Jim Benning Made A Pitch For Evander Kane

The Canucks did make an offer to the Winnipeg Jets for Evander Kane.

From Pierre LeBrun:

According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, the Vancouver Canucks were also talking trade with the Jets on Tuesday night, but Jets called the Canucks Wednesday morning to say they were pursuing a bigger deal with another team.

And this:

"The players we wouldn't include in the deal were the Horvats, the Virtanens, the McCanns," Benning told Ed Willes of The Province. "I think we made a fair offer. But they ended up making a big deal and we didn't have the players to match that deal."

Benning believes Horvat, Virtanen and McCann represent the Canucks' future, and he wasn't willing to mortgage it to land Kane.

So, a couple things about this:

1. Linden and Benning are staying true to their word that they will not mortgage the future of the team and that we can expect serious scouting / drafting and culturing of prospects and kids into the lineup in the future.

2. Benning is eying a top 6 forward, especially one that plays big. We know that Benning likes big forwards. I should hope that he knows that he needs bigger forwards in the top 6.

Ok fine, just for shits and giggles:

3. Did the Sabres offer Cody Hodgson as part of the deal and did the Jets say "fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck that!"

It is going to be quite interesting to see what Sir Bennington does come trade deadline. Since top 6 forwards cost an arm and a leg, he's gonna have to fleece someone.

I also wonder what kind of deal he proposed to the Jets in the first place. Who is Benning willing to part with? Zack Kassian obviously, but I wonder who else. One of the many goaltenders, yes. But who else? Bah! It's over now. Now we wait and see what he does by March 3.