Brad Treliving snuck by Kyle Dubas in a very close first-round matchup last time around in the GM Bracket Battle. Today, it’s a battle of East vs. West:
5 – Washington Capitals: Brian MacLellan
A lot of the heavy lifting in term of building the Capitals into the contender they are today was completed with George McPhee in the General Manager’s chair, but MacLellan’s fingerprints are all over that franchise. During the course of a long career with the organization, he worked in scouting, player personnel, and the general manager’s office prior to taking on the role himself.
After becoming General Manager in 2014, MacLellan went to work putting the finishing touches on a team that could win the Stanley Cup. He was ultimately successful in doing so. Whether it was getting TJ Oshie in a trade and subsequently extending him, bringing in Barry Trotz on the same day he took over, or signing contributing depth pieces to affordable contracts, MacLellan pulled all the right moves to turn the Capitals into champions.
28 – Anaheim Ducks: Bob Murray
Like MacLellan, Murray has been a familiar face in his organization for a long time. He was responsible for player development when the Ducks won their Stanley Cup in 2007, and subsequently took over as General Manager in 2008. Simply put, he helped build a powerhouse of a team.
For a short time in the years following his promotion, the Ducks looked like one of the best teams in hockey. Murray had a great core, complemented by promising young defenders, and was ready for his team to do some damage. That led him to go out and make the big move to acquire Ryan Kesler from the Vancouver Canucks, giving up peanuts for the former 40-goal scorer.
Of course, that move didn’t work out quite as planned, and the Ducks have sort of been floating around in no man’s land ever since. Odd moves such as the re-hiring and predictable re-firing of Randy Carlyle haven’t helped the cause. While there are some nice pieces working their way into the prospect system, it still feels like the Ducks are a few miles away from competitiveness.
Ottawa Senators Blogger • 
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