With the NHL 13 Cover Vote into the second round, the time has come to slash the ballot from 32 down to 16.
With names like Henrik Lundqvist, Claude Giroux, and Ilya Kovalchuk on the list, it’s easy to turn this into a star competition, but you also see guys like Shane Doan, Brooks Laich, and Scott Hartnell. Players who may not always contribute highlight reel goals, but leave it all out on the ice for their clubs, motivated as much by heart and spirit as body and mind.
With that in mind, the Jackets’ lone representative in the second round is R.J. Umberger, and I can’t think of a better guy to root for. Why? Because he’s Umby, dammit.
Since arriving in Columbus, every time we’ve looked for a clutch hit, a blocked shot, a greasy goal, or a leader to step up, fans have looked to #18. He’s the man who cried out “THIS IS OUR BUILDING!”, and he’s the player that many hope to see become an even bigger part of the leadership picture alongside James Wisniewski, Jack Johnson, and Vinny Prospal.
But don’t take my word for it: Listen to the man himself. That friendly smile! That warm demeanor! The pumping iron! The almost total lack of on-camera presence and pacing! We love the guy, but let’s be honest – he’s not the best at self promotion, so we’d better get out there and help him out.
You can vote up to 10 times a day for entries into their sweepstakes, but additional entries do count! Vote early! Vote often!
