Not that I think it will happen - and Sutter has stated already he doesn't like being a GM - but I do think people are being a bit over-critical on Sutter here.
He was brand new to the GM gig when he took over in Calgary, and for a long while, his moves were nothing short of brilliant. He got this team to a game 7 of the SCF. Sure, he inherited a lot of players, but he also quickly transformed that group into a very good team.
I also think he was wildly underrated for his drafting and development portion. He started off atrociously, but he slowly built the program up. Feaster reaped a lot of what was put into place. To not give Sutter any credit there is not taking a step back and seeing the evolution - the evolution that even Todd Button has stated on a few occasions.
Would he be a terrible GM again? I don't know. Neither do you guys. I mean, most GMs break into the NHL with some experience. They are usually assistant GMs for years before they either take over their existing teams, or move elsewhere when a position opens up. Sutter took it over without experience, and without someone like Burke to mentor him. Treliving was WAY more experienced, and then had the benefit of Burke for a few seasons on top of that.
Things fell apart UNQUESTIONABLY in the last half of Sutter's tenure. Absolutely. However, I think we need to judge his entire body of work - which included a fricken SCF and consistent playoff team for multiple seasons in a row - and also factor in the above inexperience.
I wouldn't exactly be happy with Sutter taking over as a GM, but I wouldn't be all doom and gloom either. I would anticipate that he would have learned from his past experience, especially his mistakes. Not on the top of my candidates list, but not at the bottom either.
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