Poor Jordan Harris has been going through some painful times since his arrival in Columbus.
Placed under overwhelming pressure after the trade that sent Patrik Laine to Montreal, Harris is now the perfect scapegoat for Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell.
The latter, ridiculed by fans and analysts for having exchanged a 50-goal scorer for a defender deemed to have no low-level identity, seems ready to do anything to divert attention from his incompetence.
As soon as the trade was announced, Waddell proclaimed that Harris had to prove he deserved his spot. But his recent statements, of scathing coldness, went further:
“It will be up to him to show what he is worth, and we will find out very quickly. »
From the start, Waddell didn’t hesitate to throw Harris to the wolves to save his own reputation. In a league where GMs often seek to protect their acquisitions, the treatment meted out to Harris is particularly cruel.
Don Waddell, aware of the enormous blunder he made by sending Patrik Laine and a 2nd round pick to Montreal in return for Jordan Harris, seems to have found a very cruel strategy to deflect criticism: pushing the young defender every time. occasion.
Through repeated public statements, he continues to place the blame on Harris, hoping to make Columbus supporters forget that this transaction is entirely his responsibility.
In a recent interview, Waddell once again put the pressure on Harris:
“We have a lot of hungry young players here, who really want to prove they deserve a place. It will be up to him to stand out. We cannot wait forever. »
This statement hides a much more devious intention: to make it appear that Harris’ failure in Columbus was solely his fault, and not that of the organization that placed him in an untenable situation.
By publicly sacrificing Harris, Waddell is desperate to save his own reputation.
The problem is that Blue Jackets fans are not naive. The fact remains that in the end, both Waddell and Harris eat a volley.
On social networks and in the stands, the comments are fierce:
“Waddell traded a 50-goal scorer for a bench-warming guy. What a joke! »
“If Harris is so bad, why did you acquire him in the first place? Waddell is just trying to cover up his incompetence. »
“This CEO won’t sleep at night. He knows he ruined this team with that ridiculous trade. »
Since Harris’ arrival, Waddell has continued to offer indirect criticism, as if trying to rewrite history. At a press conference he said:
“We traded Laine to free ourselves from his contract, but we also expected Jordan Harris to make an immediate contribution. So far, that’s not what we’ve seen. »
A comment which sparked a wave of indignation among journalists and supporters. Some accused Waddell of lacking class by blaming a young player for a catastrophic management decision.
Others accused Harris of being a lousy defender.
Blue Jackets fans, already frustrated by the team’s poor results, did not hesitate to express their anger towards Waddell and Harris at the same time.
“We lost Laine for nothing. It’s humiliating. »
“Waddell is sacrificing Harris to cover up his incompetence. What CEO worth his salt would do that? »
“Every time Waddell opens his mouth, it’s to accuse Harris. It’s clear who the real culprit is here. »
For Jordan Harris, this situation is a real nightmare. Not only does he have to deal with the pressure of establishing himself on a team that doesn’t trust him, but he also becomes the scapegoat for an organization in the midst of a crisis.
Harris never asked to be placed at the center of this controversy, and yet he now bears the weight of his CEO’s failure.
Waddell’s unrealistic expectations, combined with merciless criticism, make it nearly impossible for Harris to thrive.
Worse yet, each Blue Jackets loss becomes another opportunity for Waddell to distract from his own mistakes by pointing the finger at Harris.
Jordan Harris is going through hell in Columbus. In addition to being pressured by his general manager Don Waddell, who points the finger at him at every opportunity, Harris must also face an avalanche of public and media criticism.
Mentally, the young man is collapsing, unable to meet expectations that seem more excessive every day.
Accustomed to evolving in a relatively protective environment in Montreal, where Martin St-Louis and his teammates valued his playing intelligence and his impeccable attitude, he now discovers a hostile context where each error is amplified.
“Harris has no identity. He is neither offensive, nor robust, nor solid in defense. Why is he in this alignment? »
These repeated attacks break his confidence. With each negative comment, with each scathing comment, Harris sinks a little deeper into a spiral where he doubts himself.
Don Waddell’s treatment only makes the situation worse. By publicly blaming Harris for his performance, the GM places him in a cruel light, making him an easy target for frustrated fans.
Waddell, seeking to distract from his own monumental failure in the Patrik Laine trade, has no qualms about sacrificing Harris to save his own skin:
“We expected more from him. So far, it has not met our expectations. »
It’s not just the CEO who is ruthless toward Harris. It’s the entire city of Columbus.
“This guy has no business being in the NHL. Waddell should have left him in Montreal. »
“Harris is a total failure. It costs us Laine AND a 2nd round pick. »
“How can you trade a player like Laine for such an insignificant defender? »
For a young player like Harris, this public criticism is a real ordeal. They not only affect its image, but also its morale.
How do you keep fighting when everyone seems to be waiting for you to fall?
Sources close to the organization report that Harris, usually calm and thoughtful, appears unsettled by this situation.
During training, his body language reveals an unusual nervousness. Even off the ice, he is described as withdrawn, avoiding prolonged interactions with his teammates.
Jordan Harris is a player caught in a whirlwind that he cannot control. Between a general manager who points the finger at him at every opportunity, furious fans looking for someone to blame, and a merciless media, Harris is going through the most difficult test of his career.
Mentally, he eats a volley that risks leaving deep scars. If Don Waddell believes he can save his reputation by publicly sacrificing Harris, he is also destroying a young player who, in a healthier environment, might have been able to flourish.
For Harris, every day in Columbus is a fight for survival, not only as a hockey player, but also as an individual. And unfortunately, the battle seems more and more lost in advance.
Don Waddell may have succeeded, for a time, in diverting the spotlight from his incompetence, but at what cost?
By publicly sacrificing Jordan Harris, he not only destroyed the young defenseman’s confidence, but he also frustrated a large portion of Blue Jackets fans.
The truth is, this trade will be remembered as one of the worst decisions in recent Columbus history.
And if Waddell thinks he can save himself by trampling on Harris, he is sorely mistaken. The fans will never forget who is really responsible for this fiasco.
Waddell was quick to point out that this trade was primarily motivated by the desire to free himself from Laine’s expensive contract.
Harris was just a “bonus,” an interchangeable piece in a financial puzzle.
Harris does not respond to this pressure. Despite his 131 games with the Canadian, he is today relegated to the rank of 6th defender, on the verge of being a 7th or 8th defender.
A meager mass in 20 matches… a differential of -6…
Patrick Laine’s hat trick and his 5 goals in 8 games come to sink Harris up to the neck.
Deep deep in the hole…deeper and deeper…
With a guaranteed salary differential of 1.4 million, Harris should not be demoted in the AHL, but this financial security does not mask the reality: he has not convinced.
His training camp was considered mediocre, his season was horrible and the local media struggled to define his style of play. Neither offensive, nor robust, nor dominant defensively, Harris gave the impression of being a player without specialty.
Meanwhile, Patrik Laine is making waves in Montreal. His hat trick and shot – dubbed the “wrist shot of the year” – made Waddell look bad and shed an even crueler light on Harris’ situation.
Columbus supporters were quick to express their anger:
“We gave Laine for a defender who has no swag. How can anyone be so naive? »
As the media storm grows, Harris finds himself alone, trapped between unrealistic expectations and an unforgiving reality.
It is now clear that Waddell does not see him as a key piece of the Blue Jackets’ future, but rather as a temporary bond to justify a controversial trade.
In this context, Harris seems doomed to fail due to a hostile environment where every misstep is magnified.
The blunt truth is that the Blue Jackets never really wanted him – they just wanted to get rid of Laine.
Don Waddell may try to deflect attention by pointing the finger at Harris, but the facts are merciless: he traded an elite scorer for a depth defender.
And the cruel treatment of Harris only highlights his own failure.
For Harris, the situation bordered on the unbearable. He is the unwitting symbol of a bad bet, a player sacrificed in the name of questionable management.
And while Don Waddell is trying to save the furniture, Harris is simply fighting to save his career.
