S2: Jim Benning, Vancouver Canucks General Manager

Deb Placey is joined by Jim Benning, the General Manager of the Vancouver Canucks. Jim starts by talking about the state of the NHL, and the constant evolution he’s seen within the game since his playing days (1:00). He talks about the unique perspective he has when watching some of the League’s best offensive defensemen, such as Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar (4:15) and what he learned from his mentor Pat Quinn (6:00). Jim discusses the influence his father, a legendary scout for the Canadiens, had on him and the sort of players his father liked as a scout (10:12). Jim talks about the challenges he faced when he first started in Vancouver, how the Club is on its way to completing the rebuild, what his staff saw in Elias Pettersson and why Travis Green has been a successful coach (26:00). He explains why he traded for JT Miller and his philosophy when drafting and developing goalies (30:00). He shares some personal nuggets about himself in Deb’s “Executive Summary” (36:00).