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Old 02-03-2020, 01:18 PM   #89
mrdonkey
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Default Coaching, leadership and a top 5 list

Quote:
Originally Posted by taxbuster View Post
The problem in evaluating BT as a GM is this: he doesn't work for us. He works for an absentee expatriate owner, plus a couple of local ones. His job is to make them money. THEY are the ones who evaluate him and they have different criteria.

(Comparable to Bettman: he works for 31 owners, not players, fans, teams or anyone else -- their concerns are rarely his concerns unless it means less money for owners.)

So - to the best of our knowledge, the Flames are profitable, and some say quite profitable. As long as that is the case, he can, and will, do whatever he needs to. Hence the Lucic-Neal trade which made little hockey sense, but saved the owners a bunch of money (ie what his job is). And dealing Frolik...saved the team money.

None of those may make fans happy. And hiring an expensive coach (say Gallant, Lavi) is less likely to make owners happy, especially when they're already paying one, or two....

Is he good from a fan / hockey sense perspective? That is a totally different question, but not necessarily one that costs him his position if the answer is no. (It might, if fans stop going to games and/or selling out the 'Dome for a long period.)

This post is terribly cynical, and what’s depressing is it’s hard to disagree with any of it.

The Flames are a product, and as long as they continue to rake in money they have no reason to change any of what they’re doing.
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