Top GM Replacements

[Paralyzer008]

"We thoroughly searched but we believe in the direction of the team from the management that is already in our organization."

- Bob Nicholson when he names Keith Gretzky as GM and Scott Howson as assistant GM.

 

[MessierII]

I’m focusing on just the top end first round picks because those are the guys you can’t miss on. Mactavish had two of them and they’re both regular roster pieces and most likely core pieces. That’s miles better than anybody else did. I’m not trying to defend him as a GM because I hated him. I hated what he did the rest of that 2013 draft and I ridiculed him for years over it. That said nobody else has done anything after the first round either, including Chiarelli. The book isn’t closed on those picks but until some of those guys are up here contributing, they don’t mean much to me. Like I said previously, every GM thought they’d done a good job drafting. We’ve been reading those prospect threads for years. The only difference between now and them is the names. What a player looks like in Bakersfield became meaningless to me years ago because the two leagues aren’t the same thing. Until we start successfully graduating some of those players into the NHL there is no concrete reason to believe they are better or worse than any other group of prospects we’ve had.

Obviously until they become nhlers we can’t close the book but we’ve never had this many good young players on our farm team before. This is a first in my lifetime anyway.

 

[I am the Liquor]

Oh I'm not really debating that. I'm just saying if people are going to bash Lowe's trades you have to remember we had no choice but to trade Weight for little.

Nobody disputes that. His record of futility really has nothing to do with budget constraints. Other than possibly the Comrie situation which is so hideous, it is hard to believe it couldn’t have been handled better regardless.

Hiring Mact as gm had nothing to do with money or budget restrictions and wasn’t even under the EIG. Nor was the two tier fan comment. The man is quite simply an ass.

 

[CaptainSexyPants]

Thoughts on Katz's eldest taking the reigns this year? Is he ready?

 

[rboomercat90]

Thoughts on Katz's eldest taking the reigns this year? Is he ready?

How do you give a serious response to this?

 

[Jean Ralphio]

Thoughts on Katz's eldest taking the reigns this year? Is he ready?

He's learned from the best for almost a decade at the draft, I'd say he's ready.

 

[TB12]

How do you give a serious response to this?

They’re 100% grooming him for it. He’s had practicums in different areas of the org in the summer.
It will eventually happen.

 

[rboomercat90]

They’re 100% grooming him for it. He’s had practicums in different areas of the org in the summer.
It will eventually happen.

I know he’ll likely own the team someday and he’ll do what he wants. I just hope before that day comes he’ll be educated in the matter that fits his role. Has he even finished high school yet? Promoting him into some role he isn’t qualified for in the near future would be the last straw for me. I can’t think of what could be a bigger troll job to the fans from Katz than that.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

woodguy nails it (not my twitter)

 

[TB12]

I know he’ll likely own the team someday and he’ll do what he wants. I just hope before that day comes he’ll be educated in the matter that fits his role. Has he even finished high school yet? Promoting him into some role he isn’t qualified for in the near future would be the last straw for me. I can’t think of what could be a bigger troll job to the fans from Katz than that.

Pretty sure he goes to USC.

 

[Jamin]

cool, they gave up a 36-goal player in the process...not to mention the heart of soul of the team
Oilers went 2-16-1 after that trade

and Lowe made tons of mistakes....with hiring Tambo and MacT near the top of the list

A pending UFA who had said he had given discounts before and would not nudge off his number.

If he plays those last games maybe he has a change of heart and re-signs or maybe he leaves as UFA and the team gets nothing.

Sad thing is even ending the season that way they only drafted 6th...one of our better seasons of the "Decade of Darkness"

 

[Jamin]

All I’m arguing is that Lowe was better than Chia.

Im with you on that, for some reason if you admit Lowe had some good moves people think your propping him up.

Whole discussion started with comparing him to Chia.

 

[rboomercat90]

Pretty sure he goes to USC.

That may make him more qualified than the rest of the front office but still not on par with any other team in North American professional sports.

 

[TB12]

That may make him more qualified than the rest of the front office but still not on par with any other team in North American professional sports.

hahaha 110% agreed

I think I have 3 breaking points with the team:

1.) McDavid asking for a trade
2.) Kelly Buchberger rehired in any role. Literally ANYTHING.
3.) What role Harrison eventually gets with the team. Like if he's GM it's "bye bye from TB12"

 

[rboomercat90]

hahaha 110% agreed

I think I have 3 breaking points with the team:

1.) McDavid asking for a trade
2.) Kelly Buchberger rehired in any role. Literally ANYTHING.
3.) What role Harrison eventually gets with the team. Like if he's GM it's "bye bye from TB12"

Easy to say McDavid getting traded would be a breaking point but I’m old enough to have been a fan when the team went through it with Gretzky and then later with the other guys. I remained a fan after that. Not sure that in itself would do it for me although I’m nowhere near as die hard a fan today as I was then so it probably would.

 

[TB12]

Easy to say McDavid getting traded would be a breaking point but I’m old enough to have been a fan when the team went through it with Gretzky and then later with the other guys. I remained a fan after that. Not sure that in itself would do it for me although I’m nowhere near as die hard a fan today as I was then so it probably would.

I remember the Gretzky sale, too , even though I was quite young and didn't totally understand. That didn't kill my love of the team, just made me hate Pocklington growing up haha. Having Connor ask out from this tire fire would definitely hurt and might make me step back.

Or.....I'm just a lifer and a glutton for punishment.

 

[joestevens29]

Easy to say McDavid getting traded would be a breaking point but I’m old enough to have been a fan when the team went through it with Gretzky and then later with the other guys. I remained a fan after that. Not sure that in itself would do it for me although I’m nowhere near as die hard a fan today as I was then so it probably would.

The difference back then was a lot of fans understood that things were being done because of money.

If we lose McDavid it's gonna be because of incompetence. If McDavid asks for a trade, Katz himself might as well sell the team and never show his face in Edmonton again.

 

[rboomercat90]

The difference back then was a lot of fans understood that things were being done because of money.

If we lose McDavid it's gonna be because of incompetence. If McDavid asks for a trade, Katz himself might as well sell the team and never show his face in Edmonton again.

Yes, you’re probably right. The situations are different.

Where they’re similar is the impact it would have on ownership. Pocklington was already hated because of his business dealings around town but the Gretzky trade was the icing on the cake and he was done as owner after that. Katz may have better will built up with the fan base (although after 13 years of terrible teams, I don’t know why he would) but he’d lose it all instantly and wouldn’t get it back.

 

[ItWasJustified]

I think I have 3 breaking points with the team:

Your breaking point should already be reached. Still having MacTavish and Lowe running the franchise is pure cancer.

1.) McDavid asking for a trade

Why would McDavid ask for a trade? Any tea he goes to will lose so many assets to Oilers they will stink worse than the Oilers do now,

 

[Beaumaris]

Your breaking point should already be reached. Still having MacTavish and Lowe running the franchise is pure cancer.

Why would McDavid ask for a trade? Any tea he goes to will lose so many assets to Oilers they will stink worse than the Oilers do now,

Leafs (for instance ) have so many assets. Just saying.

 

[ItWasJustified]

Leafs (for instance ) have so many assets. Just saying.

What assets will Toronto give up for McDavid? Oilers would ask for Marner/Matthews plus a top 4 defenseman and probably something more. Then the Leafs would have worse defense and be less of a contender.

 

[CycloneSweep]

@McCupofOil
I honestly could see Hextall being hired and him bringing Knoblauch over.

 

[CupofOil]

@McCupofOil
I honestly could see Hextall being hired and him bringing Knoblauch over.

I'd be all in for that but Hextall is the type of guy who will want full autonomy which means goodbye MacT and his staff so I'd be surprised if this happened.

 

[CycloneSweep]

I'd be all in for that but Hextall is the type of guy who will want full autonomy which means goodbye MacT and his staff so I'd be surprised if this happened.

It all depends on how series they are. Could see MacTavish keeping his hockey operations role and Hextall just ignoring his opinions.

Chia listened to the old boys opinions and he didn't have to

 

[guymez]

It all depends on how series they are. Could see MacTavish keeping his hockey operations role and Hextall just ignoring his opinions.

Chia listened to the old boys opinions and he didn't have to

That would be dysfunctional right from the start. This IS the problem IMO.

Would you take a job to run the team knowing the the owners good buddy was going to forced on you as your top advisor and co-Manager and the only way to deal with it was to ignore him?

What kind of professional organization does this kind of thing?
Its pathetic and IMO its going to be a huge impediment to finding quality people to run this gong show.
It irks me to no end that this is the reality being forced on us.