Jarmo Kekalainen's Columbus Blue Jacket Legacy Stretches Beyond just on-ice Results
The Columbus Blue Jackets ended an era on Thursday by firing the third longest tenured GM in the NHL, Jarmo Kekalainen. Whether you loved him or hated him, there's no denying that he left his mark on hockey in Central Ohio.
In my opinion, the best way to grade on Jarmo's time in Columbus, is maybe to look at the roster he inherited, and compare it with what he leaves behind. The Blue Jackets hired Kekalainen on February 13th, 2013.
That NHL season was shortened to 48 games due to lockout. A late season push by the plucky Jackets saw them miss out on the playoffs only on the final day of the regular season.
But if you look at the team Jarmo was left with, man, it was bleak. Their leading scorer that season was Vinny Prospal (30 points), with Mark Letestu (13) leading the team in goals.
Sure, there were some nice pieces here. Guys like Brandon Dubinsky, Nick Foligno, Jack Johnson, and budding superstar Sergei Bobrovsky; all became key parts of this franchise over the next half-dozen seasons.
As far as prospects, however: the cupboards were pretty thin. There were a few, but not one that really stood out as an emerging superstar. Newly hired Team President John Davidson was quick to point out that Jarmo's hiring was going to thrust this team into a "draft and develop" success plan.
But, both JD and Jarmo knew that the clock was ticking for this franchise. The city of Columbus was starved for NHL success. When Bobrovsky went on a tear the next season, one of Kekalainen's first moves was to swing for the fences and acquire Marian Gaborik from the New York Rangers.
If you were around then, you'll know what I mean when I say it was exciting times. To that point in our history, we had never seen that kind of trade deadline acquisition. While it didn't work out (Jarmo lost both ends of the Gaborik trade trees), it was a sign of things to come.
The result was that Jarmo became an active GM during his time in Columbus. Not all of his deals were winners, but at least he knew when to push some buttons. This year's roster reflects that, and it's part of the reason we're all so disappointed. Let's take a look...
The current version of the Columbus Blue Jackets has let us down. But, I am quick to point out that the reason they have disappointed us this year, is because there is a lot to work with here.
Led by some quality veterans - including elite winger Johnny Gaudreau, the Jackets are a team that should be a lot better than their position in the standings might indicate.
Gaudreau is joined by rugged captain Boone Jenner, enigmatic (but highly skilled) winger Patrik Laine, top defenseman Zach Werenski, and starting goaltender Elvis Merzlikins. As the focal points of this version of the team, they're just the main pieces. They have some really solid depth throughout the lineup also.
What makes this position attractive to incoming candidates however, is the ridiculous crop of young players this team has stockpiled. Jarmo and his scouting staff have amassed an embarrassment of riches at the NHL Draft over this rebuild.
From high first rounders Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, David Jiricek, Denton Mateychuk, and Cole Sillinger; to middle round gems like Jordan Dumais, Gavin Brindley, Stanislav Svozil and so many others - I do believe this team is actually heading in a positive direction as far as the future is concerned. It just takes time. Maybe more time than anyone wanted to admit.
They were supposed to be (slightly) better this year. But, this was all cut short by this front office bungling the head coaching hire last summer. Had they not hired - and subsequently fired - Mike Babcock, things could be a lot different. The right coaching hire in the summer, could have sent this team in a new direction.
The Babcock blunder cost them the locker room this season. I have zero doubt that it was a fractured group amidst that whole fallout. Which has led to a tumultuous season and, ultimately, Jarmo's dismissal.
But bear with me: it wasn't all bad here. Not for his entire tenure...
In Jarmo's first full season at the helm, the Blue Jackets had a then-franchise best record, with 43 wins and 93 points. They made the playoffs in their first season in the Eastern Conference, giving us the excitement of a six game series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Now, to be completely fair, we can't give full credit to Kekalainen for that season's success. A lot of that team was assembled under Scott Howson. But, it's a reflection of what can happen when there is a functional plan from the top down.
The promise of that 2013-14 season was followed up by a team that saw itself trending in the wrong direction. Injuries plagued the lineup for the next two years, prompting arguably Jarmo's biggest mark on the Blue Jackets: the hiring of head coach John Tortorella.
That era was easily the most successful run of hockey in Blue Jacket history. The team made the playoffs for four consecutive season under Torts, winning two series in that time (counting the playoff bubble play-in round).
Tortorella made his mark on the team's day-to-day existence, but it was Kekalainen's shrewd moves as manager that really set this team up for success. It started by swapping struggling youngster Ryan Johansen for Nashville's expendable youngster Seth Jones.
Then, Jarmo fleeced the Chicago Blackhawks for talented two-way winger Brandon Saad - only to fleece them again by sending him back for superstar scorer Artemi Panarin.
The competitive core was built around Jones, Panarin, Bobrovsky, and some of those leftover pieces from the Scott Howson era. This was all bolstered by two really strong top-ten picks in Zach Werenski and Pierre-Luc Dubois.
For awhile, in the late 2010s, it felt like this team was on the cusp of greater things. But it all blew up, and it's hard to fully lay the blame on Kekalainen...
Whether it was the desire for a spacious two car garage in Connecticut, or the sandy beaches of south Florida, or the bright lights of Chicago, or the desire to play anywhere other than Columbus (and, later for Dubois, Winnipeg) ... Jarmo's card tower collapsed beginning in the summer of 2019.
Honestly, I thought he deserved a chance to build this roster from the ground up. A full rebuild, as compared to the stunted build he had to work with when he started. He did a pretty good job.
But in hockey, rebuilds are hard. When done correctly, they take several years. The truth here is, this team is still probably at least 2-3 years away from reaching back towards a level of playoff competition.
That would probably be fine if it weren't for a bizarre sequence of moves last summer. After finishing 31st in the NHL standings, Kekalainen boldly predicted that his team was going to contend for a playoff spot this season.
Maybe he was being hopeful. Maybe he was trying to sell us on that hope. He tailored the roster to work under a 700 game winning NHL head coach, acquiring two top-four defensemen. Maybe he's right, and it would have worked. Or, maybe he was dead wrong.
But, that Babcock hiring - combined with his promise of a competitive group - ultimately spelled his demise. The expectations weren't met. And, worse, this team really hasn't taken any major steps forward.
The frustration from the fans is to be expected. But we've also seen frustration from the young players. For a franchise that has struggled to develop and retain talent, that was a major alarm bell. There was disfunction at some level in the management, and making a change with the General Manager was the obvious move.
We've seen the history, and talked a little bit about the causes of Jarmo's dismissal. Now, the question: What is his legacy with the Columbus Blue Jackets?
It was time to move on from Jarmo Kekalainen. But, we can do that while still appreciating what he did for this team and the city of Columbus.
The Blue Jackets, in their history, have made six NHL playoff appearances. Five of those happened under Kekalainen - including every single playoff game win.
He was a serious face as GM of this team. This franchise went from disorganized laughing stock, to competitive playoff contender under his tutelage. Columbus Blue Jacket hockey went from overlooked, to a destination desirable enough for a free agent like Johnny Gaudreau.
None of that would have been possible without quality leadership. Jarmo earns credit for that.
Yes, he spoke matter-of-factly all the time. Yes, he was probably harder than he needed to be when it came to doling out contract money for young players (though, some might say that this is why their cap situation is favorable). Heck, let's be honest, he wasn't very good at retaining players on the whole.
But, we cannot overlook the fact that he brought an air of respectability to this team that was never here before.
His off-ice contributions are immeasurable. Simply by icing a scrappy, competitive, blue collar team, he gave the city of Columbus a look at what its hockey future is capable of.
This is what we should remember him for. Jarmo Kekalainen walked so his successor can run. I have no doubt that he left this team in a much better position for success than it was in when he took it over 11 years ago.
We owe him a major debt of gratitude.
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