Howson fired

[Pokecheque]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=415849" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

John Davidson is no fool. Hope he hires the Finnish guy.

[Pokecheque]

More details. It appears Arniel was the final nail in his coffin.

http://bluejacketsxtra.dispatch.com/con ... ssage.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jarmo Kekalainen is set to be the new GM, the first-ever European to do so.

[Scott 679]

it's official.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=415882" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Pokecheque]

I really hope he's successful and opens the door to more European GMs, and hopefully coaches as well. It's ridiculous how few, if any NHL coaches have been Euros. Who was the last one, Ivan Hlinka!?

Best thing I've found out about Kekalainen, his wife's name is Tiina.

[scratchham]

I really hope he's successful and opens the door to more European GMs, and hopefully coaches as well. It's ridiculous how few, if any NHL coaches have been Euros. Who was the last one, Ivan Hlinka!?

Best thing I've found out about Kekalainen, his wife's name is Tiina.

Uh, Ralph Krueger? I realize he's Canadian born, but I think he counts considering the wealth of his Swiss and German hockey background. Coaching the Swiss for 13 years is quite a resume.

Anyways, awesome for Kekalainen. I had hoped to hear his name in the Habs GM vacancy, even if it could never happen because he's a clean Finn instead of a good ole fashioned smelly Francophone. He did analysis in between periods on Finnish WJC and WC broadcasts. I have no idea what he was saying but I always wished I did since he seemed way too smart for that gig that we usually give to really crappy hockey minds in North America.

Now we need Roger Ronnberg to get a coaching gig in the NHL.

[Pokecheque]

This should be encouraging for Jax fans in this year's draft:

#StLBlues had 3 first-round picks in 2007 under Kekalainen, Nos. 13, 18, 26. They took Lars Eller, Ian Cole and David Perron, respectively.

Don't know if all three of them will become stars, but that's three legit NHLers, and you can't ask for more than that.

[scratchham]

He also was responsible for the Blues dealing their 2008 first rounder, David Rundblad, for the pick that they used for Tarasenko in 2009.

The Habs got McDonagh, Pacioretty, and Subban with their first three picks in 2007. We beat him.