GDT: Game 73: Columbus vs. Anaheim | 3/24 7PM EDT

[Bobcat110]

Solid post.

Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel are far better players than Nail Yakupov, however your point is absolutely valid. I would rather "settle" for a Werenski or Crouse (just for you haters ) and have them berthed into a competitive, winning environment. Edmonton is a fine example of what a bunch of high draft picks with no support will do for you. I love the direction of the Jackets, win at all costs!

Berthed into a competitive, winning environment? I think that's a stretch. We're at same spot we've been almost every year...playing our way to a 4th - 12th draft pick. Edmonton is poor example. Better examples are Chicago, Tampa, NY Islanders, Pittsburgh, Washington, Colorado, Los Angeles and Boston who all have improved their teams through having top 3 draft picks in recent drafts.

It's fun to watch these games, but they won't be remembered a year from now, or even at next season's training camp. The injury excuse only goes so far. Injuries aren't all due to bad luck. CBJ play a physical game and it takes a toll. I can't see having long term success letting other teams control puck play and outshoot us while we just forecheck ourselves onto the IR. They're eventually going to need some highend talent.

The good news is that new NHL lottery system will take out the tanking benefit other teams use and maybe help the CBJ improve at some point from the 4-12th pick.

 

[Bobcat110]

@NHLPlayerSafety: Columbus forward Jared Boll will have a hearing tomorrow for an illegal check to the head of Anaheim forward Patrick Maroon.

There goes our heart and soul...the tank is back on

 

[cbjfaninmo]

If they can add 2 quality NHL d-men, with a deep group of forwards and Bob, this is a 90-100 point team.

Agree. We need 2 NHL dmen + a better backup. Should be fun this summer and next year.

 

[cbjfaninmo]

There goes our heart and soul...the tank is back on

 

[Doggy]

The good news is that new NHL lottery system will take out the tanking benefit other teams use and maybe help the CBJ improve at some point from the 4-12th pick.

I read an article once by a guy who suggested a different system for determining the draft order and I liked it a lot...thought it had some merit. Basically, the order would be determined by the number of points you earn AFTER you are officially eliminated from post-season play. IOW, once you are officially eliminated your clock starts ticking and the team with the MOST points gets the top pick.

So yeah...if you really suck you get eliminated early but the system doesn't encourage you to tank...it encourages you to keep playing hard and try to win as many games a you can.

 

[SuperGenius]

sad memories. Brittanie is our little fan, rest in peace BNC.

[off topic]It always bugs me to see Knutsen associated with this tragedy. People don't associate it with Derek Morris, so why Espen?[/off topic]

Karlsson can skate really, really well, but his passing was pretty awful with the exception of the Hartnell assist. Chalk it up to a new group of guys and also playing his old team.

Perry is an embarrassment. I can't believe Getzlaf puts up with that crap. One particular shift alone he threw himself down at slight contact in his O-zone. Talented player, but a coward, and now apparently a full fledged diver.

 

[BluejacketNut]

Most people dont know the shot was deflected. What was worst is they actually listed Shampoo in the lawsuit, guilt i dont think he deserved

 

[db2011]

My mom was in town staying with us for a bit, last night was her final night here so we went to my local sports bar and watched the game. Brittany came up, what a tragedy.

Was great to see a hatty with moms in town!

 

[ca5150]

Agree. We need 2 NHL dmen + a better backup. Should be fun this summer and next year.

I agree on the D, but I think CMac is as good a backup as you will find as long as he only has to play 10-15 games and doesn't have to be the starter for a month straight. He will work well for one more year until one of the prospects is ready to step up. He's good in the room and isn't trying to take Bob's job like a younger player might.

 

[Dr. Fire]

Most people dont know the shot was deflected. What was worst is they actually listed Shampoo in the lawsuit, guilt i dont think he deserved

In those types of lawsuits the plaintiffs atty will name everyone he possibly can when the suit is filed. Often times that is to pressure the defendants to settle out of court. Once it is obvious that it will go to court they will whittle down the defendants to include only those they think that they can hold accountable, and usually those are the ones with the deep pockets.

If you recall, Nationwide, the Blue Jackets and the NHL settled out of court for $1.2 million. I thought it odd, because historically courts did not hold teams accountable for these types of incidents. I think in the end, $1.2 mil was chump change for those three entities, and they probably felt that it would be better for their image to do something for the family. Probably thought it was the right thing to do as well.

Sadly, Espen was never the same hockey player after this incident.

 

[EDM]

Somewhere I read an interview with Espen where he specifically stated that he could not focus on playing the game anymore after that incident.

 

[Hooks]

In those types of lawsuits the plaintiffs atty will name everyone he possibly can when the suit is filed. Often times that is to pressure the defendants to settle out of court. Once it is obvious that it will go to court they will whittle down the defendants to include only those they think that they can hold accountable, and usually those are the ones with the deep pockets.

If you recall, Nationwide, the Blue Jackets and the NHL settled out of court for $1.2 million. I thought it odd, because historically courts did not hold teams accountable for these types of incidents. I think in the end, $1.2 mil was chump change for those three entities, and they probably felt that it would be better for their image to do something for the family. Probably thought it was the right thing to do as well.

Sadly, Espen was never the same hockey player after this incident.

Excellent article http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2010/12/18/a-day-for-easing-old-hurts.html

 

[db2011]

Excellent article http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2010/12/18/a-day-for-easing-old-hurts.html

Thanks. Not the first I've read it, and not the first time it brought tears to my eyes.

 

[BluejacketNut]

Every time I see the puck hit the nets, it amazes me it didnt happen earlier. My seats were in 224, one section over in the upper bowl, and our thoughts were how fast the puck came into the stands. When i heard them say "tragedy at nationwide" on the radio, I knew exactly what they were talking about. So sad that we always wait to something bad happens to make changes. I still think it will happen along the 1st or 3rd base line in baseball, then they will put up nets (i think the ballparks in Japan have netting along those side). Hard not to tear up reading that article, such a sad accident

 

[SuperGenius]

on a lighter note, how about that puck that made it into the upper bowl Tuesday night. First time I've seen that in awhile - even if it was the lower 'upper' bowl in the 220s.

 

[db2011]

Berthed into a competitive, winning environment? I think that's a stretch. We're at same spot we've been almost every year...playing our way to a 4th - 12th draft pick. Edmonton is poor example. Better examples are Chicago, Tampa, NY Islanders, Pittsburgh, Washington, Colorado, Los Angeles and Boston who all have improved their teams through having top 3 draft picks in recent drafts.

It's fun to watch these games, but they won't be remembered a year from now, or even at next season's training camp. The injury excuse only goes so far. Injuries aren't all due to bad luck. CBJ play a physical game and it takes a toll. I can't see having long term success letting other teams control puck play and outshoot us while we just forecheck ourselves onto the IR. They're eventually going to need some highend talent.

The good news is that new NHL lottery system will take out the tanking benefit other teams use and maybe help the CBJ improve at some point from the 4-12th pick.

We can't tank our way to the pick you want. Sorry, but your ideal suckage is out of our reach. Unfortunately, we have a complement of guys who have played hockey at the highest level who seem to not want to compromise their principles for a talented teenager to take them to the next level.

Sucks, I know. Who do Nick Foligno, Scott Hartnell, Sergei Bobrovsky, Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky think they are, showing moxie and beating playoff teams??

If draft position was in any significant way fluid, you MIGHT have a point. But the fact is we seem to be pretty locked into a certain range, so complaining about competitive efforts from our boys when it "doesn't matter" sounds pretty stupid.

 

[JacketsDavid]

We can't tank our way to the pick you want. Sorry, but your ideal suckage is out of our reach. Unfortunately, we have a complement of guys who have played hockey at the highest level who seem to not want to compromise their principles for a talented teenager to take them to the next level.

Sucks, I know. Who do Nick Foligno, Scott Hartnell, Sergei Bobrovsky, Artem Anisimov and Brandon Dubinsky think they are, showing moxie and beating playoff teams??

If draft position was in any significant way fluid, you MIGHT have a point. But the fact is we seem to be pretty locked into a certain range, so complaining about competitive efforts from our boys when it "doesn't matter" sounds pretty stupid.

Problem is this is who the CBJ are historically. We play horribly for first 50 (or so) games, knock ourselves out of contention then rally late in the year to secure a 5th-8th overall pick. it's not the first year we have been through this.
The fans see the way the team played in last 1/3 of the season as "progress" and think - Wow if we play like that for 82 games we would be in good shape.

Next season comes and we suck out loud again.

So once we start playing a full season, I'll believe we have a strong core to build upon.

I see us as having an outstanding goalie who has not had an outstanding year, a good young center (RyJo), a forward having a career year (Foligno), an aging vet (Hartnell), a series of 2nd-3rd line d-men, and several 3rd-4th line forwards (I do see Dubi as a solid 2nd line C, but he is nt a guy to build a franchise around).

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Why is no one blaming December for the team's only-modestly-so-not-enough-improved likely draft position?

 

[EspenK]

Why is no one blaming December for the team's only-modestly-so-not-enough-improved likely draft position?

Put me down in that category if you like. We won almost every game by 1 goal. With a bit of luck we could be 10 points further back contending for the 4th spot.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Put me down in that category if you like. We won almost every game by 1 goal. With a bit of luck we could be 10 points further back contending for the 4th spot.

Haven't noticed it until I brought it up, EK.

 

[FLpanthers16]

Read in a local paper here in Sweden that Daniel Zaar is coming over to the states to play this season.

 

[blahblah]

Great game. Kind of fun watching us play well again.

Having said that, can we please quit polluting these GTD's with draft lottery pick chatter? It has nothing to do with the game and you guys haven't said anything new on the topic in a month.

 

[EspenK]

Great game. Kind of fun watching us play well again.

Having said that, can we please quit polluting these GTD's with draft lottery pick chatter? It has nothing to do with the game and you guys haven't said anything new on the topic in a month.

I agree that it is annoying when people post the same stuff over and over.

 

[db2011]

Problem is this is who the CBJ are historically. We play horribly for first 50 (or so) games, knock ourselves out of contention then rally late in the year to secure a 5th-8th overall pick. it's not the first year we have been through this.
The fans see the way the team played in last 1/3 of the season as "progress" and think - Wow if we play like that for 82 games we would be in good shape.

Next season comes and we suck out loud again.

So once we start playing a full season, I'll believe we have a strong core to build upon.

I see us as having an outstanding goalie who has not had an outstanding year, a good young center (RyJo), a forward having a career year (Foligno), an aging vet (Hartnell), a series of 2nd-3rd line d-men, and several 3rd-4th line forwards (I do see Dubi as a solid 2nd line C, but he is nt a guy to build a franchise around).

No this isn't what the Jackets are historically. It's what we were this year, due to injuries; it's what we were last year, when we made the playoffs; it's what we were 2 years ago with a bunch of new guys and no training camp.

I'm tired of the false narrative that the Jackets always suck then play well. I've followed the team from the beginning as I'm sure you all have too, and that has only been the story the last couple of years, and if you look a little deeper you'll find, I think, that there are clear reasons for that pattern. I mean this year we started well, before we began sucking.

 

[Cash for Nash]

Uh no dude. This is the cbj way. Get buried early and rally late to secure that all important 5th-12 pick. I think we've picked in the top 3 like maybe twice. Which I find odd for a team that's only made the playoffs twice. Then again maybe this is the biggest reason we've only made the playoffs twice. Haha

I know this. Our best franchise players were the ones taken the earliest. Nash...Murray...johansen.