WASHINGTON -- Heres an audacious way to get a promotion: Tell the big boss what hes been doing wrong.
Chicago
Blackhawks Jersey . Brian MacLellan did just that when he interviewed with
owner Ted Leonsis for the Washington Capitals general manager job. "He led off
with some of the things that I have to do to be a better owner," Leonsis said.
"I thought that was very brave and very astute, because you dont want to hear
things like that." MacLellans strategy helped him pull an upset. Leonsis was
looking for a new direction and hadnt intended to promote from within after
George McPhees contract wasnt renewed, but MacLellans candour helped him rise
above the 15 or so candidates and land the job. "I didnt think I had anything to
lose," MacLellan said. MacLellan has been with Washington for 13 seasons,
including seven as assistant GM, but most of his work had been in scouting and
he had rarely spoken to Leonsis. His message: When everyone in the organization
is not on the same page, including the owner, the product on the ice suffers.
Such was the case last season with McPhee and coach Adam Oates, and the result
was a team that missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years despite 51
goals from Alex Ovechkin. "I think the important point I was trying to make is
that I think the team feels when theres a disconnect," MacLellan said, "or
(when) theres not a unified philosophy from ownership to manger to coach."
MacLellan was introduced alongside Barry Trotz, the longtime Nashville Predators
coach who replaces Oates. While MacLellan was one of many GM candidates, Trotz
was the only coach the Capitals interviewed. His only hang-up was that he had to
wait for a GM to get in place, and to make sure it was someone who shared a
similar vision. "Its where I started," said Trotz, who coached the Capitals top
minor league affiliate in the 1990s before spending 15 seasons with the
Predators, "so I feels like I was coming home." Leonsis said he was keen to get
someone with a solid track record after five consecutive McPhee hires who had no
previous NHL head coaching experience. "We are not rebuilding the team," Leonsis
said. "But we are going to refresh the team." Ovechkin has been forced to adjust
to multiple offensive systems through several coaching changes in recent years.
One of Trotzs priorities will be to sit down with the three-time league MVP and
discuss the way forward. "My job as a coach is to find a way to allow Alex and
the other players to reach their potential as a group, and be able to play
together," Trotz said. "One of the very fundamental things, if you have a
kindergarten, they give you your report card and they say, Do you play well with
others? My job is to get everybody to play well with the others." Trotz
downplayed his reputation as a defensive-minded coach, saying he didnt have the
same firepower in Nashville that hell have in Washington. "I dont want to take
anything away from the Capitals offensively. ... (They have) great power plays
and great individuals that can put the puck in the net," Trotz said. "I didnt
have that in Nashville. I had some real good players, but not enough up front,
so we become a little more of a defensive team." Trotz said he doesnt see why
the Capitals cant get back in the Stanley Cup mix right away, assuming they can
forge the unified gameplan envisioned by MacLellan. "Theres enough ability
here," Trotz said. "We just have to forge a little bit of an identity going
forward."
Patrick Kane
Blackhawks Jersey . -- The NFL Players Association wants to determine if
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaked information about quarterback Josh Freeman being
in the NFLs substance abuse program.
Trevor
Van Riemsdyk Jersey . I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each
approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball
reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of
the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video.
http://www.blackhawkshockeyjerseys.com/Glenn-Hall-Jersey/ . -- A deflected pass that landed in DeSean Jacksons hands.GM Wally Buono doesnt
expect Danny Watkins to help the BC Lions this season or in the future. Buono
said he believes the former first-round pick in the NFL is done with football,
and has moved on with his life. Watkins played three seasons in the NFL, splitt
between the Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins after being selected 23rd
overall by the Eagles in 2011.
Martin Havlat
Blackhawks Jersey. Watkins was selected a year earlier in the CFL Draft,
fifth overall by the Lions, but never played for the team.
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