Interview with Molly the Cat, new GM in London

[JCarson 744]

Molly the Cat, it is a pleasure being here with you today. Thank you for allowing us to visit you at your parent’s home. There have been significant changes in your life since we last talked. Can you tell us your thoughts and feelings on the recent announcement of a new General Manager in London? 

 

We have known for some time that Dil was stepping down at the end of the season and the owners of the team have been great at communicating with the players during the selection process. The goal of the league, the ownership, and the player representatives was to find a General Manager that would be a good fit for the team both from a technical perspective but also from a perspective of player development. Jacob Carson fit into that framework very well. From talking with the other players, I am confident that I can say that we are looking forward to the work that Jacob does. We understand that he is going to have to make some tough choices and that there is potential that some of us may end up on other teams by the end of the offseason. We know that it is nothing personal and that Jacob is focused on building a formidable team for those that stay. 

 

Molly the Cat, rumor has it that you have stepped down as captain of the team, is this true? 

 

Technically the answer to that question is yes. Now I will offer some clarification. When Dil named Molly the Cat captain part of that decision was to offer up a consistent perception of dedication and performance excellence that was being marketed to other up and coming players. By naming Molly the Cat, as captain, allowed Dil to put a face to the image he was trying to create. By stepping down I am hoping to give the new GM the flexibility to do what is needed to create their own vision for the team. If I am renamed captain, I would be honored; if they give that mantle to someone else, I will focus on my performance on the ice. My goal was never to be the captain of a VHL team, my goal has always been to represent myself and my team to the best of my ability. I do not need to be captain to do that. 

 

Molly the Cat, have you had any discussions with the new GM about what to expect for next season? 

 

Jacob took the opportunity to reach out to all the players personally once he was named GM. I expect that every player had a similar conversation. Jacob took a few minutes to introduce himself, review his vision for the team and tell us that he would be reviewing several opportunities and do his best to make the most beneficial decisions for London’s long-term success. In that discussion, it was noted that every opportunity would be considered but that he would keep players informed if a change were made impacting them specifically. Honestly, and no offence implied, but the conversation was professional and as scripted as expected. If you took 5 minutes to write what you think was said, even as a journalist, you would get 90% of the conversation word for word.