Speculation: New GM Candidates?

[Paxon]

You wouldn't even give him a chance?

What's the difference between hiring him and giving him a chance? There isn't one. On what basis would I want to hire a guy with a massively oversized ego and no GM experience who gives no indication that he could or should be a GM?

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Wasn't Dudley's tenure in Atlanta an absolute trainwreck?

Nevermind, thinking of Waddell. Wish we traded for Andrew Ladd in 2010...

 

[Djp]

Messier would be fine given the right structure, Buffalo needed a name like him to increase its profile around the league and attract free agents. That now appears to be Lafontaine's job, however.

No they dont...those no names have NHL credibility and having LaFontaine as team Pres is enough to add league credibility. Lafontaine has been well respected throughout the NHL.

 

[Beerz]

What's the difference between hiring him and giving him a chance? There isn't one. On what basis would I want to hire a guy with a massively oversized ego and no GM experience who gives no indication that he could or should be a GM?

Not important.

 

[dotcommunism]

Wasn't Dudley's tenure in Atlanta an absolute trainwreck?

Nevermind, thinking of Waddell. Wish we traded for Andrew Ladd in 2010...

I'm no Dudley fan, but to be fair to him he had to both follow up Don Waddell and work as his subordinate

 

[dire wolf]

You wouldn't even give him a chance?

Why does he deserve a chance to run an NHL club? Like I said before, he needs to run a junior hockey club or be a real Assistant GM first. Way too entitled for my taste. In my opinion, his sense of entitlement undermines the idea that he knows what it takes to win.

Meanwhile, here's what Wikipedia says he's been up to:

After his retirement, Messier appeared in a Versus television special in the United States highlighting his "Mark Messier Leadership Camp", which allowed New Yorkers to mix seminars in leadership and working with others with hockey games against former Rangers, including a scrimmage on the Garden ice.

Messier was featured in a Lay's chips campaign that aired in Canada in the late 1990s and early 2000s. ....

More recently, Messier has found time to do some work as a hockey analyst. He's occasionally seen on NHL on Versus as a studio analyst, was an in-game analyst for The NHL All-Star Game on Versus, and has been a guest commentator on NHL on NBC.
...

Messier is an advocate for preventative healthcare and spokesperson for Cold-fX. He is also involved in many philanthropic causes, most recently The New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund, for which he serves on the Board.

Messier has also become a hotelier, owning the small Runaway Hill Club on the pink sand beach on Harbour Island in the Bahamas. He also regularly fishes for marlin on his boat 'Wani Kanati'.

Messier ran in the New York City Marathon on November 6, 2011, finishing with a time of 4:14:21.

...

Messier is also known for his off ice charity work, especially in his native Alberta. [30] This commitment to charity is also one of the factors in the NHL's Mark Messier Leadership Award.​

Seems like he's pretty busy doing a lot stuff that has nothing to do with preparing to become GM of an NHL club

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Did you miss the part where I said he's redundant with Lala, but might have been an interesting figurehead type given different circumstances?

 

[Djp]

He's smart. Knows hockey. What it takes to win.

Most importantly his name...who he is.

Insta-cred would help in free agency I believe.

He's an icon...

why not just have the Sabres put up a craigslist ad....

 

[Chainshot]

Vancouver, Anaheim, and Toronto? Am I wrong, I thought he built these teams.

Others have already pointed out that he inherited most of the Anaheim Cup winner and it took years for him to get the ship even remotely righted in Toronto due to his meddlesomeness.

 

[Beerz]

Why does he deserve a chance to run an NHL club? Like I said before, he needs to run a junior hockey club or be a real Assistant GM first. Way too entitled for my taste. In my opinion, his sense of entitlement undermines the idea that he knows what it takes to win.

Meanwhile, here's what Wikipedia says he's been up to:

After his retirement, Messier appeared in a Versus television special in the United States highlighting his "Mark Messier Leadership Camp", which allowed New Yorkers to mix seminars in leadership and working with others with hockey games against former Rangers, including a scrimmage on the Garden ice.

Messier was featured in a Lay's chips campaign that aired in Canada in the late 1990s and early 2000s. ....

More recently, Messier has found time to do some work as a hockey analyst. He's occasionally seen on NHL on Versus as a studio analyst, was an in-game analyst for The NHL All-Star Game on Versus, and has been a guest commentator on NHL on NBC.
...

Messier is an advocate for preventative healthcare and spokesperson for Cold-fX. He is also involved in many philanthropic causes, most recently The New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund, for which he serves on the Board.

Messier has also become a hotelier, owning the small Runaway Hill Club on the pink sand beach on Harbour Island in the Bahamas. He also regularly fishes for marlin on his boat 'Wani Kanati'.

Messier ran in the New York City Marathon on November 6, 2011, finishing with a time of 4:14:21.

...

Messier is also known for his off ice charity work, especially in his native Alberta. [30] This commitment to charity is also one of the factors in the NHL's Mark Messier Leadership Award.​

Seems like he's pretty busy doing a lot stuff that has nothing to do with preparing to become GM of an NHL club

Oh for ****s sake... forget I mentioned it ... lol

 

[gallagt01]

Id be fine with any of them.....

I would also look to consider Larry Carriere and Rick Dudley both from Montreal.

there is an assitant GM in chicago (cant recall his name) who I would look at.

Larry Carriere's son, Nick, coaches Buffalo State's men's hockey team.

 

[haseoke39]

Botterill got his Econ degree during his playing days. I like what that says about a man's maturity and foresight.

 

[Djp]

Why does he deserve a chance to run an NHL club? Like I said before, he needs to run a junior hockey club or be a real Assistant GM first. Way too entitled for my taste. In my opinion, his sense of entitlement undermines the idea that he knows what it takes to win.

Meanwhile, here's what Wikipedia says he's been up to:

After his retirement, Messier appeared in a Versus television special in the United States highlighting his "Mark Messier Leadership Camp", which allowed New Yorkers to mix seminars in leadership and working with others with hockey games against former Rangers, including a scrimmage on the Garden ice.

Messier was featured in a Lay's chips campaign that aired in Canada in the late 1990s and early 2000s. ....

More recently, Messier has found time to do some work as a hockey analyst. He's occasionally seen on NHL on Versus as a studio analyst, was an in-game analyst for The NHL All-Star Game on Versus, and has been a guest commentator on NHL on NBC.
...

Messier is an advocate for preventative healthcare and spokesperson for Cold-fX. He is also involved in many philanthropic causes, most recently The New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund, for which he serves on the Board.

Messier has also become a hotelier, owning the small Runaway Hill Club on the pink sand beach on Harbour Island in the Bahamas. He also regularly fishes for marlin on his boat 'Wani Kanati'.

Messier ran in the New York City Marathon on November 6, 2011, finishing with a time of 4:14:21.

...

Messier is also known for his off ice charity work, especially in his native Alberta. [30] This commitment to charity is also one of the factors in the NHL's Mark Messier Leadership Award.​

Seems like he's pretty busy doing a lot stuff that has nothing to do with preparing to become GM of an NHL club

But didn't he stay at a holiday inn express ???

 

[Sabre Dance]

Botterill got his Econ degree during his playing days. I like what that says about a man's maturity and foresight.

Botterill was talked about when all the rumors started so Im going to say that is our guy. Im not buying that this all happened so fast.

 

[haseoke39]

Botterill was talked about when all the rumors started so Im going to say that is our guy. Im not buying that this all happened so fast.

The only thing that's making me think twice is that Letang offer. 29 fanbases saw that and said, "you're crazy, mate. He'll put up 70 points for you, but he'll never anchor an elite defensive unit."

If I was interviewing him, that'd be the first thing I'd ask about.

 

[stokes84]

What's the difference between hiring him and giving him a chance? There isn't one. On what basis would I want to hire a guy with a massively oversized ego and no GM experience who gives no indication that he could or should be a GM?

Oversized compared to what? His accomplishments?

 

[dire wolf]

Oh for ****s sake... forget I mentioned it ... lol

I'm not trying to pick on you - lot's of people seem to think he would be a good GM. I just don't get it.

I'm also down on Dudley, Burke, McGuire and, to a lesser extent, Smith, but for different reasons.

This is one of the reasons I wasn't that hot to fire Darcy. My fear is that he could easily be replaced by someone much worse.

 

[Djp]

The only thing that's making me think twice is that Letang offer. 29 fanbases saw that and said, "you're crazy, mate. He'll put up 70 points for you, but he'll never anchor an elite defensive unit."

If I was interviewing him, that'd be the first thing I'd ask about.

didnt follow this...was he the one behind the Letang offer?

 

[Beerz]

I'm not trying to pick on you - lot's of people seem to think he would be a good GM. I just don't get it.

I'm also down on Dudley, Burke, McGuire and, to a lesser extent, Smith, but for different reasons.

This is one of the reasons I wasn't that hot to fire Darcy. My fear is that he could easily be replaced by someone much worse.

Well its kinda my point... They're all wildcards ... I just wouldn't mind swinging for the fences.. I don't really want a Dudley,Smith,Burke either...but I'm gonna give whoever it is a chance.

Edit: And I wasn't all that happy about the Darcy axe myself.

 

[Sabre Dance]

didnt follow this...was he the one behind the Letang offer?

He is supposedly a cap genius so Im sure he put the deal together. Im not sure I would call the deal a disaster.

 

[jBuds]

He is supposedly a cap genius so Im sure he put the deal together. Im not sure I would call the deal a disaster.

Not at all. That team is doing well and he was deemed to be a big part of it. You pay guys what you think they're worth. Not others.

 

[Beerz]

Tho' I do concede I'm not exactly sure it's the right time to be taking a gamble with so much youth on team and in middle of rebuild.

 

[haseoke39]

He is supposedly a cap genius so Im sure he put the deal together. Im not sure I would call the deal a disaster.

I wouldn't use the word disaster, either. You just need to balance priorities on a team. Pittsburgh's priority, for a couple years now, should have been improving their defense. If I were Pittsburgh, at that price, I'd have considered shopping Letang for a player that gives you more control in your own end.

Not at all. That team is doing well and he was deemed to be a big part of it. You pay guys what you think they're worth. Not others.

Right, but the team has Crosby and Malkin. It would be doing pretty well regardless. I think where Pittsburgh has failed has been identifying its weak dimension and addressing it, and that Letang deal was a big sign that at least one person in their front office thinks they can get by without addressing their defense. Otherwise, I'd have to think that they'd want to save some cap space to do so.

 

[Djp]

Not at all. That team is doing well and he was deemed to be a big part of it. You pay guys what you think they're worth. Not others.

The cap management is something that will be very very important going forwards with this team.

from 2008-2013 they have some 20 or so players in their system and then from 2014 and 2015 they right now have 11 picks in the first 3 rounds.

from trades they will likely add 10 picks or prospects to add to this.

Which then means you cant sign all of these 40+ players and you will have to make smart cap management decisions going forward in deciding who they should keep and who they should trade away to either add future picks or current roster vets in building a team.

when you are talking cap management you dont sign 29-31 yr old players to 7-8 yr deals. You sign 23-25 yr olds to 7-8 yr deals. In doing that you have to know which ones you should sign long term and which ones you dont.

 

[Beerz]

The cap management is something that will be very very important going forwards with this team.

from 2008-2013 they have some 20 or so players in their system and then from 2014 and 2015 they right now have 11 picks in the first 3 rounds.

from trades they will likely add 10 picks or prospects to add to this.

Which then means you cant sign all of these 40+ players and you will have to make smart cap management decisions going forward in deciding who they should keep and who they should trade away to either add future picks or current roster vets in building a team.

So basically the same thing that every other NHL team that plays near the cap ceiling has to do?