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Columbus GM Has Strong Words For Ryan Johansen
by Paul on 09/16/14 at 06:51 AM ET
Comments (2)
from Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch,
As training camp draws near, the heat is getting turned up under unsigned Blue Jackets center Ryan Johansen.
General manager Jarmo Kekalainen, in his strongest words yet, warned against Johansen not being signed by the start of camp on Thursday, and he questioned the motivation of Johansen’s agent, Kurt Overhardt.
“Our success is going to come from being a team, not a bunch of individuals or stars, or whatever,” Kekalainen said during the NHL prospects tournament last night. “To me, it’s huge that you go through training camp together and get ready.
“When training camp starts, that’s it. After that, the focus is on the guys who are there on tryouts or guys who are under contract. That’s it. That will be the only focus.”
Asked whether that meant he would no longer negotiate with Overhardt, Kekalainen paused.
“Draw your own conclusions,” he said.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Columbus Blue Jackets, | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: ryan+johansen
Comments

“To me, it’s huge that you go through training camp together and get ready.”
It is the GM’s job to make sure all his players are in camp, if he hasn’t signed one of his best goal scorers than the GM has failed his team, not the player who is not under contract or any obligation.
Posted by Puckbubba on 09/16/14 at 10:47 AM ET
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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.
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When C-bus hired Kekalainen, I thought they were serious about turning the franchise around. This hardball play over a $2m difference is just silly.
Posted by redxblack from Akron Ohio on 09/16/14 at 09:26 AM ET