Here is a look at the Blue Jackets collective records under the two GMs that have run them thus far:
DOUG MACLEAN
SEASONS: 6 (2000/01 - 2006/07)
RECORD: 172-258-33-29
TOTAL POINTS: 406
AVG % OF POINTS: .412%
SCOTT HOWSON
SEASONS: 5 (2007/2008 - Present)
RECORD: 151-160-55
TOTAL POINTS: 357
AVG % OF POINTS: .470%
Couple of comments:
* I am in no way/shape/form complimenting or praising Doug MacLean for the job he did here as General Manager. While he was a riot to listen to, I thought he was a terrible GM then and still do today. He deserved to get canned. That said...
* At what point do we say enough is enough with Scott Howson? He is struggling to even compete with MacLean who built a team from the ground up with 30 million dollar payrolls. Thus far he has exactly .058% more average points per season than this franchise could manage under MacLean. PATHETIC!
* Howson has the largest payroll in the Jackets' history and we are on pace for the WORST season in franchise history! On what planet do the folks in charge think this can be turned around with the current leadership in charge? Is 5 years not enough of a sample size? Are you really going to let these folks continue to make even more moves?
* According to this link, Scott Howson was hired on June 13th, 2007. 15 GMS (or 50% of the league) have hired new GMs since that date. 22 GMS (or 73% of the league) have been hired since 2006. In fact, only 6 GMs (or 20%) have held onto their jobs since the 1990s. Only 1, Lou Lamoriello, has had his job since the 1980s. In other words - at least for the majority of this league, losing is not tolerated for long and changes will be made.
* Enough about firing coaches and trading players. Yeah, that stuff needs to happen but what absolutely MUST be addressed first are the PRESIDENT and GENERAL MANAGER positions. The results produced under this leadership CANNOT be tolerated. You CANNOT allow the same people to continue to make mistakes. The expectations MUST be that you either produce results in a reasonable amount of time or you're out. 5 years is an extremely reasonable amount of time - especially when that 5th year is trending towards the worst year in franchise history.
I give Howson a lot credit for finally making a real attempt this offseason. I would prefer he won so I could compliment him instead writing about firing and failure. But you can't argue with results. For whatever reasons or excuses that are out there, the bottom line is what we have in place now hasn't worked, isn't working now and won't work in the future.
The more I think about it, the more I come to the conclusions that the best solution is to fire Priest, Howson and Arniel now. Slap an interim GM tag on Chris MacFarland. Slap an interim coach tag on Todd Richards. Sell off all the UFA vets at the deadline. Then start over with a new shiny draft pick in your (blue) jacket pocket this offseason.
-LTL
