- Greg Brady: Hearing that San Jose is not in on Mike Babcock. Sounding like it was his call and not from lack of interest.
- Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: The Leafs have missed out on or passed on potential GMs Peter Chiarelli and Ray Shero. Brendan Shanahan hasn’t spoken with George McPhee. In trying to fit with what he already has in place, Shanahan could be headed in the direction of an up and coming executive like a Jeff Gorton (Rangers) or Mike Futa (Kings). The Rangers are not letting anyone talk to Gorton while they are still playing, and there is the possibility that they won’t allow anyone to even when their season is over. If the Leafs do get permission to talk to one of them, and ended up wanting to hire one of them, they may not be able to do so until July 1st. Most trade talk (and free agency) happens from June 15th to the end of the month. Interim GMs Mark Hunter and assistant GM Kyle Dubas are going through coaching options with Shanahan.
Hunter is either hiring people or promising jobs to some — again, the kind of hirings a GM would or should want final say over. There can be no business as usual for the Leafs without a GM in place — as much as they’d like to tell you all is well. The Leafs need a coach and the Mike Babcock Sweepstakes — with the eventual game of musical coaching chairs that will follow — is on, and expected to move quickly. That coach should be hired by the GM.
Talk is the Sean Burke could have some sort of management/goaltending role with the team. Lindsay Hunter, former head coach of the London Knights (OHL) could have a player personnel role with the team.
- Damien Cox: It’s understandable why Babcock could be leery of the Maple Leafs. The distractions in Toronto are great, but nowhere are the money and potential rewards as great.
- Tom Gulitti of The Record: Martin Brodeur doesn’t think he’ll be working for the Devils front office any time soon now that Lou Lamoriello is no longer the GM. Brodeur thinks the Devils will go a different direction after bringing Ray Shero in.
“Especially with the change (the Devils) made, I think it’s a great opportunity for me to take a step back and go somewhere – or stay somewhere – that I’ll be able to learn and do things I want to do and try to learn as much as possible and who knows what the future,” the former Devils goaltender told northjersey,com today. “But, it’s less and less likely it’s going to happen in New Jersey for a few years, that’s for sure.”
Brodeur has been talking with the Blues about remaining with the team. GM Doug Armstrong will be at the World Championships until next week. Brodeur’s contract with the Blues ended when their season ended, so he’s free to speak with any team.
“I don’t know the new GM that’s there,” Brodeur said. “I haven’t talked to anybody in New Jersey actually. That’s something that if they want to talk to me, I’m here. But, we haven’t talked at all.”
- Jeremy Rutherford: Talked to Brodeur yesterday. Sounds like he wants to be back and will talk with Armstrong next week about an enhanced role with the Blues.