Speculation: Who should be the new GM of the Washington Capitals?

[Langway]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/ho...an-dubnyk-odd-masked-man-out-in-montreal.html

3. With Barry Trotz closing his deal to become Washington's next head coach, the obvious question becomes 'Who is the general manager?' You've got to think Trotz knows the answer -- or has a very good idea. It sounds like the Capitals interviewed and/or talked to about 10 people for the job, including Craig Button, Jay Feaster, Paul Fenton, Brian MacLellan, Ross Mahoney, Darcy Regier, Don Sweeney and God only knows who else. I suspect there was some kind of contact with Mike Gillis and Ray Shero, but don't have confirmation. As for Wayne Gretzky, the position would have been bigger than GM, obviously, but it didn't go too far.

4. Trotz has a lengthy history with Fenton and Shero, but do not ignore MacLellan. According to several sources, the current assistant GM was involved in the Trotz interviews and helped show him around the U.S. capital. It is unlikely someone on the way out would be so heavily involved. When this process started, his hiring would be a surprise. Not anymore.

I'm not one to read terribly much into that. Given the way that Leonsis praised the front office staff I always thought it unlikely MacLellan would be headed out immediately. That may change in time but in the short-term any significant change to the front office outside of the GM position seemed unlikely.

Certainly a hard sell to speak of craving new leadership only to promote from within at the GM position.

 

[Ridley Simon]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/ho...an-dubnyk-odd-masked-man-out-in-montreal.html

I'm not one to read terribly much into that. Given the way that Leonsis praised the front office staff I always thought it unlikely MacLellan would be headed out immediately. That may change in time but in the short-term any significant change to the front office outside of the GM position seemed unlikely.

Certainly a hard sell to speak of craving new leadership only to promote from within at the GM position.

Yeah. I am obviously not thrilled with a possible MacLellan hire. It would "stink" of Patrick holding onto the authority reigns of the FO. Certainly wouldn't lend to a new vision, in the context that I believe the Caps need.

That said, there are positives to it. The benefits of McPhee would remain (draft, grooming your talent, etc)....while perhaps the problems of McPhee would get addressed. I can't imagine that the guy with intimate knowledge of McPhee's failures would take a tact that stays close to that course. Would think he'd have his own ideas as to how to correct what McPhee did wrong. MacLellen having the trust of the FO may allow him to really push whatever envelope he would have.

That said, I'd have MacLellen strongly behind Shero, Fenton, and Sweeney. And perhaps even guys like Regier. But I am sure Ted/Dick arethinking "if we are going to hire some sharp minded apprentice (Fenton/MacIver/Sweeney), perhaps we should hire our own (MacLellen).

Granted, that completely ignore the aspect of coming from a better pedigree than the Caps have...but my guess is Ted (and especially Dick) think their own pedigree is just fine, mind you...

Hiring MacLellen would beg the honest question: does the man that has been squarely involved in the 35+ years of losing ... Understand his own role in it? A MacLellen hire would scream "no, no he doesn't".

We will see.

 

[Langway]

It's possible to be part of the established braintrust yet be capable of doing much better but I wouldn't count on it. This is a someone that, on the surface anyway, seems less worthy of getting bumped up to GM than Fishman even and certainly Mahoney as far as how they fared in their individual responsibilities.

His chief responsibility has been to advise McPhee on pro personnel and oversee the pro scouting staff. The pro scouting staff is arguably one of the worst aspects of the organization since Carriere left in 2010. It's very difficult to separate him from their entire organizational approach to actively go away from their strengths post-Halaking. At worst he was a silent participant. It certainly would come across as Patrick lacking the wherewithal to give a new credible GM the power and autonomy required to perform their duties.

 

[Atlas]

Ted 'n Dick don't have many years left before Ovechkin is gone. Prepare yourselves to see those years squandered if they bring in a rookie or crony GM.

 

[Liberati0n*]

I guess, regarding Fishman/MacLellan, no talent evaluation background/skillset is better than a ****** one that will mislead you. Assuming Fishman would effectively use "analytics" and organize the scouts around him well at least.

Mahoney was always the internal guy I thought should at least get a little consideration. He comes off pretty well in interviews, but I don't think I've ever heard him make a negative comment...too much "we like our team" probably. Too bad we can't see the actual interviews.

 

[EroCaps]

Don't you promote understudies when the GM is a noted success? Who promotes the apprentice to a failure.

Horrid move.

 

[SimplySensational]

MacLellan is part of the I like our team culture.

 

[Koized]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports-content/ho...an-dubnyk-odd-masked-man-out-in-montreal.html

I'm not one to read terribly much into that. Given the way that Leonsis praised the front office staff I always thought it unlikely MacLellan would be headed out immediately. That may change in time but in the short-term any significant change to the front office outside of the GM position seemed unlikely.

Certainly a hard sell to speak of craving new leadership only to promote from within at the GM position.

Some awful candidates on that list.

 

[NoMoreChoking]

I highly doubt it's gonna be MacLellan. Just cause hes part of interviews means nothing. Hes still making trades, they are proceeding as normal, as of right now

 

[LifetimeUFA]

Washington Capitals ‏@washcaps 39s
BREAKING NEWS: #Caps Promote Brian MacLellan to General Manager, Name Barry Trotz Coach. http://capitalstoday.monumentalnetw...lan-to-general-manager-name-barry-trotz-coach … pic.twitter.com/HYSghWspXi

Why am I not excited

 

[John Price]

Yeah I saw that too. Are they daft? Why?

Hire an outsider that knows how to fix this damn team.

Not happy.