Opinion: Fired Blue Jackets GM Kekalainen Had Lots of Time, But the Future Is Now

Jarmo Kekalainen Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Eleven years is a long time. And it feels even longer for people who’ve been running an NHL team.

Many GMs get a kick at the can for only three or four years before their lack of success spells the end of their tenure running an organization. So it was hardly a shock when, Thursday morning, the Columbus Blue Jackets fired GM Jarmo Kekalainen. Ever since the Jackets stumbled out of the gate to a 4-11-4 record this season, the writing has been on the wall for Kekalainen.

The focus now will be on the future of Columbus. As such, it was the right move to cut their GM loose now instead of waiting until the summer, especially with a crucial trade deadline on March 8.

“We have a lot ahead of us – we’ve had an up and down, at times turbulent season,” president of hockey operations John Davidson said at Thursday’s press conference. “I just think that going forward, now’s the time to turn that page and go forward with all the decisions we have to make that are ahead of us.”

Kekalainen is a pioneer of sorts as the NHL’s first-ever European GM. But his teams missed the playoffs six times under his stewardship. Even when he did steer them to the Stanley Cup post-season, the Jackets won only two playoff rounds – one being a COVID-19-affected play-in round. The Blue Jackets had a four-year playoff streak, but they weren’t a built winner, and they continue to pay the price for that.

Nobody is saying Kekalainen hasn’t done some good things. He’s added roster components who are fixtures in the Blue Jackets’ current setup, including star wingers Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine, top defenseman Zach Werenski and, more recently, elite youngster Adam Fantilli. However, Columbus’ lack of top-caliber depth has never stopped being a problem for the franchise. That’s why whenever the Jackets did run into bad luck on the injury front, the overall picture for the team became disastrous. Despite bringing in prospects and veterans alike, Kekalainen never did have the right competitive balance.

Now, Davidson and the rest of the Jackets’ management are under the microscope. They need to listen to almost every trade offer that comes their way, including bids for veterans, including forward Jack Roslovic, captain Boone Jenner and blueliner Ivan Provorov. There should be very few untouchables on the roster, and if they have to upset the apple cart to a degree, there should be no qualms from media or the fan base.

It would be one thing if Kekalainen had guided the Blue Jackets to one or two deep playoff runs. He could’ve held up that kind of success as an example of what his blueprint for a championship looked like at its best. But that never materialized, and Kekalainen finally ran out of time. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him get another management job with a new team, but as it stands at present, he’s more than likely going to get a few months to himself before moving on professionally.

By all accounts, Kekalainen is a first-rate person and a solid ambassador for the league in Columbus. But they needed to make this move, and there’s finally a clean slate for Columbus.

With Fantilli as a centerpiece in the Jackets’ future, there should be better days ahead for the organization. Davidson & Co. will face major expectations to pick a bright new head of the team, and if they fail to do that, more sweeping change will be coming down the line.

It’s now all about picking up the pieces and putting together a brand-new puzzle.