Anaheim Ducks future management: Who is Bob Murray’s heir apparent as GM?
By Ed Stein
Bob Murray is entering his 11th season as the Anaheim Ducks General Manager. At 63 years old, Murray’s career is winding down. It’s a good time to look at some of his potential successors.
Nobody lives forever. Almost as important, no one wants to work till they drop either. Anaheim Ducks General Manager Bob Murray is 63 years old, he will eventually retire his contract signing pen. It may not happen this year, or next, or even in five years (although I can’t see him sticking around longer), but his retirement will happen.
I say retirement because he wouldn’t be completely fired from the organization. In addition to being the GM, Murray is also an Executive Vice President. He might not run the day to day operations, but he’ll have some involvement with the Ducks until he chooses not to.
We’ve established that Murray is headed toward the end of a distinguished career. The question then becomes, who is the Anaheim Ducks next GM? Whoever it is will have some big shoes to fill.
Who it won’t be
Brian Burke – Burke is the Architect of Anaheim’s Stanley Cup Championship team of 2007. A shrewd negotiator, he is not afraid to speak out in the media. Since his departure as the Calgary Flames president of hockey operations last April, he has been working as an analyst for Sportsnet.
Murray is only seven months older than Burke, and running a hockey club is becoming more of a younger man’s game. He doesn’t need the money and looks comfortable in the analyst’s chair. If he did have any involvement with the Ducks, it would be in an advisory capacity to help hire the next GM.
Paul Kariya – Hiring Kariya to run the Anaheim Ducks would be a great way to bring the Hall-of-Famer back into the fold. It will never happen. First, he has shown no interest in management. Second, he doesn’t need the scrutiny that comes with the job. Finally, if the bridge was burned when Kariya left Anaheim the first time, it would be totally destroyed should the situation go south.
On to the candidates, two external and three internal.