Who would you like as the next GM?

[hockeywiz542]

 

[The Masters]

Inside Armstrong’s puck-wired brain, he could be excited about the challenge in Toronto. He told LeBrun in 2019 that working in a Canadian market would be a “special” opportunity. He led the Blues to the first Stanley Cup in their 52-year history and will forever live with that legacy, so why not try to create another legacy by ending the Leafs’ championship drought, which now sits at 56 years?

Would Armstrong even be the one making those decisions with the Maple Leafs?

In St. Louis, he took over as GM in 2010 and worked under team president John Davidson. But in 2012, the Blues bought out Davidson’s contract and then in 2013 appointed Armstrong as president of hockey operations. So for a decade now, Armstrong has been in charge of all hockey decisions in St. Louis. He has stability and the trust of his owner. He keeps Stillman abreast of everything and gets his endorsement on signings and trades, but for all practical purposes, no one stands in his way of doing things the way he wants them done.

Is Armstrong going to leave that setup to be second in charge in Toronto behind Shanahan? Well, Lou Lamoriello did it for three seasons from 2015 to ’18, but Lamoriello is now with the New York Islanders, and his replacement, Dubas, is now looking for a job. Either Shanahan would have to allow some give in having the final say — and why would he do that? — or Armstrong would be giving up a lot of power because he’s infatuated with the idea of working for the Maple Leafs.

Sure there would be a massive reward if all went well, but if it didn’t in four or five years, he’d be 62 or 63 years old and looking for a new place to land.

So that brings us back to the point: Why would Stillman want anyone else to be at the wheel for the retool? I don’t believe he does, and that’s why I think he’s not going to give Shanahan permission to have that dialogue.

Maybe the only way it could happen is if Armstrong went to Stillman and said, “Hey, I’d like to talk to the Maple Leafs.” And is he really going to ask that of the owner who promoted him to president of hockey operations, made him one of the highest-paid executives in the league, allowed him to spend to the salary cap with a small-market team every year, stay long enough to win a Stanley Cup, work simultaneously for Team Canada, and so on?

That would be the gutsiest decision Armstrong has made in his hockey career

 

[mydnyte]

I want Poile ...people un-retire all the time, especially in sports.

 

[hockeywiz542]

The Craig Conroy Era Starts In Calgary | 32 Thoughts

SPORTSNET

May 24, 2023 32 Thoughts

Jeff and Elliotte discuss the Flames restructuring their front office and hiring Craig Conroy as their GM. They also get into the statement that as released by Kyle Dubas, an update on Toronto’s GM search, Ottawa sale, Salary Cap, and much more on this full episode of 32 Thoughts!

01:00 - Flames restructuring their front office and hiring Craig Conroy as their GM

19:00 - The statement by Kyle Dubas

29:00 - An update on Toronto’s GM search

 

[hockeywiz542]

Kevin Bieksa thinks Mike Gillis would be ideal for the Leafs because they’re “right on the cusp”

While former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving appears to...

theleafsnation.com

While former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving appears to be the frontrunner for the vacant job in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ front office, Hockey Night in Canada panellist and former NHLer Kevin Bieksa suggests a different name might be ideal for the team.

Elliotte Friedman was speaking on the 32 Thoughts Podcast about Toronto’s vacant general manager position and said that Bieksa was hot on the idea of former Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis being an ideal fit for the Leafs.

“[Brad Treliving] won’t be the only guy they talk to. We mentioned Mike Gillis on the last podcast, [Kevin] Bieksa is hot on that one. The reason is that Bieksa thinks that the Maple Leafs, right now, are the same as the Canucks were in like 2009, a team that’s on the cusp.”

Gillis was hired as the general manager of the Canucks in April of 2008 after the team fired Dave Nonis for missing the playoffs the previous season. He subsequently opted to let veterans Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison leave the team in free agency and he retooled the team around emerging players.

The Canucks made it back into the playoffs but lost in the first round in back-to-back years in 2008-09 and 2009-10. The team put together its best regular season in franchise history in 2010-11, winning the Presidents’ Trophy with a 54-19-9 record, and they lost in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to the Boston Bruins. Gillis was fired a few years later after a couple of first-round playoff letdowns.

The thing that Gillis did best during his time in Vancouver, and is the key reason behind why Bieksa would suggest him for the role in Toronto right now, was negotiating long-term contracts for key players.

Gillis, who was a player agent before he joined Vancouver’s front office, travelled to Sweden and got Henrik and Daniel Sedin to ink matching five-year, $30.5 million deals hours before they were set to reach unrestricted free agency in 2009. Not long after that, Gillis got star goaltender Roberto Luongo to agree to a 12-year contract extension with a team-friendly $5,333,333 cap hit.

 

[Amadeus]

Changing my vote for Mike Gillis.

He deserves another shot. Always considered him very smart and ahead of the curve.

 

[Gallagbi]

Hasnt Gillis been out of hockey since the Canucks firing?

 

[Amadeus]

Hasnt Gillis been out of hockey since the Canucks firing?

He should have been given another chance.

 

[HEAVY DUTY]

I'm kinda intrigued by Gillis. If we can't get Armstrong, this is my pick.

 

[Puckstuff]

Changing my vote for Mike Gillis.

He deserves another shot. Always considered him very smart and ahead of the curve.

Mike Gillis trade history: Mike Gillis Trade History - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Mike Gills free agents history: Mike Gillis Staff History, Signings, and Coach Contracts - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Seems like he managed the ship well, but didn't make any huge trade/free agent additions but he retained all his guys and didn't make any dumb moves.

 

[Amadeus]

Schneider for Horvat was pretty huge I think.

 

[Lightsol]

Are we getting trolled? Who the f*** is voting for Mark Bergevin? He's a worse option than Trevelling; only option I can think of worse than Bergevin is Jim Benning...

 

[Squiffy]

Gillis and Tallon both interesting options.

 

[leafsfan5]

I'm curious why Gillis never got another job after Vancouver?

They were pretty dominant there for a while. Would have won the cup in 2011 if half their team wasn't injured

 

[Trapper]

Are we getting trolled? Who the f*** is voting for Mark Bergevin? He's a worse option than Trevelling; only option I can think of worse than Bergevin is Jim Benning...

Lol that would be hilarious. At that point you could only laugh or cry.

 

[binop7]

Are we getting trolled? Who the f*** is voting for Mark Bergevin? He's a worse option than Trevelling; only option I can think of worse than Bergevin is Jim Benning...

Marc Bargainbin would be great for the Lols

 

[Trapper]

Marc Bargainbin would be great for the Lols

We’d never run out of 4th liners

 

[The Masters]

I understand it's early on in the process but so far all we've heard of is Treliving and that makes me sick.

Feels like we are showing up to buy a dog and all of the litter are reserved except the runt

Here you go. Take it or leave it.

Joke.

 

[SprDaVE]

I'm curious why Gillis never got another job after Vancouver?

They were pretty dominant there for a while. Would have won the cup in 2011 if half their team wasn't injured

It really wasn't great towards the end from memory. A lot of trades didn't really pan out for the most part. But he hasn't been around hockey for a very long time since his Vancouver days. I wouldn't mind to see him added to the front office in some capacity but not sure the big role would work at all.

 

[The Iceman]

I am a big fan if history predicting the future.
Shanahan hired an established OLD GM in Lou to mentor his "chosen one" Dubas.

So maybe Pridham is the chosen one...maybe the Carolina assistant GM is.
Bring in a short term grizzled veteran to learn under and do the heavy lifting.

I have read Tallon mentioned. I have another name.
Rick Dudley
He has been a respected exec for many-many years and is a tough no nonsense guy.

Looking back the biggest mistake I think Shanahan made was letting Kyle negotiate the contracts for Mitch and Auston. Keeping Lou for another season would have been better and if I am remembering properly Dubas was lobying/rumored to be heading to Colorado so Shanahan forced the promotion.

Maybe Shanahan had a feeling of deja vu in negotiations this time with Kyle forcing things....

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[The Masters]

 

[The Masters]

 

[thinkblue]

First Up (TSN) said they heard Jim Nill's name. 1 year left on his contract.

 

[hockeywiz542]

First Up (TSN) said they heard Jim Nill's name. 1 year left on his contract.