Tod Leiweke has invited fans to celebrate tomorrow afternoon at 5pm as NHL Seattle prepares for a major milestone, the hiring of their first team staffer. The franchise is expected to name NHL Legend Ron Francis as their General Manager.
Francis is a legend in the NHL, ranked #5 all time in scoring and #2 all time in assists. To put some perspective on that the NBA’s fifth ranked scorer is Michael Jordan and the #2 in assists is Magic Johnson.
The Hockey News wrote a great article describing what it means to have landed such a high profile individual on an expansion team:
On one hand, Francis makes plenty of sense as a figurehead hiring. He’s one of the most respected hockey players ever. He was known for his class, winning three Lady Byng Trophies. He ranks second in NHL history in assists, fourth in games and fifth in points. He’s one of the best ever to do it, he brings brand-name glamor to the GM position, and he’s well-liked across the league. From a public-relations standpoint, Francis is a home-run hire.
“It’s a great choice for an expansion franchise,” said an NHL team executive. “It gives them instant credibility by adding a first-class guy that knows all sides of the game and quietly did a great job starting the turnaround in Carolina.”
Matt Calkins of the Seattle Times describes the move as a “Big Splash”:
If we’re talking about stature, team president Tod Leiweke couldn’t have done much better than Francis. If he wanted to announce to the league that Seattle is here to rumble with the big boys, luring a first-ballot Hall of Famer was his Michael Buffer moment.
As someone who is new to hockey this is my first chance to really dive into a franchise acquisition. I’ve spent the last day reading up on his history as a player and relied on the gang at @NHLtoSeattle to educate me on what he could bring to the table as a manager.
I finally bought myself a jersey
This is the very first time my new franchise has acquired an asset for me to judge. It’s the first time I really have a chance to think about what could be if this move works out.
What they delivered is one of the top 100 players in NHL History. The best NBA equivalent I can come up with for the Francis hire is Larry Bird. Bird, Like Francis is an all time great, Hall of Fame player with multiple championships and a productive, if not perfect front office career.
Larry Bird. Just think about that for a minute. These guys are doing it big.
#WeGotNext!
Comments
Let me know if anyone is going to make it down there.
I’m going to be there at 5 but can’t stay long with a baby due in 2 weeks
By Brian Robinson on 07.17.19 1:49pm
Congratulations, Brian, on the upcoming addition to your family!
By Number Of The Beast on 07.18.19 10:40am
And congrats from me as well, Brian
Read my other post here, please and if you can, please respond.
By snovalleyhockeyfan on 07.19.19 3:53pm
It has been a long time since I last posted here.....
but I am in need of a little help from someone in the know. As you may know if you check your mail the next couple of days, ballots for the August primary election are going out. So I am sitting here with my ballot in front of me and I see here a pair of races for Seattle Port Commission. So I need to know which candidates to vote for who are pro-street vacation. For Position 2 I’m inclined to vote Grant Degginger because he’s a former Bellevue mayor IIRC, but I have not seen a voter’s pamphlet so I have no clue where he stands on that. The Position 5 race I know who the hell I won’t be voting for but need opinions on which of the other two to cast a vote for. So if any of you can chime in that would be super. Thanks.
By snovalleyhockeyfan on 07.19.19 3:51pm
I think Good Space Guy has a better chance of getting elected than street vacation
Sorry to you (and Good Space Guy). I think the grudge against the port as a strategic mechanism to advance the arena is very 2014. Good news, we’re getting a great arena in 2 years!
By 206er on 07.23.19 5:07pm
Regardless of where we are with the arena situation, that whole saga opened my eyes to a lot of corruption in Port oversight.
Even though I think it has little relevance to the area moving forward, I am still paying far more attention than I used to about those Commissioner elections. I am curious if anyone has any insight into the candidates.
By Number Of The Beast on 07.24.19 9:54am
Fair enough
Your post cited that you were looking for candidates who are "pro street-vacation" so that seemed to be the turning point. I agree with the broader symbolic sentiment though. It would be nice for the port to integrate with a growing city rather than hold that part of town hostage from modernization. The failed arena was/is a microcosm of that mindset.
By 206er on 07.24.19 8:57pm
I am not the original poster (snovalleyhockeyfan), just another Seattle resident.
By Number Of The Beast on 07.25.19 3:50pm
A vote to grant the street vacation is a vote
towards undermining a city asset that is key arena/Seattle center arena. Also i do believe the FEIS for sodo arena is no longer vaid. Its out dated due to the construction of the arena in Seattle center. The FEIS must be updated to include the impacts on Seattle center Arena. If it were to get updated the answer would still be a no.
By gstommylee on 07.24.19 2:38pm
Nice job not answering the question
Your whole reply is non-responsive to the original comment. Nice work.
By KingFrankel on 07.30.19 7:06pm
I think he just misses the old days
of being able to drop his favorite comment on someone 2-3 times a day.
By Physical Graffiti on 07.31.19 11:16am
Listen to you
Just lock step with OVG. There isn’t a singular person more distracted by Leiweke’s shiny bells and whistles more than you in this whole thing, nor has there ever been. You immediately (and I mean immediately) run to their defense whenever anyone has the slightest critique.
Amazing, but at least you’re consistent
By MelloDawg1 on 08.02.19 11:18pm
Street vacation is a non-issue in this election
So, anyone running for Position 2 likely hasn’t made any statement regarding a street vacation.
You can check out the voter pamphlet information online here: https://info.kingcounty.gov/kcelections/vote/myvoterinfo.aspx
By Matt Tucker on 08.03.19 4:07pm
As we revel in the troubles in jokelahoma
I couldn’t help but notice who was on the list of worst arenas, as voted on by fans. Okay. So those guys have: a team in total rebuild, one of the less wealthy ownership groups, the smallest market in the league, AND an arena fans are callling "meh". I don’t get how their situation down there is sustainable through the tough years, and aside from San Antonio, if you are a small market in the nba there will be many. How much money is clay willing to lose?
https://moneywise.com/a/ch-b/worst-nba-arenas?utm_source=fbk_cdv&utm_medium=mobile&utm_campaign=nbavenue&utm_content=nbavenue_mio_col_cpm_us_as1_og_t5&utm_term=nbavenue_mio_col_cpm_us_as1_og
By 206er on 07.23.19 5:47pm
sorry to disrupt
this thread but since comments are closed on the previous, please forgive me. i’d be remiss if I didn’t say R.I.P. & Godspeed regarding Mr. Baker. loved his posts and admired him although we never met. in re Francis, take it from an ardent caps fan since that franchise was born: he is a real and superb hockey guy with deep knowledge & stable personality.
By charliesonic on 07.24.19 3:11pm