Available GMs and Coaches

[David Lunch]

Mods, feel free to delete this if you feel this should just be kept in a general topic thread, but I feel like it's time to have an isolated conversation about who could actually replace Blake and Todd. I know most of us want new hands on the wheel, and my personal feeling is that a new GM is the higher priority, but one actually needs a stone to jump to before jumping off from where they stand. I don't think any of us feel like an internal promotion is going to solve anything, so let's talk about the market in terms of who you're interested in, and conversely, who you don't want to be in the conversation.

The GM question is a tough one for me because, unlike when Lombardi was available before 2006, there is no slam-dunk option that I'm aware of. For coaches, you have some semi-palatable names like Gallant, Evason, Berube, etc, but unless John Cooper gets fired this year (yeah right), there is no one available that is an obvious choice to me either.

If we all put our heads together, I'm sure we can get some interesting options down on paper... er... 0s and 1s.

Click to read more...

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Here was a related thread from just over a year ago

WHO should the L.A. Kings hire as their next head coach, if Todd McLellan is dismissed before the end of the season?

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/65213/rikard-gronborg

forums.hfboards.com

My first post in that thread

I had said this in another thread without much thought

"
Short list:

Andrew Brunette
Mike Vellucci
Travis Green
Nate Leaman
unpopular opinion: Rick Tocchet

All coaches who are good with kids/development and reportedly 'player friendly' enough yet also with enough clout to slap around some of the bitch ass vets."

-Brunette led the finest season for the Panthers last year and was a jack adams finalist, being inexplicably let go and immediately rehired. I'd say calling him a 'retreat' is bad faith but it's dumber than that.
-Green would be on his 2nd coaching stint after getting lame duck'ed and railroaded by the Canucks. He won in juniors and has an ahl finals appearance. Believe me I'm much less enthused about him than Brunette but I figured I'd throw another 'nhl guy' out there at the very least.
-Tocchet is just me, I don't expect anyone but me to be on board with that one, haha.
-Leaman has not just college but us development history and would be one of the most desired college guys. I'm not a huge fan of the college to nhl coaching pipeline but he'd be my guy.
-Velluci should have a job already, here's your homework for him. Mike Vellucci getting on radar for NHL head coaching job



But realistically we're looking at a Gallant or Berube type retreat and I don't hate it for where we are.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Replace Luc with Ron Hextall.
Replace Blake with Evan Gold, AGM with the Bruins currently.
Keep Todd and his assistants for another year.

Everyone else from hockey ops is jettisoned over 180 days.
Who gives a shit what happens to Marco.

 

[King'sPawn]

I think it really depends on the GM first. I don't want a GM to hire Berube, Gallant, etc if they struggle with meshing.

So I think issue would be who can replace Blake who isn't named Marc Bergevin? Maybe an assistant GM from a team like Tampa Bay? Experience working with a successful team at the executive level but would like their attempt at running a team?

Not even saying any of them are available or interested, but an experienced executive who meets that criteria would be nice.

 

[tny760]

boudreau is a nice palatable name for coach too but i agree that the GM is a more important decision at the moment, and bouds wouldn't want to be lame duck'ed again

not really my wheelhouse to be throwing out names though

 

[Nasti]

Boudreau is just as big a choke artist as Todd.

 

[BaileyFan]

There no way anyone other than Sturm will become coach if Todd is let go during the season. He’s the highest paid coach in the league, ownership isn’t shelling out more money to bring in a big name like Berube or Gallant.

 

[Ryan120420]

Replace Luc with Ron Hextall.
Replace Blake with Evan Gold, AGM with the Bruins currently.
Keep Todd and his assistants for another year.

Everyone else from hockey ops is jettisoned over 180 days.
Who gives a shit what happens to Marco.

No thank you.

Keep that man as far away as possible from any kind of management position.

His "accomplishments" in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh speak for themselves.

The only reason he had anykind of success with LA is because he had to report to Lombardi.

 

[BigBrown]

Hextall really was a disaster in Pittsburgh, I don't think he'll be a GM again.

 

[Ryan120420]

Hextall really was a disaster in Pittsburgh, I don't think he'll be a GM again.

He was a disaster in Philly as well. He set that franchise back a few years by drafting Nolan Patrick in 2017 draft.

 

[DoktorJeep]

Hextall wasn’t president in Philly or Pittsburgh. He was GM. I think he fits a Rutherford, Burke, Keith Jones type of role well if paired with a sharp GM.

And my top choice would be Kent Hughes, but he’s busy cleaning up Bergevin’s mess.

 

[Moses Doughty]

Berube makes alot of sense for a coach. Last 3 coaches (including tank commander Willie D) were too soft and there's a general lack of accountability. Berube will bring that while being better than Gallant at incorporating new guys.

At GM, it's probably time by now for Darche or Tulsky to be running their own teams

 

[johnjm22]

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I don't think the GM is as important as people think.

What's more important is the directive (or lack thereof) given to the GM by upper management / ownership.

I'd rather have an average GM be given the directive and infrastructure to methodically rebuild, than have a great GM told to "win now".

Guys like Blake and Hextall are probably totally competent if put in the right situation.

 

[DAkings20]

 

[King'sPawn]

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I don't think the GM is as important as people think.

What's more important is the directive (or lack thereof) given to the GM by upper management / ownership.

I'd rather have an average GM be given the directive and infrastructure to methodically rebuild, than have a great GM told to "win now".

Guys like Blake and Hextall are probably totally competent if put in the right situation.

I agree to a point. DL was competent enough to sell his own vision to get ownership to buy in. So, yes, having supportive management is important (hence why I think Luc should go too), but a good GM should be able to sell his own plan as well.

We'll probably never know if Blake tried or failed, but ultimately he is not part of the solution.

 

[GameNight]

Dave Tippet. Opposite of Todd right? His game plan is to adapt, make adjustments. Use what you have. Scoring dried up? Put out Palffy/Allison/Deadmarsh- he’s the one who did that while AM was recovering from that wreck.

I still believe Tippet was offered the job before Desjardins but wouldn’t take an interim gig. Rumor was they all met at a game in Minnesota before Stevens was let go.

My 1st choice is probably Berube, because recency bias & all that

 

[Kingspiracy]

Would futa come back, or has that ship sailed?

 

[FSL KINGS]

Brown!!!!! Gunna make a great GM.
Bruce Beaudreau busy?

 

[tigermask48]

-Leaman has not just college but us development history and would be one of the most desired college guys. I'm not a huge fan of the college to nhl coaching pipeline but he'd be my guy.

If the Kings are actually going to burn it all down, would love to see this! No more old boys club, no one with NHL experience, this would speak volumes about a change in culture.

 

[kilowatt]

Bring in Justin Williams as the GM.

 

[chris kontos]

Hire craig berube. The chief gets results is no nonsense and tough.
GM i have no idea other than NOT bergevin or anybody luc wants. Luc would hire chuck fletcher. Fwiw i still think luc stabbed deano in the back and i think his knife is drawn on blake

 

[dman3474]

Who are the top candidates for NHL coach, GM jobs?

This is from last March, so its a bit outdated but there are some more names on here. Not sure who could be had midseason

 

[FrozenKing18]

Bring Justin Williams in to set that locker room sraight

 

[Sparky206]

Darryl Sutter, rest of the season only. He would sort out PLD

 

[Bandit]

Boudreau is just as big a choke artist as Todd.

Bullshit. Nobody is as big a choker as Todd. Boudreau never got reverse swept. He’s a choker sure, but Todd is on another level.