Former Canadien Doug Risebrough might be another name in the Canadiens’ GM hunt.
Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images (2009 photo)
• Rangers send Senators packing
• Devils outlast Panthers in double overtime
It’s been a couple of weeks since we last looked at what is known about the Canadiens GM search, so here’s the latest:
While the Canadiens brass has maintained their general silence on the the hiring of their next general manager, reports have surfaced that they continue to speak with candidates. Renaud Lavoie of RDS, who seems to have good sources on this search, wrote on his blog this week that while Geoff Molson is not in any rush, it’s very possible the new GM could be in place within two or three weeks.
Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, Rangers’ Marian Gaborik post-game.
Bruce Bennett, Getty Images
When you think about all the new boss will have to do as his first tasks – including hire a coach, prepare for the draft and beginning of the free agency period on July 1 — that seems like a realistic time frame.
Lavoie named the candidates he believes the Habs have zeroed in on at this stage of the process: Marc Bergevin, Julien Brisebois, Pierre McGuire, François Giguère and a relatively new name that had previously been hinted at, former Canadiens forward Doug Risebrough.
Risebrough was the GM of the Calgary Flames from 1991 to 1995 and then became the first GM of the Minnesota Wild from 2000 to 2009. He has been with the Rangers as a consultant to President and GM Glen Sather. He previously worked for Sather at the Oilers as VP of Hockey Operations between his GM stints in Calgary and Minnesota.
Although McGuire’s candidacy had been urged by various media types and he was endorsed by Scotty Bowman on a TSN 990 interview, adding his name to those who are believed to have been interviewed is also a relatively new development. He was not mentioned among the first group of candidates to be contacted.
In fact, on the CJAD blog, Rick Moffat wrote this week that Brisebois and McGuire “are believed to be 2 of the 4 or 5 GM candidates granted 2nd interviews.”
One other intriguing report this week: Red Wings assistant GM Jim Nill confirmed he had spoken the the Canadiens and was interested but declined to persue the opportunity for personal reasons. It had been thought Nill would not consider leaving Detroit, where he is well paid and highly prized.
The man who has worked hand in hand with Ken Holland to make the Red Wings the most successful club in the league over the last 15 years, Nill told Ansar Kahn of the Michigan Booth Newspapers that he had two good discussions with the Habs and would like to become a GM. “I was interested, they were interested,” Nill said. “But it’s not the right time.”
Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News reported later the same day that Nill’s wife is suffering from cancer, although she is doing better. “I would have loved the opportunity there but it wouldn’t have been fair to Montreal and my wife — it wouldn’t have been to just pick up and move,” Nill said.
There has been no further word since the initial reports linking Ron Hextall, Luc Robitaille or Claude Loiselle to the job.
Patrick Roy, of course, has stated he’d be more interested in coaching were he to return to the NHL.
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Quebec youth aren’t interested in playing hockey any more. They are more interested in playing hookey.
lol, your not rong!
I liked Risebrough as a player with the Habs.
As a GM…not so much.
Didn’t he make a couple of questionable trades with the Laffs?
His tenures in both Calgary and Minnesota are best termed “disappointing.” Though Flames and Wild fans might use harsher language than that.
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Would fans in those cities describe Risebrough’s stint as GM with the word “maudit” thrown in,perhaps?
Nope, neither place know WTF that means!
Still fair that they ‘hear’ him out.
Zep’s list is impressive.
Good find, by the way.
It shows 71 active players in the NHL.
Since each team is allowed up to 50 contracted players, one would think that there are approximately 1,500 players in the NHL.
That’s roughly 5% of the league. I consider that a fairly decent percentage, given the geographical span that hockey has reached.
Gone are the days of 30% Quebec-born players, but then the NHL is no longer local, and no longer the original six either.
Thanks, Bri. I owe it all to google.
I’m glad somebody (you) took the time to do the math. It would be nice to be able to draft the best out of Quebec. In the end, I want the best available player from wherever that maybe. If it’s from Quebec, I’m down with that. If it’s from the planet qxcilla, I’m down for that too. As long as it’s the best available.
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@HabinBurlington
I agree with you.
But you have to see that there isn’t the war against english VS French in BC.
Here we have french fans wanting something, and english fans wanting another.
E.G. RC. remember the protest?
I’m not saying that we have to waist a draftpick on a home grown player if there is something better, but just keep a closer eye on them.
And who ever we get as our next GM, shouldn’t change a think in our amiture scouting (it’s great!) accept putting a few more scouts in the Q.
But we need help in our pro scouting though.
There is no reason we shouldn’t have the best scouts in Quebec working for us. At the very least we should be as informed as possible to find the local talent. I love it when we have the local talent and I am not from Quebec. I just find some peoples expectations to be unrealistic and continuously use hindsight in why we didnt draft so and so.
+1
With only Philadelphia picking more QMJHL players than us in the last 9 years (ie since Timmins took over, 17 vs 14), who is to say we don’t have enough scouts in Quebec? When you add in the undrafted free agent signings like Desharnais, we are ahead of the Flyers.
Also I know that in 2009 we fired all our scouts in Quebec, and hired new ones. So its way to early to judge the picks of Ellis, Beaulieu, and Archambault to see if we are now going to be better at mining QMJHL talent.
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Would be better to have “the best scouts” in every province or state working for us.And before someone says it Europe also.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
+2
Agree, who doesn’t get extra happy when Leblanc scores, or when Darche puts in a good game. Everyone loves when talint from your hometown is playing good. In Quebec the french fans gets happy when there is a french player on the team cause they feal more connected to the team.
agree, hindsight is stupid, well accept the Gomez trade!
+1
You can have 22 french players if you want – that’s not how you build a team – you build a team on talent – and that’s how you win why do you think the Habs are where they are – very little talent.
What would a Team Quebec made up of the best players from Quebec look like?
Take your pick
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yo Zep,
not hockey related, but regarding our conversation of a few days past.
Here’s a great video called everything is a remix
Check out the first instalment called “the song remains the same”.
It’s one of many sources I use in my new media theory class and try to turn the kids onto the greatness that is Zeppelin.
Thought you might enjoy.
d(-_-)b
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Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are anger and courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are. — Augustine of Hippo
That was pretty interesting.
It’s widely known that Zep tried to pass off their songs as originals by stating they had somehow changed it to be theirs. It caught up with them in the end with all the lawsuits.
That being said, I’d prefer Zep’s versions over most of the originals, just like I prefer Hendrix’s version of All Along the Watchtower to Dylan’s.
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yes,
but watch the rest of the instalments, as the author defends Zep and everyone else who has ever been influenced by the past. Current copyright laws, as they are written, stifle creativity and are not in the best interests of the common good.
Humans copy, that is how we learn and by extension create.
We live in the realm of a circuit.
Long live Zoso (and Jimi too)!
I might just do that.
I remember Paul McCartney talking about when he wrote Yesterday. He swore he had heard the song before and asked around if others had heard it. Nobody did, so he went ahead and wrote it. He did change the name from Scrambled eggs to Yesterday though.
I’ve heard many songs where I thought it sounded like another band. It’s normal.
And yes, long live Zoso!
Edit: watched all of them. Really interesting stuff. Thanks for the link. I almost missed the last part of the 1st video. I’ll give Zep credit for not suing when they could have. Again good stuff!
“Creation requires influence.”
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“very little talent”?
DD, Cole, Subban, Price, Max, Plex, Gionta, Markov….
They’re not for wanting talent.
They lack depth. They just need a little more talent.
Like two strong wingers for Plex.
That will solve almost everything.
I wonder if Vancouver Canuck fans feel as though every B.C. born kid must be a Canuck and the team has failed miserably by not drafting them. Weber, Lucic, Sakic, Niedermeyer, Price, Jamie Benn, Troy Brouwer, Evander Kane, Dr. Mark Recchi come to mind.
Yes we missed Giroux, but so did alot of teams.
A while back I posted a piece about local talent in NHL hockey teams, the Flames we’re the team with the most local talent, the Habs second.
Too bad a public figure never calls out the Leafs for their lack of Ontario talent.
I get that it would be great to have local superstars on the Habs, but I’m content enough to see Québecois shining in the league.
There really is a problem with the entire system of hockey in Quebec. The province isn’t producing players like it used to.
I remember a time when half (or more) of the goalies in the NHL were from Quebec. Now there are less than 10 total, and most are backups.
I don’t see Quebec producing the talent it used to.
Heck even the high picks out of the Q, are mostly coming from overseas or Atlantic Canada.
Huberdeau and Couturier (American born), were great last year, but that seems to be the exception, we’ve had plenty of lean years of late.
Hockey Quebec needs to address the issue, not sure what more the Habs can do.
Go Habs Go!
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Well Québec has a small basin of population, so maybe it’s that everyone else around us has improved up to the standard Québec established?
Spitballing here ya know?
Maybe Quebec isn’t producing as much as it used to, but don’t forget now more than ever there are players from everywhere joining the league. The number of Americans is increasing, all of Europe etc….
THe overall percentage of Canadian hockeyplayers in the NHL is decreasing, not just Quebec born players.
This is all true.
There are many possible reasons why there is less talent in the league from Quebec, and many theories.
The fact is I don’t know the reasons why, and I’m not gonna speculate on how to fix the problem (or even if it can be fixed).
However what I do know is that the actual numbers dropping league wide is a fact, and that with 30 teams all competing for the best talent, it is unrealistic to expect the Habs to be stocked with Quebec players.
Go Habs Go!
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Agree, but can’t let you have the last word on this, even if you do write for that blogsite!
I coached at the minor league level for a number of years. And directed for two. That was two years of my life I’ll never get back.
At that level, almost everyone is a volunteer.
Initially, most coaches aren’t qualified because they’re hard to find.
So from an early age, if there’s no structure, only the talented kids improve rapidly.
I tried to implement an overview committee made up of Junior A or better players to come in and assist at practices with each new coach.
Makes sense right? Give all kids a decent overview, work on their weaknesses, and encourage them through positive reinforcement.
Well, you wouldn’t believe the politics.
How could I even think of changing a system that has worked for a number of years, and stays within budget. I realized very quickly that the lack of structure reached a far greater level than I could even consider fixing, or helping to.
So like most, I gave up quickly and coached instead.
I’d like to think that some day, those kids will all think back collectively and say “Coach Brian, he was fair to all of us equally, and he always taught us in a positive way.”
For me, that’s all that’s important.
What’s best for the kids, not what’s best for me.
IMO, that’s what’s lacking at the minor hockey level, and it works its way up.
Hence today’s overall reduction in talent. It’s there, but it isn’t fostered.
I wish a public figure *cough Raymond cough* would call out Quebecers that decide to NOT play here and go somewhere else for less money *cough Briere *cough.
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Jamie Benn.
Now there’s someone I knew nothing about prior to the Allstar game, but followed him afterward. What a great find for the Stars he turned out to be. I wouldn’t mind having him on our roster.
For the record. Giroux is not a Quebecer. He’s from Ontario.
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Tell that to the community here! I wasn’t going to get into the details of that argument.
I thought I just did?! Damn flashbacks!
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Tomato – Tomato…
How do you type that?
To-may-to – To-maw-to???
C’mon Bri. Everyone knows it’s Toemaytoe.
Here’s another tidbit, it was named after Toe Blake. True story
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What was? Toemaytoe?
You’re pulling my leg…
I would never do that. True story!
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Benn especially will haunt a lot of people. Many of my friends back in Kelowna raved about him during his time with the Rockets, and then he had that 4-goal during the Memorial Cup. What a talent, and it’s great to see him blossoming.
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GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is probably not our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
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Why is everyone so sure we would have “taken” Kopitar.
This is not factual. Other than Crosby and Price, there are no Franchise players in the Top 10 from the 2005 draft, unless the defensemen continue to develop.
Kopitar was picked 11th, therefore, there were 8 GMs as dumb as ours for not picking him.
But there were even dumber GMs who didn’t pick Price…Benoit Pouliot before Price, and Brule right after. LOL
Furthermore, in hindsight, Price looks even better than Crosby due to his concussion history.
I’ll go a step further and say that without Quick, LA is toast. If Kopitar were a Franchise player, they would have no need to go out and get Richards, and now Carter to score more goals.
So we would have had Halak and Pouliot. We dodged a bullet there!!
You keep taking those steps further and you are going to be in trouble there L, watch your step!
Oh yah, pretty much agree with you.
It’s hard being eloquent when posting from work.
Congratulations to my friendly co-posters today.
Hats off to all of you for offering arguments / counter-arguments with tact and diplomacy.
Discussions on Pierre McGuire are across the board, but no one is being demeaned or ridiculed. It’s a refreshing change.
This bodes well for next year. Keep it up guys (and girls). We’re drawing the right kind of Karma!
alot of posters are not posting anymore since Habs are out of the picture, when the next season winds up, i’m sure the childishness will resume.
During a busy work day, I come on here often quite late in the day.
And sometimes, I just can’t believe what I’m reading. It’s not so much the subject, but rather the approach and the level of (or lack thereof) maturity used to convey a point.
Two weeks ago, I listened to Pierre McGuire on TSN990 while Mitch Melnick tried to promote him, and McGuire was very humble and professional and admitted it wouldn’t be right to push his candidacy on the air.
I tried to speak of it on this site, and I ended up ducking for cover because I forgot my bullet-proof vest.
Let’s enjoy these days then.
I’m with you 100% on that Shiram. Cheers!
shut up!
Ha! my first post since the habs season ended.
I still pop in and take a quick read. Although, it is hard to have any sort of real input to things that were beaten to death all season or continued speculation on the next GM/coach.
I came on a few days ago and the first post was from someone saying we needed two more big defencemen. I stopped reading and went back to work. I Figured it was only a matter of time before someone else would say something about burying gomer…. same old, same old.
Hate to admit it Bri but I gave myself a minor penalty for jumping to conclusions. Its ok because after serving the penalty and committing a couple cold ones, all is good. Bad Jim.
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Don’t be so hard on yourself Jim. I hadn’t told anybody it was you who attacked me, until you let it out of the bag.
Did you at least use this?
http://danceswithfat.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/jump-to-conclusions-mat.jpg
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GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is probably not our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
Now that’s funny! You know what’s even funnier?
They didn’t spell “lose one turn” properly. Or was it intentional?
WOW! There was a McGuire discussion and I wasnt invited?
@Habsolutely, I was just kidding about the earful comment from you. I realize it is a pipedream to get Dale Tallon here as GM for the Habs. I just truly think he would be a great hire. I also think whether he likes Florida or not, the job of GM in Montreal is one of the jewel jobs in the NHL. If you are successful in Montreal as a GM you will have scaled Mt. Everest and you become a legend.
I don’t think it is unreasonable to think that Tallon would consider if offered. Obviously Florida would want some compensation if that road were taken.
Having said all that, I know you are a true Montreal fan, but you live in Florida and have always done a good job of defending that organization and I commend you for it. I guess I was ribbing you the same way many of my buds rib me about the Wpg. Jets, they are my second team, as I kind of assumed Florida was to you.
Hope you didn’t take wrong way James, have always enjoyed bantering with you, and we agree more often than not.
CHeers Habsolutely!
WINNIPEG JETS!!!???
Buahahahaha!
Screw off!!! Okay just kidding. How you doing today Bri? Big poker game tonight or you watching hockey.
Well I’m not sure I want to answer you after that!!! OK me too…just kidding.
It always friday night poker. Unless the Habs are playing.
And my buddy the host is moving this weekend, so his cable is out. So no game. No big deal. Friends and Guinness are more important anyhow.
How ’bout you Gerry? Bringing bills or just coins this time?
No my niece and her beau just bought a new place and are having house warming party. I need to go make sure their fridge keeps beer at a proper drinking temperature, while watching hockey, at least there better be hockey on!
So don’t forget your beer, your thermometer, your mini-TV (or lap top) and a great big “welcome” plant. No, not marijuana…that’ll get you into trouble.
No worries mate, I enjoy discussing and debating with you. You have a lot of hockey knowledge. I really wish the Habs could snag Tallon, But I don’t know if that will happen until his contract ends. It’s the same with Gomez, I really wish someone would take him off our hands, but when the logical part of my brain takes over I realize that it’s very unlikely. I mean it’s pretty much unanimous throughout the hockey world that Gomez is a huge bust and an albatross contract. Trading for him would be GM suicide. Look what just happened to the last GM who traded for him. lol
Cool, have a good night bud!
If you are very worried about the next GM remember: we finished last this year. The Bruins won the cup last year.
And the world didn’t end.
It really can’t get any worse.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
True… there couldn’t possibly been a worse outcome for a 12-month span for the Habs.
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Being a Hab fan is like buying real estate: only over the long-haul will you appreciate the true value of your investment.
maybe the Leafs winning the cup… because then I would have to hear about it from leafs fans.
Well, at risk of nitpicking, if the world ended, wouldn’t that be worse?
This is my preference: a former NHL player with recent management experience (management on the hockey side, not business side). I guess this means my preferences are Bergevin or Riseborough.
About Pierre McGuire
When teams interview for a job, they don’t just pull people off the streats to interview them, they pick the top 5/10 people out there and interview them.
The Habs did that, and if they think that he’s the best one of all the ones that they interviewed then they’ll hier him.
But I’m just saying that you don’t get interviewed for a job just like that.
The team has to think that you have a chance.
I’ve been trying to say that for a while. I actually have no clue if he’s qualified or should be the GM. All I know is that 3 teams considered him very strongly now, and that says something.
Just get it right….period.
I get the feeling if he was hired, and the Habs won the Cup in 2 years, the same people would bitch cause he’s a “blowhard”, etc.
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
Some people pick out his mistakes, some people pick out the times that he was rite, but if he was GM through all that time, he’d be like any other GM, 50-50 mistakes.
But I know one thing, he wouldn’t make the Gomez trade, He’d draft more french players, and he’d have more scouts in Quebec.
The Habs have drafted 14 players from the QMJHL, plus Louis Leblanc, another Quebecois, in the last 9 years.
On top of that, we’ve signed undrafted kids like Desharnais, Masse, Lefebvre, Dame-Malka, and countless others, giving them an opportunity to progress.
How many guys are we supposed to draft from the Junior League that is turning out the least amount of NHLers of the big 3?
Go Habs Go!
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15, and how many has made a real Impact?
Looke around the NHL and see how many quebecer’s we let slip?
Fliers, Pens,…
Whatever GM we hire, has to put more scouts in the Q.
I don’t think we have a full time scout working there, do we?
I mite be rong.
Look how many Quebec born NHLers there are. This isn’t the 70s and 80s anymore.
For whatever reason, (and many theories have been raised), Quebec is just not producing the number of hockey players that they used to.
This isn’t the team’s fault that we have Leblanc, Darche, St. Denis, Desharnais, as 4 French Canadians on the team. There is a major issue in the number of players being produced.
On top of that, you don’t pass on superior talent just because there is someone from Quebec available.
Were Ryan McDonagh and Max Pacioretty better picks than Angelo Esposito?
Should we have taken Antoine Lafleur instead of PK Subban?
Go Habs Go!
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He would not have taken Price either …..
If he is hired I will be very surprised. And I will not like it. But I won’t pretend I know better than Serge Savard. I will just predict that it will go badly.
If the Habs are successful and he manages them well, I will gladly and publicly eat my words.
Full Breezer 4 Life
^^^ What Kir…I mean Bill said.
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It’s actually quite simple: McGuire has the same chance as that snowball in Hell.
“Risebrow” Loved the way Danny Gallivan would say it!!!
The 2012 Entry Draft is probably going to map out Montreal’s future for the next 10 years or so….
But the draft rankings have been all wacky. Throughout the year, Yakupov and Grigorenko have been battling it out for #1. Last month, one ranking guide made Galchenyuk the consensus #1. Forsberg has been in the mix as a top 2 or top 3 guy, however, his offensive numbers do not warrant that IMO.
I just hope we draft the right guy! Over the past few weeks, Scouts have said Yakupov will be the consensus number one guy in the draft. He has an elite skill set, and potential for stardom.
That got me thinking. Do you think Edmonton would accept a trade:
To Edmonton:
Montreal 2012 1st and 2nd round picks
Beaulieu/Tinordi
To Montreal:
Edmonton 2012 1st round pick.
Linus Omark
Omark has sepnt the majority of the season in the Minors and the pressbox. He even stated on twitter that he hoped that Edmonton would give him a chance to play by trading him.
We could hit a homerun with Omark or miss, but that doesn’t matter because we are still getting a potential star in Yakupov
I don’t know but I hope Montreal wouldn’t!
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
Yeah seems like bad asset management to trade all those players for the returns.
Might as well just take a chance on whoever falls at #3 of the draft.
No, cause then we’d be giving up a potential vary good dmen.
I don’t want to give up another potential dmen that could be a star in this leag.
I’d pick galchenyuk.
Good Heavens – Edmonton would accept that in a New York minute. You’re giving them 3 first round draft picks and 1 second round pick for their first round pick and a prospect. You’d also be decimating the defense on this team from a development standpoint for years to come.
Gawd what an awful trade that would be.
Will Edmonton “accept” this?!?!? Are you serious? Sorry, but that may be the dumbest proposal I’ve ever read. Of course they would, who wouldn’t! This is a deep draft…Montreal could get a dynamic forward or defenseman at 3…even 5…or 7. There is a lot of talent in the top ten this year.. To suggest that we give away a second and/or third round pick to move up two spots AND to throw away huge prospects which are our last two first round draft choices is ridiculous! If Montreal was that hot for Yakapov and Edmonton actually did the best thing for that orginisation and drafted a solid defenseman, I’m sure they could get this done with their first overall and a average prospect. Like the rights to Kristo who doesn’t seem to be ready to sign with us. To suggest they give that much away is nuts… And Omark? really? he couldn’t crack the Edmonton line up which finished worse then Montreal…We have a pile of Omark forwards in Hamilton – No thanks.
As for McGuire – give me a break! This guy has absolutely zero experience since being around the Whalers – where he also sucked. If this GM job was based on watching hockey, loving Sid the Kid and commenting on it he’d be great…Wait – actually he would suck at that too! I can’t stand listening to his stupid “Monster player” crap. I’ll take Bob McKenzie instead.. at least he’s smart.
What about drafting Dumba?
Go with whoever has the hottest looking Mom or Sis
Okay, here’s my two sense on the Pierre Maguire as GM discussion: There is no doubt in my mind Pierre Maguire is a hockey brain. He knows the game, knows the league, knows how to scout talent. There is no questions there. However, one of the biggest jobs of the GM that you don’t see, is the ability to motivate and work with the coaching staff and players in order to get the best out of the team. As much as Mr. Maguire knows, having been out of the NHL in the capacity of running a team (or similar capacity), he is not in game shape to run a hockey team. One thing Mr. Gauthier didn’t have a grasp on as well, and we all know how this season turned out. Also, Pierre Maguire is a hothead and comes across as arrogant, so the potential for conflict with coaches and players is there and this is not somethign the team needs. We need someone capable of getting the most out of the players, a motivator and HR specialist, with the player and prospect knowledge to boot. If Maguire is willing to take on an Assistant-GM position, I say we hire him in a second. Whether his ego can settle for Assistant-GM is another issue altogether. If that’s a position he doesn’t want with the greatest hockey franchise in history, let him walk away.
Can\’t F#*k with history!!!
McGuire is a blowhard and a shameless self-promoter, nothing more.
I hear him on Melnick’s show and he always brings up the predictions that he made where he was right, and does so in a condescending “I told you so” manner.
Does he ever mention when he ripped the Habs for taking Price? Or when he ripped the team for passing on Angelo Esposito?
Or when he called Max Pacioretty, a “Mike McPhee clone and a key piece to the Habs building a great third line going forward”?
Or when he said that Dave Bolland was a better player than Tomas Plekanec?
Or when he said Justin Pogge was the future of the Leafs in net?
Or any number of other things he’s said? Nope.
Sure everyone is wrong sometimes and noone is perfect, but Pierre really rubs me the wrong way in that he constantly brings up the times he was right, but never acknowledges his mistakes.
The campaign to get him hired being lead by Marinaro and Melnick on TSN990 also rubs me the wrong way. Seems to me that these two care more about having a buddy in the organization, having access to inside information and interviews, than really naming the best person for the job.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
No doubt yous is the majority opinion here. Well thought out post. Thanks!
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What always is said about Mcguire is that he has a deep knowledge of players, and that’s great, but having knowledge does not mean one will make the right decisions, there is wisdom involved in taking those hockey decisions, and Mcguire does come off as arrogant and brash.
Maguire has a deep knowledge of players (strengths/weaknesses etc) through a large network of contacts – Scouts on probably alot of NHL teams if he ever gets hired by a NHL team that network dries up overnite…….
What about when he compared Montreal’s big 3 of Robinson, Savard and Lapointe, to the Leafs Schenn, Komisarek and Beauchemin?
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“Bring it on home, Bring it on home to you…” – Plant/Page
Bring it on Home
Hey Zep! I wanted to compliment you in your post below. There are a few here that if you offer a different opinion then their own they revert to name calling (6 year old). I love debate and disagreements are fun. Kind of what this site is all about. Almost everyone here does so without reverting to name calling when another disagrees. Just ignore it buddy and keep posting your opinions. I love reading them. Cheers.
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It actually wasn’t name caling. There are children on this site. It was just a mistake in judment and I already apologized.
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
And I apologize to you sir. One cold one coming your way,……… Cheers!
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Cheers. Hoopefully I don’t make too many enemies before the next Summit!
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
Thanks, and I will!
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“Bring it on home, Bring it on home to you…” – Plant/Page
Bring it on Home
If he said that he’s off his rocker.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
today, McGuire is a professional announcer. He is quite literally in the entertainment business. Anything to fill dead air. hat is what he is paid to do.
As a GM, he would be paid to do a different job.
Let’s not confuse the issue, and leave the management decision-making process to the professionals.
I listen every day and actually he does admit when he’s wrong. To be fair, not drafting a goalie when Price was drafted may have turned out very well also. We’d have Anze Kopitar and Halak. I love Price (my favorite player), but the alternative would really not be all that bad. PM was not the only intelligent person that thought our needs were not a goalie when we drafted Price.
PM also gets the whole thing about local content. Maybe Esposito would have been a mistake, but maybe we would have taken Giroux and countless other local guys.
He would have made mistakes just like every other GM though.
The fact is if you don’t hear him admitting his mistakes, you don’t listen enough. The other side is he’s right more than he’s wrong.
Can’t have that for our GM.
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
Who’s to say he would have picked Kopitar? If you watch the tape he mentions a number of players, one of them was Kopitar, one of them was Gilbert Brule. He never identified Kopitar as his guy until years later with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight.
On the day Price was drafted, McGuire also went down a list of Habs goalies, naming Yann Danis as a great prospect, but failing entirely to list Jaroslav Halak, who was just finishing his time in the QMJHL. He didn’t have Halak as a high end prospect, so to say now that he knew about him, is once again playing things with the benefit of hindsight.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
Since neither of us own a crystal ball, let’s just agree that he wasn’t the only person in the world who was surprised that the Habs drafted a goalie that year.
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
I agree, it was a surprise.
However I think its turned out very well.
And for someone who knows these kids’ backgrounds so well, Pierre’s quote at the time ie “the pick is straight off the reservation” was something that should be seen at the very least as a bad choice of words.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
We have been talking about GM’s we don’t want, but, I will ask the question, Which of these GM’s do we want?
Julien Brisebois?
Pierre McGuire?
Marc Bergervin?
Francois Giguere?
Doug Risebrough?
I’m thinking more towards McGuire or Bergevin.
I don’t know. One of the B’s?
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If only we could merge McGuire’s knowledge, with Brisebois’ contract negotiation and cap knowledge, and with Bergevin’s talent evaluation abilities.
We would have an unstoppable cyborg GM. Meet Marc-Julierre BrisegerGuire!
It would be awesome to hear Pierre Houde try to pronounce that!
Let’s do this!
Pierre Marc Brisebois !
Sounds a pretty amazing french name also.
Pierre-Marc-Julien Brisevin Boisberge McGuire.
Richard R
Price is an oyster. Unfortunately not all oysters produce pearls.
The new GM will be tasked with building a winner in this pressure cooker of a market. Arguably, Montreal is the toughest market in all of the nhl.
The GM selection process is a highly private and professional one.
It is a billion $ decision being managed by the best minds in Canadian business. Think of world-class management engaging in a singular decision-making process, and you’ve got it right. Think of critical factors of success in this process, and what it takes to achieve them.
Think of the process in this way – critical timeline and dates that have to be met over the next few months, the draft date, the review of the overall player contract portfolio and its year over year implications for the team; ufa selection dates; the various contract reviews and negotiations that must get underway; etc.
Think of critical decisions milestones, who will be my assistants, capologist, coaching staff, etc.
Think of the compensation package, basic money, term, various performance clauses, etc.
Think of the new GM’s professional and personal obligations.
Understand that this is a mutual learning and trust development process on the part of management and the candidates.
There are 30 of these jobs in North America. Probability should tell us that there are only a handful of strong candidates at any one time.
Let’s give this professionally managed process a chance to work.
Montreal will get the best possible GM available at this time.
@Habsgod
“i bet macguire knows more about hockey than you’ll ever know in your lifetime!”
Liam Maguire is also very knowledgeable about hockey.
“By the time Liam Maguire was ten, he had accumulated and stored a vast supply of hockey data. At the age of sixteen, the passion turned into an obsession of studying, memorizing, reading and researching even the smallest hockey trivia detail.”
Let’s hire him tout suite!
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“Bring it on home, Bring it on home to you…” – Plant/Page
Bring it on Home
People don’t seem to realize that McGuire is a talking head. Sure, he has connections throughout the league, that’s all fine and good as a broadcaster. The problem with that is, as a GM, suddenly, you’re the enemy according to 29 other teams, because 29 other GM’s are trying to win the Stanley Cup at almost any cost. Having friends in high places goes right out the window, and I don’t think he has the know-how to do the job on his own.
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“Access Forbidden” gettin’ ya down?
Hold down Shift while clicking refresh.
Hopefully he stays a talking head. Like I’ve said in the past. If McGuire is so good, why hasn’t he been hired by any of the 28 other teams not named Canadiens? I say let him wait for the Nordiques to blow back into the province and let them hire him.
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“Bring it on home, Bring it on home to you…” – Plant/Page
Bring it on Home
Dude, how much do you think he makes as the analyst for NBC? I guarantee you it’s more than any head scout or ass’t GM in the league – without the workload. Personally I’ve never liked him schtick because he comes off as a “know it all” but if Scotty Bowman says he’s the man, then he probably is. Can’t argue that he is right 90% of the time. As much as I love Price, were he the GM at the time, we would have drafted Kopitar and would not have had to trade Halak. He also would have taken Giroux. This isn’t hindsight, he said it at the Draft as it happened.
Yet Scotty never hired him when he was with Detroit. Why not? He’s very qualified, Scotty said so!
I don’t want McGuire anywhere near this team.
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“Bring it on home, Bring it on home to you…” – Plant/Page
Bring it on Home
Do you know they never spoke? Perhaps what McGuire wanted at the time was not available or vice versa.
Don’t spew something like this with no real facts besides “he didn’t hire him so he must not be good.” That’s the type of logic I’d expect from a 6 year old.
No offense if you’re 6 years old.
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
He was interviewed by 3 teams now, and he has also turned down at least 1 high profile NHL position.
I think it’s clear that he is a worthy candidate just going by the interviews he has had. Only a small handful of people in the world are interviewed for NHL GM jobs. It’s really not complicated.
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
Looking at the jobs he didn’t get (Calgary, Minnesota) you could argue that they hired the wrong guy. Especially Calgary. What a mess.
Refused 1- Rejected by 2
Why? He’s so knowledgeable!
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“Bring it on home, Bring it on home to you…” – Plant/Page
Bring it on Home
Ok, so you’re 6…I’ll explain. There are 3 Billion people on Earth. Approximately 5-10 are interviewed for jobs such as an NHL GM. Pierre McGuire was one of the 5-10 3 times now. That is an incredible accomplishment, even if he did not get the job. The reason being that a decision is sometimes made strictly on gut feeling or personal preference.
The moral is Pierre McGuire is a very good hockey man, and he knows his…..poop.
Is that easy enough to understand, Junior?
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
“Ok, so you’re 6…”
And we’re done.
If you can’t accept other opinions without being insulting, I start to wonder who the “6″ year old really is.
Enjoy your tantrum.
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“Bring it on home, Bring it on home to you…” – Plant/Page
Bring it on Home
My apologies. From your lack of comprehension that getting an interview for an NHL GM job, regardless of whether you ultimately get that job is incredibly positive and speaks volumes of how much someone must know, I legitimately assumed I was dealing with a very young person.
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
Exactly! PM may have a ton of valuable hockey knowledge, but he’s lacking experience and imo, the Habs don’t have the time to “hope” he evolves into a well-rounded GM. They need someone who can hit the ground running.
Actually HabFab got it wrong. He should have said that Pierre McGuire probably forgot more about hockey than you’ll ever know.
How many GM positions have you interviewed for? None? That’s what I thought.
Go Habs Go!!
“Fans are great, but the quickest way to start losing is to listen to them.” – Sam Pollock
How many GM jobs have I interviewed for? About as many as you and many others here have.
What the hell does that have to do with McGuire or Maguire?
Edit: it was Habsgod, not HabFab. My mistake.
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“Bring it on home, Bring it on home to you…” – Plant/Page
Bring it on Home
” Actually HabFab got it wrong”
HUH!!!
Okay then! Maybe????????????
I’m a first time caller, long time listener and lifetime armchair quarterback/GM.
I love the idea of Brisbois coming in as GM. He seems to have a solid grip on the cap rules, the CBA and be well versed in the art of balancing handfuls of contracts, having a strong background in in the legal/paper pushing aspect of the game, contract negotiations, hockey operations and some GM experience. If need be, he can surround himself with a gaggle of strong hockey minded folks and keep character personnel like Carriere and Timmins around to advise him accordingly on player dev and scouting.
I’m curious why there isn’t more love being shown for the idea of Vignault coming aboard?
Just wondering what Cunny is doing these days. Since he is still the coach until fired or retained is Savard talking with him about the draft, players or is he sitting by the computer reading this site. it’s gotta be hell on him.
Mr. Biter
No Guts No Glory
I keep hearing Dale Tallon.Heard it again today. Does he have some kind of out in his contract. Just saying
Don’t most teams allow office staff to move as long as the move is a promotion and not a lateral move. Clearly GM of Montreal is a promotion from GM of Florida. (As he leaves for lunch, fearful of an earful from Habsolutely
)
I think you are right. Not a lateral at all.
What was i thinking!
lol. I’m not sure I get your point? I’m from Montreal, born and raised. I bleed bleu, blanc et rouge, and would love to have Tallon here. You seem to be implying that I’m a lesser Hab fan because I live in Florida and know some facts about the local NHL team? Are you bitter because I asked you for some sources other than two radio guys in Toronto? Anyway, people need to stop fantasizing about Tallon, he’s under contract and did a spectaculer job with the Panthers, they are not gonna give any team permission to talk to him, I mean why would they?
Did you watch the FLA game last night? Tallon did not look like someone who was ready to jump ship.
A lot of posters seem to live in a bubble, and in that bubble they seem to think that every other team exists only to give us their good players for our garbage players, and that everyone must love Montreal because us fans do. Now that bubble has been extended to GM’s. It’s so incredibly naive and self-aggrandizing. And it’s one of the reasons when you talk to fans of other teams they all say how arrogant Habs fans come off.
I want Mike Emrick for GM. For those of us in the US he is by far the most exciting play by play guy to call an NHL game. Does not matter who is playing he makes the game exciting.
I can just imagine his voice as he steps to the podium to announce a trade he just made!!
I hope Serge is looking for more credentials than he has a nice voice.
“They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here”
Carey Price
I would take McGuire over Risebrough – Risebrough is a has-been, much like Gainey and we didn’t get anywhere with him
Just hope Molson makes the right move and we can have a real Montreal Canadiens team in Montreal. a team that competes every night. as for a cup who knows. there’s 30 teams out there trying to win a cup and it’s not easy.
I look at it this way. when we have 22 players that play better than the other 29 teams we’ll win a cup….
watching the panthers play last night was really impressed with Dineen. So aggressive on the forecheck! loved it. Would love to have that coach/GM combo.
And Mcguire is not a has-been?
Never was.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
I really have to type faster
Or is he a “never-was”?
(ducks for cover and starts running…)
Oh man! is it ever going to be a long summer on here.!
If summer ever starts, it’s farking snowing right now!
Snow! where are ya!
Right next to the Bell Center.
Snow in Montreal, boy that town has certainly cooled off in more ways that one!
Yuppers! Ian the Dentist Office is going to look like a fun place to visit compared to here by July1st!!!
Never had so much as a filling in my life yet Gerald, but I sure get your meaning!
Topics for HIO Summer Discussion
1) The new GM – why he was the wrong choice
2) It’s been 24 hours, why hasn’t the new GM traded Gomez?
2) The new Coach – why he was a mistake
3) The Draft Pick – why he will fail in Montreal
4) Why Price isn’t worth the contract he signs for
5) Why Subban should have been traded instead of signed to that ridiculous new contract
6) How incompetent is the new GM because he didn’t sign Parise or Suter
7) Why the free agent(s) we sign don’t fit the teams needs
8) No, why the free agent(s) we sign do fit the teams needs
9) No, why the free agent(s) don’t work for the team
10) Why we should trade Plekanecs
11) Why we’re “IN ON McKinnon”
No Konopka.
Gotta have some Konopka.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Damn, I forgot Konopka…
12) Why the One Key Piece guaranteeing us a Cup is a 4th line bruiser…
In Konopka We Trust! Can’t ever forget the Great One HF!
Excellent summer agenda Jim, I will print this out and put up on the wall next to computer. Would hate for us to miss out on one of these topics. Well done sir!
Great job jim. May I add “Gomez working out hard in the off season ” article wtitten to your list.
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Hopefully he requests the Bulldog’s physical trainer this off-season.
I had a dream the Canadiens hired a woman to be their GM!
No more pop tarts before bed
Wickenhiser!!
Rusnack.
How about Mario Tremblay? Brashire spoke French to him.!
Research help here, since we are talking GM’s. Sam Pollock was the best ever of course, but did he win the World Series with the Blue Jays as well?
And would he be the only executive to have both a World Series and a Stanley Cup?
Help?
wikipedia
Stand Pat Gillick was GM with Beeston as the Bean Counter. Pollock came on afterwards in advisor role.
I don’t think so. I’m not sure of the extent of his involvement with the Blue Jays, but he was Chairman & CEO from 1995-2000.
I read on Habs Addict that Pierre MCGuire has previously stated on radio that if he was GM of the habs he would trade for Vincent Lecavalier……..IS there any truth to this and if so does this change the feelings of fans towards McGuire’s candidacy?
No, I did not want him before knowing that.
Getting Lecavalier at this point would be a terrible mistake, strike McGuire from the list.
Vinny controls his own destiny and he has turned the Habs down on at least 2 occasions ,what pray tell makes McGuire think he could change Vinny’s mind.
NorthTOHab
i dont know when he said that, but i’d hazard a guess it was a long time ago and i doubt he’d do it now.
either way, mcguire gets my vote.
I doubt that. McGuire’s not my first choice as GM but I’m pretty confident I’ve heard him say on a few occasions that Lecavalier’s contract is ridiculous.
It depends on the timeline that we’re looking at here. If he said it in 2008-09, it might have been a halfway decent idea (though not at the price it would have taken in the deal that was consummated but ultimately vetoed by Gary Bettman) – but in the year 2012, definitely not.
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GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is probably not our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
Now that Florida is out can we maybe talk with Dale Talon?
Is that the French Way of pronouncing his last name.???
Dale speaks french Ian.
Today Serge is scheduled to interview Mohammed Dahana, a former winning GM from the ATG.
not one of you bit on this, I am impressed!
Have no friggin idea who he is Ian but he’d be my choice from the Dr. list below.
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Stellick was the General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs from April 1988 until August 1989. At the age of 30, he was the youngest GM in NHL history. He resigned on August 11, 1989, citing interference from Maple Leaf’s owner Harold Ballard.[1] Stellick was then hired by the New York Rangers as an assistant GM, but was fired in 1991.[2][3] Stellick was once co-owner of the Toronto Beaches Jr. A lacrosse team. Stellick can be seen on TV as a commentator for hockey games.
IF the habs were forced to choose one of teh following to be next GM who should they choose?
a) Mike Milbury
b) Jack Edwards
c) Rejean Houle
d) Kato Kaelin
e) Pierre McGuire
f) Gord Stellick
TO me there is no good choice but If I had to pick one it would be Kato.
A list that makes Rejean look like an excellent GM, well done Doc!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EiusAZZ5D8Y#!
One of Boston’s brightest fans…..
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“How would you like a job where when you made a mistake, a big red light goes on and 18,000 people boo?” -Jacques Plante
They Have One???
No patience or tolerance for people like that from me, using the subway system daily has made me a bitter man towards such displays…
nice legs
I have this nagging voice in my head that keeps suggesting this possibility: Savard determines that there are no desirable candidates available at the moment and anoints himself as “Interim GM” for an indeterminate period while the search continues. Not that I think he’d be a train wreck but it would certainly feel like a waste of time. We need somebody with a clear vision for the future and we need to get started on that path now.
The coming months are key in establishing a plan for moving forward, so it would be great to have the permanent GM in place to start from there.
He’d be the Bob Rae of the hockey world.
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GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is probably not our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
Nah, many candidates to choose from. Doubt Serge is looking to work for a living. I agree completely that a new clear vision is needed. These next two drafts are critical to the future.
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Perhaps the Habs can draft a player who brings along the intangibles which Mr. Tannehill did to the draft last night.
http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/ryan_tannehills_wife_lauren_will_be_his_real_contribution_to_the_dolphins_pictures/10656332?linksrc=home_rg_head_10656332
Pancho!
You should edit this and put McDonagh
I gotta tell ya. Listening to Glenn Healey go on about how great a defenceman Ryan O’Byrne is, made me sick to my stomach.
Glenn Healey two years ago would have also told you about how great Luke Schenn was and will be. Out of curiousity, when did Healey talk about O’Byrne given COlorado is not in the playoffs?
Wow. Major brain fart. got my Ryan’s mixed up. McDonagh not O’Byrne.
Haha, that brain fart may have left a mark!
I gotta tell ya. Listening to Glenn Healey go on about how great a defenceman Ryan O’Byrne is, made me sick to my stomach.
superfluous
OH
I don’t go on Twitter but thanks to Kevin Allen of the Detroit Free Press for being more in-depth than the censored superficial reporting of most of the other media sources. “That _____ _____ should hang!” Sick, sick people who will do a lot of harm in the future.
“May you live in interesting times.”
Agree Guy. It broke my heart to read some of the vile spewing from some so called hockey fans. Then I come on here and read people like you and it warms my heart. Cheers my friend.
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Hi Jim! The greeting below was posted before I read this one!
“May you live in interesting times.”
Ha ha ha. I actually have the Northern New York accent. Matter of fact some folks down here still poke fun at me.
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Just curious….who was the ‘capologist’, or CBA guru, whom Gainey consulted prior to making the Gomez trade??
Scotty’s agent?
The numbers were public, just like Roberto Luongo’s are now. The inability to forecast the steep decline in hockey skills, combined with the ascent of McDonagh’s is the frustrating turn of events for Habs’ fans.
“May you live in interesting times.”
Decline? The guy was a career 15 goal scorer with ONE 33 (33?) goal year added to the mix. And throwing prospects into a cap swap should have went the other way. Higgins for Gomez ++++. Not Higgins +++ for Gomez +.
Ouch. Its painful to reflect back on this one. Hopefully the new regime will make us soon forget this whole sad saga.
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It was a panic move on Gaineys part. Seen a lot of that here in the last few years.
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How ya doin’? (spoken with Balboa’s Brooklyn accent, even though he’s supposed to be from Philadelphia)
“May you live in interesting times.”
whoever the new GM is, I don’t think french is a MAJOR issue, we need a talented, passionate, indavidual who is willing to install a winning mentality upon this organization, BY ANY MEANS NESSESARY. If he’s bilingual, fine, if he’s not, then you can have the team’s presedent act as the public face of the organization. Granted, I think the coach should be bilingual, it woulden’t be fair to Cunnyworth after all that we put him through over the unilingual issue to go and hire another unilingual anglaphone.
You are incorrect. The next GM WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK FRENCH. English, too.
If that’s the case, then why did they speak to Nill?
Don’t want to get slapped with a discrimination law suit
you forgot the:
The Habs are casting a wide net, but we all know there aren’t that many candidates with a real chance. Bergevin or Brisebois. Choose one.
Okay….
heads = Bergevin
tails = Brisebois
if it lands on the side = McGuire
I think the GM will speak French. However, the fact that they spoke to Nill, and the apparent interest in Hextall, backs up Molson’s claim of wanting the best for the job. If he hires an English (only) speaking GM, he’ll hire a ‘right-hand-man’ who is French to assist and deal with the media (Robitaille in Hextall’s case).
@Oz, conceptually I like your idea, but I am worried Bettman provides the coin and the edges of the coin are coated in double sticky tape.
Good point!!
Or maybe he’d yield his power to make sure the coin toss took place on a beach somewhere (or a sandbox. maybe his sandbox).
We didn’t put Cunneyworth through anything. He got given a very rare opportunity, one that the vast moajority of hockey coaches never get.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
What you say is true HFS72, but compared to other coach that got an NHL job, Cunneyworth was not shown as much respect. I think it’s being overblown, but it was not much of a vote of confidence…
Shiram, when I visit my cardiologist next month and get the lecture on weight gain I’m blaming you. Everytime I see one of your post my mouth waters.
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I’ve been getting comments like these ever since I got this avatar, I like it, it’s highly recognizable in a sea of Habs related avatars!
I would like to see the Canadiens hire a GM and Coach with proven track records at the NHL level. This means no Patrick Roy and no McGuire. Roy needs to at least coach in the AHL or be an assistant coach in the NHL before he should be considered. That his name is being thrown around becuase he is a “winner” is puzzling.
McGuire is a decent hockey analyst (not even a good one), that’s it. Amazing to think his name is also being considered.
I don’t see how Roy would accept a AHL or even just an assitant coach job in the NHL, he already control his own team, and I don’t think he’d leave that team unless it’s for a full HC job in the NHL.
If Dale Hunter gets the caps thru the 2nd round, the cries will be louder for Roy. A guy who went direct from Junior team he owns, operates and coached directly to NHL with success.
One’s success does not guarentee’s the other’s, but yea it might be more fuel for the fire.
IMHO its more important for the GM to have had experience at the NHL level be it with scouting, player development and business aspects then the coach. I am warming up to Patrick. I am still more focused on the GM obser. He will need to select his partner.
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For those of you interested in Doug Risebrough’s trade history here’s a link: http://www.nhltradetracker.com/user/trade_list_by_team/Minnesota_Wild/4
I think his term as GM was from 2000-2010
besdies havlate and heatly i see a bunch of nothing – activity for the sake of doing things.
Ya that’s what I got from it too. He seems to aquire and trade a lot of draft picks, but his track record for drafting is very average to below average….maybe with Timmins at the helm he can do something.
And let’s not forget:
To The Calgary Flames – Gary Leeman, Alexander Godynyuk, Jeff Reese, Michel Petit and Craig Berube.
To The Toronto Maple leafs – Doug Gilmour, Jamie Macoun, Ric Nattress, Kent Manderville and Rick Wamsley
He singlehandedly doused the Flames.
I won’t hold him to any trades he made in the 90s because he was just getting his feet wet as GM. I have however looked at his more recent trades and they just seem like lateral moves. Nothing to write home about.
Agreed. I remember Riser’s playing days fondly. And he clearly has supporters around the league. But a guy who has graduated from gawdawful moves to mere lateral ones is not who we want.
The new GM will be tasked with building a winner in this pressure cooker of a market. Arguably, Montreal is the toughest market in all of the nhl.
The GM selection process is a highly private and professional one.
It is a billion $ decision being managed by the best minds in Canadian business. Think of world-class management engaging in a singular decision-making process, and you’ve got it right. Think of critical factors of success in this process, and what it takes to achieve them.
Think of the process in this way – critical timeline and dates that have to be met over the next few months, draft, the review of the overall player contract portfolio and its year over year implications for the team, the various contract reviews and negotiations that must get underway, etc.
Think of critical decisions milestones, who will be my assistants, capologist, coaching staff, etc.
Think of the compensation package, basic money, term, various performance clauses, etc.
Think of the new GM’s professional and personal obligations.
Understand that this is a mutual learning and trust development process on the part of management and the candidates.
There are 30 of these jobs in North America. Probability should tell us that there are only a handful of strong candidates at any one time.
Let’s give this professionally managed process a chance to work.
Montreal will get the best possible GM available at this time.
OK guys, I’ll throw myself into the GM search. I only speak a few select versus in Frech I learn (and did not forget) in highschool in the States. I have a French name, some Canadian relatives, been to Montreal three (3) times. I could go on and on about my qualifications . . .
Anyway – I did want to build on what hansolo posted below (he hinted at Florida getting better). One of you guys who has a lot of time on your hands (imply what you want there) should summarized the moves of the 5 or 6 newest good teams in the league – thinking St. Louis, Vancouver, LA, Phoenix, Florida, Ottawa – these teams were dreadful juist a few years ago. How did they make the turn around?
My preconceived notion on turned a team around has always been: draft a couple very good players (or have htem in the system) these are the 20ish goal scorers you can pay $1M-$2M because they are in their first or second contracts. Have 1-2 very good Dmen you pay anything for – even if you pay $7M if they log 25 mins or more it enables your 5th 6th Dmen to play a lot less. For scoring you need 2 stars getting 35+ goals. You need 3 key energy guys that pick up the play of all the others. These are the guys who may get 15 goals or may get 25 but the key is their drive and determination on every shift.
Thats a very generalized summary but I think it’s key.
I don’t want to get too long windere here but a few years ago Frolov lead the Kings in goals – or was one o fhte highest for a couple years in a row – they dump him and they are better. Why?
Another guy – Jokinen.. he was on Phoenix putting up 30 goals when they stunk, he left. Now in Calgary and how are they?
I’m not trying to dump on Frolov or Olli but it really seems a lot of the newly successful teams let some of their “better” guys go at some point and made improvemnts with younger hungrier players (IMO focusing more on defense).
So, if someone wants to take the time I”d love to read a one page summary on some of these teams to speaks to how they turnind things around – focusing on who was let to leave and who was acquired and who was homegrown.
OK thats all. I will use any response to this in my interview with Molson and I will give credit to you in due time.
Oh and I wanted to mention Florida – Fleishman, Versteeg, Campbell all in – Stillman, Booth, Horton out… Hmmmm
Very thoughtful. Some points to the contrary however. Vancouver has been strong since Pavel Bure days with a succession to the Markus Naslund/Steve Moore era. They finally concluded that Dan Cloutier, after six seasons, was not good enough and got Luongo in 2007 or so.
I am envious of how quickly L.A. improved. A pivotal point in their roster development was the drafting of BOTH Anze Kopitar and Jonathan Quick in a single draft year, that being 2005.
St. Louis was 12th in the West last year with Halak playing in 62 regular season games, and of course, no playoff games. Elliot came on board this year as did vets Jason Arnott and Jamie Langenbrunner. Add to this the return to health of captain David Perron, and the further maturation of Alex Pietrangelo, T.J. Oshie, David Backes, Alex Steen and a few others and you have the solid team that has Hitchcock at the helm.
It’s easy to confuse the Jokinens, Ollie and Jussi. Ollie was a major player in Florida, became their captain, had several 30 goal seasons, and did not play in a single playoff game in 10 years until doing so with the Flames last year.
“May you live in interesting times.”
yea with the J’s – i seriously wish i had a week straight to sort out the development of the teams. St. Loius had a core that is now a very good team – but they turned that around so fast (did anyone else 12 or 18 months ago) think they would be this good? Elliot is not (was not) considered an elite goalie. And who was thinking Arnott and Langenbrunner were not washed up?
St. Louis has been building slowly but surely for years now. I think it was about 4 years ago they got Alex Steen and Coliccavo from Toronto for Stempniak. While Carlo is still injury prone he and Alex have become excellent role players in that system. Last year the Blues underachieved, primarily due to injuries and evidently coaching. The team this year with the addition of Elliot, Hitchcock and the return to form of Perron are the only significant changes.
Please,please,please DO NOT hire McGuire; as he is very,very annoying to listen to! I do not understand why he is even considered! As has been previously mentioned; If Bowman likes him so much; why didn’t he hire him in Detroit or Chicgo?
Bowman is still bitter that the Habs didn’t hire him as GM. He is using McGuire as a Trojan Horse.
Beware Bowmans Bearing Bald Beanheads?
Bashing Bowmans’ Bald Beans, Bud?
“May you live in interesting times.”
I’m also bitter that they didn’t hire Bowman as GM.
Thats when the recipe was passed on to Detroit.
One of the reasons Mcguire is mentioned is that he is an excellent communicator and is able to express his opinions openly and has media experience. This was clearly one of PG problems. PG was not able for what ever reason to communicate to the fan base and he hide from the media. I would think this skill is critical in this day and age of 24/7 news.
BTW ..Iam not a supporter of PM.
I agree with THS; in that I would like to see Briesbois from Tampa Bay as the Habs new GM, and Patrick Roy as the new coach. Patrick Roy has been a winner everywhere that he has been!
We will soon enough find out what kind of a owner that we have in Geoff Molson. No one will have a clue who will be chosen until Molson announces the new GM himself at the end of these play offs.
So debate this after the choice is made, anything else is really just blowing smoke in the wind.
Last night was the best enertaining two games of this years play offs. It is easy to see the salary cap working and parity in the league. Another reason that this choice of GM for the Montreal Canadiens, is the most important decision to be made for this franchise in the past 25 years or more.
It will dictate what kind of hockey entertainment we will be watching for the next 15 years or so. Molson has to get it right the first time.
For those who are thinking that Maguire is the guy, reading this will be cause for pause. It is regarding his tenure as coach in Hartford.
http://articles.courant.com/1994-05-21/sports/9405210429_1_pierre-mcguire-whalers-general-manager-paul-holmgren
I like Maguire a lot – as an analyst. He talks well and promotes himself well. He does his research, but he serves it up as if to impress as much as inform.
My biggest red flag with Maguire is, how many other GMs will want to deal with a guy who has readily criticized them for the last decade?
PM is a good guy, and his friends speak extremely highly of him. He’s no doubt very loyal to those close to him and that may be why is name is kept in discussions.
BUT, for a position this important, what is needed is someone who has actually worked inside a hockey operations department recently, not simply someone who does an exempliary job of commenting the work of others.
Amen brother!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez3CV5QxsGI&feature=related
I’m not even going to try until tonight thank you very much…
LOL!
Some good points Robert. I do not think PM has a hope in hell. Molson better get it right the first time, he has to.
Well stated Robert, professional and true.
Like Ian said, commenting on the hiring process is like blowing smoke, but a couple of points, Robert:
Let’s give Savard credit. If McGuire couldn’t do the job he wouldn’t be interviewed.
The article you refer us to is from 1994. Even if it were true, do you not allow for any growth in the past 8 years?
Not saying it’s McGuire or bust, (I’m more for Brisboise), just saying the guy has to be a credible candidate.
I agree with you, but it has been 18 years since that article was produced…not 8
People change, they learn more, etc.
I am sure the Canadiens will hire the best person for the job.
I’ve considered all those points for some time. I have my suspicions as to whether Maguire was indeed interviewed. Has he confirmed it, or perhaps expressed that he would remain silent?
It’s not a matter of credit to Savard or not, he’s in fact interviewing Maguire to find out if he has what it takes to do the job. Truth be stated, Savard has been out of hockey ops almost as long as Pierre.
The article was 18 years ago, and yes, there likely is some growth. But in Maguire’s case, it can’t be documented by hockey jobs he’s taken on, because none were offered to him.
Would anyone go back and reconsider Rejean Houle?
The growth I’ve seen in Maguire, is that he’s gone from a marginal former NHL employee commenting as an analyst into a monster of a personality working near the action.
I’ve heard him flip-flop on so many opinions, that it is impossible to truly know his stance on things. If one says enough stuff both ways, at least they get some things half right. (Re:Price)
Furthermore, he barks out his so-called “7 Player Profile” as though he’d invented it. The truth is, there is no one sure template for winning. It’s a composite of many things, with luck mixed in as well. Is Detroit the model? If so, take a hard look at their terrible draft record. Maguire just isn’t descriminating and balanced enough for me.
Too much about Maguire is about Maguire. Don’t like the ego, nor the manner, and I think we’d be dipping the toe into the same pool.
Maybe the only reason McGuire got even a remote consideration was he is a pal of Geoff Molson.
=================================================
The cerebral insight of PJ Stock:
“Le problem est Markov n’a pas jouer un seul game cette annee”
“Louis Leblanc est un kid locale”
I think McGuire is pushed by the folks that understand the entertainment side of the business. They see the Canadiens primarily as entertainment not a sport. An entertainment business. If you follow that viewpoint then McGuire is a great choice. Celine Dion would be a great choice.
Everyone reads what they want to hear into every word the owner says or M. Savard mentions. Molson and Savard know what they are doing. They are cleaning house. That needs to be done now and then whenever you have promoted from within.
We’ll know the who before the new season starts. The hockey business goes on until then under Savard’s oversight. Timmins charts. Carriere answers calls.
Everyone should just take a pill.
your right. but , i think PM is media savy and is very experienced when it comes to comunications. PG clearly lacked communication skills with the fans base and montreal media.
Amen Amen!
=================================================
The cerebral insight of PJ Stock:
“Le problem est Markov n’a pas jouer un seul game cette annee”
“Louis Leblanc est un kid locale”
At some point there has to be a statute of limitations on something like this. That article is 18 years old. Are you the same person today that you were in 1994? People grow and change. If there were a massive article condemning McGuire from, say, 2004, sure I’d be more inclined to give it a whirl. But that thing was written while I was in the 8th grade.
———————–
GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is probably not our year!
“Scott Gomez is an elite NHL player” – VancouverHab
Chat with me on Twitter @TheRealRGM81
Dear Sens Management
You deserve to lose for not going with the same lineup that won game 6!
Right out of he-haw.
They Call Me Shane
“They never asked to be Canadiens, they were Chosen.”
Shane Oliver
Twitter @Sholi2000
http://www.Sholi2000.com
Custom Sports Figures
Not getting any requests for the Ottawa Senator “Sparten or Centurion” Action Figure? Sounds like that should be a big seller!
The Sens lost game 6.
I know people are getting impatient with this GM search, but there is plenty of time.
The key date is July 1st. This GM needs to be ready for the start of Free Agency. This means that a hire should be done by June 1st which is still 5 weeks away.
There is no reason to rush, we need the best guy for the job.
Let Timmins run the draft, as he has done for years, and the new GM can have a month to plan our Free Agent/Trade strategy.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
I’m sure the interviews will cover what those potential GM’s plan will be short term and long term, so hopefully whomever is picked can hit the ground running.
Monsieur Bellyful, we need some levity and humour right about now, cause there is a cranky post below. Had fun recently “picking” on a “highstrung” Banjo….
One thing I have learned: when the Canadiens win in the future, there are some supposed fans I will NOT be high-fiving due to their nasty, insulting nature as revealed by how and what they post.
“May you live in interesting times.”
I’m not concerned with the specific name the GM was given at birth.
I want to know what is their “philosophy” in building a winning team.
Do they prefer an aggressive, forechecking approach, or a 1-3-1 or 1-2-2 style of play??
what types of players do they like??
For me its about “philosophy” or “culture” that we will build here.
For example, when Gauthier stated publicly that Bourque would score more goals in this league than Cammy because most of his goals come from driving the net with or without the puck, I agreed with that “philosophy”.
(unfortunately Bourque seems to have forgotten that “drive to the net” on the plane from Calgary)
Give me the “style” of Eric Cole.
Give me the “drive” of guys like Cole and Max.
Give me the “passion” of a Subban on defence – and I see that in Emelin as well.
I appreciate players who play with “energy”, “passion”, hard work, drive and consistent effort.
I hope our GM sees it this way – no matter what his name is on his birth certificate.
Marc Bergevin, Julien Brisebois, Pierre McGuire, François Giguère, Doug Risebrough, etc…, all good candidates BUT until we know, we can’t say a thing about any of them.
Bringing up a guy’s past track record is pointless, everybody learns from mistakes and moves on. Molson will choose the right guy.
And as for the language factor, all the new GM has to say is he’s taking french lessons and they can have an interpreter at pressers if it’s that big a deal.
Show a little faith…
_______________________________________
Calling it like it is:
Jack Edwards is a clam.
Boston Bruins, gutless diving weasel pukes.
The fact that so many names are being thrown around by Habs spokesmen, and media insiders as well, indicates that the Habs are taking a serious run at finding the right guy this time around. Not a simple task, no doubt.
Part of the problem, I think from a fan’s perspective at least, is that the candidates who seem “successful” in their management roles are not looking for a job. Instead, it is the candidates who have experience, but lack recent success, who are available. True that people do learn from their mistakes, but mistakes are not always the reason a former GM is, well, a former GM. Mistakes are in the eye of the beholder. Often it is a difference of philosophy, or vision, that puts a GM out of work. So the question becomes, does this candidate share the same philosophy and vision as the group conducting the search for a new GM? That is what makes me nervous when it comes to hiring “retreads”, or former great players with ties to the “glory”. Then again, I look to the last Habs GM and he didn’t fit that description. Not a former player, and not tied to the glory days. So…hopefully they find the right guy regardless of pedigree. It’s easy to sit back, as I do sometimes, and criticize the names being brought forward. But I don’t have to go out and find this guy, do I? I do have faith that the Habs have all the right intentions this time around, and that whoever they hire will be capable. I guess we’ll know soon enough.
I like that they are casting as wide a net as possible, and it is unfortunate that we can’t be more informed as to the process. I’d love to know if they are asking owners permission to speak with GM’s already employed, although they know the likely answers. I’m thinking Yzerman, who really wanted to come to Montreal a few years back. I think he’d come running still.
Have to wonder if panic isn’t setting in out west in Vancouver.
http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/van120425.html
Talk of trading Kesler.
Perhaps Kesler and Luongo for Nash?
Remember the interview last week, Kesler only likes American fans…said so!
That’s crazy. Kesler is a warrior. You’d be nuts to trade him.
Still, I guess that’s what happens when you feel like your cup window has closed or is rapidly closing. Lord knows MTL made some bad deals post 93.
Panic?
Ex-cell-ent….
Doug Risebrough? Really. Has Savard or Molson looked at how poorly the Wild developed players during his tenure? Oh and what about that epic Gilmour trade in Calgary. Sorry, he can stay on Sather’s payroll.
Ok want to know what the problem is with the Canadiens ? Look no further than this canadiens Idol type of search for a GM and Coach.
Who is in charge of this crap ? Molson says they will pick the best candidate, Savard says the person will speak french. And we find out Nill, who doesn’t speak french was approached.
Who is in charge Savard or Molson ?. Will someone in the media ask this question ?
Every day someone somewhere names someone and nobody holds anybody accountable for this.
Who is in charge in Montreal ? This is a JOKE and the organization is becoming a JOKE. This is unacceptable. And must not be tolerated by Molson. Dude you bought the team, it’s yours. grow a pair and take control once and for all.
Maybe being in StL has you a little out of the loop, Eric.
Geoff Molson is indeed in charge, aided by Serge Savard. The Canadiens are a private company; they don’t have to tell anyone anything until they’re ready to do so.
There hasn’t been a more important head-hunting (pardon the expression) mission for this team in recent memory. They needn’t publicize every phone call or every meeting or every interview… that undermines the process of finding the general manager, and then the coach, that they need.
There will be plenty of time to debate the choices once they’re made.
Dave Stubbs
Hockey Inside/Out
Sports Columnist/Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
• On Twitter: twitter.com/habsinsideout1
• Email: dstubbs@montrealgazette.com
For the record, I believe in Eric’s case, it stands for Saint-Lazare, not St Louis.
Good point, had not realized that myself.
….or Slow To Learn:)
Pretty observant for a bud living in Wisconsin. May the force be with you!
“May you live in interesting times.”
@Robert…always good to see you pop in. Don’t be such a stranger!
I’m from St-Lazare, lived in Park ex for 37 years.
You are right I am out of the loop, the loopiness of Montreal. But I digress.
Sorry but yes the Canadiens are a private company but they cannot act like a private company, since they always say YOUR MONTREAL CANADIENS. And since they bow to the whims of certain politically motivated sports reporters/authors. They are held accountable.
I want to know who is in charge Savard or Molson, who is running this ship. How can Savard say one thing and then everyone agrees to say that Nill was met. He’s uni lingual how can you consider him if Savard says the next GM will speak french (maybe not 100% but at least some we suppose). get your story straight.
I want consistency.
And I want sports reporting not sports commentary from the media.
I think Savard said speaking French is a criterion, but presumably not an absolute one.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
@Eric…Savard is expressing his opinion while Molson will express his decision…there is no question who is in charge there buddy.
Dave…..this is really cool to chime in after your post! Thanks for the quick primer on Corporate Decision Making 101, which goes partway towards curing the rash-like condition called Fan Entitlement. Rash-like because it involves speaking and acting without thinking. There was a enormous outbreak of this condition in Boston two days ago and it ….was….UGLY!
HIO posters, you may turn green with envy now, ’cause I have posted on comments made by the BIG THREE (not Robinson, Savard, and Lapointe, but Boone, Hackel, and Stubbs).
“May you live in interesting times.”
I understand the point of your question, but I don’t think this search is a Joke. I applaud the Habs for appearing to be unturning most every stone in order to ensure they find the best possible person for the job.
This isn’t just a hiring a new customer service rep. who needs to be bilingual, this is hiring the steward for the most impressive franchise in hockey history. At a time when the new owner faces incredible pressure to produce a winner.
While I believe language is a key factor, what I think is being shown to us, is that indeed if of all the candidates available the best person was to be unilingual in English, the team may still indeed consider this person as the best available option. Then perhaps discussion occur regarding the individuals willingness to sit down with a Rossetta stone CD and learn french.
Obviously we all are anxious and look forward to finding out who the next GM will be, but I rather this than the quick look around the room and pick the first guy to raise his hand when asked who speaks French and English here.
The difference is that this issue is covered in Montreal like the royal wedding. This is what happens when a team has more reporters at one meaningless pre-season scrimmage than the sum total of scribes covering the Blues for the last 10 years (maybe I’m exaggerating a tad…)
Geoff and Serge are doing the right thing. They’re meeting people and concentrating on finding the best guy for the job. I’d be worried if they found their time was better spent running media relations.
Oh and the media circus gives those being interviewed a better idea of what the job is going to be like. There’s 3 odd million second guessing your every move – still want the job…?
Who’s GM in St Louis anyway?
Doug Armstrong, and Eric is actually from St. Lazare as clarified above.
“May you live in interesting times.”
Ah St Lazare… so this whole thing shouldn’t be a surprise then?
How’s Mr Armstrong’s French (and could he hide David Backes in his suitcase when he comes over?)
Now you piqued my interest in reading up on David Backes!
“May you live in interesting times.”
I understand that a certain level of experience is desirable when looking for a new GM, but Doug Riseborough? Isn’t that just going back to the same old well again? Bringing in the old boys with ties to the glory years? I wish the Habs could move away from the past glories and look to the present and the future.
Aside from a level of experience, I ask what level of success has Riseborough had in his various executive roles? Seriously, Minnesota?, Calgary?, an assistant to Slats? It just has “old boys network” fingerprints all over it. Habs would be spinning their wheels, again.
Assuming that Geoff Molson is serious about building a consistent contender and considering his track record as a GM in Minnesota, why would the Habs be interested in Doug Risebrough?
He’d be better than McGuire?
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Much better cause his experience isn’t limited and 20 years ago!
Blabbing junior hockey players’ vital stats, their bantam coach and their dogs name is not qualification to be a GM.
Did NBC give anyone permission to speak to him? He’s still under contract….No?
=================================================
The cerebral insight of PJ Stock:
“Le problem est Markov n’a pas jouer un seul game cette annee”
“Louis Leblanc est un kid locale”
A ton of Swedes in this year’s draft. Today a profile of Ludvig Bystrom.
http://lastwordonsports.com/2012/04/27/nhl-draft-prospect-profile-22-ludvig-bystrom/
Go Habs Go!
Everyone might remember that nearly 3 years ago, we persuaded the then-GM of the Florida Panthers to join the Habs — as coach. It was a move that individual was quite ready to make (even though many of the forum members came to regret it) because of an unstable ownership situation in Florida. Is that still the case? Is the ownership stable now? I’d love to have Dale Tallon on our team. I know some of his moves have been criticized, like the acquisition of Brian Campbell’s contract, but one can’t argue with what Campbell has done this season. 3 minor penalties all season, while being one of the league leaders in ice-time? While Tallon let the cap get away from him in Chicago, he certainly hasn’t in Florida and there are good prospects (like Huberdeau and a goalie) in the pipeline.
I really would rather somebody who is new and Fresh, with new ideas, like Brisebois, than simply recycling the past.
On the other hand, Tallon would be great, and as much as I hate to say it, McGuire may be a good assistant–nobody would have more to prove than him. You gotta know than he’s completely tired of doing the between the benches thing on telecasts.
And one other side note–if if were possible to land lamoreillo and then turn around and get Parise, man that would be a coup.
Think of the possibilities for next year: adding an excellent GM, who would pick the right coach, a top end center thru the draft, who should be able to play next year, and Parise.
Talk about a one year turn-a-round.
Now that would create excitement.
Cole Desharnais Patches
Parise Plekanecs Gionta
Bourque (3rd overall pick??) Eller
Leblanc White Blunden/Staubitz
A guy like Parise could change the dynamic of our team. We’ve missed Cammy’s abilities on the PP, even though he was having an off year, his skills could not be denied.
For GM I want a sharp, young mind, not a mediocre retread.
Off-season game plan – Edmonton
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=394339
Off season game plan: make sure you remain poor on D and in goal so you can draft Nathan McKinnon.
–
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Wouldn’t be surprised if the Oilers have their eye on next year’s number one pick already.
Hats off to the Sens for playing a great series and having a very good season. Alfredsson was the best Sens’ player on the ice last night and is a total class act, hope he plays another year.
And I couldn’t agree more with Cherry after the first period last night when he was talking about how valuable Konopka is to the team. 70% on faceoffs, taking draws on the PP, fighting, antagonizing the other team…Habs made a huge mistake not signing him last year for their 4th line. Neil is probably among the best 3rd liners in the league as well.
Well said.
Habs, OLE !
i bet macguire knows more about hockey than you’ll ever know in your lifetime! i think he should be the top candidate for the job,the man is a walking encyclopedia of information! and how many of those guys on that list did scotty bowman recommend? 1 pierre macguire,bowman wouldn’t say that the rest! if scotty speaks you listen
Bergevin s will be ,Macguire s to irritating
Dear God. I sense anger so early from you this morning? Deep breaths.
———————————–
Bowman is sure ready to recommend guys to run our team.
But he’s not hiring McGuire for a role on his own… either in Detroit, or in Chicago.
Go Habs Go!
Visit Your NHL Draft Headquarters
http://lastwordonsports.com/category/lastwordblog/nhldraft/
I didn’t realize memorizing players juniors team and what town they were born in constituted GM skills. Or is it the fact he can use phrases like “activate the defencemen” our “It’s a Double Dion”.
Okay I am sold McGuire for GM!!! Woohoo!
I knew you’d feel compelled to participate in this one.
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It’s like you know me Jim
Bite your tongue!
Now again and really mean it this time!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Or their mothers name and favorite colour!
=================================================
The cerebral insight of PJ Stock:
“Le problem est Markov n’a pas jouer un seul game cette annee”
“Louis Leblanc est un kid locale”
I realize this article is a few days old but it does tie into Stu Hackel’s headline quite nicely.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.ca/2012/04/calling-all-candidates.html
I wonder if JT would be a good candidate as Hab GM. She’s certainly the most level headed and informative writer covering the Habs on the web (next to the headmaster, of course. MB doesn’t qualify for the same reason as Scotty Bowman, way too old for the job:-)
Why Luongo must hit the road. Not sure who would take him besides Tampa or Toronto. Teams looking for a short term fix might go with Thomas assuming he is available.
Rank Player Team GP GAA SV%
1 ELLIOTT, BRIAN STL 38 1.56 0.94
2 QUICK, JONATHAN L.A 69 1.95 0.93
3 SCHNEIDER, CORY VAN 33 1.96 0.94
4 LUNDQVIST, HENRIK NYR 62 1.97 0.93
Risebrough has a ton more experience than any other candidate. Yet I somehow can’t get past the feeling that he has never really accomplished anything. That may be unfair but you have to wonder if this is just another link to the glory days, an era that is now twenty years in the past.
Does Risebrough speak fluent French? Were the Habs willing to overlook than requirement if it meant they could land Nill?
Tallon for GM, Crosby signs as a UFA in 2013 and 24 Cups marries Catherine Zeta-Jones. You gotta love this site.
Realize that she is into old men BUT really…THAT OLD!
Touche!
Ken Dryden with an interesting read regarding the violence in round 1 of these playoffs.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/the-anatomy-of-three-hits/article2415447/page1/
Great read.
The new CBA shouldn’t just be about shared revenues and cap limitations. The players need to let Bettman and the NHLPA know that they want to make the game safer. I can’t believe that deep down inside most players fear for their safety and well being.
Thanks for the link!
“May you live in interesting times.”
I did not have the pleasure of seeing Dryden play, but he sure is great to read.
There’s a great article at the Vancouver Province bemoaning Bettman’s playoff hockey… How clutch and grab overtook pure skill.
http://www.theprovince.com/sports/rough+stuff+trump+skill+since+Canucks+Bruins+rematch+January/6525975/story.html
I’d add the caveat that this has been made increasingly possible thanks to the average player being that much closer to the top stars in terms of overall skating ability.
That’s how you end up with a guy like Joel Ward or Brian Boyle looking like rockstars while skilled players take a back seat.
… and you know what… that’s just plain wrong. But who said life was fair? Maybe the new GM should spend the bulk of his time building out an even keeled line up with 4 solid lines instead of hoping superstars will make the difference. It’s cheaper… and if you make the show, it gets results!
How many pretty goals have there been in these playoffs?
Ovechkin and Alfredsson benched in favor of 3rd liners.
Guys like Zetterberg, Sedin, etc .. getting hit in the head.
Paul Gaustad for a first round pick for f***k’s sake
The product sucks.
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
I gotta go with Brisebois GM – Roy Coach
Roll the dice it’s a good mix of potential.
In fact I’m officially predicting this now.
You heard it here first
Ooh Aah Habs on the golf course
Howard Rodgerson
With Florida out, would like to see team pursue Tallon for GM.
We have to at least try despite how unlikely it is. We should send Gomez to drop off a basket of tasty local treats, and wines, and cheeses on Tallon’s doorstep. Perhaps Gomez will enjoy the neighbourhood so much he asks to stay.
Who can say no to a nice Gift Basket! Gomez really could beome a wonderful ambassador in the hunt for a new GM.
The guy knows how to put a team together.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
Tallon isn’t going anywhere. Did you see how Florida’s 1st goal was stolen away by the refs last night? Terrible. Cost them the series.
While it seems unlikely he would leave, the Habs should at least investigate the possibility. Being the GM of the Panthers is not the same as GM of the Habs. As for the goal stolen away, not sure how that was bad call. Brodeur got clearly pushed, the Panthers did tie it up as well.
The Dman pushed Mathias into Brodeur. That’s a goal that’s been allowed all season.
If I’m the Panthers owner, I tell Savard to go fly a kite. We should have picked him up the moment the Hawks hired Stan (It’s my goalie’s fault) Bowman.
Don’t disagree with you on getting him when fired by Chicago. Seems to be the goalie intereference calls are getting fuzzier and fuzzier by the year.
Patrick Holland And his Tri City Americans Eliminated tonight from WHL Playoffs against Portland Winterhawks, Holland’s next stop Hamilton via Montreal pre-season camp.
Any trades our new GM is going to make to start stamping his mark on the team should be built around acquiring as many draft picks as possible for 2013 draft year, the 2013 draft year could produce a team to build on for years. ,
So far we still have all our picks plus 2 other second rounders via Nashville and Calgary 2013
1st round pick – Montréal
2nd round pick – Montréal
2nd round pick – Montréal (from Calgary – Cammalleri trade)
2nd round pick – Montréal (from Nashville – Kostitsyn trade)
3rd round pick – Montréal
4th round pick – Montréal
5th round pick – Montréal
6th round pick – Montréal
7th round pick – Montréal
I loved Risebrough as a player (he was Ryan White with waayy more skill) but I don’t think he was a good GM. I recall his attitude to player salary negotiations being rigid and remarkably insensitive to the new financial climate of the time. (Gretzky was also rather inflexible in Phoenix). Neither the Flames nor the Wild accomplished great things while he was GM. For all that we rag on Gainey now, he a least went to the SC Finals as coach with Minnesota and won the Cup as GM of Dallas. Savard won 2 Cups as GM wth Montreal. Jacques Lemaire had an outsanding record as coach, even if he did almost single-handedly develop the infamous Devils’ trap.
Robinson won the Cup with NJ as interim coach and went to the finals the next year and got unceremoniously fired a year or 2 later.
Houle and Tremblay — well, we won’t go there.
My point? We need someone new. As great as the Habs players of those 70s teams were, it’s time to move on. We can’t keep looking back to them in the hope of recapturing lost glory. Let them keep their greatness intact and not have to sully it by being called upon to lead one more tired charge in a war they no longer can understand. It would be like the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava or Polish cavalry valiantly (but in vain) charging Nazi tanks in WW II.
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[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
I think I agree with you on Risebrough. Wonderful player in our history, but while he is very experienced as GM, I am not sure he showed himself to be above average in this role. As I recall his biggest deal was the one where he was fleeced by Toronto in the Gilmour for Leeman deal with many other players involved.
Not sure about his moves in Minnesota, would have to dig a bit deeper.
Odds who gets the job made up entirely by me based on absolutely nothing other than my own meandering thought:
Bergevin 20%
Brisebois 17%
Mackesey 13%
Risebrough 12%
Giguere 9%
Loiselle 8%
Roy 8%
Hextall 6%
Mcguire 5%
Robataille 2%
Now I know what you’re thinking, the article above says Mcguire is one of a few candidates to get a second interview how can he be ranked so low? It’s simple, he’s dumb, I doubt he’s been interviewed at all, and he’s not getting the job.
Good night.
Please be correct on McGuire!
He wasn’t good enough for how many teams?
What makes him a fit in Montreal other than he’s a pal of Geoff Molson?
His “operational” claim to fame is 20 years old!
Like Savard said “nice guy I’ll invite him to play golf someday”
Keep him on NBC and far away from the 7th floor of the Bell Center.
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The cerebral insight of PJ Stock:
“Le problem est Markov n’a pas jouer un seul game cette annee”
“Louis Leblanc est un kid locale”