In the summer of 2015, Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning wanted to make his team better. He wants to be successful now, not after a five-year rebuild. But what exactly was and is he thinking?
On draft day, Vancouver dealt their 27-year-old goaltender Eddie Lack to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2015 third-round pick and a 2016 seventh-round selection. With that deal, Benning made clear that 35-year-old Ryan Miller would be his go-to guy in net. A good player, but obviously not a player for the future.
Shortly after, the Canucks traded Zack Kassian and a 2016 fifth-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Brandon Prust.