Blue Jackets Fire Jarmo Kekalainen
The Columbus Blue Jackets announced this morning that they’ve relieved Jarmo Kekalainen as general manager. President of Hockey Operations John Davidson and the Blue Jackets hockey operations management team will take over the GM duties until a replacement is found.
Blue Jackets fire general manager Jarmo Kekalainen (NHL.com).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Hired as Blue Jackets GM in 2012, Kekalainen was the NHL’s third longest-serving active GM. Between 2016-17 to 2019-2, the club enjoyed the most successful period in their history under his management. They reached the playoffs in each of those seasons, swept the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning from the opening round of the 2019 postseason and upset the Toronto Maple Leafs in the qualifying round of the COVID bubble 2020 playoffs.
Since then, however, the Blue Jackets have been struggling. They couldn’t convince stars such as Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Seth Jones to re-sign. High-priced acquisitions such as Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine failed to improve the roster. There are also some concerns over the development of promising young players such as David Jiricek, Kent Johnson and Cole Sillinger.
The misguided decision to hire Mike Babcock last July as head coach and his subsequent resignation two months later for violating the players’ privacy prompted speculation that Kekalainen and Davidson would face closer scrutiny this season.
It was inevitable that Kekalainen would be fired. The Blue Jackets are floundering near the bottom of the standings, poised to miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Davidson has kept his job but one has to wonder if he might suffer a similar fate once a full-time replacement for Kekalainen has been found.
Good guy, but the right move.
JD will “retire” at the end of the season.
We have been waiting 24 years for a consistently competitive team year in year out. Worse team in any pro sport in that span. Something has to change. And no it’s not move the team to Canada.
Other questions are how does Davidson keep his job and who the heck is smart enough to turn it around as a GM candidate?
Preferably someone outside the organization for a fresh approach
I’m sure there is a highly respected Assistant GM on another team that is due to take over their own team.
JD stays to at least the deadline to make the TDL trades. If he does good enough, he may save his job.
Should surprise no one. Long overdue
Die hard Jacket’s fan here. Thanks for your service Jarmo but it’s about time. I really think this team is a year or two (and a non-delusional goalie) away from being in the mix.
Lifelong Islanders fan. I feel for you guys. We went thru this circus for over 30+ years post Dynasty. Good Luck and Davidson is not the answer.
Trade Elvis, Jenner, Proverov for a good return.
Move Rozlovic now if possible, Laine in the summer
Buyout Peake
These should be done at a minimum!
JZ
They can probably move Peeke without a buyout
Here’s the problem. You can’t give Elvis away for free with that contract. Roslovic is a way underperformer. Provorov might get you something. A Peake buyout is gonna cost to much. Under no circumstances should Jenner be traded. His contract is very team friendly, he brings it every night, and he personifies what it should be to be a Bluejacket.
One of the tougher jobs in the states being the GM of the CBJ!Why did it take them 12 years to move on! That is an eternity in Pro Sports! Hiring and firing of Babcock was a fiasco! Change should have been made right there! Davidson should go as well! I m sure he signed off on the moves!
Called this firing a month ago
The CBJ have been such a poor team for so long.
It’s they have a number of players to move or that need to be moved,
Elvis the tender @ $5.M will be a tough move as he is not playing well at all
Patrik Laine at $8.7M will be a really tough move also
To name a few,
Not sure I agree that Bobrovsky didn’t want to resign in Columbus. The issue was money, and they didn’t want to give him what he wanted. The other misconception is Josh Anderson wanted out; but really they did not want to give him term (see Montreal). You could substitute Duchesne or Dubois as players who did not want resign
The timing suggests that ownership didn’t want Kekalainen making moves at the deadline.
Reading ….Bruins needs at trade deadline for playoffs …Center..middle 6 scorer..4th line tone setter..physical 3rd pairing Dman..don’t think the middle scorer on wing or Center will happen, names mentioned for Dmen were Jacob Middleton..Nick Seeler ( my choice) ..Ilya Syubushkin…Tone setter..Jordan Greenway & Brandon Duhaime all could be doable if they choose to go in those directions
Wrong spot …
But typical, turn a Bluejackets thread into a bruins or leafs topic
I know except it isn’t leafs fans that bring them up…see below.
Just correcting your facts here Lyle. Defeating the Leafs in an opening round series is expected and never an upset.
Now this ends fun with facts. Enjoy your afternoon hahaha
Since the 2000-2001 season, 1784 games, Columbus has won 756 games. Only Arizona with 754 wins has won less games. Columbus has averaged 16,782 fans per game this year which is 92.5% capacity. The die hard fans have continued to support the team. Hopefully the new GM can start to build a team their fans deserve.
They have some very intriguing pieces in Columbus. Build around the solid young core they have accumulated and you might have something with this squad going forward ✌
This move as long over do. The coach can only do so much, with the players they have.
Blue jackets only have one ufa in Jack Roslovic
Sean Kuraly has two seasons left at $2.5 per might be a little high. I wouldn’t mind Kuraly centering Boston 4th line but his $2.5m is higher then the third line combined ay $2,337,500
Kuraly is worth every penny and maybe more to this team. Another guy that brings it night after night.
Ottawa should take a Run at Bonne Jenner he has 2.5 yrs left at $3.75M
Sens need more leadership and he would be perfect
Offer up youn RD/man Lassi Thomson a good young offencive d/man but he cant quite break the Ottawa line up & A 2nd round pick or a 3rd pick
and UFA winger Dominik Kubalik to make the money work…❓
CBJ Could go after a big Centre… like Flames🔥 UFA Centre Elias Lindholm who will test the Market july 1st to fill the 1st line centre position with his buddy
Johnny Hockey ( Gaudreau ) 🤔
moveing a couple of UFA players could give them about $29,M in Cap space july 1st….
adding a big centre and big d/man could give them a good team, they will also have a top 5 pick and get a very nice scoring forward like
C Cayden Lindstrom
or winger Eiserman or Helenius
or
Lassie Thompson who was put on waivers, claimed by Anaheim, couldn’t stick, reclaimed by Ottawa then sent to the AHL and a 2nd round pick for Boone Jenner, the captain, heart and soul of his team?
Surely you jest??
Trades must benefit both teams or your GM finally ends up fired.
Thinking Dorion and Kekolainen.
Too many umlauts above his name
and his coaching choices suspect.
I think they are getting close and have some very good young talent .
Laine and poor goaltending don’t help