Around the League: 2019 Offseason || Part 2

[EpochLink]

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.

Let’s face it, the NHL is an old boys club.
If you don’t have connections or hook ups from former players...you ain’t getting shit done.

Gillis did his job here but in the NHL circles people did not vibe with him. It’s politics plain and simple, if he was offered a job by now he’d take it but one one is calling...

 

[PG Canuck]

Is this the thread where we don't read posts? I'm just not understanding what is going on here.

TIL Mike Gillis is the NHL's Pete Rose.

 

[MS]

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?

Burke isn't exactly a neutral observer as he and Gillis despise each other dating back to Gillis' time as a player agent right through the Sedin tampering embarrassment for Burke and the cap recapture stuff that Burke pushed basically to screw the Canucks over.

And again, Gillis hasn't been actively looking for a job. I don't know why this is so difficult for people to grasp. In a world where Don Waddells and Chuck Fletchers get multiple kicks at the can, someone as successful as Gillis would be working if he wanted to be.

 

[Diamonddog01]

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 was rumoured to have interviewed I think a year or two ago. Teams don't want to hire him, for whatever reason.

 

[racerjoe]

He was rumoured to have interviewed I think a year or two ago. Teams don't want to hire him, for whatever reason.

Can you link this? I honestly don't remember.

 

[vancityluongo]

Former Canucks execs Gillis, Gilman connected to Islanders

 

[MS]

Former Canucks execs Gillis, Gilman connected to Islanders

The way that article was written would suggest that the Islanders ‘searching for a big name’ reached out to Gillis and were rebuffed as opposed to him chasing the job.

 

[Diamonddog01]

Can you link this? I honestly don't remember.

vancityluongo just linked the rumour regarding the Islanders, there's this tweet regarding the Oilers, there's a few out there talking about Seattle that I'll try and find. I believe there was another Eastern Conference team apart from the Islanders well if I remember correctly. The rumours do not paint a picture of someone who is not interested in becoming a GM again, so that's why he hasn't been hired. They support the view that he's actively looking for work and just not being hired. The reason for that could be quite different from what is being speculated here - ie maybe he's asking for crazy term or an exorbitant salary, who knows.

 

[Diamonddog01]

Here's a quote from the man himself regarding Seattle. Does this sound like someone who doesn't want to work as a GM again?

"If they flattered me enough by asking if I was interested, I'd be most definitely interested," said Gillis. "I'm hopeful to have a discussion with them."

Will former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis head Seattle’s NHL expansion team?

Seattle went with someone else. Read into it what you will.

 

[racerjoe]

vancityluongo just linked the rumour regarding the Islanders, there's this tweet regarding the Oilers, there's a few out there talking about Seattle that I'll try and find. I believe there was another Eastern Conference team apart from the Islanders well if I remember correctly. The rumours do not paint a picture of someone who is not interested in becoming a GM again, so that's why he hasn't been hired. They support the view that he's actively looking for work and just not being hired. The reason for that could be quite different from what is being speculated here - ie maybe he's asking for crazy term or an exorbitant salary, who knows.

That tweet reads like he had just started to look. I do agree with what MS said about the other article.

I think he was interested in the Seattle job, I think he probably wants or wanted to be President, so will be interesting to see how they move forward and if he is still interested with Frances there.

 

[Diamonddog01]

That tweet reads like he had just started to look. I do agree with what MS said about the other article.

I think he was interested in the Seattle job, I think he probably wants or wanted to be President, so will be interesting to see how they move forward and if he is still interested with Frances there.

Or maybe word got out after he'd been looking for a while? I posted another quote that is fairly conclusive regarding his GM aspirations. I also could've sworn I saw some rumours about a different team than the Islanders, I want to say the Capitals back in 2014 but I could be remembering that completely wrong. I'll keep searching.

 

[Jay Cee]

DD makes arguments with evidence people would consider gospel around here as absolute fact if it suggested the opposite.

I'm not saying this is "proof" but that's a fact.

 

[StreetHawk]

That tweet reads like he had just started to look. I do agree with what MS said about the other article.

I think he was interested in the Seattle job, I think he probably wants or wanted to be President, so will be interesting to see how they move forward and if he is still interested with Frances there.

Tod lieweike is listed as Seattle’s CEO and President.
Maybe he relinquished that role once the team starts up but it should be something that they discussed with Francis during the interview process. And if they do look for someone it will most likely involve Francis at some point during the process.

 

[racerjoe]

Tod lieweike is listed as Seattle’s CEO and President.
Maybe he relinquished that role once the team starts up but it should be something that they discussed with Francis during the interview process. And if they do look for someone it will most likely involve Francis at some point during the process.

I figure he would relinquish at some point.

I don't want to assume too much, who knows how they are planning to run the team. I mean do we think Iron Mike was consulted about Burke being hired for the Canucks? Obviously you would like them to be on the same page, but I wouldn't want to guess.

Either way as I have stated I do think he wanted in some capacity to be involved in the Seattle job.

Or maybe word got out after he'd been looking for a while? I posted another quote that is fairly conclusive regarding his GM aspirations. I also could've sworn I saw some rumours about a different team than the Islanders, I want to say the Capitals back in 2014 but I could be remembering that completely wrong. I'll keep searching.

I personally think from what I have heard (obviously I have no insider info and may have missed something) that it was his interest in the Seattle job.

From what I have heard, being close to the PNW was big for him.

 

[VanillaCoke]

Some of Y'all are f***ing crazy and I cannot comprehend how you survive in the world in the fantasy land you seem to live in.

There's heaps of data to form.your opinions from and somehow you conclude that despite the awards won, real world results and the way the NHL seems to work, you believe Gillis is chasing jobs desperately and atleast 31 different and changing people are refusing to hire him and blackball him. Despite dumber dinosaurs being hired repeatedly. Because Gillis was mean to them and hurt their feelings while building a cup contending team.

This isnt milbury or mcguire..

 

[Diamonddog01]

Some of Y'all are ****ing crazy and I cannot comprehend how you survive in the world in the fantasy land you seem to live in.

There's heaps of data to form.your opinions from and somehow you conclude that despite the awards won, real world results and the way the NHL seems to work, you believe Gillis is chasing jobs desperately and atleast 31 different and changing people are refusing to hire him and blackball him. Despite dumber dinosaurs being hired repeatedly. Because Gillis was mean to them and hurt their feelings while building a cup contending team.

This isnt milbury or mcguire..

Talks about living in a fantasy world...and then goes and says that we believe Gillis is chasing jobs "desperately", from "31 different teams". Talks about heaps of data and yet ignores the evidence just presented that indicates he is looking for work and is not getting any (yet). Lol.

 

[MS]

Here's a quote from the man himself regarding Seattle. Does this sound like someone who doesn't want to work as a GM again?

"If they flattered me enough by asking if I was interested, I'd be most definitely interested," said Gillis. "I'm hopeful to have a discussion with them."

Will former Vancouver Canucks GM Mike Gillis head Seattle’s NHL expansion team?

Seattle went with someone else. Read into it what you will.

Nobody is disputing that he was interested in the Seattle job. He clearly was and it lines up with his statements in the past that he would only work in Vancouver due to its proximity to his family. The specific challenge of an expansion team is probably also very interesting.

Whether he’s pursued other jobs is extremely debatable and I don’t believe he has.

 

[Diamonddog01]

Nobody is disputing that he was interested in the Seattle job. He clearly was and it lines up with his statements in the past that he would only work in Vancouver due to its proximity to his family. The specific challenge of an expansion team is probably also very interesting.

Whether he’s pursued other jobs is extremely debatable and I don’t believe he has.

Well there's the John Shannon tweet regarding him looking for work - whether that is looking for work in general (ie Edmonton, New York) or specifically Seattle it's hard to say. We are all just speculating here. I do think that the body of evidence indicates that he's seeking employment as a GM again and not being hired, as opposed to not wanting to work as a GM. And again, there could be many reasons for this quite distinct from that's been posted.

There are other tweets and articles, I'll try to find them.

 

[krutovsdonut]

after reading the last two pages, i think hte naysayers are right. gillis is too busy posting in this subforum under multiple identities to have time to apply for any gm positions.

 

[PG Canuck]

GM's that get interviewed for a job typically comes out in the public, no? So we're saying Gillis is such a bad man he can't even get an interview? I don't know, Seattle seemed like the one he would've wanted the most. I am shocked he's not there in some capacity, not NYI or EDM.

 

[Diamonddog01]

after reading the last two pages, i think hte naysayers are right. gillis is too busy posting in this subforum under multiple identities to have time to apply for any gm positions.

There were times I thought he was Dave Babych Returns

I miss DBR.

 

[Bleach Clean]

DD makes arguments with evidence people would consider gospel around here as absolute fact if it suggested the opposite.

I'm not saying this is "proof" but that's a fact.

This time...

And yes, I do think there's some truth to your statement about the acceptance and rejection of information on here. It's harder to believe that Gillis could not find work as a GM. Harder yet when you consider Benning has been employed as a GM for 5+ years. Is this bias or logic?

Nobody is disputing that he was interested in the Seattle job. He clearly was and it lines up with his statements in the past that he would only work in Vancouver due to its proximity to his family. The specific challenge of an expansion team is probably also very interesting.

Whether he’s pursued other jobs is extremely debatable and I don’t believe he has.

It's debatable, but I think you have to lend credence to the conflicting reports.

I think it's easy to dismiss reports that has a seemingly better GM be passed over for lesser candidates. Happens all the time in the NHL. Would not be surprised if that has happened to Gillis.

 

[MS]

This time...

And yes, I do think there's some truth your statement about the acceptance and rejection of information on here. It's harder to believe that Gillis could not find work as a GM. Harder yet when you consider Benning has been employed as a GM for 5+ years. Is this bias or logic?





It's debatable, but I think you have to lend credence to the conflicting reports.

I think it's easy to dismiss reports that has a seemingly better GM be passed over for lesser candidates. Happens all the time in the NHL. Would not be surprised if that has happened to Gillis.

Ehhh ... this is a guy who said he didn’t want to work elsewhere for family reasons, wasn’t credibly linked anywhere or reported to even interview anywhere for 5 years, and then when an expansion team pops up in a location close to his family he immediately threw his hat in the ring.

To me, the evidence indicates exactly what he said when he was here - he wasn’t interested in moving away from this area.

 

[absolute garbage]

Gillis is on the record saying that he is interested in taking a GM job (actually I think he said he'd be the president, not GM) only in a perfect situation. He talked about this on radio or something. Basically unlimited budget, full autonomy to build the hockey ops from the ground up exactly how he wants it etc. Can't imagine that's easy to achieve in the NHL, and he clearly isn't desperate enough to get back into the business to budge on his demands at all. Good for him. Unlike some of the softheaded dolts who have no other career opportunities than the sinecure jobs they get from the NHL machine through their friends and relatives, Gillis has the capability and competence to have plenty of options and do all sorts of things in his life.

 

[Balls Mahoney]

Was hoping Gillis would get the Seattle job but Francis would probably be my number two choice.