GM search thread - all news and discussion here

[MissADD]

I don't hate the idea of Holland as pres of hockey. Let's see where this goes.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Not dissimilar to the possible timeline I posted in the Waddell thread, although I had Waddell as PHOp and a yet-unknown party as GM.

 

[hockeywiz542]

SIMMONS SAYS: The summer of Mitch Marner is already upon us ... everywhere

Simmons Says - the usual collection of thoughts, dots and shots from the paste week in sports

torontosun.com

This is unusual: GM Don Waddell is leaving a great Carolina team for a not-so-great team in Columbus. That doesn’t happen often. But is he going alone? He may not be. Some NHL GMs believe Edmonton boss Ken Holland could be heading to Columbus along with Waddell and Holland’s son, Brad. Waddell was assistant GM to Holland on the ’98 Stanley Cup-champion Red Wings. The two have been close ever since. If it happens, Waddell and Holland would be in senior hockey positions and Brad Holland would be learning the GM’s job alongside two experienced successful mentors …

 

[CBJWerenski8]

SIMMONS SAYS: The summer of Mitch Marner is already upon us ... everywhere

Simmons Says - the usual collection of thoughts, dots and shots from the paste week in sports

torontosun.com

This is unusual: GM Don Waddell is leaving a great Carolina team for a not-so-great team in Columbus. That doesn’t happen often. But is he going alone? He may not be. Some NHL GMs believe Edmonton boss Ken Holland could be heading to Columbus along with Waddell and Holland’s son, Brad. Waddell was assistant GM to Holland on the ’98 Stanley Cup-champion Red Wings. The two have been close ever since. If it happens, Waddell and Holland would be in senior hockey positions and Brad Holland would be learning the GM’s job alongside two experienced successful mentors …

Oh…that’s not ideal

And those who are worried about Rick Nash wouldn’t have to be anymore

 

[GoJackets1]

SIMMONS SAYS: The summer of Mitch Marner is already upon us ... everywhere

Simmons Says - the usual collection of thoughts, dots and shots from the paste week in sports

torontosun.com

This is unusual: GM Don Waddell is leaving a great Carolina team for a not-so-great team in Columbus. That doesn’t happen often. But is he going alone? He may not be. Some NHL GMs believe Edmonton boss Ken Holland could be heading to Columbus along with Waddell and Holland’s son, Brad. Waddell was assistant GM to Holland on the ’98 Stanley Cup-champion Red Wings. The two have been close ever since. If it happens, Waddell and Holland would be in senior hockey positions and Brad Holland would be learning the GM’s job alongside two experienced successful mentors …

I’m fine with Waddell, I might even be fine with Holland as PHOP if Waddell is strictly business side. I would not be fine with hiring two Hollands. IMO That could potentially leave the franchise pretty vulnerable a few years down the road when Waddell and Ken inevitably retire.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

So maybe it’s this…

President of business ops and senior advisor to hockey: Waddell

President of hockey ops and GM (for at least one season): Ken Holland

AGM and GM in waiting: Brad Holland

Advisor of business ops: Priest

Advisor to hockey ops: JD

Puts McRae, Flynn, Nash, and potentially Clark on the chopping block

 

[Seedtype]

Interesting that the ownership is possibly doing things like this. Anger at the Babcock fiasco and subsequent fallout? Screw JD, Priest, and all the other people they listen to(ie. Hitchcock)?

Definitely will be a new era. Hope it'll be a successful one.

 

[majormajor]

Let's just hope Steve Simmons is full of shit, which he normally is.

No family connections please. This isn't bring your kid to work day.

 

[Seedtype]

Let's just hope Steve Simmons is full of shit, which he normally is.

No family connections please. This isn't bring your kid to work day.

Agreed.
I guess we just need to see how this all turns out.

 

[koteka]

Let's just hope Steve Simmons is full of shit, which he normally is.

No family connections please. This isn't bring your kid to work day.

Kyle Shanahan is an example of a son having a successful career after his father had a successful career. Kyle worked his way up in coaching away from his father - working in lower level positions for people like Karl Dorrell and Jon Gruden. His father’s connections certainly helped him - his first NFL assistant coaching job was under Gary Kubiak who had coached under his father. But Kyle Shanahan went out on his own for years before he worked with his father. That is how things should happen.

Brad Holland has worked for the Oilers since 2019. Coincidentally Ken Holland has been GM of the Oilers since 2019. I don’t think he has carved his own path.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Kyle Shanahan is an example of a son having a successful career after his father had a successful career. Kyle worked his way up in coaching away from his father - working in lower level positions for people like Karl Dorrell and Jon Gruden. His father’s connections certainly helped him - his first NFL assistant coaching job was under Gary Kubiak who had coached under his father. But Kyle Shanahan went out on his own for years before he worked with his father. That is how things should happen.

Brad Holland has worked for the Oilers since 2019. Coincidentally Ken Holland has been GM of the Oilers since 2019. I don’t think he has carved his own path.

Another football example-but with a long time coaching career which started under his father.

Wade Phillips-who got his start under his dad-A.O. "Bum Phillips"-worked under his father for around a decade and then held Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator positions with numerous NFL franchises.

Wade-however-could never match his father's unique charisma. But, then again, no one could:

Bum Phillips Quotes (Bumisms)

-"There's two kinds of coaches, them that's fired and them that's gonna be fired." -"I always thought I could coach. I just thought people were poor judges of good coaches." -"I've never seen a hammer and tong game like that one." -To a reporter who said, "He sure gets up slow", after Earl...

forums.pngindians.com

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

I'd dislike 1 Holland, but if it's some kind of nepotistic 2 Holland deal I'll hate it a lot

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

I wouldn’t rule out Mark Hunter for GM just yet

 

[EspenK]

So maybe it’s this…

President of business ops and senior advisor to hockey: Waddell

President of hockey ops and GM (for at least one season): Ken Holland

AGM and GM in waiting: Brad Holland

Advisor of business ops: Priest

Advisor to hockey ops: JD

Puts McRae, Flynn, Nash, and potentially Clark on the chopping block

This just sounds like a clusterf*ck to me. Would be a typical BJ approach.

As an aside can someone explain wtf a Pres of Hockey Ops does? Oversee the GM and decide whether the chili chant stays?

 

[Aaaarrgghh]

This just sounds like a clusterf*ck to me. Would be a typical BJ approach.

As an aside can someone explain wtf a Pres of Hockey Ops does? Oversee the GM and decide whether the chili chant stays?

In this case, doesn't he represent the owner's interests in the hockey operations department so that the GM can focus on the sporting perspective? That's what I've assumed, anyway.

 

[KJ Dangler]

According to Marek/ Friedman… they think Waddell will be President and Gm for the short term ..Basically said ownership groups couldn’t be different . Dundon has huge ego… Columbus lets hockey people run team .. Said Carolina may try to find another Waddell for gm because they loved the way he knew and could communicate with everyone in the NHL.. they mentioned a name.. I will go back and grab

 

[DarkandStormy]

So maybe it’s this…

President of business ops and senior advisor to hockey: Waddell

President of hockey ops and GM (for at least one season): Ken Holland

AGM and GM in waiting: Brad Holland

Advisor of business ops: Priest

Advisor to hockey ops: JD

Puts McRae, Flynn, Nash, and potentially Clark on the chopping block

That set up sounds very Leaf-like.

Also not sure ownership has the appetite for the budget that would necessitate.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

There have been reports issued by a bevy of “NHL insiders” that Don Waddell is the preeminent candidate to become the Blue Jackets' next general manager and/or president of hockey operations. After a weekend of canvassing league and local sources, here is an educated guess at what will unfold this week:

Waddell is the choice of president of hockey operations John Davidson and team president Mike Priest. The contract isn’t 100% settled. If all goes according to plan, it’ll be done after the long holiday weekend and Waddell will be announced subsequently, most likely on Wednesday.

Waddell will have an executive title.

t’s likely that Davidson will relinquish his president’s role but remain with the Jackets. There are a lot of “senior advisors” in NHL front offices, and something like that might fit Davidson, who has often said he’s not yet ready to retire. His fondness for the team and city is deep. He wants to help steer Columbus onto a launching pad and watch the Jackets take off before he hangs up his blue blazer. He has two years remaining on his contract.

Waddell will have the option to hire another GM. It has been speculated that Rick Nash, former Jackets star and current assistant GM, is being groomed for it. Waddell can do what he wants here ― keep the GM title for as long as he wishes, promote from within or reach outside of Columbus

The previous GM, Jarmo Kekalainen, was fired Feb. 15 after 11 years on the job. Because he left a well-stocked cupboard behind, and because GM jobs are at a premium, the Jackets’ vacancy attracted attention. Among the up-and-comers who were believed to be interviewed, either remotely or in person, were New York Rangers assistant GM Ryan Martin and New Jersey Devils assistant GM Dan MacKinnon. Among the veterans whom sources say were interested were former Montreal Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin and current Edmonton Oilers president/GM Ken Holland.

As recently as Sunday, there was even speculation in Toronto that Holland and his son, Brad, might be coming to Columbus in a package to work in concert with Waddell.

This week will bring clarity, or at least an end, to a 14-week search for the new Blue Jackets boss.

 

[CBJx614]

Which I imagine means he won't have much input for the draft either? Obviously he's going to give his two cents but I would assume he would defer to Siren and the scouts here

 

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[tunnelvision]

So maybe it’s this…

President of business ops and senior advisor to hockey: Waddell

President of hockey ops and GM (for at least one season): Ken Holland

AGM and GM in waiting: Brad Holland

Advisor of business ops: Priest

Advisor to hockey ops: JD

Puts McRae, Flynn, Nash, and potentially Clark on the chopping block

Siren goes out the door and in comes Tyler Wright to run amateur scouting?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Siren goes out the door and in comes Tyler Wright to run amateur scouting?

I guess it’s possible but didn’t Holland just fire him in Edmonton

 

[CBJWerenski8]

This whole “belief around the league that holland is coming” is reminiscent of last years Babcock hire. Not in the sense that holland is toxic like him, but in the sense of everything is agreed upon and we just have to run out the clock.

There’s work to be done immediately hence why Waddel will be the “interim” GM in the meantime (maybe to lay groundwork on negotiations with our RFAs?) but nothing will be done until Holland is on board

 

[Ice9]

Would have liked to get younger in some of these spots but it could be a mentoring opportunity. I know Nash is young(ish) but not sure about other positions. Who knows...

 

[Fred Glover]

I for one would be very happy with a Waddell Holland combination
proven experienced winners