Compare & Contrast
by Matt Wagner on Aug 10, 2010 11:47 AM EDT
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PrintLike most CBJ fans during the off-season, I look for any Blue Jackets news and predictions I can find to help get me through the summer. (Did we mention there's less than a week to go until CannonFest? No? Well, consider it done.)
Today, I was pleased to see that it was the Jackets' turn in NHL.com's 30 in 30 look around the leauge, and a little surprised to see the team show up in the #14 position in The Hockey News' 2010-2011 season preview.
One of these articles was a well thought out look at the CBJ offseason, the Arniel hiring, and the need for players like Nash, Stralman, Filatov, and others to step up.
The other was written by The Hockey News.
Yes, the team struggled last year. Yes, Steve Mason had a terrible season. Yes, the team was a nightmare defensively.
But what about the massive improvements the team made after the Olympic break? Why are they claiming the team needs goal scoring when the team was 20th (not great, but not terrible) in Goals-For, and finished the year with the leauge's 14th best Power Play at 18.2%? Anyone who saw the team get into 6-5 or 5-4 track meet games will tell you that putting pucks in the net wasn't really a problem compared to keeping them out. Why no mention of the hiring of Scott Arniel and the coaching overhaul?
Is it lazy reporting? Or is it a greater problem where hockey pundits tend to see the team's failures without looking at the successes?
Let's have a bit of a thought experiment: I'm going to describe a team. Tell me who you think I'm talking about.
Despite their captain being regarded as one of the league's top forwards, and a promising youth movement due to several lottery picks over the last 5 years, this team missed the playoffs last season due to problems with their defense and shaky goaltending. In the offseason, they have replaced their coach with a well regarded, younger head coach from the AHL and a new associate coaching staff, and are expected to use a new defensive and offensive scheme.
So, am I talking about the Blue Jackets? No. I'm talking about the Tampa Bay Lightning, who seem to be this offseason's darling team - picked by many pundits challenge Washington for the Southeast division crown.
Yet, are the offseason moves made by the Lightning so different from Columbus? Why is one team heralded and the other discarded?
Certainly, yes, the Eastern Conference is generally "weaker" than the West, and the Southeast division is, on paper, an easier division (though I do expect it to be more competitive that most expect, given the improvements made by Tampa and Atlanta), but I really wonder if the Jackets are being undervalued because of their lack of success in the past.
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Tampa ready to challenge Washington? Really? So the people at NHL.com honestly think they can put up 115 points this year?
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 10, 2010 11:57 AM EDT reply actions
NHL.com hasn’t covered Tampa yet (and I will say that NHL.com’s look at the CBJ was actually quite good, and I didn’t take much exception with it. It was the Hockey News that really got me).
I don’t know about 115 points, but most of the blogs and “pro” articles I’ve read over this summer seem to think Tampa’s going places – and to be fair, I think they will be competitive under Boucher, especially if Dan Ellis can give them some solid goaltending.
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by Matt Wagner on Aug 10, 2010 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions
The Hockey News then, my bad. They’re jumping the gun a bit, if you ask me.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 10, 2010 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions
I edited the article to help with that. :)
I think it’s jumping the gun to think they may win the Division.
On the other hand, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think that both Columbus and Tampa Bay will be competing for a playoff spot, and might well make it into the post-season.
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by Matt Wagner on Aug 10, 2010 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions
or...
they dont think washington will put up 115 pts..
The odds of that actually happening are really slim if you ask me…
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 10, 2010 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions
A lot is going to depend on their goaltending. For all the jokes about Jose Three-or-four, he did a HELL of a job there last year. I’m skeptical that whomever the new starter is (assuming Varlamov, could be Neuvirth) will put up a 45+ win season.
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there will be some shifts in power. don’t think Chicago will be top dog this year(they will still be viable as a threat) but they won’t be the powerhouse of last year. LA is going to get better each season. CBJ is the same, each season we are inching our way to where this team will be a nightly competitor – can’t wait! Washington will probably still be the best but Tampa is def. going places and it comes directly from having better management/staff. This is a whole new year in the NHL. Going to be a great ride!
Philadelphia Flyers/Columbus Blue Jackets...don't ask me how.
I’m guessing Chicago’s actually going to suffer a fair bit – they’ve got top six talent, sure, but a lot of their bottom six and bottom pairing defense will suffer, and I don’t think their goaltending is all that.
They’ll be good, don’t get me wrong, but they’ll be beatable.
The Central is probably a bit more open this year – every team will be competitive, but I don’t see Detroit or Chicago being incredibly dominant over the rest.
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Because clearly they’re going to have to struggle with Toews, Kane, Hossa, Sharp, Bolland, Keith, Hjalmarsson, Seabrook, Campbell, and it doesn’t matter who they put in goal.
I still think they’re a shoe-in for winning the Central. Yes they’ve lost a great deal of what made them deep, but they’ve filled it with more young potential-filled guys. They’re built to be really good again. Does that mean winning a cup again? Probably not – just ask the Pens who barely lost anybody and couldn’t get past Halak. But the Hawks should easily be the winners in the Central, no matter how annoying that is for us CBJ people.
The Hawks will still be good but I don’t think they will dominate. Turco/Huet combo isn’t very attractive and they got some good core names as you mentioned but they were good because they were complemented by good role players. Its a bit of a question mark now. I just see them having a hot start with tons of momentum but they will slowly over the season wear down. IMO.
Philadelphia Flyers/Columbus Blue Jackets...don't ask me how.
by PhillyPhan85 on Aug 10, 2010 8:44 PM EDT up reply actions
That core can’t play 60 minutes a night. There will be plenty of stretches where they aren’t on the ice and they’ll be more human as a result. Yes, they’ll be filling in a lot of the team with potential, but if there’s one thing we should be VERY familiar with as CBJ fans, it’s that potential doesn’t always work out.
I’m sure they’ll be in the playoff hunt, and I expect they’ll be good. I just don’t know if they’ll be great.
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Detroit
Chicago
Cbus
Nash
St Louis
that is my prediction. and not chicago is very much not a shoe in for the central. they lost ALOT this year while pretty much the same team that won the cup for detroit while older is back. assuming they stay healthy i see it being what i put up wit h columbus leap frogging nash (lost arnot and hamhuis) and St louis ( losing karyia but gaiing Halak.) should be an interest ing season.
Honestly this sounds about right to me. Even if NSH finishes 4th I still see them coming really close to the playoffs. This, IMO, is the toughest division in hockey, and we still manage to get 3-4 teams in the playoffs every year. If they can stay healthy, I see Detroit emerging as the top dog only because I really doubt Chicago will live up to the hype.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 11, 2010 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions
Har de har har.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 12, 2010 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm confused as to how we are the 29th best team in the NHL according to SI
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene and Jerry Kramer
"And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up." Thomas Wayne
Canal Street Chronicles resident Steelers Fan
I don’t really understand any analysts who are so quick to dump CJB right to the bottom just because of the poor record last year. Then they comment in the text that the Jackets have a potential-filled young team, but this seems to have no impact in their ranking. It makes no sense.
because potential does not mean resualts. nash has potential to score 50 goals this year. that doesnt mean he will. Voracek has potential to have a break out year and score 70 pts. again that doesn’t mean he will.
But its unfair to judge strictly based on last year. You need to take everything into account not just one thing or the other. Just because Columbus finished so far down the ladder last year doesn’t mean they’ll do it again. Its a moot point, and doesn’t matter in the grand scheme. Let them play 10-15 games before you rank teams. This article, and none like it, are worth reading at this point in time.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 16, 2010 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions
well during preseason rankings (which every sports site does with every sport) what else should they base it on? columbus was 13th in the conference last year. they have done VERY little this offseason out side of a new coaching staff. i dont mind them being 29th in the league. now if in 15 20 games they make another rankings if they are still 29th with a 10-5 record then yeah id be a little confused. but ranking them 29th in pre season is expected.
but Toronto is ahead of us? Really? This article can’t be taken seriously.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 16, 2010 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions
but they made a lot more moves than cbus. they aquried Colby Armstrong and Chris Versteeg. they improved. while columbus had not.
the difference is last year was about what Toronto should have been, while Columbus has a much better team than last year would indicate. 12 of the top 16 in ice time are still here from the playoff year, and that doesn’t include people like Brassard or Filatov.
Pahlsson is better than Malhotra
Clark and Peca are about even
Moreau is better than Murray
Stralman is MUCH better than Backman
My guess is Filatov will be better than Chimera
Columbus didn’t need to make any more moves, if they rebound at all they should make the playoffs.
I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they have not said enough.
by notthatnoise on Aug 17, 2010 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m better than Backman…and I can’t skate!
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 17, 2010 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions
So that automatically translates into more wins? I highly doubt those two will help bring Toronto out of the cellar.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 17, 2010 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions
I understand the argument that most of the team from the playoffs are in tact, but are you really considering that a good thing. From what I remember, that trip to the playoffs was less than spectacular. Also, how do you know that last year wasn’t the real Blue Jackets and that two years ago was the flash in the pan season? I look at the last two years as a wash with the real Jackets somewhere in the middle, a perennial bubble hockey team, but not going to do any serious damage any time soon.
I think that having the core of Nash, Umberger, Vermette, Voracek, Russell, and Mason is a very good thing. Players like Voracek, Russell, and Mason will improve, and as they improve the franchise will get better as a result. The first playoff appearance was a bar that they now know they have to perform above.
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how do you know mason wil improve? you seem to forget players like andrew raycroft. Jose Theodore ( who had veznia and i believe a Hart) and these players didnt improve. they did a nose dive. im not saying he wont/cant improve but there is no way of knowing.
Its hard to go anywhere but up when you had a season like Mase did.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 24, 2010 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Look at his numbers. After the Olympic break, he was back to a .925 or better save percentage, and his GAA dropped back down to nearly his rookie year.
Looking at his numbers, why shouldn’t I expect him to return to that level of performance, especially if Arniel improves the defense around him?
As to Jose Theodore, he may not have a job (yet) this year, but he had a fairly good season in Washington last year.
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I chaulk that up to
some Constructive Ass-kicking
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene and Jerry Kramer
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by WVPiratesfan on Aug 25, 2010 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions
ok andrew good point...
im not saying he cant have a good season and improve. but whose to say that he doesnt have another nose dive and play even worse? you just dont know. and Theodore his hardly a legit number one goalie. Wash just didnt have anyone better. yes he is a solid back up but not a good number 1. again Mason could come back and play great and get 10 shut outs and a 920 save precentage. but he could also get lit up for a 3.5 GAA and a 85 save percentage we just dont know yet. for all we know arniels system could flat out fail and he could get left out to dry. there are just to many unknowns at this point in his system. But you could be right that his system helps. but until i see it there is no way of knowing.
There’s no way of knowing if the Dead God Iok-Shotot will rise from his dreamless slumber at the darkest oceans tomorrow and consume the entire world, either. But I generally assume that things will be decent the next day and see what happens.
I think it’s worth not assuming the sky is falling.
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matt i know the point you are trying to make but the CHANCES of that happening are significantly less than the chances of Mason haveing an average to below average season…
is this an argument about Mase or the Jackets being able to make playoffs?
Philadelphia Flyers/Columbus Blue Jackets...don't ask me how.
by PhillyPhan85 on Aug 24, 2010 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Probably, yes. But again, look at the numbers. Cold hard statistics tell us that Mason was regaining his form and improving as the season ended.
Even if he’s a league average goaltender, it would still be an improvement over how he collapsed in the middle of the season, and it’s likely that it would be enough.
I don’t think Mason has to be a superhuman – we don’t need him to steal every game for us. I don’t expect him to pitch 10 or more shutouts again. We just need him to keep the team above water so they have a chance to win each night. I think that he can and will do that.
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yeah that is my general thought on Mason. I didn’t like how with one bad season off-setting a stellar rookie outing suddenly made him a sub-par goalie. Dude is like 21? 22? He’s young with plenty of time and he has shown tons of potential(and like Matt has stated, he started regaining form by season’s end.)
His game was figured out early on and he payed the price for it, he took a big blow to his Calder-winning psyche but eventually stopped the bleeding. Give this kid some time…he is a starter in the NHL for sure.
…now for the Jackets making playoffs, I can say maybe not this season but as long as we are competitive and stay with it til the end, I’m happy. We don’t need to make any major moves like people believe we should. There seems to be a plan in motion and I’m sure Howson has sent out offers for players….just the price is too steep. Trading, despite what many people seem to believe, isn’t so clear cut…it’s give-and-take. You have to be willing to give something up to get whoever it is your after. Kaberle was probably looked at but Burke publicly stated that he want a certain deal and I don’t think for the price it was worth it to Columbus. Plus you have to figure if its all about the moves you make then I guess Atlanta should be handed a Cup now with all the names they are moving and signing….trades and FA don’t add up to total victory, if you can get what you need at a reasonable price, great. If you got to mortage a future on a player just because he fills in a role for your team….maybe not so much.
Tho with ‘Big’ Joe Thornton coming up on FA next season, I believe, might be worth looking into…..
Philadelphia Flyers/Columbus Blue Jackets...don't ask me how.
by PhillyPhan85 on Aug 25, 2010 7:39 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m not totally sold on going big money on Thornton if he leaves San Jose. (I’d also doubt he leaves San Jose, too.) Though now that you mention it, that gives me an idea…
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by Matt Wagner on Aug 25, 2010 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions
Nasher should try to talk him into coming here, like Thornton tried to do to him! I’d support this fully.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 25, 2010 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
well I’m hoping Thornton takes a discount to play with a buddy in Rick Nash. Not saying we should offer him up a huge contract but offer him something and see if Nash can’t convince him to come.
Philadelphia Flyers/Columbus Blue Jackets...don't ask me how.
by PhillyPhan85 on Aug 25, 2010 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m all for it. Someone call up Nash and tell him to make the call.
Columbus til I die, Columbus til I die. I know I am, I swear I am, Columbus til I die!
"Turner, at midcourt...inside it, at the buzzer, GOT IT!!!!"
We're the Big Ten, who the F@*# are YOU??!?!?!
by Andrew Tolliver on Aug 25, 2010 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions
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