Blue Jackets fire four scouts hours after the Draft
Some teams were happy with how their 2012 NHL Draft went. Some teams were content but wish things could have gone a bit better. Then there's the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets were so unhappy with how things went at the Draft that they fired four of their scouts hours after the Draft wrapped up.
Rumors have also circulated that the New York Islanders offered Columbus their entire (yes, entire) 2012 Draft in exchange for the team's #2 overall pick. More on this a bit later.
On the surface, Columbus appeared to have had a decent draft. They took defenseman Ryan Murray with the second overall pick. From there, grading their effort is pretty subjective based on how you feel certain prospects will turn out. We won't have a true grade for their 2012 Draft until a few years have passed. The team might not have had the best draft but they certainly didn't have a terrible one.
However, Columbus obviously felt as if they made some mistakes. The news surfaced that just hours after the 2012 Draft the Blue Jackets had fired four of their scouts, one of which was Assistant Director of Amateur Scouting. General Manager Scott Howson indicated that the team would likely replace the fired scouts with at least three new faces.
Aside from the news about the firings, Columbus is now in the hot seat after a rumor came out that indicated that the team turned down a trade offer from the New York Islanders that was essentially Columbus turning over their #2 overall pick in exchange for the Islanders' entire draft. Obviously, this trade never took place.
Assuming the rumored deal is based in fact, one has to yet again question a decision made by Scott Howson. Howson, recently criticized for his actions in the Rick Nash saga, may have turned his back on what would appear to be an extremely lopsided trade in his team's favor during the Draft. Was his decision to not act on this speculated trade influenced by the recently fired scouts? We can only guess.
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David Rogers is a staff writer for Puck Drunk Love & runs FrozenNotes.com.
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@DaveZLINY @BDGallof A Lot of credible people are reporting based on ONE reporter who is suspect when it comes to the Isles
@Blocknesmonster @DaveZLINY portz is cbj beat writer - his sources are solid but coming from CBJ only who is now leaking it like a sieve
@Blocknesmonster @BDGallof eliotte friedman said it's "true" staple said it's "legit". Maybe based on anon sources but good enough for me.
@DaveZLINY @BDGallof exactly. There was only one source. No one else had been able to confirm
@BDGallof @Blocknesmonster the draft pick swap was reported over the weekend on nhln as well but maybe portz was source for that as well.
@BDGallof @DaveZLINY Exactly my point. Snow tried to trade picks with Columbus. We don't know how many was offered
@Blocknesmonster @DaveZLINY actually a lot of people knew they were in contact with Anaheim before draft just wasn't clear who for
@BDGallof @DaveZLINY Garth Snow is all about poker faced moves, stealth and surprise. Visnovsky is case in point - totally from left field
@BDGallof @DaveZLINY And Islanders beat writers have been completely accurate when reporting about Snow? The Isles are drafting Duchene, too
@Blocknesmonster @7thWoman @xchfs can't say. Was told greatly exaggerated but hard to refute at this point as everyone confirming CBJ take
@BDGallof @7thWoman @xchfs If all 4 exiting scouts/draft gurus claim it came from Columbus and not them, safe to say Columbus is saving face
@Blocknesmonster @7thWoman @xchfs I have some theories but still trying to dig. Clb has reason to make it look a certain way.
@Blocknesmonster @BDGallof @xchfs not for nothing, but sometimes things are said tongue-in-cheek & it's taken as serious. We'll see
@BDGallof @7thWoman @xchfs Clb wants the Islanders to look like circus in comparison,but Columbus ended up looking worse by not taking picks
@BDGallof @7thWoman @xchfs All you need is one or two Blue Jacket's ex-employees to refute
@Blocknesmonster @7thWoman @xchfs in all honesty, scouts likely wouldnt know. GMs dont share across table and not all scouts at draft table
The more I read about the Columus organization, the more I think that it's really Howson that needs to be out on his butt at the earliest possible opportunity. Even if the NYI rumor is false (and I believe it is), it's tough to argue that a team in need of as much help in as many areas on-ice as the Blue Jackets couldn't use as many picks as possible. A team that is perpetually going nowhere needs options. And they're certainly not going to come from trading Rick Nash, since it's obvious to every observer that he wants out desperately - not to mention the fact that pretty much any player with a say in the matter would refuse to go the other way.
