Brand new day

(Just enjoy the music.  The "Sting as Jesus" thing is a bit odd.)

It's been roughly 24 hours since the NHL lockout ended with a tentative collective bargaining agreement between the league's owners and players.

It's a brand new day.

I started this blog in the afterglow of the team's 2009 NHL playoffs appearance - it's only one thus far (and something that we haven't forgotten) - and, despite everything the fates have thrown at us, it has survived to see yet another season with a lot of help from some terrific people.  If you've read it for any period of time, you know that this blog has been one of the most unflinchingly honest about our hometown team, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Honesty is hard sometimes.  Looking in the mirror and seeing what you don't want to see is hard.  Looking at numbers that don't add up is hard.  But we've been honest.  We've challenged ourselves to stay honest, and to keep our hometown team honest - at least as a small handful of committed fans can.  Sometimes, that means saying the hard truths.  We've done that.

I say that to say this: With the lockout now over, I firmly believe that this IS a brand new day for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The team finally hired a hockey operations professional with an honest-to-God track record of improving lousy teams.  The team has a head coach that I maintain is pretty darned good.  The defense appears to be better.  The 900 lb. gorilla has been moved to New York.  The goaltending?  Who knows, but the new guy has been doing OK in Russia.

I'm not saying that the team's going to win the Cup this year.  I'm not saying that they'll even get to the playoffs, regardless of whether the rumored move to the Eastern Conference for 2013 happens.  What I am saying is that I am increasingly confident that the elevator ride to respectability for this franchise has started.  When one considers the long-term health of the franchise - financially and otherwise - perhaps that elevator ride is the most important.

In that spirit, I made a small but significant cosmetic change to the site.  Gone is the banner graphic that reminds us of how general manager Scott Howson is so interested in raising expectations across the board (implicit in that is that, in my opinion, expectations never actually went up...pretty much from any corner of CBJ Nation [Update: I suppose there is a notable exception.]).  I think, with the Davidson hiring, that those expectations are rising.  So let's switch to the team's new majordomo, Davidson, who tells us that the Blue Jackets will never be outworked.  Fair enough.  I'll go for a tough team that won't be outworked.  That's a good start, and a welcome change from parts of last season (which we won't forget, either).

It will be a wild and bumpy ride...not just this season but the seasons to come.  The team will deserve cheers at times and talking to's on others.  And through it all, this blog will be here - offering our oft-differing opinions, sharing our stories and enjoying the world of NHL hockey in Central Ohio with you.  And we will be honest.

It's a brand new day.

Some Final Lockout Thoughts

I remember last September when, after a series of direct messages and some wings at BWs, Tom asked me to be a contributor to Dark Blue Jacket.  I was both excited and sad to be doing so.  Excited because the folks who stop by and check out what's on DBJ both love the team and are able to have an honest conversation about the struggling Blue Jackets.  I was also a little sad because I feared it might be some time before I actually had the opportunity to write about the Columbus Blue Jackets on DBJ with the pending lockout.  This lockout has been rough on me with little NHL/CBJ inspiration and not much to write about.  With the recent announcement of a verbal agreement between the NHL and NHLPA, it looks like a truncated season, full of pulled groins and separated shoulders, will be upon us soon.



"The NHL has the best fans!" Wait, can you see me, I'm down here...

First, a two paragraph rant...

There is something I have to get off my chest.  I am surprised at the attitude of fans on social media, or perhaps Americans in general.  There is a sense of entitlement that the fans are somehow owed something now that the NHL lockout of 2012 is over.  Somehow, the fans were wronged by the tyranny of evil men.  For all of my compassion, I have zero empathy.  Professional Sports is 1000% fueled by disposable income - participation as a spectator of the NHL is NOT mandatory household spending.  No one forced fans to live through anything else than what they imagined.  The poor arena workers who were championed during the lockout as the 'victims' derive their living from $9 beers, $85 tickets, and $15 dollar parking.  Now you want those same people to give you something for free because you're a fan?  Get over yourselves fans, and do it quickly.  No one owes you anything.

After a few days of "Hockey is Back" talk, social media can get back to its normal self in hockey circles.  I admit, as sensitive as some Blue Jackets fans are to ridicule about their favorite player or team, I'm sensitive to referring to the NHL simply as "Hockey."  Hey, the lockout is over, "Hockey is back!"  To me, that's a kick in the junk to any minor league or amateur hockey player that's been busting their butt on the ice since September.  By referring to the end of the NHL lockout as "Hockey is back" is in essence like saying any other form of hockey is irrelevant and meaningless.  Rant Transmission Complete.

Now for happy thoughts

I've been a Blue Jackets fan since day one.  I was so desperate for a "hometown" NHL team that once it happened, I abandoned the team I grew up rooting for and abandoned the teams who employ family and friends.  I had a team in my state, in the town I lived in.  The charm of that ownership wore out for me after the first lockout.   Since their only playoff appearance, the Blue Jackets have done just about everything wrong that they could as a professional sports franchise.  However, this year fans got two shining gems of hope and change in a new arena deal (where the former owner is the only one exposed to any risk) and a new President of Hockey Ops who has a track record of righting listing ships.  But little else has changed with the team.

My joy of a returned NHL has already started to subdue.  My thoughts have turned to gaping hole in offensive production, as the Blue Jackets are missing the only person who could regularly score on most opposing team's back up goal tenders.  I am encouraged by having at least 4 competent NHL defensemen on the Blue Line following a draft year that feels like the best choices were made for what this team needs.  Then I look at the goal tenders, gnash my teeth and fight back the tears.  But one thing is for certain, Blue Jackets hockey will look and feel different this year, not only because of the lockout but of the new faces on the roster.  It's easy to call me a negative Nancy, but I expect excellence and aspirations of championships out of the professional sports franchise who voluntarily gets a portion of my disposable income.  I will not sit idly by and be the Martin Niemoller of the Blue Jackets and say nothing when something should be said, only to regret it all my life.

The lockout is now over and the NHL is back.  Attendance records will show how big of a mistake this lockout really was.  I don't think this will be the last lockout, but it will be the last labor dispute that doesn't involve retraction.  I don't know if this season's outcome will be much different that last year for the Blue Jackets, but for reasons I can't fully articulate, I feel a shortened season will be an advantage for a team like the Jackets. The team brought in hard working forwards who seem to have an upside along with John Davidson who's playing experience as much as his front office experience will be a welcome addition to day-to-day ops across the entire organization.  Yet, even for someone with expectations as high as mine, I must admit that I am a little excited about the start of this CBJ season.  I don't feel this season will be a fair valuation of the team and it's abilities, but I am excited for it nonetheless.  Even if they don't move up in the standings, this season will look and feel different than the last 3 or 4 seasons of Blue Jackets hockey.  For that reason, I am happy I have the privilege of sharing that excitement or disappointment with you on this blog.



Fourscore....

Fourscore and seven minutes ago,
Our mediator brought forth onto this continent,
A new Collective Bargaining Agreement,
Conceived in Negotiation, 
And Dedicated to the Proposition that all HRR is equal..

A tentative agreement has been reached between the NHL and the NHLPA on a collective bargaining agreement.  Pending approval by the players, we get to see some NHL hockey.

Here is the announcement from the NHLPA

BOOM!

GO JACKETS!!

Oh, BTW, USA! USA! USA!

Part VII: The Dark Blue Jacket's Definitive History of the CBJ, Turning the Page

James Wisniewski - Moving the CBJ into the Future?

As we sit, the 2012-13 NHL Season hangs in the balance.  Negotiations between the league and the NHLPA continue in an effort to save a shortened season.  This is a good time to pause and reflect on our beloved Columbus Blue Jackets, where they are, and where they may be going.  In looking back through this series, I last discussed the history of this NHL franchise in the context of recently departed coach Ken Hitchcock.  Since then, Hitch has gone on and won the Jack Adams Coach of the Year award he so richly deserves.

On the home front, so much has happened that it seems an eternity since Hitch left.  And thus it seems appropriate to start 2013 with an update to  this series and the multitude of things that have happened since the end of the 2010-11 season.

2011-12 A New Hope

The off-season between 2010-11 and 2011-12 was seemingly a stunning success for the CBJ.  For a period of 24 hours in the period prior to the 2011 NHL Entry Draft it looked as if Scott Howson had pulled off the trade of the decade when he sent Jake Voracek and a number 1 pick to Philadelphia for former All-Star center Jeff Carter.  During this euphoric day, it seemed as if the CBJ had upgraded it's number 1 center position immensely, and had given Captain Rick Nash the skilled running mate that would unleash his amazing potential.  Then in a shocking 'Wait.....What????' moment, the Flyers traded Carter's compadre Mike Richards to the LA Kings, and Carter reacted to news of the trade by going into hiding, leaving fans wondering how well Howson had kicked the tires on this sports car.  Ultimately, a hastily assembled diplomatic mission by Howson and Nash got Carter to come out of his hole for a bit, but the cynics who saw this as foreshadowing of bad things were dead on right with their reasoning.

In rapid succession, immediately prior to the deadline for the beginning of Free Agency, the CBJ traded for the rights to James Wisniewski, by far the best puck moving defenseman (and right shot!!) on the market.  This trade gave the CBJ a period of time to attempt to reach a contract agreement with Wiz.  That effort was successful, and James became a Blue Jacket, thus hugely upgrading the offensive potential of our defensive corps.

Booooonnneee!!

Boone Jenner in a common location, in front of the net

By all accounts, Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Boone Jenner turned in a whale of a game today in the 2013 World Juniors competition, when Canada defeated Russia 4-1.   Jenner, coming off of a 3 game suspension for lighting up a guy who was skating with his head down (a late hit, no doubt) played very well.  He was dominant in the face off circle, and according to the Twitter feed, at one point killed off ~20 seconds of a penalty simply because the Russians were unable to take the puck back from him.

Jenner's future in Columbus is looking very bright, as he has character stamped all over his playing resume.  Somewhat unexpectedly, he is leading the Ontario Hockey League with 27 goals playing for the Oshawa Generals.    If he can translate even a part of that goal scoring to the NHL level, it will be a huge addition to the team.  I'll bet John Davidson is thrilled to be watching Jenner's performance, as he looks like the type of brick Davidson is planning on building with.  I'll be looking forward to seeing him play in Columbus at some point in the future!

GO JACKETS!!

Significance

John Davidson addresses Season Ticket Holders

I'm still kind of musing about the whole John Davidson thing.  It was good seeing him and the other CBJ folks at the Season Ticket Holder Open House.  There have been good write ups of this event in the Cannon and on Union Blue, so no need for me to try to recap.  But there was one thing that was hugely evident, that John Davidson has the skill set to fill a void that was left in the organization when Doug MacLean was fired.  The role of the front man.  And he's good at it, no ifs, ands, or buts.

And that's a huge thing, no doubt.  But the thing that struck me the most, was his confidence that we would get better.  And when he says 'we won't get out worked', you have to believe him.  I guess the vibe that I got from this is that he has the 'weight' to carry that off.  He is the unquestioned leader of hockey operations.  And he sets the tone.  I don't mean to disparage Scott Howson when I say that I just don't think that sounds the same coming from him.  He could have said 'we won't get outworked', but in the wheeling, dealing, weighing of value life of a General Manager, I'm not sure it makes sense.  I think the dynamics of the last few years would make it very difficult for Howson to make that kind of pronouncement.  It just seems to carry more weight with Davidson, which perhaps it should.  He's the President of Hockey Operations, and that title should have some oomph.  He can tell Howson 'that dude doesn't seem to want to work as hard as we need him to, see what you can get'.  Then Howson has to go make a deal.  So yeah, I think we are gonna have a team that 'won't get outworked'.  And that will sell in Columbus.  It always has.

Frustrated fans at the protest last year had a common refrain that 'real change starts at the top'.  The top has now been changed in a very emphatic way.  John Davidson has great 'hockey' credentials.  He is respected around the league.  And he has been willing to tie his name to the notion that success is going to come in Columbus. And when you hear him talk, you know that is his expectation.  Not his hope, his expectation.  There will be 'curve balls' along the way.  There always are.  

It's easy to tell, whilst prowling the internet, when you see someone who simply has no clue what is happening in Columbus.  They will glibly say that the organization is a candidate for contraction; close Columbus and the southern teams and move them to Canada where they will undoubtedly thrive, because they have looked at the won-loss record.    It kind of makes me chuckle to myself.  They just don't have a clue.  But over the last year the front office has been strengthened like no other organization in the league, with the addition of Craig Patrick and John Davidson.  Those types of moves don't have immediate paybacks, but as time goes on they will build momentum.

In addition, Mike Priest made significant moves to support the arena locally and keep the team from bleeding cash in the lockout.  Clever work, identifying a new revenue stream, then getting the local and state movers and shakers to lend a hand to make the deal work.  Keep in mind that the revenue to support the arena is not dependent upon events, that is just icing on the cake.  So Columbus came into this year shrewdly prepared for the insanity of a lockout (SIGH! Expletive deleted!)

So when John Davidson says to me (and my STH sisters and brethren) 'We will win', I gotta believe him.  It may take time, but for the first time in this franchise's life, we have someone who expects to win at the helm, and who knows how he wants to get there.  And that, my friends, is something of significance.

GO JACKETS!!

Merry Christmas to All

Just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a Merry Christmas from our band of bloggers.  We really appreciate your continued attention to the expression of our collective hockey problem, and we enjoy the times when you share your thoughts with us.

2012 has indeed been a strange year.  Hold your loved ones close and appreciate them all that you can.  It's hard to tell when the strange twists and turns of life will take the things we enjoy away.  On the joyous side, my compadres have welcomed new additions to their families, so we know that they will have a busy year ahead!

Take care everyone, and here is a Christmas wish for some NHL hockey to grace our lives in 2013!

GO JACKETS!!

On the Road Again

Joonas Korpisalo is playing for Finland in the WJC

Got a couple of things to wrap up here, so I thought I would plunk this stuff down real quick.  All that schlepping into work every morning paid off as I shut off my alarm, got a little extra shut eye, and was still up in time to watch the 6 AM World Junior Championship Prelim round between USA and Finland.

I felt like USA carried the play in the first period, but kept taking stupid slashing penalties.  Finland managed to can one to take a 1-0 lead.  The Refs missed a quick in-and-out shot for the USA that bounced off the back bar of the goal.  I never saw it, half the guys on the ice never saw it, and the refs did not have a functioning replay system to check it, so it passed as one of those things.  The first period ended 1-0 Finland, and they never looked back.  I thought they carried the play through the second period, especially as USA took more penalties, and they pulled away to a 5-1 win in the third period.  Joonas Korpisalo, our 3rd round pick last year looked VERY solid in net for the Finns in the first period and a half before he was rotated out for another goaltender.

Blue Jackets prospect Mike Reilly, a Minnesota Gopher, and an offensive defenseman is a bubble player for USA, who may, or may not make the cut simply because the US has many of that type of defenseman.  He did a good job of jumping up on offense, but couldn't bury any chances, and was victimized on the defensive side with some bad bounces, once deflecting a shot up over the US goaltender for a goal.  He probably did not help his chances with the WJC USA team, but this is a guy to keep an eye on as he develops.

I was not able to follow the second WJC game of the day, Canada vs. Sweden, but according to Twitter, Blue Jackets prospect Boone Jenner may be looking at supplemental discipline for a hit that injured the shoulder of a Swedish player.  Canada won in OT (or a shoot out, I'm not sure).  The WJC officials may not like the hit, but Jackets fans have to love it.  Jenner is having a great year, and if we ever have any stinking NHL hockey may make a real bid to make the CBJ.  He is a great prospect.

Todd Richards addresses the crowd at the CBJ open house

The real reason I wanted to do this post was to close the loop on the Season Ticket Holder open house last Monday.  In this post and this post I engaged in a good discussion with a gent using the handle of Roadman over the merits of trying to leave our good young talent down in the AHL to try to win a championship down there (hence the title of this post).  I mused if we had the 'organizational courage' to leave them down there.  Roadman disagreed with the wisdom of this choice, and advanced several thoughtful ideas about why taking an alternative approach would be better.  Well Roadman, I never got to ask my question, but I found out the answer.

Pride might dictate attempting to say that we were both right, but a factor that neither of us considered would be the driver in the situation, so in the end, I think Roadman was right.  Having the young talent come in and compete for a spot on the big club is the way to go.  I believe that great benefits would derive to the organization from having the young talent complete what they have started in the AHL.  But even if we made that decision as an organization, and back filled the CBJ roster with veterans, injuries would be the deciding factor.  There is no question that if any hockey is played this year, that there will be numerous groin injuries. The end result is that even if we tried to keep the young guys in the A for developmental purposes, the number of injuries that are a near certainty would force our hand, and we would have to call players up from the AHL.  So the answer to my question is that it would not work, that injuries would force our hand, and so you might as well not try to artificially keep them in the A to achieve a secondary goal in the interest of development.  It just wouldn't work.  Of course, since the players in the AHL will be much less susceptible to that type of injury because they have been playing, they will end up with a good opportunity to play in the NHL.

So there it is.  Another great idea, down the tubes.  Ah well, some times you gotta dream.  Thanks for all the feedback Roadman.  It is much appreciated.

GO JACKETS!!

DBJ Wayback Machine: DBJ in the land of the Mayans

For the blog's 1000th post back in January, I trekked to the Yucatan and contemplated life as a Columbus Blue Jackets fan in the Mayan port city of Tulum.

Seeing as we've hit the end of the Mayan calendar, I thought it appropriate to fire up the wayback machine.

Jersey number 21?  On the 21st - the last day of the Mayan calendar?  Coincidence...or not?

Enjoy the read.   And it's been nice knowing all of you.

The New NHL

Wait! What?

Well, I attended the season ticket holder open house at the ... ah, man, those *&^%*#s at the Cannon totally scooped me on this!  Dang it!  Man, that Wagner must have the stamina of a camel!  Given the pace of the Twittersphere I might as well be blogging about 14th century politics.  &$^*^%#!!!!  Oh well. Yawn  It was a long night, and maybe stopping back at the R-Bar to lube my throat after a long Q&A session, like the Jacket Backers, Yawn wasn't such a good idea.  Definitely tired and sleepy.  I can probably stay up ... yawn .. for a bit more.  Stupid lockout.  Snort. Snore.  Fehr....Bettman....Voided contracts......yawn.....snort...have to think.......

Huh?  I must be in a dream sequence (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean?)  Where am I?  Oh, this looks like CBJ training camp, 2013-14.  Should be interesting, let's hear what they are saying.

Howsan:  Welcome everyone, to training camp.  Have a seat, I have a few things I need to go over before you start on your physicals.  We'll hit the ice tomorrow.  You are on the hardest working, and most egalitarian team in the NHL!  How about that eh!  Yes sir, without a CBA and all those contracts voided, its really different.  Now the league has asked me to read this statement.  Just a sec.  OK, here we go...

As you know, every player is a free agent this year.  It is the policy of the NHL that no team may discuss with another team its policy for negotiating salaries.  The NHL believes in a free market, and certainly doesn't want to get sued for antitrust violations.  Don't believe what those agents say anyway.

Well, since we know we aren't exactly going to be able to compete with New York and Toronto, who, according to newspaper reports are all ready at $200 million and $210 million in salary respectively, we've decided we needed to take a different approach.  Hoo boy!  No way we can compete with that.  Nope, we've decided that since just about all the other teams rosters are full, you'll be happy to play for our standard, 20 year, $400,000 per year contract.  Just think boys, you'll be making the same amount of money as the President of the US of A!  Yes, I know the contract term seems long, but don't worry, its not guaranteed!  Oh, and don't be thinking you can dog it for a year and get out of that contract, well just send you to the A, because they are all two way contracts.

But just think!  You'll be making the same amount of money as all your teammates!  Well, except for the goal tenders, cause you're screwed without goal tending and they are all crazy anyway.  The good news is we think we can bring payroll in at under $15 million, which means we can slash ticket prices in half, and still be in good shape.  

So we practice tomorrow, then we have a preseason game at Detroit the next day.  Make sure to be here and load your gear on the bus before noon.  What, oh yeah, the bus.  Don't worry about that.  Walt's Sam's outside now making it look mean.  

Plane?  Ha, ha.  Seriously boys.  Where do you think you are going, the West Coast?  Well, no, all that travel stuff was in the CBA, but we don't have one of those anymore.  Where was I, oh yeah, we'll be staying at the Motel 6 in Monroe, but don't worry, we have most of one wing, and I think the crazies all have rooms on the far side of the other wing, so the meth dealers shouldn't bother you much.  This motel is great!  There's an olive garden on one side for those of you looking to go upscale, and a macdonald's on the other for those of you on a budget.  Five star hotel??!!  Ha, ha, ha, are you kidding me??  No, we don't do that any more.  That stuff was all in the CBA!  No, this is one of the finest Motels in the midwest.  And, you'll only be sleeping three to a room!  I'm assuming you'll give the cot to the rookies.  I think you'll find the accommodations clean and comfortable.  Make sure you hit the anytime machine before you leave so you have cash.  What?  Meal money?  Ha, ha, what a bunch of jokers you guys are.

Look, we're paying you as much as the president of the US of A to play a game.  At the rate we're paying this is still the highest paying hockey league in the world!  Well, except for the KHL, but they'll get that figured out pretty quick.  And besides, who ever heard of a bus crashing on take off?  There's lots of guys who would love to make $400 grand a year to play hockey, so if you don't like it someone else will.  

Player 1: I hear Stamkos gets a limo ride to every practice and game!

Howsan:  Of course!  Its freakin' Stamkos.  You're not Stamkos!  And he plays for Toronto anyway.  There's no way we're gonna be able to match what they're doing.  Holy Frijole!  The good news is that our fans get to see them anyway, when they come to play us, but our fans will be paying pennies on the dollar to see them.  A good deal for everyone!

Player 2:  Are we gonna have to see that quack of a doctor you had last year?

Howsan:  Good news boys!  No, you don't need to see the team doctor anymore.  In fact, you're free to go see any doctor you can afford to pay for!  Medical care?  Ha, ha, ha.  Ya, that's another one of those pesky CBA things.  Speaking of pensions, you won't need to worry about that either.  We have a real nice 401(k) you can toss some money in for your retirement.  I understand that if we turn a good profit this year, they may even throw in some matching money.  How about that, eh?!

Well, that just about wraps up today's meeting, any...

Snort, snerk, cough Huh?!!  What's going on?  I fell asleep at the keyboard, and boy, I had the craziest dream....

Disclaimer:  This is a fictional account that does not represent the position of any organization, nor of any person with even 2 neurons firing in their head.  All statements are complete fabrication.  But like all doomsday scenarios, they may contain a grain of truth if you look hard enough.  We are not responsible for any of that.