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Post by Willie Dog on Nov 19, 2019 20:04:26 GMT -5
The GMs unanimously decide to rename the GM of the year award the Jim Gregory award... he was Leafs GM for 10 years and they made the playoffs 8 years... Sam Pollock on the other hand was GM for 14 years and won 9 cups.. go figure...
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Post by jkr on Nov 20, 2019 8:22:35 GMT -5
Maybe they are feeling sentimental because he just passed away & he did work for the league.
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Post by CentreHice on Nov 20, 2019 9:30:57 GMT -5
I know Gregory's recent passing and his association with the Leafs played into this decision, but the award should've been named after Sam Pollock when it was introduced in 2010.
An 80% playoff-appearance record is hardly sufficient--especially when Gregory's teams won only 6 rounds. To be fair, those playoff roads ended with the top-tier Bruins, Flyers, and Habs in 7 of those 8 seasons. But still....
Perhaps Gregory's greatest triumphs as GM were managing to bring over Salming and Hammarstrom despite the meddling, bigoted Ballard....and upsetting the Islanders in Round 2, 1978.
Ballard fired him after Larry Robinson's OT goal (with Tiger Williams in the box) swept the Leafs in the 1978-79 quarterfinals.
Maybe they were also looking at Gregory's NHL executive and Hall of Fame selection work, but the award isn't "Executive of the Year".
For "GM of the Year"...it had to be Pollock, IMO.
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Post by The Habitual Fan on Nov 20, 2019 9:40:04 GMT -5
I am sure that when Bergevin wins it this year he will bring up Pollock's name in his acceptance speech.
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Post by CentreHice on Nov 20, 2019 9:41:32 GMT -5
I am sure that when Bergevin wins it this year he will bring up Pollock's name in his acceptance speech.
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