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<h2>One of the first orders of business for Bachul will be to evaluate roster as team moves to trade deadline.</h2>

After an extensive search involving interviews with numerous prospective candidates, the Radnor Rinkrats were able to lure an experienced GM to the fold.

George Bachul signed a five-year contract worth a reported $25-million to join the Rats, who spent high and low looking for a tenured boss.

“I don’t want to smile too much here, but this is like knocking it out of the park; knocking it out of the park for our organization and for our fans,” Team President Phil R Rupp said following the formal news conference. “I’ve known George for so long, going back to our Alberta days. I know how he’s respected as a general manager, that is what other general managers would say when I talked to them about the (hiring) process. George’s name would always come up. Two people’s names would always come up, George Bachul and Lou Lamoriello. They’ve been around for a long time. These are guys that have huge relationships and you need that to try to make hockey deals. It’s tough, but you have to have that relationship and George has it.”

As a general manager over the last 20 years, Bachul has competed for an won many titles in almost every league imaginable.

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“When it comes to hiring someone with the experience, credibility and authority to make an immediate impact, which is what we need, nobody else comes close,” Rupp said. “More than that, we didn’t hire George just for what he’s done in the past, we hired him for what he can do right now and in the years ahead.”

The Rats have fallen on tough times of late, currently sitting out of a playoff spot..

“The fans in Radnor are restless, missing the playoffs is not a great way to endear yourself, fans get restless and I understand that,” Bachul said. “I felt that this was a great opportunity for me, personally, and I have great respect for the history of the Radnor Rink Rats and the passion of this fan base.”

Bachul, 51, a native of Kenora ON., has a scouting background after leaving junior hockey in the mid-1980s, He has been a coach, scout and even was briefly in the media. "You can't make any money as a writer." he laughed.

“Being a Western Canadian, I feel like this is a great fit for me,” Bachul said. “When someone told me where Radnor was, I was thinking it was a small market but after being around, you know you have a rabid fan base, you have a hockey market, and there is great opportunity and potential.”

“I don’t know why they’ve been struggling, but it is what it is and it’s my job to figure all that out and try to build an organization where we start to get better and we become elite,” Bachul said. “It’s my job to determine what people on the ice and off the ice I bring in. Then when I get those people, I’m going to listen to them. I step up to a podium and I announce a decision, but all these people behind me, they’re advising me and they’re giving me information to make that decision.”

According to Rupp, Bachul has complete autonomy to make any changes to the organization he deems necessary. Damian Stamm will continue as AGM and senior advisor.

“There are lots of good people here,” Bachul said. “I’m going to talk to some people, I’ve already talked to some people. I’ve talked to Phil lots, I talked to coach Blashill (last) night, I’ve talked to all the coaches. I’m going to talk to the amateur scouts as I go forward and the pro scouts. I’m going to talk to people, I’m going to gather information and probably make some decisions here in the next month in regards to staff.

“I believe in stability I believe in loyalty, I believe in having a plan I believe in sticking to the plan and those are all the things I’m going to do here now and I’m going to decide which people are a part of the plan.”

Having final say on hockey operations was an important component for Bachul in accepting the position. In the past, the Rink Rats have been criticized for too many people in the decision making process.

“They won’t influence me. I’m coming from the outside. I don’t have any relationships with those people,” Bachul said. “Phil has made it very clear that I can do what I have to do. He wants to win, and I don’t think anybody gets into sports and wants to lose, and Phil has tried to win and there have been good hockey people here.

“When looking at the present team there is a base of talent, but you have to supplement that base.  We will draft, develop and put the best possible team together.  It is going to be fun.”

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