Columbus vs. Pittsburgh 9/15

There are a lot of ways to look at pre-season hockey. Some teams use the opportunity to experiment with new line combos, other teams like to throw the load on young developing players to see how they handle themselves, and some teams use the experience to simply gear up for the season. I think for most Jackets fans, last night was a breath holder with the new back up netminder Garon between the pipes, hoping the goalie could impress Hitch enough to actually utilize more than just Steve Mason this year.

There was no question Garon could bear the weight. Stopping all 21 shots he faced, including a couple of very strong attempts from Crosby, Garon really built his credibility with at least this fan, and likely most others. While he was the bright spot in net, after removed for the third period in favour of a young Danny LaCosta, it showed that both Mason and Garon are going to have to remain healthy this year.

Pittsburgh brought a lot to the final frame, tying the game twice before winning early into overtime. While it was an unfortunate series of events and a true wakeup call for LaCosta and a couple young Jackets defenders, it was also the perfect opportunity to display the teams resilience. Losing a three goal lead is very hard on a team, and I will take a lot out of them coming back and scoring their fourth goal.

There were other positives to the game. The Jackets abysmal powerplay managed to score two goals on four opportunities. Mayorov had a pair, with Voracek netting the other goal. Young Filatov and Moore both had assists, looking strong on the ice, and Blunden, fighting for a roster spot, managed to impress with a solid game.

All in all, games like these are a lot more relevant in substance than in scoring. It will certainly be more clear how they have developed over the summer once their full roster dresses, but at this point, I am more than comfortable suggesting that last night was a strong success.

Carry the Flag!

Could Trades be Slipping Through Columbus' Hands?

It seems like the longer the Jackets wait this year, the more pessimistic speculators are becoming.  Leave it to the Blue Jackets to pave the way for a new style of media attention, where rather than trade talks building, they have actually begun to decline!

I personally think the trade is inevitable, and I do not think it will take a trade deadline to make something happen.  There are a couple things that will have an effect on it;

First off, the Jackets were given the go ahead to spend more money, and the fans know it!  While we, the fan base, have been mildly patient with the Jackets and their decision to delay spending to the cap until the team started to succeed, their clear efforts in remaining in the playoff hunt at mid season gives everyone reason to expect more.  Not to mention the management has openly given the green flag for more spending, if it does not happen, I expect to see an even bigger decline in fan purchasing, mainly in ticket sales.

Secondly, teams are getting desperate, and the Jackets are not one of them.  With an entire top line out with injuries right now, the Jackets have proven their confidence towards core players and some young call-ups from Syracuse like Mayorov, Dorsett, Russell, and hopefully Filatov.  This leads me to believe that they are willing to stall these trades as long as necessary to get the deal they want, at the price they want to pay, which would likely be draft picks.

I am not the kind of guy to get anxious about a team, and interestingly enough, I have already been anxious, begged for a trade, and been disappointed, but who wouldn't?  This team has plowed through adversity with the injuries, embraced a young goaltender, and watched as their Calder favourite fell to a season ending injury...

...but patience is what is going to carry this flag into the post season.