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Burke, Hextall tandem might be the perfect choices to lead Pens |
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Brian Burke called Pittsburgh a “take-your-breath-way destination” for any NHL executive. But it is also true that Burke’s hiring as the Penguins’ new president of hockey operations has a similar “wow” factor.
Not everyone will be sold on the tandem of Burke and new GM Ron Hextall, but there is no denying that the hiring of these two "name" executives adds another layer of sizzle to one of the league’s most appealing franchises.
No up-and-comers for the Penguins. No promoting from within. No trying to catch the rising managerial star. When you have Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and a commitment to trying to win another Stanley Cup with this group, you go with the guys you know. You go with people with a pedigree.
You don’t have to wonder what you are getting with Burke and Hextall. They have a combined 51 years of managerial experience at the NHL level.
I like the hires. These guys fit the Penguins’ identity, and more importantly, they understand the Penguins’ history.
Burke and Hextall will bring a fresh energy to the team, and bombastic Burke, always quick with a witty quote, will add to the team’s entertainment value.
It hasn't worked out everywhere he's been, but he won a Cup with the Anaheim Ducks.
We can guess that Burke and Hextall will want to make the Penguins tougher to play against.
Burke has always had the vision and creativity to plan for the future, but he lives to win tomorrow’s game. He played college hockey for Lou Lamoriello at Providence, and it is probably not an accident that he has an aggressive management style that is similar to Lamoriello’s approach.
The Hextall hiring might help both Hextrall and the Penguins grow. Hextall has developed a reputation of being a quality talent evaluator. When he was general manager in Philadelphia, he stocked the Flyers’ cupboard with plenty of young talent.
He drafted many of the key players, including Carter Hart, on the current Flyers team, which is ahead of the Penguins in the East Division standings.
The criticism of Hextall was that he was too patient with his retooling, and that he should have pushed harder to win.
My prediction is that Hextall, known for his fiery competitiveness as a player, will have no trouble embracing the idea that the Penguins are looking to this season. But I would also predict that Hextall’s skills in drafting will also serve the Penguins well as they prepare for the eventual retirement of Crosby and Malkin.
Some Pittsburgh fans might have difficulty liking Hextall initially because they hated him when he was a wildly aggressive Flyers goalie. How many Penguins were slashed by Hextall in the course of his career?
But he actually has roots in Pittsburgh. His father, Bryan Jr, played for the Penguins from 1969-74. From ages five to nine, Ron Hextall lived in the Pittsburgh area, where many Penguins and Pittsburgh Pirates players lived. He recalls playing street hockey with Pirates players Manny Sanguillen and Rennie Stennett.
“I’ve come full circle,” Hextall said. “(because) I have fond memories of watching the Penguins and my father.”
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