Todd Cordell: Brandon Saad A Good Investment For The Blue Jackets

Saad is signed for six years so he's under contract from age 22-28. That means Kekalainen has essentially locked up the rising star for the entirety of his prime.

that is what the rfa years do. Far too many gm's are too quick to hand out big dollars to kids that have little leverage and haven't earned it yet.

should be interesting to see what he does away from the hawks.

We'll your certainly not going to come out & say that was a bludger of a contract!

Going to be interesting to see what his production will be. Your team is looking better & better, looking forward to the Pens Jackets games.

We'll your certainly not going to come out & say that was a bludger of a contract!

Going to be interesting to see what his production will be. Your team is looking better & better, looking forward to the Pens Jackets games.
- Aussiepenguin

Overpayment

I like the player but I dont like the contract.

He played on a dynasty for a reason. He was producing what he did because of the talent level around him. Columbus aint no dynasty and aint going to be one any time soon.

over payed but thats the way it is these days.

Bold move by Jarmo. Damn, I wish he was given the GM spot with STL like he deserved. Instead we get Armstrong making deals for lesser players in an attempt to get better.

Todd, how do you see the forward lines shaping up with another top 6 forward in the mix?

pipe down vancouver johansen is not coming there.

pipe down vancouver johansen is not coming there.
- redsfanhere

ok, thanks for the enlightenment

I hope your not serious Todd.

Keeping in mind that he has played with superstars for most of his pro career, I think it's a bit premature to say that he himself is a superstar. I might be wrong, but to say that "No, he is a superstar", is likewise ridiculous. In my opinion, you sign the guy to a nice bridge deal 1/2 years for 3/4mil and then see if he can produce the way he was producing in Chicago. He would still be a RFA so I don't see why they had to pull this off.

Bold move by Jarmo. Damn, I wish he was given the GM spot with STL like he deserved. Instead we get Armstrong making deals for lesser players in an attempt to get better.

Todd, how do you see the forward lines shaping up with another top 6 forward in the mix?
- BlueBallz

Saad-Johansen-Foligno
Harntell-Dubinsky-Jenner
Calvert-Wennberg-Atkinson

I could see them wanting to keep Hartnell on Wennberg's line which would mix things up a bit.

Todd Cordell: Brandon Saad A Good Investment For The Blue Jackets
- Todd-Cordell

As mentioned in the previous blogg , really not happy about this amount. But again , this is just the agent bringing out two stanley cup rings as an argument.

I like the player but I dont like the contract.

He played on a dynasty for a reason. He was producing what he did because of the talent level around him. Columbus aint no dynasty and aint going to be one any time soon.

over payed but thats the way it is these days.
- vancity787

The Blue Jackets scored more goals last year than Chicago did. Saad is probably going to playing with Johansen and Foligno, that's not chopped liver. CBJ fans heard the same type of crap last year about Hartnell (he's not going to have nearly as many points now that he's not on a line with Giroux and Jake.)

You are going to like Saad. A lot. Very fast and strong on the puck in the open ice. Team guy.

I like the kid and hope he turns out to be everything the CBJ hope he will be. Do know that up to this point he has performed, and quite well, in a supplemental role. Wanting the best for him, I do have concerns that with his contract will come unrealistic expectations. He is only 22. I do think he is ready for a bigger role but I don't think it's fair to expect him to be "the guy" for a few more years yet. That role should be Johansen's. I know he now makes more than Johansen, but hoping Johansen is professional enough to be patient knowing his respect is coming with his next contract. I really believe RJ is one of the more underrated players in the league.

Make no mistake about it, Brandon Saad is a very good young player who is trending in the right direction. Just be patient with him irregardless of the contract. His AAV return may be iffy for a year or two, but in time he very well may outperform his salary.

Was intrigued by Paliotta and as a Chicago fan was disappointed to see him go. Plays a heavy game with improving offensive upside. He was not merely a throw-in.

Am excited about Anisomov and especially Dano. Should I be?

You are going to like Saad. A lot. Very fast and strong on the puck in the open ice. Team guy.

I like the kid and hope he turns out to be everything the CBJ hope he will be. Do know that up to this point he has performed, and quite well, in a supplemental role. Wanting the best for him, I do have concerns that with his contract will come unrealistic expectations. He is only 22. I do think he is ready for a bigger role but I don't think it's fair to expect him to be "the guy" for a few more years yet. That role should be Johansen's. I know he now makes more than Johansen, but hoping Johansen is professional enough to be patient knowing his respect is coming with his next contract. I really believe RJ is one of the more underrated players in the league.

Make no mistake about it, Brandon Saad is a very good young player who is trending in the right direction. Just be patient with him irregardless of the contract. His AAV return may be iffy for a year or two, but in time he very well may outperform his salary.

Was intrigued by Paliotta and as a Chicago fan was disappointed to see him go. Plays a heavy game with improving offensive upside. He was not merely a throw-in.

Am excited about Anisomov and especially Dano. Should I be?
- DoubleMinor

I would be excited about Dano, he was very good last year with Wennberg and Hartnell. He has the occasional brain fart on defense, but he's young and has time to fix that. As far as Anisimov goes, you guys should just hope he has finally learned how to skate with his head up, he seems to take vicious shots regularly, and has had some concussions. He is also prone to streaks where he seems like a much better player, and streaks where he disappears.

Thank you for the input. I usually am not deterred whenever a prospect is labeled as defensively deficient. This may hold true when they are playing high school, college, juniors, Europe...but my observation is they tend to learn quickly when they are getting paid and are pushed by pro coaches and someone who wants their job. Also tend to learn quickly when they arrive and see how the respected vets in the locker room frown upon such things.

The thing about Saad is his value can't be determined only by his point total. This guy plays a 200 foot game and like players like Toews (no he's not in that league) and Hossa at this point in his career he contributes when he's not on the scoresheet. Forecheck, backcheck, work the boards, defensively responsible, skates hard every shift, tons of compete.

But now with the biggest salary on the Jackets expectations may be if he doesn't put up 70+ points he's not contributing. IMO he's more in the mold of a Dubinsky not a Johansen. I think Saad has more offensive upside than he's shown so far as a 22 yr old but not like Johansen has.

6 mil per for 6 years is tough to swallow when he's still an RFA but IMO when the contract expires he will have been worth it.

I hope your not serious Todd.

Keeping in mind that he has played with superstars for most of his pro career, I think it's a bit premature to say that he himself is a superstar. I might be wrong, but to say that "No, he is a superstar", is likewise ridiculous. In my opinion, you sign the guy to a nice bridge deal 1/2 years for 3/4mil and then see if he can produce the way he was producing in Chicago. He would still be a RFA so I don't see why they had to pull this off.
- TheCalSen[/quote

If he was willing to take that bridge deal, he'd still be in Chicago. The kid got some bad advice from he agent - tried playing chicken with the Hawks, and now he's in the Eastern Conference . Solid kid who's just going to get better. Enjoy, CBJ.

The Blue Jackets scored more goals last year than Chicago did. Saad is probably going to playing with Johansen and Foligno, that's not chopped liver. CBJ fans heard the same type of crap last year about Hartnell (he's not going to have nearly as many points now that he's not on a line with Giroux and Jake.)
- Jimmys7

CBJ Goals for 236 Goals for, and 250 against for a diff of -14
CBH Goals for 229 Goals for, and 189 against for a diff of +40

I hope your not serious Todd.

Keeping in mind that he has played with superstars for most of his pro career, I think it's a bit premature to say that he himself is a superstar. I might be wrong, but to say that "No, he is a superstar", is likewise ridiculous. In my opinion, you sign the guy to a nice bridge deal 1/2 years for 3/4mil and then see if he can produce the way he was producing in Chicago. He would still be a RFA so I don't see why they had to pull this off.
- TheCalSen

If he was willing to take that bridge deal, he'd still be in Chicago. The kid got some bad advice from he agent - tried playing chicken with the Hawks, and now he's in the Eastern Conference . Solid kid who's just going to get better. Enjoy, CBJ.
- PC_Catch-22

I agree, a bridge deal for the 'kid' was in order....

BUT exactly. IF he would have taken 3/4 million a year for 2 years, he'd be a Hawk.

Kid listened to his agent/press clippings about how he is a top line wing and should be paid as such. Hawks wanted him to give him a bridge deal and he'd get paid on the next go around in two years... they couldn't work it out. Now he's a Jacket. Good luck to him. He got what he wanted. I'm stoked about Dano this year. Nice trade IMPO. He should pick up right where Saad left off next to JT and Hossa

Rob Brown. Look him up and see what he did when he had to leave Pit playing with Mario. Hope it's a bit better for Columbus fans with Saad.

CBJ Goals for 236 Goals for, and 250 against for a diff of -14
CBH Goals for 229 Goals for, and 189 against for a diff of +40

- TheShaman

please keep in mind the -14 and the shots against is due to the fact we have been playing 6 or 7 regulars out on a nightly basis.

CBJ Goals for 236 Goals for, and 250 against for a diff of -14
CBH Goals for 229 Goals for, and 189 against for a diff of +40

- TheShaman

to be a lil more fair put in games lost buy that lil thing called injury bug. jackets was #1 in that category to.and columbus still out scored chicago.

and Chicago played with 4 dmen all season and playoffs long.
Oh and our top goal scorer, that unknown guy, Kane... he was out from Feb till April...

Regardless of injuries... they are two completely different teams.

You scored 7 more goals over an 82 game season than the Hawks.
I'd be more worried about the fact that the opposing team scored more over that span than you did. Injuries happen on every team. They play through that.

my point is that stats can make anything look 'good' or 'bad'


You've got a nice up and coming squad. Be happy.

I dont think the contract is bad. Saad seems to have an extra gear when i watched him in Chicago. He will do fine on top line with Johansen. Chicago will be very happy with Dano. Has great speed.

One thing people seem to forget is also that what might be a "bad" deal for one organization can be a "good" deal for another. Cap space situations, past success, future expectations, market size....etc....all of that plays a part. I think 6 years at $6 mil/yr in chicago might have been a "bad" deal, but for Columbus it's a good one. You're paying him to be a top line LW with another young guy in RyJo.