"We got it wrong, that's on us."
Columbus held their annual preseason media day on Monday, and to say it seemed tense is an understatement. The entire mood of the event, which was held in between sections 110 and 111, next to the beloved cannon, felt as if people were upset.
About an hour before the press conference was to start, the Blue Jackets Ownership group released a statement, which kicked things off for the day.
Initial reactions to the ownership statement were mixed. Many were glad that the owners came out with a statement, while others thought they should've been in front of a camera instead. I didn't think we'd hear from the owners at all, not that that's a bad thing, we just don't normally hear from them.
The press conference started with President of Hockey Ops John Davidson and GM Jarmo Kekalainen speaking. Both came to the podium looking very stoic. JD opened with the following statement:
“We went through a process earlier this year prior to hiring Mike Babcock as our head coach, but we got it wrong. And that’s on us."
Davidson went on to say that this was a "major misstep" by the front office. He said more than once that they were "extremely disappointed" by what had happened. He went on to say that they "welcomed the investigation" by the NHLPA. Davidson continued on to say that they did their due diligence thoroughly when going through the hiring process. He finished with "We will do better."
Next up was Jarmo Kekalainen, who has drawn the ire of fans the last few days. Jarmo started by saying that he pulled the Jackets leadership group together yesterday and apologized. This morning, he said he pulled the rest of the team in and apologized to any players that Mike Babcock may have made uncomfortable. He says everyone just wants to move past this incident.
John Davidson told the media that he doesn't know what went on between the players and NHLPA when they met, as this is their right to keep everything private if they choose. He also says he has no clue what happened between players and Babcock, specifically the incident in question.
The important thing to remember is that they understand they made a mistake, owned it, and are ready to move on. But that's easier said than done for a lot of people. Some fans want to see the entire front office wiped clean, but let's be honest, that's not going to happen 3 days before the start of training camp.
Captain Boone Jenner spoke after the front office spoke. He was asked about the situation and what happens next. He says "Right now as it stands, we are looking ahead.” He goes on to say “I think the past week has probably brought us together closer. I’m proud of the group for that, to be honest." It's important to remember that Davidson says that Boone Jenner released his statement on his own, not at the direction of the club.
Zach Werenski spoke after Jenner. He echoed Jenner's statement about moving on from the Babcock incident. He says the NHLPA did a great job and called it "unbelievable." By the end of the week, he said the group was all on the same page. He also says he's healthy and ready to play and that he's excited to watch the competition unfold at camp. When asked about Pascal Vincent, he called him a "superstar."
Johnny Gaudreau said that he's excited to get back to playing. When asked about Mike Babcock, he admits that everyone may have had a different experience when dealing with him, but says they're ready to move on. He's also very excited to get to play for Pascal Vincent and with Adam Fantilli.
Patrik Laine, who showed up in a pair of slime-green Nikes also spoke to the media. When asked if he was surprised to see the Babcock story take the turn it did, Laine says "It's not something I'm going to discuss right now...It doesn't matter anymore. We have Pazzy who is in charge now." He says that it's been great for team bonding when talking about the situation. He seems very excited to play for Vincent. He says, "I told him that straight up. I haven’t been this excited in a long time. I’m super happy for him.” Laine has known Vincent since he was an 18-year-old rookie while in Winnipeg. He then made a joke about being old and this being his 8th year in the league. Yeah, you're old Patrik.
After sitting and listening to the CBJ front office and players, it's clear they're ready to put this all behind them. For the players, it should be very easy to do just that. Their jobs are to go out and play hockey and that's what they'll do. For the front office, it's not that easy. JD and Jarmo must rely on the players to save their jobs, and if this team gets off to a slow start, or the wheels fall off during the season, ownership will be expected to take the next step, whatever that may be.
You could tell they were sincere about their mistake, at least from my point of view. Now it's time to move on, starting with training camp. This team has some very important decisions to make in the near future, and one thing that can't happen is the front office disappearing or not talking.
Even though the front office created this storm, they will be required to navigate the team through it. This will be their biggest test to date.
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