Shanny Wants Rob Blake?

[The CyNick]

Stamkos has nothing to do with the roster they have that is both deep and high on talent.

Did you just say Stamkos has NOTHING to do with their depth?

Can we start to screen the posters on here?

 

[Drew75]

Agreed -- I fail to see how manning a rebuild would be hard as a GM.

Something that worries me is how the majority of our management group (Dubas, Shanahan, Hunter, and potentially Blake) have such little NHL managerial experience.

They have NHL experience - just not as an NHL GM.

What team did Holland run before Detroit? Nil? Yzerman? Hextall, Chuck Fletcher? Chiarelli didn't have head GM experience before taking over Boston. Then there's Stan Bowman, Ron Francis, Cheveldayof, etc ...

What we're seeing the changing of the guard from the 'old-school' thinkers to new generation who are willing to look at the game differently, use analytics, etc.

So - if with all of his research Shanny learns that Blake is the next up-and-comer, why wouldn't he try to put together a strong, younger, management team who can think the new game?

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

Did you just say Stamkos has NOTHING to do with their depth?

Can we start to screen the posters on here?

Stamkos is a player, it is their GM who have built that team. What is so hard to understand with that concept? Do you honestly think Stamkos has made trades and draft selections?

 

[The CyNick]

You know the difference here and pattern I notice?.

Team Builders based on being elite NHLers verses non NHLers.

Burke/Nonis - Team Builders without NHL player experience.

Shanahan/Blake (similar to Stevie Y) were All-Star NHLers and Hockey Hall of Fame players.

Who would know more about success in the NHL? Those that had it or those that never did?

You know the pattern I notice? You like to cherry pick.

I went to the cherry orchard myself and come back with a basket of Lamriello, Chiarelli, Dean Lombardi, and Stan Bowman.

Whats good is that my cherries are far more delicious than the ones you found.

Carry on.

 

[The CyNick]

Stamkos is a player, it is their GM who have built that team. What is so hard to understand with that concept? Do you honestly think Stamkos has made trades and draft selections?

I think he's the key reason why people think Yzerman is a good GM. You take him from Tampa, and they're not even having regular season success.

 

[Daisy Jane]

just a question - last season they didn't have stamkos for 3 months and they never really miss stride, right?

 

[Kelly]

If we are rebuilding the pressure for results will be lesser and they can work with the team and gain experience that way. If they are good to evaluate talent (and nothing suggest they are not) then that is pretty much all they have to focus on for the first couple of years. It is when we after 2-3 are to take the next step and speed the rebuild up by bringing in the right veterans at the expense of the "right" youngsters their GM skills will be tested.

Absolutely - the perfect situation for a new General Manager.

They have NHL experience - just not as an NHL GM.

What team did Holland run before Detroit? Nil? Yzerman? Hextall, Chuck Fletcher? Chiarelli didn't have head GM experience before taking over Boston. Then there's Stan Bowman, Ron Francis, Cheveldayof, etc ...

What we're seeing the changing of the guard from the 'old-school' thinkers to new generation who are willing to look at the game differently, use analytics, etc.

So - if with all of his research Shanny learns that Blake is the next up-and-comer, why wouldn't he try to put together a strong, younger, management team who can think the new game?

Most of those GM's were surrounded by or are still surrounded by guys who've had years experience in a managerial capacity. Holland had Bowman, Hextall has Clarke, and Holmgren. Chiarelli was an assistant GM for the senators, same with Cheveldayoff for the Blackhawks. Fletcher was with the Penguins in a managerial role for 4 years, Nil was with the Wings back in the '90s in a managerial/scouting role.

I realize they have to start somewhere, and Shanahan, Dubas, and Hunter are all GREAT hockey minds, and I have no doubt they will be great executive staff someday, but counting Blake, that's potentially four of our management who have zero managerial experience at the NHL level, only Fletcher, and Nonuts.

Who knows though I guess, maybe the fresh faces, and thoughts will be a good thing.

 

[Wendel17]

Makes no sense when there are other great candidates with experience available.

Doug Maclean, Mike Gillis, and Craig Button just to name a few.

No thank you, no thank you, and no thank you to all three. I'll stick with Nonis.

Firstly - I'm really hoping this list you've provided is a joke

I'm actually amazed at how well so many here seem to know the ins and outs of what Rob Blake does for the Kings on a daily basis!

What I've seen from Shanny so far is that he talks to everyone in hockey, does extensive research, and tries to bring in the best and brightest. If he want's Blake, then I'm assuming that Blake is proving himself to be a very good hockey exec, with a very bright future.

No one here knew who Jim Nil was until he hit the news - and we have no idea the reputation that Blake has behind the closed doors of the NHL - but if the hiring of Hunter, Dubas, and the Analytics gurus is any indication, Shanny has done his homework and I'm guessing that Blake has skills we haven't seen.

I'm not saying he's the right choice - but I think it's silly to say he's no good when we actually have no idea of an NHL Exec's skill until they become news - but insiders do.

As long as Blake has assistant GM experience (check) in a good organization (check) and has the right ideas, philosophy, and temperament for this market, then I would be more than happy to give him a chance.

WRT Jim Nill, I remember first reading his name years ago in an Al Strachan column when the Leafs were looking to replace Pat Quinn as GM. Al was saying the Leafs should hire him, and then they went and hired JFJ instead. Ugh.

And look at what he has done in Dallas. In 2 years he acquired a #1 and #2 centre. Something the Leafs have been struggling to do since Sundin retired. Brutal.

 

[Wendel17]

Absolutely - the perfect situation for a new General Manager.



Most of those GM's were surrounded by or are still surrounded by guys who've had years experience in a managerial capacity. Holland had Bowman, Hextall has Clarke, and Holmgren. Chiarelli was an assistant GM for the senators, same with Cheveldayoff for the Blackhawks. Fletcher was with the Penguins in a managerial role for 4 years, Nil was with the Wings back in the '90s in a managerial/scouting role.

I realize they have to start somewhere, and Shanahan, Dubas, and Hunter are all GREAT hockey minds, and I have no doubt they will be great executive staff someday, but counting Blake, that's potentially four of our management who have zero managerial experience at the NHL level, only Fletcher, and Nonuts.

Who knows though I guess, maybe the fresh faces, and thoughts will be a good thing.

As long as they have one person with experience running a franchise then they should be fine. I could see Nonis being 'promoted' to a VP role (and out of the GM chair. He basically would get paid to oversee the day to day and mentor the newbies. And if another GM job opens up then I'm sure the Leafs would not stand in his way.

Or another scenario would be letting Nonis go entirely and leaning on Fletcher as the experienced executive.

 

[TheDeez91]

What has Yzerman done?

Yzerman has done more for the Tampa Lightning, in his short time there, than the slew of managers we've had in Toronto over the last ten years.

 

[Deebo]

just a question - last season they didn't have stamkos for 3 months and they never really miss stride, right?

I wouldn't say that.

22-18-5 (.544) without him
24-9-4 (.702) with him

 

[Mess]

I see the Leafs situation overall with the dark cloud hanging over its head as a tough sell to bring in anyone of significance.

- Leafs Cap situation is ugly with little room and lots of big long-term contracts.

- Leafs needing a new coach and direction.

- Leafs missing a #1C & #1D and perhaps needing a #1G also the way Bernier is struggling. The 3 key pieces of a winning team.

- weak prospect pool with few impact players in training.

- team free falling in the standings on the verge of perhaps being blown up after endless epic collapses.

This is not a very enticing rosy picture to paint to lure a new GM Blake or anyone that knows they are walking into the rocky horror picture show here and setting themselves up for failure.

 

[diceman934]

I see the Leafs situation overall with the dark cloud hanging over its head as a tough sell to bring in anyone of significance.

- Leafs Cap situation is ugly with little room and lots of big long-term contracts.

- Leafs needing a new coach and direction.

- Leafs missing a #1C & #1D and perhaps needing a #1G also the way Bernier is struggling. The 3 key pieces of a winning team.

- team free falling in the standings on the verge of perhaps being blown up after endless epic collapses.

This is not a very enticing rosy picture to paint to lure a new GM Blake or anyone that knows they are walking into the rocky horror picture show here and setting themselves up for failure.

I agree and I also worry that we are going to give Babcock both the coach and GM role....never a great Idea as the coach only selects or trades for players he can see playing his brand of hockey....so skill takes a back seat.

Blake would be among the best candidates that we can sign as a GM....knows all the other GM's and has some management experience. I would imagine that the contract we would need to sign a new GM to would need to well paid and with enough long term security to entice them to accept the job.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Not to sound like I was ahead of the curve on this one too, until Mckenzie touched on this on TSN Drive. Great show BTW with Dave Naylor. Better than Prime Time.

Daisy will attest, I mentioned this a month ago. Blake would be an interesting GM due to his increasing exp and relationship with Shanahan at the NHL offices.

 

[FreeBird]

You make it sound as if he is some southern Californian beach bum. He is from Simcoe Ontario and had a job with the NHL in Toronto, working under Shanahan, before accepting the job in LA.

Shanahan was in NY period, Blake never worked out of Toronto.

 

[Rufio65*]

I'm disliking Shanahan more by the day.. Having someone with zero front office experience calling the shots is an absolute joke. Shanny is just a name and nothing else. Hiring Blake to be GM would be an awful choice. He has a year and a half of front office experience.

 

[eddieO]

As someone who watches a lot of Kings, this would be a great hire. Blake is being groomed to take over for Lombardi.

And whoever said Yzerman had no experience: quite the opposite. He went through years of being an assistant and learning the ropes before running a team. Like Rob Blake is doing. And not like Shanahan did.

 

[Doug Gilmour]

Partially, yeah.

Last time I checked though surrounding stars with good players is something successful, smart teams do. And he has done that.

Have Toronto with Kessel?

The answer to that is twofold. Managment has the mentality that they find cheap trade options or waiver pickups to be those players but they have been using to small of a sample size to evaluate those players and it comes back to bite them over n over again. Panik is an exception to this mostly due to the fact they got **** lucky he was on waivers and that they have analytical analysis from Dubas to back decisions now. Looking at a player over his entire career instead of one season will give you a better idea of what they are capable of compared to doing like Fletcher and spur of the moment trades (yes I am talking the Steen trade). Had we kept Steen, I don't think we would have this conversation right now.

As for Rob Blake, really not interested for him as the role of GM...maybe more a coach but not GM.

 

[ChrisCall]

It is hard to take any general manager seriously who thought David Clarkson was worth over 5 mil, let alone over 3 mil. It's not hindsight goggles. Clarkson was never worth that kind of money, even in Jersey. He has never been a top six player in his career. 30 goals shmoals. 30 goals and 10 assists is still 40 points.

 

[HockeyCA]

It is hard to take any general manager seriously who thought David Clarkson was worth over 5 mil, let alone over 3 mil. It's not hindsight goggles. Clarkson was never worth that kind of money, even in Jersey. He has never been a top six player in his career. 30 goals shmoals. 30 goals and 10 assists is still 40 points.

Nonis doesn't strike me as the deepest of thinkers... if you get my drift. I remember watching one of those behind the draft specials with him and Burke, it was like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb.

The Leafs need to hire a guy who is young, bright, learned the game under the apprenticeship of other great hockey people, and is strong with the media in this market and is willing to be tough without being passive aggressive. Blake checks all of those boxes. That's not to say he's the guy, but he has to be at least in the conversation. He's been up and close and personal with one of the dominant teams over the last 5 years. I think he has a pretty good idea on how to run a winning organization and what it takes.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Not to sound like I was ahead of the curve on this one too, until Mckenzie touched on this on TSN Drive. Great show BTW with Dave Naylor. Better than Prime Time.

Daisy will attest, I mentioned this a month ago. Blake would be an interesting GM due to his increasing exp and relationship with Shanahan at the NHL offices.

i was very ahead of the curve because I mentioned this before Hextall got hired by Philly. I was saying Hextall or Blake makes sense, then we hired Shanahan and I was thinking that he would probably hire Blake [but then it looked like that wasn't going to be the case], but if it's circling around back to that. we'll see though.

Like i mentioned, a few pages ago - it really depends on what Blake wants to do. If he feels like he wants to be a GM - there are only 30 positions (and I don't get any indication that Lombardi wants to step aside to give Blake more responsibilities). + 40% easier dealing with this fanbase if he decides to just go from ground up (ie: rebuild). I however understand if he does not want the job because it could be seen as 'too difficult'. (OR he simply doesn't want to be GM right now).

 

[HockeyCA]

i was very ahead of the curve because I mentioned this before Hextall got hired by Philly. I was saying Hextall or Blake makes sense, then we hired Shanahan and I was thinking that he would probably hire Blake [but then it looked like that wasn't going to be the case], but if it's circling around back to that. we'll see though.

Like i mentioned, a few pages ago - it really depends on what Blake wants to do. If he feels like he wants to be a GM - there are only 30 positions (and I don't get any indication that Lombardi wants to step aside to give Blake more responsibilities). + 40% easier dealing with this fanbase if he decides to just go from ground up (ie: rebuild). I however understand if he does not want the job because it could be seen as 'too difficult'. (OR he simply doesn't want to be GM right now).

As others have already said, it might be difficult leaving that Los Angeles/Manhattan Beach lifestyle.. Especially when you are already part of a winning tradition already.. But being the GM of the Leafs I think is still a big prize in the hockey world.

I actually like the moves Shanny has made so far since he was hired. No real panic, waiting until the time is right... Seems like the right approach. The situation he walked into I think was a pretty bad one, and still is. We are capped out with players on bad contracts. If he is able to purge most of the terribleness, both on the ice and in the front office, within only 1 season, I think that has to be considered a real success.

 

[SprDaVE]

Blake would be a great choice from the sound of things. Highly regarded as an up and coming GM. I believe he was the WC Team Canada GM last year? Or at least he was apart of Team Canada for a period of time. He's been in LA for a bit, so it's not he's completely green like Dubas.

In any case, it's always risky to get inexperienced executives. I like that Shanahan is really not afraid to go after the people he thinks will turn this pile of garbage around. It could really pay off.

We've had experienced GMs crap the bed. We've had inexperienced GMs crap the bed. It really doesn't matter much in the end. As long as the moves pay off and that the results are there.

We just really need to fire Nonis. He's a big reason why we're in this mess. We need someone new to take over and basically rebuild.

 

[Rufio65*]

It is hard to take any general manager seriously who thought David Clarkson was worth over 5 mil, let alone over 3 mil. It's not hindsight goggles. Clarkson was never worth that kind of money, even in Jersey. He has never been a top six player in his career. 30 goals shmoals. 30 goals and 10 assists is still 40 points.

Dave Nonis is a terrible GM, but there were multiple teams that were willing to pay David Clarkson. His contract is bad, but he's producing and is a legit NHL player.

Nonis' biggest blunders:
1) Giving Jake Gardiner an albatross of a contract. He is an AHL caliber player.
2) Selecting Nylander when Ritchie and a generational talent in Anthony Deangelo were still on the board.
3) Giving up a 2nd for an AHL caliber player in Peter Holland.

Anyone that is capable of properly evaluating talent does not make those 3 moves.

 

[Deebo]

Dave Nonis is a terrible GM, but there were multiple teams that were willing to pay David Clarkson. His contract is bad, but he's producing and is a legit NHL player.

Nonis' biggest blunders:
1) Giving Jake Gardiner an albatross of a contract. He is an AHL caliber player.
2) Selecting Nylander when Ritchie and a generational talent in Anthony Deangelo were still on the board.
3) Giving up a 2nd for an AHL caliber player in Peter Holland.

Anyone that is capable of properly evaluating talent does not make those 3 moves.

1) Gardiner has more points than Clarkson the last 2 seasons combined, and only 4 less than Clarkson this year and he's a defenseman. Clarkson is a legit NHL player who is being outscored by an AHL calibre defenseman?

2) I don't think you know what "generational means"

3) he has 1 more point in 10 less games than Clarkson and you call Clarkson a legit NHL player and producing.

I'm no Nonis fan, but Clarkson is by far his worst move.