NHL notebook: Anxiety reigns in Blue Jackets scouting ranks
Between the NHL draft June 24-25 and free agency’s start on July 1, the next month is the most
crucial for clubs such as the Blue Jackets, who are looking to make substantial changes.
This is the time when hockey operations departments must be at their strongest and most
cohesive, ready to make bold and quick decisions. And yet one-third of the Jackets’ hockey
operations – the pro and amateur scouting staffs – are beset with anxiety because of a sharpened ax
looming above them.
Most if not all of the Blue Jackets scouts have contracts expiring on June 30, and there is
speculation across the league that changes are coming, probably after the draft.
A clean sweep seems unlikely – that’s not general manager Scott Howson’s style – but the fact
that contract extensions have not been tendered could be an ominous sign.
“We’re going to get to that probably in the next week to 10 days, let them know where we stand,”
Howson said. “We don’t want people overly anxious. We have to change some things. We’re looking at
what we want to change. It could be changing roles, changing how we do things or maybe other
changes.”
No Blue Jackets scout would comment for this story.
Many of them have been with the organization since its dawn, two years before the inaugural
season of 2000-01. That includes Don Boyd, who has directed amateur scouting, and Bob Strumm, who
has directed the pro side.
In one sense, it’s hard to imagine that both have survived this long. In pro sports, the
standings are the bottom line. The Blue Jackets have had one playoff season and no playoff wins in
10 seasons, but others – not the scouts – have paid the price. The Jackets have had two general
managers and seven coaches, including interims.
Muffed drafts (Alexandre Picard, Gilbert Brule, Pascal Leclaire, Nikita Filatov), misfired free
agents (Scott Lachance, Jan Hrdina) and mangled trades (Francois Beauchemin, Curtis Glencross and
Jason Chimera have all been sent packing) have paved the way to today.
But how fair is it to put the Blue Jackets’ failings on Boyd, Strumm or the other scouts?
Yes, Boyd presided over drafting some of the Blue Jackets’ draft duds, but the picks were hardly
his alone.
For instance, previous general manager Doug MacLean overruled plans to draft center Anze Kopitar
in favor of Gilbert Brule. The latest flameout (so far) appears to be Filatov, but Howson and even
previous coach Ken Hitchcock were on board with drafting him.
On the pro side, the signings of defenseman Mike Commodore – a surefire buyout candidate this
month – and left winger Kristian Huselius were as much pushed by Howson and Hitchcock as they were
on the advice of Strumm.
Either way, awkward weeks are in the offing.
Howson, player development coach Tyler Wright and salary cap expert-turned-scout Josh Flynn
joined the amateur scouts in Toronto last week for the NHL scouting combine. They’ll meet
repeatedly over the next two weeks before traveling to St. Paul, Minn., for the draft.
Then, only hours or days after they’ve worked together at the draft, Howson could notify the
scouts – some or all – that they’re being replaced.
All of that raises the question: If these guys aren’t worthy of employment anymore, why let them
run this year’s draft?
The answer: That’s how it’s done in the NHL. It makes less sense midseason and, at the end of
the season, they’ve already put in a full year’s work.
Slap shots
Sources tell
The Dispatch that the Blue Jackets took a run at hiring goaltending coach Mitch Korn away
from the Nashville Predators, but he decided to stay put. If the Jackets can make a blockbuster
trade at the draft – likely including the No. 8 overall pick – don’t rule out the Philadelphia
Flyers as a dance partner. Howson and Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren have chatted on and off
since early last season, and they’ve swung such a deal previously. The Jackets acquired R.J.
Umberger for the No. 19 overall pick three seasons ago.
aportzline@dispatch.com
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