Canucks GM on Sutter extension: Team must plan for 'after the Sedins decide to retire'

The Vancouver Canucks signed new acquisition Brandon Sutter to a five-year extension with a no-trade clause Tuesday, and according to general manager Jim Benning, Sutter represents the future of the organization.

"At some point we have to make plans and get the pieces in place to survive and be successful after the Sedins decide to retire," Benning said to the Vancouver Province. "We’re going to still work to get a high-end centre, but these guys don’t grow on trees. You have to draft and develop them. But I’m comfortable for the next little while with our centres."

The Sedin twins will turn 35 years old in September, and they both played in every game for the Canucks last season while totaling over 70 points each. But in five years when the twins are 40, those statistics are bound to be a thing of the past. 

Sutter, a 26-year-old whose highest point total of his career was a 40-point season back in 2009-10, will likely never reach the Sedin's production level, but that didn't seem to matter to Benning.

"He’s a solid two-way player and throughout his career he’s been pretty resilient and hasn’t had a lot of injuries," Benning told the Province of Sutter. "And he’s always played against top players in Pittsburgh and Carolina and has always been a matchup guy. He has a mature game and is always on the right side of the puck."

Canucks fans, however, were not quite as understanding when news of the extension hit Twitter. 

Only time will tell how good (or bad) this extension will prove to be, but it looks like Sutter has some work to do in getting the Vancouver fans on his side. 

(h/t Vancouver Province)