Another Habs GM Candidate and Other Links
by Kevin van Steendelaar on Jan 19, 2012 10:39 PM EST
in Opinions and other Habs links
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Jarmo Kekalainen was not on Darren Dreger's list of potential Habs GMs, but it drew some interest after a follower dropped the name during our Wednesday Game Thread.
Kekalainen has a fairly good draft record, as Director of Player Personnel with the Ottawa Senators, and later as an Assistant GM/Head of Amateur Scouting with the St. Louis Blues.
In his tenures, Kekalainen has scouted/drafted notables such as Jason Spezza, Marian Hossa, Martin Havlat, David Perron, Lars Eller, Patrik Berglund, David Backes, T.J. Oshie and Aaron Palushaj.
Many felt that Kekalainen would be up for the GM role in St. Louis, but was passed over. He left St. Louis, following the 2010 Entry Draft, for the Finnish Elite League to take the President and GM position with Jokerit.
There was a lot of talk that he wanted to be an NHL GM, but would Montreal be a consideration for him. That is provided he can speak French. But I would take him in a heartbeat, regardless of language, over Dreger's suggestion of John Ferguson.
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With all that speculation about the next GM, Gauthier must feel like the old man at beginning of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Molson said he still trusts him, which is probably a kiss of death, but a part of me can’t help but think that monsieur Gauthier isn’t dead yet*.
*given my lifetime record at making predictions, you can safely bet the house on PG being fired before the season is even over.
Also 40% of O’Byne’s NHL goals have been against his own team it has to be a record.
by Hypnotoad on Jan 19, 2012 11:23 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
I think Jarmo K. would be a refreshing choice from the “re-cycled” types and don’t get me started on JFJ. Whoever added him to the list should be shot and pissed on. What an insult to our team. You don’t see the Leafs in any rush to make use of his services again.
I know JK has the “Ottawa” thing on his resume but he did nab some highly skilled players in the drafts. Thats one of the things we’ve been missing around the net….skill.
As for O’Byrne….hey a goal is a goal. Back in the day when I played hockey and I played “D”….I had more than a few “O’Byrneisms” on my own goalie. I always said sorry and I always said I got a goal that night…..it counted didn’t it…….just not for us. But boy did he do a fine job picking the corner from close in. Well done!!
"It's only through change we learn to grow".
Here is the problem
with assuming that Gauthier’s days are numbered.
This would assume that Gauthier all of a sudden decided to take a fairly boring resume, one that is fairly risk averse and then all of a sudden start making reactionary and impetuous moves.
What if the assumption (one that has zero facts outside of coincidence) that this might be reactionary moves ordered from above is correct?
Wouldn’t Molson want somebody who is loyal and follows orders. Wouldn’t that actually make Gauthier safe and allow for him to be propped up should a fall guy be needed in the future?
The general assumption is that Gauthier being fired is a foregone conclusion. I am not sure that is the case.
If you want 30 tweets a day, don't follow me. @ChrisBoyle33
I agree
For 2 years Gauthier seemed to make sensible and planned decision under Pierre Boivin. The only thing Boivin was asking was to try to have as much as possible QC or french players. Last year when Markov and Gorge went down, he took the time to shop for Wiz, it didn’t look like a panic move.
Then Molson becomes president and all of a sudden Pierre Gauthier is making panic moves. Somehow, I don’t think he changed that much over night.
I also believe the firing of Martin was forced on him. He knew they had played only 4 game over the cap floor and they were still in the playoff race. I think Molson was tired of hearing that Martin was a defensive coach and he told Gauthier to put a guy with an offensive mind in place. Problem is, the canadiens aren’t build to play that kind of game.
As far as being loyal and following orders, look at Garth Snow, he still has a job! He made some pretty awful decision like the Dipietro contract.
I used to be able to predict what Gauthier was going to do. Now not so much and that kind of scare me because it looks like they don’t have a plan.
I think Mike Babcock likes to use stats. It’s easy for a NHL team like the Red Wings to pay someone just to count things… but there are other options.
Peter Budaj, your job just got more intensive.
Co-editor of Eyes on the Prize
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by Andrew Berkshire on Jan 20, 2012 4:44 PM EST up reply actions
winning team anatomy
Fascinating article. It’s not necessarily the 40-goal scorer that’s going to lead a team to the Holy Grail but scoring depth is the key. It would stand to reason, also, that contributions from D are paramount.
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