Do most fan bases know/care who their team's president is?

[Goose]

For those unfamiliar with the drama in Leafs land over the past few years, Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan has received A LOT of attention in terms of his seemingly active role within the club, specifically roster moves and contract signings.

He was a central part of the drama of Dubas staying then leaving, and a number of fans on these boards are saying it's time for his departure alongside Keefe.

It got me thinking, however. I can't name one former Maple Leafs President off hand, nor can I for any other club. I know most of the GMs sure, and can probably recite every Leafs GM going back to the early 90s, but no idea on presidents.

Is caring who the team's president is an actual thing in the NHL, like do other fan bases want their team president held accountable for on ice performance, or is the Shanahan situation just another byproduct of the amount of exposure/dysfunction in Leaf land?

I would normally think of the president's role as mainly corporate/investors/media/league related, maybe even figurehead to some extent, not on ice related, but maybe I just misunderstand the role, or maybe the role varies widely depending on organization.

Click to read more...

 

[Fig]

Flames: I wouldn't be surprised if many fans can prattle off King and Bean right off the top of their heads. But then again, both guys had the type of veto that I've never seen before on other teams. I don't know why this is the case, but it honestly feels a little bit like an overreaction after the Feaster fiasco. Heck, ownership even hired Burke as a POHO to deal with the situation. Burke cleaned house, then insulated Treliving against ownership (standing on management side vs ownership side) which probably annoyed them a little bit. Burke was a fantastic POHO for us.

No comments on his GMing and draft influence though. I am still kinda upset by that.

 

[NVious]

The average Leafs fan knows:
Shanahans FB password
IG password
Email password
Twitter password
His likes/dislikes/schedule
He has also unfriended any Red Wings friends and he is not allowed to talk to them/about them or bring up Detroit in any shape/way or form

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

For the Red Wings, it's Chris Ilitch, son of the former owner.

I can't say I care as he doesn't seem to be a factor in influencing the roster other than his wallet. And the Ilitches traditionally had no problem spending to the cap.

 

[SirPaste]

Yes but for us its Army who is President and GM so probably not the norm around the league.

Edit: I should add Army is President of Hockey Operations and then there is Zimmerman who is also President but only handles business side of things and has no say or pull in the sporting side of things. And I would say not a whole lot of fans would know Zimmerman, although he does do radio interviews and things like that every so often.

 

[bh53]

For Canucks yes. We got Jim Rutherford as POHO and I think he has just as much if not more say in hockey decisions than Allvin

 

[Perfect_Drug]

In Edmonton we have a guy named Steve Ballentyne.

But if we ever win a Stanley Cup, we're all pretty sure Steve will stand up, and take off his mask, and reveal that he was actually Kevin Lowe all along, while cackling like a menace.

 

[serp]

Brad Alberts is president of the Stars but he's not involved in hockey operations at all. Pretty much only business side of the Stars . With Shananan its wierd because he's president of hockey operations ? What exactly does that mean ?

I guess Jim Lites is also sort of in a presidents role but i think he mostly serves liason to ownership ? Not 100% sure what he does exactly but neither Alberts or Lites are involved in the hockey side at all . Thats all Jim Nill

 

[norrisnick]

The President role is wildly different from team to team. Some teams it's the owner. Some teams it's some money guy between owner and GM. Some teams it's some hockey guy between owner and GM. I think some teams the GM is also the president.

 

[GrkFlyersFan]

We promoted our color commentator to President, so yes. Keith Jones!

 

[Avs44]

Well, in Colorado Joe Sakic is the President of Hockey Operations, so yes, everyone who follows the team beyond just passing interest cares. Most non-Avs fan seem to still think he's the GM, however, so...

 

[GrkFlyersFan]

Well, in Colorado Joe Sakic is the President of Hockey Operations, so yes, everyone who follows the team beyond just passing interest cares. Most non-Avs fan seem to still think he's the GM, however, so...

I couldn't even name the Avs GM without looking it up, but I do remember Sakic giving it up after the 2022 Cup.

 

[Zenos]

In Edmonton we have a guy named Steve Ballentyne.

But if we ever win a Stanley Cup, we're all pretty sure Steve will stand up, and take off his mask, and reveal that he was actually Kevin Lowe all along, while cackling like a menace.

This is litterally the first time I've come across this name.

Regardless of title, the closest thing to Shanahan in the Oilers org. is Jeff Jackson, CEO of hockey opps.

Before that it was Bob Nicholson. He hired Chiarelli who assumed both the GM and the president of hockey operations roles. Kevin Lowe was PoHO before him. Before that it was Pat Laforge.

 

[FerrisRox]

For those unfamiliar with the drama in Leafs land over the past few years, Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan has received A LOT of attention in terms of his seemingly active role within the club, specifically roster moves and contract signings.

He was a central part of the drama of Dubas staying then leaving, and a number of fans on these boards are saying it's time for his departure alongside Keefe.

It got me thinking, however. I can't name one former Maple Leafs President off hand, nor can I for any other club. I know most of the GMs sure, and can probably recite every Leafs GM going back to the early 90s, but no idea on presidents.

Is caring who the team's president is an actual thing in the NHL, like do other fan bases want their team president held accountable for on ice performance, or is the Shanahan situation just another byproduct of the amount of exposure/dysfunction in Leaf land?

I would normally think of the president's role as mainly corporate/investors/media/league related, maybe even figurehead to some extent, not on ice related, but maybe I just misunderstand the role, or maybe the role varies widely depending on organization.

This is all a product of the Kyle Dubas supporters unable to accept that they were so wrong about him, so when he left, suddenly the narrative became that everything that Dubas did that didn't work, well, that was actually Brendan Shanahan.

Of course most fans don't know, or care, who their team President is. But in Toronto, look at the last seven years. Each year the Leafs shit the bed in the playoffs and each year it's the fault of ... someone who isn't one of their beloved hockey heroes, so it was only a matter of time before they shifted the plan to the team President.

Firing Bredan Shanahan wouldn't make a lick of difference to the hockey team on the ice. It's completely meaningless.

 

[Marlowe Syn]

In Edmonton we have a guy named Steve Ballentyne.

But if we ever win a Stanley Cup, we're all pretty sure Steve will stand up, and take off his mask, and reveal that he was actually Kevin Lowe all along, while cackling like a menace.

If it is secretly Kevin Lowe then you don't have to worry about lifting the Cup.

 

[Voight]

Brad Alberts is president of the Stars but he's not involved in hockey operations at all. Pretty much only business side of the Stars . With Shananan its wierd because he's president of hockey operations ? What exactly does that mean ?

I guess Jim Lites is also sort of in a presidents role but i think he mostly serves liason to ownership ? Not 100% sure what he does exactly but neither Alberts or Lites are involved in the hockey side at all . Thats all Jim Nill

It means hes head of the hockey department and Trelivings boss. He reports to ownership when it comes to hockey, like with any major decisions (such as contract extensions and free agent signings). He isn't "president" in the corporate sense where he'd oversee other departments like marketing and finance.

Since the Leafs aren't owned by an individual it's a little different than say the Bruins or Canucks, who have an actual person who owns the team. Their two biggest shareholders are media conglomerates whose only goal is to make money vs Jacobs/Acquilini who probably want to win the cup more than anything else.

 

[HolyGhost]

People on this board assume they know all ins and out of how teams run. The guy in the Presidents chair is suppose to be on the business side of things and not the on ice thing. That is why teams have GMS and Head of hockey operations.

 

[Marlowe Syn]

Our PoHO is also our GM with Bill Guerin. So that makes it easy. I know I will feel dumb when/if someone points it out, but I cannot think of whom he replaced. So I guess I am in the it doesn't really matter to me camp.

 

[serp]

It means hes head of the hockey department and Trelivings boss. He reports to ownership when it comes to hockey, like with any major decisions (such as contract extensions and free agent signings). He isn't "president" in the corporate sense where he'd oversee other departments like marketing and finance.

Since the Leafs aren't owned by an individual it's a little different than say the Bruins or Canucks, who have an actual person who owns the team. Their two biggest shareholders are media conglomerates whose only goal is to make money vs Jacobs/Acquilini who probably want to win the cup more than anything else.

On other teams the GM is the head of the hockey department. So in essence Shanahan would be the GM and Tre the head assistant to him in the way other teams structure it ?

I know there are talks that when Jim Nill wants to take a step back from day to day GM'ing he'll be promoted to hockey OP's president ( an office Stars currently don't have ) and one of his current AGM's becomes "normal" GM with Jim Nill still above the guy.

With older excutives i get it. Reduce their day to day workload but still keep them in charge to make and oversee the really important parts the hockey operation but with Shanahan ? Why isn't he just the GM ? What role does he serve right now that he couldn't fill if he was just GM ?

Just seems wierd to me that Shanahan has a special president position . What has he done as an excutive to earn the right to nix decisions by Treliving ? Tre can report to ownership just fine i would think.

 

[Laus723]

Zito fills both roles I believe.

With Shanahan, he approves things or plays the liaison doesn’t he? Helps the blame card.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Yes. Molson is our President. Gorton our VP, and Hughes are GM. It's pretty normal to know who the top guys are.

 

[Voight]

On other teams the GM is the head of the hockey department. So in essence Shanahan would be the GM and Tre the head assistant to him in the way other teams structure it ?

I know there are talks that when Jim Nill wants to take a step back from day to day GM'ing he'll be promoted to hockey OP's president ( an office Stars currently don't have ) and one of his current AGM's becomes "normal" GM with Jim Nill still above the guy.

With older excutives i get it. Reduce their day to day workload but still keep them in charge to make and oversee the really important parts the hockey operation but with Shanahan ? Why isn't he just the GM ? What role does he serve right now that he couldn't fill if he was just GM ?

Just seems wierd to me that Shanahan has a special president position . What has he done as an excutive to earn the right to nix decisions by Treliving ? Tre can report to ownership just fine i would think.

Not necessarily. Hes like a buffer between Trellising and ownership. Treliving handles the day to day GM stuff, Shanny isn't the one calling GMs and player agents or sitting at the draft table. Hes more of an overseer.

Since MLSE isa. corporation my guess is they wanted someone to run the hockey team. Kind of like how a board appoints a CEO (tho obviously not the exact same thing). Like I said, with a. corporation it's different vs an owner who's likely going to be more involved or at least be able to sit in a. room with the GM and potentially make decisions.

 

[majormajor]

I would normally think of the president's role as mainly corporate/investors/media/league related, maybe even figurehead to some extent, not on ice related, but maybe I just misunderstand the role, or maybe the role varies widely depending on organization.

People on this board assume they know all ins and out of how teams run. The guy in the Presidents chair is suppose to be on the business side of things and not the on ice thing. That is why teams have GMS and Head of hockey operations.

Shanahan is the president of hockey operations.

Teams can have presidents on the business side and presidents on the hockey side. Sometimes both, sometimes just the business guy.

The hockey side guy is usually thought of as the more reserved version of the GM, and does less day to day stuff / doesn't get involved in the minutiae of waiver claims and depth contracts and so on. Usually their input on trades and signings is just as an advisor, but they may have a veto. They're also the one who hires and fires GMs.

And to answer the OP, yes fan bases on HF know who their president on the hockey side is. There can be a lot of discussion about it. Almost all of it ignorant, simply because we don't get to see the decisions presidents make, and folks just judge based on what they hear in limited press conferences.

 

[Reality Czech]

The average Leafs fan knows:
Shanahans FB password
IG password
Email password
Twitter password
His likes/dislikes/schedule
He has also unfriended any Red Wings friends and he is not allowed to talk to them/about them or bring up Detroit in any shape/way or form

Any truth to the rumors that all of his passwords are 12345?

 

[DaveG]

Any truth to the rumors that all of his passwords are 12345?

that's the stupidest password I've ever heard in my life. That's the kind of thing an idiot would use on his luggage.