tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5796383459721793585.post546388929233461308..comments2023-10-23T15:54:13.715-04:00Comments on The Dark Blue Jacket: Things I'll be thinking aboutTomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03563836029433927521noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5796383459721793585.post-91276968915754909972012-01-06T10:57:01.539-05:002012-01-06T10:57:01.539-05:00Gallos,
I agree. Minor league playoff experience ...Gallos, <br />I agree. Minor league playoff experience would do them more good than cellar-dwelling in the majors. <br /><br />DBJ,<br /><br />EDIT: <br />Gosh, this quick reply turned into a small blog post. Refill your coffee before venturing forth.<br /><br />My quick $0.02 on your questions:<br />1) I think the numbers across the board are high because people are angry with such utter failure when hopes were so high this past offseason. With all of the "on paper" improvements to the roster, people feel like the blame has to be coaching and front office. I suspect a large contingent of those votes took a "fire everyone" approach.<br />1a) That being said, I say fire Scott&Scott, keep Priest. Priest isn't my favorite dude, but he handled his business with the realignment well. Now that Craig Patrick is here, I suspect the idea that top management is all non-hockey guys will (hopefully) dissolve. <br />2) If GMSH was really as lame duck as you fear, I doubt he has the green light to do anything that drastic without some rubber stamping from his peers in the front office.<br />3) Not 100% certain, but I'd say it's in the high 80s to 90s.<br />4) Nash... idk. How many years can you blame everyone around him? At the same time, if nothing changes, can you really expect him to do anything better? That's a tough one. I still think he has superstar potential, but it has to show up soon, or we need to consider a Nash-less CBJ.<br />5) I tend to agree. I haven't heard a peep about him since he was hired. I wonder if it is b/c he's drowning in work because... well.. look at this mess! I'd love for a beat writer to get him on the phone or something and do an interview. <br />6) He'd be the first traded simply because he has the most to offer per dollar spent. Talent, hard work, energy, experience, and, frankly, less CBJ taint. <br />7) There's always the chance that CBJ fails miserably to develop a talent, but we haven't had a 1st overall since Nash, who turned out pretty decent. The Russian thing is a non-factor. Nail is effectively a Canadian boy who speaks Russian. He's playing in the OHL, rather than in Russia, and has said before he has no interest in the KHL whatsoever. Great teams become great through the draft. Period. If you have the chance at drafting someone who is projecting to be as good as anyone has seen since Ovi, you HAVE to take the chance. You will not get that kind of return, and even if you did, you will pay for a major contract vs. and entry level.<br />8) Simply, no. He's dead in the water, but there's no urgency to replace him. Where would CBJ end up if they got a new coach that could make them win? 12th? Just high enough to keep them out of the Nail lottery.<br />9) I think the problem is identity. They went from romper-room to Hitch Hockey with a mismatched roster, to Arniel's psuedo-puck-possession-turned-lame-Hitch-Hockey with a still mismatched roster. If CBJ hired a coach that had a strong vision for the team came in and actually implemented it without falling back on whatever the hell Arniel is doing, maybe it would work. Maybe. <br />10) 2 periods of entertainment followed by a loss that keeps us the team with the best chance at getting Nail and keeps the fire firmly under management/ownership. It's a pretty crappy thing to strive for, but sometimes abject failure is what it takes to get changes made. <br />11) See Gallos's comment. No reason to rush them at this point. <br />12) If I could answer this well, then I would be applying for a job with the CBJ right now. At first blush, however, I think you have to establish the core of the team is Nash, Carter, Umberger, Johan, and Wiz. Everybody else is at least somewhat expendable. There is certainly another tier below that of players that you'd tend to want to hold onto unless someone overpaid in a trade, but they should be considered available. Anyone who has been injured all year is probably in the bag-of-pucks territory if someone even offers anything. <br />13) One day... hopefully.Andy Vulhophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03846959513839544077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5796383459721793585.post-17877222365521702402012-01-05T22:06:12.453-05:002012-01-05T22:06:12.453-05:00DBJ - Lots to consider. One thing I would chime i...DBJ - Lots to consider. One thing I would chime in on: You leave the kids down in Springfield because they are not out of the fight, and you want them chasing the playoffs, not up here chasing their tail. Not a one of them down there that would not benefit by another year in the 'A', especially if they can make a playoff run.Galloshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06151870407426712857noreply@blogger.com