GM search thread - all news and discussion here

[CBJWerenski8]

Darche would be my choice. He's been here, if he disliked his stay he probably wouldn't come back.
(Of course I dont know if he did or didnt) It would be nice to have someone who is fond of the area and fans and be here because they want to be and not being "The man" as the sole reason.

My fear is (and its a minute chance) that team Canada does well and the club says, "See, Nash is a great GM candidate "!
He may well be just that but are we willing to go that route? Darche with Nash as an assistant would be fine. Dont think Nash is jumping ahead that quick that some time here would.be impossible.

They already told Nash he’s not getting an interview. Being GM of team Canada for the worlds and a GM in the NHL are two completely different ball games.

Rick Nash has 0% chance of being the GM of the CBJ in 2024-25. Zero

Other than that, I think I’m in agreement on Darche being the #1 guy.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Reading up on Mark Hunter .. man the Toronto fans have nothing good to say on his decisions with drafting .

fwiw i assume the jackets would just let ville siren keep running the draft.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

fwiw i assume the jackets would just let ville siren keep running the draft.

Yeah, what could go wrong when a GM decides to overrule scouts when it comes to a draft? That Gilbert Brule pick was genius at its finest.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Yeah, what could go wrong when a GM decides to overrule scouts when it comes to a draft? That Gilbert Brule pick was genius at its finest.

don't know how you read "ville siren would continue running the draft" with "the new GM would definitely unilaterally overrule the head of amateur scouting"

if that's a concern with hunter it's a concern with literally any GM candidate. might as well not hire anyone!

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

don't know how you read "ville siren would continue running the draft" with "the new GM would definitely unilaterally overrule the head of amateur scouting"

if that's a concern with hunter it's a concern with literally any GM candidate. might as well not hire anyone!

My point was a GM could overrule anyone when it comes to the draft because he is the guy in charge. We don't know what kind of power Ville Siren will have in the future in the organization. He could get replaced. He could leave on is own. The guy in charge will make those calls.

There is no guarantee Ville Siren will remain in charge of the draft. Maybe this year because it's so soon but no guarantes for future years.

Mark Hunter could be Doug Maclean and be a control freak or he might not. Same could be said for any new hire.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

My point was a GM could overrule anyone when it comes to the draft because he is the guy in charge. We don't know what kind of power Ville Siren will have in the future in the organization. He could get replaced. He could leave on is own. The guy in charge will make those calls.

ville siren is one of the most well-respected amateur scouting directors in the entire league. the only way his role changes is if jarmo gets a GM job somewhere else and tries to poach him away.

remember all the pearl clutching when they hired trevor timmins, given his draft record? it was much ado about nothing.

Mark Hunter could be Doug Maclean and be a control freak or he might not. Same could be said for any new hire.

i highly doubt that the new GM hire's main focus is going to be the draft, given that they have much more pressing issues on the NHL roster, ownership wants to get back to the playoffs, and they have to make decisions on who in the pipeline is worth keeping.

if a new GM comes into an org that has had putrid on-ice results at the NHL level and decides to get that hands on with the amateur scouting operation that has been the only consistently good part of the entire organization, that GM is the wrong hire.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

ville siren is one of the most well-respected amateur scouting directors in the entire league. the only way his role changes is if jarmo gets a GM job somewhere else and tries to poach him away.

remember all the pearl clutching when they hired trevor timmins, given his draft record? it was much ado about nothing.

i highly doubt that the new GM hire's main focus is going to be the draft, given that they have much more pressing issues on the NHL roster, ownership wants to get back to the playoffs, and they have to make decisions on who in the pipeline is worth keeping.

if a new GM comes into an org that has had putrid on-ice results at the NHL level and decides to get that hands on with the amateur scouting operation that has been the only consistently good part of the entire organization, that GM is the wrong hire.

But these are all assumptions. We also can't assume that Ville fits in the organization under a new GM no matter how highly thought of he is.

This organization needs to be turned on its head in the front office down to the on ice staff. JD says he wants a disruptor. People who get disrupted will either follow the new program or be disrupted out the door.

In any event, status quo is not acceptable.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I think Siren has done a pretty good job in his role. However, I do not see him sticking here after the draft. The new GM will want his own staff across the board, and Ville may want a new challenge or get offered one. As far as I know he lives in Michigan so it’s not like he’d be forced to relocate.

I hope personally he stays going forward but I don’t expect it

 

[cbjthrowaway]

I think Siren has done a pretty good job in his role. However, I do not see him sticking here after the draft. The new GM will want his own staff across the board, and Ville may want a new challenge or get offered one. As far as I know he lives in Michigan so it’s not like he’d be forced to relocate.

i don't think this is necessarily 100% accurate.

a new GM would definitely want to bring in some of their own people (particularly the coaching staff) but there are some pieces of the CBJ hockey ops apparatus that are well-renowned. particularly amateur scouting and analytics. player development also seems to be a strength.

to wit, i don't think a new GM would come in and clean house in the areas where things are working. there are bigger fish to fry. but they may have different focuses.

for example, the jackets draft MO has shifted over the last few years to get guys who have production + hockey IQ. a new GM may want to more heavily weigh different traits (physical projection, etc) when building the draft board.

there is some quality infrastructure set up within cbj hockey ops, the issues have been more a combination of decision-making at the top and budgetary constraints for key hires (specifically coaching) – they're not gonna throw the baby out with the bathwater.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

i don't think this is necessarily 100% accurate.

a new GM would definitely want to bring in some of their own people (particularly the coaching staff) but there are some pieces of the CBJ hockey ops apparatus that are well-renowned. particularly amateur scouting and analytics. player development also seems to be a strength.

to wit, i don't think a new GM would come in and clean house in the areas where things are working. there are bigger fish to fry. but they may have different focuses.

for example, the jackets draft MO has shifted over the last few years to get guys who have production + hockey IQ. a new GM may want to more heavily weigh different traits (physical projection, etc) when building the draft board.

there is some quality infrastructure set up within cbj hockey ops, the issues have been more a combination of decision-making at the top and budgetary constraints for key hires (specifically coaching) – they're not gonna throw the baby out with the bathwater.

When jarmo was hired, Tyler wright and Paul castron ran the 2013 draft. After it ended, Wright was fired. Castron didn’t stick around much longer either, and the entire CBJ scouting staff got overturned.

Now siren has more clout than Wright did (as a scout) but I could see him wanting to move on and the new GM granting that right.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

Now siren has more clout than Wright did (as a scout) but I could see him wanting to move on and the new GM granting that right.

i think jarmo will make a run at poaching siren if and when he gets another GM job, but i can't see siren going anywhere until that happens tbh

 

[CBJx614]

My point was a GM could overrule anyone when it comes to the draft because he is the guy in charge. We don't know what kind of power Ville Siren will have in the future in the organization. He could get replaced. He could leave on is own. The guy in charge will make those calls.

There is no guarantee Ville Siren will remain in charge of the draft. Maybe this year because it's so soon but no guarantes for future years.

Mark Hunter could be Doug Maclean and be a control freak or he might not. Same could be said for any new hire.

He could be, but I also think part of the appeal of the CBJ to a GM is that they don't really need to completely build up a prospect pool, the Jackets already have one of the best pools in the league with what should be a layup top 5 pick. After this off-season the GMs goal is going to be turning this team into a playoff contender.

Obviously we need to continue to make good picks through the years, but someone isn't getting hired to completely tear down and overhaul the team and pool.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

He could be, but I also think part of the appeal of the CBJ to a GM is that they don't really need to completely build up a prospect pool, the Jackets already have one of the best pools in the league with what should be a layup top 5 pick. After this off-season the GMs goal is going to be turning this team into a playoff contender.

Obviously we need to continue to make good picks through the years, but someone isn't getting hired to completely tear down and overhaul the team and pool.

This is fair. The real problem isn't currently with how we draft them, albeit we draft to many similar players. The problem is how we develop them after the've been drafted.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

This is fair. The real problem isn't currently with how we draft them, albeit we draft to many similar players. The problem is how we develop them after the've been drafted.

the weird thing about this is that the actual player development team – which nash oversees –seems to generally be fine.

GM-level decision-making (when to call guys up, when to send down, etc.), S&C (a longstanding issue that jarmo didn't address) and misalignment between FO and coaching staff seem (to me, anyway) to be major issues undermining the work of the actual player development team.

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

I think Siren has done a pretty good job in his role. However, I do not see him sticking here after the draft. The new GM will want his own staff across the board, and Ville may want a new challenge or get offered one. As far as I know he lives in Michigan so it’s not like he’d be forced to relocate.

I hope personally he stays going forward but I don’t expect it

I was thinking the same. If it ends up being Mark Hunter, then I bet we'll see some of the scouting personel getting replaced by people with London and maybe even Leafs connections

 

[Nanabijou]

i think jarmo will make a run at poaching siren if and when he gets another GM job, but i can't see siren going anywhere until that happens tbh

Bit unrelated to your post, but I was driving home listening to 97.1 and they mentioned that Jarmo is scouting for the CBJ right now - they made a joke about him now having to report to Siren. That was the first I heard that but I may have missed it. Does anyone have verification of that or were they just spouting stuff?

I know Jarmo is still getting paid, but it would seem a little weird to me that he's out there on the road scouting for the team that fired him.

 

[majormajor]

Bit unrelated to your post, but I was driving home listening to 97.1 and they mentioned that Jarmo is scouting for the CBJ right now - they made a joke about him now having to report to Siren. That was the first I heard that but I may have missed it. Does anyone have verification of that or were they just spouting stuff?

I know Jarmo is still getting paid, but it would seem a little weird to me that he's out there on the road scouting for the team that fired him.

Right after he was fired it was mentioned that he was going to scout for the team.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Bit unrelated to your post, but I was driving home listening to 97.1 and they mentioned that Jarmo is scouting for the CBJ right now - they made a joke about him now having to report to Siren. That was the first I heard that but I may have missed it. Does anyone have verification of that or were they just spouting stuff?

I know Jarmo is still getting paid, but it would seem a little weird to me that he's out there on the road scouting for the team that fired him.

It’s more common than you think when people are still under contract after being removed from their position.

 

[Crede777]

I just hope it isn't Mark Hunter or Jeff Gorton. Please oh please oh please.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

According to Arace on the puck rakers podcast, the jackets have conducted “more than a few” interviews and knows they have interest in Mark Hunter and Dan MacKinnon (AGM of New Jersey). He is unsure if they have interviewed yet though

Hedger says his gut feeling (and he says gut feeling not based on what he’s hearing) is that we’re waiting on Mark Hunter

 

[GoJackets1]

According to Arace on the puck rakers podcast, the jackets have conducted “more than a few” interviews and knows they have interest in Mark Hunter and Dan MacKinnon (AGM of New Jersey). He is unsure if they have interviewed yet though

Hedger says his gut feeling (and he says gut feeling not based on what he’s hearing) is that we’re waiting on Mark Hunter

Sigh… really hope JD can control himself enough to not make another old boys club hire.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

According to Arace on the puck rakers podcast, the jackets have conducted “more than a few” interviews and knows they have interest in Mark Hunter and Dan MacKinnon (AGM of New Jersey). He is unsure if they have interviewed yet though

Hedger says his gut feeling (and he says gut feeling not based on what he’s hearing) is that we’re waiting on Mark Hunter

How much reporting does Arace actually do? He's basically just a columnist for the Dispatch writing his opinion pieces. MacKinnon is new name for me though. Seems qualified. Got a 2nd interview with the Pens last year. Has been around the Devils rise over the last couple of years.

HockeyDB shows he played 1 game for the Chill.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

How much reporting does Arace actually do? He's basically just a columnist for the Dispatch writing his opinion pieces. MacKinnon is new name for me though. Seems qualified. Got a 2nd interview with the Pens last year. Has been around the Devils rise over the last couple of years.

HockeyDB shows he played 1 game for the Chill.

Arace doesn’t report much but he clearly does have contacts. If I recall correctly, he had the 11th hour offer to Panarin with a blank check before anyone else did.

 

[EDM]

Sunday Dispatch suggests that CBJ can 'make history" by hiring the first female GM. I am sorry, but if they do this, I am done as a fan. I mean no disrepect women, but I am tired of the the CBJ as a kind of carnival freak show.

And why the obsession with Hunter who has never been an NHL GM?

 

[majormajor]

Sunday Dispatch suggests that CBJ can 'make history" by hiring the first female GM. I am sorry, but if they do this, I am done as a fan. I mean no disrepect women, but I am tired of the the CBJ as a kind of carnival freak show.

The top candidate for that would be Castonguay, I presume. I personally don't think Castonguay has enough experience yet (applying the same standard as I have to all candidates). Younger than Rick Nash, who is too young for it.

But carnival freak show is a ridiculous thing to say about a woman being in charge. My god. She is a really solid person who would be the furthest thing from that.