Number23

"Don't EVER play 'Lady of Spain' AGAIN!!!!"

I get that a lot. • United States • 42 Years Old • Male

GMs create their own media monster

On the morning of Trade Deadline Day, XM204 played a clip of Buffalo Sabres' GM Darcy Regier discussing how the media places a lot of pressure on GMs to get something done at/by the deadline. He's right about that--to a point. In most cases, that pressure comes as a result of what a GM has--or hasn't--done to deserve it.

Some GMs were definitely expected to make significant moves: Regier, Cliff Fletcher of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Scott Howson of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Don Waddell of the Atlanta Thrashers, and Jay Feaster of the Tampa Bay Lighting; to name a few.

For some, however, the media seemed interested in what they might do, rather than clamoring for big moves: Bob Gainey of the Montreal Canadiens, Les Jackson and Brett Hull of the Dallas Stars, Lou Lamoriello of the New Jersey Devils, and Ray Shero of the Pittsburgh Penguins, for example.

Still others had little or no media outcry one way or the other: Brian Burke of the Anaheim Ducks and Paul Holmgren of the Philadelphia Flyers, to name two.

The level of attention to each group can be tied to the situation each set of teams is in, and the recent history of each manager:

-Both Burke and Holmgren had recently made significant upgrades to their rosters; Holmgren over the summer, Burke by virtue of the returns of prodigal veterans.

-Gainey, Jackson/Hull, Lamoriello, and Shero all pilot solid teams who could attempt to upgrade if the opportunity arose, but didn't need to make a huge splash if it didn't.

-Fletcher's situation has been explored and rehashed ad nauseum.

-Waddell and Feaster each had valuable commodities that their respective teams essentially couldn't keep if they planned to move forward.

-Howson's squad seemed poised on the brink of a first-ever playoff berth.

-Regier toiled under the spectre of last summer's PR nightmare of allowing two key (and popular) players to leave without compensation, while having yet another potentially poised to do so.

So, yes, Darcy Regier was correct in his assessment of the media pressure on certain GMs around the Trade Deadline. However, that pressure isn't created.

It's earned.