Around the NHL - Part 1

[Mosby]

That's fair, but BA's results are only on paper right now.

 

[AZviaNJ]

If that is the criteria, give it to Zito rather than Nill. To me the point is to be a good GM and to make the most out of whatever you have or don't have.

How is Drury 4th? All he’s done is inherit Gorton’s great draft work and make a few meh signings that will create longterm issues for the Rangers. Guess the President’s Cup gives you top 4 status.

 

[DustyDangler]

That's fair, but BA's results are only on paper right now.

If you were to look at GMs of rebuilding teams, who is the best GM out of the following:

• Kevyn Adams
• Kent Hughes
• Steve Yzerman
• Kyle Davison
• Mike Grier
• Pat Verbeek
• Bill Armstrong

To me, it is Bill Armstrong and everyone else. Regardless, there are some solid GMs in that list. Verbeek landing Gauthier was a nice win. Hughes should get points for standing fast on Slaf when everyone was using the "bust" word. Yzerman getting 47p in 50gp on a $2.9m Patty Kane spend was nice etc. I don't think they should be excluded from consideration just because of the stage their team is in. "The general manager who best excelled at his role during the regular season" should be the criteria not, which GM represents a team with a lot of points.

How is Drury 4th? All he’s done is inherit Gorton’s great draft work and make a few meh signings that will create longterm issues for the Rangers. Guess the President’s Cup gives you top 4 status.

Precisely. You can make an argument that some of the best deals you make are the deals you don't make but yes, Drury mostly sat on his hands.

 

[Mangosteen]

BA has done nothing so far except buy lottery tickets.. these next 2 years will start to show if he's building something special

 

[AZviaNJ]

If you were to look at GMs of rebuilding teams, who is the best GM out of the following:

• Kevyn Adams
• Kent Hughes
• Steve Yzerman
• Kyle Davison
• Mike Grier
• Pat Verbeek
• Bill Armstrong

To me, it is Bill Armstrong and everyone else. Regardless, there are some solid GMs in that list. Verbeek landing Gauthier was a nice win. Hughes should get points for standing fast on Slaf when everyone was using the "bust" word. Yzerman getting 47p in 50gp on a $2.9m Patty Kane spend was nice etc. I don't think they should be excluded from consideration just because of the stage their team is in. "The general manager who best excelled at his role during the regular season" should be the criteria not, which GM represents a team with a lot of points.


Precisely. You can make an argument that some of the best deals you make are the deals you don't make but yes, Drury mostly sat on his hands.

He has the Igor contract coming up. Probably 8x$13m. Can’t do that deal for a goalie even Igor (hello Carey Price)…but can’t not do it either.

 

[XX]

BA is still riding on the potential of all the wheeling and dealing he did. Incomplete grade so far. Some of the picks are less than ideal, like Fedotov, but at least they went for it. No awful contracts and the team was competitive despite lowest in league spending.

Watching the finals it's kind of wild how much Zito's reputation has swung on Bob becoming elite again and Tkachuk falling into his lap. Different story if those two things don't happen.

 

[lanky]

BA is still riding on the potential of all the wheeling and dealing he did. Incomplete grade so far.

That potential is starting to translate to NHL success. Guenther, Cooley, Doan and Moser have arrived in a big way. Trade targets Durzi, Kesselring and McBain have been excellent.

Veteran signings have had mixed results and Bill's handling of contract extensions is almost entirely ungraded.

So I agree that the pudding isn't fully set, but we're well past riding on potential alone. I thought Guenther was our best player down the stretch.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

That potential is starting to translate to NHL success. Guenther, Cooley, Doan and Moser have arrived in a big way. Trade targets Durzi, Kesselring and McBain have been excellent.

Veteran signings have had mixed results and Bill's handling of contract extensions is almost entirely ungraded.

So I agree that the pudding isn't fully set, but we're well past riding on potential alone. I thought Guenther was our best player down the stretch.

I like and am also optimistic about what BA's been doing, but I'm not ready to give that much praise to the seven you mention... yet.

 

[DustyDangler]

BA is still riding on the potential of all the wheeling and dealing he did. Incomplete grade so far. Some of the picks are less than ideal, like Fedotov, but at least they went for it. No awful contracts and the team was competitive despite lowest in league spending.

Watching the finals it's kind of wild how much Zito's reputation has swung on Bob becoming elite again and Tkachuk falling into his lap. Different story if those two things don't happen.

I like and am also optimistic about what BA's been doing, but I'm not ready to give that much praise to the seven you mention... yet.

The potential has value though. If a new GM took over Utah, they would have to look at the team and say "holy crap this is nice"! Utah has a McKeen 3rd ranked prospect pool and 300 million 11 draft picks in the next 3 years while icing a competitive team. Draftees from BA first two years (only 2-3 years ago) have 414gp. A significant 1st rounder in Guenther, who was on a near 40g pace last year is only Utah property because BA was able to move OEL and Garland, a pretty big win of a trade. Out of acquiring and trading a lone castoff, Ghost, he acquired a 2nd (Artem Duda) and a 2026 3rd. He got a legit #1 goaltender for nothing (waiver claim). He passed on the consensus darling Shane Wright in favor of Logan Cooley. And not insignificantly, Utah has the most Proj Cap Space in the NHL! When the team starts winning for real, the rest of the league will fawn over him and he will begin to get votes for the award but it's the heavy lifting that was done when he got 0 votes that set the stage for the overall, success

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

The framework is certainly there and he's followed his own preaching, which is great to see. Too many times GMs break there strategy and I'm glad that BA is sticking to his guns.

 

[lanky]

I'm not actually convinced that having all this cap space is a feather in Bill's cap. With the cap rocketing upwards over the next few years, I wonder if he should have locked-in more talent at a lower cost. I don't have any specific complaints - not sure who he should've locked-in, but prices in general have gone up.

 

[DustyDangler]

I'm not actually convinced that having all this cap space is a feather in Bill's cap. With the cap rocketing upwards over the next few years, I wonder if he should have locked-in more talent at a lower cost. I don't have any specific complaints - not sure who he should've locked-in, but prices in general have gone up.

32 teams desire cap flexibility. To have the most cap space (while icing a competitive team)...that's a feather. Only players he needs to worry about locking up currently are Durzi, Moser & Hayton. Most everyone else is on their ELCs (Cooley, Guenther, Doan) or signed for multiple years to fair value or team friendly contracts (Keller, Crouse, Maccelli, Ingram). He has zero bad contracts eating up cap space and when he goes into FA, he will have no short term limitations on contract value.

 

[Kaizen]

Alex Steen to succeed Doug Armstrong as GM in St Louis. A couple or 3 seasons down the line but I definitely didn't have that on my bingo card.

 

[rt]

Alex Steen to succeed Doug Armstrong as GM in St Louis. A couple or 3 seasons down the line but I definitely didn't have that on my bingo card.

Flash forward to the 2025 trade deadline:

Steen: “Doug, we’re 14 points back of a playoff spot and Detroit is offering us their next three first round picks for Robert Thomas”

Armstrong: “We can’t do it Steener. We’ve got him slated to replace you as GM in 2039!”

 

[Dog]

Alex Steen to succeed Doug Armstrong as GM in St Louis. A couple or 3 seasons down the line but I definitely didn't have that on my bingo card.

I remember when Steen was drafted man have the years passed by quickly.

 

[rt]

I remember when Steen was drafted man have the years passed by quickly.

We were all ticked we didn’t draft the Winnipeg legacy.

 

[Dog]

We were all ticked we didn’t draft the Winnipeg legacy.

I was happy as leafs drafted him. Had high hopes and glad he won a cup with the blues.

 

[Kaizen]

Veteran executive Laurence Gilman, Toronto Maple Leafs part ways in mutual decision | TSN

Executive Laurence Gilman and the Toronto Maple Leafs have mutually parted ways, TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reported on Thursday.

www.tsn.ca

Any Gilman fans in F287 or F40? The Armstrongs (not Doug) may still be fleshing out the organizational depth.

 

[Mosby]

You can’t spell Stanley Cup Champions without O E L. This gets done tonight. Let’s Go Cats!

 

[Heldig]

We were all ticked we didn’t draft the Winnipeg legacy.

And we passed him by 2x for Jakub Kories (O NHL games) and Ben - face puncher - Eager (85 pts vs Steen's 622)

 

[Mangosteen]

And we passed him by 2x for Jakub Kories (O NHL games) and Ben - face puncher - Eager (85 pts vs Steen's 622)

That one hurt so bad.

 

[DustyDangler]

Bahl to Cal Markstrom to NJ

I wonder if New Jersey sends Chayka Christmas cards each year.

 

[Kaizen]

Bahl to Cal Markstrom to NJ

I wonder if New Jersey sends Chayka Christmas cards each year.

Schemp will have to wait a few more years for BA to bring Bahl home to the land of the giants.

 

[DustyDangler]

File this in the category of things BA would've never done without compensation.

Grier/SJ bailing out NYRs for nothing is not good GMing.

 

[AZviaNJ]

Bahl to Cal Markstrom to NJ

I wonder if New Jersey sends Chayka Christmas cards each year.

I get the Devils wanting consistency in net...but is Markstrom that? Trading your only LD with size, who is developing very well and likely a top 4 for next 10 years, plus a first for a 34 year tender coming off a couple meh seasons doesn't make sense to me.