Speculation: 2019 offseason thread IV

[Viqsi]

Calgary in the market for D with Valimaki's ACL injry. They may decide to promote from within but are putting feelers out. They have under 8 million in cap with Tkachuk still to sign so anyone they get will have to have equal salary going the other way. Just something to ponder and maybe keep an eye on.

Hmm. I wouldn't mind bringing in Frolik, perhaps. He's been "inconsistent" the same way Huselius was - game-to-game will drive you mad, but he damn near always manages to end a season with half a point per game. And he only has one year left, so no worries about 2021.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Denying an assistant GM the opportunity to interview for a GM position is pathetic.

 

[JacketsDavid]

Denying an assistant GM the opportunity to interview for a GM position is pathetic.

But he loves Columbus, he must stay!

 

[Old Guy]

Denying an assistant GM the opportunity to interview for a GM position is pathetic.

I disagree with your "pathetic".
Minnesota talked to Zito last summer - not a lot has changed with Zito that they didn't learn then.
Minnesota chose to fire Paul Fenton at a very odd time of the year. That timing makes it difficult to fill high-level front office jobs. Why should Minnesota's decision create a similar timing problem for the CBJ?
The CBJ made the moves after John Davidson left to re-set their front office. They got the people on the bus they want. Then they got them in their proper seats. Again, don't let MN's mess become the CBJ mess.

Those are the reasons I disagree.

 

[Crede777]

Denying an assistant GM the opportunity to interview for a GM position is pathetic.

Probably has to do with the timing.

They are a month out from training camp. Zito is solely in charge of the Werenski negotiations. Letting him interview and potentially leave would cause a major disruption at this point in time.

If the Wild wanted to interview Zito, they should have fired Fenton earlier.

 

[Ice9]

He's waiting in the wings here and who knows when he gets the nod. Personally, I couldn't hold a guy back because there's a VERY small chance I fire my current GM.

I buy the Werenski negioations idea...

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I disagree with your "pathetic".
Minnesota talked to Zito last summer - not a lot has changed with Zito that they didn't learn then.
Minnesota chose to fire Paul Fenton at a very odd time of the year. That timing makes it difficult to fill high-level front office jobs. Why should Minnesota's decision create a similar timing problem for the CBJ?
The CBJ made the moves after John Davidson left to re-set their front office. They got the people on the bus they want. Then they got them in their proper seats. Again, don't let MN's mess become the CBJ mess.

Those are the reasons I disagree.

Not allowing assistants to interview to move up is a policy which does not lend itself well to top talent coming to or staying in an organization.

Every single ECHL coach that I've ever talked to has an "out" in his contract for AHL jobs and most have them for college jobs-at any point during the year. I've never heard of an AHL team not allowing a coach to move up to the NHL by holding them to their contract. May have happened but is rare. I don't have any first hand knowledge about normal organizational procedure regarding front office types, but I'd be hard pressed to believe that it is different.

Zito is an assistant GM. One of 3 in the organization. It's August so most everything is in place for next season save for the Werenski contract. He's replaceable like every asst GM. It's petty and short sighted to not allow him to interview regardless of his interviewing history with the Wild or the calendar date.

Yeah. It's pathetic not to allow him to interview. If Zito is everything that he's cracked up to be, then he's gone at his first available opportunity.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Probably has to do with the timing.

They are a month out from training camp. Zito is solely in charge of the Werenski negotiations. Letting him interview and potentially leave would cause a major disruption at this point in time.

If the Wild wanted to interview Zito, they should have fired Fenton earlier.

Zito could hand over his notes and explain to the other asst GMs exactly what his strategy has been and a detailed explanation of negotiations to date along with anything else that's relevant to the negotiations. Further, if the CBJ are run worth a damn, Jarmo and the other 2 AGMs are intimately familiar with what is going on with the negotiations.

Not a good enough reason to deny him upward mobility with another organization.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Probably has to do with the timing.

They are a month out from training camp. Zito is solely in charge of the Werenski negotiations. Letting him interview and potentially leave would cause a major disruption at this point in time.

If the Wild wanted to interview Zito, they should have fired Fenton earlier.

We let Jared Bednar interview and leave for the Colorado job at about this same time three years ago. We had to scramble to replace him at the AHL level.

 

[Crede777]

We let Jared Bednar interview and leave for the Colorado job at about this same time three years ago. We had to scramble to replace him at the AHL level.

Yeah but Bednar wasn't an assistant GM who is basically handling all matters related to an important RFA contract.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Yeah but Bednar wasn't an assistant GM who is basically handling all matters related to an important RFA contract.

Really reaching.

If Jarmo and the other AGMs can't handle an RFA contract then the organization isn't much.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Yeah but Bednar wasn't an assistant GM who is basically handling all matters related to an important RFA contract.

Scrambling to find an AHL head coach is... worse (I need a better word here)... than scrambling to find an Assistant GM.

I'm torn on this one. I agree this seems small-time, and I've railed against some other thin gs recently that strike me similarly. But I understand the organization's reluctance on a couple levels.

 

[Crede777]

Really reaching.

If Jarmo and the other AGMs can't handle an RFA contract then the organization isn't much.

Not reaching at all.

This type of negotiation isn't just something where you hand over some notes and emails.

They have let Zito interview for positions until this very one. What is different? It most likely is the time of the year that the request is occurring.

And no, finding a replacement AHL coach is not more difficult. There you appoint one of the assistant coaches as interim head until you can find a suitable replacement. Replacing a GM (or in Zito's case an AGM who is basically acting as a GM) is harder because they are involved in many complex things like a contract negotiation. Especially when Zito handles most of the contract negotiations.

 

[majormajor]

Really reaching.

If Jarmo and the other AGMs can't handle an RFA contract then the organization isn't much.

It seems you don't think Zito's job is very important or difficult. I don't know if it is, but many teams have a senior AGM job for handling contracts. If they're so easily replaceable then clearly teams are bloated with a lot of overpaid front office personnel (which I wouldn't rule out).

 

[GoJackets1]

Forgive me if I don't give a shit about the Wild's dysfunction and don't feel like helping them out. Zito will absolutely get his shot.

Does anyone even want the Wild GM job at this point? They're not exactly in a great spot to jump in as a new GM...

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Not reaching at all.

This type of negotiation isn't just something where you hand over some notes and emails.

They have let Zito interview for positions until this very one. What is different? It most likely is the time of the year that the request is occurring.

And no, finding a replacement AHL coach is not more difficult. There you appoint one of the assistant coaches as interim head until you can find a suitable replacement. Replacing a GM (or in Zito's case an AGM who is basically acting as a GM) is harder because they are involved in many complex things like a contract negotiation. Especially when Zito handles most of the contract negotiations.

It's an RFA negotiation in a changing market. No one knows how things will play out. Zito, Jarmo or any GM. When a few of the RFAs sign, then the market will be shaped. If Zito were on the cutting edge of setting the market, then Z would be signed. It's pretty obvious that he's taking a reactive position-a position his successor could take.

Contract negotiations aren't rocket science in a league where there is a cap and limitations on term are in place. You overrate the difficulty of these significantly. It's one contract. There are comps with other players. It's not a CBA complexity level negotiation.

If the CBJ can't handle Zach Werenski's negotiations without Bill Zito then they are not competent people.

 

[Long Live Lyle]

We let Jared Bednar interview and leave for the Colorado job at about this same time three years ago. We had to scramble to replace him at the AHL level.

Maybe that’s why we’re not doing it this time; it didn’t work out well for us last time. And even if he doesn’t get offered the position, his interviewing/preparing to interview will distract him.

We’ve consistently let Zito interview in the past for GM roles. I believe he interviewed with Seattle a few months ago. We even let him interview with this exact same franchise just last year.

I’d have a problem if we always/often didn’t allow employees to interview for promotions with other franchises. I have no problem with us not allowing it in this particular one-off circumstance, and I honestly doubt Zito has a problem with it, either.

 

[Jovavic]

I hope the reasoning is the obivious one : f*** the Wild and the Christmas jerseys they rode in on

 

[Booooooone 38]

It’s also possible Zito has zero interest in interviewing for the Wild GM job. Uses the club not allowing as an excuse. Happens in the NFL all the time!!

 

[EspenK]

Or Jarmo is in line to become President of Hockey Ops and Zito will become GM?

 

[CBJx614]

Or Jarmo is in line to become President of Hockey Ops and Zito will become GM?

My thoughts exactly. This FO is all about planning for the long term. It's entirely possible that Jarmo plans on moving to the Pres position in the next year or two and they have every intention of letting Zito takeover.

 

[Hello Johnny]

Zito has been granted permission in the past to interview for a bigger job. We just lost our POHO. Zito just got a promotion. Sorry, this is a non-story.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

 

[Old Guy]

Not allowing assistants to interview to move up is a policy which does not lend itself well to top talent coming to or staying in an organization.
..........
Yeah. It's pathetic not to allow him to interview. If Zito is everything that he's cracked up to be, then he's gone at his first available opportunity.

CR....I didn't say you were wrong. I said I disagree. Oh...BTW, there is a blurb in this morning's Columbus Dispatch {"Ohio's Greatest Home Newspaper"} that quotes Jarmo saying the policy is not to stand in anyone's way of career advancement. He would neither confirm or deny the Wild wanted to talk to him.

Maybe the Wild did want to talk and Jarmo is lying. Maybe you have inside info and are all over the relevant back workings. Maybe you are 100% correct. I just disagree with your label of pathetic.