The Case for Experience and Stability in Building a Management Team

Mike Smith has been a GM with two NHL teams and with Team USA. He is well known as one of the cerebral people in the game, having studied the game at different levels and written books on various hockey topics. Now one of his projects is a blog on www.thn.com. His post on November 23/08 deals with building a management team and he uses the Detroit Red Wings as his elite example. As an assistant coach for the Red Wings for three seasons, I saw first hand of which he speaks. Here is an excerpt…

The point is, in my opinion, nothing replaces experience when you’re a GM. The same holds true for the management staff. Every season has a similar yet different rhythm to it. When things are bleak and look even darker going forward, the vultures tend to come out. Listening to them can be deadly. Experience tells you: “Don’t listen.”

The organization that epitomizes experience at the upper management level is Detroit. The Red Wings have clearly been the dominant franchise over the last 20 years. Four Stanley Cups, in ‘97, ‘98, ‘02 and ’08, and 18-straight playoff years reflect their success.

Mike and Marian Ilitch bought the Red Wings in June of 1982. Not only have they built a franchise that looked for and kept experienced people, they have also placed emphasis on stability. The NHL, like other major leagues, all too often makes changes prematurely, often in a panic.

Let’s look at the Red Wings’ combination of experience and stability:

  • Jim Devellano was the first GM hired by the Ilitch family in 1982. Twenty-seven years later, he’s still there. This is his 42nd year in the NHL. He played a major role in the construction of the New York Islanders dynasty in the 1970s and early ‘80s.
  • Ken Holland is starting his 12th season as GM and his 26th in the organization. A former American League goaltender, he began his post-playing career as an amateur scout, progressed to director of scouting, then assistant GM and, in 1998, GM.
  • Jim Nill is entering his 11th season as assistant GM and 15th with the Red Wings. He has a background both as an amateur and pro scout and also served as GM of Team Canada at the 2004 world championships.
  • Steve Yzerman, beginning his third season as vice-president. This is his 26th year with the club. He has twice served as GM of Team Canada at the world championships.
  • Scotty Bowman, though now with the Chicago Blackhawks, joined the Red Wings in 1993 as coach. His NHL coaching career began in 1967 with the St. Louis Blues and he’s won 12 Stanley Cups in his career. He stayed on as a consultant with the Wings following his retirement from coaching in 2002.

The critical fact is all of these men had jobs in which they had to make crucial decisions.

Being a coach, a director of scouting or a GM of a national team requires decision-making. Mistakes are made. But to grow, you need to learn from the mistakes. Nothing will happen during the season this management group has not seen before. Their years of experience have brought them sound judgment.

Not all ownerships follow the Detroit path. I like the Detroit model, but the new ownerships in Tampa Bay and Vancouver have looked to player agents – Brian Lawton and Mike Gillis – to be their hockey leaders. Both have limited, if any, team management experience. This is not to say they will not be successful. After all, it is hard to criticize the job Pierre Lacroix – a former agent – did with the Colorado Avalanche.

Mike Smith is a former GM with the Blackhawks and Jets and associate GM with the Maple Leafs. He also served as GM for Team USA More from Mike Smith

Scouting a Hockey Game With Tips From the Pros

Whether we are a coach, GM, player, parent, or fan of hockey we are usually, in some way, ‘scouting’ the on ice talent as we watch a hockey game.

Want to know how the pros do it? Rory Boylen has a weekly blog called A Scout’s Life on www.THN.com on scouting. Here is how it is described on the site:

A Scout’s Life is a weekly look at the world of minor and pro scouting throughout North America. Each week we’ll talk to different scouts from all levels of the game, getting a first-hand perspective of the different aspects of talent evaluation.

Boylan talks to people in the scouting world and gets insight on the many aspects of the job. The differences between being an amateur or pro scout are pointed out. Even details like where to sit to watch games is discussed. Here is a sample from the November 11/08 blog.

“There are always guys who will jump out you weren’t expecting to. That’s a bonus, someone else to follow.” – Paul Castron, director of amateur scouting, Columbus Blue Jackets…

So how does a scout keep an eye on all these guys without missing anything? Part of it is getting a heads-up from your area scouts so you know who to watch before you set foot in the arena and another part is getting there a little early – about one to two hours beforehand – and making sure you’re prepared.

“Prior to the game I’ll check out all my reports on all the players I expect to play and the date the last time I did a report on those players,” said Mark Dobson, director of player personnel with the Atlanta Thrashers.

Once the game is over, however, a scout usually doesn’t hang around for too long…

That reminds me of the old hockey line: “What are the eight words a scout never hears at a hockey game?-Last minute of play in the third period.”

Mike MacPherson also has a scouting blog. He has great stuff as well. I know Mike and he really knows talent. Here is information on Mike and where to get his blog.

Mike MacPherson began scouting in 1999 for the Chicago Blackhawks and was responsible for the ECHL. He is currently the director of scouting for the Phoenix Roadrunners, NHL affiliate of the San Jose Sharks and also scouts the OHL for the International Scouting Service. MacPherson also coaches in the OMHA within Guelph Minor hockey. He will be blogging about his experences in scouting throughout the season on THN.com. Read his other entries HERE.

Check these blogs out. They are entertaining, informative, and will give you a view from trained eyes-and I wouldn’t be surprised you will enjoy watching hockey more than ever.