Twin Decisions: Wild Name Chuck Fletcher GM; T'Wolves Pick Kahn

New Wild GM Fletcher Reportedly Was Owner's Early Favorite

Penguins Assistant GM CHUCK FLETCHER "has been hired as the Wild's second GM," replacing former GM DOUG RISEBROUGH, according to NHL sources cited by Michael Russo of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. Fletcher, the son of longtime NHL exec CLIFF FLETCHER, will be introduced at a news conference at 4:00pm CT Friday. It "appears from the very early going that" Wild Owner CRAIG LEIPOLD wanted Fletcher, though the team also interviewed Assistant GM TOM LYNN, TSN and NBC analyst PIERRE MCGUIRE, former NHL coach and GM PAT QUINN, Ducks Senior VP/Hockey Operations DAVE MCNAB and Predators Assistant GM PAUL FENTON and Dir of Hockey Operations MIKE SANTOS. Fletcher will have "two critical chores on his plate immediately -- hiring a coach and trying to re-sign" RW MARIAN GABORIK with free agency "fast approaching July 1" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/22). In St. Paul, John Shipley notes Fletcher was "considered the front-runner, if only because he likely will give Minnesota a completely different look" than the club had under Risebrough. The timing of the announcement also "could indicate a sense of urgency to hire a coach." Shipley notes the other "top candidates ... figure to land jobs soon" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 5/22). YAHOO SPORTS' Greg Wyshynski wrote the Fletcher hiring is a "smart, well-received choice, ... even if we're deprived of Pierre McGuire with his hand on the button at the trade deadline" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/21).

T'Wolves Name David Kahn President Of Basketball Operations

LONG SEARCH OVER: In Minneapolis, Jerry Zgoda cites sources as indicating that the T'Wolves will name former Pacers GM DAVID KAHN to the newly-created post of President of Basketball Operations at a 12:00pm CT news conference Friday. Kahn, a former Portland Oregonian columnist and attorney, "last worked full time in the NBA in 2002." He spent nine years with the Pacers, many as former Pacers President & CEO DONNIE WALSH's "top aide." Sources indicated that Kahn will "receive a bump in title and a $1[M] salary." Kahn also "will not be required to retain" former VP/Basketball Operations KEVIN MCHALE as coach or "any front-office executive," including GM JIM STACK and Assistant GM FRED HOIBERG (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/22). In St. Paul, Tom Powers notes among the things Kahn "brings to the table" are "business savvy, a close relationship with commissioner DAVID STERN, an abundance of connections from his days with the Pacers and in the [NBDL], and experience in virtually every level of basketball operations." Powers: "I'll bet this turns out to be a good hire" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 5/22). The PIONEER PRESS' Charley Walters writes the "scouting report" on Kahn is that he is "impersonal, very smart and a salary cap whiz." And Stern is a "big booster" of Kahn (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 5/22).

TALE OF TWO TEAMS: In Minneapolis, Jim Souhan writes Leipold in searching for a new Wild GM "interviewed the best up-and-coming GM candidates in the NHL, as well as a few old heads." He "narrowed his search to the most outstanding candidates, and finally chose Fletcher." Meanwhile, T'Wolves Owner GLEN TAYLOR in his search also "identified the best up-and-coming minds in the league," but three of them "pulled out of consideration after either getting a good look at the Wolves' dysfunction, or using the Wolves to extract a better deal from their current employers." Kahn is "expected to be given full authority to make decisions," but those who have "watched Taylor over the past five years will believe that when we see it." However, there are "no such worries about" the Wild, as Leipold "culminated an impressive search with an impressive hire" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/22). Also in Minneapolis, Sid Hartman writes the one surprise in both teams introducing the new execs today is that they "won't announce the hirings at the exact same time, since they're forever competing by having games on the same nights, forcing the local fans to choose between a hockey or basketball game" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/22).