Management Thread

[Megaterio Llamas]

But now is probably a good time for him to play the field. His star has never shone brighter. Might as well get while the getting's good.,

 

[F A N]

do I have to walk you through everything? A better opportunity doesn’t have to be in the immediate, he very well could go somewhere, in a lower capacity but where he could prove himself, and move up in the organization.

What's with the condescending tone? Just trying to have a discussion here and you're completely missing the discussion for some reason.

You are right that a better opportunity doesn't have to be in the immediate, but again, what exactly is the end game? To be a GM? To be an AGM? To be another NHL team's Director of Amateur Scouting with more autonomy? Leaving the Canucks to take on a job in a lower capacity is a demotion unless there's some sort of understanding reached.

Brackett has been the Director of Amateur Scouting for an NHL team for (soon to be) 5 drafts. We are talking about him like he is a star or at the very least has a good track record. If he is somehow miffed about being bypassed for a promotion (which there is no evidence of) or losing his autonomy (which he is reportedly concerned about) then sure he can go to a another NHL team in a lesser capacity to "prove himself." But is that the right move? Is that "a better opportunity?" I'm not sure why you don't see this as highly questionable.

If career advancement in the Canucks organization is blocked then ya it makes sense to go to another organization where career advancement isn't blocked. But again Brackett is already the Director of Amateur Scouting here. Few or NONE in that position switch teams and quickly get promoted to AGM. That's a position that can and does frequently survive regime changes. When people switch jobs they don't often take jobs where they take on a lesser position with less responsibility and lower pay without the promise that they would be quickly promoted after proving to be a good fit.

So again, my point is that Brackett is in a good spot. There's little risk that he would be fired by the current regime. If Brackett is a smart man, he should see that Benning and Weisbrod might not be here long. A new GM might give him the autonomy he desires or doesn't.

Again, there is no precedent for a Director of Amateur Scouting to leave for another NHL team where he isn't following someone he was previously working with to his new team. Name a guy who was running the draft for a team who moves on to another team (without following someone he previously worked with) and within say 3 years obtains a higher position than the one he left? I can't think of any can you? I'm not saying Brackett can't be some sort of trailblazer but if I was him I'm not taking a lesser position elsewhere without some understanding that I expected to be promoted quickly.

 

[F A N]

It's not all that weird for a person to leave their job if they feel that they're being bypassed or are being mismanaged.

It's not. But how many scouting directors have the desire to run their own team one day? There's no evidence that Bracket has such a desire.

 

[F A N]

But that's exactly what he did here. Why would he want to go somewhere else and climb the ladder again?

Wouldn't that be just another case of history repeating?

Exactly and @racerjoe just completely ignores all of my questions because he can't answer them.

 

[rypper]

But that's exactly what he did here. Why would he want to go somewhere else and climb the ladder again?

Wouldn't that be just another case of history repeating?

He would do that if his role here had been marginalized. If he was a director of amateur scouting in name only and his opinion and work wasn't being valued.
He would seek out another position to regain the influence and recognition.

If scouting is his passion (and I don't think I'm out of line to say that) why would he stay somewhere where he isn't valued? Job security? Personally I'd rather start over from scratch then ever stay in a position that I wasn't appreciated or satisfying my creative needs. Talk about soul crushing.

 

[rypper]

It's not. But how many scouting directors have the desire to run their own team one day? There's no evidence that Bracket has such a desire.

Maybe he doesn't have that desire. Maybe he just wants to scout.

One can speculate that with Gear's promotion, and Benning saying he'll have more time to scout, with Weisbrod already doing a lot of scouting (200+ days a year on the road, you have Brackett at the bottom of the hierarchy in that trio.

Imagine going from running a draft (Linden's words about Brackett.) To being the third voice in the decision making process. Maybe that's why he doesn't seem to eager to re-up with the Canucks.

 

[F A N]

He would do that if his role here had been marginalized. If he was a director of amateur scouting in name only and his opinion and work wasn't being valued.
He would seek out another position to regain the influence and recognition.

If scouting is his passion (and I don't think I'm out of line to say that) why would he stay somewhere where he isn't valued? Job security? Personally I'd rather start over from scratch then ever stay in a position that I wasn't appreciated or satisfying my creative needs. Talk about soul crushing.

I get that. But what if you have been with the organization for almost 12 years and you don't think your immediate supervisors or bosses will be with the organization long term? Say you think there's a chance that they are gone within 1-2 years and you're in a position that is likely to survive a change in upper management?

Maybe he doesn't have that desire. Maybe he just wants to scout.

One can speculate that with Gear's promotion, and Benning saying he'll have more time to scout, with Weisbrod already doing a lot of scouting (200+ days a year on the road, you have Brackett at the bottom of the hierarchy in that trio.

Imagine going from running a draft (Linden's words about Brackett.) To being the third voice in the decision making process. Maybe that's why he doesn't seem to eager to re-up with the Canucks.

Again I get that. But Brackett, when Linden was there, technically reported to Weisbrod who reported to Benning who reported to Linden who reported to ownership. I just don't think "full autonomy" should be expected. There are simply countless examples of teams drafting differently with the team's GM being changed. Brian Burke always talked about letting his scouts make the picks but at the same time he also talked about fighting his scouts on the Ryan vs Johnson pick. He didn't believe in drafting goalies in the first round. Nonis did. How did you think Delorme felt under those two guys? Tambellini apparently chose Yakupov against his scouts' recommendations (which in hindsight didn't make much of a difference). Chayka in Arizona was reportedly ready to overrule his scouts. Brackett spent 6 years as a part time scout under Gillis who seemingly had a ban on drafting Russians. How many of Brackett's recommendations end up getting picked under Gillis?

My view is that Brackett isn't going to find a job where he's allowed to run an NHL team's draft without much input or interference from his GM. That's simply not going to happen long term and so guys in his position don't and or shouldn't expect it.

It's great to talk about moving on whenever you feel slighted. It's great to be like Gillis who seemingly only agreed to be a GM when the situation is just about perfect. It's great to be like Chayka who became an NHL GM with zero management experience. My view of life is a bit more realistic. If I was Brackett I would likely choose to re-sign and do my job. I can explain to the incoming GM later if my performance isn't good because there was a lot of interference. The guy spent 6 years as a part time scout. You would think that some GM would come and pry him away. It took Benning to get Brackett recognized. I don't think this is not a guy with a ton of NHL connections. Personally I wouldn't take the risk.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

He would do that if his role here had been marginalized. If he was a director of amateur scouting in name only and his opinion and work wasn't being valued.
He would seek out another position to regain the influence and recognition.

If scouting is his passion (and I don't think I'm out of line to say that) why would he stay somewhere where he isn't valued? Job security? Personally I'd rather start over from scratch then ever stay in a position that I wasn't appreciated or satisfying my creative needs. Talk about soul crushing.

Do we know any of that is actually taking place though? Why would he be marginalized if he's the scouting force we all think is he. Look at his recent track record, it doesn't make any sense.

 

[Jyrki21]

I get that. But what if you have been with the organization for almost 12 years and you don't think your immediate supervisors or bosses will be with the organization long term?

Yet what if the owner has repeatedly given the opposite signal in spite of everything? He can read the writing on the wall that these guys are immune.

 

[Fatass]

I get that. But what if you have been with the organization for almost 12 years and you don't think your immediate supervisors or bosses will be with the organization long term? Say you think there's a chance that they are gone within 1-2 years and you're in a position that is likely to survive a change in upper management?



Again I get that. But Brackett, when Linden was there, technically reported to Weisbrod who reported to Benning who reported to Linden who reported to ownership. I just don't think "full autonomy" should be expected. There are simply countless examples of teams drafting differently with the team's GM being changed. Brian Burke always talked about letting his scouts make the picks but at the same time he also talked about fighting his scouts on the Ryan vs Johnson pick. He didn't believe in drafting goalies in the first round. Nonis did. How did you think Delorme felt under those two guys? Tambellini apparently chose Yakupov against his scouts' recommendations (which in hindsight didn't make much of a difference). Chayka in Arizona was reportedly ready to overrule his scouts. Brackett spent 6 years as a part time scout under Gillis who seemingly had a ban on drafting Russians. How many of Brackett's recommendations end up getting picked under Gillis?

My view is that Brackett isn't going to find a job where he's allowed to run an NHL team's draft without much input or interference from his GM. That's simply not going to happen long term and so guys in his position don't and or shouldn't expect it.

It's great to talk about moving on whenever you feel slighted. It's great to be like Gillis who seemingly only agreed to be a GM when the situation is just about perfect. It's great to be like Chayka who became an NHL GM with zero management experience. My view of life is a bit more realistic. If I was Brackett I would likely choose to re-sign and do my job. I can explain to the incoming GM later if my performance isn't good because there was a lot of interference. The guy spent 6 years as a part time scout. You would think that some GM would come and pry him away. It took Benning to get Brackett recognized. I don't think this is not a guy with a ton of NHL connections. Personally I wouldn't take the risk.

We need Bracket. His control of the draft has filled our cupboards with potential like we’ve never had. IMO Wisebrod is just another
Delorme; he should go.
I heard Brian Burke say he, as GM, was very involved in the first round pick, but deferred to his scouting staff (mostly) after that.

 

[F A N]

Yet what if the owner has repeatedly given the opposite signal in spite of everything? He can read the writing on the wall that these guys are immune.

I think Brackett would be pretty stupid to believe that, but you are free to believe that Benning and Weisbrod would be here for the next 5 years and more regardless of how the Canucks perform.

We need Bracket. His control of the draft has filled our cupboards with potential like we’ve never had. IMO Wisebrod is just another
Delorme; he should go.
I heard Brian Burke say he, as GM, was very involved in the first round pick, but deferred to his scouting staff (mostly) after that.

Oh I love Brackett and don't want him to leave. But Benning is ultimately his boss. How much autonomy he is willing to give Brackett with regards to the draft and whether to name him as an AGM and give him input on how the team is build in order to keep him is Benning's choice. It's really not an easy answer if you're the boss.

As for Burke, he did defer to his scouts but he clearly had preferences like most GMs. The thing is the guy running the draft (whether his title is Chief Scout or Director of Amateur Scouting) is more of a facilitator. He's not the guy making the final decisions on all picks and he shouldn't be. It's simply not normal. Both Gillis and Benning talked about the need to work with his scouts and give his scouts direction. That direction naturally cuts into the "autonomy" that a guy in Brackett's position gets. So my point is that Brackett is unlikely to be be given an AGM position with another NHL team within 3 years of leaving here if he leaves and Brackett is unlikely to obtain a position where he is allowed to run the draft the way he wants and draft the players he wants without significant input and direction from his GM.

 

[Peter10]

I think Brackett would be pretty stupid to believe that, but you are free to believe that Benning and Weisbrod would be here for the next 5 years and more regardless of how the Canucks perform.



Oh I love Brackett and don't want him to leave. But Benning is ultimately his boss. How much autonomy he is willing to give Brackett with regards to the draft and whether to name him as an AGM and give him input on how the team is build in order to keep him is Benning's choice. It's really not an easy answer if you're the boss.

As for Burke, he did defer to his scouts but he clearly had preferences like most GMs. The thing is the guy running the draft (whether his title is Chief Scout or Director of Amateur Scouting) is more of a facilitator. He's not the guy making the final decisions on all picks and he shouldn't be. It's simply not normal. Both Gillis and Benning talked about the need to work with his scouts and give his scouts direction. That direction naturally cuts into the "autonomy" that a guy in Brackett's position gets. So my point is that Brackett is unlikely to be be given an AGM position with another NHL team within 3 years of leaving here if he leaves and Brackett is unlikely to obtain a position where he is allowed to run the draft the way he wants and draft the players he wants without significant input and direction from his GM.

Not saying this is going to happen but you last paragraph got me thinking that this would be something that fits the model Gillis was discussing earlier in which he wanted several AGMs each with specific fields, Salary Cap, Scouting, and so on. So an AGM solely responsible for drafting with pretty much full autonomy would be an option there. If Gillis gets the NJ gig, there would be slim chance for it.

In a more realistic scenario I just believe Brackett does not like having responsibility taken away, it is like a demotion and he probably sees a better fit for him somewhere else.

 

[I am toxic]

Is it any surprise that the person who stands out for his excellent work decides to move on, after being marginalized and having some of his duties taken over by incompetent management?

On top of the cap crunch the team will face of the next several years that prevent the team from becoming a contender, we will be faced with Benning drafting that will impact the team even further down the road.

You know, Benning. The guy who went after Sbisa. And extended him. The guy who went after Sutter. And extended him. The guy who went after Gudbranson. And extended him.

"But wait," the apologista say, "this is amateur scouting we are talking about." And they are, incredible as it may sound, correct. Amateur scouting by Benning, which gave us Virtanen over Nylander, Juolevi over Tkachuk, and almost gave us Glass over Pettersson.

It's indefensible, but it will be defended.

 

[Fatass]

Is it any surprise that the person who stands out for his excellent work decides to move on, after being marginalized and having some of his duties taken over by incompetent management?

On top of the cap crunch the team will face of the next several years that prevent the team from becoming a contender, we will be faced with Benning drafting that will impact the team even further down the road.

You know, Benning. The guy who went after Sbisa. And extended him. The guy who went after Sutter. And extended him. The guy who went after Gudbranson. And extended him.

"But wait," the apologista say, "this is amateur scouting we are talking about." And they are, incredible as it may sound, correct. Amateur scouting by Benning, which gave us Virtanen over Nylander, Juolevi over Tkachuk, and almost gave us Glass over Pettersson.

It's indefensible, but it will be defended.

Excellent post. Considering what’s going on with our team’s management, do you think Aquilini really wants a winner? I mean seriously, Benning and Wisebrod are terrible, and Bracket is our only good guy. It’s pretty clear, so why does the owner, who IMO does seem to love the team (like a fan), want to keep the two guys who are terrible over the one guy who is actually good? It just makes no sense!

 

[I am toxic]

Excellent post. Considering what’s going on with our team’s management, do you think Aquilini really wants a winner? I mean seriously, Benning and Wisebrod are terrible, and Bracket is our only good guy. It’s pretty clear, so why does the owner, who IMO does seem to love the team (like a fan), want to keep the two guys who are terrible over the one guy who is actually good? It just makes no sense!

At this point, with regards to the team's direction, the owner and Benning are two peas in a pod. Clapping themselves on the back for having Calder finalists three years running, the building full to watch Pettersson and Hughes, convinced they would have made the playoffs but for the season being suspended (when really the wheels had fallen off, Tanev was done, and even Marky probably couldn't have saved them). The owner has Benning as a shield from bad PR for now.

But as the pipeline dries up after Pods, and the team is still simply a bubble team, pressure will mount and the owner will fire Benning, to be replaced (likely internally) with another yes man, while the crony media laps it up and announces that things will be different and great under Weisbrod or whoever.

 

[xtra]

Idk if eklund is an allowed source here but he posted something about there being 1 cap buyout being given to teams.

which if true - it took a global pandemic to save benning from Benning.

 

[Fatass]

At this point, with regards to the team's direction, the owner and Benning are two peas in a pod. Clapping themselves on the back for having Calder finalists three years running, the building full to watch Pettersson and Hughes, convinced they would have made the playoffs but for the season being suspended (when really the wheels had fallen off, Tanev was done, and even Marky probably couldn't have saved them). The owner has Benning as a shield from bad PR for now.

But as the pipeline dries up after Pods, and the team is still simply a bubble team, pressure will mount and the owner will fire Benning, to be replaced (likely internally) with another yes man, while the crony media laps it up and announces that things will be different and great under Weisbrod or whoever.

Is the biggest issue with our management that our owner needs to have “yes” men around him? Aquilini, as rumoured, did appear to fire both Torts and Gillis when those two wanted to rebuild. (And they were clearly both right.)

 

[F A N]

Is it any surprise that the person who stands out for his excellent work decides to move on, after being marginalized and having some of his duties taken over by incompetent management?

On top of the cap crunch the team will face of the next several years that prevent the team from becoming a contender, we will be faced with Benning drafting that will impact the team even further down the road.

You know, Benning. The guy who went after Sbisa. And extended him. The guy who went after Sutter. And extended him. The guy who went after Gudbranson. And extended him.

"But wait," the apologista say, "this is amateur scouting we are talking about." And they are, incredible as it may sound, correct. Amateur scouting by Benning, which gave us Virtanen over Nylander, Juolevi over Tkachuk, and almost gave us Glass over Pettersson.

It's indefensible, but it will be defended.

Maybe Juolevi was a Brackett pick? Others can speculate too.

 

[Peter10]

Idk if eklund is an allowed source here but he posted something about there being 1 cap buyout being given to teams.

which if true - it took a global pandemic to save benning from Benning.

The league doesn't even know yet what the cap will look like or if the season will be resumed or when the next will start. I would say it is highly unlikely that there was any serious discussion about a compliance buyout.

In another note, Eklund is a fraud. Former piano player who cheated countless people into giving him money to read rumors he made up.

 

[vancityluongo]

The pandemic has fully killed my interest in Jim Benning lol. We're stuck with this guy until the end of calendar 2021 at the very least.

Idk if eklund is an allowed source here but he posted something about there being 1 cap buyout being given to teams.

which if true - it took a global pandemic to save benning from Benning.

Watch us use it on the Luongo cap hit instead of Loui lmao

 

[Fatass]

The pandemic has fully killed my interest in Jim Benning lol. We're stuck with this guy until the end of calendar 2021 at the very least.



Watch us use it on the Luongo cap hit instead of Loui lmao

Would it be better Cap management to use a compliance buyout on Myers, even over Loui Erikson? Cap might even go down, and then stay under where it currently is for a few years. Shaving Myers’ 6 mil/yr could be really important in years after Loui E is gone. Hell, thanks to Benning, we need 2 of these super buyouts. Maybe buying out Beagle and Rooster would help too? Do we need 4?

 

[Fatass]

Maybe Juolevi was a Brackett pick? Others can speculate too.

Jake, Mcann, and OJ were clearly JB wants.

 

[Jay Cee]

I think it is very unlikely another compliance buyout comes in to being. Unless maybe the cap goes down...then we have real problems.

I think Bettman allowed a compliance buyout in the first place because they instituted a very aggressive hard cap where there had been none previously. Last CBA they only begrudgingly agreed to a compliance buyout after some time to help cushion some of the changes made in the CBA.

 

[Hit the post]

Jake, Mcann, and OJ were clearly JB wants.

I want you (McCann)
I need you (Virtanen)
But there ain't no way I'm going to ever love you (OJ).
Now don't be sad..
Cause Two out of three ain't bad.

 

[wreckless]

out of the loop a bit so i'm sure this has been discussed but apparently Gillis had 2 interviews for the Devils GM job?

part of me still holds a sliver of hope that he will come back here.. one can dream.