[News] Columbus Blue Jackets hire GM Jarmo Kekalainen

[Saqe]

Originally Posted by vilzeh

They might go for Barkov, (just rumors I've heard) but wouldn't be a shocker because Kekalainen sure knows him well.

Pretty sure they will grab him if he is available. Then again a lot of talent in this years draft pool.

[Tinordi]

Wish we had hired JD and jettisoned that hockey know-nothing in King.

[you got PHANUEFED]

Great hire and now has 3 1st rounders to work with, Thats a nice start.

[Phanuthier]

I'm sure someone would have asked this : who will make the playoffs first, Blue Jackets or Flames?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by you got PHANUEFED

Great hire and now has 3 1st rounders to work with, Thats a nice start.

Everytime stuff like this happens, I always think about how bad it would suck to be the departing GM who now has to watch who the other person takes with the picks. I would think that drafting 3 times in the first round would be extremely fun for a GM (even if the reason why is nothing to be proud of).

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

I'm sure someone would have asked this : who will make the playoffs first, Blue Jackets or Flames?

Flames.

Even with the hire the Blue Jackets have a very, very long way to go before becoming respectable. Sure it's a great hire, but it's not like every pick he makes in June will immediately pay off in dividends for the team. It'll be a slow process to change the entire team mentality and fix up some holes. They have some big questions in net and massive holes upfront.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Everytime stuff like this happens, I always think about how bad it would suck to be the departing GM who now has to watch who the other person takes with the picks. I would think that drafting 3 times in the first round would be extremely fun for a GM (even if the reason why is nothing to be proud of).

I read that the timing for this may have been as a result of Howson looking to deal one of those picks for a top 6 forward.

Davidson must've put the kybosh on that.

[Stay Golden]

He will do well so long as Kekalainen has ties to other GM's for trading, as it is a close knit who do you know affiliation between GM's etc.

He can't be worse than CLB has been for years so he will have 3 years to show any kind of improvement.

[Fire]

Craig Button was a good scout as well...

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by Fire

Craig Button was a good scout as well...

So your point is that not every good scout will be a good GM. That's really something to consider. Have you considered emailing Davidson to let him know?

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

I don't know. For whatever reason, European management/coaches haven't done historically well in the NHL.

What history is that?

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

What history is that?

Well there was that one guy. You know that guy. He was European too.

And you know who else was European? Hitler.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Henry Fool

Well there was that one guy. You know that guy. He was European too.

And you know who else was European? Hitler.

He also had a Final Solution.

Final ... Finish ... Finnish. Connect the dots people! I'm not saying it is, I'm just asking the questions.

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by nik-

He also had a Final Solution.

Final ... Finish ... Finnish. Connect the dots people! I'm not saying it is, I'm just asking the questions.

"According to now-declassified MI5 files, Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of the modern scouting movement, was nice and friendly with the Hitler Youth, and held meetings with von Ribbentrop about forming closer ties."

http://dangerousminds.net/comments/t...uth_connection

[Itse]

How many European coaches have there ever been?

Alpo Suhonen is the only one I can think of, and he was such a mystery choice to begin with, as the guy has never been a good coach, his only skill being getting hired to high-profile high-paying jobs. Like a conman basicly.

[Henry Fool]

Originally Posted by Itse

How many European coaches have there ever been?

Alpo Suhonen is the only one I can think of, and he was such a mystery choice to begin with, as the guy has never been a good coach, his only skill being getting hired to high-profile high-paying jobs. Like a conman basicly.

Suhonen had personal contacts to the Hawks. Just like Kekäläinen has personal contacts to John Davidson!

Ivan Hlinka coached the Penguins for a short time.

[Canada 02]

I vaguely recall the Flames had a European coach at one time; maybe an assistant or in the minors?

[Brannigans Law]

What better year than this year to have 3 picks in the 1st round? Jackets fans should be excited for the upcoming years. A bold and fresh move by the BJ's

[Bertuzzied]

It was a shame we changed our philosophy. Back when the Flames were dominant in the 80s we had more Europeans than most teams. Also was the first team to have a Russian play in the NHL, and drafted Makarov back when everyone thought there was ZERO chance a Russian would play in the NHL.

Then after a few first round European busts we changed to only drafting Western Canadians. That prob set our prospect pool back 6- 7 years.

[neo45]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

It was a shame we changed our philosophy. Back when the Flames were dominant in the 80s we had more Europeans than most teams. Also was the first team to have a Russian play in the NHL, and drafted Makarov back when everyone thought there was ZERO chance a Russian would play in the NHL.

Then after a few first round European busts we changed to only drafting Western Canadians. That prob set our prospect pool back 6- 7 years.

I think you are confusing "Europeans" with "Russians". Sutter really liked Fins and Swedes, his last two first round picks were Swedish players. He traded for Nillson, Niemenen, and Kipper in his first year here.