What is your excitement level for 24/25 season ?

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I sit in Club as well and no offense but the off-ice stuff doesn't interest me. I am not the demographic that they used to justify the Diamond Center Club. Honestly, I just care about what's on the ice.

I prefer old barns, just brings me back to my childhood playing and spending countless hours with my parents - good times.

I sit in upper bowl and no offense but if the off-ice stuff didn't interest you you'd be up with me and the rest of a hoi-polloi.

(Of course I'm just hassling you. I understand there are lots of reasons why a person might sit anywhere in the space and it' none of my damn business.)

 

[Derby]

I sit in Club as well and no offense but the off-ice stuff doesn't interest me. I am not the demographic that they used to justify the Diamond Center Club. Honestly, I just care about what's on the ice.

I prefer old barns, just brings me back to my childhood playing and spending countless hours with my parents - good times.

Why would I be offended? I didn’t ask for nor do I want all of these amenities. The seat location at Center ice club level with the extra legroom is what we want and have enjoyed all these years. I go to watch hockey and enjoy the friends we have cultivated in my section over the years. I went around and around with my ticket rep and Marty Mulford about how we are not the demographic they are aiming at and wondered if they even had a focus group of people who currently sit in those sections. Of course they didn’t. I haven’t eaten a meal at the arena in probably eight years. I also don’t drink alcohol. So doubling my ticket price for amenities I wouldn’t use doesn’t sit well with me. The main reason I renewed was because the section has other people like me and we’ve created quite a bond over the course of the Blue Jackets existence. Some have been priced out. I bet it’s gonna be half empty or full of people who are corporate and don’t really watch the game but rather talk incessantly throughout.
Curious, is your club section one of the ones that they “upgraded?”

 

[squashmaple]

I sit in upper bowl and no offense but if the off-ice stuff didn't interest you you'd be up with me and the rest of a hoi-polloi.

(Of course I'm just hassling you. I understand there are lots of reasons why a person might sit anywhere in the space and it' none of my damn business.)

I personally just like the view from the upper bowl. Club is still a little too level for me; I want the top-down view. I'm very happy with my seats in row E in the shoot twice end.

 

[GoJackets1]

Sections 213/214 are my favorite seats in the arena. Best viewing point in the house IMO!

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

Fantilli, Mateuchuk and KJ really excite me from hockey point of view, but generally being excited feels wrong to me. Journalists asking management and players about hockey and how the game went will feel wrong, even though in reality there's nothing wrong with it.

I'll probably skip the training camp at least. Will obviously have to watch the first game ceremonies, but we'll see how I feel about it after game 1.

 

[Youngguns1380]

Why would I be offended? I didn’t ask for nor do I want all of these amenities. The seat location at Center ice club level with the extra legroom is what we want and have enjoyed all these years. I go to watch hockey and enjoy the friends we have cultivated in my section over the years. I went around and around with my ticket rep and Marty Mulford about how we are not the demographic they are aiming at and wondered if they even had a focus group of people who currently sit in those sections. Of course they didn’t. I haven’t eaten a meal at the arena in probably eight years. I also don’t drink alcohol. So doubling my ticket price for amenities I wouldn’t use doesn’t sit well with me. The main reason I renewed was because the section has other people like me and we’ve created quite a bond over the course of the Blue Jackets existence. Some have been priced out. I bet it’s gonna be half empty or full of people who are corporate and don’t really watch the game but rather talk incessantly throughout.
Curious, is your club section one of the ones that they “upgraded?”

Same here - I have been in the same seats for years and know a lot of people around my section. My main reason was going with my uncle, they let us use the elevator and we parked already in the McConnell Garage so easy access to the rink, larger seats (he has had a debilitating disease for the last 15 years). He is so frail now, he has hasn't gone since before the pandemic, which is when I started parking in Front Street and now we are back to the McConnell garage. Now, I just take my nieces and nephews to build the fandom in them, but I doubt I will keep the seats after this year. The doubling in price isn't worth it for my personal sake anymore.

I usually have 1 beer and 1 water and maybe a pretzel if I am running straight from work to the rink. So I usually don't care about the new bar or new food.

 

[Youngguns1380]

I sit in upper bowl and no offense but if the off-ice stuff didn't interest you you'd be up with me and the rest of a hoi-polloi.

(Of course I'm just hassling you. I understand there are lots of reasons why a person might sit anywhere in the space and it' none of my damn business.)

I don't take offense. It mainly was for my uncle (debilitating disease - trouble walking, bigger seats and vantage points) and easier access to the section with the elevators from the McConnell Garage, but since the prices have doubled I probably won't renew next season at least in the Club Section.

 

[Jovavic]

I like sitting on the ends in the upper deck, gives me that NHLPA93 vibes

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I don't take offense. It mainly was for my uncle (debilitating disease - trouble walking, bigger seats and vantage points) and easier access to the section with the elevators from the McConnell Garage, but since the prices have doubled I probably won't renew next season at least in the Club Section.

Is what I meant by “lots of reasons”. I’m glad you were able to get him out to games.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I personally just like the view from the upper bowl. Club is still a little too level for me; I want the top-down view. I'm very happy with my seats in row E in the shoot twice end.

For the first 10-12 years (until the Dispatch divested itself from the team) I had a partial package in 206 (front row) and another partial in 103, second row behind the home bench. Those close up seats were poor for viewing the game but what a great place for just sounds and sights and occasionally smells.

Since we converted to a standard STH situation we’ve been in 203 row A and they’re great seats. And we’re friendly with the two people who sit next to us too so all’s good.

 

[CalBuckeyeRob]

The early couple of months will at least be intriguing. You have a new coach that has a track record of success with less than elite talent. You have a young roster with guys that should be trending upwards. And you have the challenge of dealing with the emotions from the death of their star player. Does that cause the team to take a big leap up as they focus on dedicating the season to him? Or is it so overwhelming emotionally that they can't focus?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

This is maybe not the appropriate thread, but how is the top of the draft supposed to be for this upcoming draft?

 

[squashmaple]

This is maybe not the appropriate thread, but how is the top of the draft supposed to be for this upcoming draft?

I should defer to others who know more, but from what I've gleaned this draft has a big three but none are Bedard caliber. USNTDP star C James Hagens, OHL RW Porter Martone (who seems like a Blue Jacket prototype), and Swedish C Anton Frondell. I can't see how we're not in the mix for one of them at this point.

 

[LazyCircuits]

My excitement levels were low before Johnny’s death and I found it hard to see them rising much. Then I managed to book some tickets for my first ever NHL game (due to being on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean) and I can feel it starting to grow again.


Sadly it’s not the Jackets but I guess the Islanders will be cool…?

 

[Xoggz22]

I'm sad to see so many of you so melancholy about the upcoming season. Don't get me wrong. I totally get it and have that deep sadness myself, but hockey is one of the things that I so enjoy that I want to use it as a way to get through and try to support the team when they probably need fans the most. That's not to say I'm "excited" for the season. I think that's going to be difficult but I do feel that as we move forward there will be more excitment and just feel this team will start rough but be galvanized and actually be better than expected. That's what I'm telling myself and that's what I'm hopeful for. I hope you all can find some smiles in your heart when it comes to the CBJ. I don't begrudge any of you if moving past this includes difficulty with hockey in general. I also don't want this post to come across as being agnostic to this situation. I hurt, I'm pissed and I'm shocked and frustrated. However, I am going to do my best to use the negative energy into a positive.

I support you all in whatever direction you may go. Maybe this team will help you heal your soul...

 

[Monk]

OK now I'm excited. CBJ hockey!

 

[Youngguns1380]

I'm sad to see so many of you so melancholy about the upcoming season. Don't get me wrong. I totally get it and have that deep sadness myself, but hockey is one of the things that I so enjoy that I want to use it as a way to get through and try to support the team when they probably need fans the most. That's not to say I'm "excited" for the season. I think that's going to be difficult but I do feel that as we move forward there will be more excitment and just feel this team will start rough but be galvanized and actually be better than expected. That's what I'm telling myself and that's what I'm hopeful for. I hope you all can find some smiles in your heart when it comes to the CBJ. I don't begrudge any of you if moving past this includes difficulty with hockey in general. I also don't want this post to come across as being agnostic to this situation. I hurt, I'm pissed and I'm shocked and frustrated. However, I am going to do my best to use the negative energy into a positive.

I support you all in whatever direction you may go. Maybe this team will help you heal your soul...

I echo this post - I have always been excited going into every season and with Johnny's passing just can't get there.

I feel this team is going to a sacrificial lamb to the rest of the NHL and hard to find any hope other than yet another development year. Unless somebody on this team pops it's hard to find where the offense will come from?? Marchy and Jenner were the only 2 - 20 goal scorers and with Monahan we have a 3rd. Even SJ and Anaheim have more 20 and 30 goal scorers than the CBJ. I felt as though this year was going to be a major step forward and now we just took 3 steps back to rebuild again.

I am not indifferent to Johnny's passing but losing him and my team finishing near the bottom is a tough pill to swallow.

 

[We Want Ten]

For the first 10-12 years (until the Dispatch divested itself from the team) I had a partial package in 206 (front row) and another partial in 103, second row behind the home bench. Those close up seats were poor for viewing the game but what a great place for just sounds and sights and occasionally smells.

Since we converted to a standard STH situation we’ve been in 203 row A and they’re great seats. And we’re friendly with the two people who sit next to us too so all’s good.

We've probably been seat neighbors in a former life as I had a Dispatch connection and had seats right behind the players bench for years. Like you said, not great to watch the game, but boy you felt like you were really invested lol.

 

[cbjthrowaway]

it's been impossible the last couple weeks to feel any real excitement about the upcoming season. and the odds are greatly in favor of this being a difficult slog of a season.

but i did see a tweet earlier that – however impossible this sounds (and likely is) – the best tribute the blue jackets could give johnny this year would be to win the cup and get his name engraved on it.

again, by all logic that will not happen, but purely as a fan of the team and someone who was shaken by the senseless killing of johnny gaudreau, it is hard to not read that tweet, give myself a brief second to imagine it coming to fruition, and get excited.

i am willingly turning off my cynical message board poster brain and dusting off the switch for my hopelessly optimistic fan brain, and hoping against all hope that this happens.

 

[Viqsi]

it's been impossible the last couple weeks to feel any real excitement about the upcoming season. and the odds are greatly in favor of this being a difficult slog of a season.

but i did see a tweet earlier that – however impossible this sounds (and likely is) – the best tribute the blue jackets could give johnny this year would be to win the cup and get his name engraved on it.

again, by all logic that will not happen, but purely as a fan of the team and someone who was shaken by the senseless killing of johnny gaudreau, it is hard to not read that, give myself a brief second to imagine it coming to fruition, and get excited.

i am willingly turning off my cynical message board poster brain and dusting off the switch for my hopelessly optimistic fan brain, and hoping against all hope that this happens.

I've tried to attempt something like this but am finding myself unable to make it work due to an egregious excess of sources of worry and despair outside of hockey.

 

[Monstershockey]

it's been impossible the last couple weeks to feel any real excitement about the upcoming season. and the odds are greatly in favor of this being a difficult slog of a season.

but i did see a tweet earlier that – however impossible this sounds (and likely is) – the best tribute the blue jackets could give johnny this year would be to win the cup and get his name engraved on it.

again, by all logic that will not happen, but purely as a fan of the team and someone who was shaken by the senseless killing of johnny gaudreau, it is hard to not read that tweet, give myself a brief second to imagine it coming to fruition, and get excited.

i am willingly turning off my cynical message board poster brain and dusting off the switch for my hopelessly optimistic fan brain, and hoping against all hope that this happens.

Nice post.

Turning off your brain in a situation like this can be a good thing.

This whole situation reminds me of 1993 and the Indians that year. In spring training, on what was their only day off, the Indians lost two pitchers in a senseless boating accident. Steve Olin was a promising reliever for the Tribe, coming off a 29 save performance in '92. He was coming into his own, as were some of the other young talent the Indians had been accumulating. He was only 27, had a wife, a 3-year old, and 7 month old twins. Sound familiar? The team struggled in '93, as expected, but found their groove the following year.

I can still remember in '95 when they clinched their first division title in 41 years, only 2 seasons later. After the clinching game ended, they celebrated, went to the clubhouse, came back out with a banner to raise, walked out as a team to centerfield to raise it, and in tribute to Olin, played his favorite Garth Brooks song "The Dance" while it went up. It was a healing moment for the team, as well as for the fans, as the long losing drought was over. It didn't matter we lost the World Series. It was all good.

I would love to see this young Jackets team do the same. It would be a great healing for the team, as well as for the Jacket fans.

 

[KJ Dangler]

Getting pretty excited … new NHL video game will be dropping soon , really excited to see Fantilli, KJ , Chinakov, Marchenko , and Jircek take that next step . For once we have a competent staff , and I love the moves Waddell has made . Actually seems like a plan is in place , and Waddell will evaluate this year, and really put his stamp on the team after this season . It’s going to be sad at times , and certainly will miss JG .. really hope they play hard every night as an honor to his memory . I do think the passing of Johnny, and shipping Laine out , brings this locker room together

 

[Socks]

Well I just signed up for a Bally Sports account. My excitement level is low but I want to show support for the boys. Not sure if I’ll be able to make it out to any games tho year but at least I can tune in.

I’m weirdly glad JMFJ is back. He may not be terribly effective on the ice anymore but can be a glue guy and god knows I loved him the first time around. Anyone still here from back then that remembers the head fakes? Good times.

 

[banshee72]

I was much more excited at the beginning of last season. Really hoping a new coach and a couple of new veteran players can make a little bit of a difference and make us competitive. Last year I thought we would push for a playoff spot...not thinking that this year. I think we are a good two years away right now...hope they prove me wrong