A Divisional Look: Central GMs

Posted on 19. Jul, 2010 by Mark Willoughby in A Divisional Look, HQ1-3

Chicago Blackhawks: Stan Bowman was named GM of the Blackhawks in July of 2009, and saw his team win the Stanley Cup in his first year in the role.

So what do you do for an encore, Stan?

First and foremost, Stan will manage the roster in light of being over the the salary cap. A team that has $57 million committed to 14 players for the next season is problematic.

Fortunately for the Blackhawks, Bowman has an extensive background in administration specific to CBA and cap matters. He will be called upon to use all of this experience to keep as much of the core of the team together, as well as adding role players to plug holes in the roster. Bowman joined the Blackhawks in 2001 as a Special Assistant to the GM to deal with salary matters, arbitration, and contract negotiations. He was then promoted to Director of Hockey Operations in 2005. In 2007, he was named Assistant GM.

Bowman was responsible at large for the free-agent signing of players like Marian Hossa, Brian Campbell, and Cristobal Huet.

Bowman has the pedigree for the job as the son of legendary coach Scotty Bowman. In fact, his father serves as Senior Advisor to the Blackhawks. Interestingly, the official website of the Blackhawks lists Scotty Bowman as part of the tenth father-son GM tandem in the history of the NHL.

It certainly serves Stan well to draw upon the experience of his storied father, whether it be evaluating talent or simply dealing with hockey-related matters. This special relationship played an instrumental part in Stan smoothly transitioning into the GM role after the departure of Dale Tallon.

Columbus Blue Jackets: After a hockey career that was spent mostly in the minors and then a return to college for a bachelor’s and law degree, Scott Howson began his career in management as the GM for the Edmonton Oilers’ affiliate, the Cape Breton Oilers. He later administered the relocation of the franchise to Hamilton and was GM of the Hamilton Bulldogs until 2003.

While serving in this role, Howson joined the Oilers’ front office in 2000 as an assistant to the GM. In 2001, he was named assistant GM, and became the second GM in Blue Jackets history named to the post in 2007.

Since arriving in Columbus, Howson has remade the Blue Jackets. Gone is head coach Ken Hitchcock, replaced by Scott Arniel. All but three players on the roster were either signed, drafted, or acquired by trade under Howson’s watch.

Howson faces the daunting task of jump-starting a franchise. Howson has to improve the level of play for the team and re-energize the fan base. This should be no small task for a team that has been unable to find complimentary talent to put alongside Rick Nash, the talented face of the franchise.

Detroit Red Wings: If one defines success as winning championships, then the Red Wings are certainly among the elite. If you look at success as being consistently good, then the Red Wings are the best under the tenure of GM Ken Holland.

Holland became GM of the Wings in 1997, and has slowly and consistently raised the Red Wings into the ranks of one of the elite teams of the NHL.

One of the impressive characteristics of the Wings’ organization is the depth that they can rely upon from their farm system. This is a reflection of Holland and his experience. He began his career in management as a scout for the Red Wings, and for 7 years traversed Western Canada in search of talent.

His next move was as Director of Amateur Scouting, coordinating the entire talent evaluation process. It is no wonder that today the Red Wings boast one of the best scouting systems in the NHL, and they remain committed to finding and developing talent. It is an ethos that permeates the organization, and it starts at the top with Holland.

Translating talent into productivity on the ice is an area in which the Wings have excelled. Since Holland stepped in as GM, the Wings have won 493 regular season games and 67 post-season games. No other team in the NHL  has been able to post a record such as this since 1997.

Nashville Predators: Fittingly enough, David Poile began his career in hockey management with the expansion Atlanta Flames in 1972. Thirty-six years later, he would take the reins of another expansion franchise as the GM of the Nashville Predators. In the interim between these two dates, Poile rose to the ranks as assistant GM with the Flames and later spent 15 years as the GM of the Washington Capitals.

Poile has made numerous astute personnel moves  for the Predators working with a self-imposed budget that is below the midpoint of the salary cap. Regardless of the limited budget, the Predators have grown from an expansion team to one with playoff appearances in five of the past six seasons.

One might say that Poile has management success in his genes. His father, the late Bud Poile, is in the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder for his management and work throughout his career with various NHL teams. Poile brings a steady hand and a wealth of experience to his role as GM, and over the years has shown himself to be an accurate judge of talent.

Poile has also done a very good job of developing front office talent. Ray Shero, currently GM of the Penguins, served as an assistant GM for Poile. Mike Santos, who was Director of Hockey Operations for the Predators, was recently named assistant GM of the Florida Panthers.

St. Louis Blues: Of all the GMs in the Central Division, Larry Pleau has enjoyed the most success as a player. He played three seasons for the Montreal Canadiens from 1970-72, winning the Cup in 1971. He later left the NHL and joined the rival World Hockey Association, where he was a three-time All-Star for the New England Whalers. He retired from playing in 1979.

Pleau coached in both the NHL and the AHL. He coached the Hartford Whalers from 1980-83,  the AHL Binghamton Whalers from 1984-88, and then the Hartford Whalers again from 1987-89.

In 1989, he joined the New York Rangers as assistant GM of player development. He was later promoted to assistant GM and Director of Player Personnel, and remained with the Rangers until 1997.

That year, he moved to the Blues as their General Manager. Under his leadership, the team won the President’s Trophy for the 1999-2000 season. Injuries and some questionable player moves saw the team’s performance on the ice decline until 2005-06, in which the Blues finished last in the NHL and broke a string of 25 consecutive years of playoff appearances.

The franchise was sold in 2006, and while Pleau retains the title of General Manager, John Davidson was brought in as the Director of Hockey Operations, and he appears to be making most, if not all, of the personnel decisions for the club.

Tags: Bowman, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Holland, Howson, HQ1-3, Nashville Predators, Pleau, Poile, St.Louis Blues