Dear iMarc,
Judd Brackett gets an awful lot of positive press for a
scout on an expiring contract. As a journalist, I'm suspicious. I
wonder, is he a long-time leaker who's now quietly receiving favours back from
reporters to pump up his job market?
Harry From L.A.
Hey Harry,
The ongoing drama in Canucks management may have more to do with the lack of sports news for journalists to opine on these days than with any actual power struggle going on behind the scenes at GM . . . er, Rogers Place . . . er, Arena. Brackett's contract is up, and he is seeking more authority. The problem is that by leaking the story to a starving press in pursuit of leverage, he may instead be shooting himself in the foot. After all, who wants a known leaker working for them? This apparently all goes back a few years to when the Canucks had the fifth-overall pick. Chief scout Brackett wanted winger MatthewTkachuk of the London Knights, an unholy terror from the face-off dots in who was just as skilled with his fists as his stick. GM Jim Benning was in love with smooth-skating and cerebral defencemen Olli Juolevi, who also played for the OHL Knights but made his name quarterbacking that year's World Juniors champs from Finland. Benning was trying to both bolster the team's fading defence and also improve team speed. He has to keep the Big Picture in mind while Brackett's job was to focus on prospect traits. Benning no doubt took into account Tkachuk's lack of footspeed and the well-known fact that he was hardly a 200-foot player to over-rule his chief scout and select Juolevi. Of course, the choice turned out to be an unfortunate one, at least in the short term, as Juolevi has yet to play an NHL game due to injuries while Tkachuk has gone on to stardom. Apparently Benning has deferred to the canny Brackett ever since. Until, apparently, last year's draft, when Benning again fell in love with another Euro d-man, this time Philip Broberg of Sweden. It turned out to be a moot point when the large, swift skating Broberg went to Edmonto two picks before Vancouver announced. The Canucks got a fine prospect at #10 in Russian winger Vasili Podkolzin, but an organizational weakness on defence remains. Which points up the conflict between Benning and Brackett. A General Manager is responsible for the overall development of the team, from amateur and pro scouting to trades and free agent signings. Benning worked his way up to the top job and made his name in the position Brackett now holds. He has already won one power struggle with former team president Trevor Linden. He might look like Grandpa Munster and sound even worse, but you mis-underestimate Jim Benning at your own risk. Not only is he rightly known as The Smartest Man in Hockey, but he will carve you like a roast of beef. Judd Brackett will be packing his bags soon if he persists in taking him on.
Dear iMarc,
Why does it matter to the Canucks where the NHL holds the
'20 playoffs if it will happen without fans?
Hey Harry,
Believe it or not, home-ice advantage during the Stanley Cup playoffs is a myth. In recent years, it has actually been more like home-ice disadvantage. The trend began in 2012, when your beloved Kings won the Cup. Home teams were only 39-47 in the playoffs that season, or .453. Only four out of 16 playoff teams in 2012 had a winning record. St. Louis won the Cup despite having a losing record at home last season. The year before, home teams were 40-44, or .476. So it might not help the Canucks on the ice if Vancouver is a playoff hub this season, and it won't help them at the gate if the games are played without fans. But let's face it, getting the games would be a huge win for the community, from arena workers to hotels and restaurants. Whether or not the Canucks win the Cup or even make the playoffs, hosting the games might even be worth holding another riot over.
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