Sometimes I wonder if winning a game like that is generally meaningless. Hear me out..
I am a big fan of playing the season out. I think that players are paid for 82+ games a season and they should play at 100% for every single game. That said, what I saw tonight was not a performance that would drag the common fan out to a game just to see it live let alone a common Blue Jackets fan considering catching a game before the season ends. Bulleted opinions here we go!
- The pace was strong for the Jackets for the first 7-10 minutes of the game. They came out reasonably strong, dominated play early, and made the Panthers look like they belonged in a different league altogether. Their offensive zone pressure and shots were generally of a high quality, and it seemed like they had every intention of giving the home crowd lots to cheer about
- The powerplay at the end of the first period was excellent. Two posts and sustained pressure for the entire initial powerplay, along with the delayed call and rest of the period on the five on three. It was sheer misfortune that they did not score during that scramble of opportunities.
- For the (forget the number, just assume many) game in a row, they allowed the opposing team to either dictate play, or play themselves back into the game. It seems to be an exercise were the Jackets players are well aware of their own potential, yet play down to the opposition until it bites them.
- Mason was strong, for the most part. Certainly the wrap around goal would have been something that he would have wanted back, but he made a strong move to cut off the angle and it's a shame the Florida player was not cut off before he managed the wrap.
- You have to like that snipe by Upshall. Takes a great pass by Dorsett (@AlisonL was probably gushing) and in one fluid motion absolutely rips a shot above the glove and off the bar. Upshall just seems like one of those guys that finds himself on the scoresheet and in the minds of the other players 40-60 times throughout the season. As much as I think the Jackets need to focus on some top end talent for the upcoming year, I think Upshall deserves some serious consideration to round out the third line
-That win springs the Jackets to 79 points and sole possession of 21st place. I love and hate to do this, but I would not be too upset to see a couple of teams leap frog them to get a little bit closer to the potentially useful top five picks coming up in this years draft. Then again, if it were up to me, that first rounder would not be in the hands of the Jackets come draft day.
Carry the Flag!
Showing posts with label Scottie Upshall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scottie Upshall. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Some Negative Trends Take a Quiet Toll
I am not a big fan of game recaps, but I think it is important to reflect on common trends following a team. If teams are winning close games, it is usually reflective of a handful of things done correctly, and subsequently, losses can usually be attributed to one or two things that simply are not clicking.
I would like to point out, is that Columbus has been flat out outworking teams. Their character has been expanding each game, including what I believe to be a substantial outworking of Vancouver last night. For a team that most seem to pretend is not getting better, they are slowly turning heads again the way they did a couple years ago when they made their first legitimate playoff chase.
With that said, here are some of the glaring issues I believe are keeping the Blue Jackets out of the win column, and may cause them to really struggle down the stretch;
First, they seem to be openly timid against teams who are notably better than they are, at least in the standings. Take last night for example, they seemed to play with urgency, but rarely with the swagger that gives them the edge they need to win. I do think they played well to an extent, but I think they need to find the edge a bit more rather than being so timid with the play. What does give me some confidence is that it does show up at times. After the Upshall goal, the swagger was there in full force, although it lasted only until about mid-way through the third period.
Second, the shots being taken by the Jackets are rarely high percentage, high quality shots. I support the concept of 'getting the puck on net' but it has to be followed up by players crashing. If the Jackets want to find easy ways to beat goaltenders, they will need to learn to start taking advantage of the scramble after the initial shot. In the Vancouver game, they outshot and outplayed the Canucks for most of the 65 minutes of playing time, however, when you go to the highlights, most are of Vancouver shots.
Finally, if the Jackets want to win games, they are going to have to learn to finish their high percentage opportunities. I can understand that the goalie has just as good of a chance of making the save as the player does of putting the puck past him, but there were at least four or five breakaways/odd man rushes that lead to clear, extremely high quality opportunities to score that did not lead to a goal. Notably, RJ Umberger has been struggling really hard with this lately, including the shootout attempt last night that he seemed beat on before he even crossed the blueline. I can understand a lot of the fanbase giving Voracek some grief for his struggles to 'bury the biscuit' but it should be noted that he is not the only one struggling. Other notable gaffs were Dorsett's breakaway shot directly into the chest logo, Calvert's semi breakaway which lead to a fairly textbook pad save by Luongo, Umberger's breakaway that saw him fall trying to shovel the puck through a Luongo pad that was waiting for him.... The opportunities are there for whenever these boys want to start taking advantage of them. Good teams outplay their opponents, but great teams find ways to win.
For all the negatives, I would like to draw on a very big positive for the Jackets. They have been unconscious on the penalty kill. I believe the stat line was killing 22 of the last 23 penalties through the end of the game last night. For a team fighting for the playoffs, that is a major contributor to success. While I do not expect them to continue that kind of pace, they are quickly generated one of the more effective penalty kills in the league, now sitting at 19th overall with an 81.3%.
Also, the play of Scottie Upshall was very refreshing. I personally look forward to seeing what all he can bring to the lineup as he learns the system, and frankly, seeing Pahlsson's name so often in a positive way is something I have been hoping for since he came to the team. If Upshall can bring out the best in Pahlsson, we could be looking at the outline of a very deep Columbus team when Brassard returns.
Carry the Flag!
I would like to point out, is that Columbus has been flat out outworking teams. Their character has been expanding each game, including what I believe to be a substantial outworking of Vancouver last night. For a team that most seem to pretend is not getting better, they are slowly turning heads again the way they did a couple years ago when they made their first legitimate playoff chase.
With that said, here are some of the glaring issues I believe are keeping the Blue Jackets out of the win column, and may cause them to really struggle down the stretch;
First, they seem to be openly timid against teams who are notably better than they are, at least in the standings. Take last night for example, they seemed to play with urgency, but rarely with the swagger that gives them the edge they need to win. I do think they played well to an extent, but I think they need to find the edge a bit more rather than being so timid with the play. What does give me some confidence is that it does show up at times. After the Upshall goal, the swagger was there in full force, although it lasted only until about mid-way through the third period.
Second, the shots being taken by the Jackets are rarely high percentage, high quality shots. I support the concept of 'getting the puck on net' but it has to be followed up by players crashing. If the Jackets want to find easy ways to beat goaltenders, they will need to learn to start taking advantage of the scramble after the initial shot. In the Vancouver game, they outshot and outplayed the Canucks for most of the 65 minutes of playing time, however, when you go to the highlights, most are of Vancouver shots.
Finally, if the Jackets want to win games, they are going to have to learn to finish their high percentage opportunities. I can understand that the goalie has just as good of a chance of making the save as the player does of putting the puck past him, but there were at least four or five breakaways/odd man rushes that lead to clear, extremely high quality opportunities to score that did not lead to a goal. Notably, RJ Umberger has been struggling really hard with this lately, including the shootout attempt last night that he seemed beat on before he even crossed the blueline. I can understand a lot of the fanbase giving Voracek some grief for his struggles to 'bury the biscuit' but it should be noted that he is not the only one struggling. Other notable gaffs were Dorsett's breakaway shot directly into the chest logo, Calvert's semi breakaway which lead to a fairly textbook pad save by Luongo, Umberger's breakaway that saw him fall trying to shovel the puck through a Luongo pad that was waiting for him.... The opportunities are there for whenever these boys want to start taking advantage of them. Good teams outplay their opponents, but great teams find ways to win.
For all the negatives, I would like to draw on a very big positive for the Jackets. They have been unconscious on the penalty kill. I believe the stat line was killing 22 of the last 23 penalties through the end of the game last night. For a team fighting for the playoffs, that is a major contributor to success. While I do not expect them to continue that kind of pace, they are quickly generated one of the more effective penalty kills in the league, now sitting at 19th overall with an 81.3%.
Also, the play of Scottie Upshall was very refreshing. I personally look forward to seeing what all he can bring to the lineup as he learns the system, and frankly, seeing Pahlsson's name so often in a positive way is something I have been hoping for since he came to the team. If Upshall can bring out the best in Pahlsson, we could be looking at the outline of a very deep Columbus team when Brassard returns.
Carry the Flag!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sestito Deal Benefits Franchise First
In the dying moments of crunch time, news came over twitter from a number of sources stating that fan favourite Tom Sestito had been dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers for former Blue Jacket Greg Moore, and last year 3rd round pick Michael Chaput. Not unsurprising, mass histeria struck half of the Blue Jacket twitter fanbase as the idea of losing a guy who showed solid promise sunk in.
Personally, the deal confused me initially. Greg Moore was a Blue Jacket only a year ago. His numbers are fairly standard, and in all aspects, his play is dwarfed by the potential ability of Sestito. That said, after doing some digging into Chaput, it became fairly clear what Howson was after.
At 6'2, 195 pounds, the 18 year old center has amassed 55 points for the second straight season with Lewiston of the QMJHL. The analysis at Hockey's future has this to say about him;
Certainly characteristics that look good coming into a bigger, better league. It is a difficult thing to teach players to find the seam in traffic, and if he works hard, two-way players are always of great value. Couple those with the dire need for a franchise number one center, and suddenly this trade begins to make sense.
While I can respect the appreciation for Sestito, who has a solid twitter following, along with being a bright spot in a rather dreary month of Columbus hockey, the bar has officially begun to rise in terms of quality play. With Boll and Dorsett on NHL contracts, the redundancy of Sestito begins to show clear. Couple that with the addition of Upshall, and suddenly players like Murray and MacKenzie will be fighting tooth and nail to retain relevance with the big club. Yes, suddenly, a Sestito call-up looks extremely unlikely.
So while I respect the appreciation and favouritsim shown to Sestito, I will respectfully take the road less travelled. I did enjoy having him on the depth chart, but I believe this move solidifies the necessary potential moving forward that will make this team stronger. Once again, Howson makes a move that I fully support, and his reasons were clear in the post deadline press conference. He wanted Chaput last year during the draft, and he finally was able to get him in a deal that did not cost the Jackets in an area they were not already strong in.
Carry the Flag!
Personally, the deal confused me initially. Greg Moore was a Blue Jacket only a year ago. His numbers are fairly standard, and in all aspects, his play is dwarfed by the potential ability of Sestito. That said, after doing some digging into Chaput, it became fairly clear what Howson was after.
At 6'2, 195 pounds, the 18 year old center has amassed 55 points for the second straight season with Lewiston of the QMJHL. The analysis at Hockey's future has this to say about him;
...the ability to contribute at both ends of the ice. Though not overly physical and needing additional strength, Chaput showed a knack for sneaking through traffic and finding open ice. A solid skater, the pivot took the majority of Lewiston's face-offs over the year and finished with 51 percent success rating.
Certainly characteristics that look good coming into a bigger, better league. It is a difficult thing to teach players to find the seam in traffic, and if he works hard, two-way players are always of great value. Couple those with the dire need for a franchise number one center, and suddenly this trade begins to make sense.
While I can respect the appreciation for Sestito, who has a solid twitter following, along with being a bright spot in a rather dreary month of Columbus hockey, the bar has officially begun to rise in terms of quality play. With Boll and Dorsett on NHL contracts, the redundancy of Sestito begins to show clear. Couple that with the addition of Upshall, and suddenly players like Murray and MacKenzie will be fighting tooth and nail to retain relevance with the big club. Yes, suddenly, a Sestito call-up looks extremely unlikely.
So while I respect the appreciation and favouritsim shown to Sestito, I will respectfully take the road less travelled. I did enjoy having him on the depth chart, but I believe this move solidifies the necessary potential moving forward that will make this team stronger. Once again, Howson makes a move that I fully support, and his reasons were clear in the post deadline press conference. He wanted Chaput last year during the draft, and he finally was able to get him in a deal that did not cost the Jackets in an area they were not already strong in.
Carry the Flag!
Klesla Dealt to PHX for Upshall, Lepisto
The deal finally struck. After awaking this morning after horribly interrupted sleep (thank you dog + thunderstorm/windstorm) I found myself overly anxious and a bit irritable that trades were not falling by 10am. In fact, by twelve, I was eagerly hunting for additional twitter followers for some sort of unlikely inside scoop on ANYTHING trade relevant.
...And then it happened. Scott Howson, very much in Scott Howson form, made a deal out of left field, trading players who arguably were not talked about in any form previous to today, from a team claiming that they would not be making additional deals moving into the deadline.
This deal marks the end of an era for the Blue Jackets, and while I have been openly elated about the trade, I do think it's a good time to acknowledge Rusty for what he has done for the franchise. At the start of every year, I helplessly hoped that he would find success without finding the IR, and again, my hopes were brutally shattered.
Sami Lepisto will be a 26 year old RFA this summer. He is not the powerplay QB this team arguably needs, but he has been fairly solid for the Coyotes. He has 4 goals and 7 assists in 51 games and is a +7 while averaging over 16 minutes a game. While he won't make incredible waves in the defensive core, he will most definitely force the competitive nature in the six active players.
Scottie Upshall is a 27 year old upcoming UFA this summer. He is a hard working 2nd/3rd liner with 16 goals and 11 assists in 61 games with Phoenix this year. He is averaging just over 13 minutes a game, leading me to believe that he could be a flexible 2nd/3rd liner for Columbus depending on injuries.
At this point I am going to call this trade a huge win for Columbus. Klesla was a great potential talent, but truly struggled to stay healthy. Lepisto is an RFA who will bring some depth to the Columbus blueline, and Upshall will bring speed and grit that seems to be lacking in the offensive depth of the Jackets roster.
Go Scott Howson. Some people may think he is inept, but I think he continues to make the deals necessary to bring this team into the playoffs for a long time.
Carry the Flag!
...And then it happened. Scott Howson, very much in Scott Howson form, made a deal out of left field, trading players who arguably were not talked about in any form previous to today, from a team claiming that they would not be making additional deals moving into the deadline.
This deal marks the end of an era for the Blue Jackets, and while I have been openly elated about the trade, I do think it's a good time to acknowledge Rusty for what he has done for the franchise. At the start of every year, I helplessly hoped that he would find success without finding the IR, and again, my hopes were brutally shattered.
Sami Lepisto will be a 26 year old RFA this summer. He is not the powerplay QB this team arguably needs, but he has been fairly solid for the Coyotes. He has 4 goals and 7 assists in 51 games and is a +7 while averaging over 16 minutes a game. While he won't make incredible waves in the defensive core, he will most definitely force the competitive nature in the six active players.
Scottie Upshall is a 27 year old upcoming UFA this summer. He is a hard working 2nd/3rd liner with 16 goals and 11 assists in 61 games with Phoenix this year. He is averaging just over 13 minutes a game, leading me to believe that he could be a flexible 2nd/3rd liner for Columbus depending on injuries.
At this point I am going to call this trade a huge win for Columbus. Klesla was a great potential talent, but truly struggled to stay healthy. Lepisto is an RFA who will bring some depth to the Columbus blueline, and Upshall will bring speed and grit that seems to be lacking in the offensive depth of the Jackets roster.
Go Scott Howson. Some people may think he is inept, but I think he continues to make the deals necessary to bring this team into the playoffs for a long time.
Carry the Flag!
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