This is SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NHL. Each week, SB Nation sends out questions to the most plugged in Columbus Blue Jackets fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.
According to the most recent SB Nation Reacts survey, 60 percent of Blue Jackets fans are confident the team is headed in the right direction. That’s up from 18 percent of fans last week and 14 percent the week before.
The new level of confidence may come as a result of what the team did at the trade deadline. A majority of Blues fans gave the team an A grade for their activity.
While the confidence was driven down by the Jackets’ poor play, that part of the equation hasn’t changed. The team has lost five straight and eight of the last nine, with the last set of consecutive wins coming a full month ago. And yet, the recognition by management that the season was loss and the decision to sell seems to have shifted fans’ view from this season to this off-season and beyond, where there is a rosier outlook for the future.
If you are confident in the direction of the team now, which factor was most important?
Why are you now confident in the direction of the Blue Jackets?
| Excited about the extra draft picks. Reload that prospect pipeline! | 59 |
| Confident that trades will be made this summer to add NHL-level talent | 37 |
| Glad to see older players moved to make room for younger players | 33 |
| Other (explain in comments) | 1 |
| I’m still not confident | 36 |
While there was a flurry of activity around the April 12 trade deadline, some moves grabbed more attention than others.
Toronto’s acquisition of former Blue Jacket captain Nick Foligno was only the third biggest move at the deadline, at just 24 percent. According to 31 percent of fans nationally, the Boston Bruins acquiring Taylor Hall was the biggest move at the deadline. Washington’s trade to bring in Anthony Mantha received the next most votes, with 26 percent of the total.
To vote in the Reacts surveys and have your voice heard each week, sign up here.