S73 Draft Interview: GM Players, w/ Peace and FrostBeard

[Patrik Tallinder 1,087]

Hello everyone, and welcome to my first draft interview! This draft has plenty of strong players with different backgrounds in the league. Something I’ve wondered about after covering the last few drafts is the mindset of a GM, specifically when they are creating and drafting a self-made player. This season, @FrostBeard finds himself in that situation as the GM of Malmo.

 

I decided to look further into this, and invite him to an interview. This interview would not be one-on-one though, because I also got @Peace in on it as well. Peace drafted his player, Erik Killinger, 11th overall in the S71 Draft. More than a season later, he has had the chance to experience the different elements that a GM player brings to a team. So we have two perspectives here; one with a season’s experience, and one who is preparing for the experience of a GM player. 
 

NOTE: I use the term GM player in this interview, and it doesn’t refer to the official GM players that were removed a few seasons ago. It is just an easier way to say a player created by the GM. With that said, let’s not waste anymore time.

 

 

We'll start with something simple: What do you think is the biggest advantage of having a GM player instead of another regular player on your roster?

 

Peace: Biggest keynote about GM players -- probably just for me -- would be the reliability, benefits and stability GM players bring to a club. 

 

As a GM, having a player I control gives me exactly that and then grants those benefits to the entire team around them as well. 

 

As rude as it may be to say it in an interview like this, sometimes you get bit when you put your entire teams structural integrity on the shoulders of another member. You have to trust they won't go inactive, and unfortunately that does tend to happen.

 

I should note that my opinion on GM players are unique. I don't think they are the teams greatest assets, they're just stability, you can build a team around a GM player but it's more important to use them to reinforce a core you build.

 

FrostBeard: I have a simple answer to this. There are 2 things. Firstly, you have the ability to build a player that is exactly what he needs to be for the team, I have the ability to easily change a position without asking others to do it. To me it is an asset that allows you to know that there is something you can easily go back to if something does not go as planned in terms of trades, draft and free agency. Secondly, it is a player I have no problems putting down in the lineup if others who have shown activity deserve higher position, role and so on. 

 

In the end, it is a tool that a GM can use if others have failed.

 

Analysis: Stability and flexibility seem to be the main themes here. You can use GM players however you want, and know they will never go inactive.

 

 

Was the thought process behind your player’s initial position and build based around your personal preference, or the team’s positional needs?

 

Peace: At the time when I recreated Killinger I was still Saskatoon's GM, so it was simply a player to replace the now retired Peace. I know I wanted to be a Hall of Fame forward, and that was my goal... but positionally Toronto needed a defender, so that's why he's a defensemen now.

 

FrostBeard: I wanted to keep going with a player on a wing. It has always been my favourite position and after John's career ended I knew I can do better so here we are. It was my own preference as I knew that with Malmo going into the rebuild, I will have a place for my own player in any role I would desire to put him into. In this case it was a wing and everything lined up perfectly. I probably would have created a player in a specific position if there was a need for that.

 

Analysis: The team needs seem to come first, but in FrostBeard’s situation, he was able to pursue his personal interest because of the state of his team.

 

 

Is the GM player that was removed a few seasons ago something you wish you had right now, or do you say good riddance to that rule?

 

Peace: I wouldn't mind it coming back, honestly, but I think the league is healthy enough (active enough) that it's not really needed.

FrostBeard: There was only one reason to have a GM player. To have enough players to fill the roles. Right now, I do not see a reason to have a player. Also, I don't want it back at any point as I find it to be an unnecessary tool for the GM.

 

Analysis: The consensus here seems to be that GM players were useful in a less active VHL, but with today’s league activity, they are no longer needed.

 

 

Knowing that you’d likely end up in a certain draft slot anyway, how much attention did you pay to your draft stock relative to your peers?

 

Peace: When I recreated with Killinger, I was still SSK GM, so I didn't have any real insight of where he was going. I learned later I could use a first round pick to select my player, so that's what I did; draft stock and where I was in terms of TPE to other players in the draft class didn't really matter too much to me after I made the decision to go that route after receiving Toronto from Devise.

FrostBeard: Well, to be fair, because this is my player, I don't really care. I will select him with my last 1st round pick and it will be fine. I just want my player to be great and actually do something. That said, it is nice to see myself at the top of the list. It motivates me to put in work and get him better and better each week.

 

Analysis: Draft stock doesn’t seem to be of much importance, but staying up to par with the other draftees can serve as motivation to keep improving.

 

 

Obviously as general managers, you guys have mostly team-oriented goals, but do you have any individual aspirations for your player? I know for Peace, you said you wanted to have a HOF career, but anything on top of that?

 

Peace: Not really, I had an outside shot with Peace a few times in his career, so it was mostly a “would be nice” thing. In reality I morphed Killinger into what Toronto needed, which is why he’s a defender now.

FrostBeard: For me it is simple - to be the best player I can be for my team. Of course, it would be nice to have individual awards and be a dominant force in the league but that is not a primary goal. As far as I am concerned, I will be fine with 3 Continental cup wins for Marshall.

 

Analysis: Obviously the main goal here is team success, and their players are a nice tool to help achieve that. All the glory beyond that is a bonus.

 

 

I’m really grateful both of these guys took the time to do this, and I look forward to doing more in the future. Expect another one later this season!

[diamond_ace 3,112]

@Patrik Tallinder if you're looking to do one of these about the last class of the old type of GM players before the rule change, I'd be interested. @Enorama and @Beaviss I think were the other two in that class with me if either of them are also interested

[Patrik Tallinder 1,087]

20 hours ago, diamond_ace said:

@Patrik Tallinder if you're looking to do one of these about the last class of the old type of GM players before the rule change, I'd be interested. @Enorama and @Beaviss I think were the other two in that class with me if either of them are also interested

That would definitely be interesting! If everyone’s willing to do it, I think that would a fun topic for an interview.