The NHL Front Office Under the Biggest Spotlight

The fate of the entire Columbus Blue Jackets franchise hangs in the balance this season. No, that is not a typo. No, the NHL is not considering contraction or moving a franchise. But the team voted one of the most anonymous in North American pro sports has arrived at a crossroads, a critical inflection point where their long-suffering fanbase deserves answers.

For some reason, training camp is halfway over and 21-year-old restricted free agent Adam Fantilli remains unsigned and away from the team. Why? The Blue Jackets have more than $13 million in salary cap space and Fantilli is arguably their best young player. That deal should have been done in June; any commitment to Columbus would be a win at this point. Yet, sources indicated talks were ice cold heading into the weekend.

Headlines have been generated around Kirill Marchenko’s lack of commitment to Columbus, which he echoed last week without saying anything at all. Then there is Zach Werenski, a still simmering situation which he has tried (and succeeded) to keep a lid on, but talk is cheap. The proof will come if the reigning Norris Trophy winner is willing to re-sign when eligible next summer. Sources reiterated that Werenski’s internal stance has not changed: If the Blue Jackets forced an answer today on an extension, they would not like the non-committal reply.

That brings us to the men steering the ship: Don Waddell, 68, brought back 71-year-old Rick Bowness on a one-year contract after luring him out of retirement. It might have been a bad look to let the players off the hook after Bowness blasted them last spring following their late season collapse – and Bowness has dropped a few grenades already in training camp by questioning some players’ conditioning and commitment. But to what end? Bowness is on a day-by-day deal.

As one rival NHL GM said: "So what if ‘Bones’ decides in the middle of the year, or at the end of the year, he’s had enough. Or the players have had enough of him. Then what? Do they just start over?"

It’s indicative of the biggest issue in Columbus - that everything is reactive instead of proactive. Rather than get ahead of the Fantilli contract, Marchenko’s unhappiness or Werenski’s trepidation, the Blue Jackets seemingly allow everything to fester. If there is a long-term plan or vision, it’s not communicated properly, to say nothing of execution.

What, exactly, are the Blue Jackets? They’re not a young team: Charlie Coyle, Valeri Nichushkin and Conor Garland are patch jobs, not long-term solutions. If the Blue Jackets lose Marchenko and/or Werenski, they might as well hang a sign outside of Nationwide Arena that advertises they are deeply unserious about winning. Their track record already says it.

No one has an issue with Columbus – as a market, as a place to play, or as a place to raise a family. The fan support is ridiculously good considering how mediocrity has been tolerated with six playoff appearances in 26 seasons. Players aren’t interested in staying because they do not see Columbus as a place with a chance to win – squarely because of how it is run.

The Blue Jackets are rightly under the spotlight. Ownership will have its magnifying glass out as John H. McConnell II is set to assume the presidency with longtime executive Mike Priest retiring after 30 years of service. It’s beyond time for the hands off McConnell family to take a closer look under the hood. Everything should be questioned in Columbus.