The Columbus Dispatch: Umberger wants out (Dispatch link post #276)
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cbjfaninmo
4 those about 2 rock
It is showtime for Umby tonight, although I think his fate is sealed. He is a goner this summer. As some have mentioned, not for the money, but more for the a roster spot. Goodbye, RJ.
punk_o_holic
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spintheblackcircle
incoming!!!
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theD86
Winging it
While I am all in favor of Umberger being on another team next year. Even with last night's game.
I'm still trying to get my head around what the conversation with the owner would sound like if management decided to buy out Umberger, rather than trade him.
JMAC-"So let me get this straight, we have a Buckeye on this team who scored 18 goals for us this year, and you want me to pay him $X Million to go play somewhere else?" "Get the Hell out of my office."
I'm still trying to get my head around what the conversation with the owner would sound like if management decided to buy out Umberger, rather than trade him.
JMAC-"So let me get this straight, we have a Buckeye on this team who scored 18 goals for us this year, and you want me to pay him $X Million to go play somewhere else?" "Get the Hell out of my office."
theD86
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Cyclones Rock
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JMAC is more than capable of understanding that RJUs PP production was a statistical abberation, that the advantages of playing with Johansen for half a season yielded more scoring opportunities than his proper slotting would have, and the opportunity cost of having RJU on his roster rather than a decent player.
With three sellout playoff game revenues in his pocket, an all star game in the offing and interest in Blue Jacket hockey probably being close to as high as it's been since the first 3+ years of consecutive sell outs, JMAC can easily understand the concept of striking the iron while its hot and absorbing the price of a fairly moderate buyout in order to better the team.
His reply to a compliance buyout will probably be more like, "Don't let the door hit him in the a**".
That said, that was a helluva block and nice pass on the GWG. Still the real hero on the goal was #29 of the Penguins.
With three sellout playoff game revenues in his pocket, an all star game in the offing and interest in Blue Jacket hockey probably being close to as high as it's been since the first 3+ years of consecutive sell outs, JMAC can easily understand the concept of striking the iron while its hot and absorbing the price of a fairly moderate buyout in order to better the team.
His reply to a compliance buyout will probably be more like, "Don't let the door hit him in the a**".
That said, that was a helluva block and nice pass on the GWG. Still the real hero on the goal was #29 of the Penguins.
I really hope the fact that RJ is a Buckeye gets no consideration whatsoever in the evaluation of him by management
the guy can't even put his shirt on right 
That was actually pretty hilarious.
I generally stay out of salary/money-based discussions and have been staying out of this one. My take is, if a trade doesn't work out, he's a Jacket next season. I know a lot of you want to see a buyout and can construct a rhetorical justification for it, but I don't think you can look at his numbers this year and really think he'll be bought out. You're also discussing spending a lot of money that doesn't belong to you.
That's my uninvested take. I could see it being wrong if JK were a phone call away from a significant FA signing and clearing RJ's contract stood in the way. But this GM extended Boll, so I don't really see him approaching Umberger like he's a toxic player.
That said, I think a trade is probable- but I also think there's more to see before this story ends.
That was actually pretty hilarious.
I generally stay out of salary/money-based discussions and have been staying out of this one. My take is, if a trade doesn't work out, he's a Jacket next season. I know a lot of you want to see a buyout and can construct a rhetorical justification for it, but I don't think you can look at his numbers this year and really think he'll be bought out. You're also discussing spending a lot of money that doesn't belong to you.
That's my uninvested take. I could see it being wrong if JK were a phone call away from a significant FA signing and clearing RJ's contract stood in the way. But this GM extended Boll, so I don't really see him approaching Umberger like he's a toxic player.
That said, I think a trade is probable- but I also think there's more to see before this story ends.
Viqsi
"that chick from Ohio"
I kind of hope it does, if only to balance out the remarkable amount of hate he gets from certain Jackets fans who act like the worst of the worst of Buckeye fans by going along with the "this town ain't big enough for the both of us" mishegaas going back and forth.
...okay, yeah, in principle I don't like the idea of roster decisions being made based on marketing considerations. But seriously, I'm still convinced his happening to be a reminder of That Other Sports Organization gets him a ton of hate from folks who are somehow convinced it makes him beloved where he isn't.
Mayor Bee
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- Dec 29, 2008
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I don't agree, but only because him having been at OSU doesn't affect my opinion one bit. And we all know my feelings on that particular school.
theD86
Winging it
I wonder how many Buckeye football fans even realize that he played hockey for OSU or even care? I don't think there is much of a marketing advantage with this guy. Quite a few Buckeye fans look down on OSU hockey, just because it isn't football.
I heard some stupid "would you rather" by an OSU football fan trying to compare winning the Cup with losing a Michigan game. If there is anything more than a smattering of the crazies that wouldn't sacrifice an OSU loss to Michigan in football for the Jackets winning the Cup, people in this town really have their priorities out of whack.
Winning the Cup would put this city on the world stage beyond anything that winning a national championship would to - never mind a simple rivalry game to Michigan in which it's mostly two cities that care.
I know I really went outside of the OT, but this OSU thing just drives me crazy. I don't care where RJ went to college and I'm not going to suddenly go to hockey games because we bring in an OSU grad. The only time I can see that being of relevance would be if that OSU grad was one of the top 2 or 3 players in the world.
cbj21
Registered User
Lets see what he does for the rest of the playoffs. He seemed extremly excited after game 4. Maybe a spark has been lit.
SuperGenius
For Duty & Humanity!
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MOD NOTE: In any Umberger discussion, OSU will likely come up as part of the topic. It is what it is. I will also ask that if you must discuss the OSU factor in this, keep it on topic.
cbjfaninmo
4 those about 2 rock
- Jan 12, 2011
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The RJ evaluation is about NHL hockey - not college hockey. The decisions will be based on what's good for the future. That said I still think Umbarger can be traded rather than exercising a buyout. The guy scored 20 goals five of the last six years. (I'm stretching that maybe - I realize he only had 18 this year but that's because they sat him.... otherwise he would've had 20). Twenty goal scorers have value in the NHL. It may take some kind of monetary subsidy for his current contract but it's really not that far off from the market. Many here seem willing to pay Callahan big bucks and I don't get it when you compare the stats. I grant you Callahan has a different skill set and more grit but let's get real. In my mind it's just a change of scenery for players with no real gain.
Don't interpret this as me being an RJ backer. He frustrates me immensely with his limited stickhandling capabilities. But he does know how to Jam a puck into the net. I much prefer that he be on another team next year but I think trade is the way to accomplish that.
Don't interpret this as me being an RJ backer. He frustrates me immensely with his limited stickhandling capabilities. But he does know how to Jam a puck into the net. I much prefer that he be on another team next year but I think trade is the way to accomplish that.
Cyclones Rock
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http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8469469&view=splits&season=20132014&gameType=3
Evidently, the coaching staff must view RJUs regular season power play production as a fluke as he's averaging a whopping 0:29 TOI per game on the PP in the playoffs so far.
So, the decision of CBJ management on whether to exercise an amnesty buyout must rest on their evaluation of RJUs ES play.
What an easy decision to make.
Evidently, the coaching staff must view RJUs regular season power play production as a fluke as he's averaging a whopping 0:29 TOI per game on the PP in the playoffs so far.
So, the decision of CBJ management on whether to exercise an amnesty buyout must rest on their evaluation of RJUs ES play.
What an easy decision to make.
I really don't know what what you were trying to convey with that first sentence. Any reference to college hockey was simply for CBJ marketing - in which quite a few of us think there is no real value there. You are right in that it probably won't have any influence on a decision about his future.
I think you are misreading the Callahan situation. I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone who would be comfortable with the contract demands; but we don't control the GM and we were linked to rumors about him and they will persist until he's safely signed with another team. Makes sense since we have so many ex-Rangers.
I've said, repeatedly, in the thread that we might be able to trade him if we retain some salary. It would take a trade in which RJ wasn't the major piece, most likely, to not retain a portion of his salary. Having said that, don't be so sure that RJ has a whole lot of value across the league anymore. That is a top six salary for a guy that isn't showing top six skill anymore. I'm not sure teams are all that willing to spend 4.6 million for 10 ES goals. He's a diminishing asset and to this day I'm still mildly surprised that Howson re-signed him (you'll see hints about this at the time he was coming up on FA). The impression I got was that Howson wasn't all that thrilled with RJ - this might have been more of an ownership push (nothing to go on, just speculation).
The RJ we've seen over the last three seasons isn't very good. I think we're seeing his last contract; at least his last long term one. I figure he'll be out of the NHL by 34 or 35.
We've discussed this situation to death.
theD86
Winging it
1857 Howitzer
******* Linesman
“@Aportzline: #CBJ R.J. Umberger played through a broken finger, separated shoulder and herniated disc. Lower body is fine, he joked.”
“@LoriSchmidt: RJ Umberger played through broken finger (early March), herniated disc in his back ("a lot of the year"), separated shoulder (early April)”
“@LoriSchmidt: RJ Umberger played through broken finger (early March), herniated disc in his back ("a lot of the year"), separated shoulder (early April)”
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