Pearson said of Toffoli. “We lived in the same building in Manchester (in the minors). When we first got called up, we spent summers together in L.A. and lived together there. I probably spent too much time with him, to be honest.”

Of Toffoli joining the Canucks, Pearson said: “We’ve kind of been talking about it here and there for a bit, just joking around about it. And then he texted me (Monday) and said this actually could be happening. He called me probably an hour later and said ‘it looks like it’s done.’”

“I probably iced him a little bit because I had 100 other people calling,” Toffoli said. “It was one of those things where I was, not hoping, but looking forward to this opportunity. Today was as easy as could be from what I was expecting.”

Toffoli said he knew a few of the Canucks, including former King Oscar Fantenberg, and that the group instantly made him feel comfortable. Toffoli already had intel that “J.T. likes to talk a lot, so we’ll just go from there and just read off of each other.”

“That’s not chirping, that’s just facts,” Miller said. “I’ve watched Tyler a lot since we came into the league the same year, and he’s a super-talented player. I’m pumped.”

Benning hoped the players would be pumped. He said several times during his press conference that, in the wake of bad injury news on Boeser and Ferland, the GM felt he owed it to players, coaches and fans to do what he could to bolster the team so the Canucks could climb out of the black hole and make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2015.

“The Michael Ferland news, I think that was kind of like the first shoe to drop,” Benning said. “When we had a better idea where Brock was going to be at, I felt the need to try to do something to help our group to be competitive from now to the end of the year.”

Defenceman Tyler Myers said: “As a player, this (trade) excites us. When you have a team this time of year that you feel can not only make the playoffs but do something when you get there, this is what you want. Especially losing a guy like Brock here, the addition of Tyler is huge for our group. It’s really nice to have him.”

Transferring Boeser to the long-term injured list conveniently allowed the Canucks to fit Toffoli’s $4.6-million salary under the NHL cap. Benning said he wants to re-sign Toffoli before he becomes a UFA.

“Jim’s helping us out,” Pearson said. “Now it’s up to this room to pretty much back that up.”

Stay tuned.

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Red Wings sign Moritz Seider to 7-year deal worth nearly $60M

Published

4 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.

The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.

Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.

He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.

Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.

Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.

The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.

Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.

Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.

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AP NHL:

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Veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin lead Canada’s team at WXV rugby tournament

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.

WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).

Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.

“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.

“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”

Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.

Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.

Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.

Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.

The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.

Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.

The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.

WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.

The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.

Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad

Forwards

Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);

Backs

Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).

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Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

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Vancouver Canucks star goalie Thatcher Demko working through rare muscle injury

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.

The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.

He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.

Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.

He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.

Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

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