Jim Nill with the Stars?

[Kiorei]

Isn't it about time to move on from him in Dallas? His drafting seems to be very haphazard. It's been 5 years now since he came into Dallas with little to show.

In his defense, he's been able to swing some incredible trades for the team. The team won the Central in 2015 before losing to the Blues in the second round.

Just curious how you would rate him and if you think he should be replaced or should the team move on?

Click to read more...

 

[Benedict Kovalchuk]

He's pretty good at trades but looks absolutely abysmal at drafting aside from maybe Heiskanen. Seriously terrible. The Stars keep treading water while the pipeline looks near empty, and the success they have had is mostly on the backs of FAs and draft picks from the prior regime. Probably time to move on.

 

[Bleedred]

He's been okay. Poor goaltending really killed him for a couple years. He didn't sign Lehtonen to that deal, and Lehtonen was still very good the first year Nill got there. He was very overrated his first year in Dallas, some people treated him like he was already this HOF caliber GM his first year in Dallas.

I'm actually surprised Treliving is still standing in Calgary, more than Nill in Dallas. Although Nill has been in Dallas for about a year longer than Treliving has been in Calgary as the GM.

One thing that I think Nill might be kicking himself over (possibly Armstrong in St. Louis too) is not trying to acquire (or passing on him if he did try to acquire him) Fleury. Fleury is better than Bishop these days, who's also incredibly injury prone and seems to always get injured at the worst times and most inopportune times.

 

[Kcb12345]

If it doesn't work out this year for the Stars then yes he should be replaced. Gonna miss his amazing trades just about every summer though...not going to miss him drafting off the board and not making any moves at trade deadlines though...

I've liked his last 2 drafts (despite Heiskanen falling right into his lap) and want to see how those turn out, but if the Stars are bad this year or his moves don't work out then he is done. Would be huge if he could sign Tavares though.

 

[Claypool]

His drafting seems to be very haphazard

He had a very poor drafting record with the Red Wings. Couldn't scout North American players to save his life.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

He's pretty good at trades? Outside of that Seguin one, which other trades has he been "good at" that makes him good at trades?

Dude should never be allowed to sign big contracts to UFA's.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Isn't it about time to move on from him in Dallas? His drafting seems to be very haphazard. It's been 5 years now since he came into Dallas with little to show.

In his defense, he's been able to swing some incredible trades for the team. The team won the Central in 2015 before losing to the Blues in the second round.

Just curious how you would rate him and if you think he should be replaced or should the team move on?

A GM's job is more than just drafting. Yeah Dallas drafting has been bad but they did at least uncover Klingberg who is an elite or near elite OFD which most teams would kill to have. And more importantly he was able to secure an elite scoring C in a very lopsided trade, and he's been managing the cap well enough that the team can compete for Tavares and Karlsson. I'd say he's done a good job. maybe hire new scouts.

 

[Johno]

A GM's job is more than just drafting. Yeah Dallas drafting has been bad but they did at least uncover Klingberg who is an elite or near elite OFD which most teams would kill to have. And more importantly he was able to secure an elite scoring C in a very lopsided trade, and he's been managing the cap well enough that the team can compete for Tavares and Karlsson. I'd say he's done a good job. maybe hire new scouts.

Klingberg was drafted way before Nill even sniffed this organization. While he hasn't done good job at managing the drafting I think the head of scouting should be moved on from along with most of the NA scouts.

 

[Mr. Met]

If I read this thread without knowing who Jim Nill was, I’d assume he was the top scout for Dallas. Drafting doesn’t just come from the GM lol

 

[Seanaconda]

He's pretty good at trades? Outside of that Seguin one, which other trades has he been "good at" that makes him good at trades?

Dude should never be allowed to sign big contracts to UFA's.

Spezza was a decent trade at the time

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

If I read this thread without knowing who Jim Nill was, I’d assume he was the top scout for Dallas. Drafting doesn’t just come from the GM lol

He took his lead scout with him from Detroit, a guy most of our board wanted fired. So he hired the guy that is supposed to be his right-hand man come draft time and I don't think Joe McDonnell is a very good scout.

There are other responsibilities for a GM, but your life blood of your team is fed through the draft. It is something you can control and need to surround yourself with the right people to take advantage of. The poor drafting the Stars have had under Nill is what has put his tenure in jeopardy in my opinion. He has a lot of decent front-line players but his lack of depth comes from not hitting in his first few drafts and now it is a problem. I like Nill, hopefully things turn for the better for him, but my opinion is he needs to ditch McDonnell as rough as that is probably for him to do personally.

 

[The Burdened]

The single most overrated GM in the league. He's gone thru coaches at the same rate as Garth Snow. The rule of thumb is that a GM gets to hire 2 coaches before getting fired himself. Nill has only been on the job 5-years and has already made 3 coaching hires lel.

It's been 5-years and his rep is still living off of that Tyler Seguin trade.

IMO he's pound for pound a worse GM than Jim Benning & Joe Sakic. At least with those 2 they are still in the process of building and there isn't a finished product yet to be seen. Nill has made his blockbuster trades, blockbuster free agent signings and blockbuster coach signings and all he has to show for it are 2 playoff apps.

 

[Jumptheshark]

lot worse GMS then him

 

[glovesave_35]

If I read this thread without knowing who Jim Nill was, I’d assume he was the top scout for Dallas. Drafting doesn’t just come from the GM lol

It is the biggest weakness of his regime when it was supposed to be his biggest strength. That's why people are bringing it up. If he and his crew were able to at least be an average drafting and developing team, Dallas is in a much better position.

 

[DougieSmash]

all about fancy moves, nothing else. overrated.

 

[glovesave_35]

The single most overrated GM in the league. He's gone thru coaches at the same rate as Garth Snow. The rule of thumb is that a GM gets to hire 2 coaches before getting fired himself. Nill has only been on the job 5-years and has already made 3 coaching hires lel.

It's been 5-years and his rep is still living off of that Tyler Seguin trade.

IMO he's pound for pound a worse GM than Jim Benning & Joe Sakic. At least with those 2 they are still in the process of building and there is a finished product yet to be seen. Nill has made his blockbuster trades, blockbuster free agent signings and blockbuster coach signings and all he has to show for it are 2 playoff apps.

Hitchcock was more or less the desired move by the owner. I don't think anyone considers Nill to be on his coach #3.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Would love to have him come and co-GM the Canucks with Jimbo. With our luck though, Nill would be in charge of drafting and Benning would do the signings and trades.

 

[ismelofhockey]

The guy acquired 2 #1 centres, a top goalie and an elite #3 C. That's pretty much a miracle in 5 years.
It's not really his fault Hanzal, Spezza and Bishop have struggled with injuries.

However he is responsible for putting a good draft team together, and for hiring the right coach. He hasn't done as well on those fronts.

 

[ClydeLee]

The guy acquired 2 #1 centres, a top goalie and an elite #3 C. That's pretty much a miracle in 5 years.
It's not really his fault Hanzal, Spezza and Bishop have struggled with injuries.

However he is responsible for putting a good draft team together, and for hiring the right coach. He hasn't done as well on those fronts.

Hanzal has 1 season ever playing a full season. To not expect him getting injured is naive. And any player like Speeza is just going to get older. Bishop has the same kinds well known case of him dealing witt injuries in the 15 playoffs and 16 playoffs. He you can at least look to overuse as a cause and be expecting him to be okay.

If hes unwilling to move from his companion head of scouting it is reasonable to put a lot of blame to what hes accomplishing.

 

[Smelling Salt]

2018-19 should be his last kick at the cat. No playoffs - fired.

But he just signed a 5 year extension, and he signed McDonnell to an extension as well. Sadly, I don't think missing the playoffs will mean anything to his employment. And quite honestly, the Stars are in tough again to the make the playoffs.

I really like Nill, seems like a great guy and I think he's smart in alot of ways. But his reluctance to change anything about his amateur scouting should cost him his job in 2019 if the results aren't there.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

2018-19 should be his last kick at the cat. No playoffs - fired.

But he just signed a 5 year extension, and he signed McDonnell to an extension as well. Sadly, I don't think missing the playoffs will mean anything to his employment. And quite honestly, the Stars are in tough again to the make the playoffs.

I really like Nill, seems like a great guy and I think he's smart in alot of ways. But his reluctance to change anything about his amateur scouting should cost him his job in 2019 if the results aren't there.

I am sorry to hear that, I didn't know he extended McDonnell already... Nill's extension doesn't surprise me, there were rumors that Detroit was gauging interest to come back if they moved on from Holland.

 

[haveandare]

He's horrendous. I don't know how he still has a job. Not winning is understandable, a lot has to break your way to win a cup these days, but not making the playoffs with peak Seguin, Benn and Klingberg is just horrible. He's also probably the worst drafting GM in the league.

 

[MrHeiskanen]

Way too much emphasis on drafting.

He isn't the Director of Amateur scouting or a team scout.

He is however responsible for those hires.

But saying he is bad at drafting is stupid.

 

[MrHeiskanen]

He's pretty good at trades? Outside of that Seguin one, which other trades has he been "good at" that makes him good at trades?

Dude should never be allowed to sign big contracts to UFA's.

Robbed the Seguin Trade

Robbed the Spezza Trade

Robbed the Sharp/Johns Trade

Robbed the Pateryn Trade

Robbed the Erik Cole for Janmark/Roope Hintz Trade

 

[tony d]

I have him somewhere in the middle. He's done good in some aspects and in other aspects he has failed. I think he needs to either sign Tavares or trade for Karlsson to enter that top 10 of NHL GM's