Green and Benning Returning to Canucks

Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green has received a two-year contract extension from the team. Green took over the team in April of 2017 taking over from Willie Desjardins. During that span the Canucks have held a record of 125-132-32 making the playoffs during the 2019-2020 season.

The move comes with a generally positive consensus among Canuck fans. Many believe Green is not the problem with the team’s recent woes highlighted by a 2020-2021 campaign maimed by Covid-19 outbreaks throughout the team, on top of an absolutely grueling schedule.

So who can be blamed for the struggles on the ice? The immediate attention goes to general manager Jim Benning, who’s job the Canuck faithful have been calling for for many seasons now. Many believed that this year would be the year we would see a change in the front office, leaving the job security of Green in question for much longer than it should have been.

Vancouver Canucks

(Luke Lawreszuk / Flickr)

When commenting on the extension of Green, Benning said “ we have some of the best young talent in the NHL and I believe Travis is the right coach to help us achieve team success and return to the playoffs”. 

To the dismay of many the organization announced that Benning will return for next season at the very least. Benning’s contract runs through the end of the 2022-2023 season but it’s doubtful he sees his contract to the end barring an incredible turnaround.  The Canucks have missed the playoffs in five out of the seven seasons with Benning in the front office.

Both Benning and Green have expressed their intentions to be active in free agency this offseason, and hope to address some of the many needs of the team, including speed in their forward attack and some consistency to their struggling back end.

The Canucks have had one of the most loyal fanbases in all the National Hockey League for years now, with Benning on the hot seat and Green’s extending his contract, the duo will need to lead Vancouver back to the playoffs in a hurry to avoid another changing of the guard in the front office

 

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