Pierre McGuire returns to being an NHL executive

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T. Tadi
July 12, 2021 (7:54)

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After serving as a hockey broadcaster for the past almost 25 years, well-known name Pierre McGuire is returning to being a hockey executive. Bruce Garrioch with the Ottawa Sun reports the Ottawa Senators have hired McGuire as the team's Senior Vice President of Player Development.

"He's another piece and he's going to be perfect for everything,» said Sens Owner Eugene Melnyk on Sunday.

"(McGuire) just adds another piece to what is hopefully a Stanley Cup winning team. Our general manager and his group is second to none, our scouting is second to none and we have our coaching in place with a new goalies coach with D.J. and the assistants all lined up."

"I wanted someone that knew as many of the players as possible," said Melnyk. "That's one of the key elements is knowing who you're acquiring. When I say �knowing them' I mean you want to know that player's, family, friends, who he hangs out with, who influenced him and everything possible to know you're getting the right person."

McGuire has worked for the Senators before. In fact, being a scout with Ottawa was the last time the former NHL assistant GM and head coach did anything in the league outside of broadcasting. After being let go in 1996, he was hired as the head coach of the ECHL's Baton Rouge Kingfish. However, he used an out-clause in his contract to become a radio analyst for CJAD, before eventually joining TSN and then NBC in 2006.

With the NHL on NBC ending when the Tamp Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup, many speculated that McGuire would return to TSN or a broadcasting position elsewhere. His name is mentioned as a possibility almost every time there's an NHL team looking for a general manager or another high-ranking executive. This new position with the Ottawa Senators could certainly serve as a stepping stone towards bigger things in the NHL. McGuire served as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as assistant coach, assistant GM and eventually head coach of the Hartford Whalers before his first stint with the Ottawa Senators.