Convincing John

The Blue Jackets have been in mediocre purgatory since they came in the league. They want an equal player in return.

I’m sure you would, but then what would you do with the difference in salary? Can’t really make the difference up in multiple roster players either, you gotta ice a team during quarantine period. Considering the Covid environment, the Cap and the need to win now in Columbus. You’re going to have to make a hockey trade. Horvat, Boeser, Miller would need to be going the other way which obviously would never happen. We just don’t line up as trade partner at all.

Remember Torts saying that the core was stagnant in his exit press conference a few years back? I think the same principle applies to our management group today. I will be forever grateful for the players Jim has brought in. He has assembled one of the best young cores Vancouver has ever known. His mistakes are hard to quantify. Would Bo Horvat be the Captain he is today without the mentorship of the veterans he was surrounded with? I bet even LE helped EP. These players are garbage on paper but they helped build a culture. Proof of this is how discombobulated we are with the departure of Taney and Markstrom. On paper we didn’t loose much but we clearly lost some leadership. With all that being said, it’s time for a Nonis to Gillis type transition. We need new ideas.

Try to imagine what it would be like to be a 22 year old with the expectation to lead a Canadian franchise that had never won the Stanley to the promise land. That’s what we and his teammates and coaches expect of him. That’s why this thread exists. This pressure will never go away. It’s hard to find a Calder Trophy winner over the last 20 years that just unexpectedly faded without suffering major injuries, he is healthy, his talent is still there. He will be back.