New GM Discussion Thread

[durojean]

Watching Subban play... How does Bergevin still have a job again?

And he is 4 years younger than Weber...

 

[Habs Icing]

It used to be that franco coaches were only picked by franco GM. No the case anymore.

BUT franco GMs do tend to favor franco coaches. BriseBois with Groulx and Dorion with Boucher are the latest examples. Although you could easily argue that they were sone of the best candidates available.

Ray Shero is half Franco. His Christian name is Rejean. Hasn't hired any Francos. I wonder if he's a self-hating Franco.

 

[groovejuice]

Got to think BriseBois is at the top of the list.

I like that he was previously with the Habs organization in Hamilton. Another protege of Gainey.

 

[Sorinth]

You know that I was talking about head coach and GM right? I guess that wasn't clear enough but that is what I was talking about. Just like Team Canada when it's always tougher to give the head coach position to a Q coach....You want evidence? How many franco GM's and franco head coach right now? Or last year? Or the year before?

Yeah it's a little easier nowadays to find assistant coaches in the NHL and AHL coaches too like for Pascal Vincent, Benoit Groulx and so on....Don't worry, I know those names....But the higher positions in hockey? There would hve been more guys in those positions if their own friends would have also be in higher positions.

Well the size of the pool of franco coaches/gms is much smaller. Where's the actual evidence that they aren't being represented at a normal rate. I can name a bunch of Team Canada coaches that came from the Q, but unless someone actually takes the time to go through all the positions for a meaningful period of time and shows that they are under represented then you have no evidence to support those kinds of statements. I mean there are what something like 24 Canadian head coaches and 7 American ones. Does that mean there's a conspiracy against hiring American coaches, and that they are being discriminated against?

 

[Whitesnake]

Well the size of the pool of franco coaches/gms is much smaller. Where's the actual evidence that they aren't being represented at a normal rate. I can name a bunch of Team Canada coaches that came from the Q, but unless someone actually takes the time to go through all the positions for a meaningful period of time and shows that they are under represented then you have no evidence to support those kinds of statements. I mean there are what something like 24 Canadian head coaches and 7 American ones. Does that mean there's a conspiracy against hiring American coaches, and that they are being discriminated against?

Well at least there are seven. While the franco are represented by 3 right now. And not new ones. And only 2 franco GM. Yeah I know, there's Bowman, Tallon and Fletcher...but that,s not who I'm talking about. So I will still believe that there's at the very least positive discrimination towards guys that are in the circle. And it's often about who you know than what you know.

 

[Runner77]

Watching Subban play... How does Bergevin still have a job again?

And he is 4 years younger than Weber...

I remember a ton a threads where we argued back and forth on this.

Everything about that trade exposed Bergevin's shortcomings. The poor marketing of the player, lying about the player's future with the team and not looking to trade him, a failed negotiating strategy that saw Bergevin cornered and left dealing with only one suitor, with less than 48 hours left before Subban's NTC would kick in. And, the idiotic words that Bergevin uttered when it was said and done about how you don't ask for more when you are offered Weber. All of it was a defining episode in this GM's tenure.

 

[groovejuice]

I remember a ton a threads where we argued back and forth on this.

Everything about that trade exposed Bergevin's shortcomings. The poor marketing of the player, lying about the player's future with the team and not looking to trade him, a failed negotiating strategy that saw Bergevin cornered and left dealing with only one suitor, with less than 48 hours left before Subban's NTC would kick in. And, the idiotic words that Bergevin uttered when it was said and done about how you don't ask for more when you are offered Weber. All of it was a defining episode in this GM's tenure.

One never wants to have his legacy defined by a catastrophe. By the time Bergevin is shown the door, it might be a choice of several calamities.

 

[HF-Addict]

Honestly, Bergevin dug his own grave with his arrogance. When you claim to know better and act smugly, and dont even care to explain your vision of this team. You better back that attitude with results. When you lie to your fans and shove your mistakes on every one else's back, it's time to get the f*** out. I really cant stand the guy anymore, he ruined the fun I had watching the Habs...even when they win, this team is boring. Bad offense, uninspiring defence, no physical play... hopefully we do get a new gm soon but will Molson really admit his 10+ million mistake he did extending Bergevin, I doubt it.

 

[The Great Weal]

Delete

 

[NobleSix]

French media has turned on Bergevin. He already has one foot in the grave.

If he hadn't have let Markov and Radulov walk, and did not have 9m in cap space right now, I could see Molson trying to justify bringing him back after missing the playoffs this season. But after such a horrible summer, basically dismantling the team like that and brining in nothing to help... yeah, there is no justifying keeping Bergevin.

It's not a question of if he gets fired, it is now when will he be fired. Personally, I don't see it until the end of the season, but it should come a lot sooner if it were up to me. The last thing I want is MB making any more trades.

 

[Habs100]

Ray Shero is half Franco. His Christian name is Rejean. Hasn't hired any Francos. I wonder if he's a self-hating Franco.

For the next GM search, I hope Geoff Molson and Serge Savard are not involved.

MB: "My vision is to acquire a lot of grinders, give them top dollar, and let the scorers walk because there's no cap space."

Molson and Savard: "You're French, you're hired."

 

[Adam Michaels]

For the next GM search, I hope Geoff Molson and Serge Savard are not involved.

MB: "My vision is to acquire a lot of grinders, give them top dollar, and let the scorers walk because there's no cap space."

Molson and Savard: "You're French, you're hired."

Sure, it's his property, he clearly shouldn't get involved in hiring his employee.

 

[Bieber fever]

Brisebois might be the best candidat all languages included. Its a golden opportunity , but slacking MB and his friends is going to cost Molson + 50M lol

 

[madhi19]

I rather the new GM be somebody who actually been a GM somewhere else in the NHL. Enough with the first timers! The team need to be more serious about hiring the best you can get, and building a corporate structure that provide accountability. I fear that we get Rejean Houle 2.0 if a move is done during the season. So if heads have to roll maybe just wait, and name a interim. You can always hire later in the year after a serious search has been done. The rudder is already broken anyway, it's going to take years to fix this ship.

 

[Pickles]

I remember a ton a threads where we argued back and forth on this.

Everything about that trade exposed Bergevin's shortcomings. The poor marketing of the player, lying about the player's future with the team and not looking to trade him, a failed negotiating strategy that saw Bergevin cornered and left dealing with only one suitor, with less than 48 hours left before Subban's NTC would kick in. And, the idiotic words that Bergevin uttered when it was said and done about how you don't ask for more when you are offered Weber. All of it was a defining episode in this GM's tenure.

This is his legacy just like Houle's was the Roy trade. He'll always be remembered for that trade and it will look worse and worse as time goes by.

 

[Pickles]

French media has turned on Bergevin. He already has one foot in the grave.

If he hadn't have let Markov and Radulov walk, and did not have 9m in cap space right now, I could see Molson trying to justify bringing him back after missing the playoffs this season. But after such a horrible summer, basically dismantling the team like that and brining in nothing to help... yeah, there is no justifying keeping Bergevin.

It's not a question of if he gets fired, it is now when will he be fired. Personally, I don't see it until the end of the season, but it should come a lot sooner if it were up to me. The last thing I want is MB making any more trades.

If those two were resigned I doubt very much this team would be in the basement right now.

 

[nhlfan9191]

I remember a ton a threads where we argued back and forth on this.

Everything about that trade exposed Bergevin's shortcomings. The poor marketing of the player, lying about the player's future with the team and not looking to trade him, a failed negotiating strategy that saw Bergevin cornered and left dealing with only one suitor, with less than 48 hours left before Subban's NTC would kick in. And, the idiotic words that Bergevin uttered when it was said and done about how you don't ask for more when you are offered Weber. All of it was a defining episode in this GM's tenure.

I still don’t know whether to laugh or cry when a poster brings up that “You don’t ask for more when you’re offered Weber” line. Pretty sure Poile was probably laughing when he hung up the phone.

 

[habergeon]

I don't think anything is going to happen until Molson realizes he's part of the problem.

I understand why he wants to stay involved, hell i would too, but I just think it works better when hockey operations is headed by a hockey guy. He just needs one layer of oversight, imho.

One experienced hockey executive at President with one vision on how to get there and who solely reports to Molson....the rest of Hockey Operations...including the VP/GM report to the that president.

Right now that person is Bergevin, and his only check and balance is Molson.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Whether he wants to wait or not, he should demote Bergevin from hockey ops and find someone to oversee his work asap. The new PHO could come in as interim or put someone else as interim if things keep going south till the offseason.

This is not about being a middling owner, but a responsible one.

 

[Habs100]

Sure, it's his property, he clearly shouldn't get involved in hiring his employee.

Before Molson, Boivin and Ronald Corey were president. They hired the GM. Not Gillette and other previous owners. When Moslon bought the team he made himself President. The next GM should be the best candidate who knows how to find talent. And he or she should be hired by whoever knows how to find someone who knows how to find talent.

There should be NO considerations of whether or not the candidate speaks French or not. I love Quebec and Quebecois culture. But hiring people based on ethnicity will only get us where we are now.

Having said that, I think Roy would be a good candidate. He did well in the Q and his first season in Colorado. But our situation is such a mess. I only see two possibilities: 1. total rebuild. 2. aggressive contracts to RFA Centers. You can't win without top centers. If we had offered Draisaitl, Johanssen, or Kuznetzsov 14 milion per season, their team might not have been able to match. Don't tetll me there's not enogh cap space. We have 14 million tied up in Shaw, Plekanec, and Gallagher. And 10.5 in Price.

 

[OldCraig71]

He should demote Bergevin to assistant coach for the rest of the season, he did that job in Chicago so he would be perfect. He could be the answer in the room that he talked about and fans would get to see him up close and personal during every terrible game played by the team that he assembled.

 

[sterlinggranger]

There is so much media around the Canadiens that the team needs to split the GM job in two.

The Habs need an experienced manager to run the team as a modern business, someone who understands the game is won and lost on the analysis and interpretation of quality data.

The team also needs someone to deal with the rabid media, which is ridiculously focussed on the Habs (especially since the departure of the Expos and the Nords, and the increasing irrelevance of the Als). Saying that, I would keep Bergevin, and make him a spokesman, super-scout and advisor to the new GM (who would have a more senior title and be his boss). What's to lose? Bergevin is signed until Kingdom Come and his folksy manner speaks to a certain part of the Quebec fanbase.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Another scathing article on Bergevin.

Guy is rightly getting eviscerated.

 

[dinodebino]

Another scathing article on Bergevin.

Guy is rightly getting eviscerated.

Where? Do you have the link?

 

[Pacciosoftie]

Brisebois might be the best candidat all languages included. Its a golden opportunity , but slacking MB and his friends is going to cost Molson + 50M lol

Good, maybe it’ll teach him a lesson.