Benning has never commented publicly on any trade offers for Virtanen, but it’s believed the Canucks wanted a higher pick for a 220-pound player who is the fastest skater on the team and had steadily improved his goal totals the last three seasons to 10, then 15, and 18 last year.
“With him, it’s that consistency you’re looking for shift in and shift out,” Benning said in October. “I think Jake’s come a long way these last couple of years. We’ve seen glimpses of what he can be. Benning made those comments the day he re-signed Virtanen, a restricted free agent, to a two-year contract that averages $2.55 million., a far superior right winger, left the Canucks to sign a four-year deal in Montreal worth $4.25 million per season.
The paint-by-numbers comparison people make between the contracts for Virtanen and Toffoli are unfair due to the total value of the deals. But there is also undeniable logic to the arithmetic that the salary Benning committed to Virtanen would have covered more than half the cost for Toffoli over the next two years.
650 imacSportsnet Oh man, it's good we didn't literally just re-sign him while letting an arguably better winger walk, boy that would be awkward......
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imacSportsnet I was pissed when they gave him another contract. He’s a cancer and needs to be gone for whatever they can get for him
imacSportsnet I wonder if Tyler Toffoli might be available from Montreal? Jake’s much younger, is bigger and faster, can hit, and has potential.
imacSportsnet The time to move Jake was after the playoffs last season.
650 imacSportsnet Stop the spin. What they need is to FireBenning not let him make another move. Get a grip. This station embarrasses itself daily.
imacSportsnet darknngel t’aimerais tu le voir à Montréal?