Sportsnet: Leafs have let go of Scott Pellerin (Director of Player Development)

[Brobust]

Maybe Wickenheiser as well. Looks like there are two vacancies and they are looking for new, cheaper blood to fill in underneath them.

Would not be surprised if they are looking at hiring some new stats people as well. They said they were going to invest in it and I think they could hire some guys to bring more of a balanced perspective into their front office (i.e. know stats but also know the game so they can leverage both simultaneously). They have their list of Directors in place now who are the "experts" and they'll get a bunch of multi-faceted guys to be able to fill various holes underneath them.

It's not exactly a new organizational design concept, but it can be effective if you have the right people in place. It is hard to find people who know enough about multiple areas to fill those kinds of roles, but maybe they've found some people or are seriously looking at some now.

Pre-pandemic, there was a report that the leafs had $50M earmarked to invest in their analytics department. Apparently, to take advantage of player tracking etc.

 

[francis246]

So they didn’t sign a lucrative broadcasting deal in the states then . Kind of thinking they could pay him out of couch change lol. You know like usual

do you think that money just appears the next day they sign the deal?

 

[Golden_Jet]

Yeah this ain't got nothing to do with money

Then why does it say they couldn’t do any more adds without financial restructuring.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

Ah....we finally found the guy who was pushing for us to sign Jimmy Vesey.

 

[Cams]

The only way this is financial related is if the Leafs money printing machine ran out of ink.

 

[Menzinger]

Reads more like the front office wants more of their guys in place over the legacy positions.from older management groups. Gives the guy getting pushed out a good face saving send off. Obviously this is just speculation though

 

[Wafflewhipper]

do you think that money just appears the next day they sign the deal?

It will be there. Seriously dude

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Reconstruction happens all of the time and it is not like they are not hiring new people with the money. They've cut other guys too (guys who have been around before Dubas) in scouting and other places.

Also worth noting that Stephane Robidas seems to be leaving his job as Director of Player Development (Pellerin was Senior Director) to become the new head coach of his hometown Magog Cantonniers team in the QMAAA (top AAA league for the QMJHL Quebec feeders).

Stéphane Robidas nommé entraîneur des Cantonniers

This says he previously worked for the Leafs, and I find it hard to believe he can be a head coach and Director of Player Development for us at the same time. He is not off of the website yet, but I imagine he will be relatively soon (the announcement of Robidas hiring to Magog came today).

He was director of “Island fun vacations”. Previously

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Then why does it say they couldn’t do any more adds without financial restructuring.

Because they don’t say Fired. Replacing,restructuring come on.you don’t know that much.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Pre-pandemic, there was a report that the leafs had $50M earmarked to invest in their analytics department. Apparently, to take advantage of player tracking etc.

Then why does it say they couldn’t do any more adds without financial restructuring.

In the simplest possible terms, Dubas effectively just performed another version of trading Kapanen to sign Brodie. Companies, even rich ones, still have budgets for talent. At the best and the worst of times. There was absolutely nothing wrong with Kapanen or his performance vs. what he was making, but there is only so much money to go around. Same thing goes for Pellerin; they are restructuring their player department in such a way where Pellerin's salary could be better spent elsewhere, and maybe his role and responsibilities are no longer playing a part in that department to justify keeping him around anymore.

On that same vein, it could also be for efficiency purposes (which somewhat relates to money as well, but not entirely). The Leafs had a Senior Director of Player Development, a Director of Player Development, an Assistant Director of Player Development, and a Player Development Consultant. They cut the top two layers off and are now just left with the Assistant and Consultant (as far as we know). Maybe they felt that having more voices in the room was not what the department needed, and having a flatter organizational structure was going to lead to more success. It doesn't mean the old way wasn't performing, but maybe not performing as well as it could with the new way. Larger teams means more time needed for coordination and communication, which takes time away from the actual work that needs to be done; on the flip side, it also means less people doing the work but you eventually find a balance which makes sense for the responsibilities of the department.

Either way, unless this move was done in financial desperation and there is no sign of that (moving money around is not a sign of desperation), then they probably put a lot of time, effort, and thought into how they wanted the department to be structured before making any changes.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Because they don’t say Fired. Replacing,restructuring come on.you don’t know that much.

Oh should I have worded it, they can’t do any more adds without firing somebody does that make it semantically better for you.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Reads more like the front office wants more of their guys in place over the legacy positions.from older management groups. Gives the guy getting pushed out a good face saving send off. Obviously this is just speculation though

It could also be for performance and Friedman was just misinformed or not given the full story. It is not like the Leafs have made anything public to explain their actions.

We haven't developed a ton of drafted prospects ever since our purge and our Marlies team is the worst it has been in years. Part of that is likely Moore and a bunch of guys, but ultimately Pellerin and Robidas were the main men running that department.

One thing that has gone unnoticed is that the Leafs have fired/moved on from a number of scouts as well. John Kisil, Patrick Charbonneau, Blair MacKasey (pro scout brought in under Dubas), Brian Daccord (took a better job with Arizona), Noelle Needham (brought in under Dubas, but took an AGM job with Chicago of the USHL), Dale Derkatch, and Robert Nordmark have all been let go since 2018-2019 and the Leafs have not added anyone since then to replace them. Kisil, Charbonneau, and MacKasey were removed at the same time as Pellerin this year.

The last scouts the Leafs brought in were to replace some Hunter guys who sucked or left.

Not sure what that means, but it looks like they are cutting fat and may be redistributing resources to perhaps a newer crop of people. As I said, it could be they are looking for new hybrid options to support a group of experts; that has become more popular in organizational design. Companies are hiring people and not positions; they want diverse skillsets who can fill multiple roles well instead of guys who can just do one thing (when they already have a bunch of experts like that anyways).

 

[DarkKnight]

I started a GoFund for the Maple Leafs. Hang in there MLSE.

 

[Le Cobra]

get a new goalie coach while they are at it...preferably the LAK guy

 

[justloveleafs]

Want a cool conspiracy.....all we were told, in the past is that the COYOTES, were close to folding, relocating.

COVID arrives, no crowds. AND not a peep out of Arizona.

Hmmmmmm.

Seattle proceeds. They must be nuts not to be asking for a partial refund, or even asking for their money back, but nope, proceeding.

I could go into a lot of detail about all this, but no one would believe it, or like me any more.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Want a cool conspiracy.....all we were told, in the past is that the COYOTES, were close to folding, relocating.

COVID arrives, no crowds. AND not a peep out of Arizona.

Hmmmmmm.

Seattle proceeds. They must be nuts not to be asking for a partial refund, or even asking for their money back, but nope, proceeding.

I could go into a lot of detail about all this, but no one would believe it, or like me any more.

lol, what does any of that have to do with this thread.

 

[justloveleafs]

Bit oblique, but its in reference I guess to some here thinking firing this guy was cost cutting.

Others pointed out, most likely, more accurately, that it had everything to do with Kyle, bringing in the last blast of his people. I kinda agree.

But if MLSE is cost cutting, which may or may not be true.

How come we don't hear about Arizona being in any shape or form, in trouble.

Taking their case, why isn't half the NHL, in financial trouble.

Me being top hockey greedy. I would love to see half the NHL fold.

Can you imagine the quality of a global league down to 16 teams. Wow, pages of threads and spec would ensue.

 

[Stephen]

Simple explanation is Scott Pellerin is a Lou Lamoriello soldier. He was a Devils farmhand during their first cup run in the mid 90s before bouncing around in the hockey world. Was hired in 2015 around the early Shanaplan era. Probably just a restructuring to get the right Dubas people on board.

As a development director, can't really say either way if he did a good job or bad. The Leafs basically hit on all of their first rounders for the rebuild which you wouldn't attribute to any kind of extensive development. The later round picks have yielded some interesting NHLers but maybe not at the rate of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Not sure if he's performed below expectations.

Still remember getting his hockey card back in the day.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

Want a cool conspiracy.....all we were told, in the past is that the COYOTES, were close to folding, relocating.

COVID arrives, no crowds. AND not a peep out of Arizona.

Hmmmmmm.

Seattle proceeds. They must be nuts not to be asking for a partial refund, or even asking for their money back, but nope, proceeding.

I could go into a lot of detail about all this, but no one would believe it, or like me any more.

Come on man, you're an "insider", do tell!

 

[justloveleafs]

So, even IF, i was a LEAF insider, I would hold that position very, very briefly.

Funnily enough, we all here, are so acute, so obsessive with this bunch of guys, god I hate the word GROUP NOW, , BABCOCK REALLY over cured me of that one.

You tattle anything impactful , you are suddenly NOT, an insider. Yer a dirt bag.

I told you all borje was hired, it just hasnt been announced, IF it is not announced,

Well, shame on me.

Great, great guy. But via me, via him, all you will hear is good stuff. No trashing, no bashing, no nothing negative.

Heck listen to interviews with NHLers, fifty years ago. Nothing has changed. These guys, for whatever reason, venerated, the meat grinder they went through, and saw countless buddies friends, brothers cousins go through and not make it.

I will deliver some fun anecdotes at the appropriate times, but anything outside of the positive, pass all the way.

ALL the guys we discuss, criticize, negate, throw under bus after bus.

Many of these guys left home. After the age of 15.

So, all our boys, in our organization, get a big heads up from me and I am sure, borje at the appropriate time will tell us what it was like to grow up in a town, ABOVE, the artic circle.

All I ask from the guys I know, don'\t be too cruel. YA, some guys, just I guess don't have it.

Anyone here remember how we threw larry murphy under the bus, only to see him play well and win a Cup with Detroit.

I will do nothing for borje but honour his legacy. He, Keon, Kelly, Bower, Sawchuk. Irreplaceable.

Met Red Kelly.

Who was I. Kinda a somebody, but compared to him a total nobody.

We talked, for hours. Over an unscheduled dinner at the Cricket Club.

He died soon after. Never shared this before , I was a nobody, but its almost like he knew he was a goner.

He was very lonely. I stayed with him for three hours.

He was a superstar in the NHL.

i was a minor leaguer in my field who had one significant season.

He was so kind, so insightful, and I was dying to ask him some certain questions, he was so classy, I couldn't ask him anything off the cuff.

That guy, won us a lot.

A LOT.

Such a cool guy, his reward...... All the press will talk about is how he was a wingnut that believed in pyramids.

Superstar NHLer.

Nicest man, I might have ever met.

Is that inside enough, for anyone.

I really want to say. That Detroit was an NHL powerhouse. With Kelly as their Rielly, maybe a bit plus cannot say.

He gets traded under interesting circumstances to Toronto, Detroit, never wins a cup for decades and our Leafs go on a rampage with this guy.

What did Howe and Lindsay and Bobby Hull say about Red Kelly.....

That he single handedly turned one franchise into a Cup winner, and a Cup winner into a slow melting brew of failure.

The press..... gave him nothing.

Guy was a golden gloves boxing champion.

Not mentioned.

Incredible skater and puckhandler and teammate.

His reward. For standing up to the NHL.

A necromancer, who put pyramids under the bench for the Leafs.

Gordie Howe, and Ted Lindsay, both said, he took one franchise to the Cup and the former team to the abyss.

Don't piss around with the NHL. He did, so did Lindsay.

 

[justloveleafs]

Dubas can do whatever he wants right now. Cause, they guy, has basically been rolling for quite some time now.

Still on topic, Pellerin was probably let go, cause Kyle wants more and more people who are on the same page as him.

Pellerin was a Lou guy and don't be surprised if Lou brings him on, but AFTER seeing how DUBAS does in the playoffs.

I am legitimately surprised, instead of a minor type of announcement like this, someone, hasn't posted, Lou, or Kyle.

Look at how well we are doing, and look at well Lou's team is doing.

Pretty interesting. Myself, Islanders, have kind of taken me by a big surprise.

We all for the most part, are pretty obsessive Leaf fans.

I encourage, sympathize, empathize and now celebrate, with all of ya.

But that old turtle Lou, holy smokes, did he ever adjust quickly after getting a boot.

Incredible stuff. And I have no, lol, inside info on this.

And Lou, sorta screwed up to start imo, by signing Komorov and Martin.

Be fitting if we met in the Cup finals.

 

[justloveleafs]

Lets give some credit, where it is due. How did Lou, essentially get thrown down the galley, not fired, fire up his nostrils, hire Trotz, get into a franchise, that many thought was sorta depleted after we snagged, a great player, maybe their best player of all time, and

Islanders have an incredible record.

Anyone here see that one coming.... I saw barzal for sure, and that dman But wow, the rest of the team.

Ole Lou, dumb as a fox.

 

[Stonehands1990]

Well is was bound to happen ... da cash resources not there ... no ticket subscriptions, no arena sponsors .. TV/media and board sponsors only go so far .. and no way Larry is spending $$$ on borrowing .. no surprise to me .. thought would be more actually

MLSE is worth 1.5 billion. The Leafs alone pull in over 200 million in revenue per year. Operations can’t be more than 100-120 million since there’s a salary cap

And the parent company is Bell & Rogers lol

 

[tokyoite]

it's not about money period.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

So, even IF, i was a LEAF insider, I would hold that position very, very briefly.

Funnily enough, we all here, are so acute, so obsessive with this bunch of guys, god I hate the word GROUP NOW, , BABCOCK REALLY over cured me of that one.

You tattle anything impactful , you are suddenly NOT, an insider. Yer a dirt bag.

I told you all borje was hired, it just hasnt been announced, IF it is not announced,

Well, shame on me.

Great, great guy. But via me, via him, all you will hear is good stuff. No trashing, no bashing, no nothing negative.

Heck listen to interviews with NHLers, fifty years ago. Nothing has changed. These guys, for whatever reason, venerated, the meat grinder they went through, and saw countless buddies friends, brothers cousins go through and not make it.

I will deliver some fun anecdotes at the appropriate times, but anything outside of the positive, pass all the way.

ALL the guys we discuss, criticize, negate, throw under bus after bus.

Many of these guys left home. After the age of 15.

So, all our boys, in our organization, get a big heads up from me and I am sure, borje at the appropriate time will tell us what it was like to grow up in a town, ABOVE, the artic circle.

All I ask from the guys I know, don'\t be too cruel. YA, some guys, just I guess don't have it.

Anyone here remember how we threw larry murphy under the bus, only to see him play well and win a Cup with Detroit.

I will do nothing for borje but honour his legacy. He, Keon, Kelly, Bower, Sawchuk. Irreplaceable.

Met Red Kelly.

Who was I. Kinda a somebody, but compared to him a total nobody.

We talked, for hours. Over an unscheduled dinner at the Cricket Club.

He died soon after. Never shared this before , I was a nobody, but its almost like he knew he was a goner.

He was very lonely. I stayed with him for three hours.

He was a superstar in the NHL.

i was a minor leaguer in my field who had one significant season.

He was so kind, so insightful, and I was dying to ask him some certain questions, he was so classy, I couldn't ask him anything off the cuff.

That guy, won us a lot.

A LOT.

Such a cool guy, his reward...... All the press will talk about is how he was a wingnut that believed in pyramids.

Superstar NHLer.

Nicest man, I might have ever met.

Is that inside enough, for anyone.

I really want to say. That Detroit was an NHL powerhouse. With Kelly as their Rielly, maybe a bit plus cannot say.

He gets traded under interesting circumstances to Toronto, Detroit, never wins a cup for decades and our Leafs go on a rampage with this guy.

What did Howe and Lindsay and Bobby Hull say about Red Kelly.....

That he single handedly turned one franchise into a Cup winner, and a Cup winner into a slow melting brew of failure.

The press..... gave him nothing.

Guy was a golden gloves boxing champion.

Not mentioned.

Incredible skater and puckhandler and teammate.

His reward. For standing up to the NHL.

A necromancer, who put pyramids under the bench for the Leafs.

Gordie Howe, and Ted Lindsay, both said, he took one franchise to the Cup and the former team to the abyss.

Don't piss around with the NHL. He did, so did Lindsay.

Talk about the midnight rambler....