This recap is going to focus on a couple of things (I could write for hours on my frustration of an 0-6-1 start, but I don't think it's all that constructive at this point), and I hope it reaches a number of the fans commenting on the #CBJ twitter feed as well as the Puck-Rakers piece that went up after the game. While I find that many focus on the more obvious positions (aka Mason) it seems that glaring mistakes made which lead to sticky situations get completely ignored, so I will be exposing a couple of mistakes that cost them the game, and then reviewing Mason's game to see which of them can really be directly his fault.
The Mistakes
To begin, Columbus needs some defense, and smarter passing/clearing in the defensive zone. Of the many glaring mistakes made by the Blue Jackets last night, I have selected a few that I can share which made all the difference in the hockey game.
Mistake 1 :: Pahlsson grabs the puck behind the net and gets prepared to take a hit by a Detroit player. Instead of trapping the puck or playing it up the boards, he sends a soft fluttery pass through the middle of the ice that lands in the middle of the PK box, leaving Franzen to take the uncontested shot on Mason which becomes the first goal. Fault Pahlsson (although kudos to Umberger for taking an extremely lazy, extremely bad penalty on Datsyuk to give Detroit the powerplay). No bad pass, no easy shot, no goal.
Mistake 2 :: Johnson grabs the puck in front of the Blue Jackets net after a few decent saves by Mason, and rather than dumping it to the neutral zone or throwing it into the corner, he shovels it forward in an almost pass-like motion, directly onto the stick of Datsyuk, who scores easily. Fault Johnson (and whoever should have been covering Datsyuk) for not being able to get the puck into a low scoring area. No bad pass, no easy shot, no goal.
Mistake 3 :: Grant Clitsome coughs the puck up late in the game, without a goalie to defend them, and Detroit scores easily. I don't even see the point of analyzing this. Fault Clitsome. No bad turnover, no easy shot, no goal.
As you can see, while the scapegoat style blame fest falls on Mason, it is teammate breakdowns which lead to three of the goals, and a really fortunate series of deflected pucks that lead to another. Without these glaring mistakes, Mason would be hanging on to a one goal lead into the waning seconds of the third period. But the easy thing to do is blame Mason (as of course the scoresheet tells the best tale) so let's review..
Mason
He was tremendous on a number of occasions. The two most notable saves of the game were on Helm on the breakaway (shorthanded for Detroit, as the CBJ defense watched on) and a ridiculous glove save on Franzen from slightly further out than where he scored his first goal of the game. He was not a Hall of Fame candidate last night, though, letting in four goals, so here's the breakdown on them:
Goal 1 :: Franzen picks up the puck in the slot thanks to Pahlsson taking the puck behind the net and listlessly throwing it out in front on the penalty kill, and gets an uncontested shot on Mason from about 8 feet out, going far post. For those who don't know, Franzen is a tremendously talented shooter who has a knack for finding the back of the net. He is a goal scorer who scored. Give Mason a break.
Goal 2 :: Franzen attempts to make a pass across the crease during the powerplay. Mason begins to cross with the puck when it is blocked by a Columbus defensemen's stick and returned to Franzen's stick. He then makes ANOTHER attempt to pass it across the crease, and the puck deflects off of Johnson's stick, off Mason's pad (he scrambled to get back after the first pass was deflected) but it finds the back of the net. Give Mason a break.
Goal 3 :: Two saves in tight had Mason out of the crease to the left of the net, hunting for the rebound to cover. Johnson plays the puck directly onto the stick of Pavel Datsyuk (yes, THAT Pavel Datsyuk) and he buries into the empty net. Give Mason a break.
Goal 4 :: Once again on the powerplay, Mason is fighting to get an eye on the puck as he is blocked by a Detroit forward and Marc Methot. The Detroit winger with the puck fakes the shot (which causes Mason to go into a save position, while the puck is passed to Lidstrom at the point who bombs one far side shelf. I'm not going to say give Mason a break on this one, as he made the mistake of reading the fake as a shot, but I can certainly understand why he did. So alas, one goal out of four is questionably his fault.
Here's the kicker. For those who read this and actually disagree with me, feel free to describe each play in the comments section. Show me how it is Mason's fault on any of the first three goals, and maybe I can be persuaded. Until then, it is defense, NOT goaltending, that can fix this team in terms of goals against. While I do not think Mason has been a Hall of Fame level goaltender, the team needs to make his job easier, especially on the third, and sometimes fourth shot in a row that finally end up making it into the back of the net.
The Rest of the Team
I don't really feel the need to make this into a book so I'll be brief with the rest of the team. I thought Giroux had another solid game and is fitting in nicely with the Jackets lower lines. Were it my choice, I'd drop MacKenzie and play Giroux in his role.
A prime example of why MacKenzie doesn't belong in the NHL came when a fantastic pass from the corner landed on DMac's stick in front of Howard, who was slightly out of position. Rather than burying the puck far side post (not unlike Franzen) he panicked, and shoveled a shot directly into his pads. That might have been one of the biggest game changers right there, and was easily Columbus' best scoring chance of the night.
Brassard was moving around the ice with great effort for the second game in a row, and scored his second in as many games. I think it's great to see him get success as he is clearly one of the hardest working players right now.
Vermette and Umberger are still irrelevant. Without question, having these two guys find success is absolutely crucial for the team to start winning, so whatever it takes, these two "team leaders" need to pull their heads out of their.. uhh.. off-season and get with the program. Hard work and effort will reward. Maybe they can sit down with Brassard to get some knowledge dropped on them.
Does Rick Nash still score goals? Does Rick Nash backcheck? Does Rick Nash care?
I think Vinny P was a fire ball out there, which is great after his scathing comments regarding the team effort on the ice. As much as I do enjoy watching him work, I think it's concerning that he is one of their best players right now, and he was brought in to be a depth forward that benefited from Nash and Carter taking the spotlight. I also saw him getting frustrated by terrible low percentage shots, and I love it. I hope he had a few choice words for the shooters once they reached the bench.
I am not touching the defense. There's just too much wrong right now. Methot it a tank for finishing the game, and Russell's flip out after the brutal call on him for checking Bertuzzi late in the game was fun to watch. The rest of the defense are not even worth noting, as I am sure their names have already been mentioned a couple times in this blog.
Ottawa
While I am not a terribly patient guy, I will lose all of it if the team can't win their first game tonight against Ottawa. Maybe a part of it is pride, or just exhaustion from what we have been forced to watch, but I need something to give the fans hope that there could still be a season in Columbus worth watching.
I will be watching for the Vermette/Umberger tandem to start being relevant. I will look to the "captain" to backcheck further than his blueline, and I am going to hold my breath while they start the game hoping to see some level of compete from the Jackets. I may not need 55 wins a year to be a fan, but I most certainly need some sign that the compete level, the interest level, the heart, is there.
Carry the Flag.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Support Hockey Fights Cancer and the CBJ
I don't usually comment on more than the team and their on ice output, but sometimes great opportunities come around that allow Blue Jackets fans to show their generosity towards those who are fighting battles with awful diseases.
Here is some information on Hockey Fights Cancer from NHL.com:
As you can see, it is a well supported initiative designed to raise money to support cancer research among other things. This year, The Blue Jackets are having a "Hockey Fights Cancer Night" on October 25th. They will be auctioning off purple jerseys, along with selling hats, shirts, and from the sounds of it, auctioning off Steve Mason's purple pads. I was able to check out the purple jerseys being auctioned at the last home game and they are sweet. Here's a picture to crank up your interest! (although let's not kid ourselves, @AlisonL is clearly the target of this photo..) Late Edit :: I am told that this jersey is spoken for.. Aka bid on all the other jerseys!! (this is in good humour, but AlisonL is very clearly the perfect person to own this specific Dorsett jersey)
This isn't a shameful plug, it's just one fan who can appreciate what they are trying to do. If I find myself at Nationwide during the HFC night, I am going to be hard pressed not to put down a bid on one of these bad boys, and I strongly encourage you to open your hearts and wallets to get some really fantastic looking swag and support what I believe to be an excellent initiative. I truly hope you do the same, and if you do, make sure to let me know!!
Carry the Flag!
Here is some information on Hockey Fights Cancer from NHL.com:
Hockey Fights Cancer is a component of the NHL's "Biggest Assist Happens off the Ice" campaign, the League's long-standing tradition of addressing important social issues in North America and around the world.
Hockey Fights Cancer is a joint initiative founded in December 1998 by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association to raise money and awareness for hockey's most important fight. It is supported by NHL Member Clubs, NHL Alumni, the NHL Officials' Association, Professional Hockey Trainers and Equipment Managers, corporate marketing partners, broadcast partners and fans throughout North America.
To date, more than $12 million has been raised to support national and local cancer research institutions, Children's Hospitals, player charities and local cancer organizations.
As you can see, it is a well supported initiative designed to raise money to support cancer research among other things. This year, The Blue Jackets are having a "Hockey Fights Cancer Night" on October 25th. They will be auctioning off purple jerseys, along with selling hats, shirts, and from the sounds of it, auctioning off Steve Mason's purple pads. I was able to check out the purple jerseys being auctioned at the last home game and they are sweet. Here's a picture to crank up your interest! (although let's not kid ourselves, @AlisonL is clearly the target of this photo..) Late Edit :: I am told that this jersey is spoken for.. Aka bid on all the other jerseys!! (this is in good humour, but AlisonL is very clearly the perfect person to own this specific Dorsett jersey)
This isn't a shameful plug, it's just one fan who can appreciate what they are trying to do. If I find myself at Nationwide during the HFC night, I am going to be hard pressed not to put down a bid on one of these bad boys, and I strongly encourage you to open your hearts and wallets to get some really fantastic looking swag and support what I believe to be an excellent initiative. I truly hope you do the same, and if you do, make sure to let me know!!
Carry the Flag!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Where is the Elite Rick Nash?
I am going to start this with a disclaimer: Rick Nash is an All-Star hockey player. There is no denying it, and I never would. In fact, during his entire NHL career, he has been one of my favourite players to watch, especially considering he went through the London Knights OHL system, which also happens to be my home town. Frankly, I love everything Rick Nash brings to the sport of hockey, and I would never question his capacity as an elite player. Quite honestly, I am doing the opposite. I am not questioning his capacity to be an elite player, I am questioning where elite Rick Nash has gone.
Specifically, Rick Nash is classified as an elite hockey player, but he has been far from elite this year. It is such a dangerous word to use in hockey, because it elicits the absolute best, and to this point I am not even sure if he has been the best player for the Blue Jackets this year. When I think of the term elite, I think of Ovechkin thrashing through three players are ripping a shot over the goalies shoulder. I think of Sid dragging two players into the corner, only to loop, fall to a knee, and make a perfect saucer pass to a wide open winger for the easy put home. I think of Pavel Datsyuk and his unspeakable way of making the goalie go the completely wrong way with the simple shrug of his shoulder before burying into the empty net.
With those baselines set, I think back on the six games the Blue Jackets have played to start the season, and I am left with absolutely nothing that would give Nash the right to stand among those players noted above. Has he been decent? Sure, he's found his name on the scoresheet a few times, and is on pace right now to score 82 points this year, but at what quality are these points coming? Are those six points all he could have accumulated?
Offense
Has he wow'ed you yet? He has not wow'ed me with his offensive plays. He has his newish 'go to' move of flipping the puck up in the air and just trying to skate around people while attempting to regain possession. That hasn't worked. He tries to circle with speed and roll through 3-4 players at a time with his head down. That hasn't worked. He has taken 18 shots on net, but have any of them been all that impressive?
When I comment on these efforts, I get a whole lot of "well, he's not used to having linemates to make passes to" in response. I get that, but if he's that damaged as a hockey player, why are they building the franchise around him? I find myself attributing him to Lebron (don't flip out, read on) a lot. He's an absolute stud with the puck playing at 100%, but he is also one of the more gifted passers I have ever seen. Unfortunately, his natural instinct appears to be designed to press the issue towards the net or walk the perimeter looking for the lazy pass.
Defense
I remember reading a bit about Hitchcock the other day, discussing how he made Modano into a two way player rather than just a scorer, and did the same thing for Nash in Columbus. In fact, that soundbyte may have come from Nash directly (don't quote me on that though). So why then, am I watching him lazily make his way back into the defensive zone without any real effort? If you're looking for a prime example, I need not go further than the Benn goal from last night. Certainly there are three other Columbus players who would have liked to have this one back, but what exactly is Nash doing here? He commits to the coverage twice only to back off both times giving Benn the free lane towards the defense and the net.
I think it's an issue with his compete level. He had some of the highest on ice minutes for forwards yesterday, but also had some of the longest shifts. Some may define that as hard work, whereas I define it as him not pushing himself on the ice enough to get tired. I welcome criticism on this, so please feel free to provide me with specific examples where his compete level on the ice is consistent with legitimate hard work, but the term 'floating' was used between myself and my fellow spectator at the game. How many 'elite' players get tagged with the term 'floating' more than five times in any game?
Solutions
I am not going to limit this lack of compete level with just Nash, but he is the captain. I have read countless articles praising him for his 'lead by example' style of leadership, but if that is the case, it comes as no surprise to me that this team is taking periods off at a time. I think Nash really needs to step his pace of play each time he gets on the ice, with both his backchecking and his play without the puck in the neutral and offensive zone.
With the puck, I would like to see him make a competitive play and then look for a solid pass to an open player. With the talent he has, it shouldn't come as a surprise when the opposing team doubles up coverage on him, and when that happens, I want to see him hunting for a passing lane, not just forcing the issue towards the net and eventually losing possession. I think there's plenty of room for him to find the back of the net this year, but I would also like him to embrace a bit of a 'dishing' role and make an attempt to pick up 50+ assists this year. Who knows, maybe once that player receives the pass, Nash can sneak behind the double team and find a solid lane to receive the return pass. 40 goals and 50 assists is not even remotely out of his realm.
Does anyone remember this letter? I sure do.
If that is the case, Nasher, I think it's time you start showing how much you care on the ice. It is important to me as a fan. I need to know you want the win as bad as I do.
...and you're still awesome. And I am still a huge fan of the way you 'can' play hockey.
Carry the Flag.
Specifically, Rick Nash is classified as an elite hockey player, but he has been far from elite this year. It is such a dangerous word to use in hockey, because it elicits the absolute best, and to this point I am not even sure if he has been the best player for the Blue Jackets this year. When I think of the term elite, I think of Ovechkin thrashing through three players are ripping a shot over the goalies shoulder. I think of Sid dragging two players into the corner, only to loop, fall to a knee, and make a perfect saucer pass to a wide open winger for the easy put home. I think of Pavel Datsyuk and his unspeakable way of making the goalie go the completely wrong way with the simple shrug of his shoulder before burying into the empty net.
With those baselines set, I think back on the six games the Blue Jackets have played to start the season, and I am left with absolutely nothing that would give Nash the right to stand among those players noted above. Has he been decent? Sure, he's found his name on the scoresheet a few times, and is on pace right now to score 82 points this year, but at what quality are these points coming? Are those six points all he could have accumulated?
Offense
Has he wow'ed you yet? He has not wow'ed me with his offensive plays. He has his newish 'go to' move of flipping the puck up in the air and just trying to skate around people while attempting to regain possession. That hasn't worked. He tries to circle with speed and roll through 3-4 players at a time with his head down. That hasn't worked. He has taken 18 shots on net, but have any of them been all that impressive?
When I comment on these efforts, I get a whole lot of "well, he's not used to having linemates to make passes to" in response. I get that, but if he's that damaged as a hockey player, why are they building the franchise around him? I find myself attributing him to Lebron (don't flip out, read on) a lot. He's an absolute stud with the puck playing at 100%, but he is also one of the more gifted passers I have ever seen. Unfortunately, his natural instinct appears to be designed to press the issue towards the net or walk the perimeter looking for the lazy pass.
Defense
I remember reading a bit about Hitchcock the other day, discussing how he made Modano into a two way player rather than just a scorer, and did the same thing for Nash in Columbus. In fact, that soundbyte may have come from Nash directly (don't quote me on that though). So why then, am I watching him lazily make his way back into the defensive zone without any real effort? If you're looking for a prime example, I need not go further than the Benn goal from last night. Certainly there are three other Columbus players who would have liked to have this one back, but what exactly is Nash doing here? He commits to the coverage twice only to back off both times giving Benn the free lane towards the defense and the net.
I think it's an issue with his compete level. He had some of the highest on ice minutes for forwards yesterday, but also had some of the longest shifts. Some may define that as hard work, whereas I define it as him not pushing himself on the ice enough to get tired. I welcome criticism on this, so please feel free to provide me with specific examples where his compete level on the ice is consistent with legitimate hard work, but the term 'floating' was used between myself and my fellow spectator at the game. How many 'elite' players get tagged with the term 'floating' more than five times in any game?
Solutions
I am not going to limit this lack of compete level with just Nash, but he is the captain. I have read countless articles praising him for his 'lead by example' style of leadership, but if that is the case, it comes as no surprise to me that this team is taking periods off at a time. I think Nash really needs to step his pace of play each time he gets on the ice, with both his backchecking and his play without the puck in the neutral and offensive zone.
With the puck, I would like to see him make a competitive play and then look for a solid pass to an open player. With the talent he has, it shouldn't come as a surprise when the opposing team doubles up coverage on him, and when that happens, I want to see him hunting for a passing lane, not just forcing the issue towards the net and eventually losing possession. I think there's plenty of room for him to find the back of the net this year, but I would also like him to embrace a bit of a 'dishing' role and make an attempt to pick up 50+ assists this year. Who knows, maybe once that player receives the pass, Nash can sneak behind the double team and find a solid lane to receive the return pass. 40 goals and 50 assists is not even remotely out of his realm.
Does anyone remember this letter? I sure do.
If that is the case, Nasher, I think it's time you start showing how much you care on the ice. It is important to me as a fan. I need to know you want the win as bad as I do.
...and you're still awesome. And I am still a huge fan of the way you 'can' play hockey.
Carry the Flag.
Recap :: Dallas vs. Columbus 10/18
These are starting to write themselves. Columbus begins the game while an anxious (and generally prepared for a disappointment) crowd watches on. Kudos to the 9,157 other fans that joined me tonight at Nationwide instead of watching with the feet up at home. Despite outshooting the opposition 24-11 through two periods of play, the Jackets found themselves in a hole thanks to a ridiculous overcommit by Radek Martinek which gave Steve Ott a free shot from a high scoring area, beating Steve Mason about mid-level on the glove side. Certainly one he would have liked to have back.
The third period offered no favours either, with Jamie Benn being left alone by Rick Nash (backchecking is only mostly overrated) took an inexcusable turnover by Aaron Johnson and beat a rather surprised Steve Mason after dragging the puck all the way through the slot. Hard work brought the Jackets within one goal thanks to Brassard scoring his first of the year on a powerplay rebound, but the Stars came rolling right back thanks to more questionable defense by the Jackets.
Thoughtful of Kris Russell to bang home a fantastic point shot to bring it to within one again, but silly errors by Grant Clitsome spoiled the final two offensive pushes by the Jackets and once again, that 2-3 final score flashed before my eyes.
I've got fingers pointed in a number of directions, but I won't get ahead of myself too quick with the negative. On the positive note, I think Kris Russell had another noticeably decent game, scoring his first of the year and making a tremendous play to avoid the empty netter in the final minutes of the third period. Certainly when it comes to the Jackets defense right now, upwards of five spots seem to be as solid as jello, and I think Russell has done a fine job of making himself a strong candidates for one of the six.
On the other hand, Grant Clitsome has seemed to string together a series of truly mediocre games, making himself noticeable in a number of key situations, and faltering heavily on more than one occasion. Specifically, I can think of two within the last two minutes that were definitively glaring, coughing up the puck to Dallas while fiddling around at the blueline almost leading to an empty net goal, and then skating up the ice with the puck only to fire up down for an icing call with 18 seconds left on the clock thanks to no passing options. Frankly, I am disappointed. Between the bad decision making while looking for the pass, and skating across the blueline to shoot on net only to STILL find a shin pad, Clitsome and his excellent name are dropping heavily on my depth chart.
Hard to not be positive about forty shots on goal, but were they all that tremendous? I think rebounds and forcing difficult saves on account of traffic were two scenarios that Kari Lehtonen did not have on his mind. There were some solid shots, along with some absolutely atrocious misses (Pahlsson, I am looking at you after receiving a great pass from behind the net and missing shortside with at LEAST 40% of the net to work with) leaving me once again somewhat underwhelmed with the effort offensively. 40 shots are great, but make them 20 GOOD shots, and I'll be a happy guy.
Defensively I still don't understand Arniel's logic. The center seems to follow the puck regardless of how deep the puck goes in the defensive end, as well as at least one of the defenders typically. This leaves the two wingers dropping from the point down to pretty much the faceoff circle. I can certainly understand closing down the scoring zone, but when the passes reach the point (and more often than not they do) it leads to an excellent opportunity for the opposition. I just don't get it, and I can't get on board with that kind of coverage. I am tired of seeing that passing option.
Offensively I thought Brassard had a great night, along with the entire Giroux - Vermette - Prospal line which was an absolute pleasure to watch at times. I know people are getting down on Brassy a bit for losing the puck and falling over, but I see that as a guy who is giving it everything he's got, trying to do a little too much to create a scoring opportunity. In time, if he keeps up that level of confidence, I think those efforts will turn into excellent scoring opportunities (assuming all of these trade rumours are just rumours). I also have a bit of a bone to pick with Nasher, but there will be plenty more on that when I get a chance to sleep on some of the thoughts brewing in my head. I understand he's the face of the franchise, so I will be making a point of picking my words carefully.
Finally, Steve Mason. Certainly the kid would like to have goal one back, but it was a solid shot from a scoring position with no defensive coverage to back him up. The other two, well, 18 shots, and I think I could think of at least 4-5 that should have never even come close to Mase. I am getting a bit bored of the fan base claiming that he needs to be traded, so I won't really go into depth on this, but I felt that he gave them a chance to win again tonight, making a few very tough saves to keep them above water.
Carry the Flag!
The third period offered no favours either, with Jamie Benn being left alone by Rick Nash (backchecking is only mostly overrated) took an inexcusable turnover by Aaron Johnson and beat a rather surprised Steve Mason after dragging the puck all the way through the slot. Hard work brought the Jackets within one goal thanks to Brassard scoring his first of the year on a powerplay rebound, but the Stars came rolling right back thanks to more questionable defense by the Jackets.
Thoughtful of Kris Russell to bang home a fantastic point shot to bring it to within one again, but silly errors by Grant Clitsome spoiled the final two offensive pushes by the Jackets and once again, that 2-3 final score flashed before my eyes.
I've got fingers pointed in a number of directions, but I won't get ahead of myself too quick with the negative. On the positive note, I think Kris Russell had another noticeably decent game, scoring his first of the year and making a tremendous play to avoid the empty netter in the final minutes of the third period. Certainly when it comes to the Jackets defense right now, upwards of five spots seem to be as solid as jello, and I think Russell has done a fine job of making himself a strong candidates for one of the six.
On the other hand, Grant Clitsome has seemed to string together a series of truly mediocre games, making himself noticeable in a number of key situations, and faltering heavily on more than one occasion. Specifically, I can think of two within the last two minutes that were definitively glaring, coughing up the puck to Dallas while fiddling around at the blueline almost leading to an empty net goal, and then skating up the ice with the puck only to fire up down for an icing call with 18 seconds left on the clock thanks to no passing options. Frankly, I am disappointed. Between the bad decision making while looking for the pass, and skating across the blueline to shoot on net only to STILL find a shin pad, Clitsome and his excellent name are dropping heavily on my depth chart.
Hard to not be positive about forty shots on goal, but were they all that tremendous? I think rebounds and forcing difficult saves on account of traffic were two scenarios that Kari Lehtonen did not have on his mind. There were some solid shots, along with some absolutely atrocious misses (Pahlsson, I am looking at you after receiving a great pass from behind the net and missing shortside with at LEAST 40% of the net to work with) leaving me once again somewhat underwhelmed with the effort offensively. 40 shots are great, but make them 20 GOOD shots, and I'll be a happy guy.
Defensively I still don't understand Arniel's logic. The center seems to follow the puck regardless of how deep the puck goes in the defensive end, as well as at least one of the defenders typically. This leaves the two wingers dropping from the point down to pretty much the faceoff circle. I can certainly understand closing down the scoring zone, but when the passes reach the point (and more often than not they do) it leads to an excellent opportunity for the opposition. I just don't get it, and I can't get on board with that kind of coverage. I am tired of seeing that passing option.
Offensively I thought Brassard had a great night, along with the entire Giroux - Vermette - Prospal line which was an absolute pleasure to watch at times. I know people are getting down on Brassy a bit for losing the puck and falling over, but I see that as a guy who is giving it everything he's got, trying to do a little too much to create a scoring opportunity. In time, if he keeps up that level of confidence, I think those efforts will turn into excellent scoring opportunities (assuming all of these trade rumours are just rumours). I also have a bit of a bone to pick with Nasher, but there will be plenty more on that when I get a chance to sleep on some of the thoughts brewing in my head. I understand he's the face of the franchise, so I will be making a point of picking my words carefully.
Finally, Steve Mason. Certainly the kid would like to have goal one back, but it was a solid shot from a scoring position with no defensive coverage to back him up. The other two, well, 18 shots, and I think I could think of at least 4-5 that should have never even come close to Mase. I am getting a bit bored of the fan base claiming that he needs to be traded, so I won't really go into depth on this, but I felt that he gave them a chance to win again tonight, making a few very tough saves to keep them above water.
Carry the Flag!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Team Finally Worked Hard for Full 60 Minutes..
...in practice.
According to those who were actually able to attend (the public was not permitted), the Blue Jackets players were finally forced to work hard for a full sixty minute stretch, with coach Scott Arniel pushing the pace utilizing skating drills and compete drills. This was the result of a truly mediocre performance in Dallas on Saturday night, one that Arniel had no excuses for, and for the first time I can remember, sent the team under the bus to answer for their own shortcomings.
I like it. I am satisfied that Arniel thinks strongly enough of the team to push them hard after a loss like that, and I can only hope that the players finally get it into their heads that this team can and should be competing somewhere above the middle of the pack in the Western Conference. There are a few talking points though, as I feel like some things need to be pointed out before we as a fanbase move forward and support this team.
First, I don't like that the practice wasn't open to the public. Die hard fans are the ones that take time out of their day to attend Blue Jackets practices, and they are (or at least should be) cornerstones of the franchise when it comes to ticket sales, jersey sales, etc. I think they have earned the right to watch this team get worked into the ground, after being subjected to five straight games of sub 60 minute efforts. I have heard plenty of complaints from people suggesting they aren't taking the time to come out and watch the Jackets until they've proven they can compete, and I certainly don't blame them. Frankly, I feel like practices of this nature should be placed on display to show at least from a coaching level, this type of play will not be tolerated regardless of what part of the season it is in.
Second, while I am not entirely convinced that the team has found themselves, I think they have recognized that it really cannot get much worse. I grew up playing hockey, and while my level of competitiveness comes nowhere near being relevant here, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that losing doesn't get easier in any scenario. Being embarrassed by an 0-4-1 record is both demoralizing and mind numbing, but it also makes it easier and easier to see that the compete level just isn't where it needs to be. I think it's safe to say this team (on paper) is more competitive than most Blue Jackets teams put together over the years, and I think most of the guys on the team are aware of it. (I've got more on this, in a later point)
Third, Scott Arniel is a very interesting character. I have heard and read from more than one person who has experienced him outside the post-game interviews that he can be VERY intense, but from everything I've read today (shout out to Portzline over at the Dispatch), he wasn't shouting during the practice as much as he was letting the whistle do the talking. This came as a surprise to me as I have known a lot of really intense coaches, most of whom blow a gasket when players don't meet expectations, replacing the whistle with a red face and a hoarse shriek for an entire practice. I really like this mentality. Skate hard during the game, or skate hard in the morning. I've always been a big "push hard until you're tired, then get off" type player, so watching my favourite team take shifts off is a very hard pill to swallow and I take a lot of joy out of hearing the results of Sunday's practice.
Fourth, I think the guys who have been around the organization were thinking the wins would come with relative ease. Not to suggest that they didn't put the time in this summer or that they are packing it in game after game, but too many of the guys I was expecting to rely on this year have been mediocre at best. Not exclusive to these players, but Vermette, Umberger, Tyutin, and Nash are the four I've had my eye on the longest. Sure, Nash has been on the scoresheet, but he's also been invisible. For a line noted as "scary" by the Dallas coach, you would think every time they stepped on the ice there would be a scoring chance or two. While I think Nash holds himself accountable in some respects, I expect him to be more dynamic on the ice, making plays, creating scoring opportunities, and doing things that aren't worth trying to explain later. For Vermette and Umberger, I don't see a viable excuse. They are a combined -5 with only 1 assist (Umberger's pass to Giroux on Saturday) on the year. They do combine for 17 shots on goal, but I don't remember too many of them being truly threatening to the opposing netminders. Regardless of how they do it, they need to figure out how they can return to form and generate some secondary scoring for the Jackets, who have still yet to register more than two goals in any one game. I am going to bet right now that the first +2 goal game the Jackets are in, will be their first victory of the season.
Obviously the defense is an absolute mess of issues and holes right now, which probably won't be resolved by a return of James Wisniewski. With that said, the defense is another area of the Blue Jackets game that I think can improve exponentially. In the post-game on Saturday, Arniel noted that they allowed three cross crease goals, something that usually only occurs once every fifteen games or so. That to me might have been the biggest statement of the night. Take away three absolutely textbook coverage errors and the Jackets win that game (arguably) 2-1. If you want a more in depth review (along with videos) of the defensive breakdowns against Dallas, check out this post from Sunday. It breaks down each goal specifically.
I am only scratching the surface here, but I really wanted to get some of these thoughts out there before potentially going a bit deeper this week. Hopefully the Jackets right the ship on Tuesday and I can discuss things on a more positive level, but at this point the only major plus I can take from 0-4-1 is that the Jackets have yet to be blown out of a game.
Carry the Flag.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Reviewing the Goals Against: Dallas
Thanks in large part to the many folks on twitter throwing Steve Mason under the bus over the last couple games, I thought it might be worth going back to review each of the goals scored to see exactly who is worth blaming. There does seem to be a fair assessment that Mason is not exactly an 'All-star' goalie (which is fine, he's not), but the disconnect seems to be on what defines a goalie as an all-star, a solid goaltender, and a hopefully sieve. So without further adieu, let's look at the goals scored against the Blue Jackets in Dallas.
Goal 1 :: Bredan Morrow
Midway through the first period, with Columbus carrying a 1-0 lead, Mike Ribeiro threads the needle, sending a pass through two Columbus defenders and finding a wide open Brendan Morrow who finishes on the one timer.
Scott Arniel said it very well after the game. Cross crease one-timer goals are seen once every fifteen games or so for the average team, and they gave up THREE of them in one game. This mental lapse by the Columbus defense is flat out what loses teams hockey games, and something I personally don't expect to see on the "Mason saves" highlight reel. On this specific play, Savard chases Ribeiro behind the net essentially taking himself out of the play, and Martinek is covering the blue paint on the short side of this specific play. It leaves Morrow wide open to hammer home the one-timer. Fault: Defense, 100%.
Goal 2 :: Loui Eriksson
The puck is carried around the net by Steve Ott, who fires a pass in front of the similar to the first goal, finding the stick of Loui Eriksson who gets just enough of the puck to get it through Steve Mason.
Covering on the pass was Martinek, who watched Ott go beyond the net, and decide to leave the front of the net probably later than he should have, leaving him in dead ice covering nothing. Covering the pass was Marc Methot, who seemed to be scrambling back to get Eriksson after Martinek's decision to move away from the net. Again, these passes should never be allowed to make it through to players, and I am once again putting pretty much all of the blame on the Jackets defense. Fault: 90% Defense, 10% Mason.
Goal 3 :: Sheldon Souray
Ribeiro sends a backhand pass to the point, where Sheldon Souray is waiting. He sets, loads, and fires a knuckler that seems to change directions part way to the net, hitting the top of the net and going in.
I know this may be hard for some to agree with, and that's fine, but I am not going to put this entirely on Mason. So far this season we have watched as pucks are deflected perflectly to the upper 90, far post, off feet and in, etc, etc. In this case, these fluttering pucks are just about as bad as a tip. What I DO want to point out, is that while Vermette (the center) chases around Ribeiro, RJ Umberger (the winger) leaves the top faceoff circle (covering the pass) and moves into the middle slot (I assume to cover for Vermette who is all over the place). This leaves Souray wide open, with plenty of time to load up a cannon. Fault: Bad Coverage 50%, Mason 25%, bad luck 25%.
Goal 4 :: Michael Ryder
Ribeiro sends a pass to Morrow, who is near the goal line about 10 feet away from the net. He then sends a pass through Clitsome to Ryder, who one times the puck off the near post and in.
Powerplay goals are hard to dissect, especially when you downplay coverage quality, but Clitsome has to be better. He is a good couple feet high as the pass is received by Morrow, and does little to stop Ryder from scoring. This is once again the defensive breakdowns that lead to goals on every single goalie in the NHL, not just Mason. I would like to see Mason with a bit more of an active stick, but that's a dangerous game to play as teams begin to try deflecting the puck off the goalie and in. Fault: Defense 90%, Mason 10%.
As you can see, the misguided hatred towards Mason has become silly. Of the four goals scored on him, none of them were normal, textbook saves that he has been making all year long. They were one timers from down low and a freak knuckler that I am still trying to figure out how it went in. While I can understand the frustration of most Blue Jackets fans (trust me, I waited a day to post anything) I think it's time to start pointing the finger in the right direction, not just at the guy who is the easiest to blame.
The bottom line here, is that if the defense were doing what needed to be done, that game could have very well been a win for the Jackets.
Carry the Flag.
Goal 1 :: Bredan Morrow
Midway through the first period, with Columbus carrying a 1-0 lead, Mike Ribeiro threads the needle, sending a pass through two Columbus defenders and finding a wide open Brendan Morrow who finishes on the one timer.
Scott Arniel said it very well after the game. Cross crease one-timer goals are seen once every fifteen games or so for the average team, and they gave up THREE of them in one game. This mental lapse by the Columbus defense is flat out what loses teams hockey games, and something I personally don't expect to see on the "Mason saves" highlight reel. On this specific play, Savard chases Ribeiro behind the net essentially taking himself out of the play, and Martinek is covering the blue paint on the short side of this specific play. It leaves Morrow wide open to hammer home the one-timer. Fault: Defense, 100%.
Goal 2 :: Loui Eriksson
The puck is carried around the net by Steve Ott, who fires a pass in front of the similar to the first goal, finding the stick of Loui Eriksson who gets just enough of the puck to get it through Steve Mason.
Covering on the pass was Martinek, who watched Ott go beyond the net, and decide to leave the front of the net probably later than he should have, leaving him in dead ice covering nothing. Covering the pass was Marc Methot, who seemed to be scrambling back to get Eriksson after Martinek's decision to move away from the net. Again, these passes should never be allowed to make it through to players, and I am once again putting pretty much all of the blame on the Jackets defense. Fault: 90% Defense, 10% Mason.
Goal 3 :: Sheldon Souray
Ribeiro sends a backhand pass to the point, where Sheldon Souray is waiting. He sets, loads, and fires a knuckler that seems to change directions part way to the net, hitting the top of the net and going in.
I know this may be hard for some to agree with, and that's fine, but I am not going to put this entirely on Mason. So far this season we have watched as pucks are deflected perflectly to the upper 90, far post, off feet and in, etc, etc. In this case, these fluttering pucks are just about as bad as a tip. What I DO want to point out, is that while Vermette (the center) chases around Ribeiro, RJ Umberger (the winger) leaves the top faceoff circle (covering the pass) and moves into the middle slot (I assume to cover for Vermette who is all over the place). This leaves Souray wide open, with plenty of time to load up a cannon. Fault: Bad Coverage 50%, Mason 25%, bad luck 25%.
Goal 4 :: Michael Ryder
Ribeiro sends a pass to Morrow, who is near the goal line about 10 feet away from the net. He then sends a pass through Clitsome to Ryder, who one times the puck off the near post and in.
Powerplay goals are hard to dissect, especially when you downplay coverage quality, but Clitsome has to be better. He is a good couple feet high as the pass is received by Morrow, and does little to stop Ryder from scoring. This is once again the defensive breakdowns that lead to goals on every single goalie in the NHL, not just Mason. I would like to see Mason with a bit more of an active stick, but that's a dangerous game to play as teams begin to try deflecting the puck off the goalie and in. Fault: Defense 90%, Mason 10%.
As you can see, the misguided hatred towards Mason has become silly. Of the four goals scored on him, none of them were normal, textbook saves that he has been making all year long. They were one timers from down low and a freak knuckler that I am still trying to figure out how it went in. While I can understand the frustration of most Blue Jackets fans (trust me, I waited a day to post anything) I think it's time to start pointing the finger in the right direction, not just at the guy who is the easiest to blame.
The bottom line here, is that if the defense were doing what needed to be done, that game could have very well been a win for the Jackets.
Carry the Flag.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Friday Thoughts - Off Day Lulls
I have made a concentrated effort to keep the information flowing on Carry the Flag lately, but I am not much for creating content as much as I am reacting to events that transpire on a daily basis. Needless to say, it makes things rather difficult when the Jackets are not playing games!
In any case, there are some minor talking points from Yesterday that have yet to be covered. There are also some twitter experiences that I will enjoy sharing, so be ready for a mixed can of Blue Jackets discussion!
Giroux Called Up
Try not to get too excited, but AHL all-star Alexander Giroux (Claude is spoken for) has been called up from Springfield to replace the demoted Cam Atkinson. While his success is known around the AHL world, he has been limited to only 39 NHL games in his career (He is 30 years old) during which he had 5 goals and 6 assists. He also has 61 shots on goal, making his shooting percentage well under 10%.
There is no question his AHL numbers are impressive. 650 points in just over 700 games. But I have to wonder what is holding him back from making the jump to the NHL. It makes me wonder what exactly he will have to offer the Blue Jackets, but certainly time will tell.
I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed by the call up, but I am not surprised. The excuse (or reasoning) behind sending Cam down was that the team did not want to expose him to the dire straits they currently find themselves in regarding a lack of a win. I suppose that makes sense, and it also makes sense that they would not replace a rookie with a rookie, leaving highly touted prospect Tomas Kubalik in the minors. What that DID do, however, was leave a solid net presence that can play in a top six role in the farm. A net presence that after thirty shots and only one goal against Colorado the Jackets so badly need.
Is Columbus a Hockey Market?
Not unsurprising was the rise of a few familiar negative nancy's on twitter yesterday talking about the lack of attendance early on this year by the Jackets and the notion that it is simply not a hockey market. It does sometimes entertain me when the familiar faces pop up on the #CBJ feed, and it never ceases to amaze me of how little they actually know about the city, but the fans are not doing Columbus any favours.
Columbus sold out the opener. It was a great crowd that sat in anticipation as they floundered the game and walked away with a loss, and from there it was a trainwreck. A weak effort against Minnesota lead to a lack of interest to watch the former Western Conference Canucks come into town on a Monday and beat up on the team. I could continue but the common trend here is competitiveness. While I do not like them, do you ever read about the successful teams taking a night off? A period off? If they do, the news rarely reaches my eyes/ears.
I think fans are chomping at the bit waiting for Columbus to break out, but they have to actually break out for them to show up. It's a fickle market (yeah I know the facepalm in using the word fickle) thanks to some incredibly successful football teams, and people are not interested in watching a team that does not seem to show up for small or large parts of games. I certainly wonder how much that third period of the Colorado game will sit in the minds of fans as they consider coming out to the Dallas game next Tuesday, and it is a shame considering how well they played the first two periods.
The Powerplay
This is my best attempt at a deflection of the Blue Jackets current powerplay slump, but the Red Wings are 0 for 16 on their powerplay this season. Probably an easier pill to swallow considering they are 3-0-0, but it goes to show you how easy it is for early season numbers to really make something look awful.
Goals For
I hope this is something that is marked in the dressing room and in the back of every players mind. They have scored two goals in every game they have played, and have put 123 shots on net (34-31-25-33) and have only scored 8 times. That means the goalies who are playing Columbus are averaging a .935 save percentage.
Certainly it is nice to see that they are managing to get the puck on net, but I believe it goes back to fighting for position in high and low slot, driving the play to the net and forcing bad rebounds which inevitably lead to goals. Rick Nash scored on his own rebound the other night, Derek Dorsett scored on an Aaron Johnson shot leading to a rebound, and Vinny Prospal scored the first goal of the season thanks to an absolute rip of a shot by Jeff Carter from near the blueline. All rebound goals.
Traffic in front of the net needs to be key. Forcing the goalies to make the harder first save and banging home rebounds is a great way to bust out of a slump, and I think the Jackets are plenty capable of it. If you consider some of the goals that have been scored on Columbus, it doesn't take long to realize that teams might be doing exactly the same thing back.
The Second Line
I am sure there are positives to take out of each game, but these guys need to be better. Vermette and Umberger have combined for zero points and are a collective -3 rating. They have also combined to take 17 shots on net, none of which have lead to a goal for Columbus. When folks talk about depth, I really look to guys like Vermette and Umberger to step up. I laugh when people say Columbus doesn't have it, but they will need to start proving their case soon for the sake of my sanity.
Maybe it boils down to having that third piece of the puzzle. Maybe the lack of chemistry with the additional winger will make the difference. I think hard work, hard areas, and tenacity is the only solution.
Dallas tomorrow. Dallas Tuesday. What better time to right the ship? I'll be in Columbus, in Nationwide, in Blue Jackets gear on Tuesday. Will you?
Carry the Flag!
In any case, there are some minor talking points from Yesterday that have yet to be covered. There are also some twitter experiences that I will enjoy sharing, so be ready for a mixed can of Blue Jackets discussion!
Giroux Called Up
Try not to get too excited, but AHL all-star Alexander Giroux (Claude is spoken for) has been called up from Springfield to replace the demoted Cam Atkinson. While his success is known around the AHL world, he has been limited to only 39 NHL games in his career (He is 30 years old) during which he had 5 goals and 6 assists. He also has 61 shots on goal, making his shooting percentage well under 10%.
There is no question his AHL numbers are impressive. 650 points in just over 700 games. But I have to wonder what is holding him back from making the jump to the NHL. It makes me wonder what exactly he will have to offer the Blue Jackets, but certainly time will tell.
I would be lying if I said I was not disappointed by the call up, but I am not surprised. The excuse (or reasoning) behind sending Cam down was that the team did not want to expose him to the dire straits they currently find themselves in regarding a lack of a win. I suppose that makes sense, and it also makes sense that they would not replace a rookie with a rookie, leaving highly touted prospect Tomas Kubalik in the minors. What that DID do, however, was leave a solid net presence that can play in a top six role in the farm. A net presence that after thirty shots and only one goal against Colorado the Jackets so badly need.
Is Columbus a Hockey Market?
Not unsurprising was the rise of a few familiar negative nancy's on twitter yesterday talking about the lack of attendance early on this year by the Jackets and the notion that it is simply not a hockey market. It does sometimes entertain me when the familiar faces pop up on the #CBJ feed, and it never ceases to amaze me of how little they actually know about the city, but the fans are not doing Columbus any favours.
Columbus sold out the opener. It was a great crowd that sat in anticipation as they floundered the game and walked away with a loss, and from there it was a trainwreck. A weak effort against Minnesota lead to a lack of interest to watch the former Western Conference Canucks come into town on a Monday and beat up on the team. I could continue but the common trend here is competitiveness. While I do not like them, do you ever read about the successful teams taking a night off? A period off? If they do, the news rarely reaches my eyes/ears.
I think fans are chomping at the bit waiting for Columbus to break out, but they have to actually break out for them to show up. It's a fickle market (yeah I know the facepalm in using the word fickle) thanks to some incredibly successful football teams, and people are not interested in watching a team that does not seem to show up for small or large parts of games. I certainly wonder how much that third period of the Colorado game will sit in the minds of fans as they consider coming out to the Dallas game next Tuesday, and it is a shame considering how well they played the first two periods.
The Powerplay
This is my best attempt at a deflection of the Blue Jackets current powerplay slump, but the Red Wings are 0 for 16 on their powerplay this season. Probably an easier pill to swallow considering they are 3-0-0, but it goes to show you how easy it is for early season numbers to really make something look awful.
Goals For
I hope this is something that is marked in the dressing room and in the back of every players mind. They have scored two goals in every game they have played, and have put 123 shots on net (34-31-25-33) and have only scored 8 times. That means the goalies who are playing Columbus are averaging a .935 save percentage.
Certainly it is nice to see that they are managing to get the puck on net, but I believe it goes back to fighting for position in high and low slot, driving the play to the net and forcing bad rebounds which inevitably lead to goals. Rick Nash scored on his own rebound the other night, Derek Dorsett scored on an Aaron Johnson shot leading to a rebound, and Vinny Prospal scored the first goal of the season thanks to an absolute rip of a shot by Jeff Carter from near the blueline. All rebound goals.
Traffic in front of the net needs to be key. Forcing the goalies to make the harder first save and banging home rebounds is a great way to bust out of a slump, and I think the Jackets are plenty capable of it. If you consider some of the goals that have been scored on Columbus, it doesn't take long to realize that teams might be doing exactly the same thing back.
The Second Line
I am sure there are positives to take out of each game, but these guys need to be better. Vermette and Umberger have combined for zero points and are a collective -3 rating. They have also combined to take 17 shots on net, none of which have lead to a goal for Columbus. When folks talk about depth, I really look to guys like Vermette and Umberger to step up. I laugh when people say Columbus doesn't have it, but they will need to start proving their case soon for the sake of my sanity.
Maybe it boils down to having that third piece of the puzzle. Maybe the lack of chemistry with the additional winger will make the difference. I think hard work, hard areas, and tenacity is the only solution.
Dallas tomorrow. Dallas Tuesday. What better time to right the ship? I'll be in Columbus, in Nationwide, in Blue Jackets gear on Tuesday. Will you?
Carry the Flag!
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