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Our Next GM


Colorado Rockies 1976

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Based on yesterday's activities, and the way Fitz was discussing the team's future, at this point does anyone really think that it's NOT going to be him going forward?  Like I said in another thread, I think the owners believe in him...I think he has a vision, and was able to sell the owners on a possible plan.  

It would be easy to look at this as a "Baby Shero" kind of deal, much like Nas feels like Baby Hynes, but it really feels like Fitz was going to get an opportunity to be a GM somewhere, in the not-too-distant future...he seems to be pretty well respected around the NHL.  So I don't really hold any association with Shero against him.

I still also think Shero ran into a sh!tload of rotten luck over the last few years.  Guy couldn't buy a break, and nice on-paper makes-sense moves just didn't work out for him, time and time again.  I don't think he was as bad of a GM as the results would indicate, though when it came to having any contingency plans, that's where he struggled.

Like SD has pointed out, I do like that Fitz is not starting from near scratch here, the way that Shero did (and of course we knew what happened with the one "sure thing" piece that he did inherit, in Schneider).  Two young centers and a young goalie, and all three clearly have some nice upside.  And for the first time in a while, there won't be any "Well maybe if" scenarios with Cory.  Devils will be done with him.  That means Fitz will go out and get a decent vet, and we can actually expect to have consistently solid goaltending next season, instead of the goalie formerly known as Cory, or Cinco Domingo-type "Well at least he's not Cory" warm bodies.  

I like that Fitz seems to believe that better days aren't necessarily THAT far off.  I agree with him.  This will be a hell of an opportunity for him, and he's already given himself more to work with, with yesterday's deal...I wish him the best.  

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4 minutes ago, Satans Hockey said:

I like that Frtiz actually sounds intelligent in his interviews instead of the rambling mess that Shero was. I think Shero might have been the absolute worst public speaker that I've ever heard who was a general manager. 

It is nice when a GM is articulate (and I have a feeling Fitz is going to be more forthcoming in interviews than most GMs...of course there's only so much that GMs are going to tell you directly, but he seems like a guy who's going to be almost surprisingly open at times).

There was no bigger mushmouthed GM than Omar Minaya of the Mets.  Once you heard that guy fumble his way through press conferences, you're never shocked by other GMs who weren't great public speakers.

I noticed a drop-off with Shero this year, as far as his speaking went...I do think that had to with the fact that he was pretty shaken and at a loss for what to do next.  I don't think he ever thought that this season would turn out the way that it did.  

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Shero was a good wheeler dealer and it looks like Fitzgerald is good at it too.  The issue is how he intends to put a winning team on the ice beyond that.  We got a sense of it when he said he wants players roughly the same age as Nico and Hughes to come up with them.  I'd hope that there is something more to it than that if it's his job to lose.

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8 minutes ago, sundstrom said:

i could see fitz get the GM job and the Devils find someone for the president of hockey ops role (that isn't marty). that's where i see a guy like maybe jim benning or someone that is the conduit to harris and not the owners being a direct line to fitz.

Would be interesting if they throw a lot of money at Stevens for that role.

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10 minutes ago, Daniel said:

Would be interesting if they throw a lot of money at Stevens for that role.

Yes it would. But before #4 took the job, I think he would like/have to have some say in hockey matters. Giving Fitz the autonomy he needs, but discussing goal measured philosophy. Lou had success her w/out any big names. (just quiet hall of famers)

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16 minutes ago, Daniel said:

Would be interesting if they throw a lot of money at Stevens for that role.

i don't see it at all - the front office was never stevens' thing and he's repeatedly said he doesn't want to get back into coaching.

the reason that benning makes sense is that he's still an analytics mind that can meld dellow's team w/ fitz's team.

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2 minutes ago, sundstrom said:

i don't see it at all - the front office was never stevens' thing and he's repeatedly said he doesn't want to get back into coaching.

the reason that benning makes sense is that he's still an analytics mind that can meld dellow's team w/ fitz's team.

The problem with someone like Benning is that he's going to want to make GM decisions.  A former player who can understand what's going on the ice and translate it into language the owners understand is what it seems like they're looking for.  Maybe they do an outside the box kind of thing and hire Salvador as he at least speaks the analytics language that Harris is into.  I mention Stevens because he at least has looked the part during his TV gig and laymen owners like ours might be impressed by it.

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28 minutes ago, Daniel said:

The problem with someone like Benning is that he's going to want to make GM decisions.  A former player who can understand what's going on the ice and translate it into language the owners understand is what it seems like they're looking for.  Maybe they do an outside the box kind of thing and hire Salvador as he at least speaks the analytics language that Harris is into.  I mention Stevens because he at least has looked the part during his TV gig and laymen owners like ours might be impressed by it.

if they were going to go stevens, they'd just go marty who has at least seen that side of the business as an AGM and already has their ear.

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I am fine with Fitz and Marty running the show.

What the hell they have to lose when the whole Shero thing turned into a disaster?

 

And with these two trades, the narrative of the organization moving forward has shifted into a positive light.

Building around Nico and Jack and, MAYBE, they found a number one goalie thru this miserable season is fine with me.

Edited by njbuff
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Fitz might be capable of doing the job,  but he isn't very articulate and was, like Shero, a jumbled, stumbling mess in his interview yesterday. I prefer to judge GMs by their actions rather than words, as the position doesn't require much public speaking anyway. So far, it seems like he has a plan and has the backbone to pull the trigger when a good deal is in front of him. Still, Coleman was a fairly easy trade to make on paper and the jury will be out on Fitz through the end of the season. Let's see what he chooses to do from here, and whether he makes more changes or tries to starting building with the roster as it is.

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Fitz on Hockey Central:

Said not looking to burn this thing down. He has his pillars.

Isn't shopping anyone, but he is willing to take calls.

Asked specifically about Palms, he said he isn't looking to burn this thing to the ground, and he needs "men on this team" to get going in the right direction. (To me, that sounds like he sees Palms as the mentor/cornerstone to move forward).

Edited by jagknife
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Honestly with what i've seen and heard from Fitz i'd be fine with him. I loved Shero because he was handling things the right way. And it looks like Fitz is the same way. Well he was his right-hand man for years so it makes sense.

Just the fact that he said that he's always listening, do the right step and willing to do wtv is best for the long-term of the team is all I want from a GM

Right now i'd love for Fitz to sit with some players and see where their heads are at about their future on the team, if they are buying the process etc etc Then at least you can actually weight the situation and make an educated decision using that. Then it's your decision to keep a guy you may or will lose vs going blind and putting yourself in a corner giving 100% of the leverage to a player you'd want to keep or get assets in return.

C'mon Fitz

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1 hour ago, Neb00rs said:

Fitz might be capable of doing the job,  but he isn't very articulate and was, like Shero, a jumbled, stumbling mess in his interview yesterday. I prefer to judge GMs by their actions rather than words, as the position doesn't require much public speaking anyway. So far, it seems like he has a plan and has the backbone to pull the trigger when a good deal is in front of him. Still, Coleman was a fairly easy trade to make on paper and the jury will be out on Fitz through the end of the season. Let's see what he chooses to do from here, and whether he makes more changes or tries to starting building with the roster as it is.

I thought he spoke well. His tone was solemn but he kept things real while putting a positive spin on what he could. He didn't focus on the negative and instead kept things geared more towards the promising future and what NJ has vs doesn't have. I'm not going to grill a guy for his public speaking anyway, that is like 2% of what a GM is responsible for. The guy was a hockey player not a public speaker. 

Edited by NJDevils1214
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1 hour ago, RunninWithTheDevil said:

Subban for Marc Andre Fleury, the deal is one-for-one

I was going to say I’d trade Subban for the other Subban, but then I looked and saw his numbers aren’t much better than Dom’s...

As for GM, I kind of hope it’s Fitz. He seems perfectly capable, other teams have shown interest (didn’t he interview for Minnesota?), and  there’d be some stability there. He just has to get his HC pick right. Hynes (and Cory to a lesser extent) pretty much doomed Shero. 

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From Friedman’s 31 Thoughts: 

2. Tampa outbid Boston for Coleman, but Edmonton made a real push. A couple of teams said they heard he was the guy the Oilers would give up a first-rounder for. 

 

3. If the Coleman trade showed the rest of the NHL anything, it’s that the Devils may not really want to part with Kyle Palmieri — but, if you make the right offer, they will do so. You also have to think that trade didn’t hurt Tom Fitzgerald’s long-term position in Jersey.   https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/31-thoughts-tyler-toffoli-trade-vancouver-canucks/sn-amp/?__twitter_impression=true

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17 hours ago, Jerzey said:

Anyone have an Athletic account that wants to give cliffs?

I’m up way earlier than I wanted/need to be so yeah give me a few and I’ll get you a synopsis

NOTE: Anything in parentheses are my thoughts:

—first question asks about how stressful/busy the last few days/weeks were. Said it wasn’t really cause of the convos. Says he didn’t want to have to sit guys for multiple games. Only if it was imminent. 
 

—Ray kept him out of most of the Hall chatter. (This answer was only slightly more involved than this, I really am wondering based on this interview and what a lot of chatter was following these trades if Ray really screwed up that Hall deal.)

—reiterates Coleman trade wasn’t easy cause of what he brought to the organization, but the offer was just too good.

—he’s very excited about seeing Foote on either Jack or Nico’s wing cause of his ceiling.

—reiterates he wants “men” to also be part of the core. Doesn’t want to rush the defense. But won’t go out and sign 30+ guys with “shelf lives of just 3-4 years” (shot towards Simmonds...?)

— says he’s unsure if he’ll be here come June but you never know what having four first round picks over two seasons can bring you back. His goal is to stock up on players and assets.

— says this season has been an underperformance for management, coaches and players. We can’t go back and change it so we just have to change going forward.

— firmly believes we can be “a competitive team next year” so the idea of them selling everyone is out. This is the direct quote from this answer, and I’ll be honest, I trust him and believe it, “This isn’t a burn-down, rebuild — we can be good quickly.”

— teams are calling on Vats still and aren’t worried about end of February Vats, they want him for March-April and playoffs.

 

Edited by jagknife
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