Photo credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images
Doug Armstrong and Chris Pronger are getting all the attention. But if Keith Pelley wants someone who genuinely thinks differently — he needs to turn to the guy who built the 2011 Canucks, discovered Chris Tanev from the NCAA, and pioneered sleep science in hockey: Mike Gillis.
Gillis is someone who is well respected and admired in hockey circles but hasn’t been an executive in the NHL since being let go by the Vancouver Canucks in 2013-14 though did spend some time in Switzerland as an executive.
A new generation of fans need to realize Mike Gillis may look old-school but he’s anything but
But Gillis was the one who orchestrated the Canucks’ 2011 dominant Stanley Cup push and he is also someone who is ahead of the curve in a lot of different ways — something Toronto desperately needs.
He still mentors agents, and around NHL circles is known as someone who can think outside the box.
He was the one who instituted a higher onus on sleeping and resting ahead of games because he saw the benefits. Instead of overworking his players, he provided a comfortable place for them to reset — a side of the game often overlooked.
Clearly he cares about the culture and ensuring that not only are the guys playing for each other, but are taking care of themselves. To him, it’s better to foster a healthy locker room than an overworked one (considering he was a player, it makes sense).
One knock on Gillis however could be his draft history, however with the Maple Leafs looking towards a quick improvement and kind of bypassing the rebuild portion — it won’t be as big of a concern.
The architect of the 2011 Canucks Cup run is the blueprint Keith Pelley is demanding
Gillis is a guy who doesn’t really associate himself with loyalty however. He did neglect to keep franchise icon Markus Naslund, as well as let Brendan Morrison go while bringing in another Swede in Mats Sundin.
But he kicked it into overdrive in 2010. He signed Manny Malhotra, Dan Hamhuis. Raffi Torres, while also trading for smaller names like Christopher Higgins who would play key roles in their Cup run.
In 455 regular season games with Gillis in charge, Vancouver registered a 260-144-51 record; good for a .570 win %. The Canucks also won five straight Northwest Division championships while also winning the Presidents’ Trophy twice.
This is an executive with a proven track record of not only winning, but taking a middling team and turning them into a dominant force. He’ll make the hard changes, but ensure that he softens the landing for anyone concerned.
It’s been nearly 13 years since Mike Gillis ran an NHL team — it’s about time he ran another.
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Mike Gillis emerges as a wildcard candidate to lead the data-centric overhaul in Toronto
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