[News] Mike Gillis fired. Linden named President. of Hockey Ops

[Circa89]

Remember that time when Mike Gilles got fired? Yeah, that was awesome!

[DOOM]

Originally Posted by kyuss275

Granlund looks like he could become a good 2nd line player. So yes every team in the nhl has one of those in their prospect base.

Well yea of course, if that's the case every team has always had that type of prospect.

Not every team has a 20 year old prospect putting up 0.88 PPG in the AHL.

My point was more so about moon stating that Granlund could become a 3/4th liner.

[DOOM]

Originally Posted by moon

Of course he is which is why I included him in a different group and have him as a likely NHLer just not likely top 6 on a top team.

Just curious right now who do you consider to be a top team?

[moon]

Originally Posted by DOOM

Just curious right now who do you consider to be a top team?

I would say in the West: St. Louis, Chicago, LA, SJ, Anaheim, Minny, Colorado

In the East: Boston, Pittsburgh, TB, NYR, Philly, when healthy Detroit.

Teams I could see legitimately winning the cup without needing a miralce run or superstar goaltending performance to carry them.

I think those teams are pretty well rounded with few holes and don't just rely on superstar goaltending but rely on pretty much 4 lines/3 pairings to play a big part in winning.

[Vulcan]

I know it's not likely now but I hope they hire Feaster.

[Ashasx]

Disappointing as a Flames fan to see Nicholson go to Vancouver, especially when we're probably getting Poulin.

[DOOM]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Disappointing as a Flames fan to see Nicholson go to Vancouver, especially when we're probably getting Poulin.

Nicholson wont be their GM though.

Even if we pick Poulin as our GM you cant compare him to Nicholson.

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by DOOM

Nicholson wont be their GM though.

Even if we pick Poulin as our GM you cant compare him to Nicholson.

That's correct, but I consider one a smart hockey mind and the other an ignorant one.

[moon]

What has Poulin done to be considered ignorant?

[Ashasx]

Originally Posted by moon

What has Poulin done to be considered ignorant?

There were quotes of him in the media a couple days ago of him not understanding "advanced stats" and not seeing their purpose.

I don't know if you call that ignorance or arrogance, but maybe that's why the Leafs bought out Grabovski, signed Clarkson as a UFA, and re-sign Phaneuf to a monster contract.

[browna]

I don't think Nicholson, on a hockey operational level, is any sort of coup.

Sure, given the political nature of his previous position, he got to meet and deal with most hockey bigwigs and has a lot of friends and contacts as a result as a "neutral" party. His name is familiar and comfortable, and that, with the stability it implies alone is probably his selling point.

Not all presidents have to be of same ilk...guys like Davidson are former players and have an overall feel for the game and like to be hands on with the hockey side. Guys like King and Laforge etc, on the other hand, have local business ties. But Nicholson's body of work was for a self sustaning-type organization, with different priorities than a multi-million dollar, up and down business and retaining season tickets in the Lower Mainland.

Nicholson is a familiar name, but given his actual duties and the role/mandate of Hockey Canada (growing the game at grass roots, raising money and awareness for Hockey Canada etc), how that translates into the completely different environment of taking over the controls of running a day to day NHL team, and as a business, is a bit of a mystery to me.

So, Nicholson as President
Linden as GM
Feaster as Assistant GM to Linden, used as a pawn/go between between Linden and Torts, and providing the GM expertise to Linden?

[Vulcan]

Feaster as Assistant GM

LOL, that's even better than being GM.

[Anduril]

CP should make their own news channel. You've got SureLoss as head anchor, StrykerSteve out on the field, PMM and Co. For the farm...

This is a great idea I'm telling you.

[Reign of Fire]

Sad day for all other teams in the Pacific Division, I'll cry the day Kevin Lowe gets fired.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

LOL, that's even better than being GM.

No kidding...but I am guessing if/since Torts won the showdown vs Gillis with the owners, (besides the fact he was there only a year vs Gillis and his downward sprial) he likely had some ideas on how he could better do his job as coach. Using Feaster as a crutch/pawn to help save his own job, would be just the thing Torts could say to give the owners food for thought that Torts could work if given the right support.

Put the seemingly intelligent, lifelong Canuck (except for those stints in NY and MTL) Linden as GM and have him learn ala Nieuwendyk, Hull and Yzerman, and support him with a GM who has been there before, and has a good relationship with the coach you've chosen.

Toss in the Avs being successful with Sakic and Roy (totally different underneath the surface, but...) last year and the owners may want to give that a go. The Linden/Nicholson would at least stop the bleeding of loss of season tickets from the group of fairweather fans and you take the chance that Feaster can guide Linden (sorry, LOL) and Torts becomes a better coach without Gillis breathing down his neck.

[Ped]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

There were quotes of him in the media a couple days ago of him not understanding "advanced stats" and not seeing their purpose.

I don't know if you call that ignorance or arrogance, but maybe that's why the Leafs bought out Grabovski, signed Clarkson as a UFA, and re-sign Phaneuf to a monster contract.

http://theleafsnation.com/2014/3/31/...arned-anything

[d_phaneuf]

Province says this doesn;t make Torts safe at all, also has an interesting thing about the contract

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/ho...medium=twitter

it does also say it's Linden as President likely and no mention of Nicholson

And there is a good chance John Tortorella may not survive the purge as well. The word is that Linden will have a clean slate when he comes in, with the power to hire his own GM — Brendan Shanahan and Boston assistant Jim Benning the leading candidates. And the appointed GM will be free to hire his own coach, and it’s not likely to be the guy in place according to sources that indicated Tortorella has a clause in his contract whereby he can be dismissed for a payout considerably less than what is on the contract’s face value if the team is not satisfied with his services.

[Galakanokis]

Originally Posted by Anduril

CP should make their own news channel. You've got SureLoss as head anchor, StrykerSteve out on the field, PMM and Co. For the farm...

This is a great idea I'm telling you.

Get a kick starter going. I'll hook you up with all the studio gear and get it all setup. CPTV.

[MissTeeks]

Originally Posted by Anduril

CP should make their own news channel. You've got SureLoss as head anchor, StrykerSteve out on the field, PMM and Co. For the farm...

This is a great idea I'm telling you.

Originally Posted by Galakanokis

Get a kick starter going. I'll hook you up with all the studio gear and get it all setup. CPTV.

I call weather girl!

[Coach]

Can I be the Social Media Tweet Twat?