Blue Jackets fire GM Kekalainen

[pmorrow]

John Davidson will take over as interim GM

https://twitter.com/BlueJacketsNHL/s...LKXeQ-yGA&s=19

[Axeman33]

I want to say this is a surprise but this has been brewing for a while now so it's really not a surprise. I like Jarmo and he's done some good things there, but success hasn't been one of them. I guess they didnt want Jarmo rolling into the trade deadline as the GM if they dont see him as the answer going forward.

[Mikerosen]

shocked it took this long. not sure who exactly is responsible for all of the mess that org has created, but Jarmo sure seemed to be the one controlling the ship

[2014olympicgold]

This is def to block any issues he can cause because of the deadline, and I wonder how much of it's around listening to offers on Boone Jenner.

Also his handling of the kids being really mad, the Babcock situation...he hasn't had a strong yr.

[ross10019]

I think the good far outweighed by the bad. Jarmo must ultimately be judged by his record, and the record points to a mediocre at best GM. And Davidson also tainted by this long stretch of futility.

[ross10019]

This is def to block any issues he can cause because of the deadline, and I wonder how much of it's around listening to offers on Boone Jenner.

Also his handling of the kids being really mad, the Babcock situation...he hasn't had a strong yr.

Hiring Babs in the first place, with such a young roster and with key pieces (Laine…) being mentally a bit fragile. Monumentally stupid move by him and JD.

But re Jenner, you think the ownership wants to avoid him being traded? Not sure about that but curious what makes you think that. I think he’d be terrific trade bait to get the team back in a good direction (next is hiring a great coach).

[2014olympicgold]

Hiring Babs in the first place, with such a young roster and with key pieces (Laine…) being mentally a bit fragile. Monumentally stupid move by him and JD.

But re Jenner, you think the ownership wants to avoid him being traded? Not sure about that but curious what makes you think that. I think he’d be terrific trade bait to get the team back in a good direction (next is hiring a great coach).

For an ownership group, they might be seeking more stability for fans. They might be thinking naming a captain in 2021, then trading him in 2024 might not look good, especially since he was your draft pick 13yrs ago (2011). He's their all time GP leader when he passed Rick Nash in November too. I'm thinking more like small market team wanting a reason to keep fans coming in.

Nothing more than maybe the Ownership group wanting a different optic to fans than maybe Jarmo had. Maybe it's the opposite too. Maybe Jarmo didn't want to trade him and the ownership group did knowing the writing on the wall with the team.

I'm including Davidson in the ownership group btw.

[ross10019]

For an ownership group, they might be seeking more stability for fans. They might be thinking naming a captain in 2021, then trading him in 2024 might not look good, especially since he was your draft pick 13yrs ago (2011). He's their all time GP leader when he passed Rick Nash in November too. I'm thinking more like small market team wanting a reason to keep fans coming in.

Nothing more than maybe the Ownership group wanting a different optic to fans than maybe Jarmo had. Maybe it's the opposite too. Maybe Jarmo didn't want to trade him and the ownership group did knowing the writing on the wall with the team.

I'm including Davidson in the ownership group btw.

Fair points. I think at this point the fans must be so apoplectic that as long as the trade would bring in great pieces, they’d be in favor. Jenner is certainly heart and soul and obviously a fan favorite and for good reason, but all that ain’t translating into any team success, and that is what the fans crave.

[RizzeeDizzee]

I remember he was seen as a visionary early in his tenure, but he'd been firing blanks for quite some time and a fresh perspective definitely was needed.

[Pengwin7]

Jarmo's tenure with CBJ reminds me of Ken Holland with DET.
There was such a good run... and then it's like he just fell off a cliff with his last year or two of moves.

[random-d]

The Provorov/Severson signings made zero sense. Already had a logjam of similarly inclined dmen. I found Keko to be very hit or miss. He seemed to take step back everytime he took a step forward.

[Pengwin7]

^It's also possible he felt like he was on the hot-seat this offseason... and made a couple big swings knowing that if he didn't push this team into playoff contention - he'd be out.
The cash dropped on Gaudreau in summer 2023 - especially with him not panning out - is super tough. Owner has to be HATING that.
Both D signings have been 'meh', at best, I agree.
Provorov especially - has quantitative BUST value... it cost CBJ their #22 overall.
PHI took Oliver Bonk - who is having an enormous D+1 year with the London Knights (OHL).
PHI is looking really, really keen to come out on top of that.
(And of course, Provorov came with some baggage... errr, garbage, like with a hole, that's letting the stink into the lockerroom and fanbase - for... some...)

Unfortunate for Jarmo (just bad luck) - something I think we'll see - is that Leo Carlsson > Adam Fantilli.
I think everybody saw this coming year as a point when CBJ would FINALLY get the C1 that the organization has NEVER had.

And they missed on the Bedard lottery.
And then Anaheim scooped Carlsson.
And while CBJ has tried Fantilli at C... he's been really really bad there (his overall two-way game).
CBJ finally shifted him off C in the last month or two and gave him some wing time = better.
But that had to be just crushing for the CBJ organization to see a future where they still don't have a superstar C1.

[To be fair, Letterkenny voice, its way, way too early to grade Fantilli as NOT a superstar C1... the offensive game is definitely going to be there... but I heard a few high-end scouts rip on his hockey IQ going into the draft - and from what I've seen, that was an excellent take. He makes a lot of non-awareness mistakes on-ice at the NHL level.]

[Axeman33]

At some point in time, it's time. This just happened to be his time. To be fair, he's probably overdue.

[2014olympicgold]

Apparently Davidson had back surgery and he admitted to not being around the team enough since then and that was partly a reason why it was delayed.

[rataylor22]

Davidson is the real problem in Columbus, so this is nothing more than a fall guy. This move won't really change anything with the organization.