Trouble in Flavortown?

Rumous of discontent in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization are running rampant in recent days. TSN Insider Darren Dreger was first to report that GM Andrew Payeur confronted players in the locker room after a loss to the 4-15-0 Montreal Canadiens.

Within the next 24 hours, Payeur had sent a message to his team, trading center Ryan Johansen to the Florida Panthers in exchange for winger Kevin Lebanc. From outside the organization, the trade was seen as an opportunity for a fresh start for two struggling players, but sources in Columbus claim this move was a long time coming as the relationship between the player and GM soured over Johensen's two years with the team. Johansen was known to be the class clown of the team, often impersonating Payeur's "Colonel Sanders" southern accent and hunchback including doing so at a team sanctioned Halloween event last fall where he completed the transformation by dressing in the GM's trademark fedora and bolo tie.

The team did not respond well to the trade. Going out the following night and losing 6-1 to the New York Islanders and getting booed off the ice by the Blue Jacket faithful.

To make matters worse, there is major disapointment amongst the players at Guy Fieri's cancellation of the inaugual Flavortown Fest, planned for this coming June. Payeur had used the event to lure top free agents and Food Network lovers Mattias Ekholm, Jake McCabe and Anton Forsberg to join the team last offseason. With the event canceled and its future uncertain, locals are beginning to wonder if there might be a mass exodus of players from the Blue Jackets demanding trades. GM Payeur tried to safe face with his team, paying $150,000 for a Cameo from Fieri himself to fire up the team and ordering matching white sunglasses and 1,100 quarts of hair bleach for a planned team bonding event during the team's upcoming roadtrip to Nashville.

With all the turmoil around the team and a losing record, one begins to wonder what the future holds for the roster as currently constructed. Captain Colton Parayko and defence partner Kevin Shattenkirk are pending unrestricted free agents and have not held any contract extension talks with the team to date as the trade deadline slowly approaches. There are also questions surrounding the future for other veterans such as Jeff Skinner, Jaden Schwartz and Teuvo Teravainen who would all like to pursure an opportunity to win a Stanley Cup with a contender.