Would Patrick even want the job? He's 65 and not getting any younger. I'm not even sure I'd want him to be the GM; he made some pretty hinky deals with Pittsburgh. I would be happy if he were made interim GM for the rest of the season and then lead the search for a new GM in the offseason.
This is how I see it.
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"Every game, every point is a necessity." -- Ty Conklin, January 2007
"I'll have a chance to compete for the post of first issue. This is the most important thing." -- Sergei Bobrovsky, June 2012
Don't know much about JFJ but it's hard to believe anyone could be a downgrade from Howson! Charlie Sheen could probably do a better job than Howson!
Okay, imagine someone like Doug MacLean in terms of on-ice results, but lacking the engaging personality, with an apparent NTC/NMC fetish manifesting in virtually every single player signed, even fewer prospects in the system, and a complete inability to do anything at the deadline at all.
Criminy, people. How 'bout y'all for once research a guy before you blithely assume with happy grass-is-greener-elsewhere logic that he'd be better? it only helps make us look more like the gaptoothed hillbilly idiots plenty of fools already assume us to be.
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Remember - when you're a hockey fan, it's not "reckless driving", it's "good forechecking".
"Viqsi, you are our sweet humanist..." --mt-svk on the CBJ boards
Thanks, Howson, for cleaning up MacLean's toxic waste. Welcome, Kekalainen; let's get good things built!
Okay, imagine someone like Doug MacLean in terms of on-ice results, but lacking the engaging personality, with an apparent NTC/NMC fetish manifesting in virtually every single player signed, even fewer prospects in the system, and a complete inability to do anything at the deadline at all.
Criminy, people. How 'bout y'all for once research a guy before you blithely assume with happy grass-is-greener-elsewhere logic that he'd be better? it only helps make us look more like the gaptoothed hillbilly idiots plenty of fools already assume us to be.
This is the Jackets board not the Nashville board.
We are in dead last place in the NHL with the 5th highest payroll in the league. Our farm team is last in their division so our prospects aren't tearing up anything either. How much research do we need to know it isn't going to take much to be an improvement over the current GM?
Been out of town the last couple of days. Saw this headline and almost slammed my computer against the wall until I saw the term 'Speculation'.
As someone who has always gloated in the Leafs' misery, JFJ was a godsend. Could he have learned from his mistakes? In particular, has he been in rehab for his NTC addiction?
Maybe, but I have no interest in finding out the answer. I'm ready to turn the page on Howson, but I'd rather keep him than give JFJ the keys.
We are in dead last place in the NHL with the 5th highest payroll in the league. Our farm team is last in their division so our prospects aren't tearing up anything either. How much research do we need to know it isn't going to take much to be an improvement over the current GM?
I recommend "any at all". There's hating the job a person's done, and then there's being so blinded to that disgust that you'll take anyone else - even if they're a proven downgrade - simply because they're Not The Current Guy. By endorsing JFJ, you've crossed that line.
Don't know much about JFJ but it's hard to believe anyone could be a downgrade from Howson! Charlie Sheen could probably do a better job than Howson!
His results are right there with Mike Milbury's.
Like Goalie deals? How about trading away Tuuka Rask for Andrew Raycroft? At that time, Rask was only twenty years old and was named the top goaltender of previous year's World Junior Championship. Raycroft, on the other hand, had a dismal .879 save percentage last year with a 3.71 goals against average and just eight wins in 30 starts.
The next year, he then sent Toronto's 1st pick to San Jose for Vesa Toskala.
Here's one writer's opinion:
Quote:
John Ferguson Jr. was the worst thing to happen to the Leafs...
In the four year span Ferguson was there, he gave up their 1st round 2004, 1st round 2005(Tuukka Rask), 1st round 2007, 2nd round 2005, 2nd round 2007, 2nd round 2008, 4th round 2005, 4th round 2006, 4th round 2009 and 5th round 2006 picks. Bad signings? Pavel Kubina? A 4 year 5 million dollar deal. UFA signings? How about washed up old players Peca, Nieumendiek, Francis and worst of all Eric Lindros.
He gave Kaberle, Sundin, McCabe, Kubina and Tucker all no trade clauses.
Ferguson was responsible for the first 3 crappy post-lockout seasons in Toronto in which he signed a bunch of over the hill UFAs. He also made it just about impossible to rebuild by giving NTCs to too many players who had no business having them, ensuring that the team would suck long after he left.
I want the next GM to have some previous experience as a big league GM, but his tenure as the Leafs GM was awful.
He wanted to go the rebuild route but management essentially forced him to try and make the playoffs at all costs.
JFJ did not get a fair shake in Toronto. He was hired for two reason; because he was young and controllable. MLSE upper management thought they could call the shots, and forced moves upon JFJ in order to make the playoffs. As we all know, playoffs = Profit. But the trades backfired. We didnt get to the playoffs. So we were left with no young assets, aging, overpriced veterans, and a maxed out salary cap (which also screwed JFJ from the get go).
Eventually MLSE realized they didnt know what they were doing. So they hired Burke. Burke came to Toronto with the assurance that he will have complete and utter control of hockey operations. He would not have come here without that assurance. He knew what happened to JFJ and would leave if MLSE ever tried to exert pressure on him.
JFJ is good at drafting. I'll give him that (Rask late 1st round, Reimer, Kulemin). He has a penchant for Europeans/Russians. It will be interesting to see how he can do without so much ownership interference.
JFJ did not get a fair shake in Toronto. He was hired for two reason; because he was young and controllable. MLSE upper management thought they could call the shots, and forced moves upon JFJ in order to make the playoffs. As we all know, playoffs = Profit. But the trades backfired. We didnt get to the playoffs. So we were left with no young assets, aging, overpriced veterans, and a maxed out salary cap (which also screwed JFJ from the get go).
Eventually MLSE realized they didnt know what they were doing. So they hired Burke. Burke came to Toronto with the assurance that he will have complete and utter control of hockey operations. He would not have come here without that assurance. He knew what happened to JFJ and would leave if MLSE ever tried to exert pressure on him.
JFJ is good at drafting. I'll give him that (Rask late 1st round, Reimer, Kulemin). He has a penchant for Europeans/Russians. It will be interesting to see how he can do without so much ownership interference.
OK, but would the Blue Jackets' ownership be the kind of ownership to pressure a GM?
No offense personally to JFJ, but I really think the CBJ need to be aiming higher than him as a potential Howson replacement.
Its been noted in this thread already that he had some trouble dealing with the albatross contracts of players on the Leafs and this is a similar situation here, too many guys on too big of contracts that they are nowhere near living up to.
Unfortunately, any candidate will have trouble dealing with this roster from the outset. Thats why the next head coach hire is so critical, meaning the next GM hiring is maybe the most important hire, ever, in this organization.
No offense to Paul Fenton, but I don't want another "on the job trainee" like we got with Howson, no matter how much is written that he's ready for "primetime". Gambling on potential is what has killed this organization, as they've already proven they can't foster and build on it. Any GM that comes in here is going to be in a deep hole from the outset, better to have someone who's been through the wars at this level...
JFJ is aiming too low, but it would be a classic CBJ-type move, so I could definitely see it happening.
I think the interesting thing to watch going forward, is Patrick. Does he have a past with JFJ ? In any matter, I feel alot more confident that Patrick is now part of our orginization, and think his contacts within the league, will lead to a good gm being hired this time. I mean, when we hired Howson, who was making the decisions ?
I think the interesting thing to watch going forward, is Patrick. Does he have a past with JFJ ? In any matter, I feel alot more confident that Patrick is now part of our orginization, and think his contacts within the league, will lead to a good gm being hired this time. I mean, when we hired Howson, who was making the decisions ?
Mike Priest had the first and final word. He most likely sought league help in identifying candidates and he had a list of criteria that he wanted, but the search and subsequent hire were most likely "all him".
Consider this: At a time when we talk about how much the lack of NHL caliber front office types habit Nationwide Arena (right now), Mike Priest, a man who had just a few weeks of NHL presidency under his belt and no past experience in any capacity in major sports or the NHL, was the sole guy making the decisions and recommendations to ownership.... SCARY.
Mike Priest had the first and final word. He most likely sought league help in identifying candidates and he had a list of criteria that he wanted, but the search and subsequent hire were most likely "all him".
Consider this: At a time when we talk about how much the lack of NHL caliber front office types habit Nationwide Arena (right now), Mike Priest, a man who had just a few weeks of NHL presidency under his belt and no past experience in any capacity in major sports or the NHL, was the sole guy making the decisions and recommendations to ownership.... SCARY.
I don't believe this accurate. As I understand it, Hitchcock had a lot to do with vetting the candidates and conducted interviews along with Priest. I had heard Mr. McConnell wanted Hitch to become GM and Hitchcock declined. They then used him as a "senior advisor" as well as coach. If I recall correctly, there were not a lot of solid candidates beating down the door. There were several reasons, not the least of which was having the coach in the decision process.
So that's a step in the right direction.
and GTFOH.
