Confirmed with Link: Leafs hire Jim Paliafito

[SeaOfBlue]

Saginaw Spirit GM, and in what capacity is unknown. Maybe another OHL scout?

Click to read more...

 

[SprDaVE]

So I guess he'll work with Hunter.

 

[Budsfan]

The most interesting man in junior hockey

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/the-most-interesting-man-in-junior-hockey.html

 

[TimeZone]

Building through the draft.

 

[Guy Boucher]

He's well-known for his scouting ability. Good add.

 

[TheLeastOfTheBunch]

Sounds good to me

 

[hockeywiz542]

The Saginaw Spirit announce today that General Manager Jim Paliafito has accepted the position of Director of Player Evaluation with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

http://www.saginawspirit.com/article/saginaw-spirit-general-manager-accepts-nhl-position

Saginaw Spirit General Manager Accepts NHL Position

May 21, 2015 - 11:20 EDT

5/21/15 Saginaw Spirit General Manager Jim Paliafito Accepts NHL Position

The Saginaw Spirit announce today that General Manager Jim Paliafito has accepted the position of Director of Player Evaluation with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. Paliafito is leaving the Spirit Organization after spending six and half seasons in Saginaw as the native of Milwaukee, WI began his tenure with the franchise in May, 2009 taking on the role as the team’s Head Scout, eventually adding the Assistant General Manager portfolio to his duties in 2010. Paliafito was then elevated to the General Manager’s chair in mid-December of 2011.

Prior to joining the Spirit organization, Paliafito worked with the USHL’s Indiana Ice leading the team’s player personnel division and scouting department. He was with the franchise when they won the league championship in 2009. Paliafito’s diverse track record in sports also saw him work as an agent representing players from the National Football League including former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor and some of the finest NFL talents of the 1980’s and 90’s

In joining the Toronto Maple Leafs Organization, he adds to the significant Ontario Hockey League presence within the franchise joining former London Knight Brendan Shanahan, former London Knights General Manager Mark Hunter, and former Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds General Manager Kyle Dubas in the upper management framework in Toronto. Paliafito admits there was a lot of emotion in making the decision and recognizes the support of his former and future colleagues.

“The Saginaw Spirit has become a tremendous organization in junior hockey, and I want to thank Dick Garber and Craig Goslin for their trust and support during my 6 1/2 years in Saginaw. I also have to thank the entire coaching and hockey staff headed by Greg Gilbert, and I am also very appreciative of the Saginaw Spirit’s business staff for their support and tireless hours they put in. I would also like to recognize the appreciation I have for the Ontario Hockey League, and what a privilege it has been to work in such a tremendous developmental league. I am very honored to be joining The Toronto Maple Leafs Organization and look forward to the challenge that lies ahead. I am very appreciative to Brendan Shanahan, Kyle Dubas and Mark Hunter for this opportunityâ€

 

[MJ65]

Nice addition - load of experience

 

[Index]

Good addition.

 

[ChrisCall]

This just keeps getting more exciting.

 

[Super Mega]

I believe you have my stapler...

 

[7even]

Hire every OHL GM to scout the OHL. All your GM are belong to us.

 

[Sergei Berezin]

With that said, considering what he was doing with Saginaw compared to his time as an NFL agent.... I've already got a ton of respect for this man.

 

[Mess]

Great add and this really puts the immediate focus on the OHL to find talent as the coverage and knowledge of those players between Paliafito, Hunter, Dubas and Hofford all deep roots in the OHL and CHL.

 

[htpwn]

Hire every OHL GM to scout the OHL. All your GM are belong to us.

Yeah, pretty much.

Also LOL @ the stapler joke.

 

[Muston Atthews]

All your OHL gms belong to us

 

[Stringer Bell]

EXACTLY what I thought when I saw the pic

Total cross between Milton (stapler guy) and the Jump to conclusions mat guy from Office Space, who ends up getting in that major car accident. Please, someone look him up and also post a photo. Total cross...

 

[deletethis]

Total cross between Milton (stapler guy) and the Jump to conclusions mat guy from Office Space, who ends up getting in that major car accident. Please, someone look him up and also post a photo. Total cross...

Just posted a photo of him.

 

[JMcLeaf]

The Mentalist is going to love this

 

[Pyrophorus]

Looks like Pridham

 

[Cor]

Oh God, The Mentalist is going to have fun with this... Another OHL GM!

 

[WTFMAN99]

No please guys you're killing me



I feel like our main objective is to hire ALL THE OHL so we have all the junior info.

I do think we need to get more of a presence in the WHL/QMJHL, along with bolstering our European scouting. We need more of a presence in Sweden, Russia, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, and even Denmark is emerging as a producer of NHL talent.

Big thing is WHL and Q scouts though. I think our OHL presence is pretty big now.

 

[Cor]

Which WHL and QMJHL GM's can we hire?

What about KHL and SHL GM's

 

[Drew75]

No please guys you're killing me



I feel like our main objective is to hire ALL THE OHL so we have all the junior info.

Hey - you need analytics? Hire the guy who developed the site the NHL uses.

You need better OHL scouting? Hire 4 (and counting) of the best and brightest in the league.

I have a feeling the Q, W, and Europe are next

 

[ITM]

Hire every OHL GM to scout the OHL. All your GM are belong to us.

For all of the subsidizing this club provides, and for the "parity" policy we've been forced into...You're damn right.

In the immortal words of Connor McGregor before a roaring Dublin crowd:

"We're not here to take part, we're here to take over!"