Speculation: Just How Important is the Assistant General Manager Position, and Who do YOU Want?

[RABBIT]

I'm not necessarily naive to hockey operations, but in this case, I sort of am. What are some of the accolades that Treliving had as the Coyotes Asst. GM? What were some of the things that he alone brought to Arizona?

Should we look for a former NHL GM, or branch out and promote someone to a position they haven't experienced yet?

I'm curious, because we know that Maloney is a great GM, but I'm interested in what someone else can do or provide for him to potentially better this team.

Who are your top choices? Who's been rumored?

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[Mosby]

In terms of rumors, we've heard former Sabres GM Darcy Regier.

 

[rt]

Regier would be cool.

 

[RABBIT]

In terms of rumors, we've heard former Sabres GM Darcy Regier.

Regier would be cool.

A lot of experience, that's for sure. Help Maloney convince himself he needs to be active.

 

[ck26]

What's good about Darcy Regier? "Convince Maloney he needs to be active" seems like a dangerous game to play. I don't feel like we're on the cusp of serious contention, so "active for the sake of active" right now seems like a good way to end up on the wrong end of a couple trades.

 

[Jakey53]

I'm not necessarily naive to hockey operations, but in this case, I sort of am. What are some of the accolades that Treliving had as the Coyotes Asst. GM? What were some of the things that he alone brought to Arizona?

Should we look for a former NHL GM, or branch out and promote someone to a position they haven't experienced yet?

I'm curious, because we know that Maloney is a great GM, but I'm interested in what someone else can do or provide for him to potentially better this team.

Who are your top choices? Who's been rumored?

I don't want an old, being around for years type guy. I would like DM look at a young respected type guy that has new ideas etc.

 

[RABBIT]

What's good about Darcy Regier? "Convince Maloney he needs to be active" seems like a dangerous game to play. I don't feel like we're on the cusp of serious contention, so "active for the sake of active" right now seems like a good way to end up on the wrong end of a couple trades.

Are you suggesting that since we're not on the "cusp of serious contention" that we shouldn't try and change that? This situation isn't going to just fix itself, and it sure as hell isn't going to be fixed by adding a 3rd line winger and a 4th line center. If we don't make moves other than filling trivial voids in the bottom 6, we might as well be jogging in place.

 

[RABBIT]

I don't want an old, being around for years type guy. I would like DM look at a young respected type guy that has new ideas etc.

I'm open to that as well.

 

[Sciamachy]

DM's already split some of Trelivings duties off on others. Edwards is now GM of Portland so the new AGM won't have to worry about that. He has his cap guru in O'Hearn. DM has basically said he doesn't want them strapped to the desk down the hallway like Treliving was with all his duties and wants another set of eyes out in the field. Unless DM decided to promote Burke, I'd guess the new AGM will need to have a good record of scouting experience.

 

[rt]

Regier isn't the guy to make Maloney more active. He was criticized for sitting on his hands. Ownership forced him into action and it backfired. His nickname in Buffalo is Dawdling Darcy due to his hesitation. And reluctance to move players he drafted. His win/loss record on trades is good. Drafting is solid.

 

[RABBIT]

I don't know how I feel about Burkie going for the AGM. I love the guy and wish him the best, but he is the best damn goalie coach in the league and I don't want him to step away from that role.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

Anybody groomed by the Detroit organization would be just fine with me.

 

[Puck possession wins]

Burke would be nice, but I have to agree, I'd rather keep him as our goalie coach. Maybe someone like a Bruce Franklin who is the Chief Amateur scout for the Blackhawks, or Jeff Finley who is the Chief Amateur scout with the Red Wings?

 

[Jakey53]

Anybody groomed by the Detroit organization would be just fine with me.

How about Anaheim?

 

[Jakey53]

Burke would be nice, but I have to agree, I'd rather keep him as our goalie coach. Maybe someone like a Bruce Franklin who is the Chief Amateur scout for the Blackhawks, or Jeff Finley who is the Chief Amateur scout with the Red Wings?

How about Keith Gretzky.

 

[Puck possession wins]

How about Keith Gretzky.

How about a bullet hole through both kneecaps before that happens

 

[TheLegend]

Regier isn't the guy to make Maloney more active. He was criticized for sitting on his hands. Ownership forced him into action and it backfired. His nickname in Buffalo is Dawdling Darcy due to his hesitation. And reluctance to move players he drafted. His win/loss record on trades is good. Drafting is solid.

Well......

Elliotte Friedman ‏@FriedgeHNIC

One other bit of business: Coyotes closing in on a new assistant to Don Maloney. Belief is it will be Darcy Regier.

 

[XX]

Sara said in an article Maloney had only interviewed one person, and wanted that one person. I'm guessing it's up to IA to seal the deal, and that it's Regier.

 

[rt]

Cool.

 

[lanky]

It's good to hear that Maloney is that confident in the guy he wants.

I really liked what Regier got in the Vanek trade this year. A first, second and Moulson for a UFA Vanek was huge. He knew Moulson would have good value when it came time to flip him. Most GM's in his place would have pushed for a mediocre young player instead. It's just one trade at the end of a very long tenure but I think it shows his intelligence.

 

[Kaizen]

Regier will be offering his name for GM openings going forward but I'm all for adding another layer of expertise. Depth on the ice is a good thing and the same holds true in the front office.

 

[Desert Ice 11]

I didn't know a whole lot about Regier but looking into him ..he spent sometime as an AZ Roadrunner. And it looks like he was Maloneys assistant GM before.

 

[Jakey53]

Sara said in an article Maloney had only interviewed one person, and wanted that one person. I'm guessing it's up to IA to seal the deal, and that it's Regier.

That's a pretty solid hiring if true. I would have preferred a young guy that has fresh ideas and energy.

 

[Zman5778]

I didn't know a whole lot about Regier but looking into him ..

Sabres fan here, in peace.

Darcy was a solid GM that spanned 3/4 different ownership groups (the cheating Rigas family, NHL, Golisano, Pegula). He inherited a decent team with Hasek in net and managed to add a few pieces that got us to the Cup finals.

Under the NHL ownership and the Golisano ownership, he was basically told not to lose money and he did so. He's often pilloried in Buffalo due to "his handling" of the failed contract negotiations of Mike Peca, Chris Drury and Danny Briere. More astute Sabres fans know that he had higher powers more or less calling the shots and he did the best he could under the given restrictions. I think if you got Darcy in an honest and drunken moment, he'd tell you in his heart of hearts that he wanted to take Edmonton's 4 first round picks for the Vanek offer sheet, but knew that since Golisano had said that he needed to at minimum break even every year.......he knew he needed Vanek to make the playoffs and couldn't rebuild right there and then.

Basically, what you're getting in Regier:

PRO: Very solid drafter, bordering on elite. Has a tendency to "win" most trades that he's not forced to make....and often it's not really debatable. Patient.

CONS: Reactive, not proactive....and slow to react. Hesitant to trade away talent that he drafted.

MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD: Free agency history is mixed. Does VERY well at finding the lower-cost FAs that fill a roster. Not so hot at the higher-profile guys

 

[KG]

Well, if he's good at drafting that's what this org needs the most.

Thank you for the insight.