Nill passes on chance to become Montreal's GM

[Nevermind 363]

DETROIT – The opportunity to become a general manager, especially for a storied franchise like the Montreal Canadiens, was enticing to Jim Nill.

But Nill, the assistant GM of the Detroit Red Wings, passed on the chance. He felt this was not the ideal time for the move, due to an illness in his family.

"I had two great talks with Montreal; I was interested, they were interested,'' Nill said. "But it's not the right time.''

Nill does not have an out clause in his contract this season, but the Canadiens called Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch for permission to speak to him.

Ilitch gave Nill his blessing, telling him the organization appreciates his years of service and his loyalty and that it would not prevent him from joining the Canadiens.

Nill has been the team's assistant GM under Ken Holland for 14 seasons and has spent 18 years in the Red Wings' front office. He runs the amateur scouting department and oversees the selections at the entry draft. He also oversees the development of the organization's prospects with the Grand Rapids Griffins, as well as those in the Canadian junior, European and college ranks.

Nill has four years remaining on his contract, with different out clauses each season.

"My goal is to become a general manager,'' Nill said. "There will be opportunities down the road.''

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[crispychris 45]

I hope we can somehow get him to stay. He is a VERY important peice of this club.

[Guest Hatethedrake!]

Does he know how to speak french? This seems to be the most important criteria to be the coach or GM of the Habs.

[Nightfall 871]

Does he know how to speak french? This seems to be the most important criteria to be the coach or GM of the Habs.

This is the kind of dysfunction that Nill doesn't want to deal with. You know that the Wings treat him very well, and he loves working for Detroit.

[LeftWinger 4,949]

Ya....your first ever GM job and it in Montreal? No thanks! Talk about a pressure cooker...Nill will be a GM somewhere, someday, but ANYONE, let alone Nill, wold be crazy to take your first job as GM in Montreal...One failure and he would be stoned to death...

[Guest Hatethedrake!]

This is the kind of dysfunction that Nill doesn't want to deal with. You know that the Wings treat him very well, and he loves working for Detroit.

Yeah, he's just waiting for the right team to go to. Montreal is not it. He needs a situation like Tampa where the owner is a class act and will give him full autonomy. Which team that is, I have no idea. We will keep him until then and be the better for it.

[Dimaline312000 51]

Glad he elected to stay, to pass on an oppertunity like that has got to be tough but it it wasn't right than it just wasn't right. Hopefully the Habs find a quality GM that can help get them back in the Playoff Hunt. Ever since the movie The Rocket Montreal has become my favorite Canadian Team.

[wingslogo19 281]

Glad that Nill is staying

[VM1138 1,921]

Glad that Nill is staying

Me, too. He's been a prominent part of the Wings success over the years. But I concur with previous posters: No GM should want to start off in Montreal.

[55fan 5,133]

Holland was quoted as saying that he would retire when Lidstrom did. Maybe Jim is just biding his time.

[MabusIncarnate 5,344]

I think Montreal is a potential career ending timebomb for any coach that decides to go there, so many problems going on it's borderline embarassing for the organization. At the risk of getting fired in the midst of the fiasco i'm not sure i'd take the job either.

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

I think Montreal is a potential career ending timebomb for any coach that decides to go there, so many problems going on it's borderline embarassing for the organization. At the risk of getting fired in the midst of the fiasco i'm not sure i'd take the job either.

Darn it, I really wanted Maguire to get the job

[Dabura 12,207]

His wife's battling cancer. Best wishes to the Nills.

Edited April 25, 2012 by Dabura

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Montreal's a s***show right now. Offer the GM job to anyone with an ounce of sense and they'd but their hands up and slowly back up before jumping in their car and speeding away.

[SaCkaveli20 275]

Glad he's sticking around. He's important to this franchise.

Maybe if Holland fails to get Suter, Parise and/or Semin then he can take over

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Glad he's sticking around. He's important to this franchise.

Maybe if Holland fails to get Suter, Parise and/or Semin then he can take over

Lol Semin. People ***** about Franzen being a lazy floater... Semin's twice as absentminded, twice as talented and half as consistent as Frazen (and unlike Franzen up until last year, he doesn't have a history of being dynamite in the playoffs).

Edited April 26, 2012 by Drake_Marcus

[ogreslayer 1,069]

As much as everyone would want Stevie, if Holland hangs them up in the next couple to few years, Nill will be the next GM in Detroit imo. Glad he's sticking around.