Mike Reilly won't sign with CBJ

[BF3]

For the first part, I never saw anything from him that indicated he ever wanted to be here, but as to the second part i'd imagine you are correct. I would have to guess it was a very slight consideration though. He just never gave of any other vibe to me other than meh at best.

I was shocked that people were shocked he went to the Wild. Hometown, family connections, went to college there, etc...seemed obvious.

I think he gave Columbus more consideration than not, and its a bummer that CBJ basically get nothing out of the deal, but I'm not going to fault him for exercising his rights. Same reason I didn't blame Jarmo for playing hardball with RFA Johansen.

Blame the CBA, not the player.

 

[Mayor Bee]

I was shocked that people were shocked he went to the Wild. Hometown, family connections, went to college there, etc...seemed obvious.

Probably for the same reason that most of us probably know someone in high school who had enormous potential; he goes off to college away from home for one year, transfers back to Ohio State, graduates....then does grad school at Ohio State, then takes the first job that he can get in the Columbus area and never leaves.

Certainly staying close to home has its advantages, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to stay close to home, but there's something to be said for stepping outside of your comfort zone and exploring elsewhere. But the NHL is loaded with guys who left home at 16 or 17, lived elsewhere for several years, then ended up for a while in minor-league cities. For someone to have been away from home for a total of one year by the time he turns 27 (in Reilly's case; he had the year in Penticton, and he'll be a UFA at 27) is extremely unusual.

 

[Viqsi]

Probably for the same reason that most of us probably know someone in high school who had enormous potential; he goes off to college away from home for one year, transfers back to Ohio State, graduates....then does grad school at Ohio State, then takes the first job that he can get in the Columbus area and never leaves.

Certainly staying close to home has its advantages, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to stay close to home, but there's something to be said for stepping outside of your comfort zone and exploring elsewhere. But the NHL is loaded with guys who left home at 16 or 17, lived elsewhere for several years, then ended up for a while in minor-league cities. For someone to have been away from home for a total of one year by the time he turns 27 (in Reilly's case; he had the year in Penticton, and he'll be a UFA at 27) is extremely unusual.

One of my friends in Cincy who's been studying particle physics for, like, forever likens it to Midwestern cities having an high escape velocity. Or, to paraphrase (since I can't find the original):

Cincinnati has an unusually high escape velocity, as it seems do all Midwestern cities. If you head up to Columbus, get on I-70, and drive eastward at a reasonable rate of speed that is unlikely to get you arrested, pretty soon you'll start to curve, you'll start to turn, and suddenly without realizing it you'll find yourself in Kentucky northbound on I71. And then you'll come over the hill and see the city, and you'll think to yourself "meh, this place isn't so bad." And so you'll stay a few years longer, completely forgetting that you'd started off in the direction of the Atlantic Ocean.

I couldn't comment further, as I've lived in Columbus virtually all my life - the exception being when I went to college for two years at BGSU.

 

[cslebn]

One of my friends in Cincy who's been studying particle physics for, like, forever likens it to Midwestern cities having an high escape velocity. Or, to paraphrase (since I can't find the original):



I couldn't comment further, as I've lived in Columbus virtually all my life - the exception being when I went to college for two years at BGSU.

It's really not just the Midwest. I've lived on both ends of this country and in the middle and my experience has been most people just stay rooted. I'd say it's more of any place with a small town mentality; so basically everywhere except the Eastern and Western sea boards minus actual small towns. That and people generally fear change and distance from family.

 

[BF3]

One of my friends in Cincy who's been studying particle physics for, like, forever likens it to Midwestern cities having an high escape velocity. Or, to paraphrase (since I can't find the original):

That's pretty much everywhere, to be honest, at least to a certain extent. The difference is that people in the Midwest realize there is an east and west coast - people on the coasts couldn't find Ohio on a map.

I lived in the Boston area for a while and honest to God some people thought Ohio was north of Boston. Someone thought Outback Steakhouse was a northeast chain.

Then again, New England may be the most insular place on the planet.

 

[Viqsi]

I lived in the Boston area for a while and honest to God some people thought Ohio was north of Boston.

Oy. Then they chat with friends up north and are told "no, no, Ohio's in the sun belt"?

 

[The Wheelchair]

I wouldn't be so quick to judge. I'm from Baltimore and when I moved to Ohio I got a lot of "so... is that near Georgia?" (no. no it is not)

 

[Mayor Bee]

I wouldn't be so quick to judge. I'm from Baltimore and when I moved to Ohio I got a lot of "so... is that near Georgia?" (no. no it is not)

Judging from the avatar, I would have guessed you were from the land of Sweet Cuppin' Cakes.

 

[Bobcat110]

Comment From 17Dubi17
Porty, Several guys tweeted that they weren't happy with Reilly not signing with CBJ, to put it lightly. Did these guys know him well and expect him to sign with us, and felt betrayed? Or were they just sending a message that if you don't want us, we don't want you?

Portzline:
Yes and yes. Reilly would have met almost every player in the room. You'll remember how the club extended itself toward him, having him here during the Stanley Cup playoffs run. He got to know several players and, it would appear, at least two of them took it personally. What rubbed some guys the wrong way was the spectacle it became. He LeBronned it a little bit. And after four years in the organization, he let the world know that the Blue Jackets were not even a top three choice for him. This was his right, per the CBA. But it could have been handled quicker and with a little more class, IMO.

http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com/content/sections/chat-transcripts/index.html

 

[The Wheelchair]

Judging from the avatar, I would have guessed you were from the land of Sweet Cuppin' Cakes.

And how do you know that Eh! Steve isn't from Maryland also?

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

I'm from Baltimore and when I moved to Ohio I got a lot of "so... is that near Georgia?" (no. no it is not)

I at least knew Ohio was in the United States unlike Georgia but thought it would be found far more Central and South on the map. That was until 2013.

First time I heard about Columbus (and Minnesota) was when I was playing either NHL 2001 or 2000 with my cousins and there were couple new teams in the NHL. Atlanta Trashers was also unexpected. We had studied NHL city locations in school already by second or third grade as part of the geography class, filling in the city name: _____ Flames etc on paper so the discovery had significant importance.

Text-television hadn't really covered the change in depth at that point so it was bit of a surprise to see NHL expand when you thought that would be the one sure thing to remain unchanged. Although my ruler had Hartford Whalers logo on it still...

 

[JacketsDavid]

So...did you feel he was being sincere when he said that he was still considering Columbus after he declared he was going to test UFA market? Personally, I was 99.9% confident that CBJ were out of running once he decided not to sign prior to the end of the season when he was able to burn a year of his ELC. Just dragging it out to be "wooed" doesn't seem mature to me. The CBJ wooing was drafting him, developmental camps over the years, college hockey game visits by CBJ management, CBJ locker room/player visits, and the CBJ offer to burn a year off his ELC. There's no way in my mind he was still thinking of signing with CBJ after season ended and have no idea what other "wooing" he wanted from the CBJ at that point.

However, the CBA did give him the right to sign with whatever team he wanted to. I don't think he's a big loss to us. Just wasn't a fan of his process.

I'm sure he was looking at everything.
In most cases guys are either short sighted or long-sighted. They either want to play right now (and get a chance to win) or they are looking for the best place to be developed long-term.
I'm not so sure the CBJ would be on the top of either list-

How many legit top 4 d-men have we developed in 15 years? Murray is the only hope and he's constantly hurt (to this point). It's not like he can view a system where we constantly churn out quality d-men. We turn out a ton of bottom pairing guys (and guys who play in our 2nd pair because of injuries) but all the others we got from elsewhere.

Also if he wants to play a win right now I think Chicago is a better situation. Against the cap - need a couple d-men without paying top price.

What would draw you to Columbus if you were him?

 

[KeithBWhittington]

I think I realized this team was out of it when all the articles out of Minnesota said he was definitely leaving school, CBJ had 7 games to go or something and he didn't leave school to sign, so, I guess it would have been right after the Frozen Four tourney when Minnesota was bounced.

Here is what Columbus could have offered that I don't expect the other teams would have, right off the bat: he was going to get minutes in Columbus, immediately, and a good deal of them, as well as plenty of rope as evidence by his inclusion on team USA, which, we can say his credentials, but I have to think this was the last chance the CBJ front office saw to "woo" him as he would be playing directly under the CBJ head coach.

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

How many legit top 4 d-men have we developed in 15 years? Murray is the only hope and he's constantly hurt (to this point). It's not like he can view a system where we constantly churn out quality d-men. We turn out a ton of bottom pairing guys (and guys who play in our 2nd pair because of injuries) but all the others we got from elsewhere.

How does Columbus develop any defensemen drafted by them? Even fences of the turnip field would laugh in Finland if someone said that Veeti Vainio or Markus Nutivaara were developed in the CBJ organization.

I would say it's far more about fine-tuning and finding the right fit in the line-up plus perhaps some guidance towards professionalism with NHL organizations.

 

[pete goegan]

Even fences of the turnip field would laugh in Finland if someone said that Veeti Vainio or Markus Nutivaara were developed in the CBJ organization...

Love that image and turn of phrase!

 

[JacketsDavid]

How does Columbus develop any defensemen drafted by them? Even fences of the turnip field would laugh in Finland if someone said that Veeti Vainio or Markus Nutivaara were developed in the CBJ organization.

I would say it's far more about fine-tuning and finding the right fit in the line-up plus perhaps some guidance towards professionalism with NHL organizations.

I guess I don't understand?
In my mind you look at guys drafted by the CBJ and how they turned out - a guy like Klesla. Granted it's different guys running the team now but he was highly regarded (#4 overall) and the CBJ probably brought him up too soon and IDWT wanted him playing too many minutes (again supposedly the reason Dve King got fired).

Guys that are 18-22 years old need developed and many times they get 3-4 years in the minors after being drafted.

I've said all along I don't think Reilly will be a NHL regular next season (again maybe he proves me wrong) so in my mind that means he is getting developed in the minors.

 

[Bobcat110]

I'm sure he was looking at everything.
In most cases guys are either short sighted or long-sighted. They either want to play right now (and get a chance to win) or they are looking for the best place to be developed long-term.
I'm not so sure the CBJ would be on the top of either list-

How many legit top 4 d-men have we developed in 15 years? Murray is the only hope and he's constantly hurt (to this point). It's not like he can view a system where we constantly churn out quality d-men. We turn out a ton of bottom pairing guys (and guys who play in our 2nd pair because of injuries) but all the others we got from elsewhere.

Also if he wants to play a win right now I think Chicago is a better situation. Against the cap - need a couple d-men without paying top price.

What would draw you to Columbus if you were him?

My point had nothing to do with if he should or should not be drawn to Columbus. You make some valid points on why Columbus shouldn't have been at the top of his list. I know he had some additional valid reasons why he wanted to play Wild (hometown team, dad minority owner). I thought it was pretty clear the CBJ weren't on his list when he didn't sign prior to the end of regular season to burn a year off of his ELC.

I don't think it was "experience" that led him to continue telling CBJ that they were still on his list after the season was over. I'm not sure he was being a Diva or Lebroning either. I just thought it was handled a little immaturely. There seemed to be lots of silent treatment with a few scattered disingenuous "yeah..CBJ are on my list" statements going back at least to the Jan 19th game at Minnesota when Rimer interviewed him during one of the intermissions. Even in that game day thread, after that interview, it seemed evident to several poster he had little interest in signing with CBJ. The only reason I could think of on why he strung CBJ along was that he didn't want to completely slam the door on CBJ until he could officially meet with the Wild or find another team to his liking.

 

[pete goegan]

I'm surprised this continues to be an issue and that this thread remains so active.

 

[Bobcat110]

I'm surprised this continues to be an issue and that this thread remains so active.

It was dying off until Dubi restarted it. Settling into the slow season and need something to discuss I guess.

 

[cslebn]

How many legit top 4 d-men have we developed in 15 years? Murray is the only hope and he's constantly hurt (to this point). It's not like he can view a system where we constantly churn out quality d-men. We turn out a ton of bottom pairing guys (and guys who play in our 2nd pair because of injuries) but all the others we got from elsewhere.

Just for some fun, guys we've drafted that could be considered Top 4:

Ryan Murray
Kris Russell (no longer with Team)
Grant Clitsome (no longer with Team)
Marc Methot (still pretty good trade with Foligno)
David Savard
Rusty Klesla

Potential:
Werenski
Carlsson
Heatherington
Collins
Reilly

 

[JacketsDavid]

I did forget Methot. Others I think are arguable (klesla got better after he left is other real good argument). So I stand corrected on that.

 

[Fro]

how was this NOT posted today

 

[Doug19]

I hope his cake was disgusting.

 

[Johansen2Foligno]

how was this NOT posted today

How DARE they!!

 

[Socks]

how was this NOT posted today

He has the kind of face even a pacifist like myself would love to punch.