Mackenzie to Florida

[Cyclones Rock]

Is this a joke? You can't seriously believe this.

Where's the joke?

 

[major major]

There exists a school of thought that players are basically interchangeable, that little exists beyond the completely tangible and quantifiable.

I refer to that thinking as "statistical idiocy".

In this case the quantifiable also points to Mackenzie being exceptional for his role. His points per minute are usually very good each year (better than many players on scoring lines). And now we're talking about him being easily replaced by Chaput, who has one career point in 17 games.

 

[major major]

Let it be clear that I'm not actually blaming the guy - I'm happy for him.

I wish it had worked out but the org has another plan. I was pissed about Prospal as well and a number of other players over the years. I'll get over it, the team will probably be fine and the sun rises tomorrow. Hard to fret over it either way. CBJ will miss some things, they may gain some things. It's up to other guys to step up and fill in the intangibles and tangibles now. Who's to say Matt Calvert isn't the next solid locker room leader to step into his shoes? Who's to say Chaput won't become a force at center ice with regular play breaking in on the fourth line?

Lotta time left to judge this one...

If Chaput is going to do that he should be able to steal Mackenzie's job by year's end, instead of us handing it to him. Now we're just left really hoping Chaput steps up.

Chaput is not being gifted a position to replace Mackenzie. Right now the 4th line is likely Tropp-Letestu-Boll. All of those players have shown that they can play in the NHL and contribute as 4th line players. Letestu can slot up if need be, as Mack has done in the past. Chaput, D'Amigo, Hjalmarsson and any of the young kids will have a chance at camp to try and knock Tropp and Boll out of their spots. Seems reasonable to me.

Mentioning Boll and Tropp isn't going to persuade people that its okay to let D-Mac go. Chaput can beat out Boller and Tropp and still be nowhere near as good as D-Mac.
I do agree that D'Amigo and Hjalmarsson help the odds of us finding a replacement.

 

[EDM]

What is all this talk about Chaput who has done nothing to establish himself as an NHL caliber player. During his brief stints here he has been decidely mediocre. Now suddenly the guy is going to be relied upon to hold the fourth line together when, as will almost certainly happen, Letestu is moved up to a higher line to cover when Horton or Hartnell gets injured. A fourth line of Tropp, Boll and Chaput is NOT a legitimate playoff contention fourth line. In fact, it sucks.

 

[WannabeFinn]

What is all this talk about Chaput who has done nothing to establish himself as an NHL caliber player. During his brief stints here he has been decidely mediocre. Now suddenly the guy is going to be relied upon to hold the fourth line together when, as will almost certainly happen, Letestu is moved up to a higher line to cover when Horton or Hartnell gets injured. A fourth line of Tropp, Boll and Chaput is NOT a legitimate playoff contention fourth line. In fact, it sucks.

When Chaput was playing in Columbus it was in the midst of a plague of injuries. He had mediocre players all around him, not to mention during one of our typically poor starts, and still managed to not have a negative rating after playing 17 games. Pretty solid for a 21 year old with limited professional hockey experience who was forced into a bad situation if you ask me.

He's got another year of experience/maturation under his belt and was a huge offensive producer in Springy this past year. Went from 32 points in 73 games in '12/13 to 45 points (19 goals) in 55 games in '13/14.

I'm not trying to hype him up to be more than he is, because he's definitely not anything more than a potential bottom 6 NHLer right now. But you're more than selling him short.

 

[major major]

When Chaput was playing in Columbus it was in the midst of a plague of injuries. He had mediocre players all around him, not to mention during one of our typically poor starts, and still managed to not have a negative rating after playing 17 games. Pretty solid for a 21 year old with limited professional hockey experience who was forced into a bad situation if you ask me.

He's got another year of experience/maturation under his belt and was a huge offensive producer in Springy this past year. Went from 32 points in 73 games in '12/13 to 45 points (19 goals) in 55 games in '13/14.

I'm not trying to hype him up to be more than he is, because he's definitely not anything more than a potential bottom 6 NHLer right now. But you're more than selling him short.

Where is he selling Chaput short?

Is Chaput an established NHLer? No.
Has he been better than mediocre in his 17 NHL games? No.
Would a line of Tropp, Chaput, and Boll do much besides suck? Probably not.

None of this is to say that Chaput isn't an intriguing player long term, he just hasn't earned an NHL job yet.

 

[cbj21]

I woke up this morning and I'm still angry! Explain it Jarmo!!
Because nothing I read on here does it for me.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I woke up this morning and I'm still angry! Explain it Jarmo!!
Because nothing I read on here does it for me.

32 years old, 3 year contract. That's why

 

[EspenK]

32 years old, 3 year contract. That's why

Jarome Iginla 36 - 3 yr contract 5+ mill per-what an idiot Joe Sakic must be . Doesn't he understand he didn't need Iggy? That all his young guns will provide organic growth?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Jarome Iginla 36 - 3 yr contract 5+ mill per-what an idiot Joe Sakic must be . Doesn't he understand he didn't need Iggy? That all his young guns will provide organic growth?

Lol comparing a 4th line Derek MacKenzie to Jarome Iginla, who used to be a Rocket Richard 40 goal guy, and still pots 25 pretty easily. That's not a great contract either. There's a reason why Colorado didn't try harder to sign Stastny, and that was to give MacKinnon his job, thus organic growth down the middle. However they were soft on wingers.

 

[Jackets16]

Where's the joke?

What you said is ridiculous. No one in the NHL thinks that.

 

[pete goegan]

Jarmo on DMac (from Puckrakers):

"He's a class act; I've got nothing but great things to say about him," Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said. "We're going to miss him. He got a great deal, and we totally understand why he moved on. It's great for him and his family. He deserves this."

 

[FiveHole23]

Will definitely miss DMac but lets face it we have enough of these 4th line guys.

Best of luck to him. I don't think Florida will do much better this year but they have made some good moves.

 

[blahblah]

When Chaput was playing in Columbus it was in the midst of a plague of injuries. He had mediocre players all around him, not to mention during one of our typically poor starts, and still managed to not have a negative rating after playing 17 games. Pretty solid for a 21 year old with limited professional hockey experience who was forced into a bad situation if you ask me.

He did little to nothing. He showed little to nothing. Frame it anyway you want, but he didn't do much for the front office to notice. He's not remotely the player that MacKenzie was, at least not yet. He's not even the player that Boll is yet, nevermind Tropp.

 

[sc37]

The front office seems to be taking a lot of heat for being a little cut-throat with DMac. But from this morning's article:

"The Blue Jackets asked him to give them a chance to match any offer he might receive, which he did, but the Panthers were willing to give MacKenzie, 32, the longest contract of his career."

(http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com/content/stories/2014/07/02/signings-reshape-jackets-fourth-line.html)

Sounds like the Jackets wouldn't have minded a 1 or 2 year deal. But can't blame either side for the outcome-- Mackenzie gets some security and the Jackets don't have the risk of having a potentially worthless 4th liner down the road (like Boll), and add some flexibility for "internal growth."

 

[Fro]

^ correct...Dmac has literally put his body on the line for this team for the last few years. At 33, the body has to begin breaking down at some point. Now, not saying he WILL break down, but we've seen some of the injuries begin mounting with him. There are plenty of 4th line players on the market we can look into if Chaput/Collins isn't the answer

 

[blahblah]

The front office seems to be taking a lot of heat for being a little cut-throat with DMac. But from this morning's article:

The discussion on term was covered in this thread. We were aware that was a concern, but it didn't influence opinions.

 

[Xoggz22]

A lot of passion in this thread. Love it. It's what makes us fans and committed to this team. I've said in other threads DMac is the only player I'm truly sad to see go. I am both disappointed and OK with it at the same time. Very few players I can say that about.

DMac was a great addition to this team. Glue guy. Heart and soul. I think his value was higher as the team transitioned away from the Nash led team. I'm not implying he didn't have value now but maybe the team thought 3 years was simply more than they wanted to commit to because of the bigger plan (adding the young players to the lineup). Keep in mind Joey started on the 3rd and 4th line. Jenner played some there too. Atkinson? yup.

Adding youth expected to be top 6 can still start on the bottom 6 and learn the ropes, get protected minutes, etc. Maybe the team simply wanted to give Wennberg or Rychel or Hjalmarsson and better chance at making the club and their scouting staff thought they could offer more. We'll see.

Again, I'm very sad to see him go and would be happier if he were re-signed, however, I am not torn to shreds that he's moved on. This team is deep and has leadership. I think we'll overcome this one. Good luck to DMac

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Will definitely miss DMac but lets face it we have enough of these 4th line guys.

Again "4th line guys" as thought they are completely interchangeable.

There are plenty of 4th line players on the market we can look into if Chaput/Collins isn't the answer

In fact, they are so interchangeable, we will simply have a revolving door policy until we find the right one.

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

Is Chaput an established NHLer? No.
Has he been better than mediocre in his 17 NHL games? No.
Would a line of Tropp, Chaput, and Boll do much besides suck? Probably not.

None of this is to say that Chaput isn't an intriguing player long term, he just hasn't earned an NHL job yet.

Tropp and Boll suffered both from injuries which led them into sidetracks for a while but with healthy off-season they should be able to show off their true value when it comes to the season part.

Chaput won't ever be a NHL player if he won't be given the chance to prove his ability. Same goes for Hjalmarsson and D'Amigo. All three deserve a chance.

 

[Fro]

one thing we've learned with this team no one "deserves" anything...but Chaput has a chance to grab the proverbial ball and run with it

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Chaput won't ever be a NHL player if he won't be given the chance to prove his ability.

When he shows, in sort stints as an injury call-up, that he is an NHL player, then he should be "given a chance."

This is veering kinda close to a certain argument about a certain player's success on the power-play being due to the number of minutes logged on the PP only.

 

[Nordique]

Jarmo on DMac (from Puckrakers):

"He's a class act; I've got nothing but great things to say about him," Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen said. "We're going to miss him. He got a great deal, and we totally understand why he moved on. It's great for him and his family. He deserves this."

It may seem trivial to most, letting a 4th line center move on, but I don't like this at all.

 

[Tulipunaruusu*]

When he shows, in sort stints as an injury call-up, that he is an NHL player, then he should be "given a chance."

If you are given under four minutes a night (Jerry D'Amigo at times on Toronto last season) on a sudden call-up that's not very much of a optimal chance to prove your ability. Every player needs confidence boost also to perform to their best ability.

Chaput didn't earn more than that last season but with this off-season who knows... wouldn't be the first 22-year-old player to improve.

The process then already starts with training camps and having flexibility on the roster to begin with so you could say that roster management is quite important part of what makes that chance. Jack Skille surely proved his ability last season yet NHL didn't reward him with NHL job until injuries kicked in...

Chaput, Hjalmarsson and D'Amigo showed enough in AHL or Swedish top league to be in the mix for this season when you start giving out NHL roles.

 

[Fro]

one thing I'll disagree with you on there Tulip, is that when called upon, you HAVE to be ready to play. 4 minutes a night etc isn't a good excuse, it means your ice time is being diminished b/c you aren't ready to go...