What to do about the blueline?

[Crede777]

If Murray is close to as good as billed, he shouldn't be worried about NHL ice time. But he has to play first.

It begins with earning a spot on the roster in camp. Then you play consistently well and work your way up. You can also get lucky by having someone ahead of you get injured (likely) and showing you belong.

Too many times this team jumps the gun by trading or letting go of a player and assuming a young guy will step in. That isn't how things should be run in my opinion. We don't need to go full Detroit Red Wings on our young guys but they should have to work to stick.

Same with the vets. If an oldie is holding us back, bump him down.

Thankfully this approach is being utilized and... gasp... it is working. Our defense is playing like a team. Goloubef and Erixon play like they want to stick. Moore too. Nikitin and Tyutin too. Oh and Johnson is a leader with 30+ minutes a night.

Bob and Mase are competing and look better because of it.

Letestu is playing phenomenal. Calvert is playing very hard. So is Dubinsky.

This not only breeds competition but respect for the logo.

 

[EspenK]

Re-visiting my earlier question of trading the Tin/Tin pair...

What if you could pry Eberle and a pick out of EDM?

OR

Silfverberg ++ out of Ottawa?

Eberle and and a pick I say до свидания and thanks for the memories.

I'm not sure about the Ottawa deal,

But I don't think trading the pair to the same team is going to happen.

I think if you can get a 1 for Wiz or even Johnson, I'd consider it. If it was from a team that is either going to miss the playoffs or is a probable first round out I'd consider it more than I would if Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago,, etc offered.

I think you have to consider any deal in the overall picture of how you want to build a team. maybe on a stand alone basis a deal may appear weak but when taken in conjunction with other deals, picks and prospects maybe it makes sense.

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

I wouldn't trade any of our dmen because

a) I think having adequate defensemen for the first time in history takes pressure off the goalie, and teaches your forwards to skate with their heads up and expect a tape to tape pass outlet pass

b) Our young dmen need mentored, this game needs to be coached, and on ice coaches and talking is the best teacher

c) Our most likely coveted commodities Toots and Wiz, do not have friendly contracts

d) We would be really bad if our dmen were not playing better then past years

e) keep JMFJ and Tintin, trade Wizzer if you can I guess, but I would be far more willing to trade Umberger, Brassard, maybe Foligno if the offered price is enough

 

[bizzz*]

According advanced stats Tintin was one of the top-3 defensive pairs in the NHL last year. And apparently Kekalainen is a big fan of advanced stats:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...-d-ever-excited-gm-hiring-205554371--nhl.html

Kekalainen is very much an acolyte of the way in which hockey's now going. He thinks there's an incredible value in advanced stats.
"Stats are facts...In the long run they hardly ever lie. Thorough analytical work, like that done by Hockey Prospectus, is needed to make a proper evaluation of them."

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

Totally agree on this Bizz

According advanced stats Tintin was one of the top-3 defensive pairs in the NHL last year. And apparently Kekalainen is a big fan of advanced stats:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...-d-ever-excited-gm-hiring-205554371--nhl.html

In hockey statistics definitely are indicative of future results, +/- can get out of whack fast, but over time the stats don't lie

 

[Jackets16]

Fixed it!

I only posted players who have played in the NHL this year.

 

[CC96]

Hi Blue Jackets fans, Coyotes fan coming in peace. I was wondering real quick how Adrian Aucoin has played for you guys this season so far, I understand he just came back from injury but I loved him on the Coyotes when he played here the last 4 years, especially when we put him in the shootout.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Hi Blue Jackets fans, Coyotes fan coming in peace. I was wondering real quick how Adrian Aucoin has played for you guys this season so far, I understand he just came back from injury but I loved him on the Coyotes when he played here the last 4 years, especially when we put him in the shootout.

He's been average at best, and has never even shot in the shootout for us.

 

[Dr. Fire]

He's been average at best, and has never even shot in the shootout for us.

LOL!

I don't know if an outsider is going to get that, but I had to laugh!

 

[IBleedUnionBlue]

If the CBJ gets the #1 pick, I would love to see Seth Jones in Union Blue.

 

[EspenK]

If the CBJ gets the #1 pick, I would love to see Seth Jones in Union Blue.

While I would love to see him in the Blue, I would hate to pass up a chance to actually add an offensive threat to the line-up.

I'd swap with the #2 if they kicked in their second and draft the highest ranked forward on our board.

 

[JACKETfan]

I don't think there is anyone we have to trade, but I would trade a few in the Keep/Trade list if we could get a good deal.

Keep:

Jack Johnson
Fedor Tyutin
John Moore
Tim Erixon
Cody Goloubef

Keep/Trade:

Nikita Nikitin
David Savard
Nick Holden
James Wisniewski
Adrian Aucoin

I could agree to this. But no need to dump Savard and Holden. Let them develop.

 

[Roadman]

I could agree to this. But no need to dump Savard and Holden. Let them develop.

I think Holden is probably all he is going to be. Classic tweener, excellent AHL'er, good enough to call up when necessary, not quite good enough to stick on a good team.

Savard, how do you teach foot speed? I know there are skating coaches etc. but there is an old adage, you can't teach size and you can't coach speed. Or something like that.

 

[InjuredChoker]

According advanced stats Tintin was one of the top-3 defensive pairs in the NHL last year. And apparently Kekalainen is a big fan of advanced stats:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-p...-d-ever-excited-gm-hiring-205554371--nhl.html

The next Billy Beane.

 

[EspenK]

The next Billy Beane.

better Billy than Mister

 

[IBleedUnionBlue]

While I would love to see him in the Blue, I would hate to pass up a chance to actually add an offensive threat to the line-up.

I'd swap with the #2 if they kicked in their second and draft the highest ranked forward on our board.

There is no was in hades this team passes on Seth Jones if he is available.

 

[stickguy]

In my opinion, there looks to be some pieces in place for the future when it comes to moving the puck and offensive skills from the back-end. Looking forward there is a need for some more size/toughness and shut-down types. Currently I don't think our D puts any fear in anyone and who would you say is tough to play against (maybe Johnson)? If you look at most good teams, they have the puck movers but they also have the stay at home and hard to play against D-men who look after their own end.

 

[candyman82]

In my opinion, there looks to be some pieces in place for the future when it comes to moving the puck and offensive skills from the back-end. Looking forward there is a need for some more size/toughness and shut-down types. Currently I don't think our D puts any fear in anyone and who would you say is tough to play against (maybe Johnson)? If you look at most good teams, they have the puck movers but they also have the stay at home and hard to play against D-men who look after their own end.

We do have Will Weber and Dalton Prout coming up.

 

[EDM]

This team could easily pass on Jones if Mackinnon is also available to us.

 

[CBJx614]

This team could easily pass on Jones if Mackinnon is also available to us.

Yes but that would require us to have the 1st pick. If someone offered a deal we couldn't refuse to move back if we had the 2nd pick. Say someone with the 4th pick desperately need a dman and offers us a young top 6 forward and their pick I could see us doing that. We could get Drouin/barkov/lindholm and another top forward.

 

[IBleedUnionBlue]

This team could easily pass on Jones if Mackinnon is also available to us.

Aint no way. Some boards now have MacKinnon down to 3 now. But not one list I've seen has Jones anywhere but 1. The chance to get a true #1 defenseman is to enticing for the CBJ to pass on.

 

[Timeless Winter]

Jonas Brodin, I want him, why can't we have him?

 

[EspenK]

Aint no way. Some boards now have MacKinnon down to 3 now. But not one list I've seen has Jones anywhere but 1. The chance to get a true #1 defenseman is to enticing for the CBJ to pass on.

The only major list I'm aware of with MacK at 3 is ISS; McKenzie's list which is compiled by talking to NHL Scouts comprised 2 weeks earlier still has MacK at 2. If you read the commentary its still pretty close.

With the X-LOFT on offense and a potentially decent D I still think the jackets need to take offense at all three number one picks and #2. I know about the BPA argument and that is all fine and dandy but the jackets offense sucks.

Lidstrom was a super star but would the Wings have been as good without Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Federov, et al. ? I don't think so. (Please skip the look at this year argument since they have lost more than Lidstrom and Datsyuk & Z are getting older, although they still are better than anything the jackets have)

This argument will continue until draft day (and probably after) but unless the Jackets somehow wind up with 2 of the top 4 picks I don't want Jones.

 

[Matthew]

I'm not Team Jones or Team Nate quite yet, but I do recall that Hedman was ranked ahead of Tavares a few times in the season leading up to their draft.

Hedman is still developing into what they hope he can be. He's still young. Tavares is probably a top 10 talent (but not player...yet) in the league.

 

[Byrral]

No worries here. You take the best player available or you trade that BPA to obtain more assets. Jarmo has said he likes to be aggressive in drafts to get the players he wants. It will be fun to see how this develops.