Speculation: New GM Candidates?

[Chainshot]

agreed.

im just getting antsy and nervous... it will be the most important move the franchise makes in making this whole thing work (imo)...

I'm concerned and worried too since they are right at the start of a new direction and the future is unknown. I'm less nervous with it being LaFontaine doing the hire though, even with his inexperience at making this sort of hire but based on HIM as a person and how he conducts himself. Thorough, driven, humble and yet personable and truely well-liked are ways I've heard people describe Pat. I want that in someone looking to make these hires.

 

[BuzzKillington90]

Only thing I'm wondering about is other candidates in mind for Patty. Botterill is confirmed but he alluded in his WGR interview that some people he's interested in may not be on the national radar.

This far people have almost ruled out Dudley and Hextall....I really curious to see who else it would be...although we will probably hear more next week once interviews begin.

 

[Moskau]

Only thing I'm wondering about is other candidates in mind for Patty. Botterill is confirmed but he alluded in his WGR interview that some people he's interested in may not be on the national radar.

This far people have almost ruled out Dudley and Hextall....I really curious to see who else it would be...although we will probably hear more next week once interviews begin.

Off the national radar could just be guys like Benning. Guys ON the national radar are Button, Shannahan, Messier and Colin Campbell which should tell you all you need to know about the national radar.

 

[Woodhouse]

Hotstove: Sabres continue to narrow GM search (VIDEO):

Commentator Glenn Healy says Sabres president of hockey operations Pat LaFontaine has a list that includes four asistant GMs. Boston Bruins' Jim Benning, Montreal Canadiens' Rick Dudley, Nashville Predators' Paul Fenton, and Pittsburgh Penguins' Jason Botterill.

 

[Djp]

@MAGodin: According to source, Rick Dudley has not been contacted by Sabres (as of last night) and is unlikely to be their next GM. Surprising. #habs

I heard on HNIC that he either

(1) doesnt want to be a GM again and would rather just work in a scouting role as an asst GM

or

(2) were he to become a GM he would only do it in Buffalo

 

[Splintered Sherwood]

Hotstove: Sabres continue to narrow GM search (VIDEO):

I'm unsure of Fenton's work with T. Rex towards the end of Bolan's career (nobody can hate T. Rex because of Electric Warrior), but since he has reinvented himself in Nashville as a hockey man, he's done good things.

 

[Woodhouse]

Overlooked Smith deserves chance in Buffalo:

People kept hiring Mike Keenan after 1994. Nobody other than Wang ever gave Smith another chance. That never has made sense. It never has made sense that Smith was all but blacklisted from the league after being dismissed on Broadway in 2000 because of the $21 million offer-sheet to Joe Sakic that was authorized by Dave Checketts and Garden ownership in 1997.

It’s never made sense that Smith’s post-1996-97 failures all but obliterated his successes in drafting and trading the Rangers into three division championships within the five-year span from 1989-94 after the franchise had gone 47 seasons without a single first-place finish.

Smith’s background is in scouting and identifying talent. Indeed, the GM used his acumen to select Kyle Okposo seventh overall in the 2006 Entry Draft, when, sources indicated at the time, the organization had previously settled on taking Bobby Sanguinetti with that pick, and where have we heard that name before?

In those later years in New York, it was about organization-wide impatience and chasing free agents to fill a marquee. You know who they were: Theo Fleury, Val Kamensky, Mike Keane, Brian Skrudland, among others. (We can omit Wayne Gretzky; that one worked).

But in the early years, it was about patiently amassing assets through the draft then wheeling some for the finishing touches. Puzzle, meet pieces Doug Weight, Tony Amonte, James Patrick, Darren Turcotte, Todd Marchant, Tomas Sandstrom.

 

[flashsabre]

I'm concerned and worried too since they are right at the start of a new direction and the future is unknown. I'm less nervous with it being LaFontaine doing the hire though, even with his inexperience at making this sort of hire but based on HIM as a person and how he conducts himself. Thorough, driven, humble and yet personable and truely well-liked are ways I've heard people describe Pat. I want that in someone looking to make these hires.

Pat has made two very wise choices already:

1) Realizing he is not ready to step into the GM chair t the moment and taking the hockey ops position in order to hire more qualified person.

2) Tabbing Nolan to come in and right the ship. After two games it is quite obvious that many of the players will respond much better to his coaching/mentoring style. Young guys like Hodgson, Ennis, Foligno, Pysyk, Myers and the kids will learn so much about competing under Nolan's tutelage.

I have confidence in Lafontaine to find a quality guy for the job. I'd be happy with any of Dudley, Benning, Loiselle, Botterill, or Fenton. All great choices.

 

[ZeroPT*]

I like what I read about guys like Botterill,Benning and Fenton. Fenton+Devine working the drafts *drool*. However, I'm with Jame on this one, I want an experienced guy (Dudley is my #1) and bring alongside him our own assistants who can later turn in to GM's. I wouldn't be opposed to Messier if there were an experienced figure alongside him, he's got the brains and hockey spirit, but does he know how to work a trade? CBA regulations, cap decisions and all that fun stuff, if someone can help him out on that front, wouldn't be a terrible hire.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Overlooked Smith deserves chance in Buffalo:

And his hand in the Drury move...

Wouldn't hate it, that's for sure.

 

[ZZamboni]

Remember people this is a speculation thread. Not a confirmed one. Unless it's coming right out of Patty's mouth... It may be none of these names. I'll believe the horses mouth. Not the "sources" mouth via twitter. So if it's none of these names, it wouldn't surprise me.

 

[ZeroPT*]

Does anybody have a clue what Fenton/Botteril's implication in trades/FA signings are with their current teams? I know they are both possible successors to their current GM's, but how much of a role do they have in team decisions? Fenton runs drafts but idk about Botteril

 

[SabresFan26]

Does anybody have a clue what Fenton/Botteril's implication in trades/FA signings are with their current teams? I know they are both possible successors to their current GM's, but how much of a role do they have in team decisions? Fenton runs drafts but idk about Botteril

Fenton use to run their drafts and drafted Suter, Weber, Radulov, Hornqvist in the 7th, etc. He does not do them anymore I believe.

 

[OhreallyOrielly]

Does anybody have a clue what Fenton/Botteril's implication in trades/FA signings are with their current teams? I know they are both possible successors to their current GM's, but how much of a role do they have in team decisions? Fenton runs drafts but idk about Botteril

I read an excellent article about Botterils role with the Penguins. He's arranged some sticky maneuvers cap wise. When it comes time to trade, his role is to know everything about the other team from cap position to roster depth including who may be coming back from an injury that may affect depth and player availability. Unfortunately, can't find it at the moment. It may be linked above.

 

[Chainshot]

As has been mentioned, Botts is the Pens cap guru. He has a hand in contract negotiations as well as various levels of scouting.

 

[joshjull]

As has been mentioned, Botts is the Pens cap guru. He has a hand in contract negotiations as well as various levels of scouting.

He seems like an ideal pairing with Devine and his strengths. Assuming of course Devine is kept.

 

[Beerz]

Do we really need a cap guru as GM? I'd save that attribute for an advisor. I want savvy, intelligence in the form of assembling a team, a dynamic personality, ballsy, an evaluator of talent.

 

[joshjull]

Do we really need a cap guru as GM? I'd save that attribute for an advisor. I want savvy, intelligence in the form of assembling a team, a dynamic personality, ballsy, an evaluator of talent.

And why can't a GM be all that as well as being a cap guru?

Read Rebuild's post a few up. Sounds like Botts has all of the traits you want.

 

[Rhett4]

And why can't a GM be all that as well as being a cap guru?

Read Rebuild's post a few up. Sounds like Botts has all of the traits you want.

True. At the end of the day, none of us know enough about these guys, their personalities, or their visions, to really know who would be best. How are they with contract negotiations? How about selling trades? How about buying trades? How about managing the cap? How about drafting? How about nurturing prospects? How about making general roster decisions? How about negotiating in free agency?

Outside of Dudley, who has a track record as GM that can be dissected, it's hard to know what exactly we're getting with any of these guys. So we have to trust that the Sabres front office will get this one right...

 

[Beerz]

And why can't a GM be all that as well as being a cap guru?

Read Rebuild's post a few up. Sounds like Botts has all of the traits you want.

They can. It's just the first thing I hear about Botterill.

I don't have a real strong opinion on who it should be because I know next to nothing about these guys being discussed and it's impossible for me to tell how much of an impact they've had serving under other teams GM's.

I'm just saying if a guys best attribute is figuring out cap numbers and such I'd rather just hire a math nerd to crunch numbers and a lawyer to memorize the CBO and have them advise the GM ..

 

[joshjull]

True. At the end of the day, none of us know enough about these guys, their personalities, or their visions, to really know who would be best. How are they with contract negotiations? How about selling trades? How about buying trades? How about managing the cap? How about drafting? How about nurturing prospects? How about making general roster decisions? How about negotiating in free agency?

Outside of Dudley, who has a track record as GM that can be dissected, it's hard to know what exactly we're getting with any of these guys. So we have to trust that the Sabres front office will get this one right...

Very true. Although I would go out on a limb and say a cap guru would manage the cap pretty well.

 

[joshjull]

They can. It's just the first thing I hear about Botterill.

I don't have a real strong opinion on who it should be because I know next to nothing about these guys being discussed and it's impossible for me to tell how much of an impact they've had serving under other teams GM's.

I'm just saying if a guys best attribute is figuring out cap numbers and such I'd rather just hire a math nerd to crunch numbers and a lawyer to memorize the CBO and have them advise the GM ..

I don't have a strong opinion on who it should be either.

 

[Rhett4]

Very true. Although I would go out on a limb and say a cap guru would manage the cap pretty well.

Yeah, and I like Botterill from what I've read. You also have to trust in what others say about their abilities, and so far, he seems to get only rave reviews from NHL insiders.

 

[SabresFan26]

Botterill or Fenton for me with Smith an outside possibility.

 

[Moskau]

I'll bring it up for the 10th time like I have every year for the past decade since a Leino thread popped it back into my mind but I hope that our pro scouting staff is looked into while all of this is going on. It's bad. Really bad. And promoting Cunneyworth to pro scout isn't enough.