What is Wrong With the Columbus Blue Jacket Organization?
Why has the Blue Jacket organization struggled to find any success on the ice?
The 2023-2024 NHL season is looking very familiar to CBJ fans, as the Blue Jackets are in the cellar when it comes to the NHL standings. In the 23 seasons of Blue Jackets hockey, the organization has finished 21st or lower in the standings 14 times (out of 30-32 teams). They have made the playoffs a total of six times (if you include the 2020 COVID bubble) and only made it out of the first round of the playoffs one time. That is just not good. This organization has been a proverbial loser since its inception. What has led to this perennial failure?
Could it be the training staff? The Blue Jackets have historically struggled with injuries. Take the 2022-2023 season: the Blue Jackets lost 545 man-games to injury, which was second in the league. With an 82 game schedule, one can see how missing many of your top players for a significant period can hamper your season. This has happened in multiple seasons dating back to the inaugural year. Could it just be bad luck that players are getting hurt? Perhaps.
It could also point to a poor strength and conditioning regiment set forth by the training staff. Maybe the players are not in the best shape, which leads to more injuries against players who are in shape? The off-season workout routines and in-season training needs to be examined to optimize player performance and keep our players playing. This organization has never had a team that looked bigger, faster, and stronger than the opposition and that could stay healthy for an entire season.
Could it be the coaches?
The Blue Jackets have had nine full-time head coaches with two interim head coaches (and one head coach who was hired but never coached a game). Some of the coaches were first time NHL head coaches (Brad Larsen, Scott Arniel, Pascal Vincent) and one could understand that maybe they struggled because they are new to the NHL head coaching ranks.
Some of the coaches were established NHL head coaches and had experienced winning in the league (Ken Hitchcock, John Tortorella). The most success that the organization has had has been under Hitchcock and Tortorella. One would expect those established coaches to get the team to win consistently. However, winning consistently was never truly established under either coach. This organization needs a coach and coaching staff who has a pedigree of winning, can relate to the players, has a standard and structure that must be followed, and who can maximize the potential of every player. This team has never had that level of coaching.
Could it be the scouting? With all the losing, the Blue Jackets have been picking inside the top-10 in the NHL Entry Draft a lot (16 times to be exact). On top of having so many top 10 picks, the Blue Jackets have also had a total of 27 1st round draft picks (many acquired through trades). That is a lot of high drafts picks that should result in the acquisition of good players. Not so much with the Blue Jackets. Some of these picks were clear draft busts (Gilbert Brule, Alexandre Picard, Kerby Rychel, etc.). Others were serviceable players but had trouble finding consistency (Pascal Leclaire, John Moore, Sonny Milano, etc.).
While the Blue Jackets did select some really good players (Rick Nash, Jakub Voracek, Zach Werenski, etc), their draft record indicates that they have struck out way more than they have hit on their picks. This opens up more questions. Are the scouts not doing a good enough job evaluating talent? Is there not a good evaluation of the player personality/attitude? Is the organization doing its due diligence on all the available players or only a select few? Those questions need to be answered and the scouting needs to be improve so that the organization can hit on some of their top draft picks. The organization needs to acquire players with high talent level and then develop them into good NHL players.
Could it be the management?
The Blue Jackets have had three general managers. While no one is perfect, each one of them had their flaws that led to losing from their team. Doug MacLean made terrible draft picks and brought in older players that were no longer in their prime. Scott Howson made questionable trades and brought players in that didn’t want to be here. Jarmo Kekalainan has been the best general manager in terms of the on-ice result but has had difficulty convincing [good] players to stay with the organization. The reason for this is unknown, but many believe it is due to his tough contract negotiation tactics or the tough culture he is trying to instill.
All three general managers have struggled to get the organization to win and be a consistent winner. The Blue Jackets need a general manager who sets the culture and attitude of the organization. Someone who knows how they want to team and organization to function. Someone who can identify talented players that fit that culture, convince them in join the organization, and convince them to stay within the organization. That person must be respected and well established in the hockey world.
So, what could it be? The answer must be all of the above. Any successful organization (whether in sports or business) has a great culture and mindset, which starts from the top down. The owner is at the top. He must invest in the team and allow the proper management to run the team. Great management sets the standard for culture and brings in others who fit in with that culture, work ethic, talent level, and mindset. Good coaches and training staff establish good game plans and get the most out of their players. Then there’s the players: the people who execute the vision and achieve the goals of the organization. This organization has had issues at every level and the results have been 23 years of mediocrity.
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This organization needs to take a long look in the mirror from the top down. After 23 years, something is just not right and needs to be fix. Everyone from the outside can see that and now it’s time for those on the inside to see it too. It won’t be a small fix and it there may be some sour pills to swallow. But if this organization ever was to assert itself as anything but a loser, significant changes need to be made.
There’s an old saying: Only a fool tries the same thing twice and expects different results. If this organization wants different results, then changes need to be made.
Next. One Missing Piece that Could Turn the Blue Jackets Around. dark