Jarmo Kekäläinen gave conflicting messages to his top promise.
Jarmo Kekäläinen’s Columbus has slipped to last place in the Eastern Conference. Jussi Eskola
The Columbus Blue Jackets are closely followed by a reporter from The Athletic Aaron Portzline says the GM Jarmo Kekäläinen a strange trick behind the scenes of the club.
According to Portzline, the Finn had invited Columbus’ top promise last weekend, the sixth booked in the summer of 2022 David Jirice too19, to his stories.
– Kekäläinen told Jiricek that he can get a permanent room in Columbus, which means that he can move out of the downtown hotel, Portzline reveals.
In the eyes of the organization, the young Czech had become a full-blooded NHL player.
Jiricek was excited about the news, because with it he could invite his parents and girlfriend to visit Columbus because there was no fear of the farm command.
Kekäläinen’s announcement was expected, as Jiricek had already played ten games in the NHL this season. Thus, the first year of the defender’s three-year rookie contract had been burned. Jiricek will become a restricted free agent after the 2025-26 season.
But then something really special happened.
Full translation
Last Saturday, Kekäläinen invited Jiricek over again.
– This time he told Jiricek that he will be sent to the AHL in the ranks of Cleveland.
The top promise had to make room Patrik Lainee, who was ready to return to the lineup after suffering a concussion. The Finn had been sidelined for nine games.
– So Jiricek, who had traveled with the team to Detroit for a two-game road trip, hopped on an afternoon flight to Ottawa and drove about 2.5 hours to Belleville, Ontario, where the farm team Monsters had an afternoon game on Sunday.
All this just a week after Kekäläinen had promised Jiricek that his place was in the NHL. Portzline does not understand the logic in Finn’s actions.
– Why was Jirice also allowed to play 10 games? Why is he told he’s on the team now, but a week later he’s sent to the farm?
According to Portzline, Jiricek’s treatment is just a continuation of the confusion that has happened in the club during the early season.
The story continues after the picture.
David Jiricek was sent to the AHL again, even though the man was already promised a place in the NHL. AOP / USA TODAY Sports
Different goals?
Columbus’ new head coach Pascal Vincent has made it clear that he is looking to the future. The man wants to change the club’s operating culture by Brad Larsen after.
Vincent has boldly benched key players such as Johnny Gaudreau and Damon Severson and planted in the stands Kent Johnson, Kirill Marchenko and Jiricek.
Playing time has to be earned. No one is safe.
Vincent has repeatedly stated that the club is not yet where he would like it to be, and change will not happen overnight. It takes its own time.
Kekäläinen, on the other hand, has announced that he wants the team to fight for a playoff spot already this season, which sounds quite utopian.
– It could be pure self-protection on Kekäläinen’s part, because the owners of the Blue Jackets are really awake Mike Babcock -after the disaster, Portzline writes.
Columbus has only one win in the last ten games. The team is currently on a five-game losing streak and sits last in the Eastern Conference.
– It’s hard to find someone who thinks Columbus is among the top eight teams in the Eastern Conference, Portzline points out.
However, the club boss and the head coach share really contradictory statements.
– In which direction are we going now? Will Columbus do everything they can to win today? Or do they do everything they can to make tomorrow look better?