“I find I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head.” –Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding
It’s opening night, friends. It’s like ChristmaHanuKwanzaKah and the Super Bowl all rolled into one. And, on top of that, it’s Blue Jackets and Predators. It’s Darth Vader, coming to your town, eating your food, and using your toilet without flushing. It’s the NHL debut of Cam Atkinson, Ryan Johansen, and David Savard. It’s the Blue Jackets debut of Jeff Carter, Vinny Prospal, and Radek Martinek. It’s Rick Nash’s first game with some other dangerous scoring threats skating next to him at all times. It’s the first real test for the new-look Steve Mason. It’s the first night without the lease problem looming overhead as we count each and every last butt in a seat.
It’s OPENING NIGHT!