Brendan Shanahan to be named president of Maple Leafs

[Redleaf]

I'm not talking about this unfolding in just one or two seasons. It would have to be something that you build out in steps over time. There would still be someone to oversee it and be in charge of the operation. I can't see any reason it couldn't work in some capacity, providing ownership is willing to part with the money. Question is....why bother?

It's not about the time frame, the problem with the idea is that it essentially ignores that in addition to money, control is something that most hockey executives seem to want in their jobs. What you're essentially proposing is a situation where not only do all of your high priced All-Star team of executives have to be satisfied with a role where they have very little in the way of authority but whoever it is at the top not only has to be alright with not only giving up the ability to choose his own staff but also be comfortable with his staff being filled with the best possible replacements for him.

The best sports teams aren't run by teams of all-star executives, they're run by one very good executive who knows how to build a staff.

And every once and a while someone comes along with a totally new way of doing things..... Just saying.

 

[Kin]

And every once and a while someone comes along with a totally new way of doing things..... Just saying.

Except there's nothing new whatsoever about a team trying to poach executive talent from other organizations. We've seen how ineffective it is as a strategy to assemble a multi-headed executive vs. one guy in control of the whole show. There's nothing novel about taking bad ideas and turning them up to 11.

 

[Redleaf]

And every once and a while someone comes along with a totally new way of doing things..... Just saying.

Except there's nothing new whatsoever about a team trying to poach executive talent from other organizations. We've seen how ineffective it is as a strategy to assemble a multi-headed executive vs. one guy in control of the whole show. There's nothing novel about taking bad ideas and turning them up to 11.

The concept as a whole isn't done, you've just said so.... As for it being a bad idea, you can't really know that if it hasn't been done and done properly, can you?

 

[Kin]

The concept as a whole isn't done, you've just said so....

No, I said that it's not something that good teams do, not that teams haven't tried it.

As for it being a bad idea, you can't really know that if it hasn't been done and done properly, can you?

Well, again, there's nothing new about what you're suggesting but even if there was you absolutely can know if something is a bad idea before you try it.

 

[mc]

bruce_arthur: If Tim Leiweke is talking to Brendan Shananan about a hockey ops job, then Dave Nonis is in trouble.

mirtle: In all seriousness on the Leafs, I'll say this much: I don't think anyone's safe right now.

Reading that makes me all giddy!

 

[Redleaf]

The concept as a whole isn't done, you've just said so....

No, I said that it's not something that good teams do, not that teams haven't tried it.

As for it being a bad idea, you can't really know that if it hasn't been done and done properly, can you?

Well, again, there's nothing new about what you're suggesting but even if there was you absolutely can know if something is a bad idea before you try it.

Yeah. I'm not so sure that's true. Which professional sports team runs precisely in the manner I've described?

 

[Mike1]

Don't really think hiring a president solves anything. Just adds more clutter to an already bloated front office. The Leafs have had a ton of people there, it hasn't really made them any better. They've struggled mightily despite the resources that they have at their disposal.

Hiring a name doesn't accomplish anything. The Leafs need people that are going to perform at a high level at their jobs. They clearly don't have enough of those people right now.

 

[ZBBM]

#turfemall
#turfemallgood

 

[Mike1]

The epitome of work ethic. Shanny has won on every level. Why not?

Just because someone was a good player, doesn't mean they will be a good executive. Look at Kevin Lowe....

 

[bustaheims]

Don't really think hiring a president solves anything. Just adds more clutter to an already bloated front office. The Leafs have had a ton of people there, it hasn't really made them any better. They've struggled mightily despite the resources that they have at their disposal.

Hiring a name doesn't accomplish anything. The Leafs need people that are going to perform at a high level at their jobs. They clearly don't have enough of those people right now.

Well, part of hiring a new president from outside the organization is to bring in someone with a fresh perspective who doesn't have emotional ties to anyone who is there now and can make the front office less bloated (and, for the record, it's really not any more bloated than any other front office around the league - it's just that they're in the media more frequently) and more efficient.

 

[mc]

The epitome of work ethic. Shanny has won on every level. Why not?

Just because someone was a good player, doesn't mean they will be a good executive. Look at Kevin Lowe....

Look at Joe Sakic.

 

[Captain Canuck]

Don't really think hiring a president solves anything. Just adds more clutter to an already bloated front office. The Leafs have had a ton of people there, it hasn't really made them any better. They've struggled mightily despite the resources that they have at their disposal.

Hiring a name doesn't accomplish anything. The Leafs need people that are going to perform at a high level at their jobs. They clearly don't have enough of those people right now.

I agree completely, which is why if someone like Shanahan is hired I think there are wholesale changes in the organization, otherwise the move is pointless. If Shanny is lured to the Leafs quite a few heads will need to roll, namely Nonis, Carlyle, and a few in hockey operations.
Break out the guillotine!

 

[Kin]

Yeah. I'm not so sure that's true. Which professional sports team runs precisely in the manner I've described?

Leaving aside the fact that you should probably take something away from the fact that even the smartest franchises in sports don't run that way(and, let's be honest, "just hire all the best people" is not exactly a revolutionary concept) I can think of lots of franchises like the Redskins or Cowboys who've tried to go that route in recent years with very little in the way of success.

 

[Peter D.]

I'm on board with bringing in a president of hockey ops who would oversee the entire hockey structure.  The one reservation would be adding yet another layer to the management structure, but the team could use a guy at the top who will set the tone for the entire organization right on down through all levels.

If this position is filled, by Shanahan or whomever, I'm all for seeing a complete overhaul of the current management team.  The scouting staff is one department that primarily needs a major revamp in my opinion.  And if it means that the team has to eat up Nonis's remaining four years on his contract, so be it.  I'd rather the new guy bring in the guys he wants than keeping guys he has inherited and may not be completely comfortable with. 

 

[freer]

I'm on board with bringing in a president of hockey ops who would oversee the entire hockey structure.  The one reservation would be adding yet another layer to the management structure, but the team could use a guy at the top who will set the tone for the entire organization right on down through all levels.

If this position is filled, by Shanahan or whomever, I'm all for seeing a complete overhaul of the current management team.  The scouting staff is one department that primarily needs a major revamp in my opinion.  And if it means that the team has to eat up Nonis's remaining four years on his contract, so be it.  I'd rather the new guy bring in the guys he wants than keeping guys he has inherited and may not be completely comfortable with.

the scouting is not as good as DET that is a fact. But We got Bozak for nothing, and he has been a good player

 

[Redleaf]

I'm on board with bringing in a president of hockey ops who would oversee the entire hockey structure.  The one reservation would be adding yet another layer to the management structure, but the team could use a guy at the top who will set the tone for the entire organization right on down through all levels.

If this position is filled, by Shanahan or whomever, I'm all for seeing a complete overhaul of the current management team.  The scouting staff is one department that primarily needs a major revamp in my opinion.  And if it means that the team has to eat up Nonis's remaining four years on his contract, so be it.  I'd rather the new guy bring in the guys he wants than keeping guys he has inherited and may not be completely comfortable with.

the scouting is not as good as DET that is a fact. But We got Bozak for nothing, and he has been a good player

I think the amateur scouting staff have done a fine job. I wouldn't touch them. The pro scouting has been average, other than a few hits here and there. If there is a opportunity to upgrade that, I'd be all over it!

 

[freer]

I'm on board with bringing in a president of hockey ops who would oversee the entire hockey structure.  The one reservation would be adding yet another layer to the management structure, but the team could use a guy at the top who will set the tone for the entire organization right on down through all levels.

If this position is filled, by Shanahan or whomever, I'm all for seeing a complete overhaul of the current management team.  The scouting staff is one department that primarily needs a major revamp in my opinion.  And if it means that the team has to eat up Nonis's remaining four years on his contract, so be it.  I'd rather the new guy bring in the guys he wants than keeping guys he has inherited and may not be completely comfortable with.

the scouting is not as good as DET that is a fact. But We got Bozak for nothing, and he has been a good player

I think the amateur scouting staff have done a fine job. I wouldn't touch them. The pro scouting has been average, other than a few hits here and there. If there is a opportunity to upgrade that, I'd be all over it!

I guess I would have to agree, with the choice of the Highly talented "Mr Clarkson" (See sarcasm)

 

[bustaheims]

I think the amateur scouting staff have done a fine job. I wouldn't touch them. The pro scouting has been average, other than a few hits here and there. If there is a opportunity to upgrade that, I'd be all over it!

The amateur scouts have been adequate, but, they could still use some upgrades. That's the area where the Leafs could really be using some of their financial advantage. Have multiple scouts in each territory, so they get multiple opinions on players and more time watching each player. More in-depth scouting reports certainly couldn't hurt.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I think the amateur scouting staff have done a fine job. I wouldn't touch them. The pro scouting has been average, other than a few hits here and there. If there is a opportunity to upgrade that, I'd be all over it!

The amateur scouts have been adequate, but, they could still use some upgrades. That's the area where the Leafs could really be using some of their financial advantage. Have multiple scouts in each territory, so they get multiple opinions on players and more time watching each player. More in-depth scouting reports certainly couldn't hurt.

I know I've made the argument that Detroit has been 'lucky', but at the same time the Leafs should really try to emulate certain aspects of the way they draft, such as taking a flyer on some of these smaller, but highly skilled, players that fall into the later rounds of the draft.  Detroit basically does that and then develops the crap out of them on the farm before bringing them up.  Now obviously their European scout is pretty great to find these guys, but when it comes to the later rounds I think a team should be doing a lot of that.

 

[bustaheims]

I know I've made the argument that Detroit has been 'lucky', but at the same time the Leafs should really try to emulate certain aspects of the way they draft, such as taking a flyer on some of these smaller, but highly skilled, players that fall into the later rounds of the draft.  Detroit basically does that and then develops the crap out of them on the farm before bringing them up.  Now obviously their European scout is pretty great to find these guys, but when it comes to the later rounds I think a team should be doing a lot of that.

I agree, and, I think adding more quality scouts in the European leagues would be one of the first areas I'd be addressing.