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It has been four months since we learned general manager Barry Trotz would be retiring at the end of the season.
Since then, the NHL's trade deadline, the end of its regular season, and the majority of the Stanley Cup playoffs have come and gone. As the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes meet for Game 1 of the Cup Final on June 2, the Nashville Predators still haven't hired Trotz's replacement.
The length of this search is getting frustrating. Other teams, such as the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils, have since fired their general managers and hired their replacements.
Does everyone at Bridgestone Arena remember the No. 1 goal of the offseason?
Some names are starting to emerge as candidates, including former Devils general manager (and former Predators captain) Tom Fitzgerald. Some have pegged current Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland as a target. Several assistant general managers, like Carolina's Darren Yorke, have reportedly interviewed.
We also know assistant general manager Jeff Kealty interviewed for the job, but declined to speak on the results of that interview.
Rumors and reports are trickling in every day, but the Predators aren't confirming anything.
"We're not going to answer any rumors, we're not going to give updates. We're not going to tell you who's flying in and when they're flying in or who's on the list," Predators CEO Sean Henry said on Feb. 2. "The next time we talk about this is when we're celebrating hiring the new person."
Looking back, maybe we should have seen this coming.
This was always going to be a comprehensive search. As majority owner Bill Haslam and Henry explained on Feb. 2, the list of applicants was almost inexhaustible. Internal and external candidates; candidates with front office experience and those without it; candidates in and out of sports business; candidates in current positions and those who are between jobs.
The only limitation was time — the goal was to have someone in the role by the NHL draft on June 26 — but even that might not be a factor.
"Our hope is that we have somebody by draft day, end of June," Haslam said. "But the luxury of doing what we're doing is we have a road to play this out the way we want."
With Trotz sitting between them at the news conference, Haslam and Henry repeated that he was their GM until June 30, but perhaps longer if needed.
TROTZ LEGACY: Why Barry Trotz's legacy with Nashville Predators goes beyond bumpy GM tenure
"Instead of announcing this in April of 2026 . . . this allows us to do it the right way," Haslam said. " . . . And I have full confidence (Barry Trotz) will do the right thing."
It's not clear what Haslam meant by Trotz "doing the right thing," but it could be that Trotz won't leave until the new GM is hired. So it's not out of the question the team might enter the new league year (July 1) without a new general manager. Trotz is retiring, but no one's escorting him out of the building on June 30. He could stay on during free agency (or even longer) while the hiring process continues.
Competitive advantage was one reason the Predators started the search when they did. Haslam wanted to "have his line in the water first" at the proverbial general manager fishing hole. That implied a balance between urgency in the search and hiring the right person.
But here's Haslam, still at the fishing hole with his line in the water. Others have showed up, paddled to their favorite spot, caught their guy, and left. Is he trying a variety of lures? Has he caught smaller fish and thrown them back? Has new minority owner Nick Saban brought his pole as well? Maybe there's a trophy fish out there that requires a two-man effort.
Perhaps because Trotz is still available to perform his duties, Haslam's urgency appears to have lessened. That's fine, as long as the commitment to getting the hire right hasn't.
GM SEARCH: The Nashville Predators still haven't found a GM. Here's what I would do if hired
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at [email protected]. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Bill Haslam, Nashville Predators are taking time with GM search
Continue reading...
Since then, the NHL's trade deadline, the end of its regular season, and the majority of the Stanley Cup playoffs have come and gone. As the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes meet for Game 1 of the Cup Final on June 2, the Nashville Predators still haven't hired Trotz's replacement.
The length of this search is getting frustrating. Other teams, such as the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils, have since fired their general managers and hired their replacements.
Does everyone at Bridgestone Arena remember the No. 1 goal of the offseason?
Some names are starting to emerge as candidates, including former Devils general manager (and former Predators captain) Tom Fitzgerald. Some have pegged current Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland as a target. Several assistant general managers, like Carolina's Darren Yorke, have reportedly interviewed.
We also know assistant general manager Jeff Kealty interviewed for the job, but declined to speak on the results of that interview.
Rumors and reports are trickling in every day, but the Predators aren't confirming anything.
"We're not going to answer any rumors, we're not going to give updates. We're not going to tell you who's flying in and when they're flying in or who's on the list," Predators CEO Sean Henry said on Feb. 2. "The next time we talk about this is when we're celebrating hiring the new person."
Looking back, maybe we should have seen this coming.
Why the Nashville Predators' GM search is taking so long
This was always going to be a comprehensive search. As majority owner Bill Haslam and Henry explained on Feb. 2, the list of applicants was almost inexhaustible. Internal and external candidates; candidates with front office experience and those without it; candidates in and out of sports business; candidates in current positions and those who are between jobs.
The only limitation was time — the goal was to have someone in the role by the NHL draft on June 26 — but even that might not be a factor.
"Our hope is that we have somebody by draft day, end of June," Haslam said. "But the luxury of doing what we're doing is we have a road to play this out the way we want."
With Trotz sitting between them at the news conference, Haslam and Henry repeated that he was their GM until June 30, but perhaps longer if needed.
TROTZ LEGACY: Why Barry Trotz's legacy with Nashville Predators goes beyond bumpy GM tenure
"Instead of announcing this in April of 2026 . . . this allows us to do it the right way," Haslam said. " . . . And I have full confidence (Barry Trotz) will do the right thing."
It's not clear what Haslam meant by Trotz "doing the right thing," but it could be that Trotz won't leave until the new GM is hired. So it's not out of the question the team might enter the new league year (July 1) without a new general manager. Trotz is retiring, but no one's escorting him out of the building on June 30. He could stay on during free agency (or even longer) while the hiring process continues.
Competitive advantage was one reason the Predators started the search when they did. Haslam wanted to "have his line in the water first" at the proverbial general manager fishing hole. That implied a balance between urgency in the search and hiring the right person.
But here's Haslam, still at the fishing hole with his line in the water. Others have showed up, paddled to their favorite spot, caught their guy, and left. Is he trying a variety of lures? Has he caught smaller fish and thrown them back? Has new minority owner Nick Saban brought his pole as well? Maybe there's a trophy fish out there that requires a two-man effort.
Perhaps because Trotz is still available to perform his duties, Haslam's urgency appears to have lessened. That's fine, as long as the commitment to getting the hire right hasn't.
GM SEARCH: The Nashville Predators still haven't found a GM. Here's what I would do if hired
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at [email protected]. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Bill Haslam, Nashville Predators are taking time with GM search
Continue reading...
