Hockey’s Top 40 under 40: The coaches,
executives, scouts and negotiators shaping
the NHL’s future
By Craig Custance (/author/craig… Dec 7, 2018
When the idea of compiling a lit of the mot impreive people in hocke
under the age of 40 wa preented to a few people in the game in an attempt
to get candidate, the intead uggeted omething a it le amitiou. Like,
a, the top 10 under 40.
“Or mae the top 65 under 65,” joked a ource.
A it turn out, if ou eliminate current plaer from the equation, the NHL
i till ver much a place for thoe who are, let’ a, ver experienced.
Take Lightning GM Julien rieoi, for example. He’ viewed a a riing
oung tar in the GM rank, now that he’ taken the rein from teve
Yzerman. ut it’ taken him nearl two decade with NHL team to get to
thi point. He’ too old for thi lit. He’ kind of like the and that hit No. 1
on the chart a an overnight enation, onl the’ve een together ince 1998.
“Our port doen’t move people up at an ort of rate,” aid one executive,
explaining the challenging clim in hocke. “That’ a factor. Hocke
operation i till a mall world.”
For oung men and women looking to reak into the game, epeciall thoe
who didn’t pla in the NHL, it’ a challenge. There till aren’t a ton of them
around the game.
“You’ve got to earn our tripe,” aid another NHL team executive in hi
earl 40 who fit thi decription.
ut it’ lowl changing. The growth and adoption of analtic in the game
have helped the caue. Analt who were hired in the pat four or five ear
are rounding out their expertie inide the game and the mart et i that a
numer of them work their wa into management role. Progreive team
looking to add women, like the New Jere Devil, Arizona Coote and
Toronto Maple Leaf, help the caue, too.
o we’re not taking the hortcut. We’re not adding 45-ear-old. We’re not
cutting the lit down to 10. With help from multiple ource around the
NHL and plent of converation, the lit elow i a look at 40 people under
40 ear old who have a right future in the game.
efore we get too far, a few caveat:
1. No current plaer are allowed. That’ cheating. Talor Hall, if he o
chooe, will one da run an NHL team. One GM uggeted Marie-Philip
Poulin needed to e on here a well. ut we’re removing plaer from the
equation to highlight thoe alread in the proce of working up the rank.
2. No media. Again, there are talented oung men and women who are
influential in the media world who will proal tranition to the team ide
one da. That’ alread happened with writer who have written for The
Athletic, and at ome point a team will lure awa Tler Dellow. ut to remove
an accuation of navel gazing or promoting friend, we’re going to eliminate
everone in the media from conideration. orr, Tler!
3. Alo, let’ not weat the order too much if that’ OK. Thi i le a ranking
and more a highlight of ome oung(ih) people doing cool thing in hocke.
If ou think We Clark hould e higher, ou’re proal right.
4. Latl, if ou’re reading thi and ou feel like ou or omeone ele hould e
on the lit, I definitel agree. I’m not ure what happened, complete error on
m part. Mae I got our age wrong. Don’t feel the need to text or call, we
can oth agree ou deerved to e in here.
Alright, with that out of the wa, let’ get to it. And ou’ll NVR gue who
i No. 1:
1. Kle Dua, Maple Leaf GM – There ha een a lot of digital ink pilled
on the rapid acenion of the 33-ear-old Dua to one of the premier jo in
hocke. There won’t e a rehahing of it here, ut if ou mied it, here are
ome highlight:
Jona iegel on Dua’ path to the top
(http://theathletic.com/342641/2018/05/25/uilt-in-the-oo-the-kle-
dua-tor/).
Katie trang on what wa on the line for Dua during the William
Nlander. (http://theathletic.com/680670/2018/11/28/in-nlander-
negotiation-all-ee-on-leaf-gm-kle-dua/)
How thoe around the league viewed Dua’ work on the Nlander
negotiation, from Pierre Lerun.
(http://theathletic.com/688914/2018/12/02/lerun-which-ide-won-
the-nlander-deal-nhl-executive-and-agent-on-the-impact-on-the-
market/)
And one out of network read, ruce Arthur: “Leaf GM Kle Dua turn
the page on old-chool hocke tradition
(http://www.thetar.com/port/leaf/opinion/2018/10/02/leaf-gm-kle-
dua-turn-the-page-on-old-chool-hocke-tradition.html)”
Dua and the Maple Leaf are et up to e a league power for the next
decade. If it happen and he continue to uccefull navigate the landmine
that come with it, it’ going to open door for oung executive with a imilar
ackground. The NHL ma e reitant to change, ut it alo love to cop
ucce.
Whatever ou think of Dua’ ucce o far or how he handled the William
Nlander talk, there’ reall one voice whoe opinion matter mot on thi
front and that’ hi o. To Maple Leaf preident rendan hanahan, the
Nlander aga wa valuale experience for hi oung GM.
“You have to go through it,” hanahan told The Athletic’ Katie trang at the
NHL’ oard of governor meeting thi week. “And now he’ gone through it
a couple of time. I’ve ovioul had a lot of faith in Kle for a long time, ut
that doen’t mean it’ not challenging [for him] when ou are going through
it. … He worked well with them [Nlander’ camp] and we got our plaer
ack.”
2. John Chaka, Coote GM – till jut 29 ear old, Chaka continue to
explore ever avenue to make the Coote etter in a challenging environment
that look like it will include another new owner. He’ aggreive in making
trade, even if 98 percent of them are with the lackhawk, with a elief that
incremental improvement add up ignificantl over time. When man people
in the hocke world elieved the Coote would eventuall loe franchie
defeneman Oliver kman-Laron, Chaka got an extenion done. He’ alo
not afraid to make old move that reflect hi conviction, like hi election of
center arrett Haton with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2018 draft.
Like Dua, Chaka i progreive in hi hiring. When the Coote hired
Dawn raid a their kating coach, it wa the firt full-time female coach
hired in the NHL. In Novemer, the Coote hired former Olmpian
Lnde Fr a a pecial advior.
“Diverit of opinion jut give ou more perpective and that limit our
margin of error,” Chaka aid. “We have a ver divere group. We have
multiple level now of where we have a lot of intern and people working their
wa up, entr-level poition for people who don’t have our claic traditional
ackground.”
3. Jerem Colliton, lackhawk head coach – Replacing a future Hall of
Famer in Joel Quenneville and taking over a team that ma e ccling out of
it competitive window i a tough pot for the 33-ear-old coach. It’ een a
it of a rough tart ut to look eond the tanding, lackhawk eat writer
cott Power agreed to hare three earl oervation of the Colliton era.
Let’ turn it over to cott:
1. I’ve pent a lot of time the pat couple ear talking to the peron who
firt hired Colliton to e a head coach in weden ix eaon ago. What
I heard multiple time wa Colliton eemed to e older and wier than
hi age. That ring true a I’ve gotten to cover him cloel. He ha a wa
aout him in how he talk and act that make hi age irrelevant. He’
et to prove it in the NHL, ut hi record elewhere peak for
themelve.
2. Hi former and current plaer rave aout the wa Colliton
communicate. peciall plaer who are underperforming and ma
end up health cratche. He’ ver open aout what plaer aren’t doing
and what the need to e doing. I think that’ een refrehing for ome
plaer.
3. Colliton doen’t appear to get rattled. The lackhawk are in a ad place
right now and fan are directing the lame everwhere, including at
him. o far, he’ walked the perfect line etween knowing it’ going to
take time to implement what he want to do and undertanding thi
eaon will lip awa from the lackhawk unle the egin to
accumulate point. He’ in a tough pot taking over for Quenneville and
tring to convert a loing team into a winning one.
4. Dani Rlan, NWHL founder and commiioner – Rlan i the founder
and commiioner of the firt women’ hocke league to pa it plaer a
alar. Now, in it fourth eaon, the NWHL i eing guided Rlan
through an era of expanion and, mot likel, a move toward one women’
league in North America, a addreed o well The Athletic’ Kaitln
McGrath and Haile alvian
(http://theathletic.com/689564/2018/12/04/the-anwer-for-women-
hocke-i-one-league-the-quetion-i-how-do-we-get-there/).
o let’ paue thi lit momentaril for three quick quetion with Rlan:
What advice would ou give women tring to reak into the hocke world
and clim up the rank?
“ometime ou have to create opportunitie ourelf. When ou ee that
there’ an opening, to jump on it. That wa one of the greatet thing aout
the NWHL when we firt launched. There wa a demand for profeional
women’ hocke in the U.. and there wa nothing to fill the demand.”
Four eaon in, what ha een the igget challenge with the NWHL?
“The igget challenge i proving the worth and proving the product. When
ou do omething new, a lot of people are often worried. There are a lot of
older folk involved in hocke and when ou are dirupting the market, a lot
of time people ee that a a threat or ee it a omething that i too different
to wrap our mind around. That’ een the igget challenge.”
What have ou learned mot during thi experience while uilding from
the ground up?
“Patience. Patience i one of the igget thing I’ve learned. Often time we’ll
have ig idea and we’ll want to ee them come to life tomorrow. Patience a a
tartup, knowing the igger port world might not move a fat. … Finding
the patience and coming up with creative idea and wanting to innovate. Thi
pat eaon, we hoted the Champion Cup and plaed the champion of
weden’ hocke league. It wa an idea and we had to move to make it
happen.”
5. heldon Keefe, Toronto Marlie head coach – The 38-ear-old Keefe ha
een ver ucceful a the coach of the Marlie, although one NHL ource
uggeted that he’d etter win conidering how much the Marlie pend on
their AHL program compared to other team.
The Athletic’ Jutin ourne pent two eaon working with Keefe, o we’ll
hand the evaluation over to him: “I do think heldon could have ucce at
the NHL level, for a numer of reaon, ut at the top of the lit for me it
‘drive.’ He want that next level o ad, and want ucce there, o he’ driven
to find ever poile flaw that exit within hi team. He put in craz hour
evaluating what’ een working, what han’t, and wh. ‘I don’t know’ in’t a
good anwer enough for him, ever. ‘Well, then let’ find out.’ In that wa, he
earn the repect of the plaer. He take no night off o the team i never
underprepared. The plaer know that when the aren’t properl prepared,
the coach – putting in all that time with a wife and two kid – ha ever right
to rip a trip off them. He lead example in that wa.”
6. teve Greele, are aitant GM – You’re alread eeing Greele’
name pop up a a candidate for NHL GM jo and he’ in that next wave of
aitant GM like New Jere’ Tom Fitzgerald and Columu’ ill Zito who
will eventuall get their own team to run. According to multiple ource, he’
alread turned down one GM offer. He’ till oung ut wa mentioned more
than anone on thi lit when I wa canvaing people to ee who the would
include. “He get it,” aid one NHL executive, echoing the thought of man.
“He’ poitioned himelf reall well. He’ mart. He hould e on our lit for
ure.” aid another who recommended Greele: “(are GM) Jaon otterill
ha done a great jo with hire there.”
7. Dan Mue, Predator aitant coach – The 36-ear-old Mue ha een
making a tead clim up the coaching rank and now find himelf a a ke
contriutor on a team that i poied to win a tanle Cup. Mue i part of an
impreive group of oung coache in the Predator organization who have
earned a reputation a riing tar. I don’t know how to evaluate thi, ut
multiple people aid that Predator video coach Lawrence Felone i the et
video coach in the league. And goalie coach en Vanderklok had the
unenviale jo of replacing Mitch Korn and all account ha done a great
jo.
Mue’ path to the NHL i unique a a former D-III hocke plaer who
roke into the world of coaching at 23 while alo working a a
paraprofeional in a pecial education cla. Hi career i a great example of
what it take to reak into thi world a an outider, including thee three
ke:
Finding mentor – ver tep of the wa, Mue aid he’ had omeod
generou with their time and willing to allow him to grow in hi jo. Florida
Panther kill coach Paul Vincent, Yale hocke coach Keith Allain, and the
late Jim Johannon of UA Hocke are among the people Mue credit for
aiting him in a ig wa. “I wa given reponiilitie that let m voice e
heard,” Mue aid. “You need that in order to grow.”
Taking the plunge – Mue took the LAT and got into law chool. He alo
thought aout ecoming a police officer. ut he fell in love with coaching
while an aitant coach at a Maachuett prep chool. Once he realized
that’ where hi paion wa, he went all in, ending hi teaching career and
putting law chool on hold. He took a coaching jo a an aitant coach at
William College and tarted working hi wa up from there.
Contant elf-improvement – “If ou go a week and look ack on our pat
week and a, ‘I haven’t gotten an etter or learned anthing new or haven’t
found new wa to help the plaer, ou’ve failed in our pat week,” Mue
aid. “It’ that contantl looking to make ure ou improve and get etter and
work a hard a ou can to have that. With coache, it’ the ame thing we’re
aking of the plaer, to make ure we’re getting etter ever da. That’ the
approach I’ve had.”
8. David Carle, Univerit of Denver head coach – One of the ounget
head coache in hocke, Carle replaced Jim Montgomer when Montgomer
took the head jo with the Dalla tar. At 29 ear old, he’ alread well
thought of in NHL circle. “Ver good coach,” aid one NHL executive.
“Ver mart. Ver honet. What ou ee i what ou get with thi gu. He’
going to have an opportunit to coach Denver for 30 ear or the opportunit
to coach in the NHL ome da.”
9. Meghan Chaka, co-founder, tathlete, Inc. – In the lat ear, the
analtic firm tathlete ha quietl continued to grow at an impreive rate,
while concioul lowering their pulic profile. Part of the focu ha een on
calailit and that meant an increae in more league-centric deal, deal with
agent and international deal.
“We wanted to diverif and continuall improve,” the 34-ear-old Meghan
Chaka aid. “Jut to create a more utainale uine.”
tathlete CO and co-founder Neil Lane alo deerve a pot on thi lit.
He’ een a crucial part of the growth and ucce of the firm.
“He’ exceptional in operation,” Meghan Chaka aid. “He’ a ver trategic
thinker and ver good at executing idea.”
10. George Parro, NHL enior vice preident of Plaer afet – Parro, a
former NHL enforcer, ha an economic degree from Princeton and ha
quickl earned the repect of thoe in the game for hi work in the NHL
office where he’ taked with handing out upenion and other diciplinar
action. Thi i a gig that i a ver viale path to a GM jo if that’ what
Parro, 38, want to do next. Patrick urke i another trong candidate in that
department to tranition to a management jo.
“George i harp. He’ right. He’ courageou,” Flame GM rad Treliving
aid of Parro. “George in’t making deciion aed on pulic opinion or
what the noie out there might a. He elieve trongl in what he elieve
in. I a that full admitting that George and I haven’t full agreed on
everthing he’ decided on. I value and repect hi proce and that he’ ver
much going to do what he elieve in. That’ what ou need there.”
George Parros (Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
11. Chri now, Calgar Flame director of hocke anali – now made
the tranition from journalim to NHL management in hi earl 20 when he
wa hired the Minneota Wild and in ome wa ha een a traillazer for
the non-traditional NHL executive. Hi focu ha een on analtic, ut the
37-ear-old former NHL and ML eat writer ha rounded out hi
experience, now doing contract, data anali, roter contruction and game
trateg for the Flame.
“There’ thi minomer aout him; I don’t look at Chri a trictl a numer
gu,” aid Treliving. “Ye, he look at the game from a different len and doe
an excellent jo putting together ver deep, ophiticated anali. The
information we tud i ver, ver relevant. … That’ where I like Chri, he’
got the knowledge of what data i important and he can overlap that with
how it can e reall ueful in making deciion. There’ depth and width to
him.”
12. Judd Moldaver, Waerman agent – Moldaver made wave in the NHL
agent world thi ummer when he left CAA to join the agent at o Orr’
Hocke Group a part of Waerman’ new hocke diviion. It wa ig new,
in large part, ecaue Moldaver rought longtime client Auton Matthew
with him. Moldaver, 37, formed a trong ond with Matthew and hi famil
through the ear and wa part of the deciion-making proce to tart
Matthew’ pro career in witzerland, a deciion that eem to have worked
out jut fine for the Maple Leaf tar. oon enough, Matthew’ next contract
will e one of the hottet topic in hocke, and Moldaver will e in the
middle of it.
“I enjo talking with Judd,” aid one NHL executive. “Your firt 10 minute
talking, ou’re catching up and ou talk aout a million thing and ou’re
feeling like ou’re dealing with an agent ou can trut. Which i exactl what
he want. And then he get to uine. He know everone at the rink and
everone get along with him. You’re taking hi call.”
13. Dawon priging, Kroenke port ntertainment analtic modeler –
The Avalanche have to hare priging with the other Kroenke port
propertie, ut at 24 ear old, the former college goalie ha alread made an
impact on the hocke analtic world with hi work developing hocke’
WAR model. “He might e the martet hocke acumen plu analt peron
I’ve come acro,” aid one NHL ource.
14. Alexandra Mandrck, Wild analt – The Georgia Tech graduate, 27,
drew notice in the hocke world with her work launching war-on-ice.com
(http://war-on-ice.com) efore eing napped up the Wild under former
GM Chuck Fletcher. he’ now helping hape the Minneota roter through
her involvement in dicuion regarding plaer evaluation for trade and
igning.
“I have an opinion on thee topic that management want to hear,” he told a
Georgia Tech alumni pulication (http://www.ie.gatech.edu/new/ie-
alumna-alexandra-mandrck-and-minneota-wild.). “I have a eat at the
tale, which i great.”
One ource peculated that the wouldn’t e urpried to ee Fletcher tr and
lure her to the Philadelphia Fler now that he’ the new GM there.
Another war-on-ice alum, am Ventura, i highl repected in the analtic
communit. He wa hired the Penguin a director of hocke reearch in
2017. “He’ reall right,” aid one ource. “He reall hone hi craft.”
15. Andrew C. Thoma, Wild lead hocke reearcher – Thoma, 37, co-
founded war-on-ice.com (http://war-on-ice.com). He alo ha a Ph.D. in
tatitic from Harvard. ut let’ e honet, the et thing he’ ever done i
appear on “Who Want to e a Millionaire.”
For the record, Wild analyst Andrew Thomas got this answer correct.
16. Jiri Ficher, Red Wing director of plaer evaluation – After nearl a
decade of working in plaer development with the Red Wing, Ficher ha
hifted to hi current poition where he’ focued on plaer evaluation and
acquiition. For the Red Wing, Ficher run point on recruiting free agent
via college or urope, a valuale wa to add talent in a cap tem. He alo
ha worked hi wa up the Czech Repulic management depth chart, where
he wa GM of the Czech team at the World Championhip. It’ clear hi
focu ha hifted to one with management apiration.
“When I wa in plaer development, I think it open the door to coaching
and management,” Ficher aid. “I choe the management ide. … It’ a ig
difference in tring to uild omething long term v. coaching and winning
toda. I choe the management route where I reall enjo the tailit, the
long-term focu. tailit onl come from uilding toward omething in
long-term ucce.”
Dan Clear, who replaced Ficher in plaer development, ha een great in
modernizing the wa the Red Wing develop propect while working cloel
with hawn Horcoff. Clear turn 40 thi month.
17. Joh Flnn, lue Jacket director of hocke adminitration – Flnn, 36,
doe contract, i in charge of analtic for Columu and i an expert on all
thing alar cap. ut he’ alo a gu ou’ll ee on the road couting in rink,
with hi opinion valued on the couting ide a well.
“He ring in a lot of different apect,” aid lue Jacket GM Jarmo
Kekalainen. “He keep all the numer in order and tudie all the other
team and their cap ituation. He doe planning for u – one ear, three
ear, even ear – with our tructure and cap ituation. He doe a lot of
different thing.”
The lue Jacket alo have a riing talent in aitant director of amateur
couting Chri Morehoue.
“He’ done a good jo,” Kekalainen aid of hi 31-ear-old couting director.
“verod criticized me and our cout aout taking (Pierre-Luc) Duoi
(No. 3 overall in 2016). I don’t think the are anmore. Chri and Ville iren
did a great jo on that.”
18. Rod raceful, aitant director of plaer peronnel for UA Hocke
NTDP – raceful’ current jo tak him with recruiting and evaluating
talent for UA Hocke’ national development team in Plmouth, Mich., ut
thoe who know him ugget thi i jut a top on a path that will lead to
much greater height. He wa previoul the director of couting for the
Mukegon Lumerjack efore eing hired UA Hocke in Octoer.
“It’ een aweome to e around Rod,” aid John Wrolewki, head coach of
the NTDP U18 team. “M favorite thing aout Rod i he ha a quiet
confidence aout him. I haven’t een in a room with him where he’ felt the
need to control it ut at the ame time, he’ never intimidated an room.
That’ a unique commodit, epeciall for omeone triving to e a manager
in the NHL.”
19. Kevin Wetgarth, NHL vice preident of uine development and
international affair – The NHL ha amitiou expectation for growth
overea and Wetgarth, 34, will have a ig hand in that planning. ut he’
alo een a ig part of helping grow the college game in the U.. Right now,
the former NHL winger i the main contact from the NHL on the feaiilit
tud that i looking to ring hocke to the Univerit of Illinoi. In Octoer,
he viited Marquette, Michigan, while working on a feaiilit tud to
explore adding Diviion 1 women’ hocke to Northern Michigan.
“He couldn’t e a etter partner,” aid one college hocke ource of the
Princeton-educated Wetgarth.
20- 23. Darrl Metcalf, Cam Charron, Jud Cohen and ruce Peter,
Maple Leaf Reearch and Development – Dua ha collected quite the
collection of mind in aemling thi next generation powerhoue with
Toronto’ Hocke Reearch and Development team. Metcalf ran the popular
weite xtra kater and ha taken what he tarted there and increaed it
dramaticall implementing idea from the talent around him.
aid an NHL team executive of the Maple Leaf’ R&D crew: “I think the
do a great jo. Part of what Kle (Dua) drove there for a couple ear when
he wa an AGM wa the drafting apect of it. The were heavil involved
with draft pick valuation, wh the trade-down trateg work, where to elect
gu from. What the did wa not onl draft the kid ut indoctrinated them
in a culture with the Marlie. Thoe gu have contant attention and
[Toronto ha] the mone to do it.”
24. John Wrolewki, U.. NTDP U-18 head coach – Wrolewki i the
head coach of one of the mot talented team to ever come through the U..
program, led top propect Jack Hughe. Hughe, according to hi dad,
love plaing for Wrolewki.
“Wroo want to poe (the puck) and he want to attack off the ruh,” Jim
Hughe aid. “When the have it, the want to keep it. The pla the modern
da game.”
The UNTDP ha long een a pringoard for coache into the NHL ut
Wrolewki aid he’ not looking too far ahead at thi point.
“There’ a maive reponiilit with Jim Johannon paing awa lat ear to
make ure UA Hocke and the NTDP i alwa a functioning entit that
continue to puh the envelope with the development of hocke,” aid
Wrolewki, 37. “There’ no hurr to e leaving right now.”
25. Rachel Doerrie, Devil plaer information and video analt – Doerrie
ha apiration of ecoming the NHL’ firt woman NHL GM and at the age
of 22 ha alread quickl grown her réumé with top in the OHL (udur
video coach), Hocke Canada, The Athletic (video anali of propect) and
now the Devil. he’ trong on trateg and work cloel with the Devil
coaching taff, management and couting taff on a dail ai. he’ alo
reponile for uilding out the Devil amateur draft video profile.
Thi Laurentian Univerit port Adminitration Q and A with Doerrie
hed light on thoe reponiilitie
(http://voageurprofile.wordpre.com/2018/03/06/the-new-jere-devil-
ecret-weapon/): “I will create portion of report for upcoming game,
update our entr draft dataae, cut video on plaer (current/propect/free
agent/draft eligile), and puh information out to necear department
regarding the team (tat/report). I alo do tudie for the coache or
management, requet. Thee tudie go in-depth on the requet and I
preent a concluion/recommendation with a tatitical report and video.”
Devil GM Ra hero ha uilt a collection of mart, oung talent in hi front
office that alo include the 32-ear-old cott Harri and plaer information
and video aitant Kate Madigan.
26. Andrew Wilon, enior director at the NHL – Wilon, 35, i part of a
team at the NHL’ Central Regitr that executive around the league rel on
heavil. He help train NHL executive on cap compliance, CA rule and
the minutiae of running a team. There are laer to ever tranaction made in
the NHL and Wilon i part of the group that make ure the all fall within
the rule.
He wa promoted to replace randon Pridham, when Pridham left the NHL
to join the Maple Leaf. Wilon will no dout get that opportunit if that’
omething he’ intereted in doing.
“He i aolutel rilliant,” texted one NHL aitant GM. “All team contact
him dail aout CA and cap iue.”
27. We Clark, Maple Leaf aitant director of plaer peronnel – An
aement from an executive who know Clark, 35, well: “I love him. He’
got a good ee for talent. He’ not overl iaed toward an one apect of the
plaer. The et part aout We i he ha an opinion and he’ll tick to it. I
reall repect hi opinion on gu. He’ ver confident in the tpe of plaer
he like and he’ a contant learner. He’ alwa the gu walking around with a
ook, like Ra Dalio’ “Principle” or “Grit” or “The Growth Mindet.” He’
alwa looking to reak through in ome other area.”
28. Laura Keegan, CAA general counel and plaer agent – The 38-ear-old
Keegan left the aeall diviion at Octagon to join CAA, where he work
on negotiating and drafting endorement agreement, ponorhip, and
licening partner among other reponiilitie for an agenc that repreent
plaer like idne Cro, John Tavare and Jonathan Toew.
“Laura ha omething that a lot of ounger lawer don’t have, which i
humilit. he’ ver mart. he work ver hard ut he’ not tring to prove
herelf ever da,” aid CAA agent Jim Nice. “he’ ver confident in her
ailitie without coming off a cock. he ha a reall good relationhip with
client and with rand he deal with. he’ not jut reviewing contract, he
ha a marketing mentalit. he’ not jut reviewing deal point, he’ helping
make the deal happen. For omeone in that legal counel role, it’ prett rare.”
29. Ja Leach, Providence ruin head coach – In hi firt eaon ehind the
ench in Providence, Leach guided the ruin to 95 point. The’re right in
the plaoff mix again thi eaon and it’ proal not all that long until hi
name tart urfacing for NHL jo.
“One of the thing I repect aout Ja i he’ worked hi wa up to
Providence,” aid one NHL ource aout the former NHL defeneman. “He’
worked for multiple team. Ja’ a coach who ha ome preence. You can ee
the Providence plaer care aout what he think.”
The ruin alo have an executive in van Gold, their director of legal affair
for hocke operation, who i highl conidered thoe who know him
well. The 38-ear-old Gold advie ruin GM Don weene on a it of
everthing, from alar cap compliance to contract negotiation. He ha oth
law and MA degree from the Univerit of Toronto and joined the ruin
after pending nearl a decade with the Capital. “He’ one of the harpet
mind out there,” aid one ource.
30. Jack Han, Maple Leaf hocke operation aitant – We didn’t want to
lump Han in with the Reearch and Development crew ecaue hi trength
lie on the trateg ide. Read a few of hi pot in The Athletic archive and
ou get a ene of jut how good an ee he ha when it come to working with
plaer.
“I think he ha a ig-time future,” aid one NHL ource who know him well.
“I think Jack would make a great coach. That’ where hi future i.”
31. Arik Parna, Colorado Avalanche analt – efore he wa hired the
Avalanche in 2016, Parna pent a lot of time devoted to pecial team and
the analtic that drive ucce in that area of the game. “He work hi a
off,” aid one NHL ource of Parna, 26.
32. Doug Wilon Jr., hark director of couting – On a lit filled with
people who have roken into the game in non-traditional wa, it would e
ea to lael Wilon a the oppoite – omeone whoe famil connection
helped him land a jo in a league with a long hitor of thoe kind of hire.
He realize that.
“I’m not ignorant, I have to prove melf even more ecaue I’m Doug
Wilon Jr.,” he told The Athletic’ Kevin Kurz when peaking on that topic
(http://theathletic.com/431002/2018/07/16/the-name-i-familiar-ut-doug-
wilon-jr-ring-a-different-et-of-kill-to-the-hark-front-office/). “That,
I’m not too othered ; it jut mean that I have to do more.”
Hi father i, of coure, the GM of the hark ut thoe in the organization
will tell ou he’ had nothing handed to him. Thoe outide an Joe have
een won over hi drive and work ethic.
“I’m a ig fan,” aid an NHL executive. “The trick thing for Dougie i
making ure he keep uilding hi network and etalihing himelf o he’
not jut Doug Wilon’ kid. I think hi work over the lat 3-5 ear ha done
that. He’ a worker. You ee him all the time. And a a peronalit, ou want
to work with the gu.”
33. Mike Van Rn, t. Loui lue aitant coach – ince retiring from the
NHL after the 2008-09 eaon, Van Rn ha quickl gathered a wide range of
hocke coaching experience. He wa an OHL head coach (Kitchener) and
won a diviion title a an AHL head coach in Tucon. The 39-ear-old i till
cloe enough to hi plaing da that plaer reall appreciate hi opinion on
toda’ game.
“He’ plaed recentl and undertand a lot,” aid lue center Ran O’Reill.
“He’ intelligent. And hi little detail on the PK – he jut know a lot. It’
nice to e around and it help a lot. ecaue he know o man plaer in the
league reall well, he can ee a lot and undertand tendencie.”
Ran Miller, who i the lue director of hocke operation, i another oung
executive who i well repected in league circle.
34. Noelle Needham, Maple Leaf amateur cout – We’ll grant ou that thi
lit i Maple Leaf heav ut that’ an indication of what hanahan and
Dua are doing in cating a wide net to get a divere group of people and
thought procee into the organization. Perhap nood reflect that more
than Needham. he plaed at Minneota tate, ran the elite training facilit
Legend Hocke and then ecame jut the third woman to get an NHL
couting jo when the Maple Leaf hired her in Augut.
During the pot-hiring conference call, Dua ummed up hi philooph:
“Reearch how that the more divere our organization the etter our
deciion-making, the etter our operation, in general. I think that if ou’re
onl hiring white male — and I’m aing that a a white male — ou’re
proal leaving a lot on the tale in term of where our organization (i
going) and how it can think, and how it can evolve and develop.”
35. randon Naurato, Red Wing plaer development conultant –
Naurato i the perfect mix of video, analtic and former plaer who i
experienced enough to navigate effectivel in all three world. After plaing
hocke for the Univerit of Michigan and three eaon profeionall, the
33-ear-old founded the Detroit ranch of Total Package Hocke, a compan
focued on elite hocke training. Read hi work, like thi pot for The Athletic
lat pring (http://theathletic.com/325074/2018/04/23/analzing-how-the-
red-wing-core-how-it-compare-to-the-nhl-et-and-how-the-can-
improve/), and ou undertand hi mind. Work with him a a plaer, and the
appreciation i even higher.
“(Naurato i) the mot knowledgale gu I have ever met in hocke,” lue
Jacket defeneman Zach Werenki told The Athletic’ Tom Reed. “I am
tarting to realize that more than ever.”
36. Marina Carpenter, Coote general counel – Carpenter manage
contract, rik aement and legal matter for the Coote and Chaka
highlighted her a omeone he relie on for unique olution to the prolem
that tend to come up for the franchie. “he’ alwa got a lot on her plate,
he touche a lot of different area of the organization,” Chaka aid. “he’
reall helpful on the hocke ide when we need her here. he ha a good
trategic mind for finding creative olution to complex prolem. he’ a
good rain to pick.”
37. Jaon McCrimmon, head coach, owner of UPHL Motor Cit Hawk –
It’ fair to a it’ a tretch to include a Tier III junior coach on thi lit largel
populated people alread emploed NHL team. ut in a league that’
activel looking to get more divere, McCrimmon i a candidate for
promotion in the port if he’ open to leaving the work he’ uilding in
Detroit.
McCrimmon, 35, plaed hocke profeionall in urope and now coache
and train elite plaer in the Detroit area. He’ alo the founder of the
Detroit Ice Dream Youth Hocke Aociation, a non-profit group charged
with providing underrepreented communitie etter acce to hocke.
“I want to expand the Motor Cit Hawk a well a expand our non-profit Ice
Dream,” McCrimmon told the Color of Hocke log
(http://colorofhocke.com/2016/11/23/from-cring-goalie-to-ench-o-
meet-detroit-jaon-mccrimmon/). “Whatever come from there, if I get
omething ig that I can’t turn down we’ll cro that ridge when it happen.”
38. Cam Lawrence, Florida Panther amateur couting conultant – What
the Panther appreciate aout Lawrence i that he ntheize numer in a
wa graphicall that reall help preent the value of a plaer clearl to the
front office. Hi focu i primaril on the amateur ide, where he’ll compare
hitorical data in the league where draft eligile plaer are competing to tr
and find imilar production etween draft eligile propect and thoe
currentl in the NHL. He and amateur couting conultant Joh Weiock
complement the traditional amateur cout in the organization.
39. Max Giee, Jet amateur cout – He wa hired the Jet in 2012 and
Winnipeg ha done a great jo uilding through the draft, epeciall dipping
into the U.. to tock their tem. Their ucce drafting American ha
oltered Giee’ reputation, ince that’ hi area of focu.
One NHL ource pointed to the Jet election of defeneman Dlan amerg
with the No. 43 pick in 2017, graing him from Hermantown High chool
in Minneota, a an example of a draft election with a trong Giee
influence. The NHL executive reall like the oung defeneman.
“That wa not an ea pick. He’ drafting for a Canadian team,” he aid.
“There are a lot of ee on Max when that pick i made, good or ad.”
40. Dutin Walh, Vega Golden Knight hocke operation analt – An
economic major from Dartmouth, the 27-ear-old Walh wa hired in
Augut of 2017 the Golden Knight a an analt. “He’ reall harp,” aid
one NHL ource. “I could ee him developing into a manager one da. He
doe everthing.” Walh wa a ixth-round pick the Montreal Canadien,
giving him the mix of plaing experience and rainpower that will erve him
well a he work hi wa up in the game. “He ha pedigree,” aid another
ource.
(Main photo Mark linch/NHLI via Gett Image)
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MEH SOLID AWESOME
Craig Custance (/author/craig-custance/) is the editor-in-chief of The Athletic Detroit and host of The
Full 60 podcast. He joined The Athletic after nearly a decade covering the NHL as a national hockey
writer, the last six as a senior writer for ESPN.com. While at ESPN, he was also a contributor on
SportsCenter. Before covering the NHL, he was an award-winning journalist with the Atlanta Journal-
Constitution. His debut book “Behind the Bench: Inside the Minds of Hockey’s Greatest Coaches” was
released in the fall. Follow Craig on Twitter @CraigCustance (https://twitter.com/CraigCustance)
(https://twitter.com/CraigCustance).
