I have to imagine the whole organization from the top down is in shambles. An interim coach that has two days to prepare for a training camp. Uncertain futures for a front office that oversaw a massive scandal that became public. With a captain that supported the new coach blindly and threw his teammates under the bus. I don't think Werenski and Gaudreau are totally innocent here either.
Can you imagine how Fantilli, Johnson, and the other young guys feel, just breaking into the NHL and not being able to trust your vets?
It's a total, unmitigated disaster. They may best case scenario finish 5th or 6th in the division even if everything goes right.
I think Jenner has to be traded before the season opener regardless of what happens. That would be the best apology Jarmo and JD can offer the rest of the team.
I do agree it's a chaotic situation. But season over? I don't really see it that way. They still have a young and exciting team. Maybe for some, this is the better coaching alternative to Babcock. No games have been lost yet, and Vincent comes from inside the organization so he doesn't have to do it all from scratch either.
Now I don't know about trading Jenner, but I was very vocal about maybe stripping him of the C. I guess it's better to let the team handle that. Because there really seemed to be a disconnect between the vets and younger players on this issue. And maybe it came down to the fact that Babs treated them differently who knows.
With the front office, I think many thought their future would hinge on the hockey side of things regardless of this situation, but at least now it has been stated.
TL;DR, yes it's chaotic. No, I don't really view it as "season over". It's not like without this incident they were 100% battling for a playoff spot and now they are doomed.
I'm surprised that they didn't make a change now.
I get that there is fear with rocking the boat too hard but after this, they really need to be tossed overboard. They've both been with that team for a while (JD in 2 stints) with 1 playoff round win to show for it, and that was in a year where they YOLO'd it because they were losing everyone on the summer (that was a good team though.)
Most teams would have gone through at least 2 regime changes in that time period with the track record the Jackets have had and the latest transgression is one that is pretty unforgivable.
Kekäläinen actually made the team competitive and perennial playoff team. And a lot of the recent regression of that team hasn't been his fault. Top players bolting, last year they were riddled with injuries... That said, he does carry the burden of f***ing up the two latest coaching hires and for that I think yes, it warrants him getting canned. But I do get the rationale of ownership here not wanting to make a change now, and giving them a lifeline based on how the season goes. But it's a thin lifeline...
