NHL General Manager of the Year Award

[duul]

And you still probably aren't in a playoff position without Mcdavid.

I'm not suggesting he wasn't great. But based on my perception, the Oilers are (right now) as good as Mcdavid makes them.

Most teams struggle to make the playoffs when their best player is out. The few exceptions like Pittsburgh are not the rule.

Remove Bergeron from Boston, or Karlsson from Ottawa, or Price from Montreal, and you see what happens.

 

[duul]

Home pick for Fletcher. Three moves, all having a great impact. The prices on the roster moves factor in to the score as well. cheap!

Chia...i guess you have to sort of admire him for finally just saying screw it and making that lopsided trade that ended up (IMO) being the difference. I don't doubt at all he tried for a long time to trade for D, but when everything dried up he had the balls to do that. If it hadn't worked out he would be disappeared, I think. Trade value wasn't great, but effect on the team (which is what it's all about) +++

There's a reason the Subban/Weber trade happened minutes after the Hall/Larsson trade. Chiarelli was contemplating pulling the trigger on Subban but didn't want to give up Draisaitl + Nurse. Thank God for that.

 

[Mubiki]

If I'm being specific, Lucic has been pedestrian, Russell has been bad from what I've seen (a quick trip to some Oilers GDTs sightly confirmed this, although those are prone to hyperbole), Maroon is likely a product of center talent given his history, and even the Hall trade is somewhat a byproduct of drafting Mcdavid; most teams can't replace the offense of a top 5 winger with a recent draft pick.

Obviously, the Talbot signing was fantastic, and a major feather in the cap. Sekera was solid too.

So while he's definitely been good, he came into a fantastic situation. Decent cap space, almost no TERRIBLE contracts, lots of tradeable assets, a generational player, and essentially a mandate to shake the team up.

 

[Cawz]

Chiarelli has made huge moves, retooling most of our roster. Lucic, Letestu, Maroon, Kassian, Caggiula, Sekera, Larsson, Russell, Benning, Talbot.

Lucic and Maroon are our two best LW's, although Lucic has struggled mightily recently. Letestu has been a very important player this year. Kassian is a huge addition to the team culture and provides something we once lacked. Caggiula and Benning were two very good college signings. Sekera, Larsson, and Russell have been our three best defencemen IMO. Talbot goes without saying.

He completed redefined the identity of the team. Sure, getting McDavid helps, but he has added our three best defencemen, our two best left wingers, our #1 PK forward, and our #1 goalie along with another defenceman in Benning who is playing lights out.

I think he has the case for GM of the year, especially seeing the change in standings after one year.

Yup. Looking at hits (which arent the be-all stat but help illustrate), the top 6 hitters on the Oilers (and 9 of the top 11) were all brought in by Chia. Larsson, Lucic, Maroon and Kassian are all big strong players that play regular minutes. Thats one huge thing that Chia has improved. The Oilers before used to be a small skilled team that got pushed around. They are now a team with skill mixed with toughness.

oilers at the start of the year last year were 2nd place until McDavid got hurt.

2nd place where? In Alberta?

 

[Yeah15]

oilers at the start of the year last year were 2nd place until McDavid got hurt... Don't think Chia deserves it since he was gifted a generational talent. Without him this year doubt they're anywhere close to where they are now.

I'd say as of now Fletcher would be the front runner.

26th in the league actually

 

[McRpro]

To the people saying Chia doesn't deserve it because of McDavid, I suppose McDavid is an absolute lock for your Hart trophy vote then, correct?

 

[Mubiki]

Most teams struggle to make the playoffs when their best player is out. The few exceptions like Pittsburgh are not the rule.

Remove Bergeron from Boston, or Karlsson from Ottawa, or Price from Montreal, and you see what happens.

That's kind of my point. His best player just literally fell into his lap on day one, zero effort required. And he's a top 5 player in year 2.

In other words; the success of Edmonton is so heavily skewed by the one thing Chia can't really get an ounce of credit for. That was my original point.

 

[lawrence]

any team that tanked in order to help their team further their development doesn't deserve it because anyone can call a tank, and draft number 1 or 2 or whatever. Any Joe HFboards.com can do it. Just gut the roster senseless pray for your odds of you wining the lottery and done.

Kekalainen or Chuck Flether will be my vote, as these guys did none of that, and their teams are the best in the NHL.

 

[Mubiki]

To the people saying Chia doesn't deserve it because of McDavid, I suppose McDavid is an absolute lock for your Hart trophy vote then, correct?

It's mostly just me. And I never said "didn't deserve", but that Mcdavid muddies the waters.

The success of Edmonton coincides directly with both the arrival of Chia and the emergence of Mcdavid as a top 5 player. We don't really have a fair sample size of a Chia run Oilers squad sans McDavid, so it's not readily apparent who's impact was larger.

It's not like I'd be upset in any fashion whatsoever if he won. I'm just saying the emergence of Mcdavid might count against him.

 

[Mubiki]

any team that tanked in order to help their team further their development doesn't deserve it because anyone can call a tank, and draft number 1 or 2 or whatever. Any Joe HFboards.com can do it. Just gut the roster senseless pray for your odds of you wining the lottery and done.

Kekalainen or Chuck Flether will be my vote, as these guys did none of that, and their teams are the best in the NHL.

That's not entirely fair either. Chia never tanked. He benefited from a poor squad before he got there, but he tried to improve the team almost immediately.

 

[Aceboogie]

I'd say Chiarellis not getting enough credit for Talbot trade. He got a legit #1 for cheap and signed him early on for cheap. He also added maroon for nothing

Another massive underrated move is signing Matt Benning. One of best bottom pairing D in the league this year.

I do agree mcdavid is the driver of oilers and Drai is close behind. But Chiarellis made some great moves and also a terrific drafter

 

[Aceboogie]

any team that tanked in order to help their team further their development doesn't deserve it because anyone can call a tank, and draft number 1 or 2 or whatever. Any Joe HFboards.com can do it. Just gut the roster senseless pray for your odds of you wining the lottery and done.

Kekalainen or Chuck Flether will be my vote, as these guys did none of that, and their teams are the best in the NHL.

That's ironic, because kekalanin just finished 3rd last in the league. Which is a tank is it not

 

[Del Preston]

It's mostly just me. And I never said "didn't deserve", but that Mcdavid muddies the waters.

The success of Edmonton coincides directly with both the arrival of Chia and the emergence of Mcdavid as a top 5 player. We don't really have a fair sample size of a Chia run Oilers squad sans McDavid, so it's not readily apparent who's impact was larger.

It's not like I'd be upset in any fashion whatsoever if he won. I'm just saying the emergence of Mcdavid might count against him.

Chiarelli rebuilt the entire team. As good as McDavid has been the Oilers aren't in a playoff spot without the forward group being balanced, the defense drastically improved, and a #1 goalie acquired.

 

[Mubiki]

Chiarelli rebuilt the entire team. As good as McDavid has been the Oilers aren't in a playoff spot without the forward group being balanced, the defense drastically improved, and a #1 goalie acquired.

Sure. But he basically just signed the couple guys that were available, one of whom has been average (Lucic) and the other of which is arguably being carried by Mcdavid. And the Hall trade was made possible by the arrival of Mcdavid; as in stated earlier, how often does a team have the luxury of replacing a top 5 winger with a top 3 center to make up the difference immediately?

I'm on board with Talbot though. Awesome signing for sure.

 

[gwh]

Kekalainen or Chia. If not this year, then certainly next year.

 

[KingDeathMetal]

Jeff Gorton of NYR has to get consideration here.

Getting Zibanejad AND a 2nd from Ottawa for Brassard, especially in light of how Zibby has performed since coming here, looks like trade of the year.

Then you have the Vesey signing, which was difficult because so many other teams were in the running for him, and the kid has performed pretty well despite hitting the usual college player wall.

Brought Buchnevich over from Russia, not an easy task when there was talk he'd stay another two years.

But best of all, he absolutely crushed all his value signings: Grabner, Holden, and Clendenning (the Pirri signing was not bad either).

I'm biased of course, but Gorton really did do an amazing job with seemingly little resources (from the perspective of NYR being up against the cap and having no draft picks or a ton of prospects). Everyone expected this team to regress.

 

[snipes]

I'd say Chiarellis not getting enough credit for Talbot trade. He got a legit #1 for cheap and signed him early on for cheap. He also added maroon for nothing

Another massive underrated move is signing Matt Benning. One of best bottom pairing D in the league this year.

I do agree mcdavid is the driver of oilers and Drai is close behind. But Chiarellis made some great moves and also a terrific drafter

Picking up Kassian has also been a solid move for our 4th line and PK unit.

Letestu as well, you could argue Letestu might be one of the best 4th line C's in the league right now. His production certainly suggests it.

Chia's made many small moves that have added up to making us a much, much better team.

 

[King'sPawn]

I know I sound like "that guy" but I say the GM of the year is the one who wins the Stanley Cup.

 

[Legionnaire]

I know I sound like "that guy" but I say the GM of the year is the one who wins the Stanley Cup.

Fair enough, and I see your point, but is it really the case if the Stanley Cup winning GM made no moves, and didn't sign anyone wins with the exact same team he had last season? If the answer is no, then it can't quite work the way you are saying.

My pick would be Chiarelli. Larsson and Lucic were moves that have helped move a bottom 5 team to the playoffs.

 

[Jesus Take the Wheel]

I know I sound like "that guy" but I say the GM of the year is the one who wins the Stanley Cup.

Voting is done before playoffs

 

[Jesus Take the Wheel]

Sure. But he basically just signed the couple guys that were available, one of whom has been average (Lucic) and the other of which is arguably being carried by Mcdavid. And the Hall trade was made possible by the arrival of Mcdavid; as in stated earlier, how often does a team have the luxury of replacing a top 5 winger with a top 3 center to make up the difference immediately?

I'm on board with Talbot though. Awesome signing for sure.

The guys "available" were also available to 29 other teams, but Chia made the right call. Kassian and Maroon we have got for nothing, but have had great positive impact on the team. Lucic I'd say is the player greatly influenced by the "McDavid factor" and he has yet to show consistent positive play on the ice, although I think his effects off ice are quite significant as well. I disagree with the hall trade comment, I think with Drai and Nuge, that trade is still made.Talbot was a great trade and the Letestu, Sekera, and Benning signings have been positive as well.

Say what you want about the McDavid factor, but Chia has for the most part found the right players for the right costs.

 

[rynryn]

The guys "available" were also available to 29 other teams, but Chia made the right call. Kassian and Maroon we have got for nothing, but have had great positive impact on the team. Lucic I'd say is the player greatly influenced by the "McDavid factor" and he has yet to show consistent positive play on the ice, although I think his effects off ice are quite significant as well. I disagree with the hall trade comment, I think with Drai and Nuge, that trade is still made.Talbot was a great trade and the Letestu, Sekera, and Benning signings have been positive as well.

Say what you want about the McDavid factor, but Chia has for the most part found the right players for the right costs.

i don't know if you want to cite Lucic as a feather in his cap. short term maybe and through the length it still might not be a disaster but that wasn't really impressive in any way.

 

[Jesus Take the Wheel]

i don't know if you want to cite Lucic as a feather in his cap. short term maybe and through the length it still might not be a disaster but that wasn't really impressive in any way.

I never said I was impressive based on his play so far or even thought the signing was that great. I argued he is the player the you can directly point out came here because of McDavid as a counterargument to the post I replied to.

 

[MessierII]

Has to be Chiarelli. Made by far the biggest moves of the contenders.

 

[MNRube]

Fletcher's only 3 moves:

Staal
Stewart
Boudreau

All 3 have worked out exceptionally so far.

Add in that it was a huge coming out party for Wild prospects at WJC (Kaprizov, Kunin, Eriksson Ek, Greenway) and that the Wild look like the deepest team in NHL when you consider expansion and it's been a good year for Fletcher. He has had his detractors over the year but he's been awesome of late.

Others:

LL in Toronto. Lot of help from the lottery but he's been spearheading a very aggressive and practical FO.

Jarmo in Columbus. The Dupuis pick remains a bit confounding, but the Jackets are loaded. They are deep, fast, skilled and mean. The Jones, Murray, Werenski trio is unfair.

*No chance Chia deserves this. The Hall trade may have been necessary but it should never be celebrated. Remember he also replaced Hall with Lucic on a ridiculous contract that will rob McDavid of support in his prime. He's made up for these to a degree with Talbot and Maroon but the guy is not close to this discussion.