The One You Wish Never Got Away

[Old Guy]

Being an Old Guy, you find yourself less concerned with short term drama and taking a longer view.

Our favorite hockey team is currently faced with losing two players that have helped achieve very good things while wearing the Union Blue. The upcoming drama made me reflect of the players who played here and left, but we hated to see go.

It probably starts when Dougie Mac went cheap on Ray Whitney and he left. And most recently, we sent our "short-handed machine" (aka Matt Calvert) to the Avalanche. In between, we are left to wonder about guys in the CBJ system who left or were dealt away or got run off like Adam McQuiad, Jonathan Marchessault, Artem Anisimov, and Rick Nash.

This thread isn't about the "Good Riddance Guys" (aka Jeff Carter, Adam Foote, etc.). This thread is about the guys who left the CBJ and left a hole in your heart; Guys you wish could have stayed longer; Guys that you watched in other uniforms and left you wondering "why not us".

Who is your "One You Wish Never Got Away"?

Click to read more...

 

[Columbus Jack]

William Karlsson easily for me. Sure there may have been better players out there but Karlsson was always a good player, great attitude and amazing PKer. Then he goes and puts up that season in Vegas...

 

[Viqsi]

Derick Brassard.

See also: why I hesitate to dump Wenmberg.

 

[EspenK]

JAM
Karlsson

although I'm not sure they would have had the success they now do.

Edit: Based on comment below Jake also.

From the draft pools Anze Kopitar; from 2003 a ton including Shea Weber in rd 2 and about 15 guys in rd 1.

 

[wahsnairb]

When I last lived in Columbus, Voracek was the player who always stood out to me as trying harder than anyone else to win games (then compound that with his success and progress).. would easily be him for me.

Karlsson seemed like he liked playing in Columbus and has been very good too.

 

[GoJackets1]

Whitney and Voracek. Voracek especially hurts considering what came of him and the trade result.

 

[Johansen2Foligno]

Artemi Panarin

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Voracek
Karlsson (although I also love having Anderson, and if we kept Karlsson I am pretty sure Anderson would be on this list too)
Brassard
Marchessault

Artemi Panarin

Future answer for sure.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Hole in my heart?

Manny without question.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Hole in my heart?

Manny without question.

Good one. Sammy Pahlsson was a pretty abysmal replacement.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Good one. Sammy Pahlsson was a pretty abysmal replacement.

I refuse to dignify Pahlsson's tenure here as "Manny replacement."

 

[Sore Loser]

Here's a way back when: Steve Heinze. He was our secondary scoring on our original roster, we traded him at the deadline and seemingly never recovered.

After that, Ray Whitney for sure. Aside from Panarin, he may have been the best puck handler/playmaker we ever had. Plus he came up through Spokane, and is the only player with his Jersey in the rafters here. Could he have done the same in Columbus? We can only imagine.

 

[Halfboard]

Nikolai Zherdev.............the original Z

Exciting, frustrating, crazy, all wrapped up in a toe drag...................

 

[Derby]

Jake, and it’s not even close.
I loved his enthusiasm. My favorite players are those who look like they are having fun while they play (looking at you Bread)!
Also, We could have used Jake’s production these last 6 or so years. Though, honestly, I think living and working out with Jagr is what really helped Jake make that next step in his career, particularly in training and work ethic. Not sure who here at the time of the trade could have made a similar impact on his development. Jagr was his boyhood idol. Living with him for over a year helped instill what it means to “be a pro.”
My two cents.

 

[KJ Dangler]

William Karlsson, followed closely by Voracek

 

[Monk]

Agree with a lot of these so I'll add a new name for whom the wound is still fresh: Matt Calvert.

 

[hardkorejackets]

Mine will be more recent... I watched hockey on FS Ohio when I was a little kid and the Jackets were new... But, I wasn't from Columbus, Ohio... I grew up near the Indiana border where football was king. My dad finally became a Jackets fan in 2008, because a guy at our local gym was a hockey fan and put them on at the gym when we would run there. My dad had a friend bring him to a game, and he was hooked. But, I didn't actually learn about some of the players on the team until I was in college in 2009, 2010. But, they were just names to me. They didn't actually mean anything to me until 2011. 2013 was when I finally became a big fan...

But, mine are...
Matt Calvert- Remember hearing of his hat-trick back in 2011. Matt Calvert was the first hockey jersey that my parents bought for me as well (eventually getting my wife and I into collecting hockey jerseys). Got to meet Matt Calvert in 2011 with my dad as well at the draft party. Of course his play sticks out to everyone as well. But, Matt was probably my first favorite hockey player.

William Karlsson- Ok, y'all. I know I'm jumping on the party as well. But, it's for different reasons... Y'all remember him as a player included on the Wisniewski trade to ANA... Anyways he sucked in the AHL for us, but he scored 2 points in 3 NHL games when placed on the "Kid line" with Wennberg-Hartnell-Dano... Anyways, he had the number 20. I got on Meigray and bought a game issued jersey of his for 225 dollars. Don't mind if I do for that price of a young player with potential to be an NHL'er. Anyways, he has to switch to the number 25 with Saad. Pissed me off right then and there that he would have to switch numbers. Has a strong pre-season camp and makes the NHL roster that next season. Brought my jersey to have him sign it anyways. But, he was still one of my favorites here, mainly because of his humor on social media, collecting his jersey, and his decent play. Of course, him scoring 93 points in the NHL last season adds more to my story. Felt like, I had found my calling as an NHL scout . Also, not too many people have a William Karlsson, CBJ #25 jersey

 

[18136]

Derek MacKenzie. Was always able to bring the energy when needed.

 

[The Jones Zone]

Artemi Panarin

 

[blahblah]

Hands down, Whitney. Not even close.

 

[MoeBartoli]

The trade of Zherdev - while he ultimately imploded, I loved him when he was here.

The original failure to resign Letetsu - one of my all-time favorite Jackets.....though never a star, he was versatile, a good teammate and someone I really enjoyed in the same way many liked DMac.

The soon to be gone Breadman - my gosh, it was great while it lasted.

 

[Fro]

Carts ...

*ducks*

 

[koteka]

Voracek is the easy answer.

Calvert was my favorite Jacket for years. I was sad to see him go, but it was probably time for him to move on, and we got his best years from him. I hope he comes back to Columbus when he retires.

 

[WannabeFinn]

Derek Dorsett and Derek MacKenzie

My heart breaks for Dereks

 

[NotWendell]

Anže Kopitar - But hey, Doug MacLean thought he was soooo much smarter than our scouts and picked Gilbert Brule instead.
On the active roster, it starts with not resigning Ray Whitney because he wanted an extra year. Then trading away Jacob Voracek.