GM search thread - all news and discussion here

[EDM]

The Priest hatred goes back to his role in forcing us to trade for Jeff Carter.

 

[squashmaple]

My Priest dislike is personal because of the way he tried to weasel out of paying employees during the pandemic and had to be shamed into doing it by articles in the Athletic.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

My Priest dislike is personal because of the way he tried to weasel out of paying employees during the pandemic and had to be shamed into doing it by articles in the Athletic.

The quintessential bean counter.

 

[squashmaple]

The quintessential bean counter.

Let's just say that CBJ employs a lot of weasels.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Let's just say that CBJ employs a lot of weasels.

 

[stevo61]

I want him to get to the bottom of why Jones left and why noone is talking about it

 

[cbjthrowaway]

I doubt the performance of the head of the business side of the operation is measured in wins. You'd think it would be money, not wins.

oh man, a quick google search may have changed your mind.

i picked three recent GM hires at random and all three of them immediately yielded stories detailing how the business-side team president + ownership were the decision-makers.

• pittsburgh's GM search (dubas) was headed up by their team president (kevin anklin) and alternate governor (dave beeston)
• florida's president (along with the team owner's son) ran the process that got them zito
• calgary had a PHOP in place during their GM search but the process still heavily included their team president (jake bean's dad!)

with the exception of maclean (who iirc went directly to cbj ownership to lobby for the job), it's safe to say that every single one of their GM + PHOP hires have run through mike priest, as well as the decisions for when to fire those GMs. plus he's presumably signed off on the coaching hires, too.

So I could be wrong and maybe they're all getting fired on a similar timeline to GMs / Presidents of hockey ops, but I doubt it. And I don't think you know either.

of course they shouldn't – team presidents are part of the decision-making process for firing GMs/PHOPs, and are the ones who run the process to replace them.

but a 25-year-tenure filling those seats with one playoff series win to show for it? not at all unreasonable to think that a change is warranted.

 

[majormajor]

oh man, a quick google search may have changed your mind.

i picked three recent GM hires at random and all three of them immediately yielded stories detailing how the business-side team president + ownership were the decision-makers.

• pittsburgh's GM search (dubas) was headed up by their team president (kevin anklin) and alternate governor (dave beeston)
• florida's president (along with the team owner's son) ran the process that got them zito
• calgary had a PHOP in place during their GM search but the process still heavily included their team president (jake bean's dad!)

with the exception of maclean (who iirc went directly to cbj ownership to lobby for the job), it's safe to say that every single one of their GM + PHOP hires have run through mike priest, as well as the decisions for when to fire those GMs. plus he's presumably signed off on the coaching hires, too.

I didn't dispute that business ops presidents are often involved in the search for hockey ops presidents or GMs. Though I would not presume, as you do, that they are involved in coaching hires. That would surprise me.

It's likely Priest had his share of input on the Howson hire and the JD hire, but that's likely it. Two hires. And (wisely) he hasn't been linked to any hockey decisions since the Carter trade?

The last of the two hires has helmed three teams and presided over a winning record after his first eight years here. The idea that obviously any other team would know that JD is a charlatan and would not hire him is just silly (that opinion I often hear from other posters, not attributing it to you). So it would be unlikely that Priest is on the chopping block for that.

of course they shouldn't – team presidents are part of the decision-making process for firing GMs/PHOPs, and are the ones who run the process to replace them.

but a 25-year-tenure filling those seats with one playoff series win to show for it? not at all unreasonable to think that a change is warranted.

It's possible that some business ops execs could get canned by an irascible owner if the team doesn't win enough. But your claim was that any other organization would have fired Priest by now based on the win/loss record, and that is just not supported by anything here. Our win/loss record is exceptionally bad, but extending that exceptionalism ("any other organization") to everything we do is just a dumb trope.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

I didn't dispute that business ops presidents are often involved in the search for hockey ops presidents or GMs. Though I would not presume, as you do, that they are involved in coaching hires. That would surprise me.

It's likely Priest had his share of input on the Howson hire and the JD hire, but that's likely it. Two hires. And (wisely) he hasn't been linked to any hockey decisions since the Carter trade?

you'd be surprised at how many major hockey ops decisions have to run through ownership and, by extension, mike priest. it even extends to player personnel.

the most obvious (recent) example is the behind the battle clip from them signing gaudreau, where they said they had to call ownership for approval. but it's not always just for sign-off – mike priest was part of the group that decided to trade rick nash, for example.

as for coaching, he has, at the very least, been involved in the interview process at least once.

But your claim was that any other organization would have fired Priest by now based on the win/loss record,

you inferred "any other organization" to strictly mean "another hockey team" which wasn't how i meant it.

to be more specific: it wouldn't take any other organization (read: business/corporation) 24+ years to replace their chief executive if they were repeatedly getting lapped by their direct competition.

the optics of having the same president since the org's inception, given the results the org has produced in that span, could be reasonably viewed as undermining public trust in the franchise's ability to course-correct.

the original question was "why do the fans not like mike priest" – i was simply answering the question. that is not the same as predicting or advocating for his firing based on win/loss record.

my own personal opinion is that he's a poor team president based on the team's actual business operations (marketing, community engagement, game presentation), which feel stagnant and dated. they still don't know how to promote their actual star players, and the local media barely covers them. his counterpart at the crew (jw johnson) has run laps around him in a fraction of the time on the job while also working for the browns.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

I was watching this TV show called 'Hoarders' and I started thinking it's a lot like CBJ at the moment.

Jarmo was a hoarder who filled his house with random possibly useful stuff, refusing to get rid off any of it. The next GM will have to be the cleaning expert who sorts everything out and takes half of it to the landfill.

What we learned from this glorious story of mine is that the next GM needs to be great at organizing, prioritizing and recycling

 

[KJ Dangler]

Might see some movement after tonight , if Florida wins

 

[Ice9]

Can we get Voracek in here in some capacity. Great pro who made any team a bit better.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[Cujorulesdtown9]

Are you telling me with a straight face, that in america, we actually have to pay money for services?

 

[EspenK]

For all the credit Jarmo and his scouting team have received over the years Werenski is the only long term success story currently on the roster. Chinakov might add some credibility to the myth as could the recent picks. Time will tell. Hoping the new GM can fix this.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

For all the credit Jarmo and his scouting team have received over the years Werenski is the only long term success story currently on the roster. Chinakov might add some credibility to the myth as could the recent picks. Time will tell. Hoping the new GM can fix this.

Which is exactly what it is.

The reality is that The Scout was probably a bit above average to right around average as a talent evaluator and drafter. He's treated on this board like he was something special.

As you stated, maybe some of the recent picks will prove this view wrong. I'll also add that drafting Fantilli was no act of genius

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Which is exactly what it is.

The reality is that The Scout was probably a bit above average to right around average as a talent evaluator and drafter. He's treated on this board like he was something special.

As you stated, maybe some of the recent picks will prove this view wrong. I'll also add that drafting Fantilli was no act of genius

REAL ACT OF GENIUS

 

[TaketheCannoli]

I don't think this is true.

I doubt the performance of the head of the business side of the operation is measured in wins. You'd think it would be money, not wins.

I only know Priest's name because of my participation on these boards, and maybe the occasional Porty article. And I couldn't tell you the names of more than 2 or 3 similar business execs around the league despite all the hours I spend following the league. So I could be wrong and maybe they're all getting fired on a similar timeline to GMs / Presidents of hockey ops, but I doubt it. And I don't think you know either.

No question, the CEO in the business world is judged on profitability and if a publicly held company, they are judged first and foremost on the performance of the company's stock.

 

[koteka]

No question, the CEO in the business world is judged on profitability and if a publicly held company, they are judged first and foremost on the performance of the company's stock.

Toronto, Montreal, and the Rangers are the most valuable franchises and I assume they are far far more profitable than any other team. Toronto fans complain that the salary cap hurts them, but really it protects their team’s profitability. Should these teams be considered the most successful franchises in the NHL?

 

[Ice9]

The Atlanta Braves basically own EVERYTHING around their stadium. Restaurants, bars, office complexes and whatever and the league doesn't interfere with that cash flow. Right now its a model organization in that sense. I dont know how the NHL operates or whether the BJs own any of the surrounding business but the Braves make some serious jack.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

The Atlanta Braves basically own EVERYTHING around their stadium. Restaurants, bars, office complexes and whatever and the league doesn't interfere with that cash flow. Right now its a model organization in that sense. I dont know how the NHL operates or whether the BJs own any of the surrounding business but the Braves make some serious jack.

They don't own anything around the Arena to my knowledge. Nationwide Realty pretty much owns all of it.

Don't forget they were the only team that owned their own arena at one point and that failed. I think most teams are content letting others own the risk. The area around the Arena has a ton of turnover so it's really hard to make a profit in downtown Columbus.

 

[Ice9]

Check out Atlanta Braves Holdings and Atlanta Braves Holdings LLC and The Battery Atlanta.
One of the first two I'm pretty certain indirectly owns the Braves.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Down goes Tampa. Darche interview incoming?

 

[majormajor]

Down goes Tampa. Darche interview incoming?

If they think he is the guy, then I hope they get it done soon.

I think having a GM in place two months before the draft/ free agency is a lot better than one month before.

 

[Cheddarcheese]

i hope he didn't have anything to do with the tanner jeannot trade :/