The Columbus Dispatch: "Five Truths" article - Hedger talks with Jarmo and JD

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Here’s a fact, the longest win streak this year is 2 games. It’s happened twice.

According to Lou Brown, the famous manager of the Cleveland Indians, that's 2 in a row. If we win a 3rd, then it's called a winning streak.

It has happened before.

 

[Cowumbus]

According to Lou Brown, the famous manager of the Cleveland Indians, that's 2 in a row. If we win a 3rd, then it's called a winning streak.

It has happened before.

Winning streak?
Haven’t heard the name in years..

 

[VT]

That’s seven young players with bright futures, and that’s without mentioning the BlueJackets still have Johnny Gaudreau, Werenski, Jenner, Patrik Laine plus a host of others with NHL experience who’ve helped them stay competitive in most games.

I excerpted the above from Monk's post, for emphasis.

As I see this season, and the CBJ's immediate future in general, the problem is not being too young. They have the young horses (7 plus), and those young horses have played well enough to keep CBJ in games, albeit with typical rookie/developing player mistakes. In my estimation, Fantilli is the stud that leads this group to success - he has the talent AND the fire to drag others into the fray.

One of two primary problems this season is that 2 of the 4 above-listed vets (JG/Laine) are WAY underperforming - not by just a little, but by a lot. It's not just the comparison of performance to contract - they just don't bring any intangibles to the table to offset struggling performance. When top-line players like them don't play to their expected level, that affects everyone in so many different ways. Playing poorly is worse than being injured, because there appears to be nothing as far as leadership that Laine or JG can offer this year to offset their meager performance - that just isn't their makeup. So those 2 have been boat anchors for this entire season, even when Laine was healthy. In addition, 3 of the 4 listed vets have missed significant time with injuries and/or placement in the PAP - that hasn't helped the cause either. Not blaming any player for injuries or PAP - but the lack of solid veteran performance because of absence from the lineup certainly has not contributed to being competitive.

The second primary problem this season is that the bulk of the "other" vets, with the exception of perhaps Kuraly and Gudbranson, have not consistently contributed to the CBJ being competitive in games or dragging teammates into the battle. Most of the other vets (Roslovic, Severson, Provorov, Merzlikens, Olivier) have been primarily boat anchors for a variety of reasons and do not appear to be providing the veteran leadership (nor have it in their makeup) in terms of consistent play and vocal leadership. They add nothing. Werenski, when healthy, has been showing signs of big improvement in a number of ways. Jenner, other than the broken jaw, has been Jenner+ - a really good veteran player who scores goals, with the ability to lead by example, on a great contract. The kind of vet playoff teams AND THIS TEAM need. He just needs MORE veteran help, including those with additional leadership skills that fill where he has gaps (i.e. not vocal enough). JK missed on his veteran signings - which is nothing new. When Foligino was captain, there were other vets who were also leaders with different leadership skills (Dubinsky, Jones, Jenner, Cam). Current roster does not have that skillset.

IMO, the biggest reason the CJB has been competitive is primarily because of the efforts, not in spite of the efforts, of the 7 young players (along with Jenner, Werenski, Kuraly (at least his line) and maybe Gudbranson).

So how does that make JD/JK think they have a pass? They signed all of these the underperforming and/or untalented vets (ignoring that a few of those contracts are really bad but that's not really my point).
The young core looks like it could be really good - that makes JK a good scout of young talent but not a good GM.
He's a poor evaluator of veteran pro talent - he doesn't get the correct veterans for the team, nor at the right contract.
I'd love to keep JK as an amateur scout - which will never happen.

This blasted article is just one more stick on this camel's back as far as retaining JK as GM and JD as PHO. I promised myself to be positive ...ok, sigh, Fantilli is back in 8, 7, 6 more weeks.

Laine played 18 games from 50 with 1 for just 7 minutes (injury). Unless I'm referring to HS during the game. He wasn't bad in all of them. So how could he have been an anchor?

I agree, we need more players with leadership skills. There are only Jenner and Gudbranson I think. Provorov was "A" under Torts, but I doubt he is a leader, Kuraly is a 4th line player, it is a question how has influence on players. Maybe Werenski can be him. But nobody from them is not like Dubinsky and Foligno. Fantilli and Sillinger can be but they are still young and Adam is not Steve Yzerman who was him from 18 years.

 

[JacketsDavid]

My 5 truths about the CBJ:

1. JD and Jarmo are not good at selecting head coaches. That is 100% on them. The lack of defensive systems and accountability falls on coaching.
2. JD and Jarmo do not show that they have a long-term plan, instead (much like IDWT) they try to fix the most pressing issue. This year they know the blue line needed improvement and they added 2 good pieces but they needed defensive dmen who could move the puck and instead got more offensive, puck moving dmen. I'm sure next season they will address goaltending.
3. It's not like they suck and are not spending money, no the suck and are spending money.
4. Tis is not verified but I was told Mr Mac is in poor health and not surprisingly not engaged. At least his father cared, I'm not sure if he does. Also hoping his health issue (if true) can be improved.
5. Me (as a fan) have had some frustrating years, but right now I'm happy to sell my individual game season tickets. It's not fun. Very much reminds me when it was obvious that IDWT needed to go.

 

[NotTooWideArena]

I take issue with any analysis that begins with "if you ignore the two long losing streaks ...."

I choose not to ignore them, thank you very much. Those games counted, too. People paid money to go watch those games.

The Jackets are what their record says they are - a lousy team struggling toward mediocrity. Despite all the names and all the high draft choices they're easily among the worst teams in the league. And there are only vague hints of that changing anytime soon.

And I am tired of upper management pretending that it's an acceptable situation.

New leadership is clearly needed. Urgently.

 

[Halfboard]

My 5 truths about the CBJ:

1. JD and Jarmo are not good at selecting head coaches. That is 100% on them. The lack of defensive systems and accountability falls on coaching.
2. JD and Jarmo do not show that they have a long-term plan, instead (much like IDWT) they try to fix the most pressing issue. This year they know the blue line needed improvement and they added 2 good pieces but they needed defensive dmen who could move the puck and instead got more offensive, puck moving dmen. I'm sure next season they will address goaltending.
3. It's not like they suck and are not spending money, no the suck and are spending money.
4. Tis is not verified but I was told Mr Mac is in poor health and not surprisingly not engaged. At least his father cared, I'm not sure if he does. Also hoping his health issue (if true) can be improved.
5. Me (as a fan) have had some frustrating years, but right now I'm happy to sell my individual game season tickets. It's not fun. Very much reminds me when it was obvious that IDWT needed to go.

IDWT?

 

[Jovavic]

IDWT?

In Doug We Trust

 

[Halfboard]

In Doug We Trust

Oh, ok…..right

 

[Forepar]

The way Hedger tries to portray the team's record in a positive light is farcical. But he's broadly correct about everything else.

Fantilli going to the wing is exactly right, there's nothing lost by a center starting his career on the wing, we should have had him on the wing the whole time.

Jiricek in the AHL? Should have been there the whole time.



Duncan Keith made the NHL in his D+4. Lockout or no lockout, it's a solid point in his argument. The guy you're calling an absolute moron has thought this through better than you have.



Relative to our expectations coming into the year, the shortcomings of Gaudreau and Laine have been the biggest problem by far. No doubt.

I'll dispute that Roslovic, Severson, Provorov, Olivier, and Merzlikins have been boat anchors to any extent. Maybe Roslovic lately. But they're all putting up okayish results. Like Merzlikins has a league average save percentage, how is that a boat anchor? Severson is average (gets more crap because he's overpaid), Provorov is average (after starting great). Olivier is getting average results in a depth role.

I would like Elvis, Roslovic, and Provorov to be replaced by better veteran leaders who play a better role in the room. But that's a different argument.

As for the 7 young players - they actually have the best results among our forwards. The three Russians have great goals results (GF%). Sillinger and KJ also above 50%. We'll see how sustainable that is, the xGs are lower, but you see that discrepancy a lot with rush oriented teams. We'll be outshot even if we're a good team, that's just the way Jarmo built it.

But the one exception from that group of young players is the guy you think is leading them. Fantilli. He's been outscored by a country mile. More goals against than anyone else on the team, close to the worst goals against per minute in the league. Absolutely lit up. Which is why giving him less defensive responsibility on the wing is a great move. He can switch back when he's ready to play both ends.

A bit of hyperbole on my part about boat anchors - sorry (truly).

Maybe the more accurate statement would be that these "other" vets have not been positive difference makers.
Primarily from an on-ice performance level but also from off-ice (looking at you, Elvis).

Provorov was ok, maybe even good, early in the season.
His early play raised my expectations - but I'm seeing regression since then, so the recency effect makes me overstate that observation.
I agree that Olivier doesn't deserve to be in that list, one way or the other. My bad - He just doesn't contribute very much.

Fantilli - isn't that poor D analytics typical for a rookie playing 1st/2nd line C? He may have been sheltered early but not once Boone went down. I'm not saying Fantilli has been great defensively - he's got miles to go. But that was the expectation - at least for me. He's shown that he has the skillset and the motor. Now he just needs to learn. I think we agree about him in the big picture, I'm just less harsh about his defense to date.