It's also interesting to me that we're the only fanbase that has this conversation, built on a premise from two or three GMs ago. I spend a lot of time on other teams' boards and subreddits, reading. No one else frets about rushing prospects and considers a something that was true in 2005 to be cast in stone. Under Jarmo, who is the only relevant GM for Columbus since he's been here for ten years, the only prospect you can truly make the argument for being rushed was Sillinger. Bemstrom and Foudy were probably mishandled during the Covid shutdowns, but they're hardly alone across the league in that respect.I found his piece interesting. The only thing is I don't know the right way to rebuild besides collecting picks and prospects. Arace is talking about development. I'm sure many of us remember the Jackets were criticized for rushing Klesla, Brule, Brassard and many others before they were ready. Often times we heard how Detroit kept their prospects in the AHL until they were almost overripe and how the CBJ would be wise to learn from that.
Now Arace is criticizing because the Jackets are keeping Johnson in the AHL and sending Jiricek up and down.
I remember Arace was front and center criticizing the Jackets for rushing those guys back then.
What's the right way?
I went through drafts from 2014 on (since he was hired right before the 2013 draft I don't really consider it to be his starting point since his scouts weren't in place for a year to plan) the other day for a conversation on capfriendly, and:
2014 - Terrible draft. Milano first rounder, D+1 in juniors, D+2 in AHL, 3 games with CBJ at end of season. Not rushed. Only other draftee to make NHL is Elvis who spent nearly five years in Europe.
2015 - Werenski D+1 NCAA, was not overwhelmed as NHL regular in D+2; Carlsson spend all of D+1 and D+2 in Sweden before getting a handful of games in AHL and NHL after Swedish season ended in D+2; no other picks were ever top prospects and developed on schedule (Kolesar, Stenlund, Nutivaara, Gavrikov)
**special note: Provorov drafted one pick before Werenski, spent D+1 in the WHL, did not miss a single game in his first three NHL seasons and was not overwhelmed, not rushed by Philadelphia
2016 - Dubois spent D+1 in juniors, was 1C in NHL before Christmas in D+2 year on merit; second rounder Peeke spent three full seasons at Notre Dame before splitting his D+4 season between Cleveland and Columbus; rest of draft irrelevant
**special note: Jake Bean was drafted first round this year and was not rushed by the Hurricanes, spending his D+1, D+2, and D+3 in the WHL and then the next two seasons after that in the AHL
2017 - First pick was Texier in second round and he played two full seasons in Liiga before making debut in NHL playoffs in 2019, was not rushed; Second pick Tarasov who is a capable if often injured backup who spent three full seasons in Russia before coming to NA in the Covid season; Bemstrom who I will absolutely agree was mishandled, but even he spent three full seasons in Sweden before coming to NA
2018 - Foudy spends D+1 and D+2 in junior and then the world ended so his development was interrupted and perhaps mishandled; Marchenko spent FIVE full seasons in Russia before coming over
**special note: Boqvist was drafted this year and absolutely rushed... but not by us!
2019 - Only three late draft picks and only one of note was never a top prospect even as he makes noise after finally coming over from Russia this season: Voronkov
2020 - Chinakhov was an overager when drafted and even with Covid still got a full KHL season before coming over and has spent a great deal of time in Cleveland; no other draftees of note
2021 - KJ spent D+1 in NCAA, had a respectable rookie season in the NHL in D+2, and is now properly in the AHL after slumping to start the year; Sillinger was 100% no-doubt-about-it rushed; Ceuelemans is in AHL where he should be; Svozil is in AHL where he should be; no other top prospects although some intriguing late picks who are also all exactly where they should be between junior, AHL, and NCAA
2022 - Jiricek spent d+1 in AHL and earned his NHL spot this season, is not overwhelmed but probably should be in the AHL to work on skating; Mateychuk has spent d+1 and d+2 in juniors where he belongs; LDDB and Dumais are where they belong
2023 - I guess Fantilli should have gone back to Michigan since we're obviously rushing him; Brindley is top three in NCAA goal scoring; everyone else is where they should be