[cbuscru77]

The Blue Jackets have had four captains since they joined the NHL in 2000. They're still searching for their first good one.

Defenseman Adam Foote seemed to be the guy, especially this season when the stifling presence of president and general manager Doug MacLean was swept away by his offseason firing and Foote was allowed to truly run the dressing room.
But the events of Tuesday, the NHL's trade deadline day, sent a chill through the entire Blue Jackets organization, and Foote is now seen as more fraud than leader.
It's believed that Foote and his agent, Rick Curran, set their contract demands at a height they knew the Blue Jackets wouldn't accept.
Proof: The Blue Jackets moved up from their first offer of two years, $6 million to two years, $7 million, but Foote and Curran refused to budge from their initial demand of two years, $8 million.
When Howson suggested to Foote that the sides continue negotiating beyond the trade deadline -- that the Blue Jackets' playoff hopes, faint as they are, deserve a hearty attempt -- Foote responded in a way nobody could have predicted.
According to numerous NHL sources, Foote threatened to be "a bad teammate, a bad captain and a bad player" the rest of the season if he weren't re-signed or traded to his preferred destination -- the Colorado Avalanche, where his best NHL years were spent.
The Blue Jackets made a final plea, urging Foote to consider all that the Blue Jackets' ownership group, the coaching staff and the fans had done for him the past three seasons.
Again, according to sources, he responded by saying that he "doesn't owe anybody anything."
With that, Howson had no choice but to deem him un-captain-worthy and seek a trade. That he got a first-round draft pick out of the Avalanche is almost remarkable.
Foote had a private plane waiting for him here and equipment waiting for him in Calgary, where the Avalanche played Tuesday night.
It's believed that Foote got ugly only because he had to, that so many people -- his family, the Avalanche, etc. -- were counting on his arrival in Denver, and the Blue Jackets weren't playing along.
Foote has denied saying he would become a distraction.
"I would never say stuff like that. I'm a professional," he said. "I've never been that way throughout my career. All I told them is it would be too stressful for my wife and I to stay without knowing for sure I was part of the future there."
But think about it: Foote said he couldn't play the rest of this season without a contract extension, without knowing what his future held. But he hasn't signed an extension with the Avalanche.
The bet here is that he signs for far less than $3.5 million per season in Colorado. A further bet is that fans in Nationwide Arena won't forget how Foote orchestrated his departure.
Where do the Blue Jackets go from here? The plan is to not name a captain for the rest of the season, perhaps not until late in next season's training camp.
By then, there will have been plenty of time for a certain player to step forward and grab the mantle, to show that he's not only the Blue Jackets' best player on the ice, but the go-to guy in the room.
At this point in the Blue Jackets' existence, and at this point in his career, it has to be Rick Nash, doesn't it?

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Nash is a talent...I don't think he is captain material though...that is were a guy like Fedorov could have helped.

Nothing you could do about Foote...he wants out bad enough...

Unreasonable? Maybe. But this is not the day and age of loyalty from either side...players or owners...and neither considers the fans all that much. It is what it is.

[cbuscru77]

What I've heard is that Fedorov never was a "vocal" leader. He lead by example on the ice for sure. But he is what as know as the "true professional" He treats it like a job and he does what he's being paid to do..play hockey not tudor young talent at least that's what he said when he first came here. And I agree I don't know if Nash is ready to assume leadership of this club.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by cbuscru77

What I've heard is that Fedorov never was a "vocal" leader. He lead by example on the ice for sure. But he is what as know as the "true professional" He treats it like a job and he does what he's being paid to do..play hockey not tudor young talent at least that's what he said when he first came here. And I agree I don't know if Nash is ready to assume leadership of this club.

Give me the guy who can lead by example over a vocal leader any day...as we can see...the vocal leader is gonna take the money and run...so much for that brand of leadership.