Andlauer did expand on the best in class comment, as Mendes explained that some fans/posters were starting to use it as an insulting meme.
Andlauer explained that there priority was to make every aspect of the team better to bring the organization up to a best in class level. Its wasn’t so much about quickly hiring but rather a gradual build by bolstering every area of the team, and changing the culture.
He explains that it takes time to make that’s types of cultural changes, but that the organization is doing it.
I think some folks expect that every hire has to be the most popular name in the biz, and we need to splash money around to prove best in class. This version of ‘best in class’ differs from Andlauer’s opinion on what it means. To him it means raising the entire organizational culture to a best in class level.
He also intimated that he he gave a speech to the entire organization about what it takes to run a top business, and how the similar traits apply to the organization. It was about working for each other, respecting each other etc. This was was delivered to every single member of the organization from the players to the team staff. He said he talked about some areas that needed work, but also talked about some positives that he saw.
He clearly explained that hiring Green had zero to do with money, and that he was well paid. If folks want to craft their own opinions fair enough, I suppose.
He also expressed that he didn’t have an issue with buyouts if the GM wanted it. He expressed that buyouts are a tool designed to be used to get out of mistakes, and explained that ‘we all make mistakes’ and the buyouts allow teams a reprieve.
As mentioned he was really pissed at Toronto fans booing our captain in our barn to start the game, he said he was so pissed that he drifted back into his suite away from cameras so that they wouldn’t catch his facial expressions. He absolutely loved Griegs slap shot goal and felt that it was delivered as a push back to the TO fans in the crowd.
I suspect he’s going to press for some changes in how MtL and TO games are promoted.
Solid little interview, mostly talked about how this has been a ton of learning for him.
The bolded is great and all but how does it translate to a fan who's watching this team and wondering how the ship is going to get pointed in the right direction? How does the average fan know anything about the culture of an organization and how it translates to on-ice success?
I think what some of us expected were credible, well-searched hires. I've, personally, never expected this team to be one of the top spenders in the league. It's just not what this market can support and it's not realistic in the long-term. Maybe in short spurts. However, what was the hiring process for the open executive roles?
How many people were interviewed for POHO? Who else was consulted on the hiring of the POHO? Ok, so Staios is Andlauer's guy. It's not my personal preference for the guy at the very top of the organizational hierarchy to be inexperienced at this level but I can understand that they had a working relation for a few years that brought some success in the OHL.
Who were the candidates considered and interviewed for the GM position?
Who were the candidates considered and interviewed for the SVPOHO position?
Who were the candidates considered and interviewed for the HC position?
Important position after important position, we seem to have completely whiffed on credible track records, valuable experience, winning pedigrees and tangible results. I'm not talking about only Stanley Cup winners or the most expensive coach in the league. I'm talking about hiring a couple of "been there, done that" guys who have been through a myriad of situations at this level and can help this organization, that's spent the last 5 years understaffed and under-resourced to a detrimental level, get itself sorted out again. Instead, we're relying on guys with busted resumes or complete novices to do the job. None of that says best in class to me. And it's not about money. This is a results league. You're judged on how you do and of the 4 key positions we've filled, none of them have ever gotten the job done in any way that would make you think success will naturally follow as a result of their work. The most natural response to this inadequacy of experience and results is skepticism. And that is literally the opposite reaction you would have for an organization you believed had best in class practices.