Davidson happy with state of Jackets
The Blue Jackets named John Davidson their president of hockey operations on Oct. 24, 2012. At the time, the Jackets were ranked among the worst professional sports franchises of the 21st century. They asked J.D. to help lead them to respectability.
Davidson has been in Columbus for six years, three months and a couple of days. During this time, he has hired Jarmo Kekalainen to be general manager, lent support to Kekalainen’s hiring of coach John Tortorella and tested our patience with “brick-by-brick” and “curveballs” rhetoric.
During this time, too, the Jackets have gone 266-195-45 (.535, this season included), recorded five of the best six seasons in their history and thrice made the playoffs. Things have improved to a point where there are real expectations — like, come on already, win a playoff series.
I caught up with J.D. while he was taking a little R&R and we talked CBJ SOTU. The Jackets (28-17-3) are on a nine-day break. They are in third place in the Metropolitan Division and, by and large, performing like a team that is playoff-bound.
They are also facing a critical month leading up to the Feb. 25 trade deadline and must decide what to do with star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, 30, and game-breaking left wing Artemi Panarin, 27. Both players are in the final years of their contracts, and neither has been negotiating an extension with the Jackets. Curveballs, people.
“We have the trade deadline coming up,”
Davidson said. “We have some things that are going to be taken care of, one way or another, by then. … We’ll know a lot about Panarin’s situation and Bob’s situation (as the deadline approaches). There’s asterisks to Bob’s situation that I don’t want to talk about. It’ll resolve itself by the trade deadline or by July 1.”
July 1 is when both players can become free agents. As for the “asterisks,” one presumes Davidson is referring to Bobrovsky’s no-movement clause. It may well be that Bobrovsky is unwilling to waive the clause or provide a list of teams to whom he’d accept a trade. But I am speculating here.
There is a shred of hope that Panarin will opt to stay with one of the three youngest teams in the league, at a time when the window for contending is just beginning to open. The Jackets can put Pierre-luc Dubois and Cam Atkinson on Panarin’s right side and Seth Jones and Zach Werenski at his back. It’s a good situation.
Generally speaking, Davidson said, “I like where we are. I do.
We’re right in the hunt for first place in the division. This division is playing really darned well. It’s going to go down to the wire. It’s going to be fun, captivating, wild.”
He identified a few things he and Kekalainen are watching closely. They’d like to see a bit more offense from the bottom-six forwards (and maybe they look for a boost at the trade deadline). They’d like to see a further ratcheting down of the team’s goals-against average (3.02, ranked 19th in the league). And, oh, that awful power play (14.6 percent, ranked 27th). They’re hoping Martin St. Louis, recently hired as a consultant, can help.
“It has got to get better, not so much for the playoffs — when there are not a lot of power plays — but to help you get to the playoffs,” Davidson said. “We’ve had a little more success the past two weeks, but it has got to get better. So much of the game is confidence, even for veteran guys.”
Among the positives Davidson mentioned is the players’ on- and off-ice culture, only the veneer of which is in view of fans and
most media.
“It’s very strong right now,” Davidson said. “When you get to the point where it’s a players’ room and it’s running properly, the lines of communication (are streamlined and effective). The captain brings issues directly to the coaches, and vice versa. It’s a good situation and we’re very, very happy with that.”
In conclusion, he said, “I think things are going to be really interesting between now and the deadline, for a lot of reasons. If things fall in place, outstanding. Per ususal, we’re going to do what’s right for the Blue Jackets long term. That’s just how it is.” Here’s my take: The Jackets will hang on to Bobrovsky through the deadline and then lose him to free agency. There is a good chance Panarin goes the same way. There remains a lesser chance that Panarin signs an extension and stays. In any scenario, the Jackets are a good bet to make the playoffs. They might get dented at the deadline, but they’ll probably add some parts, as well.