The Blue Jackets are expected to make every attempt to keep Davidson, by adding years and dollars to the three-year extension (through 2021-22) he signed last year. But the Rangers will not be outbid in these situations.
But if Davidson leaves the Blue Jackets … where will that leave the Blue Jackets? There would appear to be three options.
Hire from the outside
This seems highly unlikely, as there would appear to be no obvious candidate who could seamlessly take Davidson’s place.
These jobs are typically filled by former players with long, legendary histories within the organization (Cam Neely in Boston) or pre-eminent general managers and executives looking for a new challenge (Brendan Shanahan, who left the league offices to join Toronto).
The only time an organization would hire an “outside voice” to take over their department is if ownership was unhappy with the direction of the club, as the Blue Jackets were in 2012. That’s not the case seven seasons later.
Not every NHL club has that role in their front office, either. Calgary did not replace president of hockey operations Brian Burke when he stepped aside last April nor did Vancouver replace Trevor Linden when he stepped down last July.
When Davidson left the St. Louis Blues for Columbus in 2012, the Blues did not replace him. They simply spread his duties across the front office, mostly to GM Doug Armstrong.
Promote from within
If the Blue Jackets insisted on replacing Davidson, they could elevate Kekalainen from general manager, promote Bill Zito to general manager from assistant general manager and hire a replacement for Zito, perhaps director of player personnel Basil McRae, director of hockey operations Josh Flynn or assistant GM of AHL Cleveland Blake Geoffrion.
Kekalainen, the NHL’s first European-born GM, has spent only seven seasons on the job, though. He’s the league’s eighth-longest tenured GM, but is that enough to ascend to club presidency?
If the Blue Jackets are worried about losing Zito to another club this summer — he reportedly interviewed with expansion Seattle on Wednesday, and has been mentioned with other clubs — this would be a way to keep him.
And if Kekalainen threatens to go to the Rangers along with Davidson in some capacity, this could be a necessary move to keep him. Most around the NHL don’t see it coming to this, however.
Don’t replace Davidson
Across the NHL, this is seen as the most likely choice should Davidson leave for New York.
It might be a reach to say Davidson’s work in Columbus is done, but the job he was hired to do — bring stability and structure to the hockey operations department — has been achieved. Hard to believe, but he’s already been in Columbus one season longer than he spent with the Blues.
In that time, Kekalainen has established himself as one of the most respected GMs in the NHL — willing to swing a big trade and sign a big contract, not afraid of a contract stalemate, and never too good to hit the road and get back to his roots with a scouting trip.
Kekalainen, along with Davidson, signed a three-year extension last fall, keeping him under contract through the 2021-22 season.
If Davidson leaves and nothing else changes, Kekalainen could be in for an extension and perhaps a larger payday. Sources told The Athletic he’s in the bottom half of the league among GM compensation.