News Article: News and Note XXIX: The Jerks of Summer

[Bunch of Jurcos]

Only one nationally televised game this year:

NBC SPORTS TO AIR 109 GAMES DURING 2019-20 NHL REGULAR SEASON

Thursday, March 5th @ Philadelphia. NBCSN

Subject to Change, of course

Thank you thank you thank you. Compared to the ass kissing our opponents got in the playoffs, 81 games of John and Tripp is a great thing.

 

[A Star is Burns]

What if I told you that long-term stability and direction come from the way a company is structured and the values a company espouses, rather than a particular person in a particular role?

I like DW. I think he's been a good fit in this role at this time. But it's interesting: everyone thought he sucked before, and everyone pointed constantly to his previous failures, and everyone was mad when Dundon ran Ronnie off and replaced him with "essentially no one" as the thinking went at the time. Suddenly after one season he's an irreplaceable genius?

Remember: it's not GMDW. It's GMBC.

Very much this. Hell, just like a week ago we had a number of people talking about not wanting to give Waddell too much credit, and not knowing what his role is. This may blow up in Dundon's/our faces, but I still give him kudos for trying, and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt like I have on almost everything else so far and mostly been right to do so.

 

[NotOpie]

Leaving over the GMBC role would be odd because Waddell was happy as team president and didn't want to be a GM again. He was talked into it by Dundon.

Leaving for an exclusive team president role? That would be consistent with his previous stance. Leaving for an exclusive GM role? Unless he's got the bug for being a GM again, that would be a surprise.

If, as Luke intimates, Dundon is against employment contracts (keep in mind that doesn't mean he won't sign them; just doesn't like them), that doesn't prevent Waddell from being well compensated in an attractive manner. Sure, there's some security with the contract, but people get fired all the time (yes they get compensated per the terms of their contract). Psychologically, as a leader, you're more unlikely to quickly fix some problems if you know you're going to pay somebody to not work. In the end, my guess is Waddell stays and gets a nice package.

 

[emptyNedder]

and if we're winning, no one really cares why.

But less than a week ago most argued that it was about a winning culture. If the goalie coach, Calder-Cup winning coach, young 1C, and GM all either leave or consider leaving, what does that say about the culture?

What if I told you that long-term stability and direction come from the way a company is structured and the values a company espouses, rather than a particular person in a particular role?

That likely isn't as true for a company with one owner—or even a founder/public face. Sure the Army is bigger than any general or even the CinC, but companies often fall due to one dishonest/incompetent leader. Theranos espoused the same values as most disruptive Silicon Valley unicorns. However, due to one person who was in one role it became a cautionary tale.

 

[BHD]

Read the 'Canes' preview on NHL.com. Their pipeline should be referred to as The Jerk Store.

 

[vorbis]

the thing with Waddell is just weird to me. not indicative of anything terrible or even a sign of some galaxy brain executive philosophy necessarily. just a weird thing to happen in the beginning of August.

I don't think it will be this super huge major upheaval if Waddell leaves, since the GMBC structure has been in place already, but at the same time I don't think it's a particularly shrewd move to have your senior higher ups interviewing for jobs with direct competitors a month before training camp opens. so hopefully this sort of thing will happen less frequently.

if Waddell leaves, I would hope that whatever sentient hockey ops corpus replacing him would be content with this unique "contract" arrangement. I'm thinking it would probably be some hyper ambitious strategic thinker who sees value in a GMBC seat as a stepping stone.

 

[NotOpie]

Waddell is the highest senior executive on the Hurricanes staff. Sure, Dundon's the boss, but Donny runs the day to day operations....something that Dundon has repeatedly said he has no interest in doing. That's the part that confuses me...would love to understand the motivation from both parties' perspectives.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I don't think it's a particularly shrewd move to have your senior higher ups interviewing for jobs with direct competitors a month before training camp opens.

Every single team in the league is "a direct competitor". Any job any employee could possibly take in hockey would be with "a direct competitor".

 

[Lempo]

Read the 'Canes' preview on NHL.com. Their pipeline should be referred to as The Jerk Store.

Gee I wonder how the other team's GM breaks the news of a trade to a Canes-bound prospect.

 

[vorbis]

Every single team in the league is "a direct competitor". Any job any employee could possibly take in hockey would be with "a direct competitor".

this is not lost on me, and GMs have interviewed for jobs with those competitors in the past. just not really during August and not in the circumstances of being without contract terms in their current gig while still signing press releases.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

But less than a week ago most argued that it was about a winning culture. If the goalie coach, Calder-Cup winning coach, young 1C, and GM all either leave or consider leaving, what does that say about the culture?

One, it says that hockey's a business, and everyone with sense is always looking for better opportunities, and two, that's an utter strawman. The only person on that list that's actually indispensable to the org was the 1C, and was treated as such -- he wasn't actually "considering leaving" because it was made crystal clear that Dundon wouldn't be letting him leave under any circumstances.

That likely isn't as true for a company with one owner—or even a founder/public face. Sure the Army is bigger than any general or even the CinC, but companies often fall due to one dishonest/incompetent leader. Theranos espoused the same values as most disruptive Silicon Valley unicorns. However, due to one person who was in one role it became a cautionary tale.

A year ago, Waddell was a cheap placeholder and everyone was mad. Now after a good year that he was definitely part of, but clearly not wholly responsible for, he's the linchpin of the culture, and anyone who replaces him could be Elizabeth Holmes?

 

[bleedgreen]

You mean, like it was for the last decade? All crying and *****ing non-stop?

Losing sucks. Winning is fun. If we're losing, no one really cares why, and if we're winning, no one really cares why.

I’m agreeing with you, old balls.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I’m agreeing with you, old balls.

I KNOW! it's great when we violently agree on a thing

 

[tarheelhockey]

Every single team in the league is "a direct competitor". Any job any employee could possibly take in hockey would be with "a direct competitor".

I think we would all feel a lot better about this if DW was interviewing for a manager position at the Cook-Out on Western Blvd. That's something we could understand... even support. If he found a better opportunity there, good for him! We would maybe have a little going away party, with cake.

Seeing him talk to other teams is what makes this so emotionally confusing.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

Read the 'Canes' preview on NHL.com. Their pipeline should be referred to as The Jerk Store.

So who else thinks they need to rename The Eye to The Jerk Store?

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I think we would all feel a lot better about this if DW was interviewing for a manager position at the Cook-Out on Western Blvd.

He knows nothing about milkshakes. I would be livid.

 

[tarheelhockey]

He knows nothing about milkshakes. I would be livid.

Everyone knows it's just a country club in the executive suite over there.

 

[My Special Purpose]

I'd hate to lose Waddell. For better or worse, he gives us legitimacy. He's an old-school guy who bought in to Dundon's theories and made them work. That helps us.

And I also love the idea of no contracts in the front office. Too many decisions are based on the contract status of the GM (i.e. they tend to be conservative early in their contracts and take more chances later in their deal). This way, we know whatever decisions get made are getting made to the benefit of the club, and not guided by any time pressures.

As with everything else Dundon does, it'll be interesting to see how this plays out.

 

[A Star is Burns]

One thing comes to the forefront again, and it's something I think MSP has brought up many times. This isn't the team to get emotionally attached to players, management, other personnel. There will be movement. Get used to it, or get used to having your feelings hurt.

 

[DaveG]

Honestly Waddell's biggest value is as a public face. You need someone that's a bit of a known quantity in hockey circles to be the guy the press and other GMs can go to. As we saw with the interaction between Dundon and Dubas at the draft and with his talking a bit to the press this season Tom CAN be that guy, but I'd say you only want that to be to an extent. He's not really a known quantity here just yet and he definitely seems like he can rub the traditionalists the wrong way. And if there's anything the hockey press and GM community overwhelmingly tends to be it's traditionalists.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I know people are worried about the turnover, but it’s not that surprising to me. A new guy comes in and most of the staff has been in place forever and has been ineffective forever. He’s going to want to clean house, get people he’s comfortable with in place, get an org structure he wants, and pay accordingly. Some of it will be immediate (Francis and Peters), some of it will occur over time. Not much different than a executive getting hired in a new role in industry.

It’s rocking the boat and going away from traditional NHL org structures, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. For better or worse he is going to do stuff his way. So far, it’s been mostly better, but only time will tell.

Never a dull moment, that is for sure.

 

[vorbis]

Luke chimes in on Waddell etc
https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/luke-decock/article233585707.html

Even if he had a contract I would let him interview, so what’s the difference?” Dundon said Tuesday. “It’s not going to stop somebody from doing whatever’s better for them. If they’re going to pay somebody more money, I’m not going to stop them. I told him he’s got to do what’s best for him.”

“I’m not going to pay what other guys pay GMs, so me having a contract with a GM doesn’t really help me,” Dundon said. “Don in essence has a contract. I already told Don, “I’m not going to fire you. If I did, I’d tell you a year in advance.” My life’s pretty good. I want people to do what’s best for their life. If this is what’s best for Don, the Hurricanes will be fine.”

In any case, the whole debate has a surreal aspect to it, because whether it’s Waddell or someone else, NHL bylaws require the team to have a general manager under contract by the end of the month.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Luke chimes in on Waddell etc
https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/luke-decock/article233585707.html

If Waddell signs with Minnesota, I’ll tell Dundon I’ll sign for almost nothing so he’ll meet the nhl requirement by the end of the month. I’ll be the puppet GM.

 

[GoldiFox]

“Don in essence has a contract. I already told Don, “I’m not going to fire you. If I did, I’d tell you a year in advance.”

I hope Dundon isn't like a couple bosses I've had in the past. Would say this quote and fire the person tomorrow with no remorse.

In any case, the whole debate has a surreal aspect to it, because whether it’s Waddell or someone else, NHL bylaws require the team to have a general manager under contract by the end of the month.

Ok what? Waddell has the job but also he doesn't need a contract but also a contract is required by NHL bylaws?

 

[FreshSeabass]