28 replies to this topic

[IKnowPhysics]

While we're waiting, hair on fire, for DR to make moves, I figured it was a good idea to reflect on how not crappy he is as a GM.  But since many of us like to be haters, we'll keep the negativity around by arguing who the worst GM of all time is, or at least who is markedly worse the Darcy Regier.

If you'd like added difficulty, abide by the following:
1) No GM that has ever traded Wayne Gretzky.
2) No Islanders GMs.
3) No Jay Feaster.

Do your homework and report back.  Use any combination of trades, signings, drafting, season records, etc to make your case.  Have fun with it.  I'm curious to see who you guys come up with.

[Sabres Fan In NS]

Burke ... his body of work in Toronto speaks for itself, although he was good in southern California and OK in Vancouver.

[apuszczalowski]

Sabres Fan In NS, on 06 July 2012 - 11:39 AM, said:

Burke ... his body of work in Toronto speaks for itself, although he was good in southern California and OK in Vancouver.

He is one of the few current GMs I would rather have DR over, although I consider them similar in the fact that both like to bring in guys who fell out of favour with their previous teams and hope that the change of scenery will make a difference.

Add the following to the bad GM list

- anyone in the last 10-20 years with the Islanders
- Calgarys GM (its been time to rebuild for a few years, instead they bring in some more overpriced junk)
- Howson in Columbus (Wanting the world for Nash, then giving up a bunch to Philly for their backup goalie, not accepting the Islanders draft to move down 2 spots)
- some of the previous GMs the last few years in Montreal (Gomez Deal, building a team of small players)

[ThirtyEight]

apuszczalowski, on 06 July 2012 - 11:47 AM, said:

He is one of the few current GMs I would rather have DR over, although I consider them similar in the fact that both like to bring in guys who fell out of favour with their previous teams and hope that the change of scenery will make a difference.

Add the following to the bad GM list

- anyone in the last 10-20 years with the Islanders
- Calgarys GM (its been time to rebuild for a few years, instead they bring in some more overpriced junk)
- Howson in Columbus (Wanting the world for Nash, then giving up a bunch to Philly for their backup goalie, not accepting the Islanders draft to move down 2 spots)
- some of the previous GMs the last few years in Montreal (Gomez Deal, building a team of small players)

I think the Leafs would trade you Burke for about anything - they are the only team to have not amde the playoffs post-lockout, says it all really.

Otherwise i agree

[d4rksabre]

Burke is a blowhard who gets by on giving his fans just enough hope to keep them watching. Someday they're going to have a real GM in Toronto.

[shrader]

John.
Ferguson.
Jr.

[Eleven]

Scotty Bowman, the Buffalo version.

[Sabres Fan In NS]

Eleven, on 06 July 2012 - 01:35 PM, said:

Scotty Bowman, the Buffalo version.

If I recall correctly, there is no other version of Scotty Bowman as GM.  That is why he came to Buffalo.  One could argue that it's a clear indication that, IMO, the greatest coach ever was a lousy GM ... he never got another chance, again, if I recall correctly.

[IKnowPhysics]

I won't break my own rule, so this isn't an official entry, but I just pieced together that Jay Feaster took the Tampa Bay Lightning from Cup winners in '04 down to dead last finishers three seasons later.  No wonder he's bungling it up in Calgary.

I don't want to pick on the Blue Jackets, but there's a reason they're ###### bad, and it's not because they're an expansion team.  My answer: Doug MacLean, Blue Jackets GM from February 1998 until June 2007.
- MacLean ###### things up for NINE YEARS while the Blue Jackets started their franchise and went 178-252-62 over seven seasons (0.425 points percentage!  0.425!)
- The Blue Jackets never had a winning season and they never made the playoffs in those seven seasons.
- He fired his head coach in January of 2003 (midseason!), and took over the role himself until January 2004 (midseason again!), when he promoted his assistant coach, whom he later fired in November of 2006 (midseason again!).
- His drafting especially atrocious, as he collected what might the biggest collection of busts and disappointingly marginal players with the highest possible picks.  Klesla (4th overall), Leclaire (8th overall), Picard (8th overall), Brule (6th overall), Zherdev (4th overall), Brassard (6th overall).  His only legitimate selection in the first round, Rick Nash, was a no-brainer pick at 1st overall, although he did engineer the trade to move up from the 3rd overall selection.
- His inevitable demise came after a season in which the Blue Jackets set a modern day NHL record: most times being shut out in a season at 16.

Under MacLean, the Blue Jackets were buried from day one and five years after MacLean's departure, they're still unburying themselves.

[Kristian]

Bobby Clarke.

The exact opposite of Darcy Regier.

Whereas Regier for years and years has insisted icing a smalish, soft, finesse-first team, believing skill would prevail over muscle,  Clarke always iced a huge, hulking, bruising, even somewhat skilled Flyers team, thinking being physical, above all else, was the key to success.

Clarke never learned, and eventually stepped down as GM after Buffalo, ironically, clobbered the Flyers yet again in 2007.

As a few sidenotes, Clarke  more than once demonstrated what a true piece of ###### he really is :

Most notably, his firing of a very succesful Roger Neilson from the head coach position, after Neilson returned from cancer treatment, wanting his job back.

Clarke cited the reason for firing Neilson as "He went loopy on us".

Edited by Kristian, 08 July 2012 - 03:41 AM.

[IKnowPhysics]

Kristian, on 08 July 2012 - 03:40 AM, said:

Bobby Clarke.

The exact opposiste of Darcy Regier.

Whereas Regier for years and years has insisted icing a smalish, soft, finesse-first team, believing skill would prevail over muscle,  Clarke always iced a huge, hulking, bruising, even somewhat skilled Flyers team, thinking being physical, above all else, was the key to success.

Clarke never learned, and eventually stepped down as GM after Bufallo, ironically, clobbered the Flyers yet again in 2007.

As a few sidenotes, Clarke  more than once demonstrated what a true piece of ###### he really is :

Most notably, his firing of a very succesful Roger Neilson from the head coach position, after Neilson returned from cancer treatment, wanting his job back.

Clarke cited the reason for firing Neilson as "He went loopy on us".

God, I loved watching that awful, awful Flyers team.  Sabres irrevocably destroyed them that year with skill and speed, including the 9-1 victory that got Hitchcock fired eight games into the season (a bonus after all of his press conference bickering during the previous playoffs!).

Edited by IKnowPhysics, 08 July 2012 - 03:45 AM.

[Eleven]

Feaster is horrible.  Those who feel that DR is a problem, well, it could be much worse.

I was about to excuse MacLean because of financial constraints--it's not really an expansion team anymore, is it?--but IKP's point about his drafting pretty much eliminates that excuse.

I'd love to rag on Clarke, and I relish the Hitchcock firing, but his teams went to the finals four times.  And he had an eleven-year-straight playoff run in FIlly.  He even managed to get Hextall back.

[SwampD]

Eleven, on 08 July 2012 - 07:05 AM, said:

Feaster is horrible.  Those who feel that DR is a problem, well, it could be much worse.

I was about to excuse MacLean because of financial constraints--it's not really an expansion team anymore, is it?--but IKP's point about his drafting pretty much eliminates that excuse.

I'd love to rag on Clarke, and I relish the Hitchcock firing, but his teams went to the finals four times.  And he had an eleven-year-straight playoff run in FIlly.  He even managed to get Hextall back.

In the past 5 years, Tampa has 1 more playoff series than us and 2 more series wins than us, all while basking in Lord Stanley's Cup afterglow (and yes I believe it to last that long).  How's that for a plash of cold water to the face.

I know I'm being argumentative, but I think it's finally dawning on you that it has not been as rosey around here as you once thought.

[Eleven]

SwampD, on 08 July 2012 - 09:27 AM, said:

In the past 5 years, Tampa has 1 more playoff series than us and 2 more series wins than us, all while basking in Lord Stanley's Cup afterglow (and yes I believe it to last that long).  How's that for a plash of cold water to the face.

I know I'm being argumentative, but I think it's finally dawning on you that it has not been as rosey around here as you once thought.

Feaster left Tampa in 2008.

I haven't been "rosy" about the management of the team in well over a year.  Basically, ever since I learned about DR's complicity in the Briere debacle.

[SwampD]

Eleven, on 08 July 2012 - 09:41 AM, said:

Feaster left Tampa in 2008.

I haven't been "rosy" about the management of the team in well over a year.  Basically, ever since I learned about DR's complicity in the Briere debacle.

Yep.  When other teams see results not all that different from ours they usually make changes.  Around here they just make excuses.

[Eleven]

SwampD, on 08 July 2012 - 09:44 AM, said:

Yep.  When other teams see results not all that different from ours they usually make changes.  Around here they just make excuses.

Feaster resigned...

[SwampD]

Eleven, on 08 July 2012 - 09:45 AM, said:

Feaster resigned...

And?

[Eleven]

SwampD, on 08 July 2012 - 10:07 AM, said:

And?

I.e., the team didn't make any changes.  He left.

[SwampD]

Eleven, on 08 July 2012 - 10:15 AM, said:

I.e., the team didn't make any changes.  He left.

That just sounds like another excuse.  Maybe he made it easier for them.  Mayber they were going to fire him anyway.  We'll never know.  Regardless, a change was made.  I don't care by whom.

[Sabres Fan In NS]

Eleven, on 08 July 2012 - 09:45 AM, said:

Feaster resigned...

Eleven, on 08 July 2012 - 10:15 AM, said:

I.e., the team didn't make any changes.  He left.

It's been well documented that Feaster left Tampa due the the new owners making like kids in a playground with a new toy.  They stuck their grubby little mits in all hockey operations and Feaster was GM in title alone.  He had no say in anything any longer and the new regime had their guy that they wanted as GM.  Feaster made it easy for them and resigned.

[fan2456]

IKnowPhysics, on 05 July 2012 - 10:15 PM, said:

While we're waiting, hair on fire, for DR to make moves, I figured it was a good idea to reflect on how not crappy he is as a GM.  But since many of us like to be haters, we'll keep the negativity around by arguing who the worst GM of all time is, or at least who is markedly worse the Darcy Regier.

If you'd like added difficulty, abide by the following:
1) No GM that has ever traded Wayne Gretzky.
2) No Islanders GMs.
3) No Jay Feaster.

Do your homework and report back.  Use any combination of trades, signings, drafting, season records, etc to make your case.  Have fun with it.  I'm curious to see who you guys come up with.

   Okay, old guy did.  Sorry, I have to break the rules in my report.  No Islander Gm's?  Why?  How he built them doen't matter! Gee Torrey won 4 cups in a row from 1980-1984. .  In 1975 they came back from  a 0-3 deficit to win against Pitt and that has only happened 3 times in the history of the league..  The Monrteal Canadians in one of their haydays from 1976 to 1977 went 24 and 3 in the play offs as they were winning  two of 4 cups in a row. The three losses were to Torrey's  and Arbour's Islanders.  Gee I wish Darcy and Lindy sucked as much as Torrey and Arbour.  Arbour actually earned his longevity as a coach in the same organization.  So did Torrey.  LOL

Edited by fan2456, 08 July 2012 - 04:30 PM.

[Sabres Fan In NS]

fan2456, on 08 July 2012 - 04:26 PM, said:

Okay, old guy did.  Sorry, I have to break the rules in my report.  No Islander Gm's?  Why?  How he built them doen't matter! Gee Torrey won 4 cups in a row from 1980-1984. .  In 1975 they came back from  a 0-3 deficit to win against Pitt and that has only happened 3 times in the history of the league..  The Monrteal Canadians in one of their haydays from 1976 to 1977 went 24 and 3 in the play offs as they were winning  two of 4 cups in a row. The three losses were to Torrey's  and Arbour's Islanders.  Gee I wish Darcy and Lindy sucked as much as Torrey and Arbour.  Arbour actually earned his longevity as a coach in the same organization.  So did Torrey.  LOL

Ummmm,

Looks like you are making arguments for best GM of all time, not worst.

[fan2456]

Sabres Fan In NS, on 08 July 2012 - 04:32 PM, said:

Ummmm,

Looks like you are making arguments for best GM of all time, not worst.

   So not crappy puts him where?  Not in second last place each year? Gee a GM's team came in 17TH 30 years in a row and didn't make the playoffs. But, they never were in the bottom 10.

Why rule out Isalander'ss Gms. when Torery was one of the best ever?

Darcy is an average GM, and Lindy an average coach.  Yet they have held their jobs longer than Torrey or Arbour, who have may have been the longest pairing in hockey of all-time before our two?  Yet Torrey isn't allowed to be part of the post.  Why?  That is my only contention.

Edited by fan2456, 08 July 2012 - 05:29 PM.

[Eleven]

fan2456, on 08 July 2012 - 04:26 PM, said:

Okay, old guy did.  Sorry, I have to break the rules in my report.  No Islander Gm's?  Why?  How he built them doen't matter! Gee Torrey won 4 cups in a row from 1980-1984. .  In 1975 they came back from  a 0-3 deficit to win against Pitt and that has only happened 3 times in the history of the league..  The Monrteal Canadians in one of their haydays from 1976 to 1977 went 24 and 3 in the play offs as they were winning  two of 4 cups in a row. The three losses were to Torrey's  and Arbour's Islanders.  Gee I wish Darcy and Lindy sucked as much as Torrey and Arbour.  Arbour actually earned his longevity as a coach in the same organization.  So did Torrey.  LOL

I think OP meant Islander GMs more recent than 1984.  Lately, it's been pretty sucky out on the Gisland.

[IKnowPhysics]

Yeah, the no-Islanders-GMs guideline was to get folks to think outside the box a little and not make this a thread entirely devoted to Mike Milbury, Neil Smith (for 10 days), Garth Snow, and, by association, Charles Wang.  It's a fantastic shitshow to mull over, but it's too easy a target.  Also, anytime you win a few Stanley Cups in a row, and then, after a couple years, fail to make the playoffs 10 out of 13 years, somebody's getting blamed.

[Supersabre]

http://bleacherrepor...-in-nhl-history

I found this article on the 10 worst NHL GM's.....Agree or Disagree?

Edited by Supersabre, 14 July 2012 - 07:18 PM.

[Eleven]

Supersabre, on 14 July 2012 - 07:17 PM, said:

http://bleacherrepor...-in-nhl-history

I found this article on the 10 worst NHL GM's.....Agree or Disagree?

It's Bleacher Report, and it's a crappy slideshow.  I'm not bothering with it.

[LabattBlue]

IKnowPhysics, on 08 July 2012 - 03:27 AM, said:

I won't break my own rule, so this isn't an official entry, but I just pieced together that Jay Feaster took the Tampa Bay Lightning from Cup winners in '04 down to dead last finishers three seasons later.  No wonder he's bungling it up in Calgary.

I don't want to pick on the Blue Jackets, but there's a reason they're ###### bad, and it's not because they're an expansion team.  My answer: Doug MacLean, Blue Jackets GM from February 1998 until June 2007.
- MacLean ###### things up for NINE YEARS while the Blue Jackets started their franchise and went 178-252-62 over seven seasons (0.425 points percentage!  0.425!)
- The Blue Jackets never had a winning season and they never made the playoffs in those seven seasons.
- He fired his head coach in January of 2003 (midseason!), and took over the role himself until January 2004 (midseason again!), when he promoted his assistant coach, whom he later fired in November of 2006 (midseason again!).
- His drafting especially atrocious, as he collected what might the biggest collection of busts and disappointingly marginal players with the highest possible picks.  Klesla (4th overall), Leclaire (8th overall), Picard (8th overall), Brule (6th overall), Zherdev (4th overall), Brassard (6th overall).  His only legitimate selection in the first round, Rick Nash, was a no-brainer pick at 1st overall, although he did engineer the trade to move up from the 3rd overall selection.
- His inevitable demise came after a season in which the Blue Jackets set a modern day NHL record: most times being shut out in a season at 16.

Under MacLean, the Blue Jackets were buried from day one and five years after MacLean's departure, they're still unburying themselves.

Great choice.  If you ever listen to MacLean on FAN590 Hockey Central during hockey season, he loves to piss all over Howson despite himself being a joke of a GM for that same team prior to Howson taking over.

Edited by LabattBlue, 14 July 2012 - 08:30 PM.

[Taro T]

Sabres Fan In NS, on 06 July 2012 - 02:34 PM, said:

If I recall correctly, there is no other version of Scotty Bowman as GM.  That is why he came to Buffalo.  One could argue that it's a clear indication that, IMO, the greatest coach ever was a lousy GM ... he never got another chance, again, if I recall correctly.

Nope, he'd been GM in St. Louis as well as coaching there.

IKnowPhysics, on 08 July 2012 - 03:27 AM, said:

I won't break my own rule, so this isn't an official entry, but I just pieced together that Jay Feaster took the Tampa Bay Lightning from Cup winners in '04 down to dead last finishers three seasons later.  No wonder he's bungling it up in Calgary.

I don't want to pick on the Blue Jackets, but there's a reason they're ###### bad, and it's not because they're an expansion team.  My answer: Doug MacLean, Blue Jackets GM from February 1998 until June 2007.
- MacLean ###### things up for NINE YEARS while the Blue Jackets started their franchise and went 178-252-62 over seven seasons (0.425 points percentage!  0.425!)
- The Blue Jackets never had a winning season and they never made the playoffs in those seven seasons.
- He fired his head coach in January of 2003 (midseason!), and took over the role himself until January 2004 (midseason again!), when he promoted his assistant coach, whom he later fired in November of 2006 (midseason again!).
- His drafting especially atrocious, as he collected what might the biggest collection of busts and disappointingly marginal players with the highest possible picks.  Klesla (4th overall), Leclaire (8th overall), Picard (8th overall), Brule (6th overall), Zherdev (4th overall), Brassard (6th overall).  His only legitimate selection in the first round, Rick Nash, was a no-brainer pick at 1st overall, although he did engineer the trade to move up from the 3rd overall selection.
- His inevitable demise came after a season in which the Blue Jackets set a modern day NHL record: most times being shut out in a season at 16.

Under MacLean, the Blue Jackets were buried from day one and five years after MacLean's departure, they're still unburying themselves.

MacLean was bad.  I'd give the nod to Don Waddell in relatively current times.

Irving Grundman yutzed up a pretty solid machine in Moe-ray-all, but not so bad that Savard couldn't rebuild it.  My nod would probably go to Gerry McNamara of the Loafs.  His squads were consistantly battling Detroit for 5th in the Snorris throughout the '80's.  Sometimes they'd miss out on 5th and have to play a few playoff games, but they pulled it off several times.

Trader Phil Esposito gets an (dis)honorable mention.