The Franchise: The Business of Building Winning Teams

by Craig Custance

The more responsibility you add, the further away you get from doing what you love.

There was a black binder on Lamoriello’s desk and he flipped to a printout in protective plastic that read in typed and underlined all caps: BASIC RULES. Lamoriello said he reads these reminders every day. Do what’s right Have honest, open, timely communication Say what you mean and do what you say Work as a team. There is no “I” in We Respect each Individual Treat others as you would like to be treated Be the best at what you do Have a purpose in every action Do it now! “You know what it does? It keeps you on track,” Lamoriello said. “It’s easy to sometimes get a little soft, a little weak. Or you’re tired. You have to be careful. It’s tough to explain…. It’s easy, you can get worn a little. You have to be careful.”

“It’s a lovefest when everybody gets together. A lot of people haven’t seen each other, you know? It’s the crowd that would show up at a funeral, but they’re pulling the Stanley Cup out of a case and not your body,” McPhee said, and then let out a laugh. “I never understood that, and you have to go through it, I think, to really experience it. I remember driving away from Guelph, going to Toronto the next day, and had this weird feeling in my chest. What’s going on? Geez, at my age, I sort of feel homesick today. I miss all these friends. I miss the family. But for the Stanley Cup, I don’t know if any of that happens where they all come together. That’s been the most meaningful.”