Article on 15 French Candidates

[Plutarch]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/15-french-speaking-nhl-general-manager-candidates/wcm/fed553ce-f639-45f6-bce4-11be088159b3/amp/

 

Stumbled on this list. Perhaps the most interesting collection of names I've seen. Does anyone on here know more about some of the Swiss candidates? Perhaps with a highly experience president of hockey ops in Gorton... A more... unexpected... GM could be given the reigns?

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I’ve said before that a European GM - even if he (or she) doesn’t speak French - would probably be more politically palatable than an Anglo. That said, Europeans are more likely to speak French, because they are generally more cosmopolitan than North Americans. 

 

I like the idea. The Habs should be a nimble, innovative, and outward-looking organization, not a blinkered old-school behemoth. 

[GHT120]

8 minutes ago, Plutarch said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/theprovince.com/sports/hockey/nhl/15-french-speaking-nhl-general-manager-candidates/wcm/fed553ce-f639-45f6-bce4-11be088159b3/amp/

 

Stumbled on this list. Perhaps the most interesting collection of names I've seen. Does anyone on here know more about some of the Swiss candidates? Perhaps with a highly experience president of hockey ops in Gorton... A more... unexpected... GM could be given the reigns?

 

I discount all the amateur, female and European names ... too little professional experience on the first hand and too bold a move for Molson to make right now on the last (no history of great success for Non-North American GMs); a mix of both for the women ... the one new name I hadn't heard/read/thought-of before is JP Barry ... still expect the front-runners would be Madden (with Anaheim's permission of course) and Darche ... I could see one or two of the other names brought onboard and developed through various positions.

[GHT120]

4 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

I’ve said before that a European GM - even if he (or she) doesn’t speak French - would probably be more politically palatable than an Anglo. That said, Europeans are more likely to speak French, because they are generally more cosmopolitan than North Americans. 

 

I like the idea. The Habs should be a nimble, innovative, and outward-looking organization, not a blinkered old-school behemoth. 

I agree ... and have said the same thing previously ... but don't see Molson being so bold in the present circumstances

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

5 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

I agree ... and have said the same thing previously ... but don't see Molson being so bold in the present circumstances

 

I don't care about bold. If they replace MB and it sounds like they will, I just want them to find someone who has patience, is a good judge of hockey talent, is strong minded and confident so they can survive in a market like Montreal and is not afraid to make tough decisions. I don't care where they are from.  Is there a young Sam Pollock out there?

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

For me, part of the point is that IF the team is going to handcuff itself with a French-language requirement for GM, then it needs to think beyond the limited talent pool available in North American hockey. It also needs to expand its vision to include women. In a weird way, the language requirement could become a spur to innovation insofar as it encourages us to cast our net much more broadly and creatively than other teams, who tend to drift into the same old small network of established insiders.

 

Of these names, the one that strikes me as the most immediately intriguing is Patrick Lengwiler. He seems to have built a Swiss version of the old Habs’ dynasty. It’s not the NHL of course, but I like that 15-year track record of success.

 

Pat Brisson, mentioned incidentally, is also an interesting thought. Mike Gillis did a pretty good job as former agent turned GM, so there is some precedent. I doubt he is interested in the pay cut, however.

 

Both Darche and Luongo are very promising, but probably need more seasoning in management. I like Luongo in particular; having watched him in Van, I think he has the brains and the life-experience to grow into a very good NHL head office talent. He’d be a risky choice, but maybe with Gorton as overseer he could pull it off.

[tomh009]

1 hour ago, GHT120 said:

I discount all the amateur, female and European names ... too little professional experience on the first hand and too bold a move for Molson to make right now

 

If Molson does hire Gorton (or someone similar) as PHO, that would allow for someone less experienced in the GM chair, with the PHO as a mentor and guide.

[GHT120]

1 hour ago, tomh009 said:

2 hours ago, GHT120 said:

I discount all the amateur, female and European names ... too little professional experience on the first hand and too bold a move for Molson to make right now on the last (no history of great success for Non-North American GMs); a mix of both for the women ... 

If Molson does hire Gorton (or someone similar) as PHO, that would allow for someone less experienced in the GM chair, with the PHO as a mentor and guide.

Agreed ... but not certain that includes those with no NHL management experience

[hab29RETIRED]

This is basically a bullshit list. Is there anyone on this list that would any sort of serious consideration by any other team???

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

4 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

This is basically a bullshit list. Is there anyone on this list that would any sort of serious consideration by any other team???

 

There likely aren't many on the list. Perhaps Madden and Darche. Perhaps.  Many on that list I just shake my head at. 

[hab29RETIRED]

13 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

There likely aren't many on the list. Perhaps Madden and Darche. Perhaps.  Many on that list I just shake my head at. 

Madden MAYBE. But do you think at THIS time, Darche has enough of a track record to be considered a GM with any other NHL team??

 

we are basically eliminating 99% of the best candidates that would give the team a better chance of success.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

2 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

Madden MAYBE. But do you think at THIS time, Darche has enough of a track record to be considered a GM with any other NHL team??

 

The logic would have to be that Gorton plays a heavy mentoring role. I really like the Gorton hire and I’m prepared to go with the explanation that a somewhat inexperienced GM could succeed with that kind of old hand steering him along. That said, yes, it would be better if we dropped the stupid language requirement and opened up the managerial talent pool. 

[hab29RETIRED]

1 minute ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

The logic would have to be that Gorton plays a heavy mentoring role. I really like the Gorton hire and I’m prepared to go with the explanation that a somewhat inexperienced GM could succeed with that kind of old hand steering him along. That said, yes, it would be better if we dropped the stupid language requirement and opened up the managerial talent pool. 

I really like the Gorton hire. I don’t see the rush to immediately fill the GM role, when you have someone with Gorton’s experience. Wait until the off season when there are more candidates to consider and hire another French assistant GM for now. 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

2 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I really like the Gorton hire. I don’t see the rush to immediately fill the GM role, when you have someone with Gorton’s experience. Wait until the off season when there are more candidates to consider and hire another French assistant GM for now. 

 

Agree 100%.

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

8 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

Madden MAYBE. But do you think at THIS time, Darche has enough of a track record to be considered a GM with any other NHL team??

 

we are basically eliminating 99% of the best candidates that would give the team a better chance of success.

 

Darche is an interesting one for me.  Highly intelligent guy, has probably learned a lot as Director Of Hockey Operations at Tampa.  Not a long track record but perhaps with Gorton as a mentor he might turn out well. 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

10 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I really like the Gorton hire. I don’t see the rush to immediately fill the GM role, when you have someone with Gorton’s experience. Wait until the off season when there are more candidates to consider and hire another French assistant GM for now. 

 

It's true there will be more candidates in the summer but there are a lot of big decisions that will have to be made before then that will influence the direction of the team going forward. 

[dlbalr]

56 minutes ago, hab29RETIRED said:

I really like the Gorton hire. I don’t see the rush to immediately fill the GM role, when you have someone with Gorton’s experience. Wait until the off season when there are more candidates to consider and hire another French assistant GM for now. 

 

I think that's effectively the hierarchical structure they're going to go with here.  For all intents and purposes, Gorton will be the GM when all is said and done.  The actual GM in title will be someone whose role will be bigger than that of an assistant but less than a typical GM, allowing them to hire an unproven rookie.  He will be the one who speaks publicly more regularly satisfying the requirement of having a bilingual GM while the one who sets the organizational strategy to be executed is Gorton.  Whoever they hire will effectively be an assistant GM just with a GM title. 

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

10 minutes ago, dlbalr said:

 

I think that's effectively the hierarchical structure they're going to go with here.  For all intents and purposes, Gorton will be the GM when all is said and done.  The actual GM in title will be someone whose role will be bigger than that of an assistant but less than a typical GM, allowing them to hire an unproven rookie.  He will be the one who speaks publicly more regularly satisfying the requirement of having a bilingual GM while the one who sets the organizational strategy to be executed is Gorton.  Whoever they hire will effectively be an assistant GM just with a GM title. 

 

A canny analysis. It helps to explain the oddity of a clear-cut GM candidate not actually being our GM. A very good situation for Gorton, really, since whomever he hires will be both a spokesperson and a potential scapegoat, i.e., someone he can fire when things get bad. And meanwhile, we have a seasoned de facto GM and a promising rookie. 

[tomh009]

2 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

It's true there will be more candidates in the summer but there are a lot of big decisions that will have to be made before then that will influence the direction of the team going forward. 

The big decisions will likely be made by Gorton in any case.