Howson's Replacement???

[Fred Glover]

Craig Custance of ESPN suggests in an Insiders column that one possibility for Brian Burke is to be a GM of another NHL team, perhaps to replace our own Scott Howson. It is one of four options for Burke, the others are to do nothing, be GM for the USA team, or work in the League office. Thoughts????

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[ClevelandJacketFan]

My thoughts are that Howson needs to be fired before we worry about Burke replacing him. Then Burke would need to get an ego check before JD would even consider hiring him.

 

[Mayor Bee]

[deleted]

 

[Jackets16]

craig custance of espn suggests in an insiders column that one possibility for brian burke is to be a gm of another nhl team, perhaps to replace our own scott howson. It is one of four options for burke, the others are to do nothing, be gm for the usa team, or work in the league office. Thoughts????

Just Say No!

 

[Robert]

I doubt JD will fire Howson now... why? It's a 48 game season that any team could win, imo it's a black jack season...

Howson will not be the GM in 2014 though.... As for Brian Burke, never...

 

[blahblah]

Very premature. Having said that, it's very well known I don't like Howson. However, I am not interested in replacing him with Burke.

 

[IHeartZherdev*]

Brian Burke is a complete joke. Would be hard to sell him as a replacement for Howson, considering Howson in Columbus has made the playoffs more and drafted better than Burke did in Toronto (which tells you how awful Burke is)

 

[Seedtype]

Doesn't Burke like to be in charge of everything? I don't think Mr. Davidson would like that attitude at all in his GM.

 

[BluejacketNut]

I'd be more then happy to see Howson fired....but Burke, no thanks

 

[Dr. Fire]

I would think that Davidson would hire a bonafide up-and-comer. Not some no name, mind you, but a well respected GM candidate who people would consider a good pick.

Either that, or someone that he knows and likes that has been successful in the past.

I do think at some point he brings in his guy.

 

[blahblah]

I would think that Davidson would hire a bonafide up-and-comer. Not some no name, mind you, but a well respected GM candidate who people would consider a good pick.

I don't know if I care all that much. Howson was supposed to be what you described.

 

[Dr. Fire]

I don't know if I care all that much. Howson was supposed to be what you described.

Agreed, but Davidson was not here at that time.

I don't think that every move that Howson has made has been bad ones. My biggest issue with Howson, though, has been his inability to decide on a path, and then plug in the right pieces to make that successfully happen. That was my same complaint with XGMDM. Neither of them was able to put a system in place for long term success, and then plug in the proper pieces to make it work.

With JD being here, I think he will choose a philosophy, and then make what personnel changes are needed to make that a winning proposition, instead of constantly changing on the fly like we have seen up to this point.

 

[BlueJacketBacker]

I think at this point it is too early to debate the fate of GMSH. Sure, we all know his past and have most likely formed an opinion based on his tenure here, but John Davidson is the new sheriff in town and I believe he is evaluating everything in the organization right now. We haven't offically even had players on the ice since he has been here. Only time will tell if GMSH is someone that Davidson feels he can work with and respect for his opinion. When he came here Howson was, as Dr Fire stated above -a bonafide up-and-comer. His tenure here has not resulted in the outcomes we all, fans, plyaers, owners and Howson had hoped for. Davidson was brought in not to be GM, but to mold the organization into a winner. His direction may be what is needed to craft Howson into a playoff making, Stanley Cup contending GM.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Agreed, but Davidson was not here at that time.

I don't think that every move that Howson has made has been bad ones. My biggest issue with Howson, though, has been his inability to decide on a path, and then plug in the right pieces to make that successfully happen. That was my same complaint with XGMDM. Neither of them was able to put a system in place for long term success, and then plug in the proper pieces to make it work.

With JD being here, I think he will choose a philosophy, and then make what personnel changes are needed to make that a winning proposition, instead of constantly changing on the fly like we have seen up to this point.

I agree. And I think it's at least possible he decides that Howson is a part of that. I'm not predicting that will happen, or offering an opinion on whether it should happen. But people have this funny way of projecting.

EDIT:
Well said above, Backer.

 

[Nordique]

Howson won't be going anywhere for a while...if ever. He has great talent in the pipeline and 3 1st round picks this coming season, in whats being called the most talented draft class since 2003. He has had his struggles, but he has this organization in a good position now.

 

[blahblah]

Agreed, but Davidson was not here at that time.

I'm not sure Davidson having input on the hiring process makes all that much difference to me. I'm not even sure if I trust Davidson yet. I don't exactly look at the Blues during his time there and my mouth falls to the floor (He was obviously let go, so he's not a gawd). I know his reputation (and it's not all positive) and the respect he has around the league, but others that have failed miserably in the past have had a rich history as well.

Honestly if we are going to hire a new GM, and we know it, I would rather go year-to-year on Howson and wait for the guy we want to become available. I see the pro's and con's to up and comer .vs. veterans. I tend to lean more into the veteran camp.

 

[fox2usp]

I'm not sure Davidson having input on the hiring process makes all that much difference to me. I'm not even sure if I trust Davidson yet. I don't exactly look at the Blues during his time there and my mouth falls to the floor (He was obviously let go, so he's not a gawd). I know his reputation (and it's not all positive) and the respect he has around the league, but others that have failed miserably in the past have had a rich history as well.

Honestly if we are going to hire a new GM, and we know it, I would rather go year-to-year on Howson and wait for the guy we want to become available. I see the pro's and con's to up and comer .vs. veterans. I tend to lean more into the veteran camp.

Well blah, I see you're all rainbows and unicorns post lockout. LOL! Glad to see some things never change.

 

[Dr. Fire]

Howson won't be going anywhere for a while...if ever. He has great talent in the pipeline and 3 1st round picks this coming season, in whats being called the most talented draft class since 2003. He has had his struggles, but he has this organization in a good position now.

These are good points. Maybe Howson has shown enough promise that with an actual hockey guy now in place as President he will be able to thrive. That and the influence of Patrick.

The biggest change that we are seeing is that the majority owner has finally realized that his organizations previous front office had created a sports franchise that was considered the worst run in all of professional sports. As much as we may have been upset with JPM in the past, the guy has been addressing the problems with this franchise in a positive way for the past several years. Albeit slowly, he is presently making major strides to turn this ship around.

 

[Dr. Fire]

I'm not sure Davidson having input on the hiring process makes all that much difference to me. I'm not even sure if I trust Davidson yet. I don't exactly look at the Blues during his time there and my mouth falls to the floor (He was obviously let go, so he's not a gawd). I know his reputation (and it's not all positive) and the respect he has around the league, but others that have failed miserably in the past have had a rich history as well.

Honestly if we are going to hire a new GM, and we know it, I would rather go year-to-year on Howson and wait for the guy we want to become available. I see the pro's and con's to up and comer .vs. veterans. I tend to lean more into the veteran camp.

From everything that I have seen of what JD did in St. Louis, he was a resounding success. From using creative ideas to bring back a pissed off fan base, to building a winner, he was able to turn things around there. Some may complain that it took him a while, but his methodical approach got them where they needed to be.

The major problem with the Blues has always been shaky ownership, and I don't see that changing much with the new owners.

 

[blahblah]

Well blah, I see you're all rainbows and unicorns post lockout. LOL! Glad to see some things never change.

I'm sorry in what way? I was referring more to finding only limited value in the interview process than saying I don't think Davidson would do the same job as Priest, for example. I do trust Davidson more than Priest obviously.

I don't find being cautious of a new hire being negative.

 

[blahblah]

From everything that I have seen of what JD did in St. Louis, he was a resounding success. From using creative ideas to bring back a pissed off fan base, to building a winner, he was able to turn things around there. Some may complain that it took him a while, but his methodical approach got them where they needed to be.

I have no issue with his ability to fill up the arena over in St. Louis. Having said that, even with a full arena their revenue stream was similar to ours and they still lost money. Not everything was a resounding success. Let's see if he can translate that to filling up the arena over to Columbus. He jumped 5k fans in one season with the Blues. He doesn't have quite that much heavy lifting to do in Columbus, but he's got a major job ahead of him on the season ticket front. We'll see what he pulls out.

We could go over the roster and the farm system. I look at it and I'm neither thrilled nor disappointed. I'm fine to leave it at that.

As I said at the hire, I am cautious. I am not jumping in with both feet nor am I expecting failure. I'll form my opinion as he takes action.

 

[BluejacketNut]

I agree largely with Bla in that his past isnt necessarily glorious (as prez). The Blues made the playoff's twice in his tenure, so he's met with cautious optimism. What I think he brings most to the franchise is his respectability through out the league....that's definitely something we havent had in the past. What would be even better would be if he came down to the booth and kicked Rimer and Davidge out!!!

 

[Dr. Fire]

I agree largely with Bla in that his past isnt necessarily glorious (as prez). The Blues made the playoff's twice in his tenure, so he's met with cautious optimism. What I think he brings most to the franchise is his respectability through out the league....that's definitely something we havent had in the past. What would be even better would be if he came down to the booth and kicked Rimer and Davidge out!!!

That argument can be made.

The Blues continued to suck for some time until JD turned them around. But, remember, the Blues were even a bigger train wreck than the CBJ when he took them over. They had some good prospects in the system (sound familiar?) but they needed big time help.

JD is only human, and I am sure he isn't perfect as no one is, but like you said, he brings a lot of positives to the franchise, and should be a positive force in bringing respectability to it.

 

[Tampacuseforever]

Like him or not Burke would put the Jackets on the map. His overall resume is excellent.

 

[CrazyCanucks]

Brian Burke is a complete joke. Would be hard to sell him as a replacement for Howson, considering Howson in Columbus has made the playoffs more and drafted better than Burke did in Toronto (which tells you how awful Burke is)

His Toronto track record is bad, but that’s a different beast altogether. He had already won a Cup with Anaheim so winning a Cup in TO would boost his fat head even more. Look at what he did in Van. The core of that team was drafted and developed under Burke and Nonis and are still there. The Sedins, Kesler, Burrows, Bieksa and Cory Schneider. Those were the players that took over the Bertuzzi and Naslund era in Vancouver and have lead that team to its best successes since 94. He did well here in Vancouver to draft and develop. The reason he failed in TO was he was looking for a quick fix to win the Cup because he would be considered god in Toronto. It was to feed his ego.

In Anahiem he did draft pretty good players, like Perry, Getzlaf and Ryan. Ya he got lucky with 2 hall of fame D-men coming to the Duck, but still he did well down there

I hate Burke for other reasons, but to suggest that Howson is a better GM than Burke, cmon man. He took a team that was in worse shape the the CBJ in 98 with the Canucks and turned it into a yearly contender, and has played a huge part in the 12-14 year consistant progress of that team.