11/7/2023 0 Comments Ellliot friedman 31 thoughts![]() Whenever we finished an intermission on a Sportsnet hockey broadcast, Burkie would tell everyone they did a great job, except me. He declined because he wanted to be a GM. Hextall had the opportunity for an assistant GM role in Seattle. If nothing else, this throws another Carolina pepper on the menu.ġ. There were a lot of hard feelings on both sides of his exit from Philadelphia. “I love hating the other team - it’s what makes sports special.” “I love rivalries,” he said, a big smile widening across his face. It would be a surprise if Chris Pryor, let go as assistant GM after 20 years in Philadelphia following Hextall’s firing, did not join him in western Pennsylvania.Īt the end of Tuesday’s briefing, Hextall was asked about the Flyers/Penguins rivalry. It will be interesting to learn how they feel about the Tristan Jarry/ Casey DeSmith goaltending tandem. They’ll continue to seek help for a banged-up blueline. Hextall was expected to reach out to Crosby after the media availability Wednesday, get his opinion. Puts out fires, manages up, does a lot of media. Communicates with everyone around the team. Your manager, on the other hand, is around every day. What you want, who you draft, who you acquire, overall philosophy. The proper structure (although I recognize finances are an issue during the pandemic) is probably your “hockey person” and your “manager.” Davidson, the president, handled the bigger-picture queries while Gorton answered the hockey-related questions. When the Rangers held their media conference last week following Tony DeAngelo’s removal, both John Davidson and Jeff Gorton were there. The Hextall/Burke hiring comes at a time where I’m thinking the GM job has become too big for one person. Sell life insurance or do something else.” If you’re a guy who looks at a hill and says it’s too high, then do something else, man. ![]() I’ve taken over teams where the list of challenges was as long as your arm…. My mind is you give me enough time, give me the resources, I can fix this. “The notion you wouldn’t take job because of the hurdles or sand traps in front of you, that thinking has never entered into my mind. I’ve got special players, a GM I trust, a coach I trust, let’s see what we can do. This will end badly - what are you thinking?’ I don’t see it that way. You’re going into a minefield with nothing but poor options in front of you. “I had GMs call me today and say, ‘You’re out of your mind. “I’ve never looked at a hill and said it’s too tall or too high,” he replied. Burke was incredulous at the idea the challenge is too great. You’d get punched in the face if you hinted Hextall is scared of anything. But, as my grandmother said, “You plan, God laughs.” Crosby has four more years under contract.) It is generally believed Pittsburgh wants all three to finish their careers in the organization. (Malkin and Letang can be extended this summer. ![]() Some candidates weren’t crazy about being the one to dismantle the Sidney Crosby/ Evgeni Malkin/ Kris Letang champions. It’s also why the Penguins’ job wasn’t as coveted as it should be. It was interesting to hear him say he isn’t “a one-trick pony” when asked about his reputation for patience. It’s clear the Penguins were immediately dialled in on Hextall, only needing to look five hours east for his drafting and development resumé. Pittsburgh is low on picks and prospects. What additions can we make?”īurke knows that won’t be simple. “(But) let’s see if we can get them there. “We’ve got some tough decisions if this team can’t get there,” Burke added in an interview for 31 Thoughts: The Podcast. “And we’ll address things as we go along.” “We want to be as good as we can be right now with three of the best players in the world,” Hextall said at the introductory media conference. So let’s start with what the hirings of Ron Hextall and Brian Burke say about Pittsburgh.Īs the Penguins interviewed the various candidates for their GM and President of Hockey Operations positions, a vision emerged - go for it this year, see where we finish and map our future in the aftermath. There’s a lot this week - Tuesday was an insane day.
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