Confirmed Signing with Link: [CBJ] F Johnny Gaudreau signs with the Blue Jackets (7 years, $9.75M AAV)

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Don't agree. Bjorkstrand is super underrated. Gudbranson could the the worst player in the league. Those two players' negative impact combined negates the positive impact of Gaudreau. If they gained say 5 wins with Gaudreau, they lost 5 with those two.

If Columbus improves, it's because their young guys take steps forward and existing players like Elvis has better season (and maybe Laine stays healthy too).

Gudbranson is a capable bottom pairing defenseman. Far from the worst player un the league.

 

[JohnnyJacket13]

Columbus didn't even get better, dumping Bjorkstrand and adding the anchor Gudbranson negates Gaudreau's impact.

Though some of their younger players will get better and other existing players could have better seasons. But these summer moves were a wash.

File this post under “absolute garbage”

 

[stevo61]

File this post under “absolute garbage”

But he was careful to give himself an out so no matter what happens he can tell himself he was right

 

[absolute garbage]

Gudbranson is a capable bottom pairing defenseman. Far from the worst player un the league.

I know he wasn't quite as bad in Calgary last year, but before that he was arguably the worst player the league. Far from a capable bottom pairing guy. Was almost out of the league.

Bjorkstrand is a very good player, and would've been super important especially since Laine can't seem to stay healthy. They took a huge step forward with Gaudreau, and then two big steps backwards with the other 2 absolute garbage moves.

Could've been a powerhouse team going forward. Now, once the young guys mature and progress, probably just a 'good' team.

 

[Rubi]

Gudbranson is a capable bottom pairing defenseman. Far from the worst player un the league.

Is Columbus paying him $4M for the next four years to play on the 3rd line though? Not likely. I'm sure we'll see him playing 2nd pairing minutes. Maybe the worst 2nd line d-man?

 

[stevo61]

Is Columbus paying him $4M for the next four years to play on the 3rd line though? Not likely. I'm sure we'll see him playing 2nd pairing minutes. Maybe the worst 2nd line d-man?

Larsen is no Torts but hes also not a guy to build his lines based on contracts

 

[gritdash60]

Larsen is no Torts but hes also not a guy to build his lines based on contracts

Go ask Ville Nieminen if Larsen gives a f about your contract or status.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Is Columbus paying him $4M for the next four years to play on the 3rd line though? Not likely. I'm sure we'll see him playing 2nd pairing minutes. Maybe the worst 2nd line d-man?

Im not saying he isnt overpaid

 

[ThirdPeriodTurtle]

Go ask Ville Nieminen if Larsen gives a f about your contract or status.

Curious, what's the connection between Nieminen and Larsen?

 

[CBJx614]

People are really still arguing about Johnny being close to family?

He's literally in the same division as Philly, meaning he'll be home what 4 times/season? That's 4 opportunities for his entire family to come watch him and for him to visit.

Johnny said himself he wanted to be close, but not too close. Close enough for holiday trips but not close enough that your family is over every single day you have a day off.

 

[thebus88]

Go ask Ville Nieminen if Larsen gives a f about your contract or status.

Curious, what's the connection between Nieminen and Larsen?

I am also intrigued….

The real problem is the “relationship” between Larsen and Laine, what Larsen is “allowed” to do or say to “discipline” Laine, and the fact that anything Laine does wrong, the mindset is, “forget it, it was the past”….

 

[Rubi]

People are really still arguing about Johnny being close to family?

He's literally in the same division as Philly, meaning he'll be home what 4 times/season? That's 4 opportunities for his entire family to come watch him and for him to visit.

Johnny said himself he wanted to be close, but not too close. Close enough for holiday trips but not close enough that your family is over every single day you have a day off.

Come on. If Philly could have made the $$ work he would have been playing for them in a heart beat. Don't believe that close but not too close bullshit.

 

[gritdash60]

I am also intrigued….

The real problem is the “relationship” between Larsen and Laine, what Larsen is “allowed” to do or say to “discipline” Laine, and the fact that anything Laine does wrong, the mindset is, “forget it, it was the past”….

The "relationship" about Nieminen and Larsen i know of is what Ville said in a podcast, he was a young cocky player and complained about something. So Larsen picked him up holding his "undergarment" or whatever it's called in english, and it ripped while shouting to him "you are not talking back to anyone here". And Nieminen said "that's when i understood what a guy he is, and never talked back again." That was 98-99 season in Hershey if i remember correctly.

Edit: and this was said in a good way by Nieminen, he always loved players like that. Probably because he was so invested himself as well. I remember another story when a finnish reporter asked him how are they going to play against a "superior opponent" in the playoffs, and Nieminen answered "im gonna skate so f***ing hard that the ice breaks and their stars can't handle the puck."

 

[Eggtimer]

Come on. If Philly could have made the $$ work he would have been playing for them in a heart beat. Don't believe that close but not too close bullshit.

Exactly . He improved that in his interview. He knows that he kinda screwed up somewhat when he turned down Calgary and Philly didn’t / couldn’t move cap to make him an offer. I’m guessing ( yes just a guess / opinion ) that his wife did not want to live in NY metro area or Johnny didn‘t really want to play for a Flyers established rival , so last minute option was Columbus. I would love to know how much and what he and his wifey did to “research” Columbus.
He didn’t know hardly anyone on the team (could not name one C) didn’t know about the awesome training facility they are building , said he has seen Columbus a couple times but didn’t really leave his hotel room….. So more or less looked on Google earth for a few minutes. You would think a couple would at least visit options where they are going to live and raise family…. Have a realtor or someone show you the area and whatever each destination can offer. It sounds very much like they made a choice based off of doing minimal research prior to just in case …

 

[gritdash60]

It's not that shocking to be honest mr. majormajor, like Ville said for the two first years he was called a "p***y commie" who "tries to steal their jobs" the league was a bit different towards europeans then.

Edit: ofc after they proved their value and played hard, they made some lifelong friends, i think it was more of a test than some racist stuff. Anyway we should be proud of the europeans who back then paved the way for so many more, because back in the day it was not easy to go in a NHL teams lockerroom as a european.

 

[majormajor]

Exactly . He improved that in his interview. He knows that he kinda screwed up somewhat when he turned down Calgary and Philly didn’t / couldn’t move cap to make him an offer. I’m guessing ( yes just a guess / opinion ) that his wife did not want to live in NY metro area or Johnny didn‘t really want to play for a Flyers established rival , so last minute option was Columbus. I would love to know how much and what he and his wifey did to “research” Columbus.
He didn’t know hardly anyone on the team (could not name one C) didn’t know about the awesome training facility they are building , said he has seen Columbus a couple times but didn’t really leave his hotel room….. So more or less looked on Google earth for a few minutes. You would think a couple would at least visit options where they are going to live and raise family…. Have a realtor or someone show you the area and whatever each destination can offer. It sounds very much like they made a choice based off of doing minimal research prior to just in case …

You got to love the delicious salty tears from Devils fans. He and his wife are moving to where they want to raise a family and they seem super happy about it.

 

[SteelCityCannon]

He didn’t know hardly anyone on the team

He has a friend on the team from when they were kids...dont understand why that isnt enough for some people.

 

[Viqsi]

Exactly . He improved that in his interview. He knows that he kinda screwed up somewhat when he turned down Calgary and Philly didn’t / couldn’t move cap to make him an offer. I’m guessing ( yes just a guess / opinion ) that his wife did not want to live in NY metro area or Johnny didn‘t really want to play for a Flyers established rival , so last minute option was Columbus. I would love to know how much and what he and his wifey did to “research” Columbus.
He didn’t know hardly anyone on the team (could not name one C) didn’t know about the awesome training facility they are building , said he has seen Columbus a couple times but didn’t really leave his hotel room….. So more or less looked on Google earth for a few minutes. You would think a couple would at least visit options where they are going to live and raise family…. Have a realtor or someone show you the area and whatever each destination can offer. It sounds very much like they made a choice based off of doing minimal research prior to just in case …

You just keep telling yourself what you have to to cope.

 

[CBJx614]

He has a friend on the team from when they were kids...dont understand why that isnt enough for some people.

Because Columbus sucks and we're a Sunbelt team and we know nothing about hockey and don't deserve to have a good team so we should just relocate to Quebec because that'll really grow the game. No FA ever wants to come to Columbus because we aren't NY and we're just a backup plan when things don't work out.

 

[topshelf15]

CLB ,is going to be fun to watch....

 

[gritdash60]

CLB ,is going to be fun to watch....

agreed CUB is such a good team

 

[Rubi]

He has a friend on the team from when they were kids...dont understand why that isnt enough for some people.

I don't think its so incomprehensible.
Who is this friend? Did they like attend elementary grade school together? Or were they high school buddies? Or were they teammates for a year playing peewee hockey? Friend is a pretty ambiguous term (I have people I consider friends but I haven't talked to them in 40 years). Have they even kept in touch over the years?
The same goes for the term kids although when I think kids I think pre puberty.... you got your cute babies, then your adolescent under foot kids, then your annoying know it all teen agers, and then your moronic no nothing adults

 

[Monk]

Come on. If Philly could have made the $$ work he would have been playing for them in a heart beat. Don't believe that close but not too close bullshit.

Uhhh as someone very close in age to JG, I 100% believe the 'close but not too close' thing

That's exactly what I did.

 

[Rubi]

Uhhh as someone very close in age to JG, I 100% believe the 'close but not too close' thing

That's exactly what I did.

I suspect you don't call your Mom every day. Wouldn't surprise me in the least to find out that Johnny does. This guy is REALLY close to his family. ... like if he wasn't married and was playing for Philly, living at home would be a serious option for him.

 

[Monk]

I suspect you don't call your Mom every day. Wouldn't surprise me in the least to find out that Johnny does. This guy is REALLY close to his family. ... like if he wasn't married and was playing for Philly, living at home would be a serious option for him.

??

Yeah I guess if I had no job or wife maybe I'd live at home too at this point.

I do not want any of what y'all are smoking in this thread, making you think way too hard about this.

Also, it's Eric Robinson. Google is easy. He's in the dude's wedding.