from Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch,

It hurts to say it, but the Blue Jackets could have been the Rangers. Expletive deleted. This is getting tough to watch.

Locally, there is a hue and cry over Los Angeles Kings right wing Marian Gaborik, who has more playoff goals (11) than anyone this spring. Some fans think Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen gave up too much to get Gaborik (Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett, John Moore and a sixth-round draft pick) from the Rangers.

And they think he got too little (Matt Frattin, a second-round pick and a third-round pick) when he dumped Gaborik on the Kings.

Is this Jeff Carter all over again? Are the Jackets consistently building champions — for other markets?

I don’t get too bent over Gaborik. Yes, Kekalainen gave up much to get him, but it was a noble experiment and he paid market price. No, Kekalainen did not seem to extract a large return for him, but that was the market. It was not the general manager’s most brilliant work, but Gaborik is not sticking in my craw.

Ask yourself: Are the Jackets better without Rick Nash? Would you redo that trade and give back Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov, Tim Erixon and Kerby Rychel?

more