[Article] Canucks: Trevor Linden slams former GM Jim Benning in Sportsnet 650 interview

[RWJC]

Canucks: Trevor Linden slams former GM Jim Benning in Sportsnet 650 interview

 

Rumours have swirled. Questions have been asked.

 

Was it really Jim Benning’s call to draft superstar forward Elias Pettersson with the fifth-overall pick in 2017, or did the former general manager prefer someone else?

 

Former Vancouver Canucks great Trevor Linden attempted to clear the air in an eye-opening interview on Sportsnet 650 on Wednesday afternoon — and his take on what happened behind the scenes leading up to that fateful draft for the Canucks is not favourable towards Benning.

 

On Canucks Central with Dan Riccio and Satiar Shah, Linden, who as team president hired Benning in 2014, said if the former Boston Bruins assistant GM “had his choice, he probably would’ve taken a different player.”

 

“I wasn’t happy with the way our process was in 2016 and that was the first year Judd (Brackett) had taken over the reins and I did not like how our meetings went,” Linden said. “So in 2017, I really pushed hard to have Judd really step up and really run a robust-type meeting in that we can really put our thoughts and feelings on the table.

 

“I really pushed hard in that management group to have Judd and his guys make the pick. And Judd — and give Ronnie Delorme a lot of credit as well — they loved this guy and so, Jim wasn’t sold.”

 

 

 

The year before Pettersson was selected, Benning took Olli Juolevi with the sixth-overall pick. Juolevi turned out to be a bust in Vancouver and is currently playing in Sweden.

 

A few hours after the Linden interview, Sportsnet producer Raja Shergill posted on X that he had spoken to Benning, who refuted the comments.

“We were always going to draft Pettersson. The whole group liked Petey.”

 

Benning also told Shergill that he felt the scouting group hadn’t watched other players enough and wanted them to do their due diligence.

 

Benning’s comments are thought to be the first to be made publicly since he was fired by the Canucks in December of 2021 — on the same day the organization relieved head coach Travis Green of his duties in a house cleaning move.

 

Brackett, meanwhile, signed with the Minnesota Wild to be their head scout in July of 2020.

Mike Raptis

mraptis@postmedia.com

twitter.com/mike_raptis

 

https://apple.news/AdpjVJCyGQBWzol6sgeoNjQ

Edited November 9, 2023 by RWJC

[DixonWard]

I don't know why this matters? I love Linden , but I don't know what purpose this serves now at a time when fans are finally enjoying the team and the organization again.  Write your memoirs later.

 

IMHO I hope this thread dies a quick death.

 

Go Canucks Go!

[Jess]

"Slams" is probably not the correct term, but Linden was pretty clear that Benning had a different opinion. To his credit though, I think the consensus was that Petey was a 7-9 player, not a #5, so it was a little off the board. Credit to Brackett and his team though for doing a good job.

[Miss Korea]

Aren't there still a bunch of Benning loyalists here who credit him with drafting Pettersson?  Imagine where we'd be with Cody Glass right now.

[Barn Burner]

That's not throwing him under the bus. That's reality. 

 

Why would Linden say otherwise? 

 

It also means that Trevor wanted more input from the head scout and his team. 

 

I don't see anything wrong with that. 

 

If Benning's the GM, he can't be head scout too. 

[iinatcc]

1 hour ago, RWJC said:

 

Benning’s comments are thought to be the first to be made publicly since he was fired by the Canucks in December of 2021 — on the same day the organization relieved head coach Travis Green of his duties in a house cleaning move.

 

 

For Benning to come out and comment on what Linden said must really hit a nerve for Benning. 

 

Guess this photo is appropriate

 

 

[iinatcc]

17 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

"Slams" is probably not the correct term, but Linden was pretty clear that Benning had a different opinion. To his credit though, I think the consensus was that Petey was a 7-9 player, not a #5, so it was a little of the board. Credit to Brackett and his team though for doing a good job.

 

Now I want to know who is responsible for picking Kole Lind and not Jason Robertson 

[iinatcc]

53 minutes ago, DixonWard said:

I don't know why this matters? I love Linden , but I don't know what purpose this serves now at a time when fans are finally enjoying the team and the organization again.  Write your memoirs later.

 

IMHO I hope this thread dies a quick death.

 

Go Canucks Go!

 

Um Canucks Central was asking him about the process of drafting Pettersson. Linden was just being candid in how he answers the question 

 

I guess to Benning's credit if this was indeed what happened he was on board with Pettersson. So I will give him that.

 

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by iinatcc

[Miss Korea]

@RWJC Here comes the pushback.  That was fast

 

 

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by Miss Korea

[Iron Fist]

Trevor right now

[iinatcc]

Just now, Miss Korea said:

@RWJC Here comes the pushback.  That was fast

 

 

 

I can imagine there might be some truth to that since Linden's comments is open to Interpretation. 

It could be possible that Benning preferred Glass (like how he preferred Juolevi the draft prior) and it took Brackett and the scouting team to really convince Benning to change his mind.  

 

I think the lesson here is that communication within the organization is very important and my key takeaway from the interview with Linden is Linden really tried to setup a structure in the Organisation. After the Linden interview the folks in Canucks central mentioned that after Linden left the structure started breaking down and Brackett left not long after. 

 

 

[Miss Korea]

7 minutes ago, iinatcc said:

 

I can imagine there might be some truth to that since Linden's comments is open to Interpretation. 

It could be possible that Benning preferred Glass (like how he preferred Juolevi the draft prior) and it took Brackett and the scouting team to really convince Benning to change his mind.  

 

I think the lesson here is that communication within the organization is very important and my key takeaway from the interview with Linden is Linden really tried to setup a structure in the Organisation. After the Linden interview the folks in Canucks central mentioned that after Linden left the structure started breaking down and Brackett left not long after. 

 

 

Hard to say how well of a communicator President Linden truly was (he was probably pretty good), but I sure as hell know Benning was trash at it.  I genuinely think he is stupid.  

[Elias Pettersson]

We all know Benning wanted Juolevi and Glass.  He got his way the first time but was outnumbered the second time and had to go with the crowd.  Thanks God...

[Drakrami]

It just goes to show there's a lot more behind the scenes. 95% of CDC was showering Benning with praises for at least the first 7 years of Benning's tenure. It's ironic now if people start bashing him lol. 

 

[iinatcc]

lol

 

 

 

Though something has to be up if two former Canucks scouts have indirectly sided with Linden on this.

Edited November 9, 2023 by iinatcc

[Ghostsof1915]

I'm going to go off board and saying Delorme has screwed up a lot of drafts in the past. But he got it right when it counted.

[Jeremy Hronek]

4 hours ago, -AJ- said:

"Slams" is probably not the correct term, but Linden was pretty clear that Benning had a different opinion. To his credit though, I think the consensus was that Petey was a 7-9 player, not a #5, so it was a little of the board. Credit to Brackett and his team though for doing a good job.

 

 

Benning was also wanted Pettersson but wanted to do a comprehensive due diligence before definitively moving forward with him.  

 

Sounds to me like Linden is full of shit.

[Jeremy Hronek]

3 hours ago, Drakrami said:

It just goes to show there's a lot more behind the scenes. 95% of CDC was showering Benning with praises for at least the first 7 years of Benning's tenure. It's ironic now if people start bashing him lol. 

 

 

Benning also wanted Pettersson.......he just wanted to do a more comprehensive due diligence on all of the other prospects as well.  

[Jeremy Hronek]

3 hours ago, Elias Pettersson said:

We all know Benning wanted Juolevi and Glass.  He got his way the first time but was outnumbered the second time and had to go with the crowd.  Thanks God...

 

False. Benning also loved Pettersson but wanted to do a more comprehensive due diligence on all of the prospects.

[Sativika]

He said, she said.....Who cares?!?!?!?!?!? It's in the past and means sweet FA. Now is the time and the future looks good.

Go Canucks Go!

 

Oh yea. And I'm a Linden supporter. Dude was one of the good ones for us. On and off the ice and even now. For TL, Vancouver forever!

[iinatcc]

50 minutes ago, Jeremy Hronek said:

 

 

Benning was also wanted Pettersson but wanted to do a comprehensive due diligence before definitively moving forward with him.  

 

Sounds to me like Linden is full of shit.

 

49 minutes ago, Jeremy Hronek said:

 

Benning also wanted Pettersson.......he just wanted to do a more comprehensive due diligence on all of the other prospects as well.  

 

48 minutes ago, Jeremy Hronek said:

 

False. Benning also loved Pettersson but wanted to do a more comprehensive due diligence on all of the prospects.

 

 

Well it's his word againts Linden and the other former Canucks scouts that indirectly verified what Linden said. 

[iinatcc]

22 minutes ago, Sativika said:

He said, she said.....Who cares?!?!?!?!?!? It's in the past and means sweet FA. Now is the time and the future looks good.

Go Canucks Go!

 

Oh yea. And I'm a Linden supporter. Dude was one of the good ones for us. On and off the ice and even now. For TL, Vancouver forever!

 

Yeah it doesn't change the fact that Benning was awful as the Canucks GM. 

[LillStrimma]

56 minutes ago, Jeremy Hronek said:

 

False. Benning also loved Pettersson but wanted to do a more comprehensive due diligence on all of the prospects.

So you say the other scouts confirming Lindens word is also full of shit?

 

Did actually a true Benning fan come over here? 

If so I can reaffirm you that Benning was and is full of shit. He is the closest, anyone connected with the Canucks, to be called a MAGA Canuck. 

 

Edited November 9, 2023 by LillStrimma

[bishopshodan]

Without the way things went we wouldnt have the team we have now.

 

Dont want to focus on this negative shit. Trev shut up, media shut up, Benning shut up. 

 

K? thx. 

 

 

[IBatch]

1 hour ago, Jeremy Hronek said:

 

Benning also wanted Pettersson.......he just wanted to do a more comprehensive due diligence on all of the other prospects as well.  

Listen to the interview.    And the questions asked.    Linden was reserved.   Like usual.   He probably has several reasons to throw JB under the bus but isn't.   As for JB, probably best just to keep quiet.    For sure JB needed convincing, nothing wrong with that either. 

Edited November 9, 2023 by IBatch