Is the team performing as you expected?

[Seedtype]

I expected a lack of scoring, but I did not expect the forwards to collectively play this poorly.

When the forwards have the puck on their stick and are able to maintain possession, this is a different team. I could also be disappointed in the blue line, but IMO, they're running around in their own most of the night because the forwards can't sustain any pressure or keep possession. When the forwards are getting it done, the defense looks as I expected it to. In fact, the young guys with little NHL experience have actually been a positive to me. Erixon, Goloubef, Moore look great. Nikitin is playing like a guy who's hurt - there's something going on there and it isn't because 'he sucks'.

This is how I exactly feel about this team right now.

I was expecting there to be more scoring, but the offense is just not doing anything most of the time. I think the defense and goaltending has actually been keeping us in it, but we've been losing a lot of close games because of the tepid offensive play.

We can barely keep it together because of this in most games, and we are unable to jump on any of the other teams' mistakes when they happen, while the other teams score on our mistakes.

But the standings don't really surprise me, the only hope we had was if the offense was gonna overachieve, but they certainly have not done that.

 

[pickledcotton]

Wow, Skraut, you completely summed up my feelings. My only hope (not even expectation) was that they would put forth a good effort. Well, I should say, I hoped they'd put forth a good effort 100% of the time, not 20 minutes here, 20 minutes there.

I went into this season with very low expectations and thought that would mean I wouldn't be disappointed.

Boy was I wrong.

Can we go back to the lockout?

 

[EspenK]

I am not surprised where they are. I am a bit surprised at how many other teams are struggling to the extent that a few wins could jump us up (down) to the 5th or 6th pick.

Performance wise I think I expected a bit more but not much. There have been flashes of what I expected and then more moments of regression to last year.

Lack of offense not surprising

D a bit worse than expected but injuries and lack of offense have impacted

Goalies- Mase slightly better; Bob slightly worse (than hoped more than expected). Again lack of offense and D problems probably affecting somewhat.

 

[FlaggerX]

I expected this team to be a little better then it is. But we've had a lot of injuries among our better forwards, including the AAs who we expected to be our top scorers. , and the blue line took a bunch of them at one time. Goaltending has been as expected, much better but less then the outstanding we need with such an offensively challenged team.

Still, we are better then last year, in some real ways, and I can see how the team could improve a lot with just a few people with top-line skill were added. This is a team that with the right additions could improve a lot almost overnight.

And our grinders really are brining it. I wish our top line could do the same.

 

[Cacciaguida]

I didn't expect you guys to do too well. It's a rebuilding year.

 

[Mayor Bee]

I didn't expect you guys to do too well. It's a rebuilding year.

I thought I saw a single blue pixel on your avatar, then I realized it was just Tommy Soderstrom standing upright.

 

[Nordique]

pretty much

They are more competitive than I expected, but the injuries have really hurt them and cost them points in the standings.

I haven't seen enough of Atkinson, Anisimov, and Dubinsky due to injuries. These are 3 key players we've been without, on top of a host of injuries on the blue line.

On the other hand Calvert has really stepped up his game and made the most of his oppurtunities.

I did not expect us to be in last, and I don't think we'll end the season there. We are better than our points would indicate.

 

[Xoggz22]

This team is pretty much where I expected them to be....bottom of the table. However, I don't have the same disappointing impression that most appear to have. I think the young guys are playing better than expected, especially guys like Erixon, Calvert, Goloubef and flashes of Atkinson (injury definitely hurt the offense). TinTin has been a disappointment as a pair, especially Niki6. What I've like the most is that I feel like I've actually seen individual and team improvement and consistency. I think both Bob and Mason are playing more consistent in the last 10 games and keeping this team in games. Not good enough to steal many but certainly not a negative as years past. The young defense has stepped up and played fairly solid. Losing 8 or 9 games by 1 goal sucks but I think the commitment to team play is more consistent than last year. This team is not disjointed like last year or the year prior.

I see more "positives" than negatives but knew coming in the skill level was not going to be there to change the outcomes. More hard work in the dirty areas is necessary but without some increased level of skill this team will continue to fight for their lives for points. To sum up this point one needs only to look at DD... I like Derek but it is very evident that other teams do not respect his offensive game. The give him the space behind them because they know he doesn't have the skill to challenge them one on one. Chip and chase. That allows the defense to back off. When players like that litter your top 6 it makes it for a milk toast offense and a challenge to be creative. I don't see many players (outside Foligno) who challenge teams with one on one skill or creativity. The threat simply isn't there. I expected that to be the case and expected goals to be tough. Low scoring, one goal games are likely to be very common - mostly losses unfortunately.

 

[pete goegan]

An interesting discussion regarding the Jackets on the Mains:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1360275

Much more positive than I might have expected.

 

[Roadman]

An interesting discussion regarding the Jackets on the Mains:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1360275

Much more positive than I might have expected.

Agreed for the most part. There are a few ignorant posts, but that is to be expected.

 

[Skraut]

Wow, Skraut, you completely summed up my feelings. My only hope (not even expectation) was that they would put forth a good effort. Well, I should say, I hoped they'd put forth a good effort 100% of the time, not 20 minutes here, 20 minutes there.

I've actually been happy with the effort on most nights. For me it is the schizophrenic nature of being a fan right now.

Logical fan in me knows that the team is going to struggle to win games, and that even losing games and getting a high draft pick is a good thing.

Passionate fan in me wants the team to win, and can't stand the part of me that is ok with the team losing, and doesn't want to watch the games and see it happen.

I still have a good time when I go to the arena, but I find myself knowing there is a game on, and watching a 6 year old episode of Scrapheap Challenge instead, because I don't have to fight with myself when I watch it. I know I'll watch the games when the season is over in order to make a video.

That's what I meant by it being easier when there was the lockout.

 

[blahblah]

I see more "positives" than negatives but knew coming in the skill level was not going to be there to change the outcomes. More hard work in the dirty areas is necessary but without some increased level of skill this team will continue to fight for their lives for points.

I don't think this team as it's constructed is destined to lose. It is simply discovering how to win as constructed. Is it capable of winning the Cup? Not likely. Is it capable of making the playoffs given time? That depends on player development.

That isn't to say we should keep the team as constructed, obviously. But there are plenty of players that are quite capable of putting the puck in the net and there is plenty of talent from the back end. An example, Nashville had 2 20+ goal scorers last season and we have more 5 goal+ scorers than they do this season and are being led, by far, by an emerging Colin Wilson (thank you Howson for not bringing in that guy). Nashville has two players on pace for a 40+ point season, prorated for a full season and only had three 50+ point guys last season. They had two 45+ point defensemen as well.

There is more than one way to win in this league and I think we, as fans, are using talent as an excuse. As I said a long time ago, the lock out really hurt this team. The lost camp with very little practice time was a bad recipe for this team. That, along with some moronic decisions at goal tending.

We are improving and I hope to see continued improvement. What I like is that we can lose a piece and we don't see a huge drop off from an intensity perspective. We had some struggles with effort early on that isn't nearly a prevalent now. I've seen an improvement in the forecheck as well as better scoring chances. Now we just need more chances and less mental mistakes.

The PP needs a lot of work.

 

[Roadman]

I've actually been happy with the effort on most nights. For me it is the schizophrenic nature of being a fan right now.

Logical fan in me knows that the team is going to struggle to win games, and that even losing games and getting a high draft pick is a good thing.

Passionate fan in me wants the team to win, and can't stand the part of me that is ok with the team losing, and doesn't want to watch the games and see it happen.

I still have a good time when I go to the arena, but I find myself knowing there is a game on, and watching a 6 year old episode of Scrapheap Challenge instead, because I don't have to fight with myself when I watch it. I know I'll watch the games when the season is over in order to make a video.

That's what I meant by it being easier when there was the lockout.

It is a difficult time to be a fan. I'm sure a great number are as torn as you are each and every game, I know I am. Knowing and accepting are two very different things. But c'est la vie, I still watch.

Let's just hope the painful times will be relatively brief, and that much better ones are ahead.

 

[blahblah]

An interesting discussion regarding the Jackets on the Mains:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1360275

Much more positive than I might have expected.

Interesting read. Some good insight in with some questionable analysis. But that is par for the course.

I have no idea why MB took his Howson issues to the mains, but whatever.

 

[pete goegan]

I have no idea why MB took his Howson issues to the mains, but whatever.

Yeah, I thought the same thing.

Mayor Bee: I enjoy and respect you as a valuable contributor, here, but your knee jerk reaction to leap to X-GMSH's defense at every possible opportunity is really getting old. Everyone on HF knows where you stand on Howson. Please try to pick your spots, the impact of your arguments is being diluted by constant repetition.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Yeah, I thought the same thing.

Mayor Bee: I enjoy and respect you as a valuable contributor, here, but your knee jerk reaction to leap to X-GMSH's defense at every possible opportunity is really getting old. Everyone on HF knows where you stand on Howson. Please try to pick your spots, the impact of your arguments is being diluted by constant repetition.

Dear almost everyone: Apply the above to your agenda.

 

[Roadman]

Yeah, I thought the same thing.

Mayor Bee: I enjoy and respect you as a valuable contributor, here, but your knee jerk reaction to leap to X-GMSH's defense at every possible opportunity is really getting old. Everyone on HF knows where you stand on Howson. Please try to pick your spots, the impact of your arguments is being diluted by constant repetition.

I thought he demonstrated remarkable restraint

....relatively speaking.

 

[blahblah]

I thought he demonstrated remarkable restraint

....relatively speaking.

Indeed, it wasn't bad. Just a bit lost on the audience. It's nice to know that some, outside of Columbus, is starting to see the improvement. If it continues, Howson will deserve some credit. I think the potential is there for JK/JD to hit the ground running with this team.

That doesn't mean I think Howson did a particularly good job or that he deserved to keep his job. It just means that I think that his drafting was better than some around here gave him credit for and that some of the deals that are setting up the team going forward had a bit of luck involved and kind of fell into his lap.

This is only loosely related to the thread, but this team is mostly preforming as expected. Since we are the 30th place team, I guess that should say something to the pro-Howson crowd. There is patience to improve and then there is a decade to improve. Howson was taking the multiple detour, long ways, country tour method.

That doesn't deter from the fact that I like a lot of our players and I like how they are playing. But a Mason/Bob pairing to start a season is just inexcusable, as an example. We probably should have addressed a FA forward as well. That could have helped, depending on what we found.

 

[KeithBWhittington]

How many people would not take this group over last years group? Even if we aren't scoring as much as last year, we are keeping it much closer and the team actually looks engaged and focused most of the time.

Obviously, I'd prefer winning, but if they are at least competing hard, losing right now isn't a top concern for me, maybe its the sour taste last years first half left in my mouth or my standards have really dropped because of those few months but as long as we start getting a plan in place to work on winning, I see very little to gripe about, night to night, at least, outside of the lack of scoring.

 

[alphafox]

I am actually quite surprised at how well the team is playing this year.

Seriously I am. This team is one of the worst in the NHL. I say again "one of" the worst, which is a significant improvement from last year when we were by far and away the worst showing little to no effort and getting slapped around by teams like Chicago and St.Louis.

This year we have the heart, work ethic, and depth that we didn't have last year. The games are close and they guys give a 60 minute effort. Anyone who looked at our roster and thought we were going to be competitive before the season should really start betting on sports. The depth of the team is promising and is a solid foundation for building going forward. The defense is actually better than it looks when we look at how little we possess the puck. The goalies have actually been making the saves that need to be made.

We really are only a few excellent forwards away from being able to seriously compete. If we draft well and some of the young forwards like Johansen, Atkinson, and Jenner can step up we could be ready to compete before the oilers

 

[Heinze 57]

They're watchable and that's all I asked before the season. You can see some pieces that might be worth something to us in the building effort and it feels good to see the team moving in the right direction with the front office and in talent development. We have a long way to go, but at least it's in the right direction.

Conversely, last season they were the most unwatchable team we've ever had. It reached the point that for my own sanity I just couldn't turn on the games anymore. As someone who's watched 90% of this team's games since 2000, that was something I never thought I'd do. I still look forward to watching every game this season.


I watch them and it really feels like watching the expansion 2000 team. Their talent is just not on par with the rest of the league, they have a lot of new guys who haven't played with each other much, but they play hard and the games are competitive. Just wish we could keep guys off of IR.

 

[Roadman]

We really are only a few excellent forwards away from being able to seriously compete. If we draft well and some of the young forwards like Johansen, Atkinson, and Jenner can step up we could be ready to compete before the oilers

This, please this.

If I were granted one wish regarding this team, it would be that we beat the Oil to the playoffs, or barring that stay there longer, or simply outperform them in any or every conceivable fashion.

 

[blahblah]

This, please this.

If I were granted one wish regarding this team, it would be that we beat the Oil to the playoffs, or barring that stay there longer, or simply outperform them in any or every conceivable fashion.

Not sure over an 82 game schedule they can really be a playoff team in the near future. They are the wost 5 on 5 team in the NHL by a mile. Their specialty teams are good right now and that is what is saving them from 15th in the West.

I think we've got a better chance at consistent play over long stretches, but you can never dismiss a team with that much potential firepower. I think you'll be safe this year. It's really hard, in the West, to make the playoffs with a negative goal differential. It's equally as hard to get in the playoffs with such poor 5 on 5 play.

For a team with that much firepower, it's interesting they are having about as hard of a time as we do of putting the puck in the back of the net.

 

[Roadman]

Not sure over an 82 game schedule they can really be a playoff team in the near future. They are the wost 5 on 5 team in the NHL by a mile. Their specialty teams are good right now and that is what is saving them from 15th in the West.

I think we've got a better chance at consistent play over long stretches, but you can never dismiss a team with that much potential firepower. I think you'll be safe this year. It's really hard, in the West, to make the playoffs with a negative goal differential. It's equally as hard to get in the playoffs with such poor 5 on 5 play.

For a team with that much firepower, it's interesting they are having about as hard of a time as we do of putting the puck in the back of the net.

I am not one to wish ill on another team, even the Red wings, but i will make an exception for the Oilers.

May they languish in last place FOREVER

 

[jacketsfan77]

The CBJ are performing exactly how i expected. Last place, low scoring (on our side anyways), high energy and never say die attitude. Seriously, anyone who thinks this team is underperforming needs to have their head checked. Considering the overall talent level on this team, coupled with injuries, they are playing pretty good hockey. We don't have a single forward who could play top 6 minutes on a contending team. This rebuild can/will take time.