Seattle NHL GM Speculation!
Seattle getting an NHL franchise isn't a done deal yet. We also don't know if the league would give the team the same benefits Vegas had. But it's never too early to start speculating who we think could be in front office. So, without much further ado - here are 10 people who could lead a future 32nd team in Seattle!!
Dean Lombardi
The list has to start here. Lombardi took over the Los Angeles Kings and created a system of drafting well, and building from within. He surrounded himself with people who were competent at their jobs using a mixture of "fancy stats" and "hockey sense" which ushered the Los Angeles Kings into their most successful era. He drafted Drew Doughty, Tanner Pearson, Brayden Schenn and managed to groom Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Jonathan Quick into Stanley Cup winning players. Did I mention he did what Wayne Gretzky couldn't do, and bring a Stanley Cup to LA?
Los Angeles is a city in which you have to keep peoples attention. There are a ton of other things to do like beaches, concerts, Disney, Universal etc. Lombardi managed to make going to a Kings game an experience worth it for more than just hardcore fans.
It is arguable that his mismanagement also prevented LA from becoming a true dynasty (three cups in five years). He signed Dustin Brown, Marian Gaborik, and Jonathan Quick to contracts which are arguably bad. His cap management skills are questionable. Though he sure seemed to do an interesting job of making the Mike Richards problem go away.
Kyle Dubas
The great narrative of Kyle Dubas is that he took the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds from being a team which had missed the playoffs four of eight years to a team which finished with two playoff berths in a row. He is well known for a methodology using advanced statistics. He was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014 in order to order to add an analytics bend to the Leafs. During his tenure the Leafs have acquired Frederik Andersen, Calvin Pickard, Zack Hyman, and Kasperi Kapanen, . While trading away Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf. At one point he was supposedly approached by the Colorado Avalanche about a position in their front office but turned it down. However, building a new team from the ground up might be the challenge that interests 32 year old Kyle Dubas.
Mike Futa
Has also been involved in the drafting of Drew Doughty, Kyle Clifford, Dwight King, Tyler Toffoli, Tanner Pearson, Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds. Also L.A.’s AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, just won the Calder Cup. He seems to have a knack for finding talent and building through the daft. However, unlike Lombardi is still in the employ of the Kings, so this would require getting their permission to speak to him. Also, he doesn't seem to have the experience in creating a front office team that Lombardi has.
George Laraque
He has been one of the most well spoken voices in hockey, an executive director of the Canadian Hockey League Players' Association, and I get the impression that he could make a really interesting general manager. He would bring a new perspective to the game, and like Steve Yzerman or Brendan Shanahan be able to build a good team around himself to be victorious.
Trevor Timmins
He has been the vice president of player personnel for the Montreal Canadiens since July 2014 Trevor. He oversees the Canadiens' amateur scouting system, including the annual NHL Entry Draft and amateur free-agent recruitment. He has drafted Carey Price, Ryan McDonagh, Max Pacioretty, P.K. Subban, Brendan Gallagher, Michael Sergachev, Victor Mete and Alex Galchenyuk. Based on his reputation he seems to have a keen hockey mind, but maybe he's sick of the side show that's being run by Marc Bergevin. Starting a new team could be a really good place for him.
Some other honorable mentions are Don Maloney, Paul Fenton, Bill Zito, and Tom Fitzegerald. As someone who is interested in this team, I am most interested in the idea of Dean Lombardi being the General Manager as he has a pretty good track record.
Who do you think would be a good pick to be the first General Manager of Seattle's hockey club?
Dean Lombardi
The list has to start here. Lombardi took over the Los Angeles Kings and created a system of drafting well, and building from within. He surrounded himself with people who were competent at their jobs using a mixture of "fancy stats" and "hockey sense" which ushered the Los Angeles Kings into their most successful era. He drafted Drew Doughty, Tanner Pearson, Brayden Schenn and managed to groom Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown and Jonathan Quick into Stanley Cup winning players. Did I mention he did what Wayne Gretzky couldn't do, and bring a Stanley Cup to LA?
Los Angeles is a city in which you have to keep peoples attention. There are a ton of other things to do like beaches, concerts, Disney, Universal etc. Lombardi managed to make going to a Kings game an experience worth it for more than just hardcore fans.
It is arguable that his mismanagement also prevented LA from becoming a true dynasty (three cups in five years). He signed Dustin Brown, Marian Gaborik, and Jonathan Quick to contracts which are arguably bad. His cap management skills are questionable. Though he sure seemed to do an interesting job of making the Mike Richards problem go away.
Kyle Dubas
The great narrative of Kyle Dubas is that he took the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds from being a team which had missed the playoffs four of eight years to a team which finished with two playoff berths in a row. He is well known for a methodology using advanced statistics. He was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014 in order to order to add an analytics bend to the Leafs. During his tenure the Leafs have acquired Frederik Andersen, Calvin Pickard, Zack Hyman, and Kasperi Kapanen, . While trading away Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf. At one point he was supposedly approached by the Colorado Avalanche about a position in their front office but turned it down. However, building a new team from the ground up might be the challenge that interests 32 year old Kyle Dubas.
Mike Futa
Has also been involved in the drafting of Drew Doughty, Kyle Clifford, Dwight King, Tyler Toffoli, Tanner Pearson, Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds. Also L.A.’s AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, just won the Calder Cup. He seems to have a knack for finding talent and building through the daft. However, unlike Lombardi is still in the employ of the Kings, so this would require getting their permission to speak to him. Also, he doesn't seem to have the experience in creating a front office team that Lombardi has.
George Laraque
He has been one of the most well spoken voices in hockey, an executive director of the Canadian Hockey League Players' Association, and I get the impression that he could make a really interesting general manager. He would bring a new perspective to the game, and like Steve Yzerman or Brendan Shanahan be able to build a good team around himself to be victorious.
Trevor Timmins
He has been the vice president of player personnel for the Montreal Canadiens since July 2014 Trevor. He oversees the Canadiens' amateur scouting system, including the annual NHL Entry Draft and amateur free-agent recruitment. He has drafted Carey Price, Ryan McDonagh, Max Pacioretty, P.K. Subban, Brendan Gallagher, Michael Sergachev, Victor Mete and Alex Galchenyuk. Based on his reputation he seems to have a keen hockey mind, but maybe he's sick of the side show that's being run by Marc Bergevin. Starting a new team could be a really good place for him.
Some other honorable mentions are Don Maloney, Paul Fenton, Bill Zito, and Tom Fitzegerald. As someone who is interested in this team, I am most interested in the idea of Dean Lombardi being the General Manager as he has a pretty good track record.
Who do you think would be a good pick to be the first General Manager of Seattle's hockey club?
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