Three first round picks with two potentially in the top 10 means brighter days are ahead. As long as Jarmmo can get ownership to open up the wallet the Blue Jackets could be a fun team to watch in the next few years.
- trolleytracks

I dont think opening the wallet has been a problem with this ownership. Last year we were at one point the 4th highest payroll in the league. its just a matter of spending the $$$ wisely

I actually agree with a lot of your "rebuttal". No organization gets all of 'em right-my point is that with the exception of Rick Nash, I don't think Columbus has ever come close to getting the best player available. And, bad teams must draft well, or they stay bad. if you look at who drafted the players I mentioned, with few exceptions they are strong organizations-no coincidence. In general this organization has accepted losing, starting with ownership, and disguised the need for change with phrases like "re-shaping". Please.
- Eric 1

I don't usually follow this site, but at first glance you look like the blogger and Millar looks like the whining fan....

The jackets have had amazing draft positions .... 9-10 top ten picks and they can neither select well, nor develop well..... the later being more of the issue.

That said, Tamp/ Ottawa/Florida have all struggled through the first ten years as they not only tried to ice a solid team, but develop young talent.

Hopefully the new GM and Davidson can bring the ship back around. They need to get their young talent in the AHL and forget about rushing them. Ice a team of lesser lites until the kids develop, then start bringing them up.

The AHL franchises for Ottawa, Jersey, Pittsburgh, Philli and others have all been strong over the past few years and it shows at the NHL level. I'm more familiar with Ottawa, but to use them as an example (not the mould) they developed young talent at the AHL level (they happened to win The Calder Cup) and now most of that roster is playing in the NHL - granted a little sooner than expected.

Be patient (again), stay the course and develop your team - Christ, the fans have gotten used to losing, what's three more years..... Good Luck!

Because they've rarely gotten the premium picks in any draft. Nash and Ryan Murray are the only top-three picks they've had. They've had the 4th overall selection three times, the sixth pick three times, the seventh once and the eighth pick twice. They haven't had the #1 or #2 picks multiple times like Edmonton and Pittsburgh. They haven't done a great job in the draft but haven't been as lucky as some teams either.
- Glen Miller

To quote your former GM ..... "Are you kidding me??"

You haven't had quality picks to build your team??? Consistent top ten picks should have produced a solid crop of stud prospects - they just plain out haven't drafted well - rather pooptily actually. Ottawa (and others) has done ten times more with lower picks.

Hopefully the new GM and Davidson can get it right .... perhaps by starting with a #1 goalie ...... Ottawa happens to have two - wanna trade for one to get your club started in the right direction??

Can't imagine, given how badly Hitchcock flamed out of Columbus, that CBJ would be interested in hiring a Hitchcockian style coach. Given all the youngsters in the pipeline (Jenner, Johanssen, Murray) and the ones coming (3 first rounders) I'd imagine they'd want to hire a coach with a better rapport with the youngsters. Maybe Eakins make more sense??

Also, I imagine Lindy doesn't have 16 years worth of coaching left in him and would probably want to win a cup sooner rather than later. Don't think he's into re-build jobs. I could easily seeing him taking a job with a team like Washington.
- jacketsfan0649

Terry Murray did a brilliant job instilling defensive responsibility into a very young Kings team. Maybe?

This question is 100% the reason for the hiring of Jarmo Kekalainen. 3 picks in first round.

This team is BETTER than last years team. They are in every game, the problem is they can't seem to get anyone to finish around the net. If the opposing team scores 2 or more goals this team is dead. CBJ isn't scoring 3.
- shawno

Agreed, it's not like if every game as been a blowout of sorts, but simply they always seemed to miss a little extre something to seal the deal and get the win, no lead is safe but they are sure as hell playing better without Nash IMO.

K, so I'm going to try and hijack this thread for a moment. Did anyone see the Penguins / Flyers game last night? I'd like an honest opinion of your thoughts. I was so emotionally involved I need a reality check I think. So thoughts?

And I came to this thread because the blue jackets are my 2nd team

The Habs are interested in one of your 3 first round picks.

We have a lot a good roster players available and alot of picks to.

Would you be interested in Eller, Gionta, Desharnais, Cole, Markov, Diaz??

K, so I'm going to try and hijack this thread for a moment. Did anyone see the Penguins / Flyers game last night? I'd like an honest opinion of your thoughts. I was so emotionally involved I need a reality check I think. So thoughts?

And I came to this thread because the blue jackets are my 2nd team
- FlyersGrace

If the Flyers can play with that amount of emotions all the time, they will be ok. But you will need a lot of goals because that def crop is lame and Bryzgalov cant back it up.

The Habs are interested in one of your 3 first round picks.

We have a lot a good roster players available and alot of picks to.

Would you be interested in Eller, Gionta, Desharnais, Cole, Markov, Diaz??
- soad_live

Eller , why? because Kekalaine drafted him

To quote your former GM ..... "Are you kidding me??"

You haven't had quality picks to build your team??? Consistent top ten picks should have produced a solid crop of stud prospects - they just plain out haven't drafted well - rather pooptily actually. Ottawa (and others) has done ten times more with lower picks.

Hopefully the new GM and Davidson can get it right .... perhaps by starting with a #1 goalie ...... Ottawa happens to have two - wanna trade for one to get your club started in the right direction??
- GadesnSens

My point is that in most draft years there are the obvious guys, the guys everyone pegs for first or second. Crosby, Tavares, Ovechkin, Malkin, Taylor Hall, etc., all fit that mold. Usually once you get past the top three you don't get the marquee names and those players tend to bust out more than the top-three picks do. For a team that has been as consistently bad as the Jackets you'd have to say it's a bit of a surprise they've only drafted first one time and that was due to trading up from three the year they got Nash.

Of course you'd think that any team with so many high picks period would have done a better job of connecting. That's where the development has been lacking. Take a team like the Rangers who have had just one pick in the the top-10 (10th overall) in the last five or six drafts. Yet they've hit on a number of players both in the 1st round and in later rounds that are helping their team. And of course Detroit has consistently drafted in the latter half of the first round and still manages to ice a playoff team annually. No question Columbus has done a poor job but it isn't as if they've whiffed in years where they've had the chance to draft a player like Crosby or Malkin.

Eller , why? because Kekalaine drafted him
- Alexzanki

I don't think he's worth a first though.

I don't think he's worth a first though.
- Glen Miller

Of course not. But its a start.

How about Eller, Leblanc and Mtl 2nd pick for LA 1st pick?

Of course not. But its a start.

How about Eller, Leblanc and Mtl 2nd pick for LA 1st pick?
- soad_live

Truthfully I don't know enough about LeBlanc to answer fairly. I will say that Columbus needs more impact talent as opposed to another decent third line forward and a defense prospect. I'd have to say at this point the prudent course of action would be to hang on to that pick even though LA is starting to win and that pick will only get later in the draft. With the LA and NYR picks they could offer a package to move up and select a player they really like or they could hang on to all three depending on how the board shakes out.

Of course not. But its a start.

How about Eller, Leblanc and Mtl 2nd pick for LA 1st pick?
- soad_live

- Scabeh

Shuuuuuuuut. Keep quiet.

Shuuuuuuuut. Keep quiet.
- soad_live

I love this dude throwing around trade proposals like he's actually Marc Bergevin and can get them done.