True, this is where bridge contracts kill you. Both are going to end up proving theyre worth it, and its going to cost us big time, and thats not good for a small market team and a team losing money. I cant say im overly impressed by JK player assessments
Bridge contracts fit most players who are coming off of their entry contracts who are run-of-the-mill to even significantly above average players. There's nothing wrong with using them to sign most players. Atkinson and Calvert contracts are expiring this season and they are both good fits for bridge deals. Neither is the type to sign to a long term deal.
However, forcing bridge deals upon Vezina winners and exceptionally-performing players isn't a very sound strategy. Most organizations would have gladly inked both Bob and Joey to long term deals. Anyone who really doubted Johansen's abilities and honestly thought that he stood more than a slight chance of regression simply can't evaluate hockey talent. Yes, it was that obvious with Johansen. NOTE: I think JK knew damn well what he had in Joey and was just being cheap. Also, going long term with a 24 year old Vezina winner could hardly be considered going out on a ledge in the risk department.
Bob will run at least a million and a half more per season starting next season than had he been signed long term. Johansen will cost a fortune in year 4 via arbitration. His years 5 & 6 of what should have been a long term deal stand a very good chance of not being played in Columbus. He'll go UFA and if anyone thinks he'll be signing for a hometown discount (unless you use Vancouver as that home).......... JK will have "saved" the CBJ $6 million on the first two years of Joey's deal and all of the other financial ramifications are CBJ negative.
Jarmo's North American background was in amateur scouting. He was bypassed for the Blues GM position when it opened up. He wasn't viewed either as GM-ready or GM-caliber material or the Blues current GM was just a better candidate. In any case, he was a very well known quantity who wasn't chosen for a position he wanted.
To this point, he has done little to show that he's a very sound evaluator of established talent. Bob and Joey....mistakes. Horton....a huge mistake. Horton was on the downside of his productivity and his concussion issues and back issues weren't completely unknown.
Trading a high end scorer (Gaborik) at the deadline when his team stood a good chance of going to the playoffs for a worthless plug (Frattin) doesn't ring of very sound judgement. 3rd and 2nd round picks are fun to romanticize about, but most of them are washouts. Gaborik had a Conn Smythe level performance in last season's playoffs. LA does not win the Cup without him. Do the Jackets get by Pittsburgh with him? Who knows? It would have been nice to at least see.
Letting DMAC go over peanuts can't be categorized as a positive for JK either.
On the positive side of the ledger, JK did get Gaborik and almost finished the necessary housecleaning of the franchise by ridding it of Brassard and Dorsette. Getting rid of Umberger for Hartnell was also a positive. He took advantage of Ron Hextall's incompetence. He also was wise enough to re up HCTR. Other than these decisions, it's hard to see where JK has distinguished himself in the non amateur player category. And it's way too early to start singing any praises for his drafting.
Overall, I would doubt that even his most ardent supporters could make a strong case that JK has been a very effective GM with respect to non scouting matters.
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And I get trying to protect yourself, but a lot of what you heard from the rest of the hockey world was to sign him long term (Joey). If we could have gotten him for 6+ years at say $7m, thats going to be a steal since im sure the next contract is going to arbitration. And if it does, i've got to think he's going to break the bank because I honestly feel if he stays healthy that he'll break 80 points THIS year. Again, probably fine for the Bruins, LA, Chicago, NY, Det, and the other top spenders, but we're not that team, and we need as much as we can get for cheap, and now our 2 most important pieces are going to make top dollar which is going to handcuff the rest of the roster. And say Joey goes 80,90,90, you think he wanted a lot on this contract, wait till you see his demands in 3 years 
