GM Speculation

[Trettioåtta]

It did :blink:

 

Have a look at the standings. Burke's team is doing pretty well

[korab rules]

What about Chris Drury? Wonder if he would make a good assistant coach.

 

 

I think Devine has been the reason behind some of our recent drafts and actually seems to have a clue at what he is doing so I would love to keep him.

 

To the Julien BriseBois idea... I really like him. His resume is extensive and he is well thought of from what I can gather. He has more experience and if he joins the Sabres I would feel pretty good.

please tell me you are kidding...

[Hoss]

It did :blink:

 

Absolutely. His first offseason: drafted Kadri, traded for Kessel. First season he went out and got Phaneuf. Got a first round pick out of aging Kaberle. Hired Randy Carlyle.

 

A lot of balls there.

 

They were the seventh worst team in the league when he came in. Now they're a playoff team. Because of him. Nonis did nothing before/during last season.

 

 

Maybe the ballsy moves and roster building rubbed off on Loiselle.

[Brawndo]

Why would Botterill leave the Pens for the Sabres just to stay as an assistant to the GM?

 

Plus why would the Pens allow him to leave before his contract is up for a lateral move?

[LGR4GM]

please tell me you are kidding...

About drury or devine? If Drury, I was spitballing captains who I liked who might be able to coach. If Devine what about him do you dislike?

[nfreeman]

If the Sabres are going to let the new GM make the call on Nolan, they aren't going to draw a line in the sand on Devine.

[ROC Sabres]

There's a couple more former sabres captains who don't work for the team - what's Stu Barnes, Miro Satan and Craig Rivet doing these days?

Rivet was actually on hockey hotline this morning interestingly enough. Also said he's a huge sabres fan but still hopes the team tanks for the #1 pick.

[rakish]

I think the solid organizations are relying more on analytics and big data to determine who is contributing and who is not which determines the next process in the chain. With some insight from the work with the Hawks (consulting to a Hawks consultant) they have created quite a few firewalls to prevent falling in love with a prospect. They would rather pay for production. A good example is Jack Skille who they dumped and Leddy who they picked up. The numbers dictated that move to a large extent. The 900 pound gorilla for them is the Hossa contract, whose acquisition put them over the top. Don't be surprised if he is jettisoned this off-season. Why? Because the numbers say that they have similar production waiting in the pipeline and at a lower cost. My point is like it or not, the truest measure of a GM's talent today is the ability to make the tough decisions that impact a team enterprise wide, not the ability to assemble a roster for any given period. More and more those decisions are data driven and less instinctual. Numbers do not lie but sometimes perception does.

 

I think there's a lot of truth here. I'm very impressed with Chicago's ability to add a major piece to the team each year while at the same time reduce the average age of the team. I think this board somewhat overemphasizes the value of the good draft picks they accumulated by being bad. But while the reliance on data rings true as to what is happening in Chicago or likely Pittsburgh, I would be surprised if it was true in Boston.

 

Regarding the falling in love. I found the 3 draft videos I saw very interesting because there seemed to be no dissent in the 3 (Buffalo, Philly, and Columbus) draft rooms. I'm not sold on analytics being used very much because I don't think any of the 3 got the right guy, based on analytics. I guess that's what bad teams do.

 

I think a lot of the problem with analytics is people not being able to use them. My favorite example of this is Regier. Around 2000 some data guy told him that the Czechs are the most undervalued draft picks (which is true, but it's not enough true to make a difference). So Regier spends the next few years drafting Czechs, only to find that he's not getting good players, so he stops.

[josie]

There's a couple more former sabres captains who don't work for the team - what's Stu Barnes, Miro Satan and Craig Rivet doing these days?

I dated a guy named Stu Barnes once. He hated that everywhere he went people yelled "STuuuuUUUUUUUUU BARNES!" at him. He was also not a hockey fan, and from Utah, so the significance was lost on him.

 

I saw Peca mentioned earlier. It'd be interesting for him to be involved in some way.

[Hoss]

If the Sabres are going to let the new GM make the call on Nolan, they aren't going to draw a line in the sand on Devine.

 

I would tend to agree, but Devine has been in the public eye a lot. They didn't fire Devine obviously because they can't have a completely empty management department while they search. Just something to think about.

[Derrico]

Have a look at the standings. Burke's team is doing pretty well

 

I'm not going to derail the thread with a Burke discussion as I've not heard of him as a possible future GM of this team. Having said that, he came in in 2008 and missed the playoffs in 08/09 09/10 10/11 and 11/12 before getting beat in the first round of 12/13. Ya they're in a playoff spot now but do you really consider them a cup contender? I don't and this is after having 5 years of rebuilding. Kessel is a good NHL player but is not a leader and they ended up giving up a decent amount in return for him. Burke has made some decent moves but has also botched a number of moves. Sorry for the derail....

[Hoss]

I'm not going to derail the thread with a Burke discussion as I've not heard of him as a possible future GM of this team. Having said that, he came in in 2008 and missed the playoffs in 08/09 09/10 10/11 and 11/12 before getting beat in the first round of 12/13. Ya they're in a playoff spot now but do you really consider them a cup contender? I don't and this is after having 5 years of rebuilding. Kessel is a good NHL player but is not a leader and they ended up giving up a decent amount in return for him. Burke has made some decent moves but has also botched a number of moves. Sorry for the derail....

 

I'm talking about his assistant, Claude Loiselle, as a candidate. His time with Burke is relevant. And for as bad as Toronto was, their current position is very good. And they're not getting old by any means.

[26CornerBlitz]

From ESPN Insider: http://insider.espn.....ce/post?id=515

 

1. Claude Loiselle, Toronto Maple Leafs. In ranking candidates, we'll defer to Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill. For years, he was always the best available assistant GM, and has already made an impact on the Stars. It was a great hire by ownership in Dallas. So when I recently asked him which assistant GM in the league he thought was most ready to run his own team, he immediately identified Loiselle.

 

2. Jason Botterill, Pittsburgh Penguins. Hires are often made because of connections in the past, and there's plenty connecting Botterill to the Sabres. He played parts of two seasons with the Sabres, went back and earned his MBA from the University of Michigan after his playing career was done, and spent time in the NHL working with central registry. Sabres president Ted Black worked for the Penguins, so there's another connection there. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review the Penguins wouldn't stand in the way of Botterill leaving to take the job in Buffalo.

 

3. Laurence Gilman, Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver GM Mike Gillis can be a polarizing figure, but you can't ignore the sustained success the Canucks have had under the current management team. This season was supposed to be the one that showed major signs of a decline in Vancouver, and yet the Canucks are right in the playoff mix in the NHL's toughest division. Gilman is chief negotiator of all contracts, and heads up amateur scouting for the Canucks.

 

His finest work comes in cap management, something the Sabres could use considering some of the ugly contracts on the books in Buffalo. Gilman's most recent deal with the Sedins was just the latest one he did that came in under market value, at $7 million per season. He's got an Olympic forward in Ryan Kesler locked up at $5 million per season. And in a time when defensemen are at a premium, the Canucks defense is very reasonably priced: Alexander Edler ($5 million per season), Kevin Bieksa ($4.6 million), Jason Garrison ($4.6 million), Dan Hamhuis ($4.5 million). Tyler Myers makes more per season than all of them.

 

The others were Coyotes AGM Brad Treliving, Preds AGM Paul Fenton, and CBJ AGM Bill Zito

[Hoss]

Looks like I'm not the only one that likes Loiselle for the job.

[ALF]

A case for Rick Dudley http://www.hockeybuz...hp?blogger_id=1

 

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=55679

[DHawerchuk10]

Looks like I'm not the only one that likes Loiselle for the job.

 

I'm there with you. He's been touted for the past couple years, and seems to have helped build a good roster in Toronto. I have always liked Duds, but going with an up and comer would not be a bad idea.

[grinreaper]

$$$$$$$

 

If he's under contract with the Penguins then he most likely can't go to the Sabres unless it's for a promotion.

[Hoss]

 

 

If he's under contract with the Penguins then he most likely can't go to the Sabres unless it's for a promotion.

 

Teams can always grant permission. I don't think the Pens would unless the Sabres gave them compensation.

[That Aud Smell]

If I'm not mistaken, he still lives here. I know he married a girl I went to grade school with who is from here

 

To be sure, he manages the Jr Sabres. You're a St Mark's guy? (Or did Kristen attend Nardin Elementary?)

[26CornerBlitz]

Not sure if anyone posted this but:

 

http://triblive.com/...l#ixzz2katKQ7vd

 

Jason Botterill will be granted permission to interview with the Buffalo Sabres for their vacant general manager position, sources told the Tribune-Review on Wednesday.

 

Botterill, in his fifth season as Penguins assistant general manager, had not been contacted about the Buffalo opening as of Wednesday morning, when a front-office shakeup cost longtime Sabres general manager Darcy Regier his job.

 

Other important considerations for Botterill are the following:

 

In addition to managing the cap and handling contract negotiations, Botterill manages the Penguins' hockey operations department. He also runs AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and assists on scouting.

[WildCard]

Why are people in favor of these younger candidates over Dudley? Genuine question, IMHOP I'd rather have the guy who's done it, twice, in our exact situation, than an unproven assistant gm

[26CornerBlitz]

Why are people in favor of these younger candidates over Dudley? Genuine question, IMHOP I'd rather have the guy who's done it, twice, in our exact situation, than an unproven assistant gm

 

Once upon a time Stan Bowman and Peter Chiarelli were unproven.

[Hoss]

Why are people in favor of these younger candidates over Dudley? Genuine question, IMHOP I'd rather have the guy who's done it, twice, in our exact situation, than an unproven assistant gm

 

For me, it's a lot of stuff. With bringing back Nolan and LaFontaine, I'd prefer to go outside of the team's history. Also, I want a guy that will put together the roster and grow with it. He'll bring guys in and then build around them as he learns more of who they are. Also, Dudley has nothing to prove. If he fails, it's whatever. He's already been to the top.

[dudacek]

Once upon a time Stan Bowman and Peter Chiarelli were unproven.

 

Yep. I like and respect Dudley, but he is nearing retirement age, and will have to pass the baton soon.

I want a guy who is ready to emerge and preside for long time over our golden era - the next Kenny Holland.

[G-Daddy]

Correct, new GM will be around for at least 15 years, Duds will be 79! Go with a younger guy with enthusiasm and new ideas.