Zak MacMillan: CBJ Free Agency and Draft Results

Not much different than when Jarmo ran the show !! A lot of monkeying around with the 3rd & 4th lines, no activity that moves the needle. GMDW is praying for more internal development - because he didn't acquire any outside help !!

As a side note, I do expect Fantilli & KJ to improve to 70 pt players; Kirill still has room to reach 80 pts. Denton should pull in the 30-40 pt area. And if Chinakhov can stay healty for 70+ games he should reach 40 pts.
Zach may fall back a little from a PPG player, but still be in the 65-75 pt range.
It would be great if Monahan can continue playing at a PPG pace.

So we should see some offensive improvement.

And the defense should be better by having Mateychuk and Fabbro from the start, and keeping Severson and Gudbranson on the 3rd pair. Ideally they would alternate alongside Christiansen.

03,

Nice post, but I sort of disagree here. It seems to be that the top level FA's seem to make it clear to GMDW they didn't want to come to Columbus, no matter what they were offered.

Frankly, if that is true I hope the team comes out from the start of the new season and plays with the same chip on its shoulder they played with last season. And it would be nice if some of these (IMO) overpaid primadonnas get a lesson legally taught to them by the CBJ about the mistake they made by not signing with this team.

Maybe after the CBJ wins one or two rounds in the playoffs next year some high priced top 20 UFA will decide to come to Columbus and make the difference between a good team and a Stanley Cup winning team.

Just my .02, UMMV.

03,

Nice post, but I sort of disagree here. It seems to be that the top level FA's seem to make it clear to GMDW they didn't want to come to Columbus, no matter what they were offered.

Frankly, if that is true I hope the team comes out from the start of the new season and plays with the same chip on its shoulder they played with last season. And it would be nice if some of these (IMO) overpaid primadonnas get a lesson legally taught to them by the CBJ about the mistake they made by not signing with this team.

Maybe after the CBJ wins one or two rounds in the playoffs next year some high priced top 20 UFA will decide to come to Columbus and make the difference between a good team and a Stanley Cup winning team.

Just my .02, UMMV.
- jkumpire

I understand what you're saying. Really, in light of the past 25 years, it's what I pretty much expected from the top UFAs. Ones like Marner feel they are too big/good to come to the Blue Jackets. But I hoped Dobson, and Ehlers would at least consider Columbus as a landing spot - not just tersely blow us off.
That being said, I completely agree with your hope that Columbus does to teams like Montreal and LVK Not just edge into the playoffs, but go deep.

BTW - next year's potential UFA group is supposed to be much stronger than this year. So maybe that will be turning the corner for us.