Chuck Fletcher done as GM of Minnesota Wild.

[Bazeek]

Mostly in terms of cap.

Cap's really not a problem unless they absolutely refuse to trade anyone, which isn't likely now that they're replacing the GM. Even then the only awful contract on the team right now is Ennis, which is a 1 year problem. If they really wanted to go into next year with the exact same team (sans maybe Cullen), they could.

 

[Pyrophorus]

That's my fear, I'd rather not hand the job to a rookie, and yes he's a rookie I don't care what he did prior to the NHL

I don't want the next GM to put us in neutral, and that what Fletch did in MN.
The right move by the Wild.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Not super surprised. Fletcher did a good job and built some good teams in Minny. They have a good foundation for whoever comes in next. Sometimes good just isn't good enough and you have to make a change.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I hope he interviews in toronto.
(especially if fenton is going to go to minny)

 

[Menzinger]

A dumb move “for the sake of a move”.

He’s a smart guy and I envy the team that gets him (hopefully Toronto).

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I don't want the next GM to put us in neutral, and that what Fletch did in MN.
The right move by the Wild.

He's a good GM he wouldn't leave this team in netural not with the budget and young talent this team has and I don't just mean the big 3 I mean the prospect pool too, you can make a case the prospect pool is still top 10 in the league even after all the graduations

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I hope he interviews in toronto.
(especially if fenton is going to go to minny)

I thought you were a Dubas Cheerleader

 

[IceBoxHockey]

A dumb move “for the sake of a move”.

He’s a smart guy and I envy the team that gets him (hopefully Toronto).

After 9 years of the same thing it is time for a change. What exactly gives you faith anything will change with this team with their current direction they are taking?

I hate to see Fletcher go because the man is so dang hard to dislike, and i wish him nothing but success (he will find a new job soon and rightfully so) but at this point we need someone new to come in and try their hand at things.

 

[Dickie Dunn]

A dumb move “for the sake of a move”.

He’s a smart guy and I envy the team that gets him (hopefully Toronto).

Would’ve been dumb last year, not dumb now.

 

[tony d]

Yeah, I think Boudreau will stay on with a new GM. He's probably going to be on a short leash though and will get fired if the Wild step back next year. As to Fletcher he had a good run with the Wild. Him going to Toronto given the success his Dad had with Toronto makes sense to me.

 

[RandV]

I think he's done a solid job and doesn't necessarily deserve to be fired, but when you've had the same guy for 9 years it's reasonable for ownership to decide to try something different.

 

[Bazeek]

Yeah, I think Boudreau will stay on with a new GM. He's probably going to be on a short leash though and will get fired if the Wild step back next year. As to Fletcher he had a good run with the Wild. Him going to Toronto given the success his Dad had with Toronto makes sense to me.

I don't know that the pressure on Boudreau will be quite that high. Leipold has ruled out a rebuild, but it sounds like the first order of business with the new guy with be a 2-4 year plan for the team. Expectations for the coaching staff are going to be contingent on whatever that plan is.

 

[oobga]

Wow. Chuck Fletcher made the playoffs 6 consecutive seasons, he didn't even trade a superstar winger for a middling defenseman, and he's fired.

Did trade a Norris D for some middling forwards though At least got a pick though, which is a big upgrade over the guy you're comparing him to, to be fair.

Totally forgot about that trade until I read this article.

 

[TaLoN]

Wow. Chuck Fletcher made the playoffs 6 consecutive seasons, he didn't even trade a superstar winger for a middling defenseman, and he's fired.

No, not fired, just not re-signed. His contract was up.

 

[Bazeek]

Did trade a Norris D for some middling forwards though At least got a pick though, which is a big upgrade over the guy you're comparing him to, to be fair.

Totally forgot about that trade until I read this article.

Burns was great in Minnesota, but he wasn't the player he ended up becoming in San Jose yet. Considering the overall state of the team, it had to be either him or Koivu being shipped off to try to rebuild a little. That decision was probably the biggest one Fletcher had to make as the Wild's GM, and it was risky either way. If Koivu had spent his prime years on a better team we could easily be talking about what a mistake the alternative was.

 

[TaLoN]

I don't want the next GM to put us in neutral, and that what Fletch did in MN.
The right move by the Wild.

Fletcher took an abysmal franchise with zero assets and built them into a perennial playoff team. He just couldn't get them past that level once he got there.

I think in a new situation, he won't feel so married to certain players and can progress in ways he prevented himself from doing here.

Fletcher is a quality GM who will no doubt be hired again and will do well there too.

Sometimes you just need a change of scenery. The Wild need fresh eyes on where they are and Fletcher needs a new deck of cards to work with.

I think it's good for both to move on at this point.

 

[Kranix]

No, not fired, just not re-signed. His contract was up.

However you like it.

 

[TaLoN]

Burns was great in Minnesota, but he wasn't the player he ended up becoming in San Jose yet. Considering the overall state of the team, it had to be either him or Koivu being shipped off to try to rebuild a little. That decision was probably the biggest one Fletcher had to make as the Wild's GM, and it was risky either way. If Koivu had spent his prime years on a better team we could easily be talking about what a mistake the alternative was.

And yet even watching Burns explode in Cali, Minnesota fans were still completely impatient with Dumba, no matter how often we pointed to Burns as a reason to let him learn.

Suddenly Dumba is a MUCH better player now at age 23 than Burns managed to be for another 4-5 years beyond that same age.

 

[ATypicalCanadian]

He's done a pretty good job over those 9 years and he'll undoubtedly find a job soon. I know I'd take him in Vancouver if it was up to me.

 

[57special]

Yes leipold has history with Nashville

I think they are aware. Seems to me that they might've had a Dman of ours play there once?

 

[57special]

I’m hoping Dundon sees it as a no brainer that Carolina makes a move for Fletcher.

I think Fletcher wants to be paid above minimum wage+ tips.

 

[nickschultzfan]

Fletcher is a good GM if your owner isn't asking for playoffs every year. Not that Leipold is wrong for doing so. But that doesn't mean Fletcher is a bad GM. Just bad fit.

If Fletcher went to an organization that didn't have an expectation tomorrow, I think you would see a much different and more patience Fletcher. One that was good at both hitting on 1st round draft picks and finding diamonds in the rough.

Leddy, Granlund, Brodin, Dumba, Tuch, Ericksson Ek, and Kunin is a pretty good record for drafting ~7-20ish.

Spurgeon, Dubnyk, Haula, Kaprizov, Seeler, etc. were also pretty good pickups for pennys.

 

[57special]

Really, the ED probably sunk Fletcher more than anything else. Imagine if they still had Haula and Tuch?

 

[TNT87]

Time for a fresh face to come in for Minny.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Really, the ED probably sunk Fletcher more than anything else. Imagine if they still had Haula and Tuch?

And Scandella.

Edit: actually, he still probably would've been some sort of cap casualty, but maybe it's a different return with Haula and Tuch still in the forward corps.

I don't know, it's still same 7 of the top 9 forwards that Winnipeg just skunked, so who knows what difference they would've made.