Paul Fenton has been fired as GM after just one season.

[sweetshot]

3 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

I wonder if the Wild might be better off just letting Kurvers act as interim GM until next season when they might get a better pool of candidates...

I think they definitely would. Just don't do anything and hold down the fort until next season and hire the new man then.

The current list of experienced candidates currently is terrible--IMO most should not ever be hired as GM again.

 After reading many of J.R. Ewing's posts and seeing for myself what Chiarelli had done with the Oilers, I will change my loyalties to a different team if CL hires him.

 

Edited August 1, 2019 by sweetshot

[JR Ewing]

17 minutes ago, sweetshot said:

 After reading many of J.R. Ewing's posts and seeing for myself what Chiarelli had done with the Oilers, I will change my loyalties to a different team if CL hires him.

 

 

If Chiarelli is even on the list of possible hires, that says bad things for the franchise. To be a fly on the wall...

 

[EJ0226]

15 hours ago, JR Ewing said:

Ex-Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli said to be in running for Minnesota Wild job.

David Staples, Edmonton Journal

Updated: July 31, 2019

 

https://edmontonjournal.com/sports/hockey/nhl/cult-of-hockey/ex-edmonton-oilers-gm-peter-chiarelli-said-to-be-in-running-for-minnesota-wild-job-hmm

 

This in from Dave Schwartz, a sports broadcaster with Kare 11, NBC’s Minneappolis affiliate, his suggestion that former Edmonton Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli is in the running for the Wild’s GM job now that Paul Fenton has been fired: “Hearing some names emerge from my sources as possible candidates for Wild GM job: Ron Hextall (as @RussoHockey has already reported), Tom Fitzgerald, Dean Lombardi, Dave Nonis, Bill Zito and Peter Chiarelli. No word yet on who has been contacted.”

Chiarelli was also mentioned in a somewhat more speculative way by long-time Wild reporter Mike Russo of The Athletic: “After Fenton, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Wild decided to go the experience route this time around — Leipold said Tuesday he would prefer that, though he isn’t ruling anything out. If they do, there’s really only a small list. Some candidates include former Philadelphia Flyers GM Ron Hextall, former Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli, former San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings GM Dean Lombardi and former New York Islanders GM Garth Snow.”

And ESPN’s Emily Kaplan speculated: “I imagine the Wild will try to overcompensate for Fenton’s weaknesses by hiring someone with experience. This is the NHL, after all. ‘When in doubt, simply retread!’ is pretty much a league mantra. You’ll hear names like Ron Hextall (fired by the Flyers last year) and Peter Chiarelli (fired by Boston, then again by Edmonton last year) mentioned.”

And ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski: “If Peter Chiarelli earns another chance after mangling the Edmonton Oilers’ roster to the point where Connor McDavid’s saintly patience is being tested, then we might as well rename it the Old Boys League and be done with it. Even Dean Lombardi, builder of a two-time Stanley Cup champion in Los Angeles, whose roster looks glacial by 2019 standards, would be a more palatable choice.”

My take

1. Chiarelli in the running for another NHL GM job this soon? Astonishing, if true.
2. Schwartz reports Wild news regularly on his Twitter feed, including reporting on the press conference where Fenton was fired. Presumably he’s in a position to hear inside information now and then. So, as difficult as it is to believe that Chiarelli might be in the running for this job, I’ll take it that a TV sports reporter in Minneapolis heard some insider info or gossip and is now reporting it.
3. This does not mean the Wild owner is actually considering hiring Chiarelli, of course. It just means that his name is being treated seriously as a candidate by some.
4. If the Wild were to consider Chiarelli, they’d have to think hard and long about a few things: a) his weak salary cap management in Boston and Edmonton b) his vision of building a big, tough team in Edmonton when the NHL was moving to a faster, more skilled game and c) his iffy negotiating skills in Edmonton that saw him get beat either in a small way or a big way on many transactions.
5. Chiarelli made some good moves in Edmonton, such as signing up Connor McDavid, Oscar Klefbom and Leon Draisaitl long-term, trading for Cam Talbot, Patrick Maroon and Zack Kassian, signing Kris Russell to his initial one-year deal in 2016 and bringing in Alex Chiasson on a PTO. But most of those good deeds came in Chiarelli’s first year at the helm.
6. Chiarelli’s bad moves have hammered the Oilers’ franchise, with the trade of picks for Griffin Reinhart and the signing of Milan Lucic at the top of my own list of Weak Chiarelli Moves.
7. In many ways, though, Chiarelli’s last year in Edmonton was his worst, as he brought in players like Kyle Brodziak, Jason Garrison and Tobias Rieder, who failed to help the team. Next he traded Ryan Strome to New York for Ryan Spooner on Nov. 16, 2018. Ryan Strome was no world beater, but at least he was a solid defensive centre and penalty killer. When Spooner then failed to deliver on the wing, the Oilers not only had failed to address their issue on the wing, they were down a somewhat useful bottom line centre. In his next deal, Chiarelli traded Drake Caggiula to the Chicago Blackhawks for Brandon Manning on Dec. 30, 2018. It was fine to move out the somewhat overpaid and defence-challenged Caggiula, but to bringing a d-man who struggles to keep up at the NHL level? Why? Especially as Manning had another year at $2.4 million on his deal?

If it's true that CL would even consider Chiarelli after everything that guy has managed to screw up then the Wild franchise is in the Bermuda Triangle in the middle of a hurricane.

But like @rottenrefs said, CL is herpes of this franchise. It just won't go away and screws up the possibility of good times. Until CL learns to just be a owner by sitting down, signing the checks, tell players to go to the GM/Coach for issues and only get involved with things are on the verge of bursting open this team will be nothing more then a sinking, laughing stock ship. Good for vets with big names who are in the twilight of their careers and a shell of their former selves to get one last big money contract and retire. CL needs to spend the money and get a proven winner GM. Let the GM do everything to build the winning team. If this includes making some players, coaches, management not comfortable tell those individuals "tough chit!".

 

I am no businessman but if CL is as good as some people claim then he should know he needs to keep out of the operations area as he has no clue what to do. When you start losing $ on said company and you, the owner, is constantly sticking your nose into operations when you have no idea how to run it and only look at a operations person who says you are correct and agree with every one of your decisions then what do you think is going to happen? Your customers still continue to want the product as it gets worse and worse well getting more expensive? Your customer base are not morons. They will simply stop buying it. Get some fresh eyes in that have the experience and knowledge to try and solve your issue even if they don't agree with what you think should happen.

Edited August 1, 2019 by EJ0226

[Math]

Amongst all keywords related to the Wild's current situation (GM, owner, Coach,...), one word is the centerpiece IMO: Culture.

 

I honestly don't know what it takes to have a bit of a resolution to this giant mess, but one thing has to change: the team culture. If you want to change that, you have to remove every malignant cell in the entire body. If you let just one single sick entity in the system, the cancer will spread again, soon or later. I'm really afraid that this can only be validated when the Parisé/Suter era is over, when it's absolutely certain that these guys (and some other) have an absolute zero influence on anything that touches closer or farther the franchise.

 

In that sense, letting the assistant GM in charge for the whole next season seems to be the least worst option.

[OccamsRazor]

23 minutes ago, EJ0226 said:

If it's true that CL would even consider Chiarelli after everything that guy has managed to screw up then the Wild franchise is in the Bermuda Triangle in the middle of a hurricane.

But like @rottenrefs said, CL is herpes of this franchise. It just won't go away and screws up the possibility of good times. Until CL learns to just be a owner by sitting down, signing the checks, tell players to go to the GM/Coach for issues and only get involved with things are on the verge of bursting open this team will be nothing more then a sinking, laughing stock ship. Good for vets with big names who are in the twilight of their careers and a shell of their former selves to get one last big money contract and retire. CL needs to spend the money and get a proven winner GM. Let the GM do everything to build the winning team. If this includes making some players, coaches, management not comfortable tell those individuals "tough chit!".

 

I am no businessman but if CL is as good as some people claim then he should know he needs to keep out of the operations area as he has no clue what to do. When you start losing $ on said company and you, the owner, is constantly sticking your nose into operations when you have no idea how to run it and only look at a operations person who says you are correct and agree with every one of your decisions then what do you think is going to happen? Your customers still continue to want the product as it gets worse and worse well getting more expensive? Your customer base are not morons. They will simply stop buying it. Get some fresh eyes in that have the experience and knowledge to try and solve your issue even if they don't agree with what you think should happen.

 

Wow.

 

Out of the frying pan into the fire.

 

Just when you thought it couldn't get worse....

 

 

[JR Ewing]

1 hour ago, EJ0226 said:

If it's true that CL would even consider Chiarelli after everything that guy has managed to screw up then the Wild franchise is in the Bermuda Triangle in the middle of a hurricane.

But like @rottenrefs said, CL is herpes of this franchise. It just won't go away and screws up the possibility of good times. Until CL learns to just be a owner by sitting down, signing the checks, tell players to go to the GM/Coach for issues and only get involved with things are on the verge of bursting open this team will be nothing more then a sinking, laughing stock ship. Good for vets with big names who are in the twilight of their careers and a shell of their former selves to get one last big money contract and retire. CL needs to spend the money and get a proven winner GM. Let the GM do everything to build the winning team. If this includes making some players, coaches, management not comfortable tell those individuals "tough chit!".

 

I am no businessman but if CL is as good as some people claim then he should know he needs to keep out of the operations area as he has no clue what to do. When you start losing $ on said company and you, the owner, is constantly sticking your nose into operations when you have no idea how to run it and only look at a operations person who says you are correct and agree with every one of your decisions then what do you think is going to happen? Your customers still continue to want the product as it gets worse and worse well getting more expensive? Your customer base are not morons. They will simply stop buying it. Get some fresh eyes in that have the experience and knowledge to try and solve your issue even if they don't agree with what you think should happen.

 

If I had a dollar for every smart, thoughtful and successful guy that bought a major league franchise and promptly abandoned every good business practice he ever knew to screw up the team, then *I* could afford to buy a major league franchise and screw it up as well.

 

[CreaseAndAssist]

Chiarelli can go to hell.  Its either going to be Hextall or Don Waddell by what I've heard.   Not sure why any of us need an Oilers fan trying to convince us that Chiarelli is anything other than a massive mistake machine.  

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Names being bandied about to replace Fenton:

1) Ron Hextall - Former Flyers GM. 
Plus: Helped rebuild the farm system and slowly did away with albatross contracts/players.
Minus: Was said to micromanage to a fault; May not play well with a meddling owner.

2) Peter Chiarelli- Former Bruins and Oilers GM
Plus: Well, he has a Stanley Cup team he was in charge of in Boston
Minus: Not enough space for everything but we all know how he left the Bruins and what he did (or didn't do in Edmonton)

3) Dean Lombardi- Former Sharks and Kings GM
Plus: Built solid, defensively responsible teams in both SJ and LA....won two Cups with the Kings
Minus: While effective, his style of building may be more defense first (i.e boring to some fans) and may require a complete overhaul of the Wild mindset on how to play (less speed and scoring, more defense, size and hitting) and that may not go over well with some.

4) Bill Zito - Assistant GM, Columbus
Plus-- Has a rep for being good at evaluating talent, has been looked at for GM positions before, helped oversee some nice developments in Columbus
Minus-- If he is so good, why hasn't anyone given him his full on shot yet? He has worked under some good GMs but never been "the man" himself...lack of experience may not fit well with the current Wild setup.

5)Tom Fitzgerald-- Assistant GM, New Jersey
Plus-- Has helped oversee NJ's turnaround with lots of good young talent brought in, and he was a finalist before Paul Fenton got the job last year.
Minus-- Awkwardness? "Mr. Leipold, I wanted to be your GM, you chose Fenton, now he bombed and you come back to me?" 
I dunno...maybe it wouldn't be as bad as that...maybe Leipold WOULD stay out of Fitz's way seeing as how he came crawling back to him after the Fenton debacle..... This one is at least intriguing.

6)Mike Futa-- Assistant GM, Los Angeles, former director of scouting, LA
Plus--Former head of scouting. Wild desperately need a change there...he might be the guy who can help change that culture. Has been involved with solid player development culminating in winning Kings' teams.
Minus--Again, a guy who never was "the man"...and coming from the Kings, maybe thinks along the lines of Lombardi where defense and size trumps speed and offense.
Maybe the Wild could benefit from this, maybe not. Big question mark.

 

7) Tom Kurvers--- Current interim GM of the Wild
Plus-- He knows the team, the employees, the owner
Minus-- Will THAT be a problem? He has health issues, he may not want the headache of trying to turn the Wild into a contender. He simply may not want the big chair.

Any others posters may have heard of?
 

[EmptyShelf]

What you need in our next GM:  

1)  experience in management of the front office coupled with top people skills

2) the accumen to make an unvarnished overall assessment of the franchise and to formulate a 1, 3, and 5 year plan to get far in the playoffs

3) top scouting connections and proven assessment skills

4) the fortitude to stand up to and to clear out the malignancy in the organization; starting with the scouting department, no new deal for 9, and any/all prospective trades for 20 and 11 (literally give them away - addition by subtraction - there is nothing more to assess therein, they are just not the answer to anything; success or as assets).  I know this flies counter to my past ranting about maximizing assets, but culture is being crushed by these three, as they are infecting everyone. 

 

In short, we need a dynamic leader with a plan and the BALLS to advise CL exactly where we are, and where we need to get to, for continuous deep playoff runs.  I don't see that guy out there at present, and i am not sure CL would hire this type of 'alpha male,' he is more inclined to the subservient 'beta male' that is comfortable in only 'making a few tweaks' and lapping up what CL spills. No promising prospects at present, so keep interim GM until you find him, and make some decisions you know have to be made (Rask elimination, Spurgeon deal, demotions in lineup for Country Club).  It will be a tough year.....but worth it to rip off the bandaid now, and get a better lottery chance the next couple of years. 

[EmptyShelf]

CL is also going to need to pay above market, and agree to hand-off ALL decisions and cease all communication  (benign, subversive, etc).  He needs to be only an owner - neither seen nor heard from at HQ.  Otherwise, we have no chance to get the right guy for this mess.  There is a DRAW to this job - MN is a hockey hotbed, fan support is bordeline stupid loyal, and the resources are there (stadium, etc).  However, there has to be a 180° shift from the top - I am looking directly at you CL.  CL should hire someone with the pedigree to find the right guy and accept the decision without condition, as he has failed countless times himself in hockey-related assessments. 

 

 

[IllaZilla]

4 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Names being bandied about to replace Fenton:

1) Ron Hextall - Former Flyers GM. 
Plus: Helped rebuild the farm system and slowly did away with albatross contracts/players.
Minus: Was said to micromanage to a fault; May not play well with a meddling owner.

2) Peter Chiarelli- Former Bruins and Oilers GM
Plus: Well, he has a Stanley Cup team he was in charge of in Boston
Minus: Not enough space for everything but we all know how he left the Bruins and what he did (or didn't do in Edmonton)

3) Dean Lombardi- Former Sharks and Kings GM
Plus: Built solid, defensively responsible teams in both SJ and LA....won two Cups with the Kings
Minus: While effective, his style of building may be more defense first (i.e boring to some fans) and may require a complete overhaul of the Wild mindset on how to play (less speed and scoring, more defense, size and hitting) and that may not go over well with some.

4) Bill Zito - Assistant GM, Columbus
Plus-- Has a rep for being good at evaluating talent, has been looked at for GM positions before, helped oversee some nice developments in Columbus
Minus-- If he is so good, why hasn't anyone given him his full on shot yet? He has worked under some good GMs but never been "the man" himself...lack of experience may not fit well with the current Wild setup.

5)Tom Fitzgerald-- Assistant GM, New Jersey
Plus-- Has helped oversee NJ's turnaround with lots of good young talent brought in, and he was a finalist before Paul Fenton got the job last year.
Minus-- Awkwardness? "Mr. Leipold, I wanted to be your GM, you chose Fenton, now he bombed and you come back to me?" 
I dunno...maybe it wouldn't be as bad as that...maybe Leipold WOULD stay out of Fitz's way seeing as how he came crawling back to him after the Fenton debacle..... This one is at least intriguing.

6)Mike Futa-- Assistant GM, Los Angeles, former director of scouting, LA
Plus--Former head of scouting. Wild desperately need a change there...he might be the guy who can help change that culture. Has been involved with solid player development culminating in winning Kings' teams.
Minus--Again, a guy who never was "the man"...and coming from the Kings, maybe thinks along the lines of Lombardi where defense and size trumps speed and offense.
Maybe the Wild could benefit from this, maybe not. Big question mark.

 

7) Tom Kurvers--- Current interim GM of the Wild
Plus-- He knows the team, the employees, the owner
Minus-- Will THAT be a problem? He has health issues, he may not want the headache of trying to turn the Wild into a contender. He simply may not want the big chair.

Any others posters may have heard of?
 

Don Waddell is being bandied about...

[rottenrefs]

To me it was telling when Leipold included in his comments the players frustrations. This, after it was noted by Russo that Fenton would dictate to Boudreau who to play. This too, very reminiscent of assumptions with Fletcher too having reign over who to play... Which allowed for... Over many seasons - which deeper still needs being addressed as to who granted those actions?

 

One can point out every aspect of stupid or foolish decisions made by this team year in and year out; for all of Leipold's reign while owning the team and to me it all lands squarely on his shoulders.

 

If he allowed for all these alleged activities to take place during the past 10 years, it's all on him and his entire ownership group.

[rottenrefs]

Guy at work thinks the next GM will be Mike Modano. He also thinks Modano pointed out all these poor Fenton decisions to Liepold.

 

Likewise he believes everything about the club Greenway and LaPanta ramble on about feeding clueless fans. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

15 minutes ago, rottenrefs said:

Guy at work thinks the next GM will be Mike Modano. He also thinks Modano pointed out all these poor Fenton decisions to Liepold.

 

Likewise he believes everything about the club Greenway and LaPanta ramble on about feeding clueless fans. 

 

I guess I should have added Modano to the list of names being 'bandied about' for the job.
Maybe a part of me just doesn't want him to be part of the GM search.

Granted, I definitely don't want Chiarelli, but Modano has what for experience....being a PR/Marketing person for the Dallas Stars? Ok fine...but a far cry from turning around a fumbling franchise in a hockey hotbed market.

If he takes a job somewhere else as an assistant something or the other, works his way up while showing some shrewd hockey operations business sense, then maybe....but right now, the executive waters on Kellogg Blvd may be too deep for Mr. Modano.

Edited August 2, 2019 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[sweetshot]

Rumor has it that Nanne is interested....

[rottenrefs]

1 hour ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

I guess I should have added Modano to the list of names being 'bandied about' for the job.
Maybe a part of me just doesn't want him to be part of the GM search.

Granted, I definitely don't want Chiarelli, but Modano has what for experience....being a PR/Marketing person for the Dallas Stars? Ok fine...but a far cry from turning around a fumbling franchise in a hockey hotbed market.

If he takes a job somewhere else as an assistant something or the other, works his way up while showing some shrewd hockey operations business sense, then maybe....but right now, the executive waters on Kellogg Blvd may be too deep for Mr. Modano.

Precisely. This, guy I work with... Is like a couple hard-nosed, brainwashed, Wild worshiping fans we see popping in and out of conversations here and there who toss out some of the most foolish ideas this organization seems to drool over and make happen.

 

To everyone else it has 'fail' written all over it (the majority) yet the team caters to them because the mere mention of something so 'risky' and cheap meets someone's approval.

[Lonkkis]

7 hours ago, IllaZilla said:

Don Waddell is being bandied about...

As is Bill Guerin.

[IllaZilla]

9 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

 

I guess I should have added Modano to the list of names being 'bandied about' for the job.
Maybe a part of me just doesn't want him to be part of the GM search.

Granted, I definitely don't want Chiarelli, but Modano has what for experience....being a PR/Marketing person for the Dallas Stars? Ok fine...but a far cry from turning around a fumbling franchise in a hockey hotbed market.

If he takes a job somewhere else as an assistant something or the other, works his way up while showing some shrewd hockey operations business sense, then maybe....but right now, the executive waters on Kellogg Blvd may be too deep for Mr. Modano.

Russo reported Leipold has said Modano will NOT be the next GM, but will be part of the interview team along with COO Matt Majka. 

 

Based on what Russo said, the last GM search was pretty much a formality. Leipold had zeroed in on Fenton and that’s who he wanted to hire. 

Edited August 2, 2019 by IllaZilla

[Alexandron]

On 7/30/2019 at 2:42 PM, Fargocase said:

IMO he absolutely deserved to get fired.   The trades and Zuccarello signing were atrocious.   The nepotism was disturbing with his kid, too, although I have absolutely no problem with the Wild's Draft this year (and the pro talkers agree with that take).   Sounds like he was a total arrogant prick to everyone.   Good riddance.

 

 

Agree with Fargo too-  just only one Wild Draft this year was good for the Wild organization with PF. The rest of multiple things (last year as well as this year in signings; trades as well as last year Wild Draft) brought lots of questions about the decisions of the GM. 

 

Personally, I would like to see Lombardi as a new GM also, who had a nice experience in two solid clubs (Sharks and Kings).
 

[EJ0226]

12 hours ago, rottenrefs said:

To me it was telling when Leipold included in his comments the players frustrations. This, after it was noted by Russo that Fenton would dictate to Boudreau who to play. This too, very reminiscent of assumptions with Fletcher too having reign over who to play... Which allowed for... Over many seasons - which deeper still needs being addressed as to who granted those actions?

 

One can point out every aspect of stupid or foolish decisions made by this team year in and year out; for all of Leipold's reign while owning the team and to me it all lands squarely on his shoulders.

 

If he allowed for all these alleged activities to take place during the past 10 years, it's all on him and his entire ownership group.

^^ This.

As long as CL wants to be GM and the GM he hires wants to be a coach while worshipping 9, 11 and 20 like they are actually stud super stars it won't matter who they hire or what they do for the next 6 years. This is what makes me bang my head on the wall. It's been happening for a long time. It's clear 11 and 20 can do whatever they want with no punishment. Like or hate Yeo but what 11 and 20 did with Oates ordeal should have been good enough to terminate their contracts.

Hopefully this time CL actually realizes this and learns the only things he needs to do is hire a proven winner GM, sign the checks and only step in if the franchise is completely out of control. Cut ties with 11 and 20 and no more going out for dinners with them. Both of them are not winners and have no idea what it takes to win it all. Let the GM and his staff handle the players. Then we might have a shot.

[CreaseAndAssist]

On 8/1/2019 at 10:10 PM, sweetshot said:

Rumor has it that Nanne is interested....

 

No, he isn't.  He said as much on Barriero the day it was announced Fenton was fired.  Also, Russo said Kurvers isn't in the mix mostly because of his health concerns.  

 

It amazing how many different people, not just Minnesota media but national media that either tweeted or wrote parts of articles saying how the Wild should not hire Chiarelli.  Even though he may fit the experience requirement, but given his mistakes and with the talent he's squandered in his tenures in Boston and Edmonton...they know fans will riot and credibility will be damaged further by hiring Chiarelli.  

[IllaZilla]

7 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

 

No, he isn't.  He said as much on Barriero the day it was announced Fenton was fired.  Also, Russo said Kurvers isn't in the mix mostly because of his health concerns.  

 

It amazing how many different people, not just Minnesota media but national media that either tweeted or wrote parts of articles saying how the Wild should not hire Chiarelli.  Even though he may fit the experience requirement, but given his mistakes and with the talent he's squandered in his tenures in Boston and Edmonton...they know fans will riot and credibility will be damaged further by hiring Chiarelli.  

 

Too bad Kurvers has his health problems. He might have added a bit of stability to this mess. And if the team could limp along with him at the helm, maybe they'd get a better pool of candidates next year. Because I'm not liking any of the names being bandied about.

 

But listening to Russo, this whole Fenton episode sounds like a really bad reality TV show with all the backstabbing, paranoia, intrigue and in-fighting. And Fenton sounds like just a horrible person to work for. For all the years the Wild FO tried to cultivate the image that the Wild were a destination hockey market between the fans, the arena, the club, Fenton has basically burned it to the ground in one year. People have been joking about the Wild being a dumpster fire this past year. They're not a dumpster fire. They're a nuclear wasteland. That's how badly Paul Fenton wrecked the Wild's reputation league-wide. I really hope this taught Leipold a lesson. Everybody needs to stay in their lanes...

 

Hopefully Leipold and Matjka listen to what people are saying about Chiarelli and walk away. Fast. I'm hoping his interview was just to get practice on what a real interview should be...

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Other names cropping up for the open Wild GM position...
 

1) Scott Mellanby--- Current asst GM for Montreal
2) Chris Drury--- Current asst GM NY Rangers and GM of their AHL affiliate, Hartford

 

Drury may be an interesting one...but would he leave both his posts with the Rangers with that team on the cusp of competing once again to put out a forest fire in Minnesota?

 

[CreaseAndAssist]

Wild GM Search Begins in Earnest...who is out there?

 

I wrote some quick summaries on some of the candidates available.  Mellanby seems like an interesting choice, although his role seems to have been similar to what Fenton had with the Predators before he came here.  Lots of options and so far it seems like the team is not going to rush it which is (probably) a good thing.  Enjoy and discuss....

[lynxrattle]

I can not believe what a soap opera the Wild has turned into. We really need a very good GM now. Someone who's at home co-operating with people, who doesn't feel threatened by the fact people will have differing opinions. Hextall sounds risky in that way, too introverted or paranoid, or what is it, but why the need to have a small inner circle? Chiarelli has been a disaster for the oilers. The others sound ok. But is any of them a really exceptional GM?