10 NHL General Managers on the Hot Seat in 2015-16
The offseason is a very busy time for NHL general managers. Their moves via the draft, trades and free agency have a significant effect upon their rosters. Every GM feels the pressure to improve his team, but several of them will face more stress than others.
Some have limited experience, like Don Sweeney of the Boston Bruins, but are tasked with quickly reversing their club's sagging fortunes. A GM of an underachieving team, like Doug Armstrong of the St. Louis Blues, must find a path toward championship contention. Others, like Dale Tallon of the Florida Panthers, are trying to build a struggling franchise into a playoff challenger.
The following slideshow lists 10 NHL general managers on the hot seat for 2015-16, taking note of their background, recent notable moves and the potential problems they face heading into the new season. Feel free to weigh in with your comments below.
Don Maloney, Arizona Coyotes
1 of 10
Background: Don Maloney was named general manager of the Arizona Coyotes on May 29, 2007. He previously served 10 years in various front-office positions with the New York Rangers, including a stint as assistant GM.
Recent notable moves: Maloney traded center Sam Gagner and draft picks to Philadelphia for defenseman Nicklas Grossmann and the rights to Chris Pronger. He also brought back center Antoine Vermette and defenseman Zbynek Michalek, who were dealt last season for picks and prospects.
Why he's on the hot seat: Despite ownership issues and limited payroll, Maloney built the Coyotes into a Western Conference finalist in 2012. Unfortunately, that was the last time they reached the playoffs. Maloney is betting his struggling club's future on promising players like Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, but another season of mediocrity will provide fuel for his critics.
Don Sweeney, Boston Bruins
2 of 10
Background: Don Sweeney was named general manager of the Boston Bruins on May 20. He was their assistant GM from 2009 until his promotion this year.
Recent notable moves: Sweeney traded defenseman Dougie Hamilton to Calgary for draft picks. He shipped left wing Milan Lucic to the Los Angeles Kings for a return that included goalie Martin Jones, who was subsequently dealt to San Jose for draft picks. He dealt winger Reilly Smith and the rights to Marc Savard to Florida for winger Jimmy Hayes and signed free-agent winger Matt Beleskey to a five-year contract.
Why he's on the hot seat: Sweeney made those move to free up salary-cap space. While the returns were for long-term gains, they could have a detrimental impact upon the roster in 2015-16. Dealing away a rising star like Hamilton is a serious blow to their blue line, while Lucic's physical style could prove difficult to replace. If the Bruins miss the playoffs again, Sweeney will bear the brunt of the blame.
Ron Francis, Carolina Hurricanes
3 of 10
Background: Ron Francis was named general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes on April 28, 2014. He was previously their vice president of hockey operations. Following a 23-year NHL playing career, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.
Recent notable moves: Francis dealt two draft picks to Vancouver in exchange for goaltender Eddie Lack. He shipped goalie Anton Khudobin to Anaheim for defenseman James Wisniewski and bought out the contract of winger Alexander Semin.
Why he's on the hot seat: The Hurricanes last made the playoffs in 2009 and, per HockeyDB.com, their attendance is declining. While Francis has been GM for only a short time, he's yet to make a move that significantly improves his roster. He must also decide if captain Eric Staal, a free agent next summer, has a future in Carolina. It'll be on Francis' hands if the Hurricanes remain mired in mediocrity.
.png?w=256 "NHL Mock Draft")
.png?w=256)
Ken Holland, Detroit Red Wings
4 of 10
Background: Ken Holland was appointed general manager of the Detroit Red Wings in July 1997. He's entering his 32nd year with the organization.
Recent notable moves: Holland signed free agents Mike Green and Brad Richards. He also bought out center Stephen Weiss and promoted Jeff Blashill to head coach.
Why he's on the hot seat: The Wings won three Stanley Cup championships with Holland as GM and never missed the playoffs on his watch. Over the last six seasons, however, they've failed to advance beyond the second round. With stars like Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg now aging, Holland's attempting to rebuild with youth. Another early playoff exit, however, could raise criticism of his management.
Dale Tallon, Florida Panthers
5 of 10
Background: Dale Tallon was named general manager of the Florida Panthers on May 17, 2010. He previously served as the Chicago Blackhawks GM from 2005 to 2009.
Recent notable moves: Tallon acquired Jaromir Jagr from New Jersey at the 2015 trade deadline and re-signed him to a one-year contract. He traded winger Jimmy Hayes to the Boston Bruins for winger Reilly Smith and the rights to center Marc Savard.
Why he's on the hot seat: The Panthers have reached the playoffs only once (2012) during Tallon's tenure. He's made some good moves in recent years, such as bringing back goaltender Roberto Luongo and drafting 2015 Calder Trophy winner Aaron Ekblad. Still, ownership's patience in Tallon's rebuild could be tested if the Panthers miss the playoffs again.
Dean Lombardi, Los Angeles Kings
6 of 10
Background: Dean Lombardi was named general manager of the Los Angeles Kings on April 21, 2006. Lombardi was previously the GM of the San Jose Sharks for seven seasons and worked as a pro scout with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Recent notable moves: Lombardi shipped goalie Martin Jones, minor league defenseman Colin Miller and a first-round pick in the 2015 NHL draft to Boston for left wing Milan Lucic. He also terminated the contract of veteran center Mike Richards and re-signed winger Tyler Toffoli to a two-year deal.
Why he's on the hot seat: After winning the Stanley Cup in 2014, the Kings missed the playoffs last spring. Limited salary-cap space hampered efforts throughout 2014-15 to bolster the lineup, though terminating Richards' deal gives them more wiggle room for next season. However, another subpar performance by the Kings will increase criticism of Lombardi's cap management.
Jim Rutherford, Pittsburgh Penguins
7 of 10
Background: Jim Rutherford was named general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 6, 2014. He was previously GM of the Carolina Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers from 1994 to 2014.
Recent notable moves: Rutherford acquired right wing Phil Kessel from the Toronto Maple Leafs in a multi-player trade. He shipped center Brandon Sutter and a third-round draft pick to Vancouver for center Nick Bonino, defenseman Adam Clendening and a second-round pick. Rutherford also signed free-agent forwards Eric Fehr and Matt Cullen.
Why he's on the hot seat: In Rutherford's first season as Penguins GM, the club narrowly made the playoffs and was quickly eliminated in the opening round. While his recent moves bolster the forward lines, the departure of Paul Martin via free agency raises questions about their blue-line depth. Another early postseason exit will put more pressure on Rutherford to shake things up.
Doug Wilson, San Jose Sharks
8 of 10
Background: Doug Wilson was named general manager by the Sharks on May 13, 2003. He previously played 16 seasons as an NHL defenseman.
Recent notable moves: Wilson shipped his 2016 first-round draft pick and a minor league player to Boston for goaltender Martin Jones. He also signed unrestricted free-agent defenseman Paul Martin to a four-year contract and winger Joel Ward to a three-year deal.
Why he's on the hot seat: Since reaching the Western Conference Final in 2011, the Sharks have steadily declined. Despite the presence of stars like Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture, the club missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2003. If the Sharks fail to significantly improve in 2015-16, Wilson could be in danger of losing his job.
Doug Armstrong, St. Louis Blues
9 of 10
Background: Doug Armstrong was named general manager of the St. Louis Blues on Sept. 3, 2013. He previously served three years as their executive vice president of hockey operations and two years as vice president of player personnel.
Recent notable moves: Armstrong traded right wing T.J. Oshie to the Washington Capitals for right wing Troy Brouwer, prospect goalie Pheonix Copley and a draft pick. He re-signed right wing Vladimir Tarasenko to an eight-year, $60 million contract, center Jori Lehtera to a three-year, $14.1 million deal and head coach Ken Hitchcock to a one-year contract.
Why he's on the hot seat: Despite being a strong regular-season club over the last four seasons, the Blues have come up short in the playoffs. Rather than shake up his roster this summer, Armstrong made a sideways move by swapping Oshie for Brouwer. If the Blues make another early postseason exit, Armstrong will face pressure to make changes to his lineup and coaching staff.
Jim Benning, Vancouver Canucks
10 of 10
Background: Jim Benning was named general manager of the Vancouver Canucks on May 21, 2014. He was previously the assistant GM of the Boston Bruins from 2006 to 2014.
Recent notable moves: Benning dealt goaltender Eddie Lack to the Carolina Hurricanes for two draft picks and shipped defenseman Kevin Bieksa to the Anaheim Ducks for a second-round pick. He also dealt winger Zack Kassian and a draft pick to Montreal for winger Brandon Prust and shipped center Nick Bonino, defenseman Adam Clendening and a draft pick to Pittsburgh for center Brandon Sutter and a draft pick.
Why he's on the hot seat: Despite the Canucks exceeding expectations last season by reaching the playoffs, NBCSports.com's Jason Brough reported Benning's recent moves didn't sit well with fans and pundits in Vancouver. He's attempting to rebuild the aging Canucks roster on the fly. Should they falter in 2015-16, Benning will feel increasingly feel the heat in Vancouver.
Team information via NHL.com. Salary information via General Fanager.
.png?w=480 "NHL Mock Draft")
.png?w=480)
.png?w=600 "B/R NHL Staff Second-Round Predictions 🏒")
