21 replies to this topic

[JWomp]

http://www.cbc.ca/sp...0-thoughts.html

This link was already posted because of the Parise information it contains, but I thought the "plug" from Friedman at the beginning of the blog was also worth noting:

During the Stanley Cup playoffs, I had time to read Behind the Moves, which is basically a 252-page oral history of hockey's general managers. It's written by Jason Farris, who is now a Dallas Stars executive vice-president.

The book is outstanding. Over the next few weeks, I'm going to re-read it, this time putting together a structured notes package on its subjects.

One of the best things about working at HNIC is the access it allows. However, Farris, who has more of a business background than a sportswriting one, got these guys to reveal quite a bit about their philosophies and thought processes. That includes guys who tend to be quite secretive, like Lou Lamoriello and Pierre Lacroix. The group was also very honest about each other.

The book is $99.95, or, if you pay $139.95, you can get the special Devils edition signed by Lou. I would love to read what Lou has to say in the book, but not bad enough to drop $100 on it.

Regular edition: http://www.circanow....ail.aspx?ID=115
Special edition: http://www.circanow....ail.aspx?ID=111

[Mayday]

$100 for a book? I don't care if its hardcover god dammmit.

[ghdi]

$100 for a book? I don't care if its hardcover god dammmit.

Its probably self-published or just a really limited run. Not uncommon with this sort of thing since it won't generate a lot of casual interest. Happens a lot with art and photography books.

Not interested at all in it, but it does seem like a really nice piece that Id enjoy flipping through.

[Colin226]

Can someone just post the portions from Lou? Lol

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

Yeah I saw that. The book is only 250 pages long though, I'm debating buying it.

From the website, it contains interviews with:

Active NHL GMs
Glen Sather, New York Rangers
Lou Lamoriello, New Jersey Devils
Brian Burke, Toronto Maple Leafs
Ken Holland, Detroit Red Wings
Darcy Regier, Buffalo Sabres
Jim Rutherford, Carolina Hurricanes
Paul Holmgren, Philadelphia Flyers
Jay Feaster, Calgary Flames
Ray Shero, Pittsburgh Penguins
Stan Bowman, Chicago Blackhawks
George McPhee, Washington Capitals
Bryan Murray, Ottawa Senators

Former NHL GMs
Bob Clarke
Bob Gainey
Craig Patrick
Pat Quinn
Scotty Bowman
Cliff Fletcher
John Muckler
Neil Smith
Kevin Lowe
Darryl Sutter

and others

This has a sneak peak
http://www.circanow....il2.aspx?ID=115

Including the page layout and table of contents

[devilsrule33]

Such a shame this book is a coffee-table book. With the names and time the writer got, this had the potential of being fantastic. Still could have some nice details, but how much could be said in this kind of book?

Edited by devilsrule33, 18 July 2012 - 06:36 PM.

[RSC]

If only I could justify $140, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. If only.


I give it a month until somebody makes a torrent of it.

[Daniel]

In the preview, I think thought this was very interesting:

When the Anaheim Ducks beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on May 22, 2007 an NHL milestone was reached. With that victory, Brian Burke became the 50th NHL General Manager to guide his team to the Stanley Cup Finals. In 84 years of NHL history only 32 GMs have won the Stanley Cup as a GM, and only 21 since 1967 expansion! Burke is one. There are only 30 GMs in the NHL. Burke is one….but one of a kind!

Basically, it's very tough to win even one Stanley Cup as a GM, and there are enough of them that manage to do it by having been born with a silver spoon, so to speak (e.g. Ray Shero being lucky getting to draft Crosby, Malkin, Staal or the Canadien dynasties having the benefit of having the best talent contractually bound to them outside of the draft).

Lou won 3 Cups with the benefit of only one top three draft pick as a result of being a bad team (Brendan Shanahan who turned into Scott Stevens), an inability to attract the top free agents, etc. (We all know the accolades.)

You'd be hard pressed to name five GMs in the history of the sport that are better than Lou. It's a stat like the one in the quote that puts into perspective how good he really is and how lucky we are to have him. Basically, but for Lou, the Devils would have relocated a long time ago.

[Neb00rs]

You'd be hard pressed to name five GMs in the history of the sport that are better than Lou. It's a stat like the one in the quote that puts into perspective how good he really is and how lucky we are to have him. Basically, but for Lou, the Devils would have relocated a long time ago.

I say this over and over again. And not only that but we continue to have success today. But people still call for his head at every turn.

[Masked Fan]

.... I would love to read what Lou has to say in the book, but not bad enough to drop $100 on it.

Really?

Can someone just post the portions from Lou? Lol

OK, I'll give it a shot for you.

ahem...

"Status Quo"
"I am not going to make a decision just to make a decision"
"Lower body injury"
"We'll have to see how it goes"
"Nothing new"
"I haven't spoken with him"
"If we can get better, we will"
"Marty will be a Devil as long as he wants to be a Devil"
"I'd rather just let things be and wait til tomorrow"

"I have been speaking with him every day"
"Time for plan B"

Okay, I think that about covers it, anyone got any more gems to glean enlightenment from?

[devilsrule33]

In the preview, I think thought this was very interesting:



Basically, it's very tough to win even one Stanley Cup as a GM, and there are enough of them that manage to do it by having been born with a silver spoon, so to speak (e.g. Ray Shero being lucky getting to draft Crosby, Malkin, Staal or the Canadien dynasties having the benefit of having the best talent contractually bound to them outside of the draft).

Lou won 3 Cups with the benefit of only one top three draft pick as a result of being a bad team (Brendan Shanahan who turned into Scott Stevens), an inability to attract the top free agents, etc. (We all know the accolades.)

You'd be hard pressed to name five GMs in the history of the sport that are better than Lou. It's a stat like the one in the quote that puts into perspective how good he really is and how lucky we are to have him. Basically, but for Lou, the Devils would have relocated a long time ago.

Lou is one of the greatest GMs in professional sports, but it is more than just transactions, but how he runs an organization. It might be considered old school now, but his approach has been successful many times. He is either loved or hated, but the amount of players that return to the organization says something...and so does the success, of course.

Having said that, when you are a GM, you get too much credit when things go well and too much blame when things are going bad. The director of scouting and or director of player personnel is the guy that knows every player in hockey. He's the guy who can name every prospect on every team. He along with his staff is the reason you had a good draft or a bad draft. He's the guy who the GM goes to asking about which prospect should we be getting in this deal and who we can afford to trade. In Lou's case, he's had a hockey genius in David Conte with him for all 25 years I believe. In Detroit, Ken Holland is widely considered the best or 2nd best GM next to Lou (anyone can debate that order...no wrong answer), and he has been blessed with Jim Nill, who like Conte, has been next to him the entire time.

[JWomp]

Really?


OK, I'll give it a shot for you.

ahem...

"Status Quo"
"I am not going to make a decision just to make a decision"
"Lower body injury"
"We'll have to see how it goes"
"Nothing new"
"I haven't spoken with him"
"If we can get better, we will"
"Marty will be a Devil as long as he wants to be a Devil"
"I'd rather just let things be and wait til tomorrow"

"I have been speaking with him every day"
"Time for plan B"

Okay, I think that about covers it, anyone got any more gems to glean enlightenment from?

Haha, I guess I'm just intrigued by this line: "[The author] got these guys to reveal quite a bit about their philosophies and thought processes. That includes guys who tend to be quite secretive, like Lou Lamoriello and Pierre Lacroix."

[MadDog2020]

In the preview, I think thought this was very interesting:



Basically, it's very tough to win even one Stanley Cup as a GM, and there are enough of them that manage to do it by having been born with a silver spoon, so to speak (e.g. Ray Shero being lucky getting to draft Crosby, Malkin, Staal or the Canadien dynasties having the benefit of having the best talent contractually bound to them outside of the draft).

Lou won 3 Cups with the benefit of only one top three draft pick as a result of being a bad team (Brendan Shanahan who turned into Scott Stevens), an inability to attract the top free agents, etc. (We all know the accolades.)

You'd be hard pressed to name five GMs in the history of the sport that are better than Lou. It's a stat like the one in the quote that puts into perspective how good he really is and how lucky we are to have him. Basically, but for Lou, the Devils would have relocated a long time ago.

That is an amazing stat, and one that makes me even more grateful to have had Lou here for all these years. When he officially retires as GM, we need to put his suit in the rafters lol.

[MadDog2020]

Really?


OK, I'll give it a shot for you.

ahem...

"Status Quo"
"I am not going to make a decision just to make a decision"
"Lower body injury"
"We'll have to see how it goes"
"Nothing new"
"I haven't spoken with him"
"If we can get better, we will"
"Marty will be a Devil as long as he wants to be a Devil"
"I'd rather just let things be and wait til tomorrow"

"I have been speaking with him every day"
"Time for plan B"

Okay, I think that about covers it, anyone got any more gems to glean enlightenment from?

"Don't worry about my cap".

[Masked Fan]

"Don't worry about my cap".

YES!

[NJDevs4978]

'When time is on your side, you use it'
'We never worry about what we're giving up, only what we're getting'

[Jerseydevils0324]

I caved in to buying the book and received it yesterday. I figured I don't read much either than the internet, so if was going to buy a book it would be this one.

I haven't gotten the time to read yet, but a couple interesting quotes from LL are,

on Wheeling and Dealing

"First of all, there are people who I'm sure call everybody a lot. I call everybody, but not a lot - only when there is a reason and a purpose, because then I feel they know when I'm really interested [and I'm not calling] just to make sure I know what's going on. I can't waste my time that way. I can't waste my time window dressing or kicking tires, to use a hockey expression. If I'm interested in a player, I'm interested, and then I'm going to call." - Lou Lamoriello

On Dealing with Players

"I have a one-on-one with every player that comes in [to New Jersey].... [I set clear expectations for] they way they dress, the way they talk, what they do, how they act." - Lou Lamoriello

On Information Clearinghouse

"We were nicknamed 'The Firm' a few years ago from the movie. Once you get in, you can't get out. How do we protect [the intellectual property of the Devils]? You trust. You break people up.... People can leave with what they know, but not with what somebody else knows. So the way we operate is to have very little interaction with people.... The way our [organization] pyramid is [set up is] a little different than most.... Some of your most intelligent scouts might be the most insecure people, so they won't express themselves if you are overpowering.... So we try to do things in such a way that everybody can maximize who they are and never feel threatened or intimidated or that their opinion is not respected and honored, even [if] it's not used." Lou Lamoriello

Edited by Jerseydevils0324, 05 August 2012 - 09:07 AM.

[RSC]

I caved in to buying the book and received it yesterday. I figured I don't read much either than the internet, so if was going to buy a book it would be this one.

I haven't gotten the time to read yet, but a couple interesting quotes from LL are,

on Wheeling and Dealing

"First of all, there are people who I'm sure call everybody a lot. I call everybody, but not a lot - only when there is a reason and a purpose, because then I feel they know when I'm really interested [and I'm not calling] just to make sure I know what's going on. I can't waste my time that way. I can't waste my time window dressing or kicking tires, to use a hockey expression. If I'm interested in a player, I'm interested, and then I'm going to call." - Lou Lamoriello

On Dealing with Players

"I have a one-on-one with every player that comes in [to New Jersey].... [I set clear expectations for] they way they dress, the way they talk, what they do, how they act." - Lou Lamoriello

Good stuff, dude, thanks for sharing. Keep us updated with tidbits from Lou as you read.

[Jerseydevils0324]

just updated another little bit above

Edited by Jerseydevils0324, 05 August 2012 - 09:08 AM.

[Colin226]

Awesome! Thanks a lot