As you have all heard by now, it looks like Assistant GM Don Maloney will be headed over to the catastrophically run Phoenix Coyotes. Despite everyone feeling Don was “pushed out” with Mark Messiers comments, I personally don’t see it that way. The guy obviously wants to be a GM. He was one before, and his career decisions show he wants to be one again. Therefore in a league where there are only 30 jobs of this kind available, sometimes you take what you can get. Don got an offer, and he took it. It was probably the right move for him as he gets the chance to mold the club in his personal image of how the franchise should look (despite their front office by committee) . Good for him, good luck to him, and now it’s time for us to move on.

Everyone….EVERYONE and his grandmother is expecting Mark Messier to be announced as the new assistant GM to Glen Sather. My view? Not so fast there everyone. Heres how I see it shaking out, and how I would do it if i were Sather. I would promote Jim Schoenfeld to Assistant GM as he already has a plethora of knowledge of our system, what kind of kids we want, how we want to play the game, and he is already familiar with the kids we have. Then hand over the GM of Hartford role over to Mark Messier. Giving him a chance to instill some of his hockey knowledge in these kids, and to have him learn how a front office is run in the minors. Its a win-win for everyone, and most importantly, the club shouldnt suffer a hitch. Of course if there is a chance to bring in a guy like Kevin Cheveldayoff as the assistant GM, then I would run with it, but I have a feeling Kevin is probably looking for a GM job, not just an assistant GM.

Either way, the sky isn’t falling in Rangerland.

P.S. For those of you who think Glen Sather is just an afterthought in how the club is run, think again. The man is very much involved in running the club, and takes his duties as GM very seriously. He is also a major reason the club was able to turn things around and make the run that they did at the end of the season. I trust Glen Sather (something you wouldnt hear me utter 3 years ago). I know we are in good hands.

Posted by inferno272 on Monday, May 28th, 2007 at 6:03 pm.