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Craig Button

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sonic92

sonic92

Registered User
Mar 5, 2020
510
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Peace River, AB
Why in god's name does TSN use this guy on their World Junior coverage? (Or anything for that matter?)

Button was one of the dumbest GM's in the history of the NHL. Let me run down some of his worst moves.

- gave up JS Giguere for practically nothing
- gave up Marty St. Louis for practically nothing
- gave up Marc Savard for practically nothing (and that one was largely the result of him hiring that idiot Greg Gilbert as their head coach)
- Traded away a pretty good scorer in Valeri Bure for Rob Niedermayer (who played really half-assed until Calgary dumped him to Anaheim)
- Traded for Chris Drury (who also played half-assed until he left Calgary)
- Gave a bunch of money Roman Turek who proceeded to play like crap
- Wasted a first round pick on Brent Krahn

I absolutely hate it when TSN brings him on for anything.
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sonic92 said:
Why in god's name does TSN use this guy on their World Junior coverage? (Or anything for that matter?)

Button was one of the dumbest GM's in the history of the NHL. Let me run down some of his worst moves.

- gave up JS Giguere for practically nothing
- gave up Marty St. Louis for practically nothing
- gave up Marc Savard for practically nothing (and that one was largely the result of him hiring that idiot Greg Gilbert as their head coach)
- Traded away a pretty good scorer in Valeri Bure for Rob Niedermayer (who played really half-assed until Calgary dumped him to Anaheim)
- Traded for Chris Drury (who also played half-assed until he left Calgary)
- Gave a bunch of money Roman Turek who proceeded to play like crap
- Wasted a first round pick on Brent Krahn

I absolutely hate it when TSN brings him on for anything.
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He does a good job on TV.
 
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sonic92 said:
Why in god's name does TSN use this guy on their World Junior coverage? (Or anything for that matter?)

Button was one of the dumbest GM's in the history of the NHL. Let me run down some of his worst moves.

- gave up JS Giguere for practically nothing
Click to expand...

Tough spot, the Expansion Draft was looming and you could protect 7 F- 3D - 2G or 9F - 5D - 1G. It's easy to say now that he should have protected a 23 year old Giguere over a 27 year old Brathwaite (the incumbent starter). He did get a 2nd round pick from Anaheim at least, so it's not like he lost Giguere to Minnesota/Columbus for nothing.

- Traded away a pretty good scorer in Valeri Bure for Rob Niedermayer (who played really half-assed until Calgary dumped him to Anaheim)
Click to expand...

Bure's play did fall off pretty quickly after the trade. Niedermayer's offense dried up but he stuck around the league for a little while longer as a role player.

- Traded for Chris Drury (who also played half-assed until he left Calgary)
Click to expand...

I think most would think Calgary got the better end of the Drury-Morris trade with hindsight. Morris plateaued after being dealt.

- Wasted a first round pick on Brent Krahn
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I'm always quick to point out that it's unfair to pin the Krahn selection on Button. Since he was hired by Calgary as GM a few weeks before the draft, the agreement was that Button would not participate in Calgary for the draft (Button was Dallas' head scout, so he had knowledge of their list). Similar thing happened this year with Bill Armstrong being hired away from St. Louis by Arizona and he had to sit out the draft.

So while Button was technically GM, the incumbent Flames staff made their picks. I remember the draft showing Button watching from a luxury box when the pick was made. If anything Button's work that year would be better measured by what Dallas did; They got Steve Ott with a late first rounder in a below average class.

Edit: Here's an old article which mentions Button didn't participate in the Flames 2000 Draft.

Button agreed not to take part directly in the draft when he joined the team this month from the Dallas Stars organization. He watched from the team's private box rather than at the Flames' ice-level draft table when the selections were made.

Still, he liked the choice of Krahn, who went 33-6-0 with a 2.38 goals-against average in 39 starts for the Hitmen. The crowd went wild when Krahn's name was announced.
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Rob Nieds was one of the most disliked Flames....sure he was overpaid, but he was a good all round player.
 
I dunno, I didn’t like him at first, but he’s grown on me. His wheelhouse is knowing the prospects. His in-game analysis is not as good as Ray Ferraro which is why Button is on the “B” team for TSN. Gord and Ray will be doing the Canada games.
 
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To be more serious, I find him to be a poor man's Pierre McGuire. I'm not really watching TSN's coverage to learn something - I want to be entertained. McGuire consistently entertained me when it came to WJC stuff, while Button is just ok. His unique prospect takes are sometimes interesting even if often wrong.
 
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So he wasnt a perfect GM
I guess TSN should have held out for a perfect one??????

Contrary to popular belief he actually watches a ton of junior hockey. and is interviewed at CHL arenas quite regularly by the local media. He may struggle with his american takes but so be it.
Some of his prospect opinions have been bad
some have been completely on point when literally no one else agreed (Boeser, Zacha etc)
 
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He’s been in the business for a long time as an assistant also so he’s been there and seen it all unlike the other analysts who had no nhl experience.
 
Statsy said:
I dunno, I didn’t like him at first, but he’s grown on me. His wheelhouse is knowing the prospects. His in-game analysis is not as good as Ray Ferraro which is why Button is on the “B” team for TSN. Gord and Ray will be doing the Canada games.
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Makes good sense really. Button was in NHL management/scouting/draft for many years, and Ray played for 18 seasons and scored over 400 goals. I like them both in their current roles. The wife says Button has great hair, for all that’s important, right? :laugh:
 
TeddyBare said:
So he wasnt a perfect GM
I guess TSN should have held out for a perfect one??????

Contrary to popular belief he actually watches a ton of junior hockey. and is interviewed at CHL arenas quite regularly by the local media. He may struggle with his american takes but so be it.
Some of his prospect opinions have been bad
some have been completely on point when literally no one else agreed (Boeser, Zacha etc)
Click to expand...
I saw him at the Top Prospects Game in Hamilton this year. He overrates a lot of players and he isn't going to do much criticism of a players game. But he will analyze a play and tell you who was responsible for creating the scoring chance or who made the wrong play and gave up the scoring chance.
 
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