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Blue Jackets extend Hockey Operations Staff |
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It can be just as difficult for staff as it is for a player to play and work with only a year remaining on their contract. Players have to focus on the season at hand, but contract negotiations, potential trades, and upcoming free agency can take its toll on a player. It’s the same thing with management. It’s hard to balance what’s best for the franchise in both the present and the future, when you may not be around for the future.
The Blue Jackets were faced with this situation as President of Hockey Operations John Davidson, General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen, and Assistant General Manager Bill Zito. They each had a year left on their current deals, and while it wasn’t a major deal there was some uncertainty regarding their futures.
That uncertainty is no more as all three have been extended for multiple years, with Zito getting a promotion to associate GM.
We will see how this group handles Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky, but they have done a great job up to this point. They have taken a franchise that was consistently one of the worst in the league and have grown it into one that looks like a playoff team every year. They did it without any quick fix plans. They built up the farm system, capturing the 2015-16 Calder Cup, and you are seeing those moves now play out in the NHL.
This group isn’t afraid to make a big move, whether it’s either one of the trades involving Brandon Saad, or even going back to the deal that brought in Marian Gaborik. They are strong contract negotiators and are not going to let any player force the team into doing something they don’t want.
The Jackets are in good hands with this group. They have built up a very good young team, and with these new deals in place they will be around to see just how far this team can go.
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@PaulBerthelot
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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