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Does Mike Gillis have a bad reputation around the league?


hyrule

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MG's reputation around the league is that he gets easily ripped off. I think this reputation developed when he traded Cody Hodgson (All signs pointing to a first line center) for Zac Kassian (Big, physical, but looks like a bust). Actually, I am pretty sure this reputation is why MG had trouble trading away Luongo. All the GMs ever interested in Luongo wanted a steal out of it.

And congrats to MG for further strengthening the reputation this summer with the Schneider trade. Literally, the Canuck's janitor could have gotten more than a 9th overall pick for Schneider.

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MG's reputation around the league is that he gets easily ripped off. I think this reputation developed when he traded Cody Hodgson (All signs pointing to a first line center) for Zac Kassian (Big, physical, but looks like a bust). Actually, I am pretty sure this reputation is why MG had trouble trading away Luongo. All the GMs ever interested in Luongo wanted a steal out of it.

And congrats to MG for further strengthening the reputation this summer with the Schneider trade. Literally, the Canuck's janitor could have gotten more than a 9th overall pick for Schneider.

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Watching all of the draft days in different formats, you can see MG having dialogue with ALL other GM's.

I really do not feel he has a bad rep at all. I think his Hockey background, mixed with his law background probably has earned him much respect.

I reckon he has a good rapport with his fellow GMs, but i bet he is regarded as hard-nosed but ultimately fair.

People also forget that MG is not the sole architect of what happens with players. Gilman is pretty much in GM mode when MG is in President mode.

I speculate that MG is bad cop and Gilman is good cop when it comes to dealing with players, agents, and transactions.

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Its a business. There may be perceptions but if the nucks have assets another gm wants they'll still deal w Gillis

On a lighter note, with how gillis' recent trades (schnedier and hodgson) are perceived, gms should be tripping over themselves to do trades w gillis :D

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I think you have to consider the fact that this is a professional league. This is not a sandbox where people are meant to throw sand in other people's eyes.

Teams still dealt with Burke despite his occasional drama, and at the end of the day each team is going to be out for themselves. This isn't a office lunchroom with staff trying to spread rumours about people. These are professional men who make phone calls and each GM is there to represent his best interests for his team.

I honestly think stating that his reputation is "tainted" is a tad immature when you consider the fact that these people are living a dream of being able to GM a team.

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He likely does have a bad reputation.

- Player Agent -> GM. You don't make many friends here...

- He's slow to make decisions, I bet he drags out potential trades or deals with other teams.

- We all know he overvalued Luongo and made every GM turn their heads.

- Take a look at how we treated some of our players... Naslund, Ohlund, Cody (yes, he wasn't sunshine and roses), Salo, Ehrhoff, Grabner, Schneider, Sammuelson, Malholtra -- ick, Torres, etc.

The man is brilliant in so many respects, but I get the feeling he has a tendency to be obnoxious.

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What would you have expected from trading Schneider? I am very curious. Oh and You know how they say Dmen take time to mature into the NHL job? So do players expected to play the role that Zack Kassian is expected to play. I am not saying he is a top line blue chip prospect, but I am not saying he is a bust either, but the Cody for Zach trade is far from being able to be determined in who got the best of the other GM...last count we had our side of that trade under contract and the other team doesn't.

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I think you have to consider the fact that this is a professional league. This is not a sandbox where people are meant to throw sand in other people's eyes.

Teams still dealt with Burke despite his occasional drama, and at the end of the day each team is going to be out for themselves. This isn't a office lunchroom with staff trying to spread rumours about people. These are professional men who make phone calls and each GM is there to represent his best interests for his team.

I honestly think stating that his reputation is "tainted" is a tad immature when you consider the fact that these people are living a dream of being able to GM a team.

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Something that I have never seen mentioned is that MG suffered a serious injury as an NHL player and was hung out to dry by his team. I think this is what spurred him on to his career as a lawyer, which in turn lead to him being a player agent. I can't remember the story exactly but he got his degree and then went after the team that burned him and got his just desserts, or something to that effect. Sorry for being lazy but I don't feel like googling right now.

So, yes, there is basis and history for other teams not wanting to bend to MG's will and it stretches back to the 1980s and stems from MG the NHLer.

That being said, if I were a current GM, I wouldn't mind getting buddybuddy with MG. I bet he is seen as a mark around the league, just look at his trade history yikes.

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Gillis was voted GM of the year jsut a couple of years ago.

Panel is 40 members including all 30 GM's, 5 league exec's and 5 media members. So 34 of his colleagues and 5 media.

People can question some decisions, but he runs one of the most profitable sports franchises in North America and definitely has the respect of his peers!

Although i doubt Burke voted for him? :bigblush:

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WELL...

A very good family friend is a scout with a Western conf team, he's very good friends with many people in the biz, and I asked him about Gillis when I was back in BC in June.

He told me that Gillis does have a bad rep, and even within the organization. He said Delorme and the scouting staff have been asking GMMG to draft WHL players for quite some time now and all MG does is override them ALL THE TIME.

He also said (rhetorically) to ask Snepsts what he thinks of Grabner--HS was apparently fuming.

And about AV and his apparent hate on and favouritism of some players... 100% true.

FWIW

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Something that I have never seen mentioned is that MG suffered a serious injury as an NHL player and was hung out to dry by his team. I think this is what spurred him on to his career as a lawyer, which in turn lead to him being a player agent. I can't remember the story exactly but he got his degree and then went after the team that burned him and got his just desserts, or something to that effect. Sorry for being lazy but I don't feel like googling right now.

So, yes, there is basis and history for other teams not wanting to bend to MG's will and it stretches back to the 1980s and stems from MG the NHLer....

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