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Another Candidate Withdraws From Carolina GM Search

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Los Angeles Kings’ AGM Mike Futa removed himself from contention for the Carolina Hurricanes GM job recently, and now another leading candidate is pulling out. According to several reports including Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Nashville Predators AGM Paul Fenton has withdrawn as well.

Friedman now lists Tom Fitzgerald, Laurence Gilman, Steve Greeley and Mike Vellucci as the known candidates, though there could still be others.

The Hurricanes are searching for a new GM after moving Ron Francis into a different position, and owner Thomas Dundon has made it clear the incoming executive will answer directly to him. He and Francis apparently didn’t have similar styles, leading to the move and subsequent search. Obviously Dundon is looking for something very particular, but with two very qualified candidates now pulling out (for one reason or another) the search could become more difficult.

The NHL Entry Draft is just a few months away, and the Hurricanes have some huge negotiations to go through with players like Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin. Though there are experienced executives like Don Wadell still in the front office, every day that passes gives the new GM less time to prepare for the offseason. The Hurricanes meanwhile are 3-8-2 in their last 13 and have fallen out of the playoff race.

Snapshots: Futa, Seattle, Ference

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As he did last year when interviewed by the Buffalo Sabres for their GM job, Mike Futa has reportedly pulled out of the running for the Carolina Hurricanes vacancy. That’s according to Elliotte Friedman and John Shannon of Sportsnet, who explain that Futa is focused on the Los Angeles Kings’ playoff run instead of getting caught up in a possible promotion.

Last year, Futa said that he was excited for his new role with the Kings as he’d just recently been promoted to assistant General Manager, and now it looks like they’re in no danger of losing him. The Kings are in third place in the Pacific Division and are still among the league leaders in fewest goals against.

  • Tod Leiweke, brother of Tim Leiweke who is heading the group applying for an expansion franchise in Seattle, has left his role in the NFL and will join the group bringing hockey to the Pacific Northwest. As Shannon reports, Tod Leiweke has been involved with several NHL teams in the past including Tampa Bay and Vancouver. The brothers are joined by David Bonderman, a billionaire investor, and several other high-profile names determined to bring hockey back to Seattle. The expansion application has already been filed, and the city’s season ticket drive was a huge success.
  • Andrew Ference was a respected leader during his playing career, and will now join the NHL as Director of Social Impact, Growth & Fan Development. Ference played parts of 16 years in the NHL, suiting up for 907 regular season games and raising the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011. He served as captain in Edmonton for two seasons, where he grew up and still resides.

Latest On Carolina GM Search

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We’ve heard several names linked to the vacant Carolina Hurricanes GM role, but Bob McKenzie of TSN reports on another. Steve Greeley, the assistant GM of the Buffalo Sabres and well-traveled front office member has been interviewed by the club. Greeley has experience in scouting, player personnel and coaching, spending time with the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Boston University in the past.

The search for the next Hurricanes GM is an interesting one, as the new executive will have to report directly to owner Thomas Dundon. Ron Francis was moved out of the role recently and into one as President of Hockey Operations, despite his work creating a pipeline of young talent. Unfortunately, that talent hasn’t shown much improvement in the standings, as Carolina is set to miss the playoffs for the ninth straight time without a late season push.

Most of the names interviewed in Carolina seem to be those who have never been general manager of an NHL team, but are all expected to be given the opportunity at some point. The Hurricanes might just be that chance as they try to find a fresh outlook for a team that has stagnated in the middle of the standings. Whether the answer is Greeley isn’t clear, but they will certainly check in on every possibility before making a decision.

Minor Transactions: 03/12/18

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Another week, another set of playoff-deciding matchups around the NHL. With so few games remaining in the regular season, every single day is of huge significance. We’ll keep track of all the transactions taking place on the fringes of rosters.

  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have officially recalled Peter Budaj from the AHL after his conditioning stint. The goaltender played a pair of games for Syracuse as part of his recovery from a lower-body injury, but will now stick around in the NHL. That move gives the Lightning three goaltenders for the time being, giving them plenty of opportunity to rest Andrei Vasilevskiy down the stretch.
  • Ville Husso is up under emergency conditions for the St. Louis Blues, as Carter Hutton deals with injury. Husso is the heir apparent in St. Louis should Hutton leave in free agency, as the 23-year old has shown he’s more than capable in the AHL. Through 34 games for the San Antonio Rampage, Husso has a sparkling .928 save percentage and 2.31 goals against average.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes announced that Valentin Zykov has been reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte. Zykov was just recalled on Sunday and did not see any game action. The 2013 second-round pick has put up prolific numbers in each of the past two seasons with the Checkers, but has only two games with the ’Canes to show for it all the way back in March 2017.

Minor Transactions: 3/11/18

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With a busy 11-game schedule Saturday, the NHL has a lighter schedule today with just four games. With all the injuries, many teams will look to make moves to shore up their roster for the upcoming week.

  • The Arizona Coyotes announced they have assigned defenseman Andrew Campbell to Tucson of the AHL. Strome, the Coyotes third-overall pick in the 2015 draft, has had trouble finding a role with the Coyotes so far as he has just one goal and no assists in 11 NHL games, but has been dominant with the Roadrunners. He has 22 goals and 27 assists in 44 games with Tucson. Campbell was recalled last Sunday as an emergency while defenseman Alex Goligoski was with his wife, waiting for the birth of their child. He did not appear in a game.  Center Dylan Strome was recalled on an emergency basis at the same time but later in the day, the team announced that that recall was cancelled.
  • The St. Louis Blues have announced they have assigned goaltender Ville Husso, forward Samuel Blais, and defenseman Chris Butler to the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL. Husso had been recalled on Thursday as an emergency replacement for goaltender Carter Hutton, who injured his neck, but Husso did not see any playing time. Butler was recalled Saturday as an emergency defenseman, but wasn’t needed. Blais, who has been out with a concussion, skated Thursday and might be ready to play with San Antonio. The 21-year-old has three points in 11 games with St. Louis.
  • The Buffalo Sabres announced they have assigned forwards Justin Bailey and Daniel O’Regan to the Rochester Americans of the AHL. Both players, who have been shuttled back and forth recently between the two teams, are likely being sent down with a four-game break coming up for the Sabres. Buffalo doesn’t play again until Thursday against Toronto. Bailey, the team’s second-round pick in 2013, scored a goal in Saturday’s game against Vegas, but only picked up 8:39 minutes of ice time. O’Regan, acquired in the Evander Kane trade at the trade deadline, has not picked up a point yet in two games with San Jose. The 24-year-old only got 10:19 of ice time Saturday.
  • As reported yesterday, the Colorado Avalanche officially assigned forward Vladislav Kamenev to the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL last night, according to CapFriendly. Kamenev, who came over to the Avalanche from Nashville in the Matt Duchene trade, broke his arm on his first game with Colorado. He is ready to get some playing time in San Antonio and could be recalled once he’s back in game shape.
  • As reported yesterday, the Calgary Flames officially announced they have activated goaltender Mike Smith and have assigned goaltender Jon Gillies to the Stockton Heat of the AHL. Smith has been out of the lineup since Feb. 11 with a groin injury and has been listed as day-to-day for weeks. However, he is expected to start today. The return is critical for Calgary who is fighting for a playoff spot. Smith, an all-star this year, has a 2.53 GAA, but more importantly, a .921 save percentage in 47 games for the Flames. The 24-year-old Gillies struggled in limited playing time for Calgary as he played in seven games, putting up a 2.78 GAA and a .904 save percentage.
  • The Colorado Avalanche announced they have recalled goaltender Spencer Martin from the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL to serve as an emergency backup after Jonathan Bernier was hit in the head with a puck during Saturday’s game. He had already missed several weeks due to concussion symptoms. Martin has had to fill in due to multiple injuries to both Bernier and Andrew Hammond. Martin hasn’t appeared in a game for Colorado, but has a 3.05 GAA and a .895 in 31 appearances with the Rampage.
  • The Carolina Hurricanes have recalled winger Valentin Zykov, per a team release.  He has yet to play with the ’Canes this season but has been productive at the AHL level with 30 goals in 57 games which leads their affiliate in Charlotte.

Hurricanes Reach Out To Four More GM Candidates

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  • Yesterday, it was reported that the Hurricanes had asked for permission to interview Mike Futa for their now-vacant GM position. We can now add more names to the list that Carolina is interested in.  Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic and TSN reports (Twitter link) that the team has asked for permission to talk to Paul Fenton (Nashville) and Julien BriseBois (Tampa Bay) as well as reaching out to former Vancouver assistant GM Laurence Gilman.  TSN’s Darren Dreger adds (via Twitter) that they have also requested permission to interview Tom Fitzgerald (New Jersey).

Snapshots: Coaching Changes, Marchand Fine, McDonagh Debut

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Buried in the news of Ron Francis being replaced as GM of the Carolina Hurricanes was the fact that it was the first major personnel decision of the 2017-18 season. It’s March, well beyond the three-quarter mark of the season, and there has been just one general manager fired (but promoted) and still no coaches. It’s rare to see so much inactivity, but it can likely be linked to the fact that the league’s worst teams – Arizona, Buffalo, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Montreal – all have first- or second-year coaches: Rick Tocchet, Phil Housley, Guy Boucher, Travis Green, and Claude Julien respectively. Unsurprisingly, USA Today’s Kevin Allen lists the head coaches of four of the next five worst teams as being on the hot seat as the end of the season approaches. That includes the Edmonton Oilers’ Todd McLellan, the Detroit Red Wings’ Jeff Blashill, the New York Rangers’ Alain Vigneault, the Chicago Blackhawks’ Joel Quenneville, and the Carolina Hurricanes’ Bill Peters. The most obvious inclusion on this list is Peters, who has an owner looking to make changes and soon a new GM, and has also struggled to get the most out of his talented roster. Quenneville would be the biggest news, should he be removed, as the longest-tenured coach in the NHL, since 2008, and a three-time Stanley Cup champion. The last name on the list who doesn’t quite fit the pattern is the Washington Capitals’ Barry Trotz. Trotz has yet to be offered a contract extension and his future could depend on the Caps’ playoff success this season. However, as Allen states, Trotz would be the prime coaching candidate this summer if he isn’t retained by Washington. As of right now, all of these coaches are safe, but things could change quickly with the season coming to a close. In the meantime, if you would like to apply for the open Hurricanes GM position, here you go.

  • One thing that there has been plenty of in the league this season has been punishment handed down by the NHL Department of Player Safety, as the league has focused on cracking down on certain penalties. A player who has gained plenty of attention, fair or not, has been Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand. Marchand has finally spoken out after his most recent hit, a $2,000 fine for diving. Marchand spoke to the media, saying things like “it’s a small amount of money”, “it’s a joke”, “it’s pretty stupid” and “I don’t care about this.” He did go a step further though, adding “how are they (Player Safety) to tell …they go from being players to management and running the league pretty quickly and forget how to play the game.” While Marchand doesn’t seem to care much about a very minor fine, he is making a point that any fine for diving, the most subjective call in the game, is somewhat unreasonable, especially when the call comes from those who were not even present at the game.
  • While the Bruins are continuing to win behind three straight game-winners from Marchand, their rivals in the Atlantic Division and the President’s Trophy race, the Tampa Bay Lightning, continue to win as well. They’ll get even better starting tonight, as their huge trade deadline acquisition, Ryan McDonagh, is set to make his debut with the team tonight against the Montreal Canadiens. Head coach Jon Cooper told beat writer Bryan Burns that McDonagh is ready to go, after dealing with an upper-body injury for more than a month. McDonagh’s addition to the Bolts blue line makes them a scary team for anyone to go up against and that includes the Bruins, who play Tampa three more times this season and could very well meet them in the second round of the playoffs.

Carolina Hurricanes Ask For Permission To Interview Mike Futa

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The Carolina Hurricanes have already started their search for a new GM after moving Ron Francis out of power this week. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that the club has asked for permission to speak with Los Angeles Kings Assistant GM Mike Futa. Lisa Dillman of NHL.com adds that the request was granted. Futa has been in the running for GM jobs all around the league for the last few seasons, but was retained and promoted when Rob Blake took over as GM of the Kings last year.

Futa has a scouting background, previously worked as GM in the OHL, and is regarded as one of the brightest minds not yet given the reins of an NHL team. He was in the running for the Buffalo Sabres job before it eventually went to Jason Botterill last year, and makes sense as one of the first names Carolina would target. Whether they’ll be given permission to talk to him now or after the season is unclear, but new Carolina owner Thomas Dundon hasn’t waited around for much since taking over control of the team in January.

The Hurricanes are in danger of missing the playoffs for the ninth straight season, but do come with an impressive young core. This isn’t a job where a rebuild would be in order, which is usually the case when new GMs are brought in. Instead, the Hurricanes could be just a few moves away from real contention with their pipeline of young defensemen and scoring talent up front. While a star forward would be nice, the team desperately needs to find an answer in goal for their struggles. Cam Ward comes off the books at the end of the season, but Scott Darling hasn’t shown enough to be relied upon as the lone starter for another year.

Minor Transactions : 03/08/18

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Some minor transactions from around the league:

  • The Winnipeg Jets have recalled Michael Hutchinson, bringing up the goaltender once again as Steve Mason is dealing with a new injury. Mason suffered a lower-body injury at practice, but it’s not clear how long he’ll be out. Hutchinson will get a chance to backup Connor Hellebuyck once again.
  • Carolina has sent Lucas Wallmark back down to the minor leagues, where he’s done most of his damage this season. The 22-year old forward has one point in 11 games with the Hurricanes, but 36 in 32 games with the Charlotte Checkers.
  • Tomas Hyka is back up after a two day absence from the Vegas Golden Knights. While Reilly Smith deals with a minor injury and will miss tonight’s game, Hyka could get another chance to prove he belongs in the NHL. The 24-year old Czech forward has two points in six games with the Golden Knights this season
  • Josh Jooris has been recalled under emergency conditions by the Pittsburgh Penguins, as Bryan Rust and Dominik Simon deal with injuries. Jooris was acquired at the trade deadline for this type of situation, to give the Penguins some NHL experience that could step in in case of injury.

More On The Carolina Hurricanes Front Office

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Yesterday, when the Carolina Hurricanes’ new owner Thomas Dundon decided to move Ron Francis out of his role as GM and into that of President of Hockey Operations, many were confused at what exactly that meant. In the press release, the team announced that they would start a search for a new GM who would report directly to Dundon, leading some to believe that the owner would have final say in basically every aspect of the organization, including hockey transactions.

Today, Dundon sat down with two of hockey’s most respected insiders to explain. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet both released interviews with Dundon, that essentially say the same thing. The new owner doesn’t want to have to make every decision, but felt he and Francis had different styles and ways of going about things. Dundon is quoted in Friedman’s piece:

I want to use Ron’s experience and knowledge with a different style and structure. He is a valuable resource. But our styles couldn’t be any different. It is no more complicated than that.

On Sportsnet today, Doug McLean explained that Francis has one more year on his current contract, but was still puzzled by the timing and explanation the Hurricanes gave. In Dundon’s explanations, it seems more like Francis will take over in a more advisory role, much different than the responsibilities usually given to President of Hockey Operations. A new GM, as Dundon explains to LeBrun, will need to fit into the way he does things and be focused on “relationships with other teams and agents and really challenging everything we do and really focusing on the player side” instead of worrying about all aspects of the organization.

It’s an interesting move from an owner just a few months before an important offseason. If the Hurricanes miss the playoffs once again, they’ll extend their league-leading drought to nine seasons and need to make some bold moves to correct it. With a ton of restricted free agents including Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin, and extension candidates in Jeff Skinner and Teuvo Teravainen, the team has huge decisions to make on whether to keep the core in tact or shake it up looking for more success. A new GM will have to make those decisions quickly, especially if Dundon waits until after the season to hire someone.

Also on The Athletic today was a look from James Mirtle (subscription required) at the huge number of GMs that could be out of a job in a month or two. If the Hurricanes are eyeing one of the experienced names as their next leader, or at least want to explore that option, Francis (or Dundon himself) may still have to lead the team through the draft process in June. Dundon certainly hasn’t been slow to act so far, but hiring the next GM of the Hurricanes is no small task.

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