Wild's New GM Bill Guerin Sees No Reason Why Team Can't Win Stanley Cup
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- For the second year in a row, the Minnesota Wild have a new general manager. On Thursday, they introduced Bill Guerin at a press conference.
Guerin has a long and accomplished resume both as a player and as an executive, and WCCO's David McCoy reports the Wild were really impressed by that. Guerin played 18 seasons in the NHL; 15 of those teams made the playoffs, and two won the Stanley Cup.
After retiring, he became an executive, and won another two Stanley Cups with the Penguins, where he was assistant general manager the last five years.
Wild owner Craig Leipold said the team is fortunate to have a leader with that kind of pedigree.
"Four Stanley Cups is not an easy thing to do. But all we really care about is his fifth Stanley Cup that he's going to win," Leipold said.
Guerin said there's no reason why he can't win here, too.
"Who wouldn't want this job? There's everything here to win, everything. I've seen it as a player. I've seen it in management, what it takes to build a winner, what it takes to be on a winner. Everything is here. Everything's in place," Guerin said. "I hope my playing experience can help players. I feel like over 18 years and 1200 games or whatever it was, I've seen a lot."
Working in the front office of the Pittsburgh Penguins the last eight years, he said, is where he learned the most important part of running a team.
"This is a relationship business. Like I said, you have to surround yourself with great people. Smart people. People that are willing to work and do the things necessary to be successful," Guerin said.
Guerin was a candidate for the job last year as well, when the Wild ended up hiring Paul Fenton instead. He was fired last month after just one season on the job.