Pavels Dog
Registered User
Makes me question what you think the job is for the scouts and scouting director?I am not arguing, but engaging you guys in debate. What then is the definition of a GM? More often then not, he is a hockey man..so the marketing, salary cap, player contracts, etc, which he has input into, you associate with the business side of hockey Ops. And are not as closely attended to by him..he is not about to spend hours putting the legalese into the document.
Does that not leave his primary roles as: drafting (and all components associated with it), Pro player moves (and all components of that), hiring of coaches and all hockey ops.
if a GM does not give drafting a disproportionate time, I do not believe he will succeed. Doug Mclean did get fired and never worked again. Lou Lamarello, who I believe does an above average job of drafting/player development just keeps on going. I have always believed Lou is way more comfortable at the rink, than the office. And his success, Toronto aside, was/is in small markets, where he has no financial advantage.
I believe that a GM who stands at that podium in June, not having done his due diligence. Not having seen players with his own eyes, investigated them himself, is heading for trouble.
Similarly for a GM who trades, less all the above. See the guys in Ottawa debating the Mike Hoffman trade..The consensus is: Dorion got fleeced, because he may have believed his pro scouts and their evaluation of Boedker. Makes you wonder if he had done the work himself.
I think you simplify what the GM does. Obviously you want him to love the sport and watch players himself, but like in any workplace I think it's not good in the long run with a boss that tries to micromanage. Kinda like how the GM should leave things like line combinations and icetime up to the coach even if he watches the games and has some disagreements.