Hockey Ramblings: Pettersson Signs, Gilman Heads East, & Re-Drafting ’09

Cam Robinson

2018-05-25

 

Earlier this week, the Maple Leafs hired Laurence Gilman to be their Assistant GM. The former Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Arizona executive brings a terrific resume. He was a capologist, trade negotiator, AHL GM and media darling in Vancouver. His stint on the airwaves with TSN1040 the last year was a great success. He shared countless stories from behind the scenes that illuminated and entertained.
 
 
 
 
Gilman also helped facilitate the Las Vegas expansion process with the league. Additionally, the Winnipeg-native reportedly rejected the GM gig in Carolina (who hasn’t turned that job down though?). He’ll run the Marlies and the Leafs’ Player Development team and bring veteran leadership to Dubas’ team.
 
There have long been whispers that Canucks’ owner, Francesco Aqualini, had prohibited Gilman from taking an executive position elsewhere. This was Aqualini’s right as he continued to pay Gilman for the remainder of his Vancouver contract. But it certainly isn’t a practice of most organizations. When you fire someone, you let them work elsewhere.
 
The shackles are off now though and this is a slick hire.
 
If we’re being honest though, the true winners with the regime change in Toronto are the beards. Sorry, NYI.
 
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For you draft junkies, I continued a series of compare/contrast pieces on closely related and ranked 2018 draft eligibles. Last week was a dig into Oliver Wahlstrom and Brady Tkachuk. Have a read here. 
 
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