Dean Evason and the Columbus Blue Jackets

[Stickpucker]

Glad to see it.

NYR will win the metro and play the CBJ in the 1st round. CBJ with the upset.

 

[3074326]

I think a big part of his not being happy was constant losing. There might be some truth to the excuse that he played so poorly because of it, too. People have been making that excuse for Gibson for years—that he's a good goalie who has lost his motivation. Elvis has always been a headcase so a change of scenery might truly be doing something for him.

Regarding the Jackets, they probably live out a similar scenario to the Flyers last year. Lots of motivation and underestimation by opponents lead to a good start but fatigue and just pure lack of talent will run them out of the gas eventually. Still, would be nice to see them in the mix at least into the spring.

I don’t think they lack talent (when healthy) as much as experience. They’re just a bunch of younger players, Fantilli/Marchenko/Chinahkov/Johnson/Sillinger are all super talented. Just need time. A few of them look like they’ve arrived.

 

[Figgy44]

Monahan is really underated. Such a nice guy too, glad it's working out for you guys. You deserve it !

He's always really good when healthy. The problem is was that he was rarely at full health and often played through stuff he shouldn't have. He'd sorta hide the extent of his injuries.

They just arent losing battles. Monahan has been a godsend.

I'm glad he's been doing great for you guys. I was always hoping he'd figure out how to stay healthier so that his career would rebound.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

TBF to Dean, he also had a team that was at a disadvantage due to aging/injured Suter and Parise, or their buyout Cap penalties. MN has not been playing with a full deck for the past 4-5 years.

I felt like DE did a great job in MINN not letting the team use the cap penalties as an excuse and kept them focused on competing. That's a great characteristic in a coach IMO.

 

[Marlowe Syn]

Glad he is coaching well for you. I was having some doubts about his coaching in Minnesota, especially during the playoffs. He is definitely proving me wrong. Hopefully he continues to work his magic.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I don’t think they lack talent (when healthy) as much as experience. They’re just a bunch of younger players, Fantilli/Marchenko/Chinahkov/Johnson/Sillinger are all super talented. Just need time. A few of them look like they’ve arrived.

I agree somewhat but all the guys you listed are forwards. Defense and goaltending, meanwhile, is just objectively some of the worst in the league unless Elvis resurrects himself after years of slumber.

 

[Turin]

I’m glad to see them doing well. Evason is a way better coach than Vincent

 

[S1N4TR4]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1852012575887691781

 

[stevo61]

I agree somewhat but all the guys you listed are forwards. Defense and goaltending, meanwhile, is just objectively some of the worst in the league unless Elvis resurrects himself after years of slumber.

It is? Maybe you should tell the players or the numbers that

 

[SoundAndFury]

It is? Maybe you should tell the players or the numbers that

Let me consult the numbers.

Finished dead last in the conference two years in a row, are over .500 after 9 games this year.

So I think both players and the numbers know.

 

[stevo61]

Let me consult the numbers.

Finished dead last in the conference two years in a row, are over .500 after 9 games this year.

So I think both players and the numbers know.

Ah yes, numbers from 2 years ago are hugely important to this current moment in time

 

[SoundAndFury]

Ah yes, numbers from 2 years ago are hugely important to this current moment in time

.. those are the same players? Also, it's not "2 years ago" but "for most recent 2 years".

It's truly pretty hilarious that someone would act like they don't know how constructing hockey team works. I guess you truly hope for the Stanley Cup every year.

 

[stevo61]

.. those are the same players? Also, it's not "2 years ago" but "for most recent 2 years".

It's truly pretty hilarious that someone would act like they don't know how constructing hockey team works. I guess you truly hope for the Stanley Cup every year.

Most recent 2 years so... starting 2 years ago. We got Provorov and Severson last year and ran a system that absolutely neutered their strengths. They've also gotten rid of guys like Boqvist, Bean, Peeke among others. It may be shocking but if you have players play to their strengths they can be better. We have also seen growth from within with someone like Christiansen.

The fact is currently in this season they are top 10 in GA/G and top half of the league in fewest shots against. They have their young team hiccups here and there but this is a wildly different team than a year ago

That last statement is... I don't even know what you are trying to say anymore

 

[S1N4TR4]

.. those are the same players? Also, it's not "2 years ago" but "for most recent 2 years".

It's truly pretty hilarious that someone would act like they don't know how constructing hockey team works. I guess you truly hope for the Stanley Cup every year.

tell me you don’t know anything about the CBJ / watch their games, without telling me you don’t know anything about the CBJ.

ope.

 

[rynryn]

Deano was never a problem in MIN. glad he's landed a gig and doing fine in that situation. Easier for fans to blame a coach for the team bottoming out at the wrong time than it is for anything else, and he's the easiest thing to get rid of on a team so the GM is generally going to punt him first.

Wish Dean and CBJ success!

 

[majormajor]

I'm surprised he's still there TBH. It really seemed like he was going to be moved and was unhappy for a while. Guess things blew over

They couldn't find a taker.

I've been a Blue Jackets fan for almost two months. Might only be for another two months who knows.

Every once and a while a hockey team comes along that comes together at a fundamental level and plays greater, sometimes even much greater, than the sum of their parts. It's rare but it is fun too watch when it happens, really encapsulates what this sport is about for me. I'm not going to expect it but I would love to see that out of the Columbus hockey team this season.

I want to say that with a full complement of players, so Kent Johnson, Voronkov, and Boone Jenner all included, that the lineup is actually capable of being a good team even without magic / coaching genius. But that's a hypothetical. The team is not that right now. They've got Pyyhtia on the second line and junk pile guys like JVR and Labanc in the lineup. It's legit a weak forward group right now.

Though I think people might also need to wake up to how good Marchenko and Chinakhov are. I think those guys are emerging as genuine top line forwards. I think the team right now has a genuine top line and then a bunch of kids and castoffs that Evason has somehow squeezed competitive hockey out of.

Used to be known as Theo Vonn and like was said above, he's been coming around the team board more

I don't think they're new.

Every coaches message gets tired. Players like Dean, but they are human. Outworking your opponent gets tiresome, after a while. Look at Berube. Won a Cup for a team that looked terrible when he took over, but was fired 3-4 years after.
Very few coaches don't have a shelf life. Only way they stay around forever is if they win multiple Cups, or have incompetent management.

Which is all the more reason why it's silly that people keep bringing up shelf life anytime any coach gets mentioned.

It's like a plague on every Torts thread, despite the fact that his average coaching tenure is longer than the league average. And Evason did four years in Minnesota, that's also longer than average.

I agree somewhat but all the guys you listed are forwards. Defense and goaltending, meanwhile, is just objectively some of the worst in the league unless Elvis resurrects himself after years of slumber.

You might not have tuned in to Werenski lately. He has taken a massive step, looks like a top 5ish D in the league right now. After that Provorov and Severson are fine #2/#3 type guys. Christiansen looks good too. The bottom pair isn't good but that's life for a lot of clubs.

tell me you don’t know anything about the CBJ / watch their games, without telling me you don’t know anything about the CBJ.

ope.

What were your names before S1N4TR4 and Theo Vonn? You seem familiar.

 

[3074326]

I agree somewhat but all the guys you listed are forwards. Defense and goaltending, meanwhile, is just objectively some of the worst in the league unless Elvis resurrects himself after years of slumber.

They have young talent on D too, I was just focused on the forwards. Jiricek and Mateychuk are both on the verge, Werenski is only 27 as well. Plenty of prospects in the pipeline and CBJ usually does a decent job developing D prospects. Forwards are definitely closer though.

I agree about goaltending though, I don’t believe in Elvis. Tarasov and Elvis have both looked better this year with competent coaching, so who knows.

Ultimately I don’t think it’s a talent issue, I think it’s a time and coaching issue. Evason seems to be pushing the right buttons.

Schedule has worked out so I’ve seen more CBJ games than Penguins games. I’ve been pleasantly surprised! Some of these guys look like new players entirely (specifically Sillinger).

 

[SoundAndFury]

tell me you don’t know anything about the CBJ / watch their games, without telling me you don’t know anything about the CBJ.

You might not have tuned in to Werenski lately. He has taken a massive step, looks like a top 5ish D in the league right now. After that Provorov and Severson are fine #2/#3 type guys. Christiansen looks good too. The bottom pair isn't good but that's life for a lot of clubs.

That's how the team is winning - because most guys are looking/doing better than usual. The point was that it might not last. This happens every year, some players start the season on fire, and some teams do too. And in some cases it lasts for dozens of games. But getting on the hype train and expecting it to be the new norm without reservations is just setting yourself up for disappointment.

As I said before, last year's Flyers are a great example of this. They started very well and were still firmly in the playoff spot even in the middle of January. It's kind of weird that Jackets fans, instead of noting it as a cautionary tale, are thumping their chests about how the team is now great and every overperforming player, which is almost the entire team at this point, is going to stay that way. Because it's all about "this current moment in time".

 

[stevo61]

That's how the team is winning - because most guys are looking/doing better than usual. The point was that it might not last. This happens every year, some players start the season on fire, and some teams do too. And in some cases it lasts for dozens of games. But getting on the hype train and expecting it to be the new norm without reservations is just setting yourself up for disappointment.

As I said before, last year's Flyers are a great example of this. They started very well and were still firmly in the playoff spot even in the middle of January. It's kind of weird that Jackets fans, instead of noting it as a cautionary tale, are thumping their chests about how the team is now great and every overperforming player, which is almost the entire team at this point, is going to stay that way. Because it's all about "this current moment in time".

Who the hell is thumping their chests? We watched one of the worst teams in hockey for multiple years in a row and now are enjoying fun hockey with positive results. Are we supposed to sit and silence and not feel joy? You don't think we know being a top scoring team isn't sustainable? You dont think we don't know we aren't going to keep our 100 point pace in the standings? It's a team just about ready to come out of a rebuild, we expected growth, we are seeing growth and we are happy about it nevermind all the offseason stuff the team endured.

 

[S1N4TR4]

They couldn't find a taker.



I want to say that with a full complement of players, so Kent Johnson, Voronkov, and Boone Jenner all included, that the lineup is actually capable of being a good team even without magic / coaching genius. But that's a hypothetical. The team is not that right now. They've got Pyyhtia on the second line and junk pile guys like JVR and Labanc in the lineup. It's legit a weak forward group right now.

Though I think people might also need to wake up to how good Marchenko and Chinakhov are. I think those guys are emerging as genuine top line forwards. I think the team right now has a genuine top line and then a bunch of kids and castoffs that Evason has somehow squeezed competitive hockey out of.



I don't think they're new.



Which is all the more reason why it's silly that people keep bringing up shelf life anytime any coach gets mentioned.

It's like a plague on every Torts thread, despite the fact that his average coaching tenure is longer than the league average. And Evason did four years in Minnesota, that's also longer than average.



You might not have tuned in to Werenski lately. He has taken a massive step, looks like a top 5ish D in the league right now. After that Provorov and Severson are fine #2/#3 type guys. Christiansen looks good too. The bottom pair isn't good but that's life for a lot of clubs.




What were your names before S1N4TR4 and Theo Vonn? You seem familiar.

I30W3R was one of them. so was Palm Tree.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Who the hell is thumping their chests? We watched one of the worst teams in hockey for multiple years in a row and now are enjoying fun hockey with positive results. Are we supposed to sit and silence and not feel joy? You don't think we know being a top scoring team isn't sustainable? You dont think we don't know we aren't going to keep our 100 point pace in the standings? It's a team just about ready to come out of a rebuild, we expected growth, we are seeing growth and we are happy about it nevermind all the offseason stuff the team endured.

So what is your problem with what I said then? Because you just, for a number of posts, tried to tell me how the team is actually good and I'm talking nonsense. New faces this and GA/G that. Now, you are telling me you know the team is not that good and you aren't going to keep 100 points pace. Which is the only thing I said to begin with, not that you shouldn't enjoy it.

It's like you took offense to something you know but rather not hear.

 

[majormajor]

That's how the team is winning - because most guys are looking/doing better than usual. The point was that it might not last. This happens every year, some players start the season on fire, and some teams do too. And in some cases it lasts for dozens of games. But getting on the hype train and expecting it to be the new norm without reservations is just setting yourself up for disappointment.

As I said before, last year's Flyers are a great example of this. They started very well and were still firmly in the playoff spot even in the middle of January. It's kind of weird that Jackets fans, instead of noting it as a cautionary tale, are thumping their chests about how the team is now great and every overperforming player, which is almost the entire team at this point, is going to stay that way. Because it's all about "this current moment in time".

Oh it's definitely an overperformance, Jackets fans agree on that part. The bottom 9 forwards are currently decimated and are half castoffs. Maybe the goaltending collapses. Maybe a lot of the D start to struggle.

The reason I replied to your post about the defense is largely because I don't think the Werenski factor is just temporary magic. From the second we saw him skating in camp he looked different. He changed his diet and his stick and you can see him flying now. I think he's hitting the stratosphere and staying there. And that's one area where I think the Flyers comparison breaks down. They don't have someone like that who can carry play for 26-28 minutes a night. At his current level of play, not many teams have that.

And as you noted there are a lot of forwards who you would expect to pop, just given their pedigree and age. The Flyers didn't have that last year. It's really just Marchenko and Chinakhov driving play right now but the return of KJ and Voronkov and maybe a step up from Fantilli will help counterbalance the decline in PDO type luck. They've been really lucky on PDO and really unlucky on avoiding injury.