For a draft "expert" Jim Benning has blown drafts

Boy Casey Mittlestadt is some kind of player, isn't he?

And Cody Glass.

And Swedish center Lias Anderrson.

The problem for Canucks GM Jim Benning is that those three went after they picked the extremely slight winger Elias Pettersson when they really needed a center in the system, especially after trading Jared McCann.

They have no potential replacement for Henrik Sedin in the system.

And Casey Mittlestadt is so ridiculously good at the World Junior Championships it's hard not to look at Jim Benning and his draft team and ask: "What in the hell were you thinking here?"

Pettersson played well versus lightweight teams in blow-out wins.

Other than that he was shut down by physical teams. They got physical with him. He disappeared. End of story.

He played better talent. He vanished. Simple as that. 1 goal in his last 4 games and that was a PP goal.

Pettersson has also had trouble with the smaller ice surface. Adjusting to the pace of the game has been an obvious problem. And defensively he's been a liability.

Apparently he was also sick.

Excuses are for losers.

The WJC was a step up in class for Pettersson. He was disappointing. Far from bad. Far from the best player in the tournament.

When I see a Russian defenseman take one hand and grab the guy and throw him to the ice - that catches my attention. You just don't see that at this level - ever. If he was Patrick Kane he wouldn't have got caught like that. He is just ridiculously slight. I mean NY runway model skinny. He has to run back and forth in the shower to get wet.

Anyone who thought Pettersson was better than Peter Forsberg using "statistics" showing he was above the Forsberg point pace in the Swedish Hockey League clearly forgot a couple of things.

And I think they forgot them willingly.

Forsberg played in the Swedish league when the NHL was smaller and there was no KHL and the Swiss League wasn't as strong as it is now.

Clearly, the Swedish league ain't what it used to be. The points in the league now are almost meaningless. It's the equivalent of a beer league.

Anton Rodin was the Swedish league MVP. He couldn't crack the Canucks. Excuses of injuries don't count. He couldn't make the AHL team.

The only thing we can judge Pettersson on is: How did he do against his peers?

Ok. He was Ok. He wasn't awful. He wasn't great. He was, meh.

Now if you're ownership and you watched that tournament and you see Mittlestadt just get disgusting and you see your 2016 pick Olli Juolevi get sent home from the WJC with nary a whimper and see that he was a farce at the 2017 Canucks training camp... and you see guys picked behind Juolevi such as Clayton Keller and Matthew Tkachuk become NHL regulars... boy you've to be PISSED.

P
I
S
S
E
D

You hired a draft guru. You got two potential busts on your hands. And Jake Virtanen looks good but the jury's out.

So I think the decision to fire Benning and his scouting staff has already been made.

You can't go into Top 6 picks with hopes and prayers.

The only thing you can evalute Benning on is what the picks around his picks have done.

And it's a death knell for Benning.

As I've previously stated I don't think there's any chance Juolevi plays in the NHL. Or sticks in the NHL might be a better statement. He's just too small.

And as for Pettersson I just don't see it.

I know there's people "all in" on Pettersson because they're seeing something they want to see. Canucks Army are fans, first and foremost.

They WANT to see something that isn't there.

But anyone else can clearly see Pettersson is a project at best.
Scouts had him ranked 10th in that draft for a reason.
The reason was he was way too small for the NHL with very little chance of putting the weight on.

Hell, a 17 year old was put on the Swedish Olympic team. Elias Pettersson, going on 20, was left off the team. And he was leading the Swedish hockey league in points. What does that tell you?

It should tell you that Pettersson has a pretty good Canadian center and winger in the Swedish hockey league.

For me, the biggest mistake was the hiring of this man, Judd Brackett.

I wouldn't say he was clueless. That's a bit too extreme. But he's woefully lacking in NHL experience.

Any change of Jim Benning must include the immediate dismissal of Judd Brackett.

I'm sure he's a nice guy. Very professional.

But he's completely clueless on what an NHL hockey player looks like. And I apologize for saying that because it's attacking his ability to judge NHL talent and it's not an easy gig. And lots and lots of people get it wrong.

But as I've said in previous blocks the 2014 and 2015 drafts were stunningly good.

The 2016 and 2017 drafts potentially have been complete misses.

My guess is IF Pettersson makes it to the NHL - he will become the butt of jokes of Canuck fans and the subject of drinking games - take a drink everytime Pettersson is knocked on his ass.

As for Juolevi - forget about it. It's over. Not happening.
Too small. Too slow. It's a blown pick.

If he was good by his THIRD World Junior Championships he would have shown something.
He's shown nothing.

Does he have a pulse?

So if I'm ownership and I'm seeing empty seats and you're trying to rebuild, and you look at the signs of rebuilding - Juolevi and Pettersson - and you compare that to what could have been, it's a no-brainer.

Benning, Brackett - in the very least, are gone.

And that's a shame.

I think most people wanted to believe Jim Benning and Trevor Linden knew what they were doing. But when you see blown draft picks when you're in the business of drafting and rebuilding then there's a massive problem.

Can you proceed with Linden and Benning?

Absolutely.

But without Brackett.

Get someone who knows what it takes to play in the NHL.
Size is a major requirement.

Getting into Grade 12 math requires Grade 11 math.
It's a prerequisite.

Get someone who understands size is a prerequisite for playing in the NHL.

Look at Los Angeles. Look at San Jose. Look at Anaheim. You have to beat those teams to get into the playoffs.

Small tiny players are not going to get it done.
Like, clearly, it's not getting it done.

Those teams have no plans of turning into smurfs anytime soon.

I'm hoping Pettersson turns it around somewhere along the line. I was tall and skinny too. I didn't fill out until my thirties. I'm clearly throwing away my objective reporter's hat and I'm cheering for him.

But I got to call it like I see it. I don't think Pettersson should be anywhere near the NHL next year and I don't think he will be anywhere near it. He's going to be in the Swedish hockey league for 2018/19, as he should. He needs 20 pounds and the ability to carry the 20 pounds. Realistically - I think Pettersson will be 23 before you see him in the NHL. That's 4 more years.

That's two blown drafts so far.

And you just can't have blown drafts and rebuild a hockey team. You can't.

http://www.michaelmunro.ca/Hockey_Sucks.html