NHL General Manager And Coach Rankings
by PPP on Jan 27, 2012 11:00 AM EST
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PrintJohn Boruk Comcast Sportsnet Philly (a division of NBC Sports) has ranked the General Manager and Head Coach combinations in the NHL. He's not clear if he is ranking them on their reputation or on their body of work with their current team. I would assume that they are a hybrid because here's the Leafs' ranking:
8. Toronto Maple Leafs (Brian Burke/Ron Wilson) - Burke, like Holmgren, is very aggressive. He drafted the Sedins and Ryan Kesler in Vancouver, traded for Chris Pronger in Anaheim and won the Cup. He has an impressive track record, but a Toronto Maple Leafs resurrection may be his most challenging. He paid handsomely for Phil Kessel, who is finally putting up superstar numbers. His blue-line moves have been questionable. Wilson could never get the Sharks over the hump and in his first three seasons in Toronto, he has yet to make the Leafs into an Eastern Conference contender.
Biggest question mark moving forward: Can the Leafs land a No. 1 center they've desperately needed since the departure of Mats Sundin?
If it's the former then I think he ranked the Leafs' duo a bit high especially considering a couple of GMs and coaches below have more Stanley Cup rings than Burke and Wilson and if it's the latter then he's really gone too high. Although, either way, he's done well with the bottom of the list.
Here's the complete list. Where did he go wrong? What's he got right?
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Teams he’s got too high:
Philly, Vancouver, and San Jose – Always the bridesmaids, never the bride is the story of these teams. Eating at the head table during the reception isn’t a very big accomplishment. With the talent those 3 teams have lucked into, not winning is just unacceptable. Philly can’t figure out goalies, Vancouver overpays, San Jose just can’t win.
Teams he’s got too low:
New York Rangers, Chicago, and St. Louis – NYR use their deep pockets effectively and somehow shed Gomez. Chicago is just ridiculous and got their superstars on good deals. St. Louis is competing with the top teams while over $10M below the cap.
The First Certified Grabbo Lover
I give SJ a lot of credit, they’ve done very well with their rosters and they’re almost always near the Top of the West. He’s assembled solid scoring talent, has a good mix of offensive and defensive D, done some really good trades and have been fairly solid with Niemi in net.
What more can a GM do in SJ? It’s up to the players now, GM can’t do everything.
Agree on St. Louis, they’ve done really good work there. I’m usually shocked each year when they dont end up very high – possibly due to their injuries they’ve had to key players.
No no, dig UP stupid.
by nhlcheapshot on Jan 27, 2012 12:13 PM EST up reply actions
I also think BOS is too high - which I know is hard to say with how good they are right now
But Chiarelli is no superhero.
I personally think he mismanaged the Kessel situation hard by handling the Krejci contract before the Kessel one (which clearly backfired), lucked out by getting the best goaltending performance the NHL has ever seen when no one would take Thomas off his hands (who he was shopping hard), and then made a handful of really good moves to put themselves over the top last season (Kaberle trade not included).
Also, there was a huge movement to have Claude Julien fired last year – and now he belongs near the top of the list because they’re getting team .930+ goaltending?
Again, it’s hard to marginalize the Bruins right now because they look like an unstoppable juggarnaut of pure awesomeness, but Chiarelli lucked into a few of those moves and – had he got his way originally – things might look a lot different.
No no, dig UP stupid.
by nhlcheapshot on Jan 27, 2012 12:28 PM EST up reply actions
Alright last one
I realize MON has been shit lately, but 29th? AFTER the Islanders, Oilers and CALGARY?
That’s just being overly-punitive to a currently struggling squad.
No no, dig UP stupid.
by nhlcheapshot on Jan 27, 2012 12:46 PM EST up reply actions
Cunneyworth is a noob in the NHL and Pierre’s actions speak for themselves.
"They build a statue, they knock it down and piss on it, and now they will be out there building it again."
by ThickSkinnedAlive on Jan 27, 2012 1:06 PM EST up reply actions
Gauthier may have been fine coming into this season but he’s been self-destructing this year.
I've been looking at the sky
by Back In Black on Jan 27, 2012 2:06 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, that’s true.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
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It’s a small sample with Gauthier so maybe that’s the reason?
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
What more can a GM do in SJ?
They’ve always been at the top but I can’t ever remember them making a huge move (besides the Thornton trade) to really go for the Cup.
The First Certified Grabbo Lover
Thornton, Heatley, Dan Boyle, Brent Burns?
They aren’t Kessel or Phaneuf-level blockbusters but those are solid moves for solid pieces.
OK heatley didn’t work out that well, but at the time Heatley for Michalek+Cheechoo was robbery
No no, dig UP stupid.
by nhlcheapshot on Jan 27, 2012 12:35 PM EST up reply actions
Havlat has been awful. And injured. So far that has been lose/lose for both teams.
No no, dig UP stupid.
by nhlcheapshot on Jan 27, 2012 12:47 PM EST up reply actions
Brent Burns? Both Dany Heatley trades?
by scrambles the death dealer on Jan 27, 2012 12:35 PM EST up reply actions
I’m talking deadline moves. Dropping some picks for players and making the push.
The First Certified Grabbo Lover
OK but if you're SJ right now at the deadline - what glaring holes do you go all out for to make a push?
You’re not going to go for a Suter or a Parise, goaltending has been okay (except for the PK), do you go and get some PK guys? depth 3rd/4th liners?
I dunno, I think they just need to make it work with what they have. They don’t need to do a ton of tinkering with a good thing.
No no, dig UP stupid.
by nhlcheapshot on Jan 27, 2012 12:50 PM EST up reply actions
It’s not about holes, it’s about adding talent. Vlasic is good, but man can you move him and someone marginal plus a pick for Suter? If you win the Cup, it’s worth it.
The First Certified Grabbo Lover
K I see what you mean, but those deals just might not be there, and might be wreckless if you can’t sign a guy like that.
No no, dig UP stupid.
by nhlcheapshot on Jan 27, 2012 1:20 PM EST up reply actions
Whatever, I think they’ve done a pretty good job adding pieces where they thought they needed to… I’m not going to fault them for not making a deal they didn’t think they needed to
If one presents themself to fill a need, for sure go for it, but not just so it looks like you’re making a push to go all the way
No no, dig UP stupid.
by nhlcheapshot on Jan 27, 2012 3:22 PM EST up reply actions
They picked up Ian White last year. That has to count. Niclas Wallin the year before may not sound impressive, but it was an upgrade on their D. In 2009 they added Travis Moen and Kent Huskins. These are the kinds of moves that champions generally make; it’s unusual to get the kind of impact the Bruins got from Peverley last year.
I've been looking at the sky
by Back In Black on Jan 27, 2012 2:13 PM EST up reply actions
TBay
Got a lot of luck along the way too. A one-year unexpected tanking turned into Stamkos, and they picked St Louis off the reclamation pile.
A lot of skill there, but considering the upheaval of the past decade, I’d hesitate to give that team credit for any sort of body of work. You wait 18 months and there’s somebody new pulling the strings.
Unabashed fan of the surprise 2012 Stanley Cup champs
I read it to be a rating of the GMs more than the coaches, which I think is inevitable given the short tenures in the coaching profession. For that reason I think Burke’s ranking is appropriate.
I also think there was too much emphasis placed on the current season; Tallon and Florida are too high in my opinion. Their hot start was a mirage and they wouldn’t be on a playoff pace now if their division hadn’t fallen apart. There was a Cup in Chicago, but there Bowman is being given credit for cleaning up Tallon’s salary cap mess. I think Ottawa is too high as well. The success they’ve had this season is still built on the aging core that Murray inherited, and his coaching staff moves have been ridiculous. OTOH a lot of the GMs below Murray have been lousy too.
I think LA and TB are ranked too low. I know the Kings have been having trouble making that next step, but I respect Tallon’s refusal to trade away his core or ruin his cap with expensive free agents. They may not get there, but they’ll be a good team for years to come.
I've been looking at the sky
His blue-line moves have been questionable.
Blue line moves:
In: Phaneuf, Aulie, Gardiner, Liles, Franson, Beauchemin, Komisarek, Lebda, Exelby, Lashoff
Out: Kaberle, Lebda, Exelby, Finger, Beauchemin, White, Coliacovo, Kubina, Stralman, (Frogren, Harrison, Orescovich, Sifers)
I think that, while there’s more to be done with the blueline, we’re ahead of the word “questionable.”
RIP Former-and-forever Leaf Wade Belak
Me on Twitter
In only trades, ya he's done well.
People will debate Kessel deal forever so ignore that.
Unfortunately there’s also Komisarek, Armstrong (yes yes he’s useful but $3M? cmon burke) and IMO took WAY too long to unload Toskala while continuing to “hope he turns it around after surgery”
Plus, until part of this season, it looked a lot more like “fire Wilson” than “extend Wilson”, which is also dragging him down.
No no, dig UP stupid.
by nhlcheapshot on Jan 27, 2012 12:53 PM EST up reply actions
Sure, as a pair, I get it. I just take issue with the blue-line moves being “questionable,” and it seems to be lazy, broad-stroke analysis, rather than considering whether or not his blue-line moves were, in fact, questionable. I don’t think there’s anyone in the world who would rather have the 6 best out of the bottom row than the 6 best out of the top (and, looking at the list, the only player who we spent non-D assets to get was Phaneuf, and even acquiring him took barely-positive value assets).
RIP Former-and-forever Leaf Wade Belak
Me on Twitter
by Bower Power on Jan 27, 2012 12:59 PM EST up reply actions
IMO took WAY too long to unload Toskala
yeah.. Burke really should have answered those phone calls from other GM’s begging for a shot at Toskala..
yeah.. Burke really should have answered those phone calls from other GM’s begging for a shot at Toskala..I agree with Komisarek and Armstrong, but those were some of his first UFA signings. What other players where available is first year of UFA? Wasn’t Komisarek one of the highest profile UFA defenceman?
Changing my "Goat of The Year" player from Armstrong to Kulemin
Burke really should have answered those phone calls from other GM’s begging for a shot at Toskala..
You missed the point – they didn’t have to play him night in night out. There’s a bench there for a reason. He was giving us 0.85 goaltending each night and they kept putting him out there.
Komi looks bad in hindsight but was high-profile at the time. I only half blame him on that one – it looks bad, but lots of fans were happy when we got him.
No no, dig UP stupid.
by nhlcheapshot on Jan 27, 2012 2:34 PM EST up reply actions
orrrrrr
He could have had a backup plan and put a bullet in Toskala (ie waived) about 4 months sooner.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
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