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Finding a GM is one thing, Establishing their Mandate is Another... |
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At what point does the discussion shift from "who's going to the next GM?" to "what will the next GM's immediate mandate be?"?
As of yesterday, reports had the Canadiens seriously entertaining discussions with Pierre McGuire and Marc Bergervin.
While everyone weighs the benefits and shortcomings of each candidate, it seems clear that the Canadiens have established that they need a "hockey person", first and foremost. That person obviously has to be qualified to manage the cap, and of course institute his policy based on the upcoming ratification of the CBA.
Most importantly, that person needs to have the network to build the best supportive staff he can manage. From scouting, to pro scouting, to player personnel, to building a coaching staff both for the NHL and for the minor league affiliate that can appropriately develop the talent.
While everyone weighs in on who they think the best candidate is, the Canadiens are the only ones truly privy to the pertinent information the decision must be based on. No matter what you or I know about Bergevin or McGuire, we have no information regarding their plans for the Canadiens. We have none of it from any other potential candidate omitted from this public short-list.
What requires immediate focus for the incumbent GM?
If the Canadiens intend on using their third overall selection, that part of the job should already be figured out by now, regardless of who is taking over. That person may have a clear idea of who they want to draft based on what the other plans are for the team, but it seems obvious those other plans require immediate attention.
We know that the Canadiens finished last in the conference, that they've done a poor job in the pro-scouting department over the last number of years, that their lack of a powerplay and a cohesive system put them in the position they find themselves in, and that they need to change the tactics they employ from what they were last season.
We know that the blue line was exposed as weak, small, and limited to handle the traffic in front of the franchise's best asset; Carey Price.
We know that while one line of the Canadiens is set to produce, another line needs to be established to support their efforts.
Can the Canadiens enter another season with Desharnais, Plekanec and Eller as their top three centres?
Can the Canadiens get what they need out of Brian Gionta and Rene Bourque parts of their top six, or can they upgrade through the draft and increase their depth at forward by pushing those players further down the roster?
What are the biggest needs of the franchise in unrestricted free agency? Surely this will depend on the draft strategy, but the Canadiens are only in a position to draft one NHL-ready prospect for the time being.
Who are the biggest trade assets available to the Canadiens to ensure they can upgrade at forward and on defense?
What's to be done with dead-weight contracts like those held by Scott Gomez and Tomas Kaberle.
These are the pressing issues that require immediate attention, and whoever the new GM is, their plan needs to begin unfolding immediately.
Perhaps first on that person's list should be the task of establishing a stronger pro-scouting department. Hiring strong Assistant-GMs to participate in negotiation-strategy, number crunching, and general outreach to build relationships with the other GMs in the league is imperative.
Hiring a coaching staff also has to be a focus of the immediate mandate. Can the GM find the right coach to exact the best out of the core that's already been established in Montreal.
Contract negotiations are pending with some pretty important pieces of that core; namely Carey Price and P.K. Subban. Lars Eller, Ryan White and Alexei Emelin are important pieces that need to factor into managing the cap appropriately, because next year, Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais will be up for contracts.
We can't be far from learning who the next GM will be, because the Canadiens have so much work to do it's hard to summarize it all in a single blog-post.
Knowing how much work needs to go into making the Canadiens successful in the short-term and in the long-term means the new GM must at all costs manage expectations effectively.
While the primary goal of the franchise, according to Geoff Molson, is concentrating on winning the Stanley Cup, this post-season is serving notice that any team in the playoffs can win. The new GM is going to have to clearly establish what would amount to regular season success and have clear and realistic goals based on the personnel hired to execute the mandate.
We all agree that the Habs have pieces in place to be competitive, and if the right components are added to the equation, they could be a contender-- perhaps as early as next season if the priorities are set accordingly.
The new GM comes into a ripe situation. They can't possibly do much worse than the previous regime did last season. But given how many moves will be made between now and the time the puck drops on next season, hope will be restored with the enthusiasm over what's new. That might elevate expectations to a degree, but it seems clear the Habs will ride into next season as underdogs to make the playoffs--and that might be the best environment for them to establish trust within the room and a cohesive effort that leads to the employment of a consistent system.
The clock is ticking, and an announcement is pending. As soon as it's made, the evaluation should not be based on the new GM's name, or his previous experience, but on what he sells as the plan moving forward and how he executes it.
It's become tiresome to hear about everyone's preconception of how the candidates will do the job if they should obtain it. We know the Canadiens have undertaken a very extensive process to find their man, and we should respect that they'll make the right decision based on the extensiveness of that search. We will not be able to judge that decision on day 1, no matter who tries to convince you they know everything there is to know about that person.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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