If a story came out that the Pegulas war vetoing more aggressive moves then I’d be inclined to agree but just from looking at the list of moves he was conservative to a fault. Not Hextall level and some of those moves were the best you could do with the hand you were dealt but I want more proactiveness than reactiveness in my GM.
- Victoro311

I just see it more as he’s the guy that essentially acquired the core group that has people finally believing in their future. Not saying he’s some superstar GM but I think he did quite a bit more good than bad.

I just see it more as he’s the guy that essentially acquired the core group that has people finally believing in their future. Not saying he’s some superstar GM but I think he did quite a bit more good than bad.
- Feds91Stammer

That’s a fair point that I’ll concede. Bots has a lot of hind sight in favor and like I said a lot of that was playing garbage hands. Identifying Tage Thompson wasn’t a bust and getting him in a package for a player that wanted out is huge.

I just hope to God whomever they pick is well versed in hockey analytics and utilizes them to the team's advantage.

I don't know everything that went down in Arizona with Chayka but I went to school from kindergarten through grade 12 with him and he was always a very smart, mature guy so it was surprising to hear. I could see him doing well with another shot at NHL management. He's the kind of guy that was always at the top of the class with his grades while also being the star athlete hockey player.

I don't know everything that went down in Arizona with Chayka but I went to school from kindergarten through grade 12 with him and he was always a very smart, mature guy so it was surprising to hear. I could see him doing well with another shot at NHL management. He's the kind of guy that was always at the top of the class with his grades while also being the star athlete hockey player.
- lemieux_66

Well that would alleviate most of my concerns so I hope you have the right of it. This guy was a shooting star before he was made GM of the yotes

Well that would alleviate most of my concerns so I hope you have the right of it. This guy was a shooting star before he was made GM of the yotes
- Victoro311

Ya he really had a great opportunity to do more but maybe he should have held off jumping on ship with Arizona. Hard to imagine a worse organization to try to make a splash with, especially considering how he was just starting to get noticed as an up and coming hockey brain. Kind of like a Dubas type guy but latched onto the worst team I can think of.

Ya he really had a great opportunity to do more but maybe he should have held off jumping on ship with Arizona. Hard to imagine a worse organization to try to make a splash with, especially considering how he was just starting to get noticed as an up and coming hockey brain. Kind of like a Dubas type guy but latched onto the worst team I can think of.
- lemieux_66

People like to say some of these teams are undesirable and GM's and coaches will turn down opportunities. I've heard that said about the Pens job considering the age of the core. Fact remains there's only 32 of those jobs available and it's the pinnacle of their sport. Hard to turn down a job at the top of your profession when there's a possibility you might not get asked again.

Would the Pens even be considering Chyka if he hadn't had the job in Zona? He must have done some good work for them if he's being considered. The yotes didn't even operate like a real NHL team.

I just hope to God whomever they pick is well versed in hockey analytics and utilizes them to the team's advantage.
- powerhouse

I just hope to God it is someone who isn't afraid to make a splash. I like Darche but it is important to really delineate what his talent is vs what of his qualifications is just being a part of a winning club. He has only been in a league executive position for a couple years and was previously a marketing guy. Might be reaching to think he is the brains behind their success.

Chayka, no thanks.

Tulsky would be cool. I'm actually not that all against Bergevin. He made some mistakes but also did some good wheeling and dealing along the way for Montreal.

I'm just happy they are talking to a variety of different candidates instead of just getting someone quick.

Perhaps Chayka didn’t know he’d be handcuffed by the team to spend cash. Or he really sucks? We’ll never know.

Are you suggesting Botterill is a bad GM?
- Feds91Stammer

Not really, more how he was RW's golden boy for a couple years and now he wants no part of him.

I haven't (and don't intend to unless he gets the job) taken a close enough look at what he did in Buffalo. I do know they had a lot of high end prospects disappoint.

I just hope to God it is someone who isn't afraid to make a splash. I like Darche but it is important to really delineate what his talent is vs what of his qualifications is just being a part of a winning club. He has only been in a league executive position for a couple years and was previously a marketing guy. Might be reaching to think he is the brains behind their success.

Chayka, no thanks.

Tulsky would be cool. I'm actually not that all against Bergevin. He made some mistakes but also did some good wheeling and dealing along the way for Montreal.

I'm just happy they are talking to a variety of different candidates instead of just getting someone quick.
- MacPatty

Bergevin is awful. Not Chiarelli level awful, but probably firmly in the Lou Lamoriello tier of awful.

Saw this on the Trib site....

Here are some interesting nuggets from InsideAHLHockey.com relating to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the parent club in Pittsburgh.

Via writer Tony Androckitis, Fenway Sports Group ownership, by way of the insistence of Mike Sullivan, is putting an emphasis on bolstering the minor league product.

“I’m told FSG will mandate to their new GM that this AHL Penguins club needs to be highly competitive — on the persistent advice from Sullivan, specifically, in making sure the organization’s top prospects are developing in a winning environment,” Androckitis said.

That’s ironic, given that Sullivan seemed so loathe to use young players in recent years. Maybe he just hasn’t been under the impression that any of them were any good down at WSB.

Androckitis added this quote from an NHL source, “This is a (Sullivan) thing more than whoever the new (GM) is. … And right now, (Sullivan) has the hammer with the Fenway guys.”

That seems to confirm a lot of what people in Pittsburgh have assumed about the relationship between FSG and Sullivan.

Also, Androckitis says he’s hearing Marc Bergevin, Jason Botterill and John Chayka are three specific candidates to watch for the GM vacancy, and that coaches around the AHL think J.D. Forrest and his staff had “a well-structured team” despite a lack of depth on the club.

Hard to be competitive when all your prospects suck.

Not really, more how he was RW's golden boy for a couple years and now he wants no part of him.

I haven't (and don't intend to unless he gets the job) taken a close enough look at what he did in Buffalo. I do know they had a lot of high end prospects disappoint.
- Tojo.

Gotcha. I forget people still at least skim the blogs. I’m just here for the banter.

I just hope to God it is someone who isn't afraid to make a splash. I like Darche but it is important to really delineate what his talent is vs what of his qualifications is just being a part of a winning club. He has only been in a league executive position for a couple years and was previously a marketing guy. Might be reaching to think he is the brains behind their success.

Chayka, no thanks.

Tulsky would be cool. I'm actually not that all against Bergevin. He made some mistakes but also did some good wheeling and dealing along the way for Montreal.

I'm just happy they are talking to a variety of different candidates instead of just getting someone quick.
- MacPatty

Bergevin wheeling and dealing is how you trade Sergachev for Drouin.

I dont want a Rutherford 2.0. Rutherford made the moves necessary to win, but he also was gun slinging deals for no reason which cost us valuable assets. I want a GM that can analytically approach this team. He needs to have an eye for talent because we will largely need under-the-radar signings.

Sullivan is spot on with his assessment of the AHL product. It is important to turn guys into a winning culture regardless of where they are playing within the system. His level of power is second to none in the league. Maybe John Cooper in Tampa. I think Sullivan is a good coach, but either there needs to be a huge effort to make this team faster to more fit Sullivan's style or Sullivan needs to figure out a secondary style of play.

Well that would alleviate most of my concerns so I hope you have the right of it. This guy was a shooting star before he was made GM of the yotes
- Victoro311

There's the issue.

Well that would alleviate most of my concerns so I hope you have the right of it. This guy was a shooting star before he was made GM of the yotes
- Victoro311

Nothing that Alex Meruelo touches goes as well as it should. Dude makes Jim Balsillie look legit.

Bergevin wheeling and dealing is how you trade Sergachev for Drouin.
- Feds91Stammer

The Aho offer sheet should have got him fired on the spot.

The Aho offer sheet should have got him fired on the spot.
- BINGO!

Why? I thought that was perceived by many in Montreal as a low-risk/high-reward move?

Why? I thought that was perceived by many in Montreal as a low-risk/high-reward move?
- SuperHenderson13

It was never going to work, especially at that dollar value, and all it did was lock him up at a reasonable AAV for the Canes. Embarrassing.

Which of the Candidates Is likeliest to put Sullivan in his place? Tell him he needs to change or fire him on the spot. That’s the guy I want.

Saw this on the Trib site....

Here are some interesting nuggets from InsideAHLHockey.com relating to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the parent club in Pittsburgh.

Via writer Tony Androckitis, Fenway Sports Group ownership, by way of the insistence of Mike Sullivan, is putting an emphasis on bolstering the minor league product.

“I’m told FSG will mandate to their new GM that this AHL Penguins club needs to be highly competitive — on the persistent advice from Sullivan, specifically, in making sure the organization’s top prospects are developing in a winning environment,” Androckitis said.

That’s ironic, given that Sullivan seemed so loathe to use young players in recent years. Maybe he just hasn’t been under the impression that any of them were any good down at WSB.

Androckitis added this quote from an NHL source, “This is a (Sullivan) thing more than whoever the new (GM) is. … And right now, (Sullivan) has the hammer with the Fenway guys.”

That seems to confirm a lot of what people in Pittsburgh have assumed about the relationship between FSG and Sullivan.

Also, Androckitis says he’s hearing Marc Bergevin, Jason Botterill and John Chayka are three specific candidates to watch for the GM vacancy, and that coaches around the AHL think J.D. Forrest and his staff had “a well-structured team” despite a lack of depth on the club.


- madmike71

Sounds to me like Sullivan wants some vet tweeners for depth so he doesn't have to rely on our prospects. Not like there's another way to infuse the AHL with talent.

I dont want a Rutherford 2.0. Rutherford made the moves necessary to win, but he also was gun slinging deals for no reason which cost us valuable assets. I want a GM that can analytically approach this team. He needs to have an eye for talent because we will largely need under-the-radar signings.

Sullivan is spot on with his assessment of the AHL product. It is important to turn guys into a winning culture regardless of where they are playing within the system. His level of power is second to none in the league. Maybe John Cooper in Tampa. I think Sullivan is a good coach, but either there needs to be a huge effort to make this team faster to more fit Sullivan's style or Sullivan needs to figure out a secondary style of play.
- SuperHenderson13

I said this several weeks ago... I don't want my coach to have more power than the GM. I think that's a huge mistake, but I have little doubt that will be the case again this year.

I found the bit about a competitive AHL team pretty strange. I don't think you can just "wish" that into existence without drafting good, young players. Not to mention his lack of interest in giving a player or two a decent look with the big club. IDK.... Just found that weird.

Sounds to me like Sullivan wants some vet tweeners for depth so he doesn't have to rely on our prospects. Not like there's another way to infuse the AHL with talent.
- Tojo.

I was just going to write that. Getting the best fringe NHL'rs. Sound like he wants to barely make or miss the playoffs again. God forbid we give one of our prospects a decent look. I don't want a bunch of guys that have already proven they don't belong in the league. I'll take the unknown over that.