Speculation: Who should be the new GM of the Washington Capitals?

[NeilYoung]

I was glad to hear the Don Sweeney news, and hoping to hear similar news about Joe Will.

My preference for a candidate would be someone that stays on the cutting edge of analytics and uses it to supplement classic scouting. I think that's the best path to take to stay relevant and competitive for the long haul.

No thanks on purely 'old school' guys.

That's all I'm hoping for as well.

Side point anyone want to guess the two organizations known for using analytics to aid decisions? Chicago and LA.

 

[txpd]

Jagr and Ovechkin both caused spikes in attendance, but they didn't fill the building. Winning did that. As it always does in this market unless we're talking about the Skins.

And it's a delayed effect. The boost comes the following season. Pretty much guarantee the Wiz will see increased attendance next year, especially if they don't stink right out of the gate. Caps may tread water or continue to decline.

I guess I don't see this. Ovechkin didn't cause an attendance spike iirc. I remember all the pre winning whining by the Canadian hockey media about the empty building Ovechkin was playing in.

I also don't remember Jagr ever filling the building on any regular basis like what has happened since the rock the red era. Bruce Boudreau filled the building, to be fair.

The place remains filled post Boudreau because the habit and the culture of going to hockey is much higher than it was in pre Ov days. If the Caps are a playoff caliber team next season, the building will remain full.

 

[Roughing]

At this point I'm good if it's someone from this group: Benning, Sweeney, Maciver, Fenton, Shero.

 

[fedfed]

I hope Sweeney, if hired, doesn't bring Bruins' goonery with him.

And that doesn't mean I want to see a soft team. You can be soft but goon team, and you can be tough but fair and respectful and clean.

 

[txpd]

I hope Sweeney, if hired, doesn't bring Bruins' goonery with him.

And that doesn't mean I want to see a soft team. You can be soft but goon team, and you can be tough but fair and respectful and clean.

the bruins have a historic image to maintain that the caps don't have. the big bad bruins.

 

[Sam Spade]

The best people want to work at the best companies, Brian. The NHL is no different. The Caps have been a second or third-rate organization. That can change but someone will have to change it. It won't happen by accident.

I don't necessarily believe that, just look at Theo Epstein.

People want a challenge and the autonomy to get things done.

There are three spots left and probably 20 legit contenders for them. Benning is most likely in Vancouver, leaving two spots.

Read an article that said in the last ten years about 10 gm's had been fired and 60 (can't remember the exact numbers), assistants and head coaches had been fired.

The Caps hold all the cards here they should take the time and make sure they get this right.

I'm ok with anyone in the poll, prefer Wills or Fenton, but would be ok with Shero. Bylsma wasnt the problem. the Pens fired the wrong guy. #gritandcharacter

 

[g00n]

I guess I don't see this. Ovechkin didn't cause an attendance spike iirc. I remember all the pre winning whining by the Canadian hockey media about the empty building Ovechkin was playing in.

I also don't remember Jagr ever filling the building on any regular basis like what has happened since the rock the red era. Bruce Boudreau filled the building, to be fair.

The place remains filled post Boudreau because the habit and the culture of going to hockey is much higher than it was in pre Ov days. If the Caps are a playoff caliber team next season, the building will remain full.

http://www.hockeydb.com/nhl-attendance/att_graph.php?tmi=8871

Big jump the year after the Cup Finals and Jagr's first season, near sell-out. The firesale and lockout took a toll on the Caps and it took an extra year for fans to respond to Ovechkin. Firing Hanlon in November '07 probably contributed to the average going up, finally. Making the playoffs caused the big spike, rock the red was in effect.

 

[thejester]

Most importantly, amateur scouting isn't so much about how the player currently performs, but how they will perform later on. Analytics are an incredible tool for pro scouting and management, one that I want the Capitals on the cutting edge of. However, amateur scouting is more about projection. You need to assess if a player has the physical tools (or will have the physical tools) for their current level performance to translate (or improve) in the professional ranks.

But isn't that exactly what metrics like PDO are about? If a kid puts up awesome numbers in a particular tournament but is shooting at 20% you might then question his ability to produce those numbers consistently.

 

[fedfed]

But isn't that exactly what metrics like PDO are about? If a kid puts up awesome numbers in a particular tournament but is shooting at 20% you might then question his ability to produce those numbers consistently.

Yeah, but PDO is quite a basic stat. Sh%+Sv%. Pretty simplistic, I wouldn't call that advanced statistics.

But yeah, this one is pretty easy to see how it can be applied in amateur scouting.

 

[g00n]

Yeah, but PDO is quite a basic stat. Sh%+Sv%. Pretty simplistic, I wouldn't call that advanced statistics.

But yeah, this one is pretty easy to see how it can be applied in amateur scouting.

Maybe it's just my perception, but a basic stat seems like something you simply tally/add based on an observed action, and at the most you include one other operation (like division to calculate an average or percentage). Combining a few of those would then count as advanced, including PDO in which you add separate percentage stats. I would say this is true especially if the combination of those two standalone stats might not be traditional or readily apparent, or easily obtained via a typical box score.

Generally I think "advanced stat" is probably just a trendy term for "freaky non-traditional stat combos" rather than a description of how complicated it has to be in order to be "advanced". It doesn't have to be advanced in the academic sense.

A kid in the stands can probably sit there and tally the shot or saves stats for any given player or a team. He isn't going to have quite as simple a task figuring out team and player PDO.

 

[Hivemind]

But isn't that exactly what metrics like PDO are about? If a kid puts up awesome numbers in a particular tournament but is shooting at 20% you might then question his ability to produce those numbers consistently.

That's not really the type of statistics were talking about here. Scouts will obviously note when a player's short-term performance is overachievement, both with eye tests and basic statistics. The conversation at hand was focusing on peripheral and calculated metrics, rather than basic ones, and over a larger sample size than an individual tournament. In terms of publicly accessible things, the closest analogues would be Fenwick/Corsi/etc. In terms of the proprietary items that teams develop, it'll be stuff like zone entries, puck possessions, completed passes, etc.

 

[John Price]

RT @DarrenDreger Expect the Vancouver Canucks to finally name Jim Benning as their new GM later this week. Hiring coach will be next. Trotz high on the list

BACK OFF

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

‏@DarrenDreger
Expect the Vancouver Canucks to finally name Jim Benning as their new GM later this week. Hiring coach will be next. Trotz high on the list.

Ted needs to get moving before everyone is signed

 

[PucktotheHead]

I choose Sweeny because I think Benning will end up in Vancouver.

 

[fsnoles98]

Teddy keeping dragging a$$ and you might get your 5th choice.

 

[John Price]

With Benning allegedly gone there really aren't any other options. The best option now is Shero so just sign him already, and get a coach

 

[strungout]

 

[LifetimeUFA]

Am I wrong in thinking that Teddy is going to find a way to screw this whole thing up?

 

[Blades Ov Steel]

Of course Trotz is high on the list, hes also high on our list, not really ground breaking news there. Doesn't mean he will be signed there or here.. who knows what's going on.. I have a feeling that things are further along than we know, I'd like to hope so anyway, and I don't have any proof.. maybe GM wasn't so tight lipped as it was Ted.

 

[Langway]

With Benning allegedly gone there really aren't any other options. The best option now is Shero so just sign him already, and get a coach

Meh. Sweeney, Maciver & Fenton are all strong options IMO. Will if he's interested. Gorton's another capable evaluator. There are a lot of decent options...far more than there are behind the bench.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Meh. Sweeney, Maciver & Fenton are all strong options IMO. Will if he's interested. Gorton's another capable evaluator. There are a lot of decent options...far more than there are behind the bench.

Who left is the best pro evaluator? Honestly, I have zero concern about our amateur and European scouting.

It's likely Shero, no? Getting someone capable of managing the cap would be nice as well (not like Shero has done).

 

[ChibiPooky]

@HacksWithHaggs says that Neely confirmed conversations with Vancouver re: Benning, but had nothing to say when asked about Sweeney and Caps.

 

[stanleycaps18]

Who left is the best pro evaluator? Honestly, I have zero concern about our amateur and European scouting.

It's likely Shero, no? Getting someone capable of managing the cap would be nice as well (not like Shero has done).

That is why I have been banging the drum on keeping Mahoney and Fishman. Let those two do what they do, and let Shero (or Sweeney/Fenton etc.) does what he does, and there is a good team in place.

 

[Carlzner]

Damn, I wanted Benning. It seems we were barely interested in him at all.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

That is why I have been banging the drum on keeping Mahoney and Fishman. Let those two do what they do, and let Shero (or Sweeney/Fenton etc.) does what he does, and there is a good team in place.

If Fishman is still the cap guy, he sucks at his job.