This team has been dysfunctional for years. I know we are not supposed to post rumors here, and I haven’t, but there were rumors around Columbus about stuff going down at or after a party that may or may not have been Seth Jones birthday party which may or may not have led to a big COVID outbreak for the team. Some speculated that led to PLD wanting out. All I know is that since that time, PLD did want out, Jones wanted out, Gavrikov didn’t seem to sad to leave, and the team has been bad. Torts obviously wanted out. Jarmo kept saying we just needed to retool not rebuild. We have gone through a ton of coaches. You could argue that stuff goes back even further with Bob and Panarin wanting out or Josh Anderson being unhappy.
I don’t know what has been going on in Columbus, and I don’t know what rumors are true but something has been definitely going on. I don’t know if a bunch of first time coaching hires (surrounded by a dumb coaching hire with little in the way of background research) hired internally was the right path given all the internal dysfunction.
I do know that I am pretty happy we brought in an outsider who seems to be trying to solve the problem or problems. This team has had its head in the sand for years. I don’t think it will be a quick turn around. I am optimistic that we might actually be turning it around now.
I don’t know what the next moves are. I would be ok with Boone losing the C. He has been here through the dysfunction and nothing got better. He might not have been part of the problem (who knows) but he certainly couldn’t correct for what was going on. I am ok with any and all trades. Personally, nobody is off the table. I am making no assumptions about any potential development by anyone. I don’t know that anyone on this team is going to be a 1C or a 1 RD, and those are the most important positions in hockey. That kind of scares me. I am on board with the Fantilli and Jiricek picks, but I am not willing to say we have solved 1C and 1RD and we just have to wait.
“You’re not letting players dictate who your coach is, but you heard some things that probably weren’t what I expected to hear."
Not what you want to hear from your new GM. Can't say I'm surprised but it's a bit concerning. Hope it was just Vincent...
It is concerning, but I think also necessary.