Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning is sort of a divisive figure around these parts. On the one hand, two years into the job, he's yet to do anything that fully belies his billing as a master scout. Benning has had some impressive early drafting success -- Jake Virtanen, Jared McCann, Brock Boeser and Nikita Tryamkin come to mind -- and he's even found some decent young players on the trade block, such as Sven Baertschi and Emerson Etem.
But on the other hand, it's hard to believe the man is a uniquely gifted hockey mind when he's rarely quoted talking like one, and he demonstrates so little regard for asset management. Plus there are those contracts he gave Luca Sbisa and Derek Dorsett.
Thus, many fans are still on the fence.
Although some folks have already come to a conclusion. One Canucks Army post compared him unfavorably to a vacuum cleaner. But even the early-adopter Benning haters have had trouble speaking with much certainty. As another Canucks Army post from November of 2015 pointed out, Benning has had bizarre success with his trades:
The popular belief right now is that Jim Benning is terrible at trading. It’s not strictly about the players involved, but rather about the value of these players as assets. It certainly seemed that the Canucks were bleeding value in nearly every trade that Benning made when looked at from the vast majority of statistical perspectives.
But a funny thing keeps happening: Benning’s deals seem to turn out alright simply because things keep going horribly wrong for the assets that he ships off. So naturally, the question becomes, does Benning see this coming, or is he a more active participant in their misfortunes? In short, is Jim Benning a psychic, or has he been practicing voodoo?
This still holds true.
While it's hard to say Benning has earned a great deal of goodwill in Vancouver, his inexplicable trade success has staved off a great deal of ill will. But all of that will be wiped away in an instant if Gustav Forsling continues his trajectory.
You might remember Forsling. The blueliner was a Canucks prospect, and he was just coming off an impressive showing at the World Juniors. Canucks fans were excited about him. People knew his name. And so, Benning seized the spike in Forsling's value and shipped him to the Chicago Blackhawks for Adam Clendening, who was billed, effectively, as already being where Forsling would be in three years.
That was last January, which means Forsling only has 20 more months to find his way to the Edmonton Oilers organization. Remember when I questioned his asset management?
One doubts Forsling is going anywhere. I hate to say it, Canucks fans, but the kid appears to be... improving. It's one of those things that happens to developing prospects. No one knows how or why. But it's why smart GMs tend to hold onto their draft picks for awhile, even when one's gut is burbling with high-minded ideas. It's hard to see the Chicago Blackhawks pulling a Benning on Forsling -- not after the defender was named Sweden's top junior player of the year.
Here's what Blackhawks blog Second City Hockey had to say about the honour:
Many prominent Swedish players currently in the NHL won the top junior honor before making the leap to North America. Among the current stars who Forsling joins on the list of winners are Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom, Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and the Sedin brothers in Vancouver. Other big names to win the award include Peter Forsberg and Niklas Kronwall.
So that should give you an idea of the kind of season that Forsling had. While the defenseman wasn't considered an elite prospect entering the year, he was well-regarded and has only improved upon his stock. Now, after signing with Chicago, it's fair to wonder whether Forsling might leap past Ville Pokka as the No. 1 defenseman prospect in the organization (if he hasn't already).
Aw, gross.
Granted, Second City is a fan blog, and every fan overhypes their team's prospects a little. But one doesn't really have to strain to do it when the prospect is earning comparisons to the Sedins, Peter Forsberg and Niklas Kronwall.
It remains to be seen whether or not Forsling's transition to the NHL will be a successful one. But the signs (and awards) are certainly pointing that way. If he does, then you'll be looking at Benning's first colossal trade bust as Canucks GM and the undoing of his best defence against the haters.
After that, one suspects many of the fans on the fence about Benning will find it much easier to make up their minds.
