The expectation for the next iteration of the Blue Jackets has to be Stanley Cup contention.
As with Howson; Kekalainen walked so his successor could run. The reason the Jackets are taking so much time with this GM hiring is that they know they cannot get this wrong. This team can't restart its rebuild. They have accrued too much talent to have this go sideways.
Whoever is hired for this job, has to take the impressive gathering of young talent accumulated by Kekalainen, and turn it into a team that perennially competes at the top of the league. It won't be easy, but now more than ever, the pieces are here.
As fans, we will not be happy with middle of the pack any longer. We won't rally around a team that squeaks in as an 8th seed and bows out in the first round. Nor should we.
We've been patient for long enough. We're 24 years into this franchise with nothing but a first round playoff series win to hang our hats on. This is a team that has never finished higher than third in its division. Never played hockey in June. All of that has to change, and it has to happen under this build.
It's time for the Jackets to hang a division title banner at Nationwide Arena. It's time to see this team play a game 7. It's time for this team to build true rivalries, and prove itself to the hockey world as a force to be reckoned with.
No more one and done seasons. No more first round flare-outs. I want to see a team that strikes fear into the hearts of opposing fanbases, as we have seen with the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights in the last few seasons.
That is the expectation for the next general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Anything less will be a complete failure. Fingers crossed that they get this hire right. If not, I'm not sure where this organization can go from here.
For these reasons, I'm happy they are taking their time and weeding through every potential candidate. I don't care if it takes until July - getting the right name in place, is far more important than getting any name in place.