PITB now lives on Substack

On Thursday morning, I was informed that Vancouver Is Awesome no longer wishes to have Canucks coverage on their website and that I, effectively immediately, was out of a job.

Read all about it on Substack: https://passittobulis.substack.com/

IWTG: Canucks can't crack the Wild's defensive shell in Game 1

Canucks fans have been waiting a long time for this.

I’m not just talking about the four and a half months that the NHL season was on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though that was certainly a long time to go without Canucks hockey. Even a normal off-season is punctuated by various hockey ephemera, like the draft, prospect camp, and free agency.

But Canucks fans have been waiting particularly long to get back to the playoffs. While this technically isn’t the playoffs — it notably doesn’t count for trade conditions like the one attached to the first-round pick in the J.T. Miller trade — this play-in qualification round still counts as the postseason.

That’s something Canucks fans haven’t seen since 2015, when they faced the Calgary Flames in the first round in the first year of Jim Benning’s tenure as general manager. The Canucks haven’t made it to the playoffs since — technically, they still haven’t.

It's been even longer since the Canucks won a playoff round. For that, you have to go all the way back to the powerhouse 2011 Canucks, who of course went to the Stanley Cup Final.

In other words, such as those sung by Aaron Lewis, it’s been awhile.

That made it a doubly-painful gut punch when the Canucks played one of their worst games of the year. There was an inescapable “I waited that long for this?” feeling to the game. It was like waiting 16 years for the next Star Wars movie after Return of the Jedi and camping out for tickets to opening night, only to see Jar Jar Binks traipse about the screen, the mystical force reduced to what a scanner says about his power level, and the terrifying villain Darth Vader turned into a catch phrase-spewing ten-year-old.

That wasn’t podracing. And neither was this game, which, like the Phantom Menace on opening night, I watched.

I Watched This Awkward Pandemic Exhibition Game: Canucks can’t ground the Jets

So we’re actually doing this, are we?

You have to give the NHL credit for getting games going seemingly without major incident. A few positive COVID-19 cases were reported back in Phase 1, but the NHL’s strategy seems to have worked: putting everyone in a bubble like Jake Gyllenhaal to create individualized hypoallergenic environments for each player, then sending them out on the ice like bubble soccer players.

Wait, that’s not what they did? The “bubbles” they’re talking about are just two quarantined areas in Toronto and Edmonton? Well, that’s way less fun.

After a training camp redux in Vancouver, Wednesday’s exhibition game against the Jets was a chance for the Canucks to get back up to game speed in a ridiculous hurry. Starting Sunday, they’ll face a five-game play-in series against the Wild. Win that series and they’re in the playoffs; lose and they have a 12.5% chance at the first overall pick, ceded to one of the play-in teams by the draft lottery.

It’s an absurd situation for an absurd time.

The results will matter against the Wild; this game was a lot more about testing the waters, albeit by jumping in with a massive cannonball rather than dipping a toe in. There’s no time to fiddle with line combinations, experiment with power play set ups, or mess with defence pairings. The Canucks need to play like a playoff team immediately.

Expecting playoff-caliber hockey after a near five-month layoff is a tough ask, and we certainly didn’t get it on Wednesday. But absence makes the heart grow fonder and any Canucks hockey is good hockey after that much time without it. It was a balm to the soul when I watched this game.

Despite Pettersson, Horvat, and Gaudette, the Canucks are not set at centre

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There’s a sentiment floating around the Canucks fandom that I find concerning. It’s the idea that the Canucks are set at centre for the foreseeable future and shouldn’t worry about acquiring more young centre prospects, either at the draft or via trade.

It’s why many Canucks fans were fine with the team moving Tyler Madden to the Los Angeles Kings in the Tyler Toffoli trade, even before Toffoli quickly clicked with Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller on the top line. It’s why many Canucks fans are eager to see the team draft defencemen and scoring wingers ahead of centres when the NHL Entry Draft finally arrives.

On the surface, it’s not an unreasonable stance. At the NHL level, Pettersson is a legitimate franchise forward, Bo Horvat is a strong two-way second-line centre, and Adam Gaudette is an up-and-coming scoring threat from the third line. With that youth up the middle and a veteran fourth-line centre, the Canucks should be set for years, right?

The truth is, the Canucks depth at centre is nearly nonexistent.

Why Judd Brackett was let go as the Canucks' Director of Amateur Scouting

The Canucks announced the departure of Judd Brackett on Friday, the generally accepted day of the week for burying news, but the writing has been on the wall for months.

Patrick Johnston at The Province was the first to report on the issues behind the scenes between Canucks GM Jim Benning and Director of Amateur Scouting Brackett. The Canucks' recent success at the draft table has turned Brackett into a bit of a folk hero in Vancouver, but his contract was set to expire at the end of the season.

Benning said that he had offered Brackett a two-year contract extension, but it was rejected. There was speculation as to why, but it narrowed down in recent months to an issue of autonomy. Brackett wanted to be able to run his own department, while Benning and Assistant GM John Weisbrod had expressed their desire to be more heavily involved in scouting.

On a conference call with the media on Friday, Benning confirmed that autonomy was one of the primary issues, but suggested that Brackett was asking for too much.

Jim Benning confirms that autonomy was the big divide with Judd Brackett.

"I believe in a chain of command... I don't know too many places where a team is going to give a head scout total autonomy to make all the picks without collaborating with people higher up..."

— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) May 29, 2020

That statement seems at odds with Brackett's approach to drafting, however, which has always emphasized collaboration. He has never taken sole credit for drafting any player. In many ways, Brackett's success as Director of Amateur Scouting has been more about his emphasis on a collaborative process than on his own keen eye as a scout.

Brackett's own statement on his private Twitter account made it clear that the issue of autonomy wasn't about who gets credit for draft picks, but about "personnel and process."

Judd Brackett, Star Wars, and the importance of disagreement

Judd Brackett at the Canucks' 2019 scouting meetings. photo: Canucks/YouTube

If the hockey season hadn’t been canceled, there’s a possibility that the Canucks would be in the playoffs right now and the off-ice, front-office drama of the last few days would have been a minor subplot or footnote.

Instead, there’s nothing else going on in the world of the Canucks, so the ongoing question of Judd Brackett’s future with the team is not just a story — it’s the story.

As of right now, Brackett is still the Canucks’ director of amateur scouting, a role he’s filled since he was promoted in the summer of 2015 after playing a key role in the scouting of Brock Boeser and Adam Gaudette. He’s been in charge of the Canucks’ drafting for the last four drafts, which have resulted in two true superstars in Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, along with a handful of other intriguing prospects that could play a large role in the team’s future.

Since amateur scouting and drafting have been the primary strengths under Jim Benning’s tenure as general manager of the Canucks, it’s surprising that Brackett’s future with the team is in doubt.

Actually, it wouldn’t be surprising if Brackett’s future with the Canucks was in doubt because another team wanted to hire him to give him a bigger role with more responsibility and higher pay. After all, that was the path Jim Benning took to becoming a general manager. He was first a scout, then the director of amateur scouting for the Buffalo Sabres before the Boston Bruins hired him as Director of Player Personnel, then promoted him to Assistant General Manager.

What’s unusual is that Brackett seems likely to lose his job despite being very good at it and with no other team headhunting him.

The 2019-20 Canucks Top Meme Awards

Guest Post by Natalie Hoy

It may be a shortened Canucks season, but there's been no shortage of meme-able Canucks content. Here is a top 8 in honour of defenseman Chris Tanev’s first full season in the NHL.¹ We are all very proud of you.²

8 | Hockey hugs (of quality)

Will Graham wrote an entire article on the tangible intangibles of hockey hugs, and it goes to show how embraced they were by the fanbase this season. There was a lot of skill on display, but a lot of camaraderie also.

1st place in the Pacific Division at the break? That deserves some #HockeyHugs #Canucks pic.twitter.com/OI1CjCtJ9w

— Sportsnet 650 (@Sportsnet650) January 19, 2020

7 | Yep, that’s me, Jacob Markstrom

The *record scratch* *freeze frame* meme is an amalgam of several 80s/90s film clichés and one of my favourites, because everyone knows the best memes are the ones derived from sheer panic.

On Nov. 5th, the Canucks and St. Louis went to overtime and Tyler Myers shot wide, lost an edge, and took J.T. Miller down with him. It was a rare 3-on-0 heading the other way, and you gotta love Markstrom’s aggressive goal post tap as he readied himself for the challenge. The team’s social media even used the still in their dos and don’ts of social distancing, so it’s nice to know someone is laughing about it now.

pic.twitter.com/sdBQYwPqwK

— Austinrotten (@AustinRotten) March 30, 2020

Oh yeah, we're at the Vancouver Courier now

So, we apparently forgot to tell you this: we have signed on with the Vancouver Courier, clearly the best newspaper in Vancouver. Also, happy belated birthday. We forgot that too.

The blog can now be found at http://www.vancourier.com/pass-it-to-bulis.

Alternately, you can just bookmark http://passittobulis.com, which should always lead to the right place.

Have a puppy.

Canucks trade Nick Bonino for Brandon Sutter, throw in Adam Clendening for kicks

Canucks fans have had to cope with the loss of several fan favourites this season, so it was nice change of pace when the team announced on Tuesday that they had traded Nick Bonino instead.

Save for two weeks in late October, when we entertained the idea that he was better than Ryan Kesler, the man he replaced, Nick Bonino didn't accomplish much in his time in Vancouver. And in the playoffs, he was arguably Vancouver's least effective player. It was enough to wish that Jim Benning had a do-over on the deal.

Benning must have felt the same way, which is why Bonino is outbound, and centre Brandon Sutter, now formerly of the Pittsburgh Crosbies, is the newest Canuck. Sutter was, you may recall, the centrepiece of a collapsed trade deadline deal that would have sent Ryan Kesler to the Penguins.

But, alas, time travel comes at a cost. Doc Brown warned us about paradoxes; Trader Jim didn't listen. The full deal sends Nick Bonino, Adam Clendening and a second-round draft pick to Pittsburgh for Sutter and a third-round pick.

Canucks 2015 prospect development camp invitees: goaltenders

View image | gettyimages.com

The Canucks' goaltending depth took a hit this off-season, as they traded Eddie Lack to the Carolina Hurricanes and chose not to qualify RFA Joacim Eriksson after he signed in the KHL. Meanwhile, goaltender of the future Thatcher Demko will head back to Boston College in the Fall and is at least two years away from competing for a job in the NHL.

Though the Canucks still have Joe Cannata and signed journeyman Richard Bachman to compete for starts in the AHL, they could still use another goaltender to start in the ECHL and step up to the AHL in case of injury.

That makes the goaltenders the most interesting group of invitees. There's a real need for another goaltender in the system and these invitees represent a cheap and easy way to plug that hole.

This is the final instalment of invitee profiles, having already covered the forwards and defencemen. Here are the four free agent goaltenders invited to development camp: Matt Ginn, John McLean, Jackson Whistle, and Clay Witt.

Canucks 2015 prospect development camp invitees: forwards

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PITB's annual look at the invitees to the Canucks' development camp continues. Yesterday, we looked at the defence; today, it's the forwards.

Once again, there are two 21-year-olds from the NCAA -- Matthew Lane and John Stevens -- and a teenager from the CHL, this time a 19-year-old from the WHL: Reid Gardiner.

Thatcher Demko gives the Canucks another goofy goaltender

Eddie Lack was a fan favourite in Vancouver for a few reasons. His on-ice play had a lot to do with it: he twice came into difficult situations to be the team's starting goaltender and performed remarkably well.

But where Lack will be missed the most is off the ice. Lack is an entertaining personality and a great person: his cheerful smile masked his competitive nature. His calm demeanour seemed ideal for a tough market like Vancouver. Then there was his oddball goofiness: the side of him that would put Swedish Chef on his goalie mask, tweet emoji-filled overtures to Roberto Luongo, and do a silly dance after every win.

Lack is a big loss for Canucks fans on the entertainment front, but there is some good news. There's another goofy goaltender on his way to Vancouver: Thatcher Demko.

Canucks 2015 prospect development camp invitees: defence

View image | gettyimages.com

The Canucks 2015 development camp is in full swing, which means it's time for PITB's annual look at this year's invitees.

Let's start with the defence, featuring two 21-year-olds out of the NCAA and an 18-year-old out of the OHL: Matthew Caito, Rob Hamilton, and Justin Lemcke.

Spitballin' on house-selling Daniel Sedin, journeyman Blair Jones, and helpful Brandon Prust

Spitballin’ (or Super Pass It To Bulis: All In, if you love adventurous acronymizing) is a feature that allows us to touch on a multitude of things really fast, because in the world of hockey, there are always lots of things to find and colour. Here are a few quick topics.

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Canucks prospects drag a bus, Perry Pearn tortures a metaphor

The Canucks released the first video of the prospects in action at this year's development camp and it's a combination of fun and cringe-inducing.

Canucks begin 2015 development camp, featuring fewer invitees

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The Canucks kick off their 2015 prospect development camp today in Shawnigan Lake, with 29 players scheduled to attend, including all of their selections from the 2015 draft. Over the next week, the prospects will go through various on-ice and off-ice training sessions designed to introduce or reinforce what it takes to play professional hockey in the Canucks system and send players away with a plan for the off-season.

Most of the players attending the camp are Canucks draft picks or free agent signings, with the rest of the camp roster filled out with undrafted and unsigned free agents. These invitees are a cheap way to add to a team's prospect pool as there is no cost in assets to invitee them or even to sign them afterwards. A team like the Canucks that has (in principle) money to spend shouldn't hesitate to cast a wide net by inviting a large number of free agents in hopes that a diamond emerges from the rough.

This year, however, the Canucks have invited just 10 undrafted and unsigned free agents to their development camp, a lower number than in previous years.

Canucks re-fire Gillis by proxy, firing Gilman, Henning, and Crawford

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In retrospect, my reaction to the Zack Kassian trade may have been over-the-top. My take was tinged by how much I like Kassian, who is an odd, if troubled, character. I felt like he got a raw deal last season, getting scratched when it was undeserved, which ultimately submarined any trade value he might have had. I didn't take into account Kassian's back injury or whatever off-ice issues he might have, because when he was healthy and on the ice he was an effective player, just not always effective in the way the Canucks wanted him to be.

Having been up since 6:30 am with two sick kids might have also played a role.

I still don't like the trade, but I can accept at least some of the reasoning behind it. It feels like the wrong move to make even if Kassian had to go, but maybe Benning is right and Kassian will never reach his potential. The trade could very well be just a minor move with little impact.

Today, however, the Canucks made a move that could be far more damaging to the team's future, sweeping the front office clean of the remains of the Mike Gillis era, firing Assistant GMs Laurence Gilman and Lorne Henning, and Director of Player Personnel Eric Crawford.

Recapping the Canucks' first day of 2015 free agency

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I'm not going to lie, I wasn't planning on spending my Canada Day inside watching TSN's 47 different panels break down the Phil Kessel trade and pay lip service to everything else. Not only are we no longer with the Vancouver Sun, the Canucks weren't expected to be particularly active in free agency, preferring to look for bargains, which are generally found later in the summer.

But then my boys came down with a contagious virus, scuttling any plans to go out to Canada Day celebrations. So I was stuck inside for the day, flipped on TSN, signed in to Twitter, and got swept up in the wackiness of free agent frenzy.

Now, what was once a liveblog is now a recap. Follow along with me as I experience the ups and downs of Jim Benning's second go-around at free agency.

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Canucks won't miss Bieksa and Lack, but we will

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Considering the success the Anaheim Ducks had last summer in prying an impact player out of Vancouver for very little, it's hardly surprising that, this summer, Jim Benning's phone rang once again.

And once again, the Ducks got their man, adding Kevin Bieksa to their collection of former Canuck pests. Now they need only Alex Burrows and they'll finally have all three blue properties. Then they can start building houses and hotels.

Bieksa joins Ryan Kesler, and while their journeys to the Honda Center are but a year apart, they're very different. Kesler jumped ship. Bieksa nobly swore he was going down with it. Either way, they both washed up on the same island. Turns out loyalty isn't worth much in hockey.

In the end, the Bieksa trade turned out to be a small one. When it looked as though he was headed to the San Jose Sharks, there were more pieces involved in the trade. But now he goes to Anaheim, and in return, the Canucks get a second round pick.

Perception of Eddie Lack as a backup hurt trade return

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Canucks fans had mostly come to accept that Eddie Lack would be traded heading into the draft. They weren't happy about it, but had accepted it. The combination of the Ryan Miller signing and Jacob Markstrom's outstanding season for the Utica Comets made it inevitable.

The hope, however, was that the Canucks would get good value for the fan favourite. Some wildly optimistic fans began imagining trade packages that might fetch a high first-round pick, while others simply hoped for a second round pick, perhaps in a package with other picks or prospects.

Instead, Lack fetched just a third round pick and a seventh in 2016. Sure, it was a high third round pick, but the return was underwhelming and disappointing.

The problem is a matter of perception. Many Canucks fans saw Lack as a number one goaltender, only prevented from being so by a veteran goaltender in front of him. The rest of the league, however, seemed to see him as a backup without much upside and, for a backup, a third and a seventh is an understandable return.