Confirmed with Link: McIlhenny waived (claimed by Toronto): Forsberg recalled

[Nanabijou]

We knew the day would come at some point. And by all accounts, Forsberg has earned the call-up this year.

But, I do feel CMac got the shaft a bit here. He really had seemed to do everything he was asked and had filled his role well until the NYR game. Personally, I would have given him one of the Florida games to redeem himself before making this decision. But, the FO is sending a message that they are not content with just making the playoffs this year.

 

[Hello Johnny]

He stole the LA game, but apart from that I thought he looked as below average as he's been his whole career. Our team defense disguised his shortcomings until Saturday, where he just flat-out let his team down.

 

[LoveCBJ]

So you bring up Forsberg to rot on the bench?

 

[Columbus Jack]

So you bring up Forsberg to rot on the bench?

I think the idea is, we are going to need a back up that Torts can trust, Anton could be the guy as he has looked verrrrry sharp in Cleveland. He's going to be needed.

 

[CBJSlash]

Unless we want Bob playing 65+ games, Torts has to have a back-up he can trust. We didn't.

This is a move to see if we need to acquire an NHL backup for the playoffs.

 

[EdwardG]

Woah. He's really only had one bad outing this year but you can tell Torts doesn't trust him enough to play.

This about sums it up. He's actually been good this year other than the terrible Rags game in limited starts, but Torts for good reason doesn't trust him enough to play him more often. When Bob was hurt last year, CMac was exposed quickly when he started playing regularly. He's a fringe NHL backup goalie, and now that the Jackets are contending they just can't carry him.

I'm sure we'll hear from the board contrarians if Forsberg has a bad outing, but the relevant point is that CMac isn't an adequate backup goalie and the position needs an upgrade from Cleveland or outside. Hopefully Forsberg (or Korp) works out.

 

[CBJ goalie]

In today's 'what have you done for me lately/instant results' world, not truly surprised by this move, but still a little disappointed.

Looking back at the NYR game, the only bad goal was the tying goal - all the others were nice shots/moves/screens.

He played great in the game vs LA, and especially the game vs the Coyotes in early December, which he stole for CBJ.

Anyways, it's inevitable that youth gets a chance, and Forsberg is displaying good numbers on the farm, so he should get a chance.

 

[CharlotteJacket]

Like Mac, but I wouldn't trust him in a playoff game if Bob needed a rest. Wish him well.

I doubt any team plays their backup in the playoffs if the starter is healthy.

 

[Dr. Fire]

So you bring up Forsberg to rot on the bench?

At some point this has to happen.

Forsberg getting lots of starts in Cleveland is great, but it isn't about him, and it isn't about Cleveland. It is about what is best for the big club. Trust me, pretty much every AHL goalie would rather be a back-up in the NHL, then a starter in the A.

I just hope Forsberg is finally ready to make the jump. He hasn't looked good at all in his previous call ups.

 

[CharlotteJacket]

Even if CMac does reasonably well in Cleveland, I doubt he ever see's Columbus again. For all intents and purposes, he was cut today and the only reason he's still in the organization is because of PA rules that require this move.

 

[Shopcat]

CMac had to go to waivers to go anywhere. That was known.

He might need to play a bunch of games to get ready to go down the stretch in Columbus, so if he is going to play 10 games, he might need that opportunity in Cleveland. Therefore waivers. So this is a conditioning move, nothing more.

or....

Saturday night was an acid test to see if he could handle big games in the playoffs, where NYR will be happening....so he may have played his way out of Columbus.

or....

Torts planned to throw away Saturday night with CMac....if we get a point or 2 bonus, and focus on Sunday being a win. So Bob must have to play on Sunday, so Saturday by default goes to CMac because we can't count on the equipment guy or tending coach against the NYR.

or....

All in....go get a guy....there are a bunch on the shelf right now. Look for an immediate trade. AF is here to keep the seat warm Tuesday night. Maybe we will see AF in Miami....

 

[JacketsDavid]

I hope this means going forward that Bob will be more of a normal workload going forward. Biggest concern is if Forsberg is riding the pine 80% of the games. No assuming Torts plays Bob 2/3 of the games going forward I think it's a great move.

Cmac outside of last game has been pretty good, but it was obvious Torts was playing Bob every opportunity he could. Hopefully the coaches and FO have realized we need to keep Bob healthy so backing off his workload is a good start.

 

[squarelaces]

It sounds like starting him against the NYR instead of the Flyers was his big game playoff test and he failed.

Everything made sense bob should have started that game but they wanted to see what they had when it mattered most.

Saturday was Russian Christmas day and Bob's family was in town. Cmac was going to start one of the two anyway. Think we would have beaten the Flyers with him in?

 

[major major]

I've been hoping for another chance for Forsberg for a while. Hopefully he has a better NHL run this year and gives Bob lots of rest.

I don't like that they sent Mac down after only one bad game - sounds like a good way to make your players more nervous, not less. But then again I think it also has somewhat of the opposite effect - I think Torts deliberately threw Mac under the bus to provide cover for the young core, particularly Seth Jones, who is maybe the most important skater to the team.

 

[Doggy]

C-Mac has played relatively well this year but nobody here can honestly say they felt confident or comfortable when he was starting a game.

Before this season everyone said C-Mac was keeping the seat warm for one of the kids and that goalies might get called up or down to give Bobs a break. Well, Torts and the FO played this perfectly...they knew the schedule was favorable through the end of 2016 and that they could ride Bobs most of the time with a spot start or two for C-Mac.

The benefit of letting C-Mac be the idle NHL backup was that they could keep Forsberg and Korpisalo busy in the AHL with lots of PT until 2017 when the schedule gets compacted (didn't someone say we play the last 50 Games in 100 Days).

Well, now that we hit the condensed part of the schedule, C-Mac goes down and the hotter of the two Cleveland goalies gets his audition. Yup...this was planned all along.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Saturday was Russian Christmas day and Bob's family was in town. Cmac was going to start one of the two anyway. Think we would have beaten the Flyers with him in?

Either way, the NYR game meant more in the standings. The flyers are far enough behind in point the loss to them doesn't hurt as much right now when it come to divisional placement.

 

[db2011]

I'm shocked, tbh I thought Mac had a solid season up until the NYR game. The last game I attended (LAK 12/20), he flat out stole for us.

But...


There is no defending his performance Saturday night.

What other factors (roster, contracts, expansion draft, etc) are at work here, I don't fully understand.

I'm seriously appreciative of the hard work and selflessness CMAC has brought to the club, and I wish him the best where ever direction his career takes him in.

This pretty much sums it up for me. Feel for the guy. I remember him having a nice run last year before that freak injury in front of the goal that cost him the rest of the season.

I think it was just last week I said I like Mac for the playoffs, he has moxie

 

[Byrral]

Good luck Curtis. Wish you the best in your next journey.

 

[Jackets16]

I am surprised, not that I disagree with the move.

This is where I am. This is what happens when you are good. Also, we need to see if we have an answer in our system now, so we know I'd we need to make a trade for help later.

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

This is where I am.

I want you right there all the time.

So you bring up Forsberg to rot on the bench?

You live with vipers. You become a viper.

 

[gonz]

Looking back at the NYR game, the only bad goal was the tying goal - all the others were nice shots/moves/screens.

You're very generous in your assessment. How many of those goals were high glove side because he decided to go down? I counted at least two.

The point is, when he started getting leaky, the team lost their confidence in him and that affected everyone. That can't happen unless you're willing to accept that your team will lose more games when your starting goaltender is resting.

 

[Socks]

I didn't get a chance to watch either game over the weekend, but specifically the Rangers game in reference to Mac. He was really this bad? Waiver bad?

I'm not heartbroken, he was never in our long term plans, but dude's a good guy and I wish he, the person, could have made it through the season. Apparently though he, the player, has met his shelf life. Good luck Mac!

 

[punk_o_holic]

This is where I am. This is what happens when you are good. Also, we need to see if we have an answer in our system now, so we know I'd we need to make a trade for help later.

I agree with this. Forsberg played better this year so he got the first chance to be Bob's backup. If he plays well, great. If not, he gets sent down and Korpisalo gets his shot. He plays well then no need for a back up but if he plays poorly then look for Jarmo to go after a back up goalie at or before the trade deadline. If we could read the future and we know Bob stays healthy then I think they would have kept CMAC. But we don't know if Bob will stay healthy during the season/playoff and CMAC wasn't the answer to carry the bulk of the load if Bob goes down.

 

[vertigo1061]

Thank goodness. Question now is if Fors/Korp can be what we need or if we need to look elsewhere before the deadline.

 

[PubOFH]

In today's 'what have you done for me lately/instant results' world, not truly surprised by this move, but still a little disappointed.

Looking back at the NYR game, the only bad goal was the tying goal - all the others were nice shots/moves/screens.

He played great in the game vs LA, and especially the game vs the Coyotes in early December, which he stole for CBJ.

Anyways, it's inevitable that youth gets a chance, and Forsberg is displaying good numbers on the farm, so he should get a chance.

I disagree strongly. He had good looks at all the shots but one. Those need to be stopped. It was obvious that scouting report was go Top Shelf Top Shelf Top Shelf on CMac. They did that. He let 4 go in that Bob would have probably stopped. They were all High. I love CMac but I think he got figured out. Bringing the kids up is important to see if we need to trade for a solid back up or we are ok with the depth we haven. Now Mac will sit in Cleveland and let the other kid carry the load.