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| The root of my problems, Jeff Carter, when hopes were high back in training camp. |
First of all, I am happy for the L.A. Kings fans. Forty-five years is a long time to wait, and is a time period that should be quite sobering to the BlueJackets faithful. I'd have to live to be 100. Yoikes!! So congratulations to the L.A. Kings Faithful.
The second part of closure is the knowledge that Jeff Carter did not really do anything for the Kings that he did not do for us. And realistically, the 2011-12 season was buried and done before Carter got a chance to get on the ice and have a chance to affect the outcome. A highly talented, and streaky player, Carter won the odd game for us, just as he did for the Kings. LA of course had Conn Smythe trophy winning goal tender Jonathan Quick to make Carter's occasional outbursts stand up as wins. This was something the CBJ defense and goal tending could not be counted on to accomplish. Jeff Carter may have been the pebble that started the avalanche for the Kings, but he was no more than a pebble on a deep and talented team. Minimizing his role is probably one of my immature rationalizations to make me feel better. Which is what closure is all about, isn't it?
I guess the other reason I am happy the Kings won is that it minimizes the chances that Howson will do something stupid, like use the first round pick we got from them in 2012. Its unlikely they will repeat, and the 2013 pick will almost certainly be better than the 2012 pick. There have been rumblings about the 2013 draft already, and I think I would rather see that asset preserved.
I'm not sure who said this first, I can't seem to place it, but I have heard it mentioned the John Davidson is unlikely to move anywhere before the draft, no matter the timing of his 30 day window. No one in their right mind would let him walk with all that pre-draft strategy knowledge in his head. If its gonna happen, it will be after the draft and before July 1 when all the new contracts start. That should be an interesting period. Would he demand from ownership input on a Nash trade in order to take the job?
Finally, a little trivia. Puck Rakers has a nice list of former CBJ players who have won the cup. Other than Jeff Carter, who was the CBJ player traded in mid-season who finished the year on a Stanley Cup winning squad?
Bring on the draft!! Waitress! And let the selection of young men come quickly too!
GO JACKETS
I may be in the minority, here, but while I know JC was a frosted-tipped scumbag, if we should be mad at anyone, it should be directed at the team Prez and GM as they made the decision to acquire him, knowing what everyone in the league already knew about him.
ReplyDeleteMuch like their drafting Z and Filly, they didn't do their due diligence as the smart - not this group - teams do. And for a lawyer and a CPA (and I am the latter and they really press this both on the CPA exam and in obtaining continuining professional education - CPE), this is inexcusable!
With regards to drafting, (again) the smart teams employ and utilize their scouts. That's why they have a scouting combine to extensively interview players and their billets and put draft prospects thru extensive psychological testing. That's why they watch them play dozens of times every season.
As for JC, it was the worst-kept secret that he was a party boy - the 'Dry Island' incident is real - as well as his notorious milking of injuries and schtuping of a certain former teammate's wife.
He was a scum before he got traded, here, he's still a scum and he will continue to be a scum. So, good riddance, rot in you-know-where, move on and place the blame on those 2 for the mother of all screw ups.
As my buddy Bill put it, Howson should be proud that he helped build a Stanley Cup winner.
DeleteA highly talented, streaky player. For a minute there, I thought you were talking about Rick Nash.
ReplyDelete