Kekalainen a good GM?

[Beukeboom Fan]

But still i don't see PLD crowing to that 60pts man. I think his sailing is something like 20-30 pts. If team is really that trash it ca cost harms in his improve

Before that development Pulju will probably drop these 20-40 pts season what i think is best what PLD can do at his prime.

So you're ripping on JK based on how two 18 YO's will look in the NHL in 3-4 years? HF is gonna HF!

 

[slikki]

So you're ripping on JK based on how two 18 YO's will look in the NHL in 3-4 years? HF is gonna HF!

You know he is just another pulju fanboy with no actual awereness about other players. Dont bother answer him.

 

[RandV]

Sounds like Jarmo is actually something that Jim Benning was supposed to be.

Strikes me as a guy that's been judged on results rather than method, with people being impatient over how long it can take to build a team and lacking the 'rebuild' credit of getting a big lotto win. But ignoring the results and looking at the actual moves made and direction of the team I don't really see anywhere to fault him. He get's a lot of flak for the Clarkson trade, but that's a situation where you're dominated by a much larger fanbase and people don't actually look at the finer details from Columbus' perspective.

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

Threads like these make me laugh. 2 months ago people were bashing on him calling him one of the worst GMs in the league.

John Davidson & Jarmo Kekalainen are responsible for this team: they have gotten dumped on they now get the credit. Adding Saad, drafting Wennberg, Werenski, Anderson, Nuttivaara, trading for Hartnell, getting Bill Karlsson for Wiznewski, Sedlak, Bjorskstrand but the biggest thing of all:

Trading Ryan Johansen for Seth Jones: our defense

Werenski Jones
Johnson Savard
Nuttivaara Murray

Prout Harrington Heatherington Carlsson Gavrikov Vainio, Kukan

Sorry one more thing: major kudos for being the GM to identify and coax Sammy Gagner into playing 1 year for 650K. Obviously no one including Jarmo could have foreseen just how good of a move this would be, but obviously he is the one to get it done. Sam Gagner has quickly turned into a fan favorite, making us wonder what the **** was wrong with FO in Edmonton and Philly. just kidding of course?

We have a seriously young talented Dcore.. & we are loving it!!

 

[KaseMeOutside]

I don't know if he is but the Seth Jones trade was big, because it finally established an identity of how the team was going to be built going forward.

 

[Rufus]

Threads like these make me laugh. 2 months ago people were bashing on him calling him one of the worst GMs in the league.

Amazing what a good season will do for a person

 

[Bluesguru]

I thought he was way over his head when he hired Tortorella, but you can't argue with results

I wouldn't be surprised if Torts was John Davidson's choice. In fact I'll bet it was.

Not knocking Jarmo, in fact I wished we promoted him instead of going with Doug Armstrong who is on course of destroying the Blues. But I'm sure JD is going to call some shots where he can and I wouldn't be surprised if that was his call.

 

[Mikos87]

I wouldn't be surprised if Torts was John Davidson's choice. In fact I'll bet it was.

Not knocking Jarmo, in fact I wished we promoted him instead of going with Doug Armstrong who is on course of destroying the Blues. But I'm sure JD is going to call some shots where he can and I wouldn't be surprised if that was his call.

They're close from Tort's day's as an assistant in NY way back when.

 

[Bluesguru]

They're close from Tort's day's as an assistant in NY way back when.

Thanks, that kind of confirms my hunch. Much appreciated!

 

[Volica]

He's done well considering people wanted his head not even a year ago. Intelligent hockey guys should be the norm for teams running teams IMO.

You don't want to go too hockey with little brain (Sakic/Benning) or too smart (Chayka) with little to no hockey.

 

[major major]

I wouldn't be surprised if Torts was John Davidson's choice. In fact I'll bet it was.

Not knocking Jarmo, in fact I wished we promoted him instead of going with Doug Armstrong who is on course of destroying the Blues. But I'm sure JD is going to call some shots where he can and I wouldn't be surprised if that was his call.

Torts was originally JD's idea. That was reported at the time.

 

[major major]

I don't know if he is but the Seth Jones trade was big, because it finally established an identity of how the team was going to be built going forward.

There has been periodic drama with young Jackets for years. Brassard and Hitchcock fought, and they fired Hitch. When JD came in he set the tone. There were a lot of battles with Joey not being a professional, and finally they just cut out the drama by moving him for Jones. Solved the D problem and the professionalism problem in one move.

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

I think he's okay. I appreciate how active hes been when it comes to making roster moves. He's never been content with just saying some young guy from the draft will bail the team out or develop into a stud.

Correct me if im wrong (Iim not one hundred percent sure how long Kekalainen has been gm) but Columbus has seen a lot of turnover since the nash days. I think some gms would have a lot of trouble stomaching the trades he's made and would rather stick to the players they know and the status quo

 

[Columbus Jack]

I adore he kvetching and excuses people make as to why Kek isnt a great GM. Ohhh CBJ will come falling back to earth, ohhh it was Torts, Karlsson is a tweener 4th liner, do you even watch Columbus? Karlsson has been one our most consistent players when it comes to shutting down players and creating energy. My favorite, he took PLd over pulujaarvi, the dude who is getting rushed in EDM and probably will bust but hey still remains to be seen. Check back in 4 years.

Bottom line: CBJ went from one of the worst to one of the best, this year is already a win, stats dont lie

 

[dss97]

You realize PLD isn't eligible to play in the AHL right? He has played on a garbage team in a garbage league and he is in the process of learning a new position still. He's not even played a total of a season at C yet. Mean while Puljujarvi is playing with the likes of McDavid and Draisaitl and isn't really that impressive. This draft will not be able to be judged for 5 years still. When PLD is 22 we can see if it was a mistake

No he doesn't.

 

[Finnpin]

He has done few bad trades/signings and also good ones. Like all GMs in their position. It's not easy. But I said his moves have been more better than bad so far. When he started the job, the approach was brick by brick turning the CBJ to a winner. Looks good now.

Last season was last season but he still believed in Tortorella. Many wouldn't have...

 

[Semantics]

He's dumb, so no he's not a good GM. Reminds me of when Nonis lucked into making the playoffs that one year. CBJ fans are unwitting victims of thi year in that Kek and Torts will be kept on for several more years until they ruin the progress they've been lucky to make.

 

[psycho_dad*]

He's dumb, so no he's not a good GM. Reminds me of when Nonis lucked into making the playoffs that one year. CBJ fans are unwitting victims of thi year in that Kek and Torts will be kept on for several more years until they ruin the progress they've been lucky to make.

Why is he dumb? I mean, sure I agree that his 3rd overall pick seemed pretty dumb and likely will be a dumb choice in the long run, but he has made more great moves than dumb moves. In the senators, certainly in Blues and now look at how the team is doing in Columbus. If there is a "re-build" GM in this league, his resume is pretty damn good.

We can always disagree with some of his decisions, but the only thing that really matters is results and you can't argue with him there. Results are pretty damn good.

There is that chance that we are wrong about Puljujarvi/PLD and he gets that one right too. Time will tell.

 

[major major]

He's dumb, so no he's not a good GM. Reminds me of when Nonis lucked into making the playoffs that one year. CBJ fans are unwitting victims of thi year in that Kek and Torts will be kept on for several more years until they ruin the progress they've been lucky to make.

Oh yes, that time when Nonis assembled a core of young stars.

This Jarmo guy sure has been lucky given that he's so dumb - Hossa, Havlat, Tarasenko, Werenski, etc...

 

[Monk]

No he doesn't.

Good point, he's not playing much at all these days.

 

[dss97]

Good point, he's not playing much at all these days.

Cause he's 18 and learning the North American game.

Still a much better player than sub PPG junior player Dubois.

 

[TheMule93]

Praise Kek