Who should the Canucks target as their next GM?

[VanJack]

Aquilini is a meddling and troublesome owner, which seriously limits the potential pool of GM's willing to come here. It's no surprise that it's been a year since Linden walked the plank, and there's been absolutely no movement in going out of find a new president.

Sad reality, is if the Canucks find a way to squeak into the playoffs next spring, Jimbo will be re-upped by Aquilini. You can book it.

 

[ginner classic]

Lombardi has already said he’s not interested. Twice.

I think the last incident was due to lacking an exit clause. His situation may change on expiry.

Dean Lombardi's Flyers contract blocks possible job with Canucks - Sportsnet.ca

 

[F A N]

I like Hextall more than Lombardi even though Hextall kind of comes from the Lombardi school of GMing. If this was summer of 2014 I would go with Lombardi as his accumulate draft picks rebuilding method is proven. He's really iffy in terms of making moves to turn a team into a contender (I realized that he traded for Carter and Richards and won a Cup but he was about to be fired because he wasn't known to make those type of moves).

As for Hextall, I think he's a good GM for a rebuilding club and I like his overall approach, but like Lombardi I don't really trust him to turn a team into a Cup contender.

My first choice before was Julien Brisebois. Of the current candidates, I think I'll take a chance with Mark Hunter.

I don't really get the love for Gilman. He's an excellent "capologist" but what else does he bring? Did anyone listen to his interviews on 1040 and come away with the impression that he has a great hockey mind? Experience aside, I rather have Ferraro. Did you hear Gilman talk about Jake Virtanen? Some want him as President but does he inspire confidence? Is he able to convince you to buy season tickets or a suite if he calls? Gilman doesn't strike me as a leader. It was Gillis who had all the ideas. It wasn't Gilman. I think Gilman is more suited to the AGM position.

 

[LordBacon]

Ferraro for gm, bracket for agm

 

[Jay Cee]

Since Hextall was fired in part for being too patient and inflexible to his plan I doubt he is going to be on the top of Aquilini's list.

 

[iceburg]

Would love to see Gilman get a shot. Smart, experienced, collaborative, respected. I could see him building a strong management team around himself as well.

 

[rypper]

I think you have to look at the Minnesota wild and Paul Fenton as a cautionary tale. He used to top all the lists of sought after AGM's whenever a GM role opened up.

Look at the disaster he was. (I mean you could look at Jim Benning the same way but I remember Fenton's name coming up way more. )

We don't need someone who excels in one particular area or another, we just need a good manager who isn't afraid to defer to those with more expertise in a certain area then they do.

 

[VanillaCoke]

Ferraro for gm, bracket for agm

Neither are probably qualified for either role, but Ferraro for sure is not even close. Never been anything but a player and commentator.
While I agree I think he's undervalued and probably should be employed by a pro team in some aspect, thrown into a top spot is a disaster in waiting

 

[ginner classic]

Since Hextall was fired in part for being too patient and inflexible to his plan I doubt he is going to be on the top of Aquilini's list.

People learn.

The Aquilini's better start learning. Their track record prevents management talent from signing here.

 

[TruGr1t]

I don't care as long as it's not an AGM who specializes in amateur scouting.

 

[Jay Cee]

People learn.

The Aquilini's better start learning. Their track record prevents management talent from signing here.

I don't think they will.

I think they dream to have what Toronto did for a decade which was mediocre teams and filling the seats every game.

 

[vanuck]

I don't have to put any words in your mouth..You made your point quite clearly

If all you can do is deflect and perform mental gymnastics in order to absolve your boy of any and all blame... then clearly I don't need to say anything more at this point.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

If all you can do is deflect and perform mental gymnastics in order to absolve your boy of any and all blame... then clearly I don't need to say anything more at this point.

What you on about?..You're the one saying that if Aqua had hired a 'smart GM',we wouldn't be in this mess now ?..The incoming GM's mandate (by the ownership) was to make the playoffs in 2014.(so you and the other armchair GM's on here, wouldnt have even gotten a sniff to begin with)...There was not going to be any rebuild ,or extra picks..The outgoing GM probably got fired for suggesting such a thing a year earlier.

Then you go on about how Aqua is rich and greedy..and has ruined the past ,present and future of the team (I thought you said Benning,...but its still completely absurd hyperbole)..The future of the team is not ruined at all.

You would have to be pretty naive if you think that Aqualini is going to hire a GM without that person following his mandate.

 

[Dump Itch]

Would love to see Gilman get a shot. Smart, experienced, collaborative, respected. I could see him building a strong management team around himself as well.

Sounds a lot like Benning before he was hired.

 

[iceburg]

Sounds a lot like Benning before he was hired.

Not really. The big thing that Benning apparently had going for him was that he was a hockey guy...one of the old boys. Dad was a career scout. JB himself was considered to be "in the club." Gilmamn is not like that at all. His smarts are on the business side. He is a little bit of an outsider when it comes to the "old hockey guard."

 

[PuckMunchkin]

A smart people manager for GM.

A number of assistant GMs that specialize in one part of the job:
- contracts & cap
- amateur scouting & drafting
- pro scouting & trading

Something like that.

 

[Bleach Clean]

The real issue is that Aquilini now knows enough to be dangerous.

Before, he was reliant on Gillis's knowledge. He deferred to it. Then as the years passed, Aquilini's confidence in his own understanding of Hockey Ops grew, which then allowed him to fire Gillis. Now Aquilini is entrenched as a pseudo puppeteer GM.

This is why a puppet GM like Benning works here. Benning makes the moves and gets the credit/blame. Meanwhile, Aquilini vetoes moves behind the scenes without direct repercussion. It's a detrimental situation that requires two parts to work. Without a docile GM, Aquilini faces opposition and it all blows up.

Linden was crucial in this regard. He had enough clout within the city to make any confrontation with Aquilini damaging. Except, he didn't use the media to lean on Aquilini early enough. He tried to play it straight and it was a mistake, IMO.



Basically, whoever comes here has to have a strong reputation. That reputation will allow said individual to push Aquilini back when Aquilini is trying to exert Hockey Ops control. An impossible ask? No. Aquilini is in a very precarious position. His reputation is already in the gutter and he cannot draw the top execs. If he oversteps again, then the hockey world will vilify him endlessly. He's out of rope.

 

[biturbo19]

The real issue is that Aquilini now knows enough to be dangerous.

Before, he was reliant on Gillis's knowledge. He deferred to it. Then as the years passed, Aquilini's confidence in his own understanding of Hockey Ops grew, which then allowed him to fire Gillis. Now Aquilini is entrenched as a pseudo puppeteer GM.

This is why a puppet GM like Benning works here. Benning makes the moves and gets the credit/blame. Meanwhile, Aquilini vetoes moves behind the scenes without direct repercussion. It's a detrimental situation that requires two parts to work. Without a docile GM, Aquilini faces opposition and it all blows up.

Linden was crucial in this regard. He had enough clout within the city to make any confrontation with Aquilini damaging. Except, he didn't use the media to lean on Aquilini early enough. He tried to play it straight and it was a mistake, IMO.



Basically, whoever comes here has to have a strong reputation. That reputation will allow said individual to push Aquilini back when Aquilini is trying to exert Hockey Ops control. An impossible ask? No. Aquilini is in a very precarious position. His reputation is already in the gutter and he cannot draw the top execs. If he oversteps again, then the hockey world will vilify him endlessly. He's out of rope.

I agree with a lot of this. But ultimately, i disagree with the idea that Aquaman is out of rope. As long as he's got money, he's got rope. That's the way it works.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I agree with a lot of this. But ultimately, i disagree with the idea that Aquaman is out of rope. As long as he's got money, he's got rope. That's the way it works.

He can still operate his team. No doubt. However, his methods have resulted in a damaged reputation. He has exhausted the benefit of the doubt with the media, fans and hockey circles. That’s the rope I’m referring to.

What type of GM do you think he’s going to be able to draw here? Who is going to want to work for him?

 

[F A N]

Basically, whoever comes here has to have a strong reputation. That reputation will allow said individual to push Aquilini back when Aquilini is trying to exert Hockey Ops control. An impossible ask? No. Aquilini is in a very precarious position. His reputation is already in the gutter and he cannot draw the top execs. If he oversteps again, then the hockey world will vilify him endlessly. He's out of rope.

He can still operate his team. No doubt. However, his methods have resulted in a damaged reputation. He has exhausted the benefit of the doubt with the media, fans and hockey circles. That’s the rope I’m referring to.

What type of GM do you think he’s going to be able to draw here? Who is going to want to work for him?

I don't disagree with most of what you posted. I just think you overestimate the effect that say half of the media has on Aquilini. Aquilini isn't unfamiliar with bad press. Remember how you thought that Aquilini not coming out and answering questions about the Linden firing was some terrible PR move? So what was the consequence? Is he being asked questions about Linden now? No it blew over. The guy owns the team. He's been accused of meddling before and he's come out and said he doesn't. In reality, even Gillis never came out and said that Aquilini meddled but rather he'll say that keeping ownership happy is an important part of the job. Aquilini will find another GM who will speak glowing words about him whenever asked.

The question of who is going to want to work for him is close to irrelevant. You don't have to want to work for Aquilini to want the job Aquilini is offering. If someone is like Gillis who would rather wait for the perfect opportunity and not compromise on anything or else he won't do it then good for him. But good luck with that. The GM job of an NHL team is a desirable job. There are only 31 and soon 32 of those jobs available period. Mike Futa hasn't gotten one. Neither has Mark Hunter. You can wait quite a bit of time for another opportunity.

Some guys really won't work with someone whom they don't respect and or won't given them free reign to do everything they think they need to do to be successful. I respect that. But I'm rather pragmatic. I think that a GM candidate will look at the Canucks and weight the positives against the negatives. Say what you will about Aquilini but he's willing to spend to the cap and spend money on the team. At the end of the day, if what the owner wants is for the team to win and make the playoffs every year, that's not the worst thing in the world.

 

[MarkMM]

What you on about?..You're the one saying that if Aqua had hired a 'smart GM',we wouldn't be in this mess now ?..The incoming GM's mandate (by the ownership) was to make the playoffs in 2014.(so you and the other armchair GM's on here, wouldnt have even gotten a sniff to begin with)...There was not going to be any rebuild ,or extra picks..The outgoing GM probably got fired for suggesting such a thing a year earlier.

Then you go on about how Aqua is rich and greedy..and has ruined the past ,present and future of the team (I thought you said Benning,...but its still completely absurd hyperbole)..The future of the team is not ruined at all.

You would have to be pretty naive if you think that Aqualini is going to hire a GM without that person following his mandate.

I'll buy that this isn't only on Benning and that ultimately Benning's bad performance rests with the Aquillini's for either ordering him to do stupid things or not firing him for doing stupid things, so fair, Aquilini's deserve a good deal of blame.

At the same time, even if the mandate was to compete and win, a lot of the individual decisions in how Benning tried to execute that are idiotic, Sbisa trade and re-signing with a raise and term despite poor performance, trading a young player AND pick for "culture carrier" Prust and having to dump him because of...culture problems, Sutter and Gudbranson trades and asinine contracts, being a net exporter of draft picks, etc, etc. So even if he received bad instructions, Benning compounded the error by executing them in an idiotic manner.

I don't disagree with most of what you posted. I just think you overestimate the effect that say half of the media has on Aquilini. Aquilini isn't unfamiliar with bad press. Remember how you thought that Aquilini not coming out and answering questions about the Linden firing was some terrible PR move? So what was the consequence? Is he being asked questions about Linden now? No it blew over. The guy owns the team. He's been accused of meddling before and he's come out and said he doesn't. In reality, even Gillis never came out and said that Aquilini meddled but rather he'll say that keeping ownership happy is an important part of the job. Aquilini will find another GM who will speak glowing words about him whenever asked.

The question of who is going to want to work for him is close to irrelevant. You don't have to want to work for Aquilini to want the job Aquilini is offering. If someone is like Gillis who would rather wait for the perfect opportunity and not compromise on anything or else he won't do it then good for him. But good luck with that. The GM job of an NHL team is a desirable job. There are only 31 and soon 32 of those jobs available period. Mike Futa hasn't gotten one. Neither has Mark Hunter. You can wait quite a bit of time for another opportunity.

Some guys really won't work with someone whom they don't respect and or won't given them free reign to do everything they think they need to do to be successful. I respect that. But I'm rather pragmatic. I think that a GM candidate will look at the Canucks and weight the positives against the negatives. Say what you will about Aquilini but he's willing to spend to the cap and spend money on the team. At the end of the day, if what the owner wants is for the team to win and make the playoffs every year, that's not the worst thing in the world.

Fair points, one caveat is I wouldn't necessarily put a lot of weight on previous employees like Gillis not saying bad things about ownership on things like interference. I've fired or had employees move on enough times to know that it's part and parcel of business these days to have non-disparagement agreements as standard operating procedure. Even where employees and employers really hate each other, if they had a half competent lawyer you would never hear a smidgen of it in public for fear of significant penalties. In much smaller businesses than the Canucks I've seen companies not hire a person without a pre-agreed non-disparagement clause inserted into the employment agreement, in fact, I've never worked for a company and never hired a person without lawyers inserting these clauses as standard.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

I'll buy that this isn't only on Benning and that ultimately Benning's bad performance rests with the Aquillini's for either ordering him to do stupid things or not firing him for doing stupid things, so fair, Aquilini's deserve a good deal of blame.

At the same time, even if the mandate was to compete and win, a lot of the individual decisions in how Benning tried to execute that are idiotic, Sbisa trade and re-signing with a raise and term despite poor performance, trading a young player AND pick for "culture carrier" Prust and having to dump him because of...culture problems, Sutter and Gudbranson trades and asinine contracts, being a net exporter of draft picks, etc, etc. So even if he received bad instructions, Benning compounded the error by executing them in an idiotic manner.



Fair points, one caveat is I wouldn't necessarily put a lot of weight on previous employees like Gillis not saying bad things about ownership on things like interference. I've fired or had employees move on enough times to know that it's part and parcel of business these days to have non-disparagement agreements as standard operating procedure. Even where employees and employers really hate each other, if they had a half competent lawyer you would never hear a smidgen of it in public for fear of significant penalties. In much smaller businesses than the Canucks I've seen companies not hire a person without a pre-agreed non-disparagement clause inserted into the employment agreement, in fact, I've never worked for a company and never hired a person without lawyers inserting these clauses as standard.

There's no argument from me that JB's trades in the 'compete on the fly ' era were not good..The poor mandate was given out by ownership, and he did a poor job of executing it (Bennings worst moves were in the first 3 years) .

I still say that the worst thing that could have happened to the Canucks was making the playoffs in 2015..It created an illusion that ownership and management could still 'compete ' around the twins.

I dont blame management for essentially kicking Kassian off of the team..(The 5th was for Prust)...Kassian has even said himself that it took a life changing incident to turn his life around.

Since this thread is about the next GM..I would say that currently, ownership is more involved in the teams decision making than its ever been..Who needs a middle man (President).. when its just another voice, and distraction...If the team improves next season, ownership will have more confidence in their decisions..and again..will hire 'their guy'.

 

[RobertKron]

There's no argument from me that JB's trades in the 'compete on the fly ' era were not good..The poor mandate was given out by ownership, and he did a poor job of executing it (Bennings worst moves were in the first 3 years) .

I still say that the worst thing that could have happened to the Canucks was making the playoffs in 2015..It created an illusion that ownership and management could still 'compete ' around the twins.

I dont blame management for essentially kicking Kassian off of the team..(The 5th was for Prust)...Kassian has even said himself that it took a life changing incident to turn his life around.

Since this thread is about the next GM..I would say that currently, ownership is more involved in the teams decision making than its ever been..Who needs a middle man (President).. when its just another voice, and distraction...If the team improves next season, ownership will have more confidence in their decisions..and again..will hire 'their guy'.

There certainly was.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Why should we be looking for a new GM? Benning has been doing a great job so far...

 

[Zippgunn]

Aqulini's involvement is overblown IMO. Yes, he may want a playoff team but that shouldn't equate to making dumb moves that kill both the future and the present. Had he hired a smart GM we would already be competitive by now, while also having future assets still.

Having Aqua as the owner is not an excuse.

A smart GM won't touch FAQ with a ten foot cattle prod...