Podcast (Audio) The White Whale - the Mike Gillis Interview

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

gillis can get another job he just wants to make sure its the right one. he said so himself he declines many jobs

You dont say..?

 

[krutovsdonut]

gillis can get another job he just wants to make sure its the right one. he said so himself he declines many jobs

new parody account?

 

[krutovsdonut]

Ugh once again we're on this ridiculous "everyone hated Gillis and wouldn't trade with" bullcrap.

Mike Gillis won GM of the year in 2011. 24/30 GM's cast a vote for him, 14 of which gave him first place. Steve Yzerman came in 2nd with 7 first place votes.

You can't claim that the entire league hated Gillis but then voted him as the best amongst them.

I'm sure GM's have a healthy rivalry and certainly there has been animosity. But Brian Burke and Dave Nonis and the Toronto based media in general being whiners does not mean they represent the rest of the NHL.

i am pretty sure that they could easily have voted him gm of the year based on his team's record and still thought he was a jerk they did not want to deal with.

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

As I keep saying, Gillis wants a level of control and autonomy that owners are, frankly, unwilling to concede.

He's obviously intriguing to owners, otherwise he wouldn't keep getting interviews. But someone who wants free reign and to implement a system that bucks against existing NHL front office paradigms is a hard sell, especially given the fact his options are limited based on resources/operating budget. Prior to taking the Vancouver gig, he had turned down offers from Toronto and, IIRC, Phoenix. The former due to not being offered the freedom he wanted, the latter due to a lack of resources.

It's understandable why he hasn't come back, IMO.

 

[EpochLink]

Means dick all. He built the greatest Canucks team ever assembled. 10-12 will likely never be matched again.

He likely learned from any past mistakes and would come back stronger. Other GMs maybe dont like him because he's smarter than all of them. Look at the morons running some of these teams.

Sure he did but he ain’t ‘with it’ with the other OBC guys like Rutherford, Davidson, Lemieux, Lou Lam and Burke. Him coming back as a GM, if he only got the Vancouver job…he won’t get anywhere else.

 

[EpochLink]

Mike Gillis won GM of the year in 2011. 24/30 GM's cast a vote for him, 14 of which gave him first place. Steve Yzerman came in 2nd with 7 first place votes.

As a consolation prize on losing the Stanley Cup Finals!? Why not! Gillis should be on his knees kissing Aquaman feet for getting him the GM Job cause he got dick everywhere else.

@Bubbles again, these guys don’t get it.

 

[rypper]

As a consolation prize on losing the Stanley Cup Finals!? Why not! Gillis should be on his knees kissing Aquaman feet for getting him the GM Job cause he got dick everywhere else.

@Bubbles again, these guys don’t get it.

He was voted as a finalist on April 20th. So that's not really applicable.

 

[Ernie]

i am pretty sure that they could easily have voted him gm of the year based on his team's record and still thought he was a jerk they did not want to deal with.

So they'll harm their own interests by not making trades with him but are happy to give him credit for being a great GM?

Human nature doesn't work that way.

 

[Ernie]

As I keep saying, Gillis wants a level of control and autonomy that owners are, frankly, unwilling to concede.

Beyond the autonomy, quite frankly his plans are a major ask. I'm sure he's put a lot of thought and research into it but his ideas are unproven and quite expensive. Teams want to win now, not tinker with management structures that may or may not pan out some years down the road.

 

[bertuzzi2bure]

As a consolation prize on losing the Stanley Cup Finals!? Why not! Gillis should be on his knees kissing Aquaman feet for getting him the GM Job cause he got dick everywhere else.

@Bubbles again, these guys don’t get it.

Vote was before the Finals. Its YOU who doesnt get it.

Pejorative Slur alert, Pejorative Slur alert!

 

[rypper]

Sure he did but he ain’t ‘with it’ with the other OBC guys like Rutherford, Davidson, Lemieux, Lou Lam and Burke. Him coming back as a GM, if he only got the Vancouver job…he won’t get anywhere else.

The only of those names that has any issue with Gillis is Burke.

 

[Bubbles]

As a consolation prize on losing the Stanley Cup Finals!? Why not! Gillis should be on his knees kissing Aquaman feet for getting him the GM Job cause he got dick everywhere else.

@Bubbles again, these guys don’t get it.

I have a feeling a lot of these posters don't have a lot of real world experience. Connections, and interpersonal relationships really matter in the business world, and the same is for hockey. Hockey is a super small, tight-knit community. Just because someone may be the smartest guy in the room, doesn't mean he should be automatically given a job. A guy could have a stellar resume like Gillis, but he rubs people the wrong way.

Ever wonder why that idiot at work is still there and getting promoted ahead of you? Oh yeah, he's the boss's son or whatever. Life isn't fair.

People are making excuses for how he's been turned down by the Devils, Panthers and Kraken. Wasn't even considered for the Pens job because of Burkie. Clearly, either somebody or HIMSELF is stopping his re-entry into the NHL.

I've already given links in my other posts in this thread about animosity against Gillis. No one else has posted proof other than the GM of the Year stuff.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

^ i think the distinction is really just some people think this is stupid and leaning into it produces poor results, while others are cheering it on

i don’t think anybody here doesn’t understand that the exec level in the nhl, and the world in general, is a boy’s club

 

[Bubbles]

^ i think the distinction is really just some people think this is stupid and leaning into it produces poor results, while others are cheering it on

i don’t think anybody here doesn’t understand that the exec level in the nhl, and the world in general, is a boy’s club

Here's a big point that people missed. Gillis was only in the club because Aquilini hired him into it. (and it was dubious hiring at the time as well) And clearly the OBC isn't inviting him back once he left the "club".

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

People are making excuses for how he's been turned down by the Devils, Panthers and Kraken. Wasn't even considered for the Pens job because of Burkie. Clearly, either somebody or HIMSELF is stopping his re-entry into the NHL.

My question always is, why does he get those interviews in the first place if there's no interest at all in him and he's become completely carcinogenic to the NHL executive/owner community?

If he's not someone people want to work with and there's animosity, why would you entertain his thoughts? Thoughts that, apparently, aren't valued by the people he's sharing them with.

Using your boorish coworker example, if that same person gets fired, I'm not running out to network with them, add them on LinkedIn or interview them for another position. I thank my lucky stars they're gone and swiftly move on.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

He probably gets interviews because he submits his resume (which we’ve all read)....I dont think its a case of teams seeking him out...at all..He's in the same 'where are they now' category as Peter Chiarelli.

Gillis didnt get the Oilers job because of his poor drafting according to mark Spector.

 

[PuckMunchkin]

new parody account?

Definitely!

The fact that he is not a GM in the league means he cant get hired. 100% What else could it mean? I sure cant think of anything else it could mean.

 

[Bubbles]

My question always is, why does he get those interviews in the first place if there's no interest at all in him and he's become completely carcinogenic to the NHL executive/owner community?

If he's not someone people want to work with and there's animosity, why would you entertain his thoughts? Thoughts that, apparently, aren't valued by the people he's sharing them with.

Using your boorish coworker example, if that same person gets fired, I'm not running out to network with them, add them on LinkedIn or interview them for another position. I thank my lucky stars they're gone and swiftly move on.

As I've said before, it's not ALL the hockey world that hates him. Ironically, no one has ever said "Everyone hated Gillis." Plenty of new people in hockey management that have no ties to the old guard. But you can't deny that there is small faction of old men with old grudges who hold powerful positions in the hockey world that really don't like him.

He has a lot of innovative ideas that GMs/Presidents want to pick his brain. Picking up a phone and calling him about certain things doesn't indicate a liking or not. But hiring him on is another issue altogether.

I wouldn't include Lou Lamorello as his enemy though.

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

He probably gets interviews because he submits his resume (which we’ve all read)....I dont think its a case of teams seeking him out...at all..He's in the same 'where are they now' category as Peter Chiarelli.

So why are they granting an interview with him if he's not seen as desirable? I don't bother to interview candidates I have zero intention of hiring, so why are millionaires/billionaires who have a lot more at stake than I would in my shitty little position be doing that?

 

[Bubbles]

Gillis didnt get the Oilers job because of his poor drafting according to mark Spector.

Actually, it's because Kevin Lowe hates his guts:

Vancouver Canucks: Is Mike Gillis the Man for the GM Job?

Lowe is now Alternate Governor of the Oilers, even higher than a president. I had forgotten that he hates Gillis too, lol.

Anyone else want more Gillis haters evidence? No one else seems to have any contrary other than he was GM of the year.

@EpochLink LOL I totally forgot about the Lowe/Gillis thing. Chalk up
another powerful OBC guy that hates him.

 

[racerjoe]

It really is.

Like I said, I have no doubt that @sting101 is accurate when he's saying there were plans to take him before the draft (and not from the scouting staff). But I find it impossible to believe that 'Scouting GM' Jim Benning couldn't have changed that if he wanted to. The guy was literally hired to 'fix the drafting' and then you're not going to take his first recommendation if he wants someone else?

There has never been an iota of an indication that Benning wasn't totally in line with that pick and shouldn't have to fully own that pick.

not only that, but look how the non benning picks in that draft were treated, MCCaan Forsling... booted.

He didnt build it ..He inherited all the primary pieces.
Luongo/Schneider
The Sedins
Salo
Edler
Bieksa
Burrows
Kesler

in that case I case last years team was a Gillis team.
Edler
Horvat
Tanev
Markstrom

but hamhuis

but Myers! Oh wait...

 

[krutovsdonut]

but Myers! Oh wait...

i can't figure out how that is a burn. sorry.

 

[racerjoe]

i can't figure out how that is a burn. sorry.

If you read slower does it help?

it’s one thing to have a player who wants to sign with you, it’s another to find the good ones, than another to sign a good deal for the team, and finally another to put said player in a position to succeed.

I could also go and list home town people who didn’t sign with the Canucks... including Hanhuis after that first deal.

I mean really every way Gillis handled hamhuis well, than Benning handles him horribly.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

in that case I case last years team was a Gillis team.
Edler
Horvat
Tanev
Markstrom
.

Credit to those players..especially Markstrom, but without QH and EP, and Miller (and Myers) last year...we wouldnt have even been anywhere near playoff contention.

 

[racerjoe]

Credit to those players..especially Markstrom, but without QH and EP, and Miller (and Myers) last year...we wouldnt have even been anywhere near playoff contention.

and without hamhuis, erhoff, manny, Higgins, Samuelson, where is that team.

Myers... hahaha, nice one.