Former Blue Jackets President/GM/Coach Doug MacLean is back at it again - he just can leave well enough alone. Here is a snippet of a interview on Toronto Fan 590 from MacLean that I grabbed from Puck-rakers:
Question: There's talk you might be a candidate for the coaching job in Florida. Is that something you’d want to put your hooks back in?
Answer: I was talking to (Anaheim Ducks general manager) Brian Burke yesterday, as a matter of fact, and we were talking about that very thing. I said I think I left coaching a little early because I got such a great opportunity to go to Columbus and start a franchise. I went back and I coached in Columbus for a year. I was the president, I was the general manager, I was running the rink, I was trying to get the Rolling Stones to play in our building … I mean, I just had too many hats. Mr. McConnell, God bless him, but he thought I was running a high school basketball team, if the truth was known. He had no idea of the size of the operation, that it really was running an NHL team and a building and everything. So, I, I, … it intrigues me to think about it. I’ve talked, actually, to two or three teams about the possibility of coaching and I’m just going to take my time and see what opens up.
You can listen to the full interview here.
Some people will say this is no big deal or who cares. In a way I can see that point but to me this is just another glaring example that its never Doug MacLean's fault. There is always an excuse and always someone else to point the finger to.
Which is exactly how he ran this franchise. Its the flu, or its injuries, or this team spending 'x' amount, or this player didn't take a step or "what makes you a hockey expert"...on and on and on..
....and on!
Sure we can look back now and criticize ownership for putting all their egg's in MacLean's basket. However MacLean had all the power to hire a coach or to hire a President or to hire GM. All it would have taken was a conversation with ownership and it would have happened - I have no doubt.
But he didn't.
We all know by now that there is no...NO WAY...MacLean's ego would have allowed it.
The Jackets were MacLean's playground. Unfortunately that's exactly how he ran the franchise.
Good luck finding a coaching gig MacLean now just let the Jackets move the hell on.
Colorado was swept by the Detroit Red Wings last night in an embarrassing 8-2 loss at home. The good news is that the first round pick Howson obtained from the Adam Foote (who was a -6 in 10 playoff games) trade looks to be at #20 (it could drop to #19 if the Flyers advance) which is much better than the 27-30 range it could have been if the Avalanche had beaten Detroit.
I think there is a .001% chance that Howson holds on to that pick so the lower it is the higher the trade value. Go Flyers!
Once it all shakes out you can find the final draft order here.
Furthermore I will also no longer have to root for Detroit......die Red Wings DIE!!! Ahhh...much better.
Another interesting story to follow will be *if* Colorado is interested in re-signing Foote and for how much? Remember that if the Avs re-sign him the Jackets get an additional 4th round pick.
Think Foote will get the 3.5 mil the Jackets were offering from Colorado?
I don't.
World Championships start tonight. Ken Hitchcock, Rick Nash, Pascal Leclaire and Jason Chimera who represent Team Canada will face off against Slovenia today at 3:15 EST. Leclaire will be in a backup role tonight but will get a start in their next game on Sunday versus Latvia.
The US team led by Patrick Kane, Peter Mueller, Erick Johnson and Jason Pominville also play today versus Latvia at 7:00 EST.
This is the first time the World Championships have been played in North America which is exciting, especially for Canada.
The full schedule can be found here.
The Syracuse Crunch kick off round 2 of their chase for the Calder Cup tonight versus the Toronto Marlies.
The Syracuse Crunch paper has a good article on former Blue Jackets (and instigator) David Ling who will suit up for the Marlies.
Also it looks as though Jacket goalie and former 3rd round pick in the 2004 draft Dan LaCosta may be ready to go soon. What's interesting about this is that Karl Gohering, who has played every minute of the playoffs, will have to sit once LaCosta is deemed ready to play. Quite frankly I'm not really sure why that is but it has something to do the injuries and contracts. Remember Gohering was signed almost on an emergency basis when all 3 of the current (at the time) goalies in Poperlee, LaCosta and Munro were injured.
There first game kicks off at 7:30 EST tonight in Toronto and can be followed online here.
-LTL
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4 comments:
Of course Mr. Mac didn't know what it took to run an NHL franchise--why would he? It was your JOB to tell him and to put all the people in place you friggin' idiot. Woe is you--it was toooooo hard? Awww you are breaking my heart.
I hope he does coach in the league again, preferably in the West.
Now that Mr. Mac is gone you think that all you have to do is preceed your criticisms with 'god bless him' and you can say whatever you want?
Yeah, what a classy guy. Last week in the paper he was on about how he was an icon and how much of a great guy he was.
What a tool.
Looks like we will be able to watch Canada play on TSN's website.
http://www.tsn.ca/
Just a heads up.
1)Just like I was split between rooting for the Avs to make the playoffs, I am split about seeing Foote get re-signed. I hope he just ends up signing for $50,000 or something miserable so we can still get the pick, but he is humiliated. Screw that guy.
2)Speaking of the Avs... glad we can finally say "Die, Red Wings, die!!" It hurt me to the very soul to root for them.
3)Also, I think that maybe the IIHF has never before been hosted in Canada, but I'm pretty sure that it has been here in North America... wasn't it in the US back in the 60's?
Good question Douglas. I was under the impression that this was the first time its ever been held outside of Europe.
Time to ask google :)
-LTL
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