Arace: Next 100 days are critical to future of Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets lost the NHL draft lottery Monday night. Jackets fans expected this because, in the Columbus vs. the World match, the World is on a long winning streak.
The Jackets will have the No. 3 pick in the draft, the first round of which will be staged in Nashville on June 28. The draft is one of three major endeavors facing general manager Jarmo Kekalainen this spring and summer. Hiring a coach and playing the free-agent market are the others.
The stakes are high. Coming off a rebuilding season and a team-record 48 losses, Kekalainen is in position to shape the fate of the franchise for years to come. He has a well-regarded group of prospects in the pipeline. He has nine picks, including a second first-round selection (somewhere in the 21-23 range) in the upcoming draft. And he has ample space under the salary cap.
“We need to take a big step forward," Kekalainen said. "We thought a year ago we were ready to take a step, but maybe it was too soon. We were retooling with young guys, and now we have to take a hard look at all of them.”
Meaning: The Jackets lost more than 500 man-games to injury in 2022-23; out of necessity, a host of younger players were thrown into the fire; the aim now is to thin the herd, concentrate talent in Columbus and normalize the development process in AHL Cleveland.
Columbus Blue Jackets need to hire a coach
Our man Brian Hedger provides an overview of the coaching search at Dispatch.com. Brad Larsen’s successor will be named sooner rather than later – and almost definitely prior to the draft.
“We’re doing our due diligence,” Kekalainen said. “It seems like every coach available with NHL experience wants to coach here. They see (improving) health. They also see some pretty good potential in our young guys.”
Hedger listed a number of free-agent coaches, from Gerard Gallant, Peter Laviolette and Bruce Boudreau to Darryl Sutter, Mike Babcock and Joel Quenneville.
Gallant, recently relieved by the New York Rangers, and Quenneville stand out. Gallant cut his teeth as an assistant and a head coach in Columbus. Quenneville won Stanley Cups in Chicago. Note with Quenneville: He is still under league suspension for his part in covering up a sexual assault incident with the Blackhawks and his availability must be seriously questioned.
In any case, there’s a tight lid on the hiring process. Is a surprise in store? New blood seems essential.
“The decision is a huge one for our franchise,” Kekalainen said. “The players are the show, but it’s the guy with the whistle who sets the standard every day, on and off the ice.”
Although promoting from within the organization wouldn’t be a great look – they just tried that, right? − Kekalainen has been consistent in praising Larsen’s right-hand man, Pascal Vincent.
“I truly believe Pascal Vincent is going to be a head coach in the NHL, now or in the future,” Kekalainen said. “Nothing scares me about hiring an assistant. If he’s the right guy and the best man for the job, we should have the (guts) to do it.”
Columbus Blue Jackets must hit it in the NHL draft
It’s an understatement to say the Jackets were disappointed they didn't win the right to draft Connor Bedard. How good is Bedard? Well, after the Hawks won the lottery, they sold more than $5 million in season tickets in a span of 12 hours.
By getting bumped from No. 2 to No. 3, the Jackets are also likely to miss out on another top center prospect, Adam Fantilli.
The company line: “There’s going to be a helluva player there at No. 3,” Kekalainen said. “I’m confident, after seeing all the top guys, there’s going to be an unbelievable player there at No. 3. It might take a little time (for the unbelievable player to be NHL-ready), but that’s the way it goes.”
I think the Jackets will remain focused at the center position and will use their No. 3 overall on Swede Leo Carlsson or American Will Smith.
I also think Kekalainen will be looking to swing a trade or three on draft day. He has a cache of nine picks. He has prospects. He also has some veterans he’d be willing to move, depending on the return.
“If Florida wins and Seattle win (their respective playoff series), we’re at 21 (with the second first-round pick),” Kekalainen said. “It’s a pick a lot of teams want in what is a deep draft. I think we can use that (asset) to make the team better. We’re willing to move the pick, but it has to be for something that helps now and into the future. We’re not going to trade for a 32-year-old.”
Columbus Blue Jackets will look at free agency
Kekalainen said “there will be some interesting options in UFA.”
I’ve looked at the initial list of unrestricteds and I see a lot of 32-year-olds. It’s a bit early to speculate, anyway, as free-agent season doesn’t open until July 1, and much roster reshaping will have taken place by then. What holes will need to be plugged – and how much will the Jackets want to spend to plug them?
The next 100 days, about the time between now and Sept. 1, are among the most critical in the history of the franchise. They will shape what is to come.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Next 100 days are critical to future of Columbus Blue Jackets
