Canucks assistant GM Laurence Gilman's future uncertain

[Wetcoaster]

If Gilman is not hired as GM in Vancouver does he move on?

As Laurence Gilman posed stoically for Vancouver Sun photographer Arlen Redekop in front of Rogers Arena on Tuesday, a stranger on the sidewalk offered: “You’ve got to work it more than that.” And without pause, the Canucks’ assistant general manager cracked back: “There isn’t much to work with.”

It was self-deprecating and untrue. Gilman has plenty to work with.

After 20 years in National Hockey League management, the last six as the Canucks’ assistant GM, the 49-year-old has experience in every aspect of running a team. Gilman is a salary-cap genius, widely respected by peers and the NHL head office, and in the last year has appeared on numerous lists compiled by national media outlets – from TSN to ESPN, and PostMedia to USA Today – as one of the best qualified men to become a general manager in the NHL.​

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/...Canucks+assistant+Laurence/9812839/story.html

Click to read more...

 

[BrandonL]

Blank

 

[LeftCoast]

If Gilman is not hired as GM in Vancouver does he move on?

As Laurence Gilman posed stoically for Vancouver Sun photographer Arlen Redekop in front of Rogers Arena on Tuesday, a stranger on the sidewalk offered: “You’ve got to work it more than that.†And without pause, the Canucks’ assistant general manager cracked back: “There isn’t much to work with.â€

It was self-deprecating and untrue. Gilman has plenty to work with.

After 20 years in National Hockey League management, the last six as the Canucks’ assistant GM, the 49-year-old has experience in every aspect of running a team. Gilman is a salary-cap genius, widely respected by peers and the NHL head office, and in the last year has appeared on numerous lists compiled by national media outlets – from TSN to ESPN, and PostMedia to USA Today – as one of the best qualified men to become a general manager in the NHL.​

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/...s+head+coach/9794145/story.html#ixzz31488uJQ5

Personally, I think he'll get a long hard look. However unless he has some new tricks up his sleeve, being a Salary Cap genius is of increasingly less value. Most of the loop holes have been removed from the latest CBA and the NHL has established a willingness to retroactively punish teams who get the most out of their cap space.

 

[BrandonL]

As for the article, it almost reads like a public resume for Gilman. I think if he's using the media to leverage these types of stories, he likely knows he's not the front runner for the GM position.

 

[tantalum]

and in other news the world isn't flat.

 

[Saturated Fats]

Unfortunately for Laurence, whom I think would make an excellent candidate, the optics of hiring a guy from within are poor, particularly with Linden, Aquilini et. al emphasizing how they are going to make 'wholesale changes' for a 'fresh start' this off-season.

He can emphasize how different he is from Gillis until the cows come home, but the reality of the matter is that he was pretty darn responsible for the roster that has been iced over the last few years, and has been an MG man since day one. Nothing about hiring him would scream 'fresh start'.

 

[KDizzle]

Optics aside, I think Gilman would make a great GM. We could, in theory, hire an Assistant GM to be the "talent evaluator" guy as we definitely need an Assistant GM or GM with a knack for talent evaluation, both amateur and pro.

Problem is that as we'd be going to other organizations to get an Assistant GM, current Assistant GMs wouldn't be enticed to leave their winning organizations for a lateral move.

The only way I could see this working is if we hired a scout (Futa?) to take up that Assistant GM position while promting Gilman. I don't think I'd mind that too much... but would it be enough of a promotion for him to leave his organization?

 

[Pure West]

Considering the timing of the hiring of Linden/Firing of Gillis.....I would highly doubt that hiring Gilman as the GM would be anything the Aquilini family would go for. All things considered, the GM/President switch was a PR move to try and help the sagging season ticket sales. Hiring Gilman would certainly go against that. Might as well hire Gulutzan as head coach while they're at it.

Not to say that Gilman isn't qualified. He most certainly is one of the top candidates out there. Unfortunately for him though, the Canucks organization is looking to distance themselves from the old regime in order to help their sagging business. To say nothing of their performance, the old regime were not the most well-liked around the league or by the fans.

 

[Free Edler]

It says something that Aquilini didn't jettison Gilman with Gillis (as is often the case in hockey ops house cleanings), which may suggest they weren't all that closely tied together, but Linden owes it to the organization to look outside first.

 

[biturbo19]

Unfortunately for Laurence, whom I think would make an excellent candidate, the optics of hiring a guy from within are poor, particularly with Linden, Aquilini et. al emphasizing how they are going to make 'wholesale changes' for a 'fresh start' this off-season.

He can emphasize how different he is from Gillis until the cows come home, but the reality of the matter is that he was pretty darn responsible for the roster that has been iced over the last few years, and has been an MG man since day one. Nothing about hiring him would scream 'fresh start'.

Yeah. The "optics" of the whole situation are really the biggest black mark on Gilman's resume here. Unfortunate as that may be, i think "optics" are going to play a huge role in this "reset".

 

[drax0s]

Does Gilman have an idea for what sort of team he wants to build the Canucks into? That's the critical element I think will decide which GM comes on board. A cap genius won't cut it -- whoever it is has to have a vision for what team they want to build.

 

[LiquidSnake]

Wouldn't want him as the GM. He's partly responsible for Ballard after vouching for him. You do have to include him in the shortcomings of the gillis era.

Good as an assistant but I'm sure there's many good ones out there

 

[John Bender*]

Wouldn't want him as the GM. He's partly responsible for Ballard after vouching for him. You do have to include him in the shortcomings of the gillis era.

Good as an assistant but I'm sure there's many good ones out there

Agreed. Like him as a contract cap guy, but really want to see someone come in who has a good grip on talent evaluation. Some if the deals Gilman was part of were horrid.

 

[Fat Tony]

He was brought in to manage the salary cap. His job description and what he appears to have done while with the team suggests he's better suited to be an asst. GM, the guy who dots the I's and crosses the T's. Could he be more? Sure but I don't think I've seen it.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

I'm not so sure on Gillman as a GM. Strikes me as a great #'s guy and a really nice guy... I also really respect that he tries to be honest... but I lost a lot of respect a couple deadlines ago when he came on the radio right after the Canucks traded for Derek Roy and pronounced the Canucks were "going all in" at the deadline... then made no more trades.

People will harp at me that things can change and offers fall apart etc. Point is: put your money/actions were your mouth is and Gillman was completely off.

 

[VeteranNetPresence]

He should stick with the cap management side of it.

terrible talent evaluator

 

[tradervik]

Sam Pollock and Bill Torrey notwithstanding, it looks like its very unusual for someone without any pro hockey playing experience to become a GM. Even Nonis had a year playing pro in some obscure Euro-league.

 

[Fat Tony]

Sam Pollock and Bill Torrey notwithstanding, it looks like its very unusual for someone without any pro hockey playing experience to become a GM. Even Nonis had a year playing pro in some obscure Euro-league.

Off the top of my head, there's Stan Bowman and Jay Feaster. Both have won Stanley Cups as GMs but I'm not exactly giving them a ton of credit.

 

[MarkMM]

Sam Pollock and Bill Torrey notwithstanding, it looks like its very unusual for someone without any pro hockey playing experience to become a GM. Even Nonis had a year playing pro in some obscure Euro-league.

Could be less of an issue with a former hockey player in Linden above Gilman, but regardless, I don't see this going to Gilman. Partly for the optics as noted above, and partly because I'm praying for someone who's claim to fame is identifying and building a prospect pipeline system. That's the key to the Canucks long-term, so McNabb especially, Benning, and Hextall come to mind. Futa has this as well but I'd want someone who brings some degree of GM/Asst GM experience so that we don't have two newbies in the President and GM.

 

[Eddie Vedder]

Off the top of my head, there's Stan Bowman and Jay Feaster. Both have won Stanley Cups as GMs but I'm not exactly giving them a ton of credit.

Those two guys couldnt be more different though.

Bowman grew up around his dad who has to pick and choose which cup rings to wear for special occasions.

Jay Feaster emerged from a creek with a fresh salmon in his mouth and didnt mess up winning a cup with the lightning.

 

[Aphid Attraction]

Wouldn't want him as the GM. He's partly responsible for Ballard after vouching for him. You do have to include him in the shortcomings of the gillis era.

Good as an assistant but I'm sure there's many good ones out there

How did he vouch for him, did he say... This guy is the answer to our top 6 problems if we fail to re-sign players coming of contract or did he say... This guy is a great team guy, gets on well in the locker room, and will work hard at whatever ****** role we give him

Hard to say how good he is at analysing talent without ever being part of a meeting in which he has analysed talent... But Linden wants a GM and two assistants so that is 4 guys and an owner shaping what the team looks like, so they should at least cover the short comings of each other...

I think Gilman stays on hi same contract as a assistant, becomes part of the Winnipeg org, or has a coupe years on a beach somewhere until Gillis gets a new GM job...

 

[701]

He was brought in to manage the salary cap. His job description and what he appears to have done while with the team suggests he's better suited to be an asst. GM, the guy who dots the I's and crosses the T's. Could he be more? Sure but I don't think I've seen it.

I agree. He should stay with the same job, the one he's proven good at.

It would be brilliant of Linden to bring in a Boston guy like Benning. I think the strategic aim of the new administration is to bring the Canucks "back into the fold" of the NHL Establishment. Boston is the league's darling, and Benning will have respect all around the league. For respect from the NHL office, the free agents, the antagonistic referees, and the hockey commentators, the new GM and new head coach will, like Linden himself, help to put a fresh new "respected insider" face on our team.

Or at least that's the goal. No more weird outliers like Gillis and rogues like Torts. Be an Insider and Make Nice. Hmmmm, Burrows is still on the team . . .

We'll see if it works.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

I agree. He should stay with the same job, the one he's proven good at.

It would be brilliant of Linden to bring in a Boston guy like Benning. I think the strategic aim of the new administration is to bring the Canucks "back into the fold" of the NHL Establishment. Boston is the league's darling, and Benning will have respect all around the league. For respect from the NHL office, the free agents, the antagonistic referees, and the hockey commentators, the new GM and new head coach will, like Linden himself, help to put a fresh new "respected insider" face on our team.

Or at least that's the goal. No more weird outliers like Gillis and rogues like Torts. Be an Insider and Make Nice. Hmmmm, Burrows is still on the team . . .

We'll see if it works.

I concur but I'd still like Benning or whomever to continue with Gillis' work in things like sleep and travel help for the players.

 

[bossram]

I'd like to retain Gilman as AGM. He's good at managing the cap and contracts. Keep him around for that.

I'd like to hire a progressive GM, who will look into analytics as part of talent evaluating. And still continue other endeavours like the sleep doctor, mind room, etc.

 

[Hi-wayman]

and in other news the world isn't flat.

It's not?

I bet you are going to try and tell me the Cookie Monster isn't real either!

LIAR!!!