David Poile is the best GM in the NHL AINEC. But perhaps even the best GM in ALL of sports.

[glucker]

Firstly, I did not say of all-time. Secondly, winning a cup should not be the sole way to judge a GM's job when there are so many other factors that should be valued. Again, I ask which GM should be ranked ahead of him. Do we simply say Holland because he's won 4 cups even if he inherited the best Dman of our lifetime, a historic franchise that stars would take a discount to play for (Poile has never had that), and getting lucky in the draft a few times? Jerry West is up there, forgot about him. Briefly had a brain fart when forgetting about Lou, he's definitely up in the top 3 as well.

#of championships may not be what wins you “greatest GM”, but having won a championship is a requirement.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

The title speaks for itself. I want to keep this as hockey-related as possible so does anybody have any examples of an NHL GM over the past 20 years that is in this guy's class? Talk about building a team the right way - through the draft, savvy trades, great contracts etc. The only guy that comes to mind is Ken Holland but in some ways he just kept the ship rolling. The team already had great history, Lidstrom on the back-end and a few other solid vets to build around. It was either genius, luck, or probably both, in acquiring Zetterberg and Datsyuk late which also helped carry him onwards.

Without getting this thread shutdown for not being hockey related I would briefly bring up some of the best GMs (in my opinion) outside of hockey:
1) NFL = Bill Belichick & Kevin Colbert
2) NBA = Pat Riley & RC Buford

This is more of a David Poile appreciation post but would like to hear what you guys think.

P.S. Yes I already know Chiarelli sucks.

The guy in Toronto has won three Cups.

 

[haveandare]

He traded away his captain and one of the best D in the league for a $9million a year 2nd pairing D who he'll be begging for someone to take off his hands by the end of next season. Had Rinne not got hot when he did last year, the Preds miss the playoffs and Poile is gone.

Love HF. Toews been the leader an best player while winning every major championship, but is overrated. Poile hasn't won a single thing, but he's the best ever. I truly believe there should be 2 forums here. One for people who actually know hockey, and one for the OP and the Subban fab club who clearly don't

Subban is significantly younger than Weber. There is no chance Subban degrades significantly before Weber.

And Toews was the best player on a total of 0 of the championship teams he was on. He was excellent in a few of those playoff runs, but never their best player.

 

[Hawkaholic]

And Toews was the best player on a total of 0 of the championship teams he was on. He was excellent in a few of those playoff runs, but never their best player.

He was their best player during their first run.

 

[Kranix]

Poile's been a gm so long he's like Neo seeing the matrix now.

 

[LeafFever]

Bill Belichick?

 

[LeafFever]

Jim Rutherford over hauled almost the entire Penguins team and won back to back Cups.

Pre that process the Penguins were in a death spiral (and I am a Pens fan, they were complete pretenders for years).

A little overdramatic. He overhauled the supporting pieces but kept the franchise pieces he inherited.

 

[DrJustice]

This is not how an “appreciation” tread is supposed to go.

Very little appreciation going on here.

 

[Soundgarden]

This is not how an “appreciation” tread is supposed to go.

Very little appreciation going on here.

OP went pretty overboard on that title. If he'd just said Poile's the best GM in the league or something it'd probably be a lot different.

 

[paragon]

I like how most people in this thread don't understand that being a GM is about more than just winning the Cup. Poile runs a competitive franchise in non-traditional hockey market while at the same time making profit for it's owners. Nashville has been successful enough that they have a legitimate sustainable hockey culture there. Easier said than done, just look at the disaster in Arizona. Had the GM been less competent Predators could have suffered the fate of Atlanta Thrashers.

Even without a Stanley Cup Predators have been a huge success and I have massive respect for Poile.

 

[haveandare]

I like how most people in this thread don't understand that being a GM is about more than just winning the Cup. Poile runs a competitive franchise in non-traditional hockey market while at the same time making profit for it's owners. Nashville has been successful enough that they have a legitimate sustainable hockey culture there. Easier said than done, just look at the disaster in Arizona. Had the GM been less competent Predators could have suffered the fate of Atlanta Thrashers.

Even without a Stanley Cup Predators have been a huge success and I have massive respect for Poile.

Pretty sure people are just saying that being "the best GM in sports" requires winning championships. Seems pretty well agreed upon that he's a great GM and has done good work in a tough position.

 

[Daximus]

He's a good GM but in 18 years he's only been to one Cup Final. And 11 playoffs in those 18 years, including their trip this year. He's good but how many GM's would get an 18 year leash on any franchise? Very few these days.

Lou had 28 years with the Devils, where they won the cup 3 times and had 2 more Cup Finals appearances. While only missing the playoffs 6 times during that time frame. That is a much better resume as a GM.

Pierre Lacroix had a crazy good run with the Avalanche from 95-06. Never missing the playoffs once during his time there and winning 2 Cups. Made some great moves while GM and drafted some good players as well. Though a large amount of that success rests on the Lindros trade before he got there. Though he still managed to acquire Roy, Blake and Borque who all helped in their Cup quests.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Poile is great. If I had to choose a GM for my team it would be him or Yzerman, probably Stevie Y.

 

[Montecristo]

Theo epstein

 

[fsanford]

I like how most people in this thread don't understand that being a GM is about more than just winning the Cup. Poile runs a competitive franchise in non-traditional hockey market while at the same time making profit for it's owners. Nashville has been successful enough that they have a legitimate sustainable hockey culture there. Easier said than done, just look at the disaster in Arizona. Had the GM been less competent Predators could have suffered the fate of Atlanta Thrashers.

Even without a Stanley Cup Predators have been a huge success and I have massive respect for Poile.

The NHL has a cap, the big market teams cannot outspend small market teams. This is not the NBA where players collude and set up package deals.
This is not MLB where big market teams have a decided advantage in paying for players.

When you have as much equal footing between teams that the NHL presents, if a GM cannot field a competitive team most seasons they should probably not be kept around.

Poile is a good GM, he does not necessarily sit on players, and they have made some good trades. Maybe this will be his year, but to the theme of the original post was great GM's, think you need a championship or 2.

Doug Wilson would be a better GM in my mind than Poile, and San Jose is not a traditional hockey market, and on top of that you have 2 football teams, 2 baseball teams and a hoops team. to compete with in the area for entertainment $$ Sharks are a very well run organization, and yet by some they have been tabbed as a failure because they cannot bring the ultimate prize home.

 

[Shaffer]

Scuderi for Daley
Kapanen, Spaling, Harrington, 1st for Kessel(1.2m retained), 2nd
Gustavsson, Cole, Reaves, 1st for Brassard(2m retained), 3rd

Rutherford is the best right now.