Item #1: What’s in the water?
The loss of impact players in recent seasons has been absolutely devastating for the Blue Jackets. The only way it could get worse is if the organization doesn’t do everything in its power to figure out what’s gone wrong and take tangible steps to change.
That task is underway.
It started with a heart-to-heart meeting between the Blue Jackets’ leadership core and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen after the season. The overarching complaint appears to be that a detachment has formed between the front office and the dressing room, such that they seem to operate (on good days) as two independent entities, not one force pulling in the same direction.
It has continued since John Davidson was rehired as president of hockey operations. Davidson could be dubbed the Soother in Chief, because he has a calming presence of a favorite uncle. The fans trust him.
“I can’t get into it right now because I don’t want to say we’re going to do something if we’re not right away able to follow through on it,” Davidson told
The Athletic this week. “There are a number of things we’re going to do with the organization to improve the players’ experience and their families’ experience.
“We’re not blind to trying to make it better in all areas. Most people will turn around after they’ve moved along after playing in Columbus and say it’s a great place to play, but we’re going to make it even better.”
This requires a delicate hand because the prime-time players who have departed over the last two offseasons have done so, mostly, under different circumstances. In some cases, it’s never been explained.
“It’s hard to quantify,” Davidson said. “It’s hard to sit here and say we have to change the Columbus Blue Jackets’ reputation, because sometimes the headline is louder than the story, as you know. Sometimes players have every right to go where they want to go. (Alex) Pietrangelo left the Blues (two years) after they won a Cup.
“I don’t feel like I have to sit here and beg people to come to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets. It’s a hell of a city, it’s a very good organization with superb ownership and it’s up to us to roll up our sleeves and build it the way it needs to be built, and make sure we do our best to treat the players and their families the proper way.”
If there were a straight line to draw through all of these situations, the fix would be easy. Or at least easier.
Artemi Panarin wanted to live in New York and play for the Rangers,
Sergei Bobrovsky wanted to be the NHL’s highest-paid goaltender and
Matt Duchene wanted to make country music when he’s not on skates.
Of those three, the Blue Jackets only made a serious attempt to keep Panarin. As for the other two, there are no regrets.
The second wave of losses has been much more damaging, not just to the Blue Jackets’ lineup but to the organization’s perception across the league.
Josh Anderson was miffed with the organization ever since a contention negotiation coming out of his entry-level deal.
Pierre-Luc Dubois has never said why he decided so abruptly that he needed to leave the Blue Jackets. These two sting because they were Blue Jackets’ draft picks.
Seth Jones’ decision to not sign a contract extension with the Blue Jackets this summer — he’s an unrestricted free agent in 2022 — is just the latest blow, but he hasn’t explained his decision, either.
“We’ve found some unique situations,” said Blue Jackets legend Rick Nash, now the club’s director of player development. “It’s tough. But the conversation (about Columbus) needs to change.
“You put a good team together (four straight playoff berths) and you think it would do that, but sometimes it takes more.”
Blue Jackets players had significant input in the hiring of new coach Brad Larsen. They’ve been given a considerable say in the blueprints for the remodeling project in the dressing room, which is currently underway.
The organization last week announced the hiring of former Blue Jackets players Mark Letestu and Derek Dorsett to their player development staff. Not only do they have vast NHL experience with multiple organizations, but they chose to retire in Columbus.
The club’s alumni association, led by former player and current broadcaster Jody Shelley, is planning to be more active and prominent, too. There are roughly 15 former NHL players who call Columbus home, and the Jackets plan to involve them.
It bears watching to see what other changes the Blue Jackets decide to implement, but now is the perfect time for change within the organization. If they don’t fix what’s wrong, only the names will change when the process repeats itself a few years from now.
“One of the big things is to get (back) to winning, and to get to winning you’ve got to do it the right way,” Davidson said. “We’ve talked about this a lot. We’re going to, as an organization, do a lot of things.
“It began before I came back (from the New York Rangers in May). We’ve had a lot of conversations and there are a lot of ideas, which is good. You’re always learning and growing, right?”
