Confirmed with Link: CBJ signs Gregory Campbell

[DJ Kariyaaa]

We lost mark Letestu, he was our 4th line center.

We signed Gregory Campbell. He is a 4th line center

How does this not make sense?

Watched Campbell play a lot against us with Boston. Watched Letestu as a 3C/4C in Pittsburgh for a few years, and then watched him a lot when I lived in Ohio.


Campbell isn't worthy of holding Letestu's jock. Saying there isn't a severe drop off is laughable.

 

[Jackets16]

Not a fan of this move at all. I would have rather had one of the young guys playing 4th line center.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Watched Campbell play a lot against us with Boston. Watched Letestu as a 3C/4C in Pittsburgh for a few years, and then watched him a lot when I lived in Ohio.


Campbell isn't worthy of holding Letestu's jock. Saying there isn't a severe drop off is laughable.

There is a drop off if you want scoring and playmaking and everything to do with offense. Letestu isn't a 4th liner, he's a 3rd liner. Of course there's a drop off, but Campbell can A.) win faceoffs B.) Hit and grind and C.) provide leadership.

 

[DJA]

looks like Jarmo wants more grit and grind on the 4th line and less finesse. i don't see Karlsson or Chaput being overly physical guys.

 

[Viqsi]

There is a drop off if you want scoring and playmaking and everything to do with offense. Letestu isn't a 4th liner, he's a 3rd liner. Of course there's a drop off, but Campbell can A.) win faceoffs B.) Hit and grind and C.) provide leadership.

I don't think Campbell is bad per se. But it sure as hell looks like there were much better options.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I don't think Campbell is bad per se. But it sure as hell looks like there were much better options.

Take away arcobello and Letestu since they were both signed. Who do you like better?

 

[CBJSlash]

I probably would've just given Letestu the third year and traded him in necessary.

If he's a good PKer, then I'm okay with it.

 

[JKG08]

See its this kind of crap that pisses me off about Jarmo. One minute I think he is doing a great job then wham-he does something like this that makes nf(sense).

You act like Mark wasn't asking 2M or more from Columbus.

Edmonton is closer to his home, they have lower tax rates, and Letestu will likely get more minutes.

There is no reason he would have stayed with CBJ unless we offered him significantly more money than Edmonton. You can't afford to pay 2 million or more for multiple years on a 4th line guy. (all boll jokes aside)

Campbell is obviously the cheaper option for a 4C than letestu was.

 

[CoachWithNoTeam]

He's about as clear-cut as a 4th line center as they get in the league. PK, fighter, shot blocker. If it doesnt work out, or if he is beaten out by one of the younger guys, its not a big loss. But he is 32 and has won a cup - for our young team, that is valuable. I think we needed to do something after letting Anisimov and Letestu go... This is right in line with Jarmo saying yesterday that they want to add proven winners.

 

[alg363636]

Bruins fan here

Campbell was awful for us last season but we also used him very inappropriately. If you give him normal fourth line match-ups and TOI he might do okay? His possession was just so, so bad last season. Decent FO guy though and great PKer.

But he's a great guy and has a ton of heart and soul. Hope he rebounds with you!

 

[Viqsi]

Take away arcobello and Letestu since they were both signed. Who do you like better?

Marcel Goc immediately comes to mind. On quick and dirty review, Mike Santorelli and James Sheppard also look pretty good.

 

[EspenK]

We lost mark Letestu, he was our 4th line center.

We signed Gregory Campbell. He is a 4th line center

How does this not make sense?

Now 4th line center is no big deal? Then we should have let Karlsson and Chaput battle it out and saved a few 100k.

In this case I prefer the devil I know to the one I don't. Most here wanted Letestu re-signed now because a guy takes one year less he's the right guy and Letestu won't be missed. After the clusterflop that the psot D-Mac adventure was I'd have thought more would be upset by htis. Guess not. Campbell's stats aren't as good as Letestu nor do I believe is his versatility. I would have gone the extra year-hell if we can give Boll 3 years we should have given Letestu the same. At least he could have contributed.

 

[blahblah]

There is no reason he would have stayed with CBJ unless we offered him significantly more money than Edmonton.

I don't buy this, he didn't want to go to FA. It was probably term and not cash.

 

[EspenK]

Not a fan of this move at all. I would have rather had one of the young guys playing 4th line center.

Hey we agree.

 

[EspenK]

I really get a kick out of the rationalizations people on here use to justify things:

Cup Winner

Closer to his home in BFC

He probably wanted more to stay with Columbus because of taxes

Letestu wasn't affordable



Just say this is a great deal because he is a better player than Letestu and at least I can respect your opinion. Otherwise I think it is all bs and we believe in Jarmo stuff.

 

[major major]

I was glad we didn't give Letestu 3 years, but id rather we did that than give 2 years to Campbell. This is a downgrade.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Now 4th line center is no big deal? Then we should have let Karlsson and Chaput battle it out and saved a few 100k.

Maybe because the organization doesn't trust them with a muck and grind role that most 4th lines bring? Maybe the organization thinks more highly of these two players and would rather them develop their offensive games in the AHL for a top 9 role instead of topping out as a 4th liner? After all, Chaput only has 1 NHL goal and Karlsson didn't score a point for Springfield in 15 games. Remember when Chaput was apart of the 4th line that didn't score a goal until December?

I'll take the proven guy. Hell, there's still two forward roster spots open for Karlsson or Chaput to take if they earn in.

In this case I prefer the devil I know to the one I don't. Most here wanted Letestu re-signed now because a guy takes one year less he's the right guy and Letestu won't be missed. After the clusterflop that the psot D-Mac adventure was I'd have thought more would be upset by htis. Guess not. Campbell's stats aren't as good as Letestu nor do I believe is his versatility. I would have gone the extra year-hell if we can give Boll 3 years we should have given Letestu the same. At least he could have contributed.

I don't think anyone here wouldn't take Letestu over Campbell. I know I would. But the Jackets let Letestu flirt with UFA, and guess what, UFA flirted back. He was gone after a deal wasn't struck last night.

Anyone saying Letestu's versatility won't be missed is naive. Anyone comparing Letestu to Campbell other than the fact they were/are both 4th line c's for the CBJ are naive. They're different players, Letestu is better, but the Jackets didn't take advantage of Letestu's pleading to stay 2 months ago. This is what happens. It could have been worse, Campbell is a proven heart and soul player and his hustle will remind us of DMac without the speed.

 

[OldGoaltender]

Not a huge fan of this signing. Would rather see Wild Bill get the shot. Then I'd have kept DMac over Test Tube. I guess with all the injuries last year don't want to not have enough bodies.

 

[Viqsi]

At the risk of making this thread a real ****storm, I can't help but think of when we ditched Malhotra in favor of Pahlsson.

Sure, there's tons of huge, substantial differences between the situations such that there's no real rational basis for the comparison, but it's sticking in my head and I can't get it out.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 8m8 minutes ago

Katie Campbell is due to have a baby in a couple of weeks, so Gregory won't be road-tripping to Columbus for a while yet.

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 8m8 minutes ago

"Columbus is one of those teams I've had my eye on. A couple of teams reached out, but they stood out, and I'm glad they wanted me."

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 7m7 minutes ago

"You can just see where it's going there, that it's going to be a really good team. I've been on both ends of the spectrum in my career ...

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 7m7 minutes ago

"... and it's so much better when you're on a group that you know is ready to win."

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 6m6 minutes ago

Campbell said he's spoken to #CBJ captain Nick Foligno. Also heard from friend Nathan Horton, who "raved about Columbus all the way."

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 4m4 minutes ago

What the #CBJ lose in Letestu's versatility, they hope to gain in Campbell's physicality. On that topic, Campbell agreed CBJ could be nasty.

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 3m3 minutes ago

"Speed is obviously a big part of today's game. But I think you need size and you need to play heavy to go a long way. This team is heavy.

Aaron Portzline ‏@Aportzline 2m2 minutes ago

"It honestly reminds me of what Boston was shaping when I got there (in 2010). It was a big, heavy team that nobody pushed around."

 

[blahblah]

Meh, 2 years of a veteran 4th line center who is pretty good at face offs and can chip in a few goals. Expensive veteran depth, but I don't see anything bad about the signing.

 

[Samkow]

We just lost two of our leading penalty killers in the last two days. I understand the want to add Campbell.

 

[punk_o_holic]

So last year, they let Mackenzie leave and didn't find a replacement. Gave Chaput a shot and it didn't work out. People complained. This year, they let Letestu leave. They find a replacement but then some people complain for not allowing Chaput or Karlsson battle it out for the 4th line center position.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

So last year, they let Mackenzie leave and didn't find a replacement. Gave Chaput a shot and it didn't work out. People complained. This year, they let Letestu leave. They find a replacement but then some people complain for not allowing Chaput or Karlsson battle it out for the 4th line center position.

Yep. I'm guessing some of it has to do with Campbell not being a defenseman.

 

[EspenK]

Yep. I'm guessing some of it has to do with Campbell not being a defenseman.

In my case it has nothing to do with it. I just don't understand not going one extra year for Letestu who has been a valuable player for us. That's it in a nut shell. I think we lost a better player for one year. Hopefully Campbell turns out great at which point I'll acknowledge it.