Lebrun: Flames "getting late in the process" of hiring a GM

[1qqaaz]

I still think it's very difficult to argue that Conroy is more qualified than Tulsky or Hunter.
The only thing Conroy has going for him is continuity with the organization. Tulsky and Hunter are more qualified and impressive in practically every other aspect across the board.

Ethics aside, the Flames are pretty stupid to not let Treliving speak with other organizations. How does this make the Flames look to prospective candidates like Tulsky and Hunter, who may actually have some leverage against the Flames in negotiations?

There's a good chance that Tulsky wouldn't join the Flames anyways, and these optics, with meddling and now GM interview interference, definitely don't help. I've seen rumors that he has interview with the Penguins, which make me think he's open to moving, but we've heard nothing on the Flames' front. With that said, I doubt the Flames are so incompetent that they would talk to people like Bowman and Benning, but not Tulsky.

Hunter, I would believe would consider signing in Calgary. He's clearly much more qualified and accomplished than Conroy. And he has more Calgary connects than Tulsky.
Conroy I think leads to continue perpetual mediocrity, as has been the status quo throughout Conroy's tenure with the organization.

[Erick Estrada]

Conroy is as qualified as any acting AGM in the league so I don't see an issue with him getting promoted to GM but I do have two reservations.

1. Edwards passed over Conroy just a few months ago and offered the job to 64 year old Don Maloney. It's possible Edwards doesn't feel he's ideal to run his team and this could be a respect issue in their relationship.

2. I feel the organization needs a shakeup in certain areas like goaltender coaching/development and I'm not sure that will happen with an internal hire as it seems few people ever got fired in the organization over Treliving's nine years outside of the head coach and a few assistants. The best thing Burke ever did was purging the organization of people tied to the previous regime such as Weisbrod. I feel a GM with an outside perspective may be able to identify areas of required improvement better than someone that's attached to everyone in the building like Conny.

[sureLoss]

Latest from Friedman on the 32 thoughts podcast:

Been told not to rule out internal candidates Conroy and Pascal.

Also was clear to mention that Cassie Campbell Pascal and Jennifer Botterill were not giving any inside info despite their relationship to some candidates.

While he mentioned Mark Hunter's name in the past, he heard Hunter declined or was unavailable. This appears to have changed.

He has heard Dave Nonis's name.


And before people freak out, Steinberg said yesterday that he had heard the Flames have talked to 25 to 40 people about the position.

Seravalli also said sometimes you have to be careful about the names being reported, because some people just want their name associated with a GM search so that they get future interviews and hopefully a job down the road.

[TheIronMaiden]

No matter who is hired as GM we Re sure to get some over reactions.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

No matter who is hired as GM we Re sure to get some over reactions.

[bax]

With Carolina in the conference finals, I have a hard time believing it’s Tulsky which is disappointing. I’ll remain optimistic though no matter who it is and give them a fair shake

[bluejays]

Imagine if Pierre McGuire cozies up to ownership and gets the job? Oh, that’d be entertaining.

[Muta]

I hope we get Dave Nonis for GM and Brent Sutter for coach, just for the pandemonium that will happen on CP afterwards.

[Toonage]

I thought yesterday we were all convinced it was Conroy?

[Johnny Makarov]

Good thing the Flames isn't a union. From being in a union, people who usually talk the most do and know the least! lol

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

There’s having fond memories, then there’s hoping that a run like that will magically happen again. Unless you consider “it was in” jokes not letting go, I think a majority of Flames fans are over 04 and want something different. It feels like the owners are the ones who can’t seem to let go

I'm not "over it" I guess? Our team lost in the Finals and that sucks, but it was an amazing playoff experience getting there. Why should we as fans "let that go"?

I want our team to perpetually be in the Cup Finals. In order to do so, we need to rebuild like the Leafs, Avs, Lightning, etc. So yes I guess I want future 2004s.

Not sure wtf Scooter's take means that fans need to let go.

[Manhattanboy]

So last night I was surfing Amazon Prime, and came across the series on the Leafs that was filmed during Covid including the trade deadline in 2021 when they acquired Big Save Dave and Foligno. I watched a couple episodes.

Not as well done as the HBO series years ago narrated by Liv Schreiber but not bad.

What is interesting is the close relationship between Dubas and Keefe; Keefe was in every management meeting when players and trades were being discussed and had significant input. Contrast this with the "no contact" between Tre and Darryl.

Dubas and Keefe both came across as extremely competent.

Always funny to hear all the f bombs these guys drop, both on the ice and in the office.

[Manhattanboy]

^^^ Follow up.

Always interesting as well to see things close up. At that time, Soupy Campbell had just set a Leafs and NHL record for wins to start a season by a goalie. He's quite the character - look at where he is now (along with Freddie Anderson who was injured).

Cool to watch ice level highlights of the games in the "North Division" during Covid with no fans. You could see the stress all the Covid protocols were causing for players, coaches and trainers.

And for the life of me I have no idea who wore No. 10 for the Flames in 2021.

Seems like a decade ago.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Latest from Friedman on the 32 thoughts podcast:



While he mentioned Mark Hunter's name in the past, he heard Hunter declined or was unavailable. This appears to have changed.

I'm confused - what changed? Is Hunter now interested?

[dammage79]

Close to 40 ppl applying for the job for one reason or the other (media exposure),

I think it's safe to say that when they announce their official hire, we can accept that Maloney left no stone unturned, no ideas unheard.

Still think it's Conroy until proven otherwise.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Close to 40 ppl applying for the job for one reason or the other (media exposure),

I think it's safe to say that when they announce their official hire, we can accept that Maloney left no stone unturned, no ideas unheard.

Still think it's Conroy until proven otherwise.

As others has said when it comes to GM searches it makes sense to talk to a lot of people.

- You gain ideas around how others see your team, and the ideas that they would want to implement if they were GM

- You build a relationship for other roles as well...there is the potential that the Flames will need two new AGMs depending on how this plays out

It's funny because I prefer this to the alternative which was Edwards just handing the role to Maloney with no real search or interview process.

[PeteMoss]

If it is Conroy - will be sad to have his nearly 100% approval rating with Calgary fans go down when he inevitably does something the fan base doesn't like.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

1. Edwards passed over Conroy just a few months ago and offered the job to 64 year old Don Maloney. It's possible Edwards doesn't feel he's ideal to run his team and this could be a respect issue in their relationship.

I feel like there was some misunderstanding about this. The way I interpreted what he said was that when it became a possibility that Treliving was leaving, the upper brass was looking into possibilities and he was asked if he would want the job, not that it was a given. That doesn't mean that they didn't also ask Conroy or Pascal as well. Since he has the most experience, it made sense to make him the interim until a final decision was made.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

^^^ Follow up.

Always interesting as well to see things close up. At that time, Soupy Campbell had just set a Leafs and NHL record for wins to start a season by a goalie. He's quite the character - look at where he is now (along with Freddie Anderson who was injured).

Cool to watch ice level highlights of the games in the "North Division" during Covid with no fans. You could see the stress all the Covid protocols were causing for players, coaches and trainers.

And for the life of me I have no idea who wore No. 10 for the Flames in 2021.

Seems like a decade ago.

Derek Ryan I think.

[DylanScores]

What do you guys think about Shawn Horcoff? He’s currently the AGM of the Stars. I know he’s an ex-Greaser but I think that Dallas is a good organization for the Flames to emulate.
Plus it would be so much fun to have him as a GM who will build a team that will regularly beat the Mullets of the North consistently.