News Article: The Return of John Davidson (Dispatch confirms JD returning as President)

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Most of the stuff you're talking about is outside of any G.M.'s control. He can't control who gets covid and feels homesick and he can't go spending freely in UFA when he is forced to make a giant trade.

I don't think Jarmo has made good decisions this past season. I'm saying your particular gripes are unreasonable.

I think we can agree that it sucks Ryan Murray was worth ever penny if he could stay healthy but Jarmo way overpaid for Nutivaara originally. However it doesn't change the fact the only reason they were moved so suddenly was to fend off an offer sheet.

I also think it is a stretch to say Koivu retired just because he got Covid. He was clearly at the end of his career to begin with and of all the mediocre centers that were available as depth UFA, Jarmo chose to sign a 37 year old who hadn't been productive or healthy for 2 years. It was a gamble that didn't pay off.

I still say Jarmo knew more about PLD than anybody and we'll never find out what really happened.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

The main part of his job is to offer advice to Jarmo, who has full control over personnel. It's an advisory position 99% of the time.

Obviously you need good hockey people who can debate things and figure things out as a group. I don't think we on this board know enough to say if they have the right group for that. It's not like players we can watch. How much do you know about Chris Clark as a hockey mind? Probably the same amount I do.

Well, we know Jarmo loves his Clarkson people. I don't know how much he knows about the hocky business side but he also doesn't have a ton of experience in it. Maybe he'll be good. Zito had been around the business side of hockey for a long time and got a good understanding as an agent.

As far as Chris Clark goes, there isn't much to judge him on. He is GM of the Monsters and they seem to be playing well but this AHL season is worthless with how many players sat on the taxi squad getting very little game time and their roster being filled with some people with no NHL future. He has also served in a player development role since 2012 and our track record in player development is questionable at best.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I still say Jarmo knew more about PLD...

What is it that makes you believe this?

 

[EDM]

The fact that very early on in the off-season, Jarmo started dumping players like Nuti and Murray to fight off a potential offer sheet for PLDouche. This certainly suggests that Jarmo knew that something potentially negative was going on with Douche.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

What is it that makes you believe this?

He apparently never gave a straight answer to the players or Torts why he wanted out and had a deal in place with Jarmo he'd play out the year here and be traded in the offseason until Torts blew it up on the radio.

It seems to be within reason that Jarmo knew more about why he wanted out than anyone else and it was supposed to remain secret between them until someone, my guess is PLD's agent, opened their mouth to Pierre LeBrun. If I'm a GM and a guy insists on being traded, I'm going to want to know why before I trading him.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

He apparently never gave a straight answer to the players or Torts why he wanted out and had a deal in place with Jarmo he'd play out the year here and be traded in the offseason until Torts blew it up on the radio.

It seems to be within reason that Jarmo knew more about why he wanted out than anyone else and it was supposed to remain secret between them until someone, my guess is PLD's agent, opened their mouth to Pierre LeBrun. If I'm a GM and a guy insists on being traded, I'm going to want to know why before I trading him.

But what’s the timetable of all of that? Knowing why he asked out would not necessarily have been information Jarmo had during negotiations. I don’t see how that clearly places the PLD fiasco at Jarmo’s feet.

 

[Jive Pawnbroker]

Thumbs Down on JD returning to Columbus. I'd rather go another direction with a guy who really wants to be here vs. somewhere else if we decide fill that position with a hockey guy again.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

But what’s the timetable of all of that? Knowing why he asked out would not necessarily have been information Jarmo had during negotiations. I don’t see how that clearly places the PLD fiasco at Jarmo’s feet.

I'm not placing it at his feet but everyone at the top of the organization holds some blame if negotiations were happening in good faith all and then something magically happens to make PLD not want to be here and insist to be moved.

I'm still of the opinion there is something about this organization he doesn't like. He claims it wasn't Torts but something about this organization made him decide he didn't want to spend 8 years here only a couple of months after he bought and expensive downtown condo. If something about the organization drove him out, they all carry some blame.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

I'm curious to know how many people who refuse to take JD back because he "left us" still want Nick Foligno back because he accepted a trade to Toronto. It was his choice to accept the trade and he still "left us" too.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Not valid in this case.

Jarmo was asked two years ago if he could handle the extra job duties, and how he would fit them into his schedule. He said the only thing different was that he had to go to board of governors meetings twice a year now. That's it.

I'm not sure if people get how little there is for a PoHO to do if player personnel is handled by the G.M. It's basically a $2m advisor.

Noted for rare agreement. That's exactly what he'd be. A $2m/year sounding board.

The CBJ front office is loaded with personnel. The internal employment in NHL front offices has grown like a government/academic bureaucracy over the years. The suits probably bump into each other in the hallway for lack of room. There are plenty of people already employed by the CBJ to fill the tasks associated with running a hockey team.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I'm curious to know how many people who refuse to take JD back because he "left us" still want Nick Foligno back because he accepted a trade to Toronto. It was his choice to accept the trade and he still "left us" too.

Not a good analogy IMO.

Foligno was on the last year of a deal and he has a chance to play for the Stanley Cup instead of suiting up for today's Titanic Struggle (Reds fans will note reference) vs. the Dead Wings and hitting Muirfield on Sunday. He yielded a first round pick which can be used for Texier's or Chinakhov's third cousin no one has heard of but Jarmo. JD bolted (he did have an "out" in his deal, I know) and took the team's best asset (Panarin) with him.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I'm not placing it at his feet but everyone at the top of the organization holds some blame if negotiations were happening in good faith all and then something magically happens to make PLD not want to be here and insist to be moved.

I'm still of the opinion there is something about this organization he doesn't like. He claims it wasn't Torts but something about this organization made him decide he didn't want to spend 8 years here only a couple of months after he bought and expensive downtown condo. If something about the organization drove him out, they all carry some blame.

So the organization is to blame if a player changes his mind?

 

[CharlotteJacket]

And I mean more than Rick Nash being an on the job trainee.

What does Rick Nash do? What are his responsibilities?

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

So the organization is to blame if a player changes his mind?

Depends what caused him to change his mind.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

What does Rick Nash do? What are his responsibilities?

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Depends what caused him to change his mind.

So there are some circumstances under which you would not hold the organization responsible.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

So there are some circumstances under which you would not hold the organization responsible.

Clearly yes, but I would make judgement on those reasons once they were known. Something happened in a very short time period that made him decide he couldn't handle staying in Columbus. It is certainly within reason there is something about the organization that caused it but we will probably never know.

As I said earlier, I suspect Jarmo knows more than he'll ever let on. I'm not saying he's directly the cause if it or if he was even given an opportunity to address it before it was too late but "something" happened that made PLD flip in a short time to insist he wanted out.

 

[koteka]

I'm curious to know how many people who refuse to take JD back because he "left us" still want Nick Foligno back because he accepted a trade to Toronto. It was his choice to accept the trade and he still "left us" too.

If JD was in the last year of his contract and the CBJ were losing and New York offered us a 1st round pick to get JD out of his contract earlier, I think people would have a more positive view. But he left after the greatest season in franchise history and Panarin went to join him.

I have no ill will toward JD. He left to go back to a franchise that he felt was his home. That is cool. But he made his choice, so I wouldn’t take him back. I’d rather go in a different direction.

If my wife left me for Brad Pitt, I’d understand. But I wouldn’t take her back if he dumped her two years later.

I also don’t think we should bring Foligno back next year. This team need to let someone younger step up and take a leadership position in the locker room. But in a couple of years I’d welcome Foligno back for his final season as a good locker room guy who can play a multitude of positions and fill in as needed.

 

[NotWendell]

If my wife left me for Brad Pitt, I’d understand. But I wouldn’t take her back if he dumped her two years later.

This line made me think.

 

[majormajor]

If my wife left me for Brad Pitt, I’d understand. But I wouldn’t take her back if he dumped her two years later.

I'd welcome her back with a high-five.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I'd welcome her back with a high-five.

Koteka’s wife?

 

[EspenK]

I'd rather see him rejoin Lovin Spoonful.

 

[Jive Pawnbroker]

I'm curious to know how many people who refuse to take JD back because he "left us" still want Nick Foligno back because he accepted a trade to Toronto. It was his choice to accept the trade and he still "left us" too.

Moot point - Foligno isn't coming back. At this stage of his career do you think he wants to go through a rebuild or go chase a Cup? He'd be an idiot to come back. He had a good run here but the Blue Jackets chapter of his career is over and it's time for new leadership in the room.

 

[Iron Balls McGinty]

Moot point - Foligno isn't coming back. At this stage of his career do you think he wants to go through a rebuild or go chase a Cup? He'd be an idiot to come back. He had a good run here but the Blue Jackets chapter of his career is over and it's time for new leadership in the room.

He’s taking his cup run right now. I’m all for bringing him back if the situation is right and for the right role. I think he still has a place on this team but not with a C. As time has gone on since he left I’ve been thinking it is less likely he does come back. Depending on other moves this summer and coaches, maybe he’s no longer the right fit just like Torts.

 

[Jive Pawnbroker]

He’s taking his cup run right now. I’m all for bringing him back if the situation is right and for the right role. I think he still has a place on this team but not with a C. As time has gone on since he left I’ve been thinking it is less likely he does come back. Depending on other moves this summer and coaches, maybe he’s no longer the right fit just like Torts.

So you think returning him but without a C is a good idea? Are you serious? I wouldn't want to be the new captain in that situation; that would be awkward to say the least. That's a recipe for disaster.

I understand what you are saying; with all the youngsters on board there will be room for a veteran presence on the team next year who will not be the captain but I'm just saying that person should not be Nick Foligno. Hopefully that guy will stick around longer than Mikko Koivu did lol.