James Wisniewski Appreciation Thread

[1857 Howitzer]

My favorite memory of Wiz was his first goal and him helping the Jackets end a five year drought in Nashville on 11/19/11. As everyone remembers the 2011-2012 season was a disaster and when my wife and I headed down there for the game with the Jacket Backers we had little hope for a win. It was awesome to see Wiz blast the game winner from just inside the blueline to win the game in overtime. After scouring the goal he raised his stick and pointed to our section to acknowledge the support he and the team had been getting from us all night.

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[Robert]

Good thread..... finality.....


Wiz, kick some ass in Disneyland... your kids will love it there....

 

[CBJ Tiffin]

Thanks for the memories Wiz, and best of luck!

 

[IBleedUnionBlue]

I was in Nashville for that game too! Favorite memory though is Wiz off the ice and how gracious & kind he was to my wife & I. I hate to see him go and I think the team will miss him more than most realize.

 

[major major]

I couldn't find the video, but that Wiz goal against Nashville you posted is just like an OT goal against Detroit that I have a happy memory of. Come to think of it, I have a happy memory of a lot of Wiz's blasts.

He wasn't always a good player for us, but he always fought like hell, often through injury. And I'll miss the way he reads the game. And that shot.. he personified the cannon.

 

[zelbell]

One if the most likable guys on the entire team no doubt



I hope he can help the Ducks win a cup, I'll be rooting for him

 

[jackets4life]

No secret that i wasn't a big fan, but he was a great person to talk to and truly cared about the team and the fans in this city. I will definitely miss seeing him rip one home from the point like the one below...

 

[ReggieRed]

I loved his role in the tribute video to the veterans last year. I think he said both of his grandfathers served in the military during WWII. Just very classy. Good luck, Wiz!

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Class. Another part of the development of the new culture.

 

[jackets4life]

I will also add this: Going back to the abysmal 11-12 season, we hosted the Blackhawks for a matinee game. Late in the 3rd period we were down 6-1 and Wiz came over the boards on a PK. On that shift he sacrificed the body not once but twice, hobbling off afterwards to the tunnel. That was one of the rare instances in that horrendous season I could hang my hat on and be proud of my team, to have a guy like that around was a ray of light in a sea of darkness.

I fully expect a Cup run for the Ducks this year, and truly hope Wiz plays a big role getting them there.

 

[NotWendell]

Wiz, thank you for giving us all you had while you were here. You personify the Spirit of Columbus. Most especially, I appreciate your candor and openness with us (the fans). Win it all this year in Anaheim. You'll have to get through us next year (ok, maybe the year after that).

 

[Robert]

As for your PP shot Wiz you benched a highly rated prospect by the name of Zemgus Girgensons the other day, I think you broke his ankle with your point shot but the official term is lower body injury.. He's out for three weeks.....

Good luck, with some luck you can turn the Duck season...

 

[Sore Loser]

One if the most likable guys on the entire team no doubt



I hope he can help the Ducks win a cup, I'll be rooting for him

Agreed, I also became a Ducks fan for the next few months.

Class. Another part of the development of the new culture.

This, more than anything. I touched on it in my article last week (for those of you who read it ), the biggest thing Wisniewski brought was being part of the culture change. Whether or not you were a fan of his on-ice play, you have to admit that having a talented, competitive guy around the locker room will be sorely missed. I will admit that I was critical of his defensive zone play, but his big shot and power play capabilities cannot be argued against. He's definitely lost a step and is better suited as a #3/#4 guy, which he will get the chance to be in Anaheim. He's going to a competitive group with a great head coach, and will undoubtedly be a big part of anything they put together this year. They play an up-tempo style that should be well suited for his game. He's played in Anaheim before, and surely knows many of those guys. Should be an easy transition.

My favorite memory of Wisniewski was seeing him drop Cal Clutterbuck during one of his first pre-season games. It cost him 12 games and cost the Jackets an 0-7-1 start, but let's face it. That was part of the culture change. Looking back on it, we needed more guys doing what Wisniewski did on that play.

 

[NotWendell]

I will also add this: Going back to the abysmal 11-12 season, we hosted the Blackhawks for a matinee game. Late in the 3rd period we were down 6-1 and Wiz came over the boards on a PK. On that shift he sacrificed the body not once but twice, hobbling off afterwards to the tunnel. That was one of the rare instances in that horrendous season I could hang my hat on and be proud of my team, to have a guy like that around was a ray of light in a sea of darkness.

I fully expect a Cup run for the Ducks this year, and truly hope Wiz plays a big role getting them there.

This is our revenge against the Kings.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Won't forget the impact he had on the community and on the franchise. I will miss him. Go get a cup Wiz

 

[Dr. Fire]

Wiz is a class act, and I truly enjoyed watching him in a CBJ uni. Good luck in Anaheim Wiz, show em what you got!

 

[BluejacketNut]

Best of luck to Wiz, the Ducks are the odds on favorite for the cup IMO

 

[MAHJ71]

Definitely sad to see him shipped off. Deserved to stay, wanted to stay, and hopefully when Anaheim comes to town in a few weeks we have a good tribute video for him.

Here's to rooting for Anaheim to win the cup this year!

 

[Socks]

I will very much miss him. One of the good ones. I hope he lights it up in Anaheim.

 

[Xoggz22]

A key player in helping change the Culture in Columbus. His off ice efforts and locker room efforts will be missed but hopefully helped lay the foundation for a bright future (this year not withstanding).

Good luck to him and I hope we have a nice tribute video for him when he comes to town.

 

[thebus2288*]

While everybody here thinks I have some unfounded "hate" for Wiz, I wish you would go back and see I was 1 of the very few guys who had his back during the Clutterbuck incident. I still think that's probably the worst suspension handed out recently since the change in the player safety dept. Complete dive and I still hate Clutter**** for it. Wiz's "intensity" has completely changed since then. I'm sure Clutterbuck has a lot to do with that but there seemed to be more to it. That "mean-ness" or whatever you wanna call it has not been there recently. While he's never been good defensively that was always something you could see as a "plus". Frankly I think he's lost quite a bit of every aspect of his game over the last 2+ years.

While his shot velocity may(JJ can shoot too, hopefully we get to see it more now) be stronger I think we're really downplaying the offensive skills of our other blueliners. Johnson, Savard, Murray and Cannauton are ALL very good offensive defensemen. They just haven't gotten the opportunities to be the "trigger-man" or "PP-QB", now they all will.

With that said, Wiz, thanks for the impact you had on us drafting Ryan Murray.

Now that the "culture" has changed, maybe we can change it again to just wanting to win hockey games.

 

[Mayor Bee]

While everybody here thinks I have some unfounded "hate" for Wiz, I wish you would go back and see I was 1 of the very few guys who had his back during the Clutterbuck incident. I still think that's probably the worst suspension handed out recently since the change in the player safety dept. Complete dive and I still hate Clutter**** for it. Wiz's "intensity" has completely changed since then. I'm sure Clutterbuck has a lot to do with that but there seemed to be more to it. That "mean-ness" or whatever you wanna call it has not been there recently. While he's never been good defensively that was always something you could see as a "plus". Frankly I think he's lost quite a bit of every aspect of his game over the last 2+ years.

While his shot velocity may(JJ can shoot too, hopefully we get to see it more now) be stronger I think we're really downplaying the offensive skills of our other blueliners. Johnson, Savard, Murray and Cannauton are ALL very good offensive defensemen. They just haven't gotten the opportunities to be the "trigger-man" or "PP-QB", now they all will.

With that said, Wiz, thanks for the impact you had on us drafting Ryan Murray.

Now that the "culture" has changed, maybe we can change it again to just wanting to win hockey games.

That's a backhand that Andre Agassi would envy.

 

[Skraut]

Good guy all around. His work on the ice, in the community, and with the fans will be missed.

On a personal note, I just want to thank him and his "crew" again for all they did helping me make, and promote the videos I made.

 

[SuperGenius]

posted this in the other thread, thought i'd repeat it here.

I will miss Wiz, if not just for his abilities (even his shortcomings), but also sentimentally, because he really was great with fans. I won't soon forget the time in the hellish 11-12 season when he stayed, post game on New Year's Eve with a freshly broken foot and crutches to sign autographs for the fans and kids outside the locker room. Carter might've signed for 5 people, Nash couldn't be bothered to even come out that way - but Wiz went through all roughly 40-50 people one by one. Class act and I will miss him as a member of my team.

I guess if you look back, this has been coming. He lost the "A" after 2013 and as Porty reported, they'd asked him for his list that same season. The team wasn't selling in 2013-14, so he was given a pass, then had a horrible playoff (playing hurt). I'm surprised Porty nailed this one, and give him credit for it. I was sure hoping he was wrong though. Will be interesting how this pans out by opening night 2015.

 

[DarkandStormy]

I guess if you look back, this has been coming. He lost the "A" after 2013 and as Porty reported, they'd asked him for his list that same season. The team wasn't selling in 2013-14, so he was given a pass, then had a horrible playoff (playing hurt). I'm surprised Porty nailed this one, and give him credit for it. I was sure hoping he was wrong though. Will be interesting how this pans out by opening night 2015.

He didn't wear an "A" in 2013. Was Aucoin, Johnson, and Dubinsky.

He was asked for the list in 2013 because that's when his NTC switched from full to modified. It happens all the time. He's contractually obligated to. People are making something out of nothing there.