talkingcanes
06-28-2003, 07:08 AM
Leafs begin search for new GM
Canadian Press
from TSN
6/27/2003
TORONTO (CP) - Pat Quinn finally relented, Ken Dryden was shifted further away, Bill Watters was shown the door and Richard Peddie continued to spread his wings at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
These are strange times in Leaf Land, and Friday's announcements by the Toronto Maple Leafs were only the first step in a long process that may or may not be resolved by training camp.
After four years of holding both the head coach and general manager portfolios, the 60-year-old Quinn agreed after a friendly hint from the new ownership group at MLSE to relinquish the GM job.
Peddie said while the team had achieved much in recent years, more was expected from one of the league's flagship franchises.
``We are not satisfied with our current level of success,'' Peddie told a news conference. ``We expect more and our fans expect more.''
The moves come as a result of a new ownership structure at MLSE triggered by Steve Stavro's decision to sell his shares in February. Larry Tanenbaum officially takes over from Stavro as chairman on Tuesday.
With Dryden out of the way as the middle man, Peddie now has direct supervision over the new GM and Quinn, just as he does over Toronto Raptors GM Glen Grunwald. Not bad for a guy whose background featured 19 years in the packaged goods industry before getting involved with SkyDome and later the Raptors.
Despite reports to the contrary, Quinn doesn't have contractual power in selecting his new boss.
``That's not my right, my right is not a veto,'' Quinn said following the 45-minute news conference at the Air Canada Centre. ``But they want to make sure that it's going to work. I mean, that's why we're doing this thing.
``I have a strong position (in the naming of the GM) but it's not a veto.''
What is in his contract is an existing provision that addresses his salary when he does officially drop the GM duties.
``There would be an adjustment and that was negotiated two years ago when we did the extension,'' Quinn said. ``This was planned, despite of all the stuff you guys think is going on here, this was all planned.''
While on the surface that would sound like a pay cut, the Globe and Mail reported in Saturday's edition that Quinn would in fact be paid all of his existing contract, about $4.5 million US.
For the time being, Quinn and assistant GM Mike Penny will handle all contract and free-agent matters until the process of interviewing and selecting a new GM is completed.
Quinn, Dryden and Peddie will be all be involved in choosing the new GM.
``It's going to be very disciplined and very thorough,'' Peddie said of the search. ``We have not interviewed anyone yet despite speculation. We've started to develop a long list and through due diligence and checking up we'll make that a short list. We'll bring those individuals in and the three of us will interview them.
``We're all going to be involved all the way and in the end I see us having a healthy debate.''
The one name that continues to surface is Steve Tambellini, vice-president of player personnel for the Vancouver Canucks. Tambellini is considered a blue-chip prospect to become a GM one day, an intelligent and charismatic executive who did a superb job in assembling Canada's gold-medal team at the world hockey championship in Finland last month.
``I think he's a wonderful young guy, I really do,'' said Quinn, who worked with him in Vancouver. ``He would be a guy that I would want this group to consider. But for me to be blowing his horn, I want to look at all the candidates, that's my job. I want the best guy available.''
And early indications are that it's going to be lengthy process. The Leafs won't say for sure when a new GM will be hired.
``I hate deadlines in the sense that I've seen them in hockey before where you say you're going to do this or that by then and a lot of times the decision isn't the right one,'' Quinn said. ``What's more important than a deadline is making the right choice.''
Dryden, meanwhile, will be less visible on the hockey operations front after having his Leafs president job deleted and re-shuffled as the vice-chairman of MLSE. He also gets a seat on the board of directors, increasing that list to 10.
It basically means less hockey and more boardrooms for Dryden, who will have less influence now on the on-ice product.
As for Watters, the assistant to the GM, it's hard not to feel like he got the raw end of the deal after the Leafs decided not to renew his contract, which expires Monday.
Peddie explained away Watters' departure by saying he wanted the new GM to hire his own right-hand man.
``Over the last year it became apparent that they wanted to bring in a new general manager, a young guy, and my job was going to be eliminated,'' Watters said Friday from Ottawa.
``I was hopeful that I would get a contract extension and that was not granted,'' added Watters. ``And essentially it was eight months of waiting for your release.''
Watters was a Cliff Fletcher hire in 1991, having held different portfolios throughout the years but handling most of the contract work under Quinn's regime.
``I had 12 wonderful years with the Toronto Maple Leafs,'' Watters said. ``It's something I'll never forget. I have no regrets whatsoever. I hope the Maple Leafs have success.''
Dryden, meanwhile, admitted Friday that he tried to start the GM search last September but ran into opposition from Quinn, who felt the time wasn't yet right. Dryden had had talks with Bob Gainey, who recently became Montreal's new GM.
``I thought late last summer that we needed a little boost,'' Dryden said.
``At that point that's what I believed and it wasn't what Pat believed. ... Then in terms of when we didn't agree on it, (hiring a new GM) would have been something too disruptive. It would have gotten in the way of the functioning of the team. And therefore it would have been the wrong thing to do.''
Now everyone seemingly is on the same page and all agree the new GM must be someone Quinn will like.
``You don't want a general manager that in fact cannot work with your head coach,'' Dryden said.
wonder how long it will take to find someone who meets Pat's approval?
Canadian Press
from TSN
6/27/2003
TORONTO (CP) - Pat Quinn finally relented, Ken Dryden was shifted further away, Bill Watters was shown the door and Richard Peddie continued to spread his wings at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
These are strange times in Leaf Land, and Friday's announcements by the Toronto Maple Leafs were only the first step in a long process that may or may not be resolved by training camp.
After four years of holding both the head coach and general manager portfolios, the 60-year-old Quinn agreed after a friendly hint from the new ownership group at MLSE to relinquish the GM job.
Peddie said while the team had achieved much in recent years, more was expected from one of the league's flagship franchises.
``We are not satisfied with our current level of success,'' Peddie told a news conference. ``We expect more and our fans expect more.''
The moves come as a result of a new ownership structure at MLSE triggered by Steve Stavro's decision to sell his shares in February. Larry Tanenbaum officially takes over from Stavro as chairman on Tuesday.
With Dryden out of the way as the middle man, Peddie now has direct supervision over the new GM and Quinn, just as he does over Toronto Raptors GM Glen Grunwald. Not bad for a guy whose background featured 19 years in the packaged goods industry before getting involved with SkyDome and later the Raptors.
Despite reports to the contrary, Quinn doesn't have contractual power in selecting his new boss.
``That's not my right, my right is not a veto,'' Quinn said following the 45-minute news conference at the Air Canada Centre. ``But they want to make sure that it's going to work. I mean, that's why we're doing this thing.
``I have a strong position (in the naming of the GM) but it's not a veto.''
What is in his contract is an existing provision that addresses his salary when he does officially drop the GM duties.
``There would be an adjustment and that was negotiated two years ago when we did the extension,'' Quinn said. ``This was planned, despite of all the stuff you guys think is going on here, this was all planned.''
While on the surface that would sound like a pay cut, the Globe and Mail reported in Saturday's edition that Quinn would in fact be paid all of his existing contract, about $4.5 million US.
For the time being, Quinn and assistant GM Mike Penny will handle all contract and free-agent matters until the process of interviewing and selecting a new GM is completed.
Quinn, Dryden and Peddie will be all be involved in choosing the new GM.
``It's going to be very disciplined and very thorough,'' Peddie said of the search. ``We have not interviewed anyone yet despite speculation. We've started to develop a long list and through due diligence and checking up we'll make that a short list. We'll bring those individuals in and the three of us will interview them.
``We're all going to be involved all the way and in the end I see us having a healthy debate.''
The one name that continues to surface is Steve Tambellini, vice-president of player personnel for the Vancouver Canucks. Tambellini is considered a blue-chip prospect to become a GM one day, an intelligent and charismatic executive who did a superb job in assembling Canada's gold-medal team at the world hockey championship in Finland last month.
``I think he's a wonderful young guy, I really do,'' said Quinn, who worked with him in Vancouver. ``He would be a guy that I would want this group to consider. But for me to be blowing his horn, I want to look at all the candidates, that's my job. I want the best guy available.''
And early indications are that it's going to be lengthy process. The Leafs won't say for sure when a new GM will be hired.
``I hate deadlines in the sense that I've seen them in hockey before where you say you're going to do this or that by then and a lot of times the decision isn't the right one,'' Quinn said. ``What's more important than a deadline is making the right choice.''
Dryden, meanwhile, will be less visible on the hockey operations front after having his Leafs president job deleted and re-shuffled as the vice-chairman of MLSE. He also gets a seat on the board of directors, increasing that list to 10.
It basically means less hockey and more boardrooms for Dryden, who will have less influence now on the on-ice product.
As for Watters, the assistant to the GM, it's hard not to feel like he got the raw end of the deal after the Leafs decided not to renew his contract, which expires Monday.
Peddie explained away Watters' departure by saying he wanted the new GM to hire his own right-hand man.
``Over the last year it became apparent that they wanted to bring in a new general manager, a young guy, and my job was going to be eliminated,'' Watters said Friday from Ottawa.
``I was hopeful that I would get a contract extension and that was not granted,'' added Watters. ``And essentially it was eight months of waiting for your release.''
Watters was a Cliff Fletcher hire in 1991, having held different portfolios throughout the years but handling most of the contract work under Quinn's regime.
``I had 12 wonderful years with the Toronto Maple Leafs,'' Watters said. ``It's something I'll never forget. I have no regrets whatsoever. I hope the Maple Leafs have success.''
Dryden, meanwhile, admitted Friday that he tried to start the GM search last September but ran into opposition from Quinn, who felt the time wasn't yet right. Dryden had had talks with Bob Gainey, who recently became Montreal's new GM.
``I thought late last summer that we needed a little boost,'' Dryden said.
``At that point that's what I believed and it wasn't what Pat believed. ... Then in terms of when we didn't agree on it, (hiring a new GM) would have been something too disruptive. It would have gotten in the way of the functioning of the team. And therefore it would have been the wrong thing to do.''
Now everyone seemingly is on the same page and all agree the new GM must be someone Quinn will like.
``You don't want a general manager that in fact cannot work with your head coach,'' Dryden said.
wonder how long it will take to find someone who meets Pat's approval?