Confirmed with Link: CBJ Fire Scott Howson, name Jarmo Kekalainen replacement

[BluejacketNut]

9 years of constantly deferring to "what's best for Rick Nash" is a large reason for what we've seen. In terms of depth and actual talent, the team is better off with the return for Nash than what keeping him around would have meant.

9 years of bad GM's is the reason we've seen what we've seen. Nash was not the problem here, inept management has been the problem

 

[arudick]

Simple. It's a John Davidson move.

 

[Fred Glover]

Does anyone know if jarmo kekäläinen's twitter account is real? It isn't verified but it seems to be legit. don't mean to pass any bad info, but for twitter followers, he might be one to follow in the short term, maybe even long term

 

[CapnCornelius]

My point exactly.

See? Occasionally you understand me.

Don't confuse not agreeing with for not understanding, MB.

I wouldn't mind seeing Prospal in Wright's old post. Wouldn't mind seeing Tyler promoted out of the organization either based on reports of how he has performed in his duties.

Then again, I'd like to see the Finn hire Teemu as a player/coach in the off-season.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Andy Strickland ‏@andystrickland

Jarmo Kekelainen and John Davidson have had conversations since taking over #CBJ....No brainer mover for JD

Andy Strickland ‏@andystrickland

For the record Jarmo Kekelainen had his eye on #CBJ GM job once it was evident Howson might be on thin ice last season.

 

[Crede777]

Aside from having to go in early tomorrow to fire someone ()

Just pretend he's Howson.

(Just kidding, firing someone always sucks.)

 

[Viqsi]

Absolutely. Scotty had to know they were hiring his executioner.

Okay, this pisses me off even more than the fan protest crap. Are people really so blind in their hatred that they're willing to assume that Howson would deliberately avoid suggesting a guy who could (and did) end up removing him just for his own sake?

Are we really so determined, so overwhelmingly dependent on a need to have a Bad Guy to cast into the fires of hell that we need to have a guy who demonstrated his willingness to put the organization ahead of himself have those very actions questioned as to their legitimacy and accuracy?

Holy Living ****, people. This is downright despicable.

 

[CBJx614]

If Jarmo was the scouting director for St Louis I'm sure he's got a few scouts he'd want to come to Columbus eh? Can anyone else see Barkov in a CBJ uni next season

 

[HoldFast13]

When they show up as a bunch of *****s.


Sorry, none exists. A good indicator is twitter followers. If a guy with 50 followers is claiming a bunch of breaking news, it's probably fake.

Thats kind of funny, I just looked it was a re-tweet from CBJ Prospects. I was wondering why it even showed up in my feed.

 

[Xoggz22]

I'm not sure why some of you are surprised by the timing. If he isn't the man for you, let him go. I don't want a GM handling my business if he's a dead duck. No chance you wait until after the season. there is a trade deadline and a draft to prepare for. As soon as the decision is made in your head, you put it out there.

 

[Robert]

Today’s actions will have an impact on every person in the organization and locker room... the dude is making a statement... It will be interesting to see how the team responds.

Not sure what prompted the move so early in the season but whatever Howson did or didn't do must have had impact... in the coming days more information will come out..

 

[CapnCornelius]

If Jarmo was the scouting director for St Louis I'm sure he's got a few scouts he'd want to come to Columbus eh? Can anyone else see Barkov in a CBJ uni next season

Any Finnish free agents he might convince to come over from Jokerit?

 

[cbjfaninmo]

Andy Strickland ‏@andystrickland

Jarmo Kekelainen and John Davidson have had conversations since taking over #CBJ....No brainer mover for JD

Andy Strickland ‏@andystrickland

For the record Jarmo Kekelainen had his eye on #CBJ GM job once it was evident Howson might be on thin ice last season.

If it ends up being Jarmo, I wonder what (if any) changes will be made immediately in the scouting department?

 

[Crede777]

Not sure what prompted the move so early in the season but whatever Howson did or didn't do must have had impact... in the coming days more information will come out..

Sounds like Davidson had made his mind up that Howson was out and was simply looking for a replacement. He's found one and will announce him tomorrow, hence why Howson was canned today.

For those interested, here's the St. Louis Blues profile of Jarmo Kekalainen off their website. Obviously it's outdated but it's great insight into who we may be hiring:

Jarmo Kekalainen
Assistant General Manager & Director of Amateur Scouting
Jarmo Kekalainen oversees the Blues’ participation in the National Hockey League Entry Draft, and assists President John Davidson and Senior Vice President and General Manager Larry Pleau with all facets of hockey operations. He is also involved with the Blues’ professional scouting efforts. Kekalainen, 43, originally joined the Blues in September of 2002.

During his tenure in St. Louis, the Blues have drafted David Backes, Erik Johnson, Roman Polak, David Perron, T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund and Alex Pietrangelo. Prior to arriving in St. Louis, Kekalainen served in several capacities with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators over the course of seven seasons, including as director of player personnel for three years. During this time he was responsible for overseeing the amateur draft and was instrumental in selecting Ray Emery, Christoph Schubert, Jason Spezza, Antoine Vermette and Anton Volchenkov. Earlier he acted as the club’s European scout for four seasons and during that tenure, the team drafted Martin Havlat and Marian Hossa.

While with Ottawa, Kekalainen simultaneously served as IFK Helsinki’s general manager in the Finnish Elite League from 1995 to 1999, guiding the club to the league championship in 1998.

During a three-year career as a player in the NHL the native of Kuopio, Finland skated in a combined 55 games with the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators. Over the 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1993-94 seasons Kekalainen collected five goals and eight assists for 13 points. Prior to making his NHL debut with the Bruins, the forward spent two seasons at Clarkson University where he recorded 80 points (35 goals, 45 assists) in 71 games. Following the 1988-89 campaign he was named to the Eastern College Athletic Conference First All-Star Team, scoring 44 points in 31 games.

Jarmo and his wife, Tiina, have two daughters, Emilia and Sofia.

http://blues.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=34319

 

[Xoggz22]

If Jarmo was the scouting director for St Louis I'm sure he's got a few scouts he'd want to come to Columbus eh? Can anyone else see Barkov in a CBJ uni next season

Sure if we're picking in the 4-6 range.

 

[NotWendell]

Just pretend he's Howson.

(Just kidding, firing someone always sucks.)

Yeah, there's nothing I enjoy less at work.

 

[Robert]

Yeah, Howson could have been gone on JD's first day but he needed to wait for the GM he wanted... Jarmo Kekalainen

 

[Socks]

Yeah, there's nothing I enjoy less at work.

Worst part of being the boss.

 

[EDM]

BJN, I strongly disagree with you. Nash was a major part of the problem here. What does he have this year? Three goals? He would actually be fourth in goals scored on this team! I would take Dubinsky, Anisimov, Erixson and a first round pick over Rick Nash any day of the week. I think the Nash trade will be reviewed in retrospect as one of Howson's best moves.

 

[plong123]

This is completely ****ing absurd. Priest is still part of the organization, and that protest still accomplished little beyond embarrassing this fanbase.

Priest is no longer running hockey ops, which is what we all wanted, and I couldn't disagree more with you about embarrassing the fanbase.

Since that protest we have hired John Davidson, who appears to be of sound hockey mind to lead us into a new chapter, and now have fired Howson. Am I egotistical enough to believe the FANS protest was a major proponent in any of this? Of course not. But we showed we cared, and now, by the team's actions, they've shown us that we weren't wrong.

 

[Mayor Bee]

Any Finnish free agents he might convince to come over from Jokerit?

Didn't you see enough of Ramzi Abid the first time around?

 

[5StringBuzz]

Priest is no longer running hockey ops, which is what we all wanted, and I couldn't disagree more with you about embarrassing the fanbase.

Since that protest we have hired John Davidson, who appears to be of sound hockey mind to lead us into a new chapter, and now have fired Howson. Am I egotistical enough to believe the FANS protest was a major proponent in any of this? Of course not. But we showed we cared, and now, by the team's actions, they've shown us that we weren't wrong.

Well said.

 

[Cor]

I'm pretty happy for you guys, rabid fan base that has been **** on for the past 13 years.

This will be good for this organization

 

[Robert]

Priest is no longer running hockey ops, which is what we all wanted, and I couldn't disagree more with you about embarrassing the fanbase.

Since that protest we have hired John Davidson, who appears to be of sound hockey mind to lead us into a new chapter, and now have fired Howson. Am I egotistical enough to believe the FANS protest was a major proponent in any of this? Of course not. But we showed we cared, and now, by the team's actions, they've shown us that we weren't wrong.

Well said....

 

[TaketheCannoli]

Sorry; as soon as we got idiots and fools suggesting that the protest had anything to do with this whatsoever I started seeing every trend that's going to emerge from this and I am not looking forward to it.

Here's a sampling:

• Every single draft pick will be hailed as an ubersavior due to the New Guy and for no other reason.
• Within hours, there will be renewed calls for the new guy to dump Tyutin, Wisniewski, Brassard, Mason, and Umberger, ASAP for whatever we can get, for no reason beyond their being uncomfortable reminders of Howson.
• By October, if he's not scoring at a PPG clip or better, there will be calls to trade Johansen "as a remnant of Howson's failures."
• By November or December, similar calls for Moore's ouster will be heard, whether he's playing well or not. After any and every loss.
• In two or three years, assuming the team is performing as a whole, all will be credited to the new guy, despite few or no changes on the blueline.
• IF, however, we haven't made the playoffs in two years, there will be calls to remove every single Howson-added player, up to and including JMFJ. Murray will be spared, as he will be deemed a "[new guy] player." A year after that, JD's head will be called for.
• Daring to challenge any of the above will get you blacklisted as part of a "Sunshine Patrol" or "Positivity Police" and regularly flamed.

Such an exciting future! Can't wait.

Holy hyperbole!

Was that cross off the rack or custom-fit?