The Lost Art of the Deal in the New NHL
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by user 64.229.201.129
Bottom line: All general managers in the NHL under the new collective bargaining agreement should be lawyers specializing in contract law as opposed to ex-NHL players and coaches. Gone are the days when Cliff Fletcher, GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the early 1990's, can trade Gary Lehman for Doug Gilmour, Ric Nattress, etc. and change the face and strategy of a national hockey league team. Today, general managers must concentrate more on locking in their young skilled players for at least five years, adding players via free agency, and maintaining a significant balance sheet surplus in order to add players when needed (meaning teams that are managed effectively will leave cap room in order to bring in new players through the free agency market).
The new collective bargaining agreement states that players reaching certain age limits become automatic unrestricted free agents. I believe that in the 2008-09 season that age limit is 26 or 27 years of age. Therefore, for example, Sidney Crosby will be just hitting his stride with the Pittsburgh Penguins when he comes up for free agency. So why would a player of his caliber settle in a small market economy and not explore his marketing prowess in a large market sector such as New York, Toronto, Boston, Detroit or Los Angeles? The new CBA has taken the art of the deal away from general managers because they know at some point a specific player will be in the free agency market. The critical success factor for all NHL clubs now is to focus on the young international talent that is coming up in the pipeline. Therefore, analysis and scouting will be the key causal factors in determining the future success of all NHL clubs.
With trading players no longer an effective strategy, why do NHL clubs have lawyers and general managers on the payroll? Just roll up the two jobs into a single legal position specializing in contract law. In addition, what is the purpose of a assistant GM? Unless that individual is a lawyer, which would be costly, that position should be fazed out. Going forward, administrative costs should be diverted to scouting and analysis of amateur players. All NHL clubs must adopt innovative analysis and good scouts to uncover those key assets in the amateur leagues around the world. With blockbuster trades no longer being made in the New NHL, the league has lost some of its luster and given the lawyers a key foothold in the League. I will miss reading about those blockbuster trades in the press, it was one aspect of the general managers position that always brought hope to the future success of that team.
