Jim Benning’s recent comments to the media appear to have the Canucks in hot water with the NHL.
By now you’ve heard of the Canucks’ supposed interest in Steven Stamkos and PK Subban. The problem? They’re both under contract to other NHL teams, and expressing interest in either one constitutes tampering.
The NHL is looking at a complain of tampering after what #canucks Jim Benning said yesterday regarding Steven Stamkos and PK Subban.
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) June 24, 2016
Benning was incredibly honest – perhaps, too honest – when asked yesterday about his interest in both players.
When asked on TSN Radio if he would speak to Stamkos once he becomes a free agent: “Yes. Yes we will… We’re going to pick up the phone and talk to his agent.”
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Stamkos is set to become a free agent on July 1st and all 30 teams in the league can speak to him beginning on Saturday. Tampa Bay still wants to sign him though, so you can see why they’d be unhappy about another team speaking out.
#Canucks GM Jim Benning tells us he has spoken with #Habs on PK Subban. High price, and "it's a long way from completing a deal like that"
— Matthew Sekeres (@mattsekeres) June 23, 2016
Benning also admitted that he has talked to the Montreal Canadiens regarding PK Subban. Now, Subban is available and the Habs are said to be willing to deal him if the price is right. Most GMs would either deny a story like this, or at least not comment on it directly. Instead?
“We’ve been one of the teams that’ve talked to them but we haven’t gone down the path to make believe that that’s something that’s going to be real or not.”
It remains to be seen how the Canucks will be disciplined for this, but expect a fine.
Back in 2009, the Toronto Maple Leafs were fined an undisclosed amount for tampering with Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Ron Wilson, Toronto’s head coach at the time, mentioned the Sedins in an interview shortly before they were set to become unrestricted free agents.
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