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

[Nordique]

This is perfect for a team that has 3 first round picks this up and coming draft. Even if the Kings and Rangers do well, he has a good ability to choose good players later on in the draft.

Yes, on one hand he is inheriting a bad team, one of the worst in the league for several years running. But on the bright side, this is the youngest team in the league by a 2 year a margin.

There are solid prospects in the system (Murray, Korpisalo, Dansk, Forsberg, Zaar, Tynan, Jenner) and talented youth on the roster (Moore, Atkinson, Calvert, Goloubef, Erixon).

That, coupled with the 3 first round picks in the highest touted draft since 2003, makes the job attractive imo.

 

[NotWendell]

what a great hire go jackets

When's the last time we've ever said THAT before last October?

 

[Needles]

What time does the conference call begin?

 

[Thrice]

So the first pick of Lombardi's scouting staff was... Thomas Hickey 4th overall.

Lombardi has always maintained that you need to walk away from any draft with at least two NHL players. 2007 produced Wayne Simmonds, Alec Martinez and Dwight King. 2nd rnd pick Oscar Moller has also played 87 career NHL games. And Thomas Hickey is finally getting a cup of coffee with the Islanders. That's 5 players that have seen NHL time in a "bad" draft year like 2007. That's a phenomenal job done by his scouts.

 

[HoldFast13]

JD on Hockey Central at Noon at 12:25 http://player.rogersradio.ca/cjcl/on_air

 

[Viqsi]

JD says he plans to contact Howson in a week and see if he wants to fill a different role in the org.

I hope that works out, really. That said, wouldn't shock me if SH says no. The guy's still better at hockey than many folks here have been willing to give him credit for.

 

[stoneinen12]

Blues fan here, just checking in to congratulate you guys on hiring Jarmo as your new GM. Great hockey mind and all around good guy. If we didn't already have a good GM in Doug Armstrong, I'd really want Jarmo on my team. Fantastic drafter, great scout.

This is a great video about the 2007 draft. It follows the Blues (and specifically Jarmo) the days leading up to the draft. It'll give you a great feel for how Jarmo works.

http://video.blues.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=0&id=4611&cmpid=embed-share-video


Congrats. Jarmo'll make you guys even better.

I figured i'd copy this post for those of you who might like to get a better idea of how GMJK and JD worked together during the 07 draft year (here in cbus). Btw they had 3 first round picks that year.

 

[Make]

Well I guess I'm a Columbus fan now

Great to see a Finn as a GM in the NHL. Really looking forward to what he can do with the organization. Always thought there was a lot of potential in Columbus as a hockey city.

 

[CBJx614]

CBJ fans across the nation go from a joke, to stoked overnight...

 

[ca5150]

I'm sure these have been already mentioned, but Blues' first rounders during Kekäläinen's tenure there sound like a pretty solid bunch from '05 on ward:
2003: Shawn Belle (30th overall)
2004: Marek Schwarz (17th overall)
2005: T. J. Oshie (24th overall)
2006: Erik Johnson (1st overall) and Patrik Berglund (25th overall)
2007: Lars Eller (13th overall), Ian Cole (18th overall) and David Perron (26th overall)
2008: Alex Pietrangelo (4th overall)
2009: David Rundblad (17th overall)
2010: Jaden Schwartz (14th overall) & Vladimir Tarasenko (16th overall)



He also fired the scouts, who overlooked Lucic back in 2006, who probably doesn't qualify as soft type player.

Looks good to me! I don't know all of those players but the ones I do are good hard nosed players, I'm excited!

 

[ca5150]

Said the guy with the Don Cherry avatar. Pretty classy.



JD also said in his presser that he doesn't care about nationality as long as the player plays "the right way."

Excuse me? How was anything I said not classy? I like good hard nosed teams, Europeans traditionally play soft and that doesn't win in the playoffs, what's wrong with that??

 

[Jaxs]

Excuse me? How was anything I said not classy? I like good hard nosed teams, Europeans traditionally play soft and that doesn't win in the playoffs, what's wrong with that??

Have you ever watched Finnish National teams. They are some are some of the hardest checking teams you'll ever see. Kekalainen is far from liking soft players.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Excuse me? How was anything I said not classy? I like good hard nosed teams, Europeans traditionally play soft and that doesn't win in the playoffs, what's wrong with that??

*checks join date to see if it's 1987* Nope. Weird.

 

[Hello Johnny]

LOL, MacLean just asked JD "What's the difference between President of Hockey Ops and General Manager?"

Obviously Dougie wouldn't have the slightest clue what the difference is.

 

[The Boyle Sisters]

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me, fool me 50 times, and I must be a Blue Jackets fan.

Oh my god, that was the funniest thing I've read in a while. Caught me totally off guard. I completely bursted out laughing.

Anyways, congratulations. Hopefully Jarmo will be able to turn things around and build a contender. Sometimes just a change in the current atmosphere in the front office and in the locker room can have a big impact. Here's to hoping this is the start of something good. All the best to you, guys!

 

[bizzz*]

Excuse me? How was anything I said not classy? I like good hard nosed teams, Europeans traditionally play soft and that doesn't win in the playoffs, what's wrong with that??

You're talking stereotypes. Is that you, Don?

LOL, MacLean just asked JD "What's the difference between President of Hockey Ops and General Manager?"

Obviously Dougie wouldn't have the slightest clue what the difference is.

Too late to learn for Doug.

 

[Needles]

Kekalainen conference call:

http://video.bluejackets.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=616&id=201509&cmpid=embed-share-video

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

LOL, MacLean just asked JD "What's the difference between President of Hockey Ops and General Manager?"

Obviously Dougie wouldn't have the slightest clue what the difference is.

"Apparently you can't handle both jobs, John."
"Well, we know you can't, Doug."

 

[anteater90]

This can't be good. I go to the main boards and no one is bashing the move.

 

[Bobcat110]

Excuse me? How was anything I said not classy? I like good hard nosed teams, Europeans traditionally play soft and that doesn't win in the playoffs, what's wrong with that??

like this guy he drafted?

Good god...they made bumper stickers and t-shirts.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Valterri Filpulla's brother is playing for Jokerit this year and Valterri is a UFA in the off-season. Maybe our new GM can help the Jackets and put another nail in the Wing's coffin.

Wouldn't that be something !!!!

On a larger scale, I wonder how JK's hiring is going to alter the way free agents think about Columbus. It will be very interesting to see what happens this off season. The Jackets have plenty of cap room moving forward and only have to sign a few lower priced players whom they will likely keep (Asisimov, Atkinson, Golubef, Bobrovski (maybe) and Letetsu).

The deals for all 4 goalies under contract expire at the end of this season, so GMJK will have an absolute need to wade into the free agency (or trade) market in this area.

I'm also thinking that the chances of a "compliance buyout" on #18 just soared. When one turns the page institutionally, there are often considerable financial costs to be incurred. Unless Umberger does a huge and sustained "about face", then I would envision eating 2/3rds (or 1/2 in the unlikely event he can be traded) of his $18m to be one of those costs.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

This can't be good. I go to the main boards and no one is bashing the move.

Lack of familiarity may bring a lack of contempt?

 

[Nanabijou]

Blues fan here, just checking in to congratulate you guys on hiring Jarmo as your new GM. Great hockey mind and all around good guy. If we didn't already have a good GM in Doug Armstrong, I'd really want Jarmo on my team. Fantastic drafter, great scout.

This is a great video about the 2007 draft. It follows the Blues (and specifically Jarmo) the days leading up to the draft. It'll give you a great feel for how Jarmo works.

http://video.blues.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=0&id=4611&cmpid=embed-share-video

Congrats. Jarmo'll make you guys even better.

Great video. Interesting to see the Blues' scout talk about having 3 picks in the 1st round (2007) and how rare that is. Jarmo is walking into a similar situation this year with the CBJ.

I know it's just snippets, but like the way Jarmo presents himself in the video. As I was comparing the discussions in this video with the snippets shown in the Behind the Battle draft preparation shows this year, I will be very surprised if Tyler Wright stays as Head Scout for much longer.


Off-topic - I do think CBJ fans will find the video pretty cool if you follow it right to the end. It seems to me that the Blues were interested in moving up from 9 to get Voracek. Once the Jackets get him, they move back from 9 to 13 as they feel Eller will still be there (and he was). Sharks make a (in hind-sight) great trade to move up from 13 to 9 to get their guy, Logan Couture.

 

[BluejacketNut]

At least we dont have the nerdiest looking GM in the league anymore

 

[Merovingi]

This is a great day for Blue Jackets fans across the globe.

I started hoping that Blue Jackets will hire Kekäläinen as GM when JD came in and hoped it really bad, because like many people have said, Kekäläinen has great intelligent and hockey knowledge. His draft history tells how talented Jarmo is.

I cried tears of joy today when it became clear that Keklu would be Blue Jackets' new GM. Maybe finally we could actually have some success and win something in the future.

Blue Jackets will get many more Finnish fans after this, because this will give them more attention from our national media. Keklu and his skills are well known nationwide. Biggest reason being him being a great commentator in IIHF World Championships for few years.

I have been Jackets fan for many years - can't really count 'em. Maybe around 2005 I became a fan, but following them has been little to minimal by the reason of time zones and time zone difficulties.

We have a bright future ahead of us. Looking forward for the draft!