Denis Gauthier
He doesn't have the experience or the name but I think he's a really brilliant guy. He's the best analyst from RDS by a mile.
Maybe assistant GM would be a better fit for him to start with.
Martin Madden Jr would be my choice to be the next GM though.
So Madden GM + Gauthier Assistant-GM
Why are you proposing a bunch of knuckleheads?
We need a highly intelligent GM for once.
I'd would much rather we take a 25 years old from Harvard than anyone with a hockey pedigree.
The mathematics of winning in the NHL are
*easy*
As GM you are there to manage waves.
What that means:
1) You can no longer keep the ocean flowing like in the 1990s with a long set of free agents. You have to get 25 years old via trade when others team move on from them (Anderson, Toffoli) and sign them to 5 years deals. Bergevin did a fantastic job on this. He just won't accept any of the others items.
2) You have to sell 80% of your veterans when they reach 31-32, that's when physical decline starts. And because of 1) - attempting to patch holes with others FA is not possible.
3) Only your very best 27 years old should be resigned and never for 8 years (best to sign your stars for 8 years when they are under 25)
4) You should never, ever, never, ever, rent players who are not stars when you are not really in an end-wave moment (as we are with Danault and Tatar)
5) Goaltenders are no longer possible franchise players. Period.
6) You have to draft in the top 2 (not 3), top 2, at least twice early in a wave (unless there's an odd draft with more semi-guaranteed franchise players)
7) Don't draft knuckleheads, the game is faster, the IQ required is higher.
8) Slow players won't scale in the NHL.
