The vacant general manager position in Pittsburgh is a tricky but appealing role for many executives around the hockey world, and Pierre LeBrun rattled off an early list of candidates on the latest edition of TSN’s Insider Trading. Jason Botterill, Chris Drury, Mark Hunter, Tom Fitzgerald, Ron Hextall, Peter Chiarelli, Scott Mellanby, Mike Gillis, Laurence Gilman, John Ferguson, and Mike Futa are all on Pittsburgh’s radar and LeBrun believes the team wants to have the next GM in place over the next few weeks.
In the same segment, Darren Dreger speculates on the future of Pittsburgh’s star players and believes whoever comes in would owe it to Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang to have a conversation about the direction of the franchise. Don’t jump to conclusions and think that Crosby is all of a sudden on the trading block, given CEO David Morehouse’s claim that the team is still in “win-now” mode, but if Pittsburgh misses the playoffs this season they will be a fascinating situation to keep an eye on.
- One front office member likely not on that list of candidates? Martin Lapointe, who has signed a three-year extension with the Montreal Canadiens to continue as director of player personnel through the 2023-24 season. Lapointe will also take on the role of director of amateur scouting, making him even more integral to the operation in Montreal. The former NHL forward was first hired as director of player development in 2012 and has worked his way up the front office ladder. He is on track to be a GM of his own down the road if he wants to be.
- The WHL has been granted approval to return to play in the province of Alberta, starting their season on February 26. The five WHL clubs based in Alberta—the Red Deer Rebels, Edmonton Oil Kings, Lethbridge Hurricanes, Medicine Hat Tigers, and Calgary Hitmen—will form the Central Division and play a 24-game regular season entirely within the province. The league continues to work with the health officials in the other provinces and states to try and establish a start date for East, B.C., and U.S. divisions this season. There are WHL teams based in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Washington, and Oregon.
How can Tom Fitzgerald be on their radar? He’s a first year GM currently employed by the Devils. By that logic are all other 30 current GMs on their list?
Fitzgerald may be out after the year ends per Mark Madden. Pens may wait the year out and pick him up
They can have Pierre Dorion.
@JDGoat – Sorry, JD, you’re stuck with him! It’s a league rule, I think. ;)
We’ll even throw in old friend Matt Murray
@JDGoat – I don’t think Matty realized what he was getting into. He’s going to age even faster now. I’m afraid it’ll take years before we find out at least some of this is due to post-concussion junk.
I’m hearing Botterill and Gillis,with Fitz a year end candidate.
Dorion,Mean Gene likes him too much. Lol.
@Dave – A horrifying image just came to me – Mean Gene, The Dancing Machine! :) (Dancing on the 6000 hostages at Canadian Tire Center)
Just curious what happen to Tim Murray? Search on Google seems like he fell off the grid after his last stint in Buffalo?
I know he is free to work for any team after the Flyers fired him and I wish him the best success in his career, but seeing Ron Hextall’s name on that list hurts.
@Black Ace57 – Hurts twice. If I were 66, I would phone LeBrun and Seravalli and say Hextall’s name on the list was a typo!