We rarely realize the power that comes from asking for what you want.
When Jake Goldberg was living in Toronto, just out of the Ivey School of Business and Western Law (where he finished at the top of his class), he made a phone call.
Goldberg called the London Knights and let them know that he was available to scout for them in the Greater Toronto Area.
A hop, step, a Memorial Cup championship and a promotion to assistant general manager later, Goldberg is headed to the Arizona Coyotes where he will become their director of hockey operations.
Teamed with general manager John Chayka, Goldberg will help to create one of the youngest brain trusts in sports.
Chayka is 27 years old. So is Goldberg.
You would have to combine them in order to reach the age of just under half of the National Hockey League’s current GMs.
But, just as the sports world is skewing toward the speed and energy that infusions of youth can bring, so is the management side. The speed at which one can analyze and make use of data is key and it is an incredible strength that Goldberg possesses.
His attention to detail is hard to match.
Take those abilities and add them to an engaging and tireless personality and it is very easy to see why the Coyotes were quick to pounce in their latest hire.
Goldberg will handle scouting assignments, roster management, as well as team administration.
Arizona owns one of the youngest rosters in the NHL and they also own the seventh and 23rd overall picks in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
As they begin their search for a new assistant general manager, the Knights have also announced that Ryan Starr will become their director of branding and communications, Chris Drinkwater has been named director of corporate sales and Matt Gergely will take over as director of marketing and game day.
In addition, Paul Dermody has been hired as the team’s new group sales manager. Dermody had previously been a part of the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association as their administrative co-ordinator.
Based on the 366 graduates from the 60 Canadian Hockey League teams, the average number of players coming out of Major Junior hockey should be 6.1 per team. The Knights more than quadrupled that at the start of the 2016-17 season. They had 25 graduates on NHL opening night rosters and others who played games this year. With the additions of Mark Hunter as an assistant general manager in Toronto and Jake Goldberg in Arizona, the Knights are adding to other parts of the NHL world as well.
Notes: It is guaranteed that a former London Knight will win the Stanley Cup this season. A total of five former players are still going in the NHL’s postseason:
Ottawa: Chris Kelly and Marc Methot (Phil Varone is also up practicing with the Senators now that his AHL season is over)
Pittsburgh: Olli Maatta
Nashville: Austin Watson
Anaheim: Corey Perry
Perry, Maatta and Kelly have each won the Stanley Cup once.
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