Just when you think Keenan is acting normal....

Soapy · Post by **Soapy** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:07 pm

MIAMI (AP) - Mike Keenan spent the offseason assembling a roster that he believes could vault the Florida Panthers into playoff contention for the first time since 2000.

He won't be around to see if his moves were good enough.
Keenan resigned Sunday as the Panthers' general manager, stepping down after a little more than two years running the team's day-to-day operations. Panthers coach Jacques Martin, who came to the club with Keenan in May 2004, assumes the GM duties.

"I feel well-prepared for this challenge," Martin said. "I've been close friends with Mike for a lot of years and we've worked together for a long time. And this club is in a much better position now than when we came here two years ago."

Keenan - who led the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup as coach in 1994 and has coached six other NHL teams, including the Panthers - was not made available for comment.

Martin said he learned the move was looming late last week, when team owner Alan Cohen told him that Keenan was resigning and asked if he'd be comfortable adding the GM chores.

"I told him that I could fulfill both jobs," Martin said. "I'm excited. Part of it is because of the quality people we have in the organization. When you have good people working around you, it becomes a great opportunity."

The Panthers first hired Keenan as coach in December 2001, then fired him 23 months later after Florida won only 45 of 153 games played with him behind the bench. Keenan returned to the organization in May 2004, part of a two-pronged move that also brought Martin in as coach.

Keenan made some stirring moves in the past year, in which the Panthers - who haven't won a playoff series since making the Stanley Cup finals in 1996 - failed to reach the playoffs for the fifth straight season.

Most notably, Keenan opted to trade All-Star goaltender Roberto Luongo to the Vancouver Canucks in June, a move that stunned Luongo - who thought he was on the cusp of agreeing to a long-term deal with the club.

Instead, Keenan made the swap to acquire forward Todd Bertuzzi, defenseman Bryan Allen and goalie Alex Auld from the Canucks, and insisted afterward that it was the best direction for the franchise.

"Mike has done a tremendous job over the past two years in positioning this franchise for immediate and future success. ... He has assembled the most talented team in our franchise's history," Cohen said.

Martin agreed with that assessment, and credited Keenan for the job he did in Florida.

"I think Mike did a tremendous job," Martin said. "All our players are signed for this coming season and we signed some free agents that we think will help our hockey club. I don't think it's going to be a distraction. We're very excited about our hockey club and the coming season."

Soapy · Post by **Soapy** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:10 pm

I don't think he was fired...its just like him to set something good in motion & disappear...either by his choice or not. I hope its not health related. Keenan is good for the NHL....as strange as that sounds.

ClamRussel · Post by **ClamRussel** » Sun Sep 03, 2006 11:26 pm

At least we scooped up Luongo before this transpired....I highly doubt Martin would have dealt Luongo....a new GM wouldn't have had bad blood w/ the goalie & probably could have gotten the deal done.

phew

DavidPratt_ · Post by **DavidPratt_** » Mon Sep 04, 2006 8:35 am

Sorry to sound like the conspiracy theorist but I don't believe that Mike Keenan just 'resigned'. This guy lives and breathes hockey and he knows full well that another NHL team may not take a chance on him.

So why did he leave?

For Mike Keenan it is ALWAYS the same thing - he doesn't get along with people. Why did he leave Chicago where he had the team playing well first as a coach and then as a GM? He didn't get along with Bob Pulford. Why did he leave New York? He didn't get along with Neil Smith. Why did they get rid of him the first time in Florida? He didn't get along with Rick Dudley. Why did he leave Vancouver (outside of the fact the team hated him as a coach)? He didn't get along with Brian Burke.

In some cases, it's a bit of a shame. If he could just tone down the 'Iron Mike' act this wouldn't happen to him all the time. He keeps claiming that he has, but in reality, he hasn't. His mentor, Scotty Bowman, has a reputation of not getting along with people either. Somehow, Scotty knows when to keep his trap shut when it's appropriate. Mike Keenan is still on that journey to realize when to shut up.

dp

Soapy · Post by **Soapy** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 12:15 am

Great call fake Pratt...you nailed it on the head way before anyone else...its something we all know about Keenan...& we all think he will learn his lesson...but he never does....& he will still always get a job in the NHL cuz no one thinks like this guy does any more....he treats players like cattle (& they are just that) & he treats management like the vacuum sales men that they act like....could you imagine yourself purchasing your house/car/mutual funds/dog from Bobby Clarke or Brian Burke??? Also, in FLA....how does your coach win an argument over you......you are the GM....hell..your Mike F***kin Keenan ...you've made all the deals..you've drafted all the players...how does an ownership just drink the Kool-Aid from the guy that you recommended & has done DICK at his last job... just weird to me.....

Entwonder · Post by **Entwonder** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 2:37 pm

The real reason MK leaves Florida
After years of suffering under a growing, festering guilt from trading Trevor Linden away from Vancouver, Mike Keenan masterminds a devious plot to reconcile his enormous trade blunder. Slowly poisoning negotiations with Luongo until he could 'justify' trading him to Vancouver - in one fell swoop he undoes the Bertuzzi trade and assures Trevor Lindens last few years as a Canuck are as a Stanley Cup winner. Having thus purged his most grievous transgression, he spends a penitent summer in Florida and then resigns. A huge burden lifted from him, he moves to BC and restarts his career as a consultant to his new pal, DN.

MarkMM · Post by **MarkMM** » Tue Sep 05, 2006 2:52 pm

Entwonder wrote:The real reason MK leaves Florida
After years of suffering under a growing, festering guilt from trading Trevor Linden away from Vancouver, Mike Keenan masterminds a devious plot to reconcile his enormous trade blunder. Slowly poisoning negotiations with Luongo until he could 'justify' trading him to Vancouver - in one fell swoop he undoes the Bertuzzi trade and assures Trevor Lindens last few years as a Canuck are as a Stanley Cup winner. Having thus purged his most grievous transgression, he spends a penitent summer in Florida and then resigns. A huge burden lifted from him, he moves to BC and restarts his career as a consultant to his new pal, DN.

I wouldn't mind him as a scout, so long as he evaluates talent but doesn't have to interact with anyone.

Cookie La Rue · Post by **Cookie La Rue** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:10 am

Too beautiful to be true.

The_Pauser · Post by **The_Pauser** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 11:25 pm

There's no way Keenan resigned. There must be more to this story that's been covered up. Keenan still had 3 years left on his contract, so as part of a bargain he probably resigned instead of being fired (so he wouldn't be able to collect his paycheque's) in exchange for the real story behind what happened being swept under the rug.

Just my own theory however.