If I could be the General Manager for any team it would be the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL. This is because they have always been my favorite team of any sport, and I believe that since my heart would be 100 percent into my work, we could finally bring Canada another Stanley Cup.

A gigantic microscope is placed above just about every GM come draft time. This puts pressure on the General Manager to find the best players and to make the right trades in order to better his team.  I have always been a true believer in developing a team. I think it is a wise investment to draft a lot of players, develop them accordingly, and then reassess them when needed.

If they are not right for the team, then find a place for them. Every successful NHL club has a team of strong role players. The parts all add up to the sum.

I don't believe in taking an overrated player. Often, these players (though talented) have egos and cause a lot of trouble on the inside. Taking a hard working, modest player has a bigger payoff in the end.

Draft time is popular time for GMs to make big trades—shuffling players around, and treating them like commodities. Yes, the sport is a business as well, but the more unnecessary trades you have to make, the worse. Keep it simple.

In today's NHL we all know how important the budget is to the team. The salary cap has a lot of GMs running around trying to find the perfect mix of high salary players and those still running on a rookie contract.

The trick would be to find a balance with as many mid paid players as possible. Of course, the better they get, the more they're worth, but if your team had drafted them in the first place and they are treated correctly, they may not develop the big ego.

Building a trusting, honest relationship with your players just may save you some big bucks in the end. 

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