A hockey scenario...what would you do?

Question

You are the general manager of a NHL franchise. On your roster you have a veteran player who has done all that has been asked of him throughout his career. However, he has been scratched for a handful of games this season, and has lost a step or two. On top of that, he's not producing and you have a youngster down in the AHL who can be as much or even more productive at the NHL level than your underproductive vet. Do you keep the vet on the roster because of what he has meant to your team, or do you show him the door in favor of the youngster? What would you do?

Puck- This question is indeed inspired by the Mark Recchi situation.

Answer 1

You're all wrong

YOU take the poor kid out for a drink on Madison Avenue and then you say (with a cigar hanging out of your mouth)....'Hey, you don't have what it takes to play with the big boys.....would you like to be a scout?"

Oh wait...that's MY story!

I think the Recchi situation was handled all wrong. I think when you have a player who has that much knowledge about the league, you keep him. If he doesn't have what it takes to be on the ice, you buy out the contract (for Cap Purposes) and keep him on the bench....but in a suit.

In the 1993 playoffs, Denis Savard was injured, and rather than have him sitting in the Press Box or stands, he was asked to wear a suit and stand behind the bench with Jacques Demers. Montreal won the Cup and in the group picture, there is denis in a suit.

Michel Therrien does not have a stellar record as a coach in the NHL (nor was his minor league playing career anything to write home about), so maybe having a Recchi as an additional person behind the bench will help (there's no limit to the number of assistant coaches a team can utilize at any one time).

Just one hockey expert's opinion (that's right...wave your mouse over my best answers leader picture and it says expert!)

Answer 2

Hey Snoop! I see this as a mildly disguised Recchi scenario. It's unfortunate that the older player ends up in this position because there is no win-win in it. Hockey is a business and if a team would be better by making the move they have to set sentiment aside and do what's best for the future of the club. Too bad they can't find a way to keep the older guy (being one myself) but all good things come to an end. It might be best if he retires and takes on a spot in another capacity with the team. This would allow the older guy to exit with some grace and allow the club to devote a night to honoring him later this season. It would also show the older guy has still got the team's best interest at heart.
I think I'd find a way to get the most mileage for all parties out of it and if the player still refuses to believe he's done then I'd ship him off to the AHL.

Answer 3

The NHL is a business. You bring up the youngster and let the veteran stay with the team but he will only play on occasion often being a healthy scratch. The veteran will make his own decision as to when it is time to move on or retire...

Answer 4

I would let the vet finish out the rest of the season, and then I would release him or suggest to him that he should retire. If he is doing everything you are asking of him, what more could you possibly want him to do? Plus he is great for the team as far as leadership and chemistry. If the youngster steps in place of him, the team may not be as well off as they were when the trusty ol' vet was there.

Answer 5

I consult the coach, who is almost certainly a former player -- NOT the owner, who would dump said player just to save money. My purpose as GM is to WIN. If your purpose is to save money, you don't belong in the business of professional sports.

If the coaching staff says keep the vet and bring the kid along slowly, that's what I'll do. If the coaches say the vet's done all he can, then we'll see if we can trade him somewhere where he can do some good and get something in return; if not, see if he's willing to retire and stay in the organization as a scout or assistant coach, maybe smooth things over by retiring his number. The coaches will know better.

Answer 6

I would have called him into a meeting with the coach and myself and told the player what we were planning to do and ask the player what he would prefer. The team could offer a position within the organization. The player may ask to be waived in the hope of becoming a free agent to hook up with another team. The player may also opt to retire. I think that giving the player the option to choose his own path shows enough respect for the player's contribution in the past, but the past is still the past.

Answer 7

Sentimentality does not win games. As a coach you have to focus on the future as well as the now. If the young guy can come up and be average or slightly below for the remainder of said season, it is time to bench the old guy. That way the young guy can get some 'average' pro play time in in the part of one season, and then the next season be ready to razzle and dazzle and be ABOVE average and fill that void left by the vet.

Answer 8

You have to make the call based on what the rookie will bring to the team individually, against what the team will lose as a whole without the vet. Sometimes what the vet does to the guys around him, is much more important than what he does on the ice. Why do you think Roberts is playing in Pittsburg?

Answer 9

Shove someone else (a fourth liner or a third pair d-man) out the door to make cap space, bring up the youngster and have the veteran take him under his wing. Sometimes, leadership in the locker room is just as valuable as putting up numbers.

Answer 10

Gotta ice the best team you can. There's just too much on the line at the NHL level not to make your team the best you can...thousands of fans, games broadcast on national TV, people's jobs and most importantly, millions of dollars. The team's management has hired you to make the team as successful as possible and that responsibilty should definately not be ignored just to show loyalty to one player. The organization should offer the player an off ice job, but keeping him on the team just to show loyalty is a steep price to pay, if you're icing a worse team because of it.

You can see some examples of teams giving players off ice jobs after retirement...Brett Hull, Garth Snow, Steve Yzerman. Players like Sakic, Chelios, Linden will certainly be offered off ice jobs as well when they choose to retire.