Doug MacLean was fired tonight, in what is the most long overdue changing of the guard in memory. The Columbus Blue Jacket site has a line in his bio that was pure comedy:
Under MacLean’s guidance, the club has established itself as one of the most successful organizations in the NHL.
Almost every GM in NHL history has a balance sheet of good moves and bad, an ebb and flow in terms of signings and transactions that gives you an idea as to how the management team lasted as long as they did. In the case of Doug MacLean, there is no such beast. Columbus has drafted good players but developed them poorly, traded for superstars who made no difference and generally remained as faceless as they were when their expansion was announced.
Welcome to the NHL, Columbus. I can hardly wait to see what the uniforms look like.
Does Lowe make a move for Nash if there is a huge shakeup in their lineup with a new GM??
ReplyDeleteColin: I don't think Nash is what they need from the Columbus roster. In no specific order I'd like to see if they could get Modin, Fedorov and that Tollefs fellow is interesting but I don't know if he's any good.
ReplyDeleteProspect wise I've read a ton of good things about Kris Russell.
After Waddell is canned, you can run a poll
ReplyDeleteWorst GM of the century
- Barnett
- MacLean
- Waddell
It'd be tough to vote against MacLean
All those Top-8 picks
Nada to show for it
Yeah, Nash & Hemsky would be fun
Poor Horcoff would be dead by Christmas covering for them
But Nash would have a ton of goals
Modin would be good but he's content to stay in Columbus and there aren't many players like that and unfortunately I don't think Federov has it anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if he retires as soon as his current big money contract expires. Tollefs is interesting, but he takes more penalties than Matt Greene circa the 2006 playoffs and isn't much better.
ReplyDeleteRussell is a great prospect though and after seeing him at the WJC's a friend and I were agreeing that the Oilers would do well to draft him, only to discover that he was picked up in the 3rd round by Columbus of all teams. He looks and plays like the second coming of Rafalski.
joninabox: I didn't know Fedorov's contract still had time on it. He's certainly not worth the big contract he signed years ago.
ReplyDeleteModin would be a very nice veteran pickup, and Tollefs could fill that role of enforcer while getting 5-6 minutes a night.
I think maybe Matt Greene will be traded this summer. MacT is pumping him up and somehow he was named to the U.S. WHC team, which is job placement in the extreme. If ever there was a guy being showcased, it's Greene imo.
I think Greene is also likely the one to go - you have Smith/Staios already and then Gilbert behind.
ReplyDeleteTSN is talking up Redden to the Oilers on their website.
Columbus looks to have some actual capable defenders. When I look at Gabe's site I focus on percentage of minutes and goals against per 60, and then goal for. By that standard, Eriksson and Tollefson look legitimate as good mid-level defencemen.
ReplyDeleteAlso, by my eye, Vyborny is the only valuable forward to be had on that team. Everything else would either be a lateral move or ass backwards. If I was a GM in the Oilers organization I'd be done gambling on the promise of a player like Nash. If he is ever to become a player, I'd rather the process not unfold on the ice at Rexall.
I think that somebody could take over for MacLean and look very smart.
ReplyDeletePoor Foote and Klesla, they got hammered pretty good, but all things considered it could have been a lot worse. When you play against that kind of competition ... with those kind of forwards in front of you, well it would be understandable to get hammered in the 5on5 +/- stuff.
And when he wasn't hurt, after Hitchcock arrived: @ 5v5 Foote managed to go +18, -20 and Klesla +27, -34 EV. Given the context ... these poor bastards deserve some sort of special award. :)
This team needs about five more Vyborneys IMO. They could have nabbed Mike Johnson, Richard Zednik, Radek Dvorak, Mike Sillinger, Richard Park, etc. for next to nothing in terms of assets this past summer. And not a whole helluva lot in terms of salary either.
Instead they acquired Carter and Modin. The type of player they had too many of in the first place. I'm surprised that they somehow didn't end up with Lupul. ;)
If the market for this kind this kind of player is as soft this past summer, then this is a team that could be improved quickly in that weak division. Granted, they have a lot of contracts on the books that are going to be tough to move out.
The other Norweigan is tough as nails and I think he'd be a good addition for sure. I don't watch a tonne of CBJ games but whenever I do it seems like he's rattling the boards with huge hits and he's doing it without extending his shoulders or arms ala Go-Go Gadget Phaneuf.
ReplyDeleteWe have so many other young D that aren't ready to play big min, though, so where would this kid fit in? I love the idea of him as an enforcer so maybe we make him into a 4th line winger OR he's a swingman ala the Sens Schubert.
Under MacLean’s guidance, the club has established itself as one of the most successful organizations in the NHL.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a ridiculous statement, it almost qualifies as satire.
I have chosen to over look that line in his bio hundreds of times...you just had to bring it up haha. Anyway here's to a new GM...and here's hoping it doesn't get any worse....it couldn't get any worse right?!
ReplyDeleteThe most likeliest player who may be more available with maclean gone - may be Rusty Klesla. Since the new GM didn't draft him, and since he hasn't exactly shone in Columbus - he may be available to be picked up. The question is - is the guy any good? I don't watch Cbj enough to know. But i'm just throwing the thought out there.
ReplyDeleteActually, I think they are getting new unis next year, too, as part of the jersey changeover.
ReplyDeleteKlesla and Foote apparently were the workhorses on that team in regards to opposition. There wasn't alot of offence on the Jackets team so being a -13 at even strength isn't Greene-ish relatively speaking. He also registered as many shots on goal as the top 4 Oilers' defensemen combined in that category, although I'm not sure whence those shots came.
ReplyDeleteEriksson's 23 assists aren't going to put demands for him out in the stratosphere either. He and Tollefson were on for more goals for than against.
Klesla's due to make 1.45 next season and as I type this I see that Eriksson's a UFA, so I guess that's all irrelevent. After Lowe throws an RFA offer sheet at Ballard he can offer Eriksson a 150,000 dollar raise and play him with Staios;)
Man, I wish I could inherit a hockey team.
Have to hand it to Fedorov -- he maximized cash from his playing career.
ReplyDeleteHit Wipes Out PEI Mafia?;)
ReplyDeleteI'm just sad that we didn't get to fleece him before he was fired but then again Lowe's Uh Oh for his last two trades so maybe it's better that Maclean isn't still in power.
BTW, speaking of regime changes, there was an interesting piece on Jayne in one of the Phx dailies. Seems like that cat's on about his 8th life.