http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8941899/scott-howson-fired-general-manager-columbus-blue-jackets

Should have been done about nine months ago.

It's funny. Watching the game live last night, it was the best they skated all year. Maybe since last December.

It's a good move, but it's very strange timing. Typical CBJ though...hard to figure out.

Sounds like they will announce new GM within next 24-48 hours. Interesting timing indeed, but had to be done.

Can we fire Mason

Cat Food Flambe';1388107 wrote:http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/8941899/scott-howson-fired-general-manager-columbus-blue-jackets

Should have been done about nine months ago.

9 months? Try two years ago.

sportchampps;1388157 wrote:Can we fire Mason

I'll defend Mason this year. He hasn't been bad. First few games, the defense left him out to dry. And you can't expect Mason to rack up wins when the team can only put up 1 or 2 goals a night on offense.

Yes, he's been bad the last few years, but this year, not so much. Blame Howson for him still being here. He's the one that three a big extension at him after his Calder season.

Next GM will be Jarmo Kekäläinen, per TSN: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=415849

He'll be the NHL's first European GM.

He was assistant GM and director of amateur scouting under Davidson in St. Louis from 2002-2010. Prior to that he was with the Sens, from 1999-2001, and helped them to draft Marian Hossa, Martin Havlat and Ray Emery.

Without knowing too much about him, I'd say it looks like a solid move, particularly with a deep draft on the horizon where the Jackets have 3 first rounders. It will be a day that shapes the future of the franchise and this guy seems to have a track record of not screwing it up.

Official now: http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=655430&navid=DL|CBJ|home

Who actually gives a fuck about the NHL let alone the bluejackets?

/tedsheckler

like_that;1388314 wrote:Who actually gives a fuck about the NHL let alone the bluejackets?

/tedsheckler

Hockey is for homos




/tedsheckler

Had to laugh...CBJs fire another guy because of their crappy record. Based upon that mentality everyone from CEO to peanut vendor should be let go from this minor-league franchise.

He's part of the reason of their crappy record.

Yeah thats the problem....they will go undefeated now I'm sure.

Reading comprehension, fella.

Part of the problem =/= THE problem

They coulda easily waited until this money-grab of a so-called season is over and went after a big fish rather than settling on Euro-trash left overs.

Tiernan;1388499 wrote:They coulda easily waited until this money-grab of a so-called season is over and went after a big fish rather than settling on Euro-trash left overs.

That would have been the worst possible scenario. Howson should have been gone three days after the end of the last season - and I think Davidson, coming in late, just gave him the benefit of doubt to see if Howson's coach and players could make a go of it. I suspect that Davidson had a mark carved on the wall of where the team had to be at this point (exactly one fourth of the way into the season) in order for Howson to stay. Unfortunately, the season is already in the tank for the Jackets at this point - this set of players just isn't going to be a successful NHL team.

Like Gorocks said, Jackets may have up to three first-round picks in the upcoming draft, and the organization's performance in this area has been spectacularly awful. Howson has continued this tradition, and proved himself incapable of taking measures to overcome this by roster moves and signing. He's driven the team salary through the roof while the record went in the opposite direction - and was spectacularly ham-handed in doing so.

With the organization facing yet another massive rebuilding project, they can not afford another miserable draft the 2013 - Davidson had to find someone who was capable of drafting using something more sophisticated than an Ouija board.

gorocks99;1388209 wrote:Next GM will be Jarmo Kekäläinen, per TSN: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=415849

He'll be the NHL's first European GM.

He was assistant GM and director of amateur scouting under Davidson in St. Louis from 2002-2010. Prior to that he was with the Sens, from 1999-2001, and helped them to draft Marian Hossa, Martin Havlat and Ray Emery.

Without knowing too much about him, I'd say it looks like a solid move, particularly with a deep draft on the horizon where the Jackets have 3 first rounders. It will be a day that shapes the future of the franchise and this guy seems to have a track record of not screwing it up.

I don't even remember the last time the Red Wings had a big name 1st round pick. All their stars were drafted in Round 3 or later, Zetterberg was drafted 210th overall, Datsyuk 171st overall and their farm system is crazy deep with a ton of future good to great players coming up. You don't need high picks, just good ones

Classyposter58;1388893 wrote:I don't even remember the last time the Red Wings had a big name 1st round pick. All their stars were drafted in Round 3 or later, Zetterberg was drafted 210th overall, Datsyuk 171st overall and their farm system is crazy deep with a ton of future good to great players coming up. You don't need high picks, just good ones

Detroit does well at scouting (particularly European scouting) so they are somewhat the exception to the rule. Take the '03 draft for example - 14 first rounders have gone on to be all-stars some time in their careers. The rest of the draft? Eight have gone on to be all stars. Or 2002, 5 first rounders have gone on to be all-stars, 2 from the rest of the draft.

Not saying you can't win with players drafted later - but the guys who go high go high for a reason.

Also (b/c I was curious) the Red Wings biggest 1st rounders in the last 30 years are Kronwall (in 2000), Primeau (in 1990) and a guy by the name of Yzerman (in 1983).

gorocks99;1388948 wrote:Detroit does well at scouting (particularly European scouting) so they are somewhat the exception to the rule. Take the '03 draft for example - 14 first rounders have gone on to be all-stars some time in their careers. The rest of the draft? Eight have gone on to be all stars. Or 2002, 5 first rounders have gone on to be all-stars, 2 from the rest of the draft.

Not saying you can't win with players drafted later - but the guys who go high go high for a reason.

Also (b/c I was curious) the Red Wings biggest 1st rounders in the last 30 years are Kronwall (in 2000), Primeau (in 1990) and a guy by the name of Yzerman (in 1983).

I forgot about Kronwall, but yeah Stevie was the guy that resurrected it all. That's why he supplanted Mr Howe as Hockey Jesus in Detroit