Antoine Vermette Signed to 5 Year Extension

As the season draws closer, The Columbus Blue Jackets have made yet another move to solidify the teams top six players. Antoine Vermette was given a five year extension worth 18.75 million. This will pay the Jackets center around 3.75 million per season. He is due to make 3 million this coming season.

In my opinion, this was a move that was absolutely necessary. He will be a great penalty killer and a guaranteed second line center for every year of that contract. While not terribly physical, his tenacity with and without the puck, as well as his fantastic penalty killing abilities, this transfers into a truly logical deal. With Umberger set to make the same amount of money, it really makes sense to get the same average in the long run, and it will guarantee Vermette at a reasonable deal until he is 33.

It also takes another player off the 'to sign' books for the following year, relieving a lot of pressure off management, and giving some of the younger players a feeling that maybe they will be the next player to get signed.

Vermette, new to the Jackets last year, had 7 goals and 6 assists in 17 games to finish out the season. He also was a +5 and averaged just under 20 minutes per game.

Carry the Flag!

2009/2010 Columbus Defense

Columbus defensively may be the biggest question this year. With a decent showing last year, and young players like Methot and Russell showing their capacity to function at the NHL level, Columbus certainly has the cornerstone of what could be a very strong defensive core.

Obviously the biggest off-season effort was put into the Rick Nash signing, but I do believe finding a puck moving defensemen was second on their list all the way. While Rusty Klesla has shown signs of being a great player, his inability to stay healthy has cost the Blue Jackets much needed depth on the blueline. If they hope to acquire a quality defender, it is no doubt they will try and package Rusty with a forward (hopefully one of Chimera or Modin). Here are my preferred lines heading into the pre-season;

1 - Commodore – Hejda
2 - Russell – Tyutin
3 - Methot – Klesla

While I do think these combinations show a great deal of depth in their current state, I think it will be necessary for a couple of these guys to step it up and really force their play into the first pairing. I do not think any one of these players deserve the top spot more than another, although I do think their style of play may become a factor.

Commodore and Hejda became the ‘go-to’ pairing for Hitchcock last year. Both were able to prove their critics (including me) wrong and play a strong defensive game. They will have to up their game if they want to avoid losing their spot to one of the young guys still working on developing into their career style and ability.

Russell and Tyutin are a pairing we have seen before. Russell has a tremendous ability to carry the puck into the offensive zone, and draw pinching forward away from Tyutin. This will allow hopefully for a lot of open point shots from Fedor. While I think both can achieve top line status, I think the most opportunity lies with Russell and the level he can achieve this year.

Finally, we consider Methot and Klesla. Both seem to continuously have something to prove to the coaching staff. There will be no free rife for Methot, although with the release of Backman, it will give him the opportunity to truly own an NHL position. In Klesla’s case, everything rides on his summer development and how he can avoid injuries this year.

As I had previously mentioned, a lot of room for modification to the defensive lines may really force these six palyers to amp up their game. One thing I will personally anticipate is that these lines will look completely different after the first month of the season.

Carry the Flag!

2009/2010 Columbus Offense

One of the Blue Jackets main concerns over the years has been not only their lack of secondary scoring, but basically their lack of anyone scoring outside of the mighty Rick Nash. Over the off-season, the Blue Jackets welcomed Sammy Pahlsson to the mix, said their goodbyes to guys like Malhotra and Williams, and re-signed one of their budding young centermen, Derick Brassard. Also, considered to be this years ‘new face brightspot’, Nikita Filatov, fresh off a summer of weight gaining and conditioning will look to penetrate the roster in a big way.

Here are my preferred lines;

1 – Rick Nash – Derick Brassard – Kristian Huselius
2 – Jakub Voracek – Antoine Vermette – Nikita Filatov
3 – RJ Umberger – Sammy Pahlsson – Raffi Torres
4 – Jared Boll – Derek Dorsett – Chimera/Modin

Let me start with line one. Nash and Huselius are somewhat of a staple on the first line, especially this early in the season. Adding Brassard, which is what the coaching staff was toying with before his injury seems like the logical decision to make. He is good for a point per game and sees the ice well. That really translates into the perfect compliment for guys like Nash and Juice.

Moving on to the second line, I think it is important to explain the third line in conjunction, as the style of play from the two lines will be substantially different. Generally speaking, successful playoff teams can play a grit line against the opposing teams top line to stymie their offensive opportunities and wear them down with physical play. Last year, Columbus’ best line in the playoffs was Dorsett – Umberger – Torres because of their relentless forecheck. While I do not think Dorsett is deserving of a third line role, I think Pahlsson is exactly the replacement the Jackets needed. They can use their tenacity and high paced forecheck against some of the better lines in the NHL, not allowing them the time and space needed to make big plays. Because the third line is designed for power, I believe the second line should be built on playmaking. Both Vermette and Voracek seem to really pursue the pass before the shot. Bringing in a guy like Filatov is a perfect way to compliment two play makers. He has the ability to find the seam and get into the right positions, which will open the opportunity for big passes and even bigger goals.

Now to the fourth line. A lot of Jackets fans probably do not agree with my snubbing of Modin and Chimera, but I assure you, it is well warranted. Chimera playing well last year was a direst result of his linemates in Brassard and Voracek. Rather than placing him on a scoring line, why not throw him on an energy fourth line with Dorsett and Boll, and really let them pour on speed and punishment? In regards to Modin, I really think he is as relevant to the Jackets roster as Malhotra was. There are entirely too many confident and ready young players to sacrifice a roster spot for an aging, injury prone winger.

Collectively speaking, the quality of these lines may be mildly sacrificed by what I believe their main goal is, but at the same time, it may be the perfect way to distribute the talent and really play a 60 minute game.

Carry the Flag!

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.

Methot to Arbitration

Columbus defensemen Marc Methot has filed for salary arbitration, as reported by multiple sources over the last day.  This is a very normal trend for unsigned RFAs and typically those who file for arbitration are able to reach an agreement with their team long before the date of their arbitration hearing.

Columbus fans should be confident that his number will not be that substantial, considering his role on the team last year.  Not only was he benched at times for arguably better players, he rarely moved past the position of 5/6 defender.

I can hardly anticipate this will be any sort of cut throat negotiations between the team and Methot, and I definitely think this will get done before the hearing.

Carry the Flag!

Nash Signed..

Expectedly, over the last couple of days, I have taken some serious heat from reputable (at least in the spectrum of my life) Blue Jackets fans over my hard nosed opinion of the value of Rick Nash.  While I fully anticipated the flak I would receive, what I did not expect, was the way in which it was received.

I do believe they overpaid him.  Based on a number of contracts currently in the NHL, Nash could have easily signed a contract for 1-1.5 million dollars less and been comfortable knowing he was in good company at that salary.  It is rather hard to argue that statement, considering it is a fact throughout the NHL.  I also will not ignore the fact that based on a clearly inflated 'fair market value' system spewing around the NHL right now, Ricky boy could have easily scored closer to 10 million with a team he had zero history with.  Again, my opinion rests solely on the home discount I believe he should have accepted (and others CLEARLY have) in order to see Columbus succeed not this year, not necessarily next year, but the years following.

What IS true in all of this, is that Rick Nash is to Columbus what Gretzky was to hockey in the United States after his move to Los Angeles.  Nash has had a number of highlights that have single handedly made fans out of naysayers in that city, and his legacy as a Jacket will be long standing within the organization and fanbase for the foreseeable future.  I never once questioned his talent, and am fully aware that he remains the best player on this hockey team, although I absolutely have and will question whether one of Columbus' prospects will eclipse him prior to or directly after their next contracts come.

My main issue with the last couple days was the way he slapped the organization in the face after the first offer.  Yes, it was 100% a reactionary decision by Nash, and likely one that was spoon fed by his agent to really shake up the negotiation process, but it does not bode well as the captain of Columbus, nor should it in the eyes of every fan who had to deal with what players like adam foote did to the organization.  It was a big red flag for me, one that I will not soon forget when thinking about what Nash has done for this team, and no, I am most certainly not ignoring what he has done for the community as well.

I hope this provides some clarity into my reasoning.  There is absolutely no question that I value Rick as a part of this hockey team, and I do believe that he is a big piece of the puzzle when talking about going deeper into the playoffs, but for me, I feel that he could have given the organization a break when dealing with him, although, based on some of their more recent contracts, they overpay for pretty much everyone (see RJ, Commodore, Huselius)

Carry the Flag!

Nash and His "Reaction"

Most everyone knows at this point about the contract offer sent by Columbus Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson to all-star captain Rick Nash.  Most also know, thanks to our friends at the Columbus Dispatch, that Nash was extremely vocal in dismissing the offer, suggesting that the going rate for a player of his caliber was substantially higher, and that if the offer was not adjusted to a reasonable number, he would have no issues heading to free agency next summer.

Let me premise my response by saying, simply, bad move Rick.

The first issue that arises here is his intent to vocally belittle Blue Jackets management.  I do not be they would come to the table with anything less than a reasonable number, as they suggested their main off season priority was signing Nash.  There are appropriate ways to interact with a hockey club as that team's captain, and I believe we saw signs of adam foote in the way Rick acted Wednesday night.  He is not, nor will he ever be bigger than the team, and he needs to fully take that into account.

The second issue I have with his argument, is his source.  He is citing free agent signings that many fans are laughing at.  Gross overpayments are running rampant in the NHL, and Nash needs to understand that if he wants to play for a competitive hockey team, his salary must be comparable to those players who choose team over max dollar.  He can quote at least four contracts handed out on Wednesday that could value him in the 8-9 million dollar range, but frankly, that is only one side of it.

Consider the contracts of Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, the Sedin twins, Mike Richards, and Ilya Kovalchuk.  These players are worth substantially higher contracts by "Free Agent Market Standards" but in reality, they remained with their original team at a contract that allows their team to sign other players and remain competitive.  The numbers of these palyers are easily comparable to Nash's, and their contracts do not exceed 6-7 million per year.  If Howson is smart, he will offer Nash a lengthy contract somewhere in this range of 6-7 million, and hope Nash uses some common sense when responding for the second time.

My final issue is regarding where the team is headed.  Not only do the Jackets have to worry about RFA contracts of some of their best young talent over the next two years, they have to make sure the holes are filled around them.  Nash is their best player at the current moment, but that could quickly change with development of players like Brassard, Voracek, and Filatov.  Nash may believe he was the teams saving grace over the past 6 years, but frankly, things are changing quickly.