[News] GM of the Year Finalists: Murray (ANA), Sather (NYR), and Yzerman (TBL)

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by flameswin

I feel the same way when someone goes on about how screwed the Bruins are and how they're in such a crappy position.

Well sure, but along that path they won a Stanley Cup. I wish to every higher power that the Flames could be a team that finished out of the playoffs this season and is screwed cap wise going into next, if it meant we won a cup in 2011.

People forget how hard it is to win a cup in this league sometimes, and that it's really the ultimate goal. If you asked me if I'd rather build a team that

a) struggles for 5 years, becomes a contender for one and wins the cup, then struggle for years after, or;

b) a well built, solid contender that's always in the Stanley cup picture, but never quite makes it, however is a solid playoff team for ten years?

I'll take A every time, and to take B would be insanity.

Which does Chicago fall into a or b. I vote for whichever option that is?

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by monkeyman

Which does Chicago fall into a or b. I vote for whichever option that is?

They nailed both.

[1qqaaz]

Does the fact the Bob Murray won the award last year really lower his chances of winning it this year?

They've only missed the playoffs once in the past 10 years, only picking in the top ten twice (and Ritchie was from a trade).

They have come first or second in the west every year for 3 years in a row. While doing so, Murray has somehow managed to make his team younger AND improve it. He did all of this not only with strong drafting, but with strong trades (Ritchie, Silverberg, Depres, and Kesler) and only one free agent signing (Stoner). Not only that, but he did it on a small budget team.

If he's clearly the best GM in the league again, I don't really see any reason why he shouldn't win it again.

[GioforPM]

I thought Cheveldayoff might get in. He did some mighty fine scrambling this year.

[Fighting Banana Slug]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

I thought Cheveldayoff might get in. He did some mighty fine scrambling this year.

I think Chevy would have been a good choice as well (I'd put him in over Slats). It seems that the GM award is based more on the final standings, whereas the coach of the year is based on improvement (and often low exepectations).

[HartAttack]

My vote is for Yzerman.

It's really hard for me to like the Lightning (2004) but I have mad respect for what they're doing, and it's really all thanks to Stevie Y.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Fighting Banana Slug

I think Chevy would have been a good choice as well (I'd put him in over Slats). It seems that the GM award is based more on the final standings, whereas the coach of the year is based on improvement (and often low exepectations).

I agree. But it seems odd, because final standings are usually based on years of work, not the work that year in particular.

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by HartAttack

My vote is for Yzerman.

It's really hard for me to like the Lightning (2004) but I have mad respect for what they're doing, and it's really all thanks to Stevie Y.

Same with me. I hate the franchise because of '04. But I really like all their players. TB is one of those teams I always expect to be bottom 5 every year because ever since they traded Boyle, they always had a porous defence. Ever since Yzerman came on board, D has been a strength. This season even more so then their offence. Hedman is a stud and they have probably the best prospect pool in the league. They managed to get rid of Lecavalier, traded pouty St. Louis for a massive return, and unloaded other deadweight contracts. Tyler Johnson might be the most underrated upcoming star in the league.

Unreal job he's done and if they make the SCF, I think he wins it.

[Hackey]

Sather has definitely made some bad signings but he's also done some good people seem to forget about. Trading Gomez for McDonagh was an unreal steal. Brassard for Gaborik has been really good. The Nash trade was a win and is paying off. Has also done decent with drafting. Kreider, Stepan, Hagelin, Miller, Anisimov. Trading up to grab Staal was a solid move as well. Vigneault was also a good signing.

[flamesfan1297]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Same with me. I hate the franchise because of '04. But I really like all their players. TB is one of those teams I always expect to be bottom 5 every year because ever since they traded Boyle, they always had a porous defence. Ever since Yzerman came on board, D has been a strength. This season even more so then their offence. Hedman is a stud and they have probably the best prospect pool in the league. They managed to get rid of Lecavalier, traded pouty St. Louis for a massive return, and unloaded other deadweight contracts. Tyler Johnson might be the most underrated upcoming star in the league.

Unreal job he's done and if they make the SCF, I think he wins it.

Voting is already done I believe, so it makes no difference if they make the final.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

Originally Posted by monkeyman

There are several ways i can think of off the top of my head.
- you can trade a player and retain 50% of his salary. or
- you can trade a player plus retain salary for an injured player who won't count against your cap(like Toronto did with Clarkson).
- you can sign a player to a one way contract. thus paying him regardless of where he plays(only anything over ~925,000 counts against the cap).
- you can still buy out a player and have his contract spread out over twice the length.

I'm not CBA expert so feel free to correct anything in my post that isn't correct.

None of those really permit anyone to bury their mistakes. They're still pretty cap-punitive. If you have to take advantage of these measures you're going to screw up your cap structure...

Anyway I'd like to see Stevie Y win it, but I'm not sure he really should; it's a GM of the year award and I'm not sure what he's done this year in particular to merit the win. Whereas with Bob Murray it's obvious.

[Dajazz]

Sather makes some boneheaded moves, but like a cat he has nine lives and always lands on his feet. Probably has the book on every GM in the league (with naughty pictures).

Stevie Y, I think he lucked out with the triplets, has made some pretty solid moves otherwise.

Murray, well he's loaded up with what he needed without completely destroying the future.