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darthsummer

The Usual Suspects
Member Since
Apr. 16, 2019
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Columbus Blue Jackets
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Forum: NHLSep. 24, 2023 at 8:17 p.m.
Thread: 2023 NHL Offseason Discussion Thread #4 - The quiet period
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Db1899</b></div><div>Lol if you think that most pictures on a 20 YO camera roll go on social media you’re out of touch - coaches shouldn’t have access to a players texts/camera roll. You think the government should have cameras in our homes too?

Seems like a personal problem with you. There’s a reason why a ton of NHL players go on spitten chiclets and why Bissonette is the face of TNT and many other brands</div></div>

Glad to be out of touch, then. Not that you’re exactly dialed in; Bissonnette might be big in your little pond but isn’t the “face” of anything mainstream.

Not clear why you think it is a personal problem for me, as I have zero stake in this. Sure, I have my own opinion on how I would construct a team (or any business with multiple employees). And taking what you report at face value, some (many) 20-year-olds retain pictures…but not for the purpose of sharing. Thus their implied incriminatory value far outweighs any utility. I would intensely scrutinize this decision-making process, and through a wealth of life experiences feel quite certain that decision-making in one aspect of life bleeds over to all aspects of life. So yeah, personally, I would not desire to build an organization around poor decision makers.
Forum: NHLSep. 18, 2023 at 12:16 p.m.
Thread: 2023 NHL Offseason Discussion Thread #4 - The quiet period
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Brian2016</b></div><div>Babcock is an old school coach. He was brought in to instill discipline and accountability as much as on the ice as off. Or, at least he thought he was. Who exactly did they think they were hiring when he was given the job in the first place? Unreal. A simple statement of support from the front office early on and this is a non-issue. Instead, they allowed the media to obsess over it at a time when there's nothing else to talk about. Jarmo should be hanging on by a thread right now.</div></div>

I agree with all of this except the final sentence. Since day one, Larsen’s dismissal and this hire have had the stink of John Davidson’s fingerprints. CBJ were headed in the right direction until he was re-hired for a redundant role, seemingly to counteract Jarmo’s hockey moves with less rational maneuvers aimed at continuing ownership’s tradition of risking less and aiming to entrench at the middle of the pack. “Lose, but lose competitively, and collect league revenue in the process” must be on a placard deep in the hallows of Nationwide Arena.
Forum: NHLSep. 18, 2023 at 12:08 p.m.
Thread: 2023 NHL Offseason Discussion Thread #4 - The quiet period
quote=ricochetii;4412835] That’s not simply making someone "uncomfortable".[/quote]

<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>A_Habs_fan</b></div><div> It really depends how Babcock asked for the photos (which we will never know) and we do know that some <strong>players were uncomfortable</strong> by the demands (whether they said yes or no again, we'll never know).</div></div>


This is clearly going in circles, so I will save my breath after this. You brought in the concept of a job interview, not I. To your point, the GM (or team president / puppet for ownership / John Davidson) already has hired these players, so they should feel even LESS pressure against objecting to his request, as they have the job security.

As for having a choice versus simply feeling uncomfortable, I see it didn’t take you long to come around. If we want to hold Babcock accountable for his choices, we need to recognize that players made choices too and not give them a free pass. Some—many—choices in life can be difficult, and all come with their pros and cons, but we all have free will. I would imagine that as athletes (and as humans) these players would need to develop resolve to get to this point of their careers. Blaming others for your own choices is not an out I am apt to concede to any member of society.

For what it is worth, my stake in this is purely on principle. I never wanted Larsen ousted, and once he was would have much preferred a scrappier, more relatable hire like Andrew Brunette. Yet my malcontent with the Babcock hire does not allow me to simply accept his exit if it’s under such circumstances.
Forum: NHLSep. 18, 2023 at 9:40 a.m.
Thread: 2023 NHL Offseason Discussion Thread #4 - The quiet period
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>ricochetii</b></div><div>Yes, there are supposed to be more professional ways to address a player's concerns. How trusting are people of those systems in light of fairly recent events however?
At least the issue was addressed in a timely fashion before further harm could be done.

If you sat down for a job interview and they demanded access to your personal photos or files, that would be out of line and not much different from what is (allegedly) taking place here.

You choose what you wish to share from your personal life. If you're put into a situation where you don't feel like you have a choice, that's not simply making someone "uncomfortable".</div></div>

There has been zero indication that Babcock “demanded” phones or took them without players’ knowledge. He asked, and by all accounts, nobody refused. If they felt his request put them in a position of an awkward choice, well that’s precisely what “uncomfortable” means.

As for equating it to a job interview (now keep in mind, these athletes already have six-to-eight figure a year contracts), I expect a dive into my personal life to verify my character. While interviewing for my law firm and others, they pored over social media accounts, ran extensive background checks, requested personal writings, held my interview over the course of an entire day, and insisted on having dinner and drinks with not just me but also my fiancée. They contacted references, some whom I had listed and others of their own accord. Plus, the scrutiny to get my Bar license was even more intense and extensive. And that all paled in comparison to the measures taken by a certain government agency with which interviewed years later.

So yeah, I do not see the issue with Babcock’s approach. The prominent players came out supporting his actions; this was just someone using tyranny of the minority, playing off old stories of Babcock to depose him in an unprofessional manner by spinning it to the “media.”
Forum: Trade Machine ProposalsJul. 28, 2023 at 8:56 p.m.
Forum: Trade Machine ProposalsJul. 26, 2023 at 6:08 p.m.
Thread: VAN-CBJ Mega Blockbuster Canucks tank for one year
Without Myers, and then tweaked accordingly, I don’t mind it for the Jackets. Swap Peeke in for Boqvist, push the pick out to ‘25 or ‘26, and ideally sub Bemström, Del Bel Belluz, the rights to Berni, Danforth (to clear a little extra cap space), and Bjørgvik Holm or Svozil in for Sillinger, and the deal works even better. Of course if Petterson signs an extension.

I get that the Canucks supporter wants quality over quantity, but up against a hard cap wall, they’re not in a position of bargaining power. Not saying this is trying to short-change Vancouver:

VAN still gets a recent first rounder (Chinakov) and a future first round pick. Peeke offers an affordable, ready-made NHL defenseman, maybe with a lower ceiling than Boqvist but a much higher floor. With widely varying opinions on Sillinger’s potential, the Canucks instead get a handful of bites at the apple. Del Bel Belluz, Knazko, Svozil/OBH, and Bemström all offer their own levels of risk/reward, with quantity increasing the chances of one or more paying off big. Then utilized correctly, Roslovic brings back a 2nd or 3rd at the deadline, while Danforth and Berni both can contribute this year and yield mid-to-later picks come March.

The elephant in the room, Elvis could catch fire and regain his form where he was reeled off five shutouts in eight game. That would be a bonus. More likely, he plays below the average goaltender, but after absorbing this year’s cap hit, they can then spread out a very reasonable buyout over six years. Perhaps he’s somewhere in the middle and warrants a future roster spot, albeit slightly overpaid. Regardless, this gives VAN a quantity of quality—not elite superstars, but quality.

Meanwhile, CBJ thins its logjam at both the NHL and AHL, adds an elite piece, and at least gives itself options down the road at G. As them, I’d make the deal. But neither side will, because massive deals like this are simply too complicated to consider.
Forum: Trade Machine ProposalsJul. 23, 2023 at 1:49 p.m.
Thread: Dylan Strome to CBJ
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Kuzbackov</b></div><div>What a stupid and uninformed comment. Dylan Strome scored more points last season than Cole Sillinger has in his entire career. Ceulemans hasn’t proven anything at the professional level. You can keep hoping and praying that either ever have the current value of Strome but as of right now Strome has more value than both combined, easily.</div></div>

Quite harsh calling out someone as stupid and worse uninformed on the basis of one column (points) in the stat sheet…for one year. Value goes beyond points, and far beyond statistics. I repeat myself in every forum, but age, term, and cap hit are just as (or even more) integral to the true “value” of a player in a league with a hard cap.

If Strome is indeed so valuable—worth more than a recent top 12 pick, another first round prospect, and an upcoming third, then why didn’t Chicago even give him a qualifying offer just a year’s time ago? And why didn’t the center-desperate Jackets sign him then? Clearly they didn’t think he was even as good of an investment as Erik Gudbranson (another former #3 overall pick).

By he way, Ceulemans has proven exactly as much at the professional level as Connor Bedard. Are you saying you’d turn down an offer of Bedard for Strome?
Forum: Trade Machine ProposalsJul. 17, 2023 at 7:17 a.m.
Thread: If Pettersson wanted out of Vancouver
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>dk325</b></div><div>Common, I wanna hear players that you think those teams have that they'd be willing to part with and match up to a Fantilli + Johnson or Jiricek + a 1st package. Also remember, this is a scenario where Pettersson is refusing to sign next summer so the Canucks desire to trade him is inconsequential. This team is also gonna need to be able to fit an $11M+ extension in and need a 1C so cross teams like Dallas, LA, Minnesota, Buffalo, and NJ off the list.</div></div>

If Petterson was on an ELC, then MAYBE you could get two of Johnson, Fantilli, Jiricek, ‘24 1st rounder. But with a cap hit of $7.8M, and moreover an upcoming QO of nearly $9M and all the leverage, his “value” is diminished in the current world where cap space is king, and will be even when escrow is paid off and the cap finally jumps.

Honestly, I don’t think the Jackets would do Fantilli straight up for Petterson, just given the economics. Jiricek or Kent Johnson 1-for-1 would give them pause. Now move past top 6 overall picks, or to guys where the clock has ticked further, and you have a discussion.

Sillinger fits the fabric of the team, but for Petterson, he’d be on the table. Teixier and Foudy, Peeke and Bean. Obviously Bemström—less proven, not going to build a trade around him, but upside in the right environment. Even guys with more term like Chinakov and Boqvist or even Coulemans and Mateychuk (likely not both together). Any of the youngsters with promise drafted in the third round or later (Svozil, Knazko, and OB Holm; Dumais, Malatesta, etc.). Quantity—and quantity with quality and degrees of upside—for Petterson would be the offer. And CBJ would be more apt to include their ‘25 or ‘26 first round pick than next year’s (and/or again quantity of later picks), but that wouldn’t be the deal-breaker.

Point is, in the NHL, the quality of the target player (in this case Petterson) is indeed the most important factor, but by no means the only one. Cap hit and remaining term are always in tue equation, significantly. DeBrincat and Dubois are the most recent of myriad examples. It’s on full display when the Coyotes (and now Flyers) get a still capable player and a second round pick for “future considerations,” but relevant among even top talent.

Think, what clubs—in a vacuum—wouldn’t want Ovechkin or Letang? Sure the “hang on and win now” teams would find a way and worry about the consequences later. But I’d wager that plenty of teams built for the future as much as the present would pass on both Ovi and Letang, even if they were on the waiver wire, simply due to the cost/hit on the back end of those deals as each approaches 40.

I am a huge fan of Petterson and as a clear CBJ supporter, I would love him on the squad. The franchise has a long history of getting the most out of guys with a slighter build, so that wouldn’t scare me away. I just know to compete—and compete well—they will need not just inexpensive role players but also a few elite pieces on ELCs or still under RFA contract control.
Forum: NHL TradesJun. 9, 2023 at 5:20 p.m.
Thread: (NJD/CBJ) - Severson for 2023 3rd (CGY)
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>TheRealisticGuy</b></div><div>I don't think Jiricek will make the team next year
No rush for him, let him and Mateychuk develop

Werenski-Severson
Provorov-Boqvist
Bean-Peeke
Blakenburg</div></div>

Maybe you’re right, but it makes no sense to burn contract years while not using Jiricek. He doesn’t have much to prove in Cleveland.

Injuries notwithstanding, I’m expecting CBJ to target a lineup something like:
Werenski-Boqvist
Provorov-Severson
Jiricek-Gudbranson
Blankenburg+2nd defender (hopefully Bean)

Too much spent on Gudbranson to not use him. Yes, I know that puts two RD in the third pairing, but that’s how most of the last two years were spent. If they have a trade lined up, then great. Not so much of they’re trading Bean. Injuries have robbed him of playing a full season of games; they’d get pennies on the dollar. Bjork/Berni are backup plans, but the past has proven treating Europeans so disposable will lead to at least one of them returning home to play. My gut tells me Peeke will be traded back home as well, but that’s stateside. The Panthers’ surprise run cooled talk of their weaknesses, but Jarmo and his old protégé Bill Zito will swing something. (In my dreams, it’s an epic deal reuniting Laine with Barkov in Columbus, but as capital goes out the door, I realize the unrealistic nature. Still, it’s Tkachuk’s team now…maybe time for Barkov to get a fresh start?)

Mateychuk, Ceulemans, and Svozil all need another year of seasoning, but I would like to see one moved before desperation hits and while valuation is still at a peak. The rest project to be fillers (Knazko) or AHL talent (Christiansen, Bjørgvik Holm, Sweezey).

All of that said, I’m not overly fond of the trade for CBJ, and not just because they were paying for UFA rights. These are the types of middling moves that keeps a middling team forever at the middle of the pack, hoping to make the playoffs, hoping to win one series.

Instead, look at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd they just sent out the door. Now add Mateychuk or Ceuelmans. You have a starting point for an Erik Karlsson trade. Better yet, include Gudbranson and Merzlikins and tell SJS they don’t have to retain a dime on Karlsson. Not saying it’s all the way there—I’d try to include maybe three more 2nds/3rds and Bemström before conceding another 1st—but the framework is there. That (and/or Barkov) would actually move the needle.

Okay, I’ve said (almost) all I have to say. As long as CBJ/NJD were dealing, some form of Roslovic &amp; Robinson for the other Boqvist would have made sense. Okay, now I’m done. For now.
Forum: NHL TradesJun. 6, 2023 at 7:24 p.m.
Thread: (CBJ/LAK/PHI) - 2023 1st (LAK), 2024 2nd (CBJ) for Petersen, Walker, Grans, 2024 2nd (LAK) for Provorov, Hodgson, Connauton
Gavrikov didn’t want out of Columbus. They even agreed on $AAV. It was the term they couldn’t agree upon. (I think ownership had more influence on that decision than Jarmo.)

So yeah, CBJ sent essentially their return for Gavrikov (AND Korpisalo) to replace him with a Russian LD with just two years of term remaining. And making assumptions again, but the retention was likely as much about saving real world money. As it is, they owe him $6M/year, which to them is more critical than cap space. Last season, injuries were blamed for the Jackets’ struggles. But they left potentially well over $20M in LTIR on the board.

This Kings pick was always going to be moved for a player, but this seems to be the mediocre maneuver, not a home run swing. But mediocrity is ownership’s aim: lose competitively, mitigate financial risk, and make hires based on resume rather than logical fit.