Around the League: 2019 Offseason || Part 2

[member 290103]

Been 5 years since he was let go and no other team has hired him.

And he had a connection to victor de bonis in Seattle yet the gm role appears to be going to Francis.

If he doesn’t land in Seattle I don’t see him getting back into the nhl at this point.

You can tell he is really disliked among existing senior management in the NHL. I think he’s a bright guy and would love see him back with the Canucks....but I also think he’s a smug arrogant prick...and I don’t think he made many friends with that demeanour as either an agent or GM.

 

[StreetHawk]

You can tell he is really disliked among existing senior management in the NHL. I think he’s a bright guy and would love see him back with the Canucks....but I also think he’s a smug arrogant prick...and I don’t think he made many friends with that demeanour as either an agent or GM.

I would agree. If another team wanted him he was available. If he’s being extremely selective then he’s pretty much a one and done gm.

Majority of GMs want another job as soon as they can find one.

I definitely believe it’s seattle or bust for him. And if Francis is the gm would Gillis mesh with him if he got a president role?

 

[krutovsdonut]

You can tell he is really disliked among existing senior management in the NHL. I think he’s a bright guy and would love see him back with the Canucks....but I also think he’s a smug arrogant prick...and I don’t think he made many friends with that demeanour as either an agent or GM.

he is an experienced gm who saw some success. 5 years in the wilderness and his recent failed campaign for the seattle job do suggest that behind the scenes he has some flaws that owners think will impact his ability to be a good gm for their team. there have been enough openings in that time that i doubt it is just that he is a jerk who burned bridges with a few old boys. a team somewhere would have given him a shot unless his flaws are perceived to run deeper so as to impact his effectiveness as a gm.

and i don't buy he is just loving life living in switzerland and pumping money into that hockey team while taking courses to improve his resume.

 

[StreetHawk]

He’s also 60 right now, turning 61 in December.

 

[member 290103]

he is an experienced gm who saw some success. 5 years in the wilderness and his recent failed campaign for the seattle job do suggest that behind the scenes he has some flaws that owners think will impact his ability to be a good gm for their team. there have been enough openings in that time that i doubt it is just that he is a jerk who burned bridges with a few old boys. a team somewhere would have given him a shot unless his flaws are perceived to run deeper so as to impact his effectiveness as a gm.

and i don't buy he is just loving life living in switzerland and pumping money into that hockey team while taking courses to improve his resume.

Agree with all this. I do think though there is an existing undercurrent of negative opinion of him among these old boys that could be playing in to his continued unemployment. Burke was on the radio saying he was basically completely unreasonable as an agent. The Oilers are still burned by his poor handling of the Nylander contract....

I agree that his purported satisfaction with not having an NHL job is garbage. He’s clearly quietly campaigning for one with his recent renewed presence in media circles.

That all said...I’d fire Benning in a millisecond and gladly rehire him.

 

[Hit the post]

....but I also think he’s a smug arrogant prick...and I don’t think he made many friends with that demeanour as either an agent or GM.

Doesn't seemed to have hurt Booby Clarke. He was a sack of manure as a player and as "not our fault he got cancer" GM.

 

[member 290103]

Doesn't seemed to have hurt Booby Clarke. He was a sack of manure as a player and as "not our fault he got cancer" GM.

Still beloved amongst the old boys...might even be an OG old boy.

 

[EpochLink]

Doesn't seemed to have hurt Booby Clarke. He was a sack of manure as a player and as "not our fault he got cancer" GM.

Bobby Clarke is an OG Old Boys Club guy, just like Ron Francis.
If he played in the league and he got a GM role in someway, the old boys club will welcome him with open arms cause POLITICS.

 

[Hodgy]

So your argument boils down to Benning is bad. Should target discounts and elite players only?

If you can't understand my argument after I have explained it to you twice, then I am certainly not going to explain it to you a third time.

i thought we were disagreeing on the process not Bennings ability to manage.....which by the way your suggestion is just as risky as not liking and zeroing in on what you deem to be the best fit before someone else does.

No, it isn't just as risky if you view multiple available players as equal in a class since it is unlikely that all will be signed right away. Not only this, but his process just won't work in a cap world. You simply cannot overspend over and over again and expect to compete in a salary cap world. Like, this is obvious shit, but somehow you are opposing it.

I dont have a problem with the process at all. He has a core now and those very young kids need good support players to be competitive. In 4-5yrs all these deals we be over and if Boeser Pettersson Horvat Hughes can be elite performers then a Hossa or Chara type will want to join to try and win. If he just keeps waiting for 1st rounders the whole winning thing might just turn to discontent and players wanting a chance to win elsewhere. It's not an easy decision but you have to have some balls and take some risks rather than sitting by idly and wasting good players years. Outside of Beagles horrible contract we have some high character solid additions in the last 2 off seasons compiled with Pearson Miller and Leivo via trade

The core that has been drafted (partly by him) has absolutely nothing to do with the process we are discussing. It is totally irrelevant since it would be in place in any event. Not only that, but you have totally and utterly failed to understand the point I am making. Nowhere have I stated that Jim Benning shouldn't look to add players to support the core, it is how he is doing this that I am criticizing. Again, the fact that you are happy with Jim Benning's professional acquisition given the costs paid is insane.

 

[PG Canuck]

Is Gillis even in search of a GM job? Pretty hard to get hired for something you’re not in pursuit of.

If he wanted to be a part of an NHL organization I’m sure he would’ve been with one by now, under some job title.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Is Gillis even in search of a GM job? Pretty hard to get hired for something you’re not in pursuit of.

If he wanted to be a part of an NHL organization I’m sure he would’ve been with one by now, under some job title.

Don’t know about that
It’s not first time that we’ve heard rumours of how he isn’t well received among the nhl owners and old boys club.

In a circle this small, reputation is everything

 

[Upoil]

You'd think that the way some of you Canuck 'fans' talk about Gillis he killed your puppy or something. Not assembled the most dominate Canucks team of all time.

Haters gonna hate.

 

[racerjoe]

I haven’t seen anything really suggesting Gillis isn’t well liked besides a few people saying he can’t get a job in the NHL. I would be interested in seeing some inside hockey people actually saying this and not idle speculation.

 

[StreetHawk]

I can’t even recall him being interviewed. Heard the rumours about the isles before Lou got hired but don’t recall if he was actually interviewed.

One thing to not get hired but I really can’t think of places where he was reported to have interviewed with.

That seems kind of telling if he’s not being interviewed for these open positions the past 5 years.

 

[Hit the post]

I can’t even recall him being interviewed. Heard the rumours about the isles before Lou got hired but don’t recall if he was actually interviewed.

One thing to not get hired but I really can’t think of places where he was reported to have interviewed with.

That seems kind of telling if he’s not being interviewed for these open positions the past 5 years.

Either he’s not applying for those jobs or employers aren’t interested. Arguments can be made for either position. Still, you have to wonder how repeat failures generally get multiple chances. Guess it’s more a case of who you know than what you know (the already mentioned “old boys network”)

 

[Upoil]

I can’t even recall him being interviewed. Heard the rumours about the isles before Lou got hired but don’t recall if he was actually interviewed.

One thing to not get hired but I really can’t think of places where he was reported to have interviewed with.

That seems kind of telling if he’s not being interviewed for these open positions the past 5 years.

Just wow.

Some really special reasoning here. Don't hurt yourself with those gymnastics.

 

[VanillaCoke]

If he wanted a job in the NHL he would have one. He's been pretty clear in his decisions to not take just any job, and travel around learning about the ways other franchises in other sports are having success.

The same old dinosaurs get hired every year, hundred million dollar businesses dont hire them because they want to be bad and they're just buddies from 1977. The logical fallacies one must invent to believe Gillis is unemployed because nobody likes him because he was gm of the year and won multiple presidents trophies but he was mean is Amazing and ridiculous.

 

[StreetHawk]

Just wow.

Some really special reasoning here. Don't hurt yourself with those gymnastics.

So those 6 years as Canucks GM isn’t enough for another owner to offer him a position yet guys like Fletcher can get a job after Minnesota.

There must have been around 12 plus gm changes since he was let go.

 

[Upoil]

So those 6 years as Canucks GM isn’t enough for another owner to offer him a position yet guys like Fletcher can get a job after Minnesota.

There must have been around 12 plus gm changes since he was let go.

You know that just reiterating your point doesn't make it any better right?

VanillaCoke posted some good comments on the matter.

 

[vancityluongo]

Ron Francis is a great hire for Seattle.

 

[timw33]

Is Gillis even in search of a GM job? Pretty hard to get hired for something you’re not in pursuit of.

If he wanted to be a part of an NHL organization I’m sure he would’ve been with one by now, under some job title.

He's been pretty clear—especially in one of his radio spots—that he's only open to very specific opportunities (like with Vancouver in 09' where they granted him autonomy). I've seen him around Victoria a couple times and he looks well, and seems to be having a nice time travelling around the world learning about what makes a great sports franchises.

I love the false equivalence that if you aren't working its because no one will hire you though.

 

[MS]

He's been pretty clear—especially in one of his radio spots—that he's only open to very specific opportunities (like with Vancouver in 09' where they granted him autonomy). I've seen him around Victoria a couple times and he looks well, and seems to be having a nice time travelling around the world learning about what makes a great sports franchises.

I love the false equivalence that if you aren't working its because no one will hire you though.

Yup. Guy is a 60 year old multi-millionaire whose only child lives in Vancouver. He said multiple times when he was here that Vancouver was really the only spot he was interested in working because of family reasons.

The guy has zero interest in packing up and taking a job in Carolina or some place on the other side of the continent for money he doesn't need. He's semi-retired and takes on pet projects that interest him. He probably was interested in Seattle because of the location.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Yup. Guy is a 60 year old multi-millionaire whose only child lives in Vancouver. He said multiple times when he was here that Vancouver was really the only spot he was interested in working because of family reasons.

The guy has zero interest in packing up and taking a job in Carolina or some place on the other side of the continent for money he doesn't need. He's semi-retired and takes on pet projects that interest him. He probably was interested in Seattle because of the location.

Good for Gillis that he's semi retired, but no Pacific Northwest team will touch him with a bargepole (check out the tweet from Aqualini,and the comments from Burke,who is friends with Tim Lieweke)..Also, if youre not hired in some capacity after 5 years,I'd say that the shine has worn off..wouldnt you?

 

[PG Canuck]

What part of Gillis not looking for a job aka which is why he hasn't been hired, are you guys not getting lol

I don't think he's ever had an interview for a job and that tells me he's not looking for anything rather than somehow being the most hated person in hockey

 

[StreetHawk]

Ron Francis is a great hire for Seattle.

Interested to see how he fares without the financial constraints like he had in Carolina.

Main question I have and want to see from him down the line is whether he can pull off trades to take the team up another level.

Did well building up the base for the Canes and getting assets even with E Staal and a limited trade list. Taking advantage of Chicago’s tight cap to get TT.

Wasn’t really in a position to make a team altering trade but see if he can do that when the time comes in Seattle.