Welcome to the 2009/2010 Season!

Welcome to what appears to be another great season of hockey! After a fantastic summer, Carry the Flag is back to the grind, getting ready to weigh in on all things relevant to the Blue Jackets.

As you all know, early October is home to the start of the NHL regular season, and Anna and Brian have already laid claim to many Jackets home game tickets, and will hopefully provide some in depth coverage on the overall atmosphere of the Arena from game to game. Anna has also taken it upon herself to train and become involved in this years “Tour de Pink” which involves a substantial bike ride, one that would be too grueling for most people. Anna has the full support of Carry the Flag and many other Blue Jackets fans. If you would like to help support her cause, please visit her blog, “YSC Puck Bunnies” and make a donation. She is forfeiting the Jackets home opener, so the least we can do is donate a bit of ‘green’ to support such a great cause. We are so proud of you Anna!

Brian is already in full “Go OSU” mode, but I believe that is only brewing the Jackets fan inside him. I am anticipating some serious hard hitting from Brian this year, especially regarding the newly built rivalries in the Central Division. He has also been pivotal in pushing Anna through her training, which is what I call MAJOR commitment!

Money, our resident ‘know more than you would think’ and future NHL general manager has found his path towards greatness by applying himself this year in Law School. While this could spell the possibility for only a couple contributions this year, I suspect they will be full of insightful sentiments, as he breaks down some of the more intricate parts of the game.

As for myself, short of being absolutely pumped for the release of NHL 10, I can not think of anything better right now than getting into another season of Columbus Blue Jackets hockey. With the off-season decisions, re-signings, and necessary goodbyes, I am terribly confident in the potential of this team. Obviously there are questions that will have to be answered, and gaps that only certain players are expected to fill, but never has a Jackets team been so packed with talent at this juncture of the season.

Can they do it? I think they can! Raise those flags Jackets fans! It is time to come together once again for another great season of Jackets hockey.

February Reality Check

Now, I should probably preface this with the fact that I tend to react quickly and frankly to things, although the playoff trance had me going there for a while.

Look back at last year.  At this time, their record was better, and the fans felt practically the same way - they could really get there - about the team.  Were you unrealistic?  No, not at all, but who could have possibly anticipated the Adam fo*te debacle, and the removal of Fedorov (necessary) right around deadline time, as the team waned away from any real post-season hopes.

But is this year the same?  So they lost a couple games in the past week.  Prior to that, they took down one of the league's best (Detroit) and looked comfortable doing so.  Mason found out he has mono, which could easily be the only reason he has looked human since December.  Injuries have quietly dissipated, although the loss of young Filatov, and obviously having Brassard out for the remainder of the season hurts, but also consider the addition of Williams and the rise of young Voracek and you end up rounding out a confident team that fits with one another.

My February concerns are fairly simple.  

• Acquiring a center, even at rental status to take up Brassard's spot for the remainder of the season.  This will allow minimal line modifications, and let the players get set in positions they are comfortable with.  I do not care how much you want to think he might be capable of it, Malhotra is NOT a first line center. Who should go?  A prospect, and Modin.  I do not care how hard that will be to swing, Howson needs to swing it.

• Continue to work with the powerplay to make it a POWERplay, rather than simply a man advantage.  Playoff teams have strong specialty teams.

• Let Mason get healthy.  Mono is a horrible thing to deal with, and he should be on bedrest for at least a week to try and get back when his body is prepared to let him back.  What happened against Dallas and St Louis could easily have been avoided if Hitch would think with his head rather than Mason's.

• Trade a defensemen.  The logjam is going to be an issue with Klesla healthy again.  I personally do not want to see Backman dress again, and I would hate the idea of either Methot or Russell having to sit out games.  They all have their strengths, and they are all trying to build chemistry with their linemates.  No more juggling!
  

Enough from me fans.. What do YOU think?

Carry the Flag!