Is it just me or are the tense negotiations mostly a Jarmo thing? IMO, Jarmo is done and should not be permitted to make any signficant roster decisions, as this is not his team in the future.
My post is not intended to be critical of your post. Just that your post highlights for me this point: MOST players (with a few exceptions) should fit a certain salary slot (tight range) that is set by comps across the NHL. It isn't always easy, but Jarmo seems to make it harder than it is with most RFAs, partly because he overpays certain vets without much negotiation (e.g. Laine, Gudbranson (although I like Guddy the player for the intended role, just don't like the contract), etc. It's almost as if Jarmo feels compelled to use the "hammer" when he has it, because he is so generous when he doesn't have the hammer. And to "broadcast" that concept through the media is just dumb-founding.
But I don't want to focus on perceived bad contracts -- that isn't my primary point here. My focus is on bad negotiations with RFAs, which seem to backfire on this club. Professional, quiet, off-the-radar negotiations are the norm for the top-tier teams. Good Lord, Boston's players historically have convinced themselves AS A GROUP to take lower than market salaries in order to stay together and give themselves a better shot at the Cup. They do it mostly without fanfare and a contract gets announced as if a matter-of-fact when complete. JK gives out contracts to vets here in excess of what Pasta, Marchand, etc. receive. I had and have no issue with many of JK's decisions as to Bobrovksy (although not an RFA), Anderson, etc. Just do it quietly and not in the media. You win on the ice in this industry, not on paper, not at the draft table, and not in the boardroom.
Perhaps McConell is discrete with his connections.
Hitchcock's most recent contribution was pushing for the Jackets to hire Babcock.
We have so many RFAs richly rewarded, that all this "hammer" talk feels like ancient history.
Don't know that Jarmo's use of the "hammer" is ancient history; it was a hot topic during the offseason leading into 2021-22, so just two years ago.
But I didn't write that last post well, at all - got off track. MM, you make a good point there.
I am frustrated and tired. Had a long post drafted, have erased it before posting.
The short version: I have
lost and and all confidence in the FO to take any further action - about anything.
I don't believe Jarmo has any true vision for the CBJ, its culture or play style. He's too busy winning trades and outsmarting the drafters to put together a roster. I'm glad Fantilli dropped to us - it took the draft decision out of Jarmo's hands.
Jarmo's too Finnish with the stoic "head down - helmet on" approach to recognize that he doesn't have a TEAM of players. He has assembled parts - some very good parts, but to different models of cars. In Jarmo's world, they all should just put their helmet on and play hard and it will all be ok. That might work for one or two players - but it doesn't work for an entire roster. It doesn't work with playing a Justin Danforth on your 1st line with Fantilli & JG (Danforth is a really good 3rd/4th line player). It doesn't work to have creative players turtling on defense and never having possession of the puck.
I heard Jarmo say at the outset of the season that he wanted "Blue Jacket players" - I don't think he has any clue what that means anymore. I sure don't.
The Foligno/Dubinsky/Savard, et al., days are gone - I think that's the type of core Jarmo meant. But that core was supplemented with some star power that was relentless, fearless and/or hated to lose (Panarin, Werenski, Bobrovsky, et al). The current star power is neither physically nor mentally strong. Too easily injured, pushed off pucks, pushed off their games and as a result hold back the development of their linemates.
I want the GM to ask - What is this current version of the CBJ supposed to be? They don't know who the F... they are. If it's "hard to play against, forechecking, physical,..." then why the stream of long-term signings of Laine, JG, Severson (this gets me the most) and why draft KJ? If it's to be the talented, win on the rush, defense be damned approach, then why are you drafting a Sillinger and Voronkov (who I like very much as players), signing Gudbranson, Olivier and turtling in the D-zone. I can sit back and objectively find merit in each of those players individually, But you pick your vision (or poison as the case may be), whatever it is, then draft, sign and coach to that chosen vision. You are not a threat to win the SC with this lineup. You weren't much of a threat to even scare making the playoffs. I don't know if the JG availability as a free agent screwed up the vision/process, but it is screwed up. Did the JG signing affect this team's view of extending Laine and signing others to longer term deals?
IMO, this roster looks nothing more than reactionary managing, no advance future-season planning or roster construct, instead attempting to make the playoffs too early instead of developing a team. JK reacted to try to save his job by attempting to get competitive this season. He got parts, but they don't fit together. They are 8-9 games under .500 in the 3-pont game NHL at Christmas -that's not recoverable. Not sure what ownership's (or our) expectations were, but the Babcock fiasco gave Jarmo zero rope. So he's done here.
And with Jarmo being dead man walking, I am most fearful that the direction (or lack thereof) of this club is not recoverable for a far longer time than this season or next unless you cut the cord now. CBJ needs a complete re-set, with the first order of business being "who the hell are we and how do we want to play hockey?" You need a GM to do that - your coach is trying to win games, as it should be. But once those two existential questions are answered, then determine which players fit the answers - not the other way around. When a player doesn't fit, you move them...period, for the best you can get right then. Not 50 games later, not next year, not 2 years when the rebuild is finished. Ill-fitting pieces are damning this team to under-develop its young studs. They have 6-8-10 young players who I think are the right answers, as are a few of the vets. But so many parts cannot play together because they don't play the same style of hockey, they don't think the game the same way. Or they just can't find their games due to long-term injury, age or some other factor. So instead of a vision, we have lineblender in place to try to help the Laines and JGs find their games - when those veterans should be helping the pups develop their games.
Oh there is some growth/maturation of the young kids, especially the Russian line, on display, but it seems such growth is IN SPITE OF, not because of the FO or coaching. Maybe that's why the Russian line's progress is so jarring - they can play together without blinking, in juxtaposition to Laine who can't handle the puck when he is healthy. Or to JG who can't seem to stop turning the puck over. Fantilli is getting to that point more quickly than I anticipated. But put most of our other forwards on a line with 2 of the Russians and that line would likely sink too. IMO, this roster is that screwed up.
So I don't want Jarmo making one more decision for this franchise. Not one, not the smallest or least significant decision. And yet everyday doing nothing (or something) is a decision - not moving on an offer for Laine pre-injury (if one was made), not moving one of the goalies, etc. - everyone of those non-decisions has ripple effects that we don't see yet. So go get a new GM whose long-success is the bar, whose decisions are built around a long-term vision not a short-term pipedream. And no, don't consult with Hitch or some other old school contact. That's not what is needed, no offense to Hitch. Go find the young rising star assistant GM in an established winner like Boston or TBL, and pay the money to make that happen now. It's not rocket science; and it can't be worse. If it turns out worse, fire and hire another; how many GMs have most teams had during Jarmo's 10-11 year tenure? Use the next 50 games for that new GM to establish who the CBJ wants to be and to identify who does (and does not) advance that one singular goal. Find out if Vincent can coach to that vision. Vincent's motto of getting better every day works - BUT ONLY IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO BE.
If they wait until this season is over, they not only lose this 50-game re-set period, but then the organization is trying to ask and answer those existential questions at the beginning of next season - when each beginning of a season everyone (understandably) thinks they might catch lightning in a bottle. So we end up wasting another 30-40 games next year. This season is done. Own it and move on. The players will never publicly admit it but they know exactly where they are in the standings and that the playoffs are already out of reach. Stop pretending that the movie Major League is a real thing, pull the band-aid off and move forward with entirely new FO. The players will welcome the fresh air.
I know I will.
Sorry for the rant. Going to take a self-imposed break from posting on the Boards for a few weeks. Tired of feeling negative, tired of reading negative, tired of writing negative. Especially when the kids are actually playing well. Truthfully, don't want to bring Viqsi or anyone else down.....*including me*. And my rants are not going to speed up or slow down the decision-making about Jarmo. So better to take a break.
Oh, and on a cheerier note, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, etc., to all!