from Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch,

If there is a silver lining to the NHL lockout, John Davidson figures he can use the time to get settled in as the Blue Jackets’ new president of hockey operations. Without the fury of three or four games a week, Davidson can gauge the habits and personalities of his new staff and witness how the operation works inside Nationwide Arena.

But Davidson wouldn’t be here if the operation were working well.

The trials and tribulations have been many for the Blue Jackets, but last season was the capper. The Jackets spent to the roof of the NHL salary cap but sank to the bottom of the standings, enduring a season that started with four months of misery and exposed all of the club’s dysfunction and built-up disharmony.

Coaches asking media members to criticize players more and them less. Scouts lamenting that they’d gone several weeks without speaking to higher-ups in hockey operations. One player — Jeff Carter — playing as if he didn’t want to be there, and another — captain Rick Nash, of all people — asking to be traded.

If Doug MacLean left behind an oil spill when he was fired as president and general manager in 2007, his replacements — Mike Priest as president and Scott Howson as general manager — allowed the clean-up efforts to veer badly off course.

The Blue Jackets needed a savior.

continued