herman
Well-known member
Kypreos is pretty tapped in at this point.
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Kypreos is pretty tapped in at this point.
5. Let’s go to Toronto. I was chatting with someone Friday who wondered why I wasn’t talking more about The Athletic article last week (which was very well-done) about the inner workings of the Maple Leafs’ front office. Toronto GM changes are now a gold mine for reporters. When Dubas left, there were stories for weeks. And, in the aftermath of Brad Treliving’s dismissal, the open antagonism between who supported him and who didn’t is pouring out like a flood. So, for me, there’s a little of everyone here is taking their pound of flesh.
At one of the pre-deadline meetings, a person told me a comment was made by someone (and I don’t believe it was Keith Pelley) that the way hockey operations handled things would not be tolerated in the business world. It was supposed to be whispered, but it was heard. You can imagine how that was received, particularly by people who thought the interventions were handled terribly. It’s like a bad breakup: there’s one side, there’s the other side, and the truth is usually in the middle. There is no doubt this season has left scars on the organization, the front office, the coaching staff and the players. That story definitely had some people wondering what really is going on in Toronto, but that’s what the interview process is for — candidates ask those questions and decide if this is for them. We will see how it all plays out.
When he was captain of the Maple Leafs, Mats Sundin had all kinds of opinions as to what was right and wrong with the hockey club — opinions he chose to keep mostly to himself.
[…]
But that didn’t mean he was devoid of opinions. Quite the opposite. Sundin had strong views, those he kept to himself, those he shared with teammates or his closest friends. In some cases, Sundin’s words would come from other players’ mouths.
This isn’t about finding a GM smart enough to identify a few “value” free agents; it’s about hiring a leader savvy enough to rebuild the management team, the coaching staff, set a direction on and off the ice, and see it through.
With all of the above in mind, this is why Mike Gillis really stands out as a candidate. He’s just about the only one they’ve reportedly interviewed who has actually tackled a job like this one, and he did very well at it. All of the other candidates look more like a number-two option, below Gillis, on paper.