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.”
The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
