Steve Yzerman may have built the foundation, but it was Julien Brisebois who put the finishing touches on a back-to-back Stanley Cup champion. For that, the Tampa Bay Lightning have awarded their general manager a much deserved extension. As first reported by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, Brisebois has signed a new multi-year contract to remain in Tampa.
Brisebois is just 44 years old and already has one of the most impressive front office resumes in hockey. Brisebois was promoted to GM of the Lightning in 2018 after eight years as Assistant GM and GM of the club’s AHL affiliate, at first the Norfolk Admirals and then the Syracuse Crunch. Prior to joining Tampa Bay, Brisebois has worked for his hometown Montreal Canadiens for six years as a Director/Vice President of Hockey Operations and also as AHL GM. In addition to these two Cups with the Lightning, Brisebois oversaw Calder Cup titles with the Hamilton Bulldogs in 2010 and the Admirals in 2012.
This extension should squash any remaining belief out of Montreal that Brisebois could take after his mentor Yzerman and return to his hometown team. With current Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin on an expiring contract this year, there was some hope from Habs fans that perhaps the historic team could poach Brisebois. Instead, he will stick with Tampa, which still has one of the most talented rosters in the NHL even after several key departures this off-season. The salary cap could continue to chip away at the Lightning core, but with Brisebois at the helm the team can rest easy that they are in good hands.
I mean that’s Stevy Ys team but that’s how you run a team hiring the right guys young and grooming them in the system to take over. Worked with Cooper too
Oh noes, the rest of the league may need to read the rule book on the salary cap as Brisebois gives the Bolts an “unfair” advantage. It’s just so unfair, wah. If the Bolts win a third consecutive cup, we will all will just have say its unfair and complain about the cap manipulations.
Go Bolts, best ownership, leadership and system in the game. Choosing character players who buy in to the system and lead by example. Stamkos has been a great captain.
Your 9.5 million dollar player miraculously healed for the first game of the playoffs…
If you don’t think there was some sort of ‘hey Kuch, you can’t declare yourself healthy with 20 games left so please stay ‘injured’ so we can roster the current team…well then you’re delusional
They were also the only ones to protest that rule before hand too
All teams use ltir now
@bigdaddyt – I disdain the management for abusing the rule, but respect them for complaining about it before exploiting it.
They warned the league.
Overall comment.
The key element to me is the players and management are complicit in this.
We fans receive this false narrative that “players just wanna compete and play”. Clearly Kucherov was happy to stay in shape, wait for the playoffs and then play to win a cup. For which he gets paid more for and management wins as well. Everyone got more money.
Would any fans do any different? It is what it is.
You think Kucherov missed an entire season (risking the team missing the playoffs entirely) in order to circumvent the cap? Quit whining. Or get some cheese to go with it. Try getting better players or having the ones you already have play better hockey when the bright lights go on.
“Risking the team missing the playoff entirely”? Yeah, TB is just a bunch of bums without him, huh?
Kucherov missed an entire season in order to circumvent the cap. This “gambling in Casablanca?” act is unnecessary. The banners will still hang.
Great to see JBB get the extension in Tampa! You have to be “on your game” in the salary cap era as a GM and JBB definitely is. The margin for error is narrow. What great ownership (thank you Mr. Vinik!), Stevie Y (thank you for your hard work in Tampa and hiring JBB in 2010), JBB, Murray and the scouting staff, player development, etc. have done in Tampa is incredible. How JBB has not won “GM of the Year” yet or Jon Cooper “Coach of the Year” is beyond me. GO BOLTS!!