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Tuesday, December 1, 1998
Shero jumps Senators ship
With Rick Dudley firmly in place as the Senators GM for the next three years, Shero decided the best way to reach his goal was to move elsewhere and he accepted a four-year contract with the Nashville Predators.
In the final year of his deal with the Senators, Shero, 36, is hoping working with Nashville GM David Poile will be a stepping stone in his career.
"It's an exciting opportunity," said Shero, who timed the announcement appropriately with the Senators facing the Predators here tonight. "I've always respected David Poile.
"When Rick Dudley told me that David Poile had called and asked for permission, it kind of caught me by surprise. I really didn't want to leave .
"But this provides me with the chance to move towards my ultimate goal (being an NHL GM)."
Shero wasn't looking for work, but there wasn't much of a future for him in Ottawa. While he did excellent work, the reality is Shero had been passed up for the job twice.
The Senators didn't like losing Shero, but they weren't going to stand in his way either.
"I like Ray," said Poile. "He's one of the bright young people in the game and I think he's going to fit in well."
The job Dudley faces now is finding a capable replacement. The responsibilities of a good assistant include contracts, scouting and next year overseeing the minor-league operation.
The name at the top of the list could be former Los Angeles Kings GM/Toronto Maple Leafs coach Nick Beverly. Also on the list is Ottawa Sens pro scout Phil Myre. He has been with the team for three years and knows talent but doesn't have an extensive front-office background.
Detroit Vipers GM John Torchetti is another candidate, while Ottawa lawyer Peter Chiarelli, Orlando GM John Wisebroad, Winnipeg GM Randy Carlyle and former Senators coach Rick Bowness could also get consideration.
