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Lou Lamoriello named Leafs General Manager

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't recall anything like this ever happening in the history of the NHL. In one summer a team signs one of the biggest name coaches, AND one of the biggest name GM's in the league.

Something similar has had to happen in the 100 year history of the league, but I doubt it could match the 'star power' of these 2 signings, and with both deals coming only a month or so apart. And to a rebuilding team. Its really unprecidented.
 
I love this quote when asked about not getting to hire his own coach:

?Mike hasn?t coached a game,? Lamoriello objected. ?I haven?t been here a day. And you?re trying to make trouble. Next question.?
 
I honestly dont know what every one was expecting. You honestly didnt think that the Dumas or Hunter were really going to get the job.
 
freer said:
I honestly dont know what every one was expecting. You honestly didnt think that the Dumas or Hunter were really going to get the job.
Click to expand...

No I didn't.  Most of the dumas's are on this board, not the Leafs front office.
 
I've put together a list of articles talking about the Lamiorello signing:  http://goo.gl/L3ezmv
 
I like the Lamoriello hiring.  He brings a wealth of experience to the Leafs organization in that regard alone.  Of course, it is not to say that if it wasn't for Shanahan, it (the hiring) wouldn't have happened.

Impressed with Shanahan at the helm so far.  Everything he's initiated, completed, and forged ahead can be given the "Wow!" factor...never before have Leafs fans seen so much well-organized planning and leadership coming from the organization, per se.

So far, well done Brendan!  The hopes and expectations of the Leafs faithful surely soared with all of the changes made.

The future is looking very good.  Optimism prevails, though it will take time for the team to begin resembling a serious playoff contender, it no doubt, with all of the good smart minds and moves Shanahan has surrounded himself & the organization with, no doubt about it at all.
 
Lynx said:
I love this quote when asked about not getting to hire his own coach:

?Mike hasn?t coached a game,? Lamoriello objected. ?I haven?t been here a day. And you?re trying to make trouble. Next question.?
Click to expand...

A quote of that quality has not been around these areas since the days of Moginly.
 
I'm already beginning to love Lou.  Not only will the new admin change the culture of the players in this organization, hopefully they will berate the T.O. media into submission as well with curt answers like Lou's.
With the floundering carcass that was the Leafs the last half of the season, the carrion had plenty of bones to pick at, I think this new admin will put a shield with a forcefield that will keep the Simmons and the other etc in check.
 
bustaheims said:
louisstamos said:
Is that worth a 3rd round pick, though?
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Considering how easily the Leafs will be able to replace that pick in the 3 year period they have to relinquish it, yeah. The thing with compensation for coaches and executives is that teams don't have to send their own pick. They can negotiate to send whatever 3rd round pick they've acquired, and the Leafs are probably going to be acquiring a good number of them over the next few seasons.
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The compensation rules have been established when hiring away management from another team. Why then doesn't Anaheim owe the Leafs compensation for hiring Nonis when the Leafs owe 3rd Round picks to Detroit and New Jersey for the Babcock / Lamoriello hirings?
 
sooner2220 said:
bustaheims said:
louisstamos said:
Is that worth a 3rd round pick, though?
Click to expand...

Considering how easily the Leafs will be able to replace that pick in the 3 year period they have to relinquish it, yeah. The thing with compensation for coaches and executives is that teams don't have to send their own pick. They can negotiate to send whatever 3rd round pick they've acquired, and the Leafs are probably going to be acquiring a good number of them over the next few seasons.
Click to expand...

The compensation rules have been established when hiring away management from another team. Why then doesn't Anaheim owe the Leafs compensation for hiring Nonis when the Leafs owe 3rd Round picks to Detroit and New Jersey for the Babcock / Lamoriello hirings?
Click to expand...

It's only if a person is hired to be a president of hockey operations, a GM, or a head coach.
 
When I saw this come across the ticker the other day I was completely shocked.  Never thought Lou would ever leave New Jersey and was completely taken aback that the Leafs were able to get such a high profile name for the position.  It was thought it'd almost be a puppet coming in with the layers of management already insulating/surrounding the position.

This is a great hire.  They basically insinuated this is a move to groom Dubas for the position.  He's a living legend so there aren't many better people to learn from.  The Hockey News had a great article on Lou a couple issues ago, and it showed how professional, hands on and aware he was of the entire organization from top to bottom.  If he can teach and help instil a similar structure for the Leafs organization, that alone would make his hire a huge success.
 
Peter D. said:
When I saw this come across the ticker the other day I was completely shocked.  Never thought Lou would ever leave New Jersey and was completely taken aback that the Leafs were able to get such a high profile name for the position.  It was thought it'd almost be a puppet coming in with the layers of management already insulating/surrounding the position.

This is a great hire.  They basically insinuated this is a move to groom Dubas for the position.  He's a living legend so there aren't many better people to learn from.  The Hockey News had a great article on Lou a couple issues ago, and it showed how professional, hands on and aware he was of the entire organization from top to bottom.  If he can teach and help instil a similar structure for the Leafs organization, that alone would make his hire a huge success.
Click to expand...

I have a similar reaction to this. Super surprised, and largely positive. The professionalism piece, and the loyalty and respect he fostered even with players he traded and people he fired is a rare gift.

There are some (well-founded) concerns regarding the last decade or so of Lou's tenure with the Devils that was fraught with stagnant performance, poor drafting (in options and choices), and that Kovalchuk thing (A: that contract B: how he left).

I think this could really work if Lamoriello focused on the infrastructure of the rebuilding Leaf brand (professionalism/'culture'), and merely advised on the on-ice product moves by greasing the wheels of negotiation with his relationships, ostensibly to groom Dubas/Hunter for full-GM duties (my bet is on Dubas taking over in 3 years).
 
Lou basically said it the other day, that he is basically here to groom Dubas. I agree with Herman, I see Dubas as GM in two to three years. 
 
herman said:
Peter D. said:
When I saw this come across the ticker the other day I was completely shocked.  Never thought Lou would ever leave New Jersey and was completely taken aback that the Leafs were able to get such a high profile name for the position.  It was thought it'd almost be a puppet coming in with the layers of management already insulating/surrounding the position.

This is a great hire.  They basically insinuated this is a move to groom Dubas for the position.  He's a living legend so there aren't many better people to learn from.  The Hockey News had a great article on Lou a couple issues ago, and it showed how professional, hands on and aware he was of the entire organization from top to bottom.  If he can teach and help instil a similar structure for the Leafs organization, that alone would make his hire a huge success.
Click to expand...

I have a similar reaction to this. Super surprised, and largely positive. The professionalism piece, and the loyalty and respect he fostered even with players he traded and people he fired is a rare gift.

There are some (well-founded) concerns regarding the last decade or so of Lou's tenure with the Devils that was fraught with stagnant performance, poor drafting (in options and choices), and that Kovalchuk thing (A: that contract B: how he left).

I think this could really work if Lamoriello focused on the infrastructure of the rebuilding Leaf brand (professionalism/'culture'), and merely advised on the on-ice product moves by greasing the wheels of negotiation with his relationships, ostensibly to groom Dubas/Hunter for full-GM duties (my bet is on Dubas taking over in 3 years).
Click to expand...

I thought this was a pretty good take from the MLHS website:

Mark Hunter and Kyle Dubas are no-doubt grinning at the thought of getting their masters in hockey-team building with Lamoriello in the mix. While they?ve been capably re-building the organization in many different areas, it?s going to help them fill in the blanks in areas that can?t be fast-tracked and are only learned by trial and error through decades of experience. Knowledge transfer from someone like Lamoriello to bright students like: Shanahan, Hunter, Dubas, Pridham?and to a lesser degree: Babcock, Hiller, Smith, Brewer?benefits everyone, but the knowledge transfer won?t be a one-way street.

Hunter, while an NHL rookie, is a hockey veteran and is very good at his job; the Maple Leafs ran a shrewd and sharp ?almost-all-skill? draft that was widely applauded and that was a sharp departure from recent drafts that saw the Leafs drafting safe ?base-hit? picks outside the first round. He certainly has aspirations of being a GM in the league one day?and has said as much?but the task of building up the Maple Leafs prospect pool is the most important job in the front office right now and that falls directly on his lap. This frees up his focus and allows him to concentrate 100% on that task.
 
Whats up next for the Leafs playing wise. I know they had the prospect camp in Collingwood, when next do the boys slap on the skates?
 
Siegel article on TSN:

http://www.tsn.ca/big-picture-obscures-lamoriello-s-more-recent-reality-1.336388

"He owns three Stanley Cups after a 28-year run with the Devils. But his more recent track record is spotty at best. And while he may be a source of experience and comfort for Shanahan and his team, it's indeed worth questioning just how much influence he should wield in the Leaf front office.

Will he be the leading voice of wisdom in a Shanahan-driven collective? Can he aid in the installation of accountability and a more defined team culture? Can he mesh well with Toronto's unproven, but increasingly innovative team? Or will he exert the all-encompassing control of his nearly 30 years in New Jersey, perhaps pulling the forward-leaning Toronto management group into the past?

Time, as always, will tell."

Quite the conclusion.  He compares bringing in Lou to the time when they brought in Fletcher to keep the seat warm.  He raises the point that running with Fletcher didn't go so well.
 
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