(A small case of) NHL realignment remorse

It's going to happen....the Columbus Blue Jackets are headed to the Eastern Conference.

Of course, it's CBJ Luck (TM) that makes our 7PM start time dream come true in the same year that the boys finally thrash the Detroit Red Wings in the head-to-head series.

Detroit's on a pretty serious downswing, and it could be argued that Columbus is positioned to be on quite the upswing with Davidson, Jarmo and the gaggle of high draft picks.  So why not switch conferences and split the CBJ and Wings off into separate divisions - just when the tables are finally turning?

Sigh.  We'll always have 2013...

(Bring on the East!)

DBJ's Ultimate Season Ticket Holder Package proposal

I spent part of the morning filling out the Columbus Blue Jackets' season ticket holder satisfaction survey, and it got me thinking about things related to attendance, tickets and renewal of my particular package for next season.

As background, I renewed as early as I did last season in no small part due to the fact that obtaining a season ticket package for this 2012-13 season meant that I was guaranteed a seat in the all-star game festivities.  We all know how that turned out.

So, given the fact that there will be no All-Star Game enticement this time around, what will it take to get season ticket holders for next season?  The team has been below the playoff qualifying line all season long - often in the NHL's sub-basement, although it appears that they're clawing their way back to something approaching respectability - and the bloom is being held on the rose only through the purge of hockey operations management.  That's enough to keep this fan hanging around, but it's fair to wonder if it's enough to make me interested in dropping another big check when I could instead grab seats on a per-game basis.  So what's it going to take?

The Blue Jackets appear to be fishing around on the same point, asking for relative preferences on things like player/team access, merchandise, special events and the like.  But as I was thinking through their list, an idea came up - one that they didn't mention.  So let me take a stab at something I would find acceptable if not downright exciting: Shared Risk - A partnership between the Columbus Blue Jackets and their fans.

Permit me to explain...

Morgan's Six-Pack for Game 27: Vancouver Canucks



Columbus Blue Jackets 1 - Vancouver Canucks 2 - F/SO
Do we still blow this team up?

What a wonderful Tuesday night in Columbus.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average, a commonly accepted gauge of the economy's health, is at all time highs and so are the Blue Jackets consecutive games of earning a point.  Now I have Rita Coolidge's less popular James Bond song "All time high" stuck in my head.  Good thing that United Artists thought the name of that song should be called 'All Time High' and not "Octopussy" because then this post would have gotten weird.  Anyways, with spirits high 14,852 fans descended upon Nationwide Arena to see a perennial regular season contender in the Vancouver Canucks try to put an end to all things streaking.  Starting next year, CBJ fans get to see less of teams like Vancouver and more teams like the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders.  Hoo-Ray.  But tonight was about living in the moment and basking in the glory of a legitimate winning streak.  But could is last?  Were the underlying economic principles really there to keep this rally going?  The Jackets clawed their way into a shootout, but wound up giving away the extra point to Vancouver in the shootout on a shot that, quite frankly, shouldn't have counted.

Bond:  Who are you?
Female pilot: My name is 8-game point streak. 
Bond:  I must be dreaming.

Winning Ways or Lucky Days?

Despite the feel good, “Glad to be a Jackets fan” attitude sweeping through the fan base, the Columbus Blue Jackets still find themselves in a very precarious position.  Despite being 4 points from a playoff spot, the CBJ also find themselves 4 points from an all-too-familiar 30^th place in the league.  The current point streak of 7 games, where the team has gone 5-0-2, is still overshadowed by the abysmal start to the season.  Still, as a Blue Jackets fan you can help but feel good that John Davidson’s big gamble of a marketing pitch “We will not be outworked” is actually coming to fruition.  But how long can it last?  Are the Blue Jackets playing a brand of hockey we can hope to see every night?  To me, there are three components all working in favor of the Blue Jackets the past seven games.

 

 

 

DBJ's six-pack for Game 26: Detroit

Columbus 3 - Detroit 2 (Shootout)
10-12-4, 12th in Western Conference, 22nd in NHL
9th overall draft pick (plus 19th and 21st!)

Again wearing the wrong sweaters (this time the home blues for an away game), the Columbus Blue Jackets trekked up to Detroit and defeated the host Red Wings in a shootout at Joe Louis Arena.  It was the Blue Jackets' fifth straight win.

The season series with the Red Wings is over, and the Blue Jackets won it for the first time in their 12 seasons of NHL hockey.  Better yet, it was a 4-0-1 record.  Not even close.

As for the character of the game, it wasn't anything like the spectacle that yesterday's shutout win at Nationwide Arena provided.  No, it was a workmanlike road win, one where the CBJ had to outplay not just the other team but the home team-influenced refs, the crowd, etc.  It's just harder to win on the road, making the win all the sweeter for what it was.

A series win demands a full six-pack!

DBJ's six-pack for Game 25: Detroit

Columbus 3 - Detroit 0
9-12-4, 14th in Western Conference,
6th overall draft pick (and 15th & 16th!)

The Columbus Blue Jackets, wearing road whites for some odd reason, hosted the Detroit Red Wings in a matinee at Nationwide Arena and, after resurfacing the ice with the Wings in the second period, locked the game down in the third en route to a 3-0 shutout win in regulation.

Because that's what
friends are for.

Permit a little in-house business first, folks.  I took a week off to work on my Irish suntan (mission accomplished), and co-conspirator Morgan and DBJ blog alums Greg and Alison combined to deliver four awesome - and unique to each of their great personalities - six-packs in my absence.  I am eternally grateful to these three as my life has been "just a tad" crazy since the simultaneous arrival of my 2nd and 3rd offspring.  It was time badly needed on my end, and my friends did much more than just keep the lights on here at the blog.  Share a six-pack, you three, and make it some good stuff!

Now, today's game.  Take a moment to marvel at this...


I'm glad that circumstance forbade me from blogging this recap immediately after the game because it took a little while to sink in.  And I think I can best characterize this plastering of the Red Wings as nothing other than an Enema Game.  You know, one of those games where all the vitriol and bad juju is expelled...leaving you with a combined feeling of exhilaration and relief.

Think about it: In the 12 seasons of CBJ hockey, the team had NEVER won a season series over the Red Wings.  That ended today.  And it wasn't just that it happened, though.  It was HOW it happened.  This was a rout.  It didn't start that way, but it sure ended up as a rout.

A rout.  A rout of the Detroit Red Wings.  Damn.  Is it the End of Days?

We can go back and forth about how the Red Wings are a shadow of their Stanley Cup-accumulating selves of years past (They are), but that's not important today.  For as I find myself reminding all the fans of Jared Boll specific players on the Blue Jackets roster, it's not about the name on the back.  It's about the logo on the front.  And the boys with the Ohio flag draped over the star sent the boys with the winged wheel home with their tails between their legs.

Enough of the emoting, let's get on with the distribution of beverages.  And while I don't profess to have the extensive beer knowledge of, say, Greg or Morgan, I'll try to keep pace with special beers for today's special people.  My friends raised the six-pack bar, I tell ya!

Alison's Six Pack for Game 24: Vancouver

Vancouver 1 - Columbus 2 (OT) 8-12-4, last in the West

 

 

Hi everyone, the eternal optimist, and finder of silver linings, Alison, is back with one game recap while the esteemed Gallos is on IR and Tom is enjoying a well deserved vacation. I'd like to echo comments earlier in thanking Tom for welcoming me back to attempt to hold up the standard of the six pack recap.

I was leery of tonight's match up versus the ever strong Vancouver Canucks, but the promise of John Davidson seemed to hold true for a third straight game when an entertaining and hardworking Blue Jackets team handed a 3rd in the West team an overtime loss. That brings the Blue Jackets to a three game (three game!) winning streak with a five game point streak. I'm not touting dominance, but it certainly is nice to see the tremendous effort on-ice being rewarded in some fashion. As of this writing, just for kicks, I'll tell you we are 4 points out of 8th place in the West. My goals for this season aren't playoff focused, but it's an interesting stat in a compressed season. It's also a unique commentary on a team that is searching for 'all star skill' and and identity.

Snark Blue Jackets Game 23 Six-Pack: Edmonton Oilers

Blue Jackets 4 - Edmonton Oilers 3 - F/SO
Stil Last in everything

If you are on social media in Columbus, you are probably already familiar with the theme of the day that gripped the attention of every Blue Jackets fan: the looming Winter Storm. Every ten minutes people checked the weather app on their phone to see when Winter Storm Steve would strike with a lethal dose of snow.  (I have no idea what this winter storm's name is, so by the bounds of DKM Hockey's Podcast, I went with Steve).  Twitter was on fire with tweets about the looming storm, the peril it would bring, and a couple tweets about Jack Johnson.  Somewhere nestled in the the multimedia firestorm, a game against the Edmonton Oilers also lurked.  The last time the Oilers came to town the Blue Jackets heaved 40 shots on net and got themselves a loss.  The crowd of 14,952 at tonight's game got their money's worth:  ups, downs, close calls, bad calls, OT drama, a shootout and even a goal tending change. Not a bad night for a hockey game and a great Blue Jackets win.  Very satisfying indeed.

I will do my best to again follow in the footsteps of Greg May with my stellar beer selections tonight.

All due respect to Greg May.

Morgan's six-pack for Game 22: Operation Colorado Avalanche

Columbus Blue Jackets 2 - Quebec Nordiques 1 - F/OT
Three game point streak and still in 30th place.

The Columbus Blue Jackets played host to the visiting Colorado Avalanche in a wonderful Sunday afternoon matinee at Nationwide Arena in front of 13,778 partisan fans.  I happened to be one of those 13778 folks cheering for the home crowd today.  There were a few Avalanche fans in the building, but they were few and far between.  The game was exciting and frustrating at the same time.  Exciting that the Jackets were in the game all 60 minutes and you had the feeling that at any minute they could score.  It was frustrating in that the Jackets lack of scoring touch really kept the team from putting away the Avalanche early.  The game had the feel of a mid-summer five hit National League baseball game that went 12 innings.  Tonight's game was certainly a game of bounces, both team's first goals were fluky in nature taking the game into overtime at one goal a piece.  But the Jackets ended the game with authority on Anisimov's beauty of a shot from the right circle.

Glug, Glug

For this recap, I will follow in the steps of the great Greg May and designate beers worthy of special accommodation to the players, coaches, or things earning them.

1.  Artem "MF" Anisimov, this Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout is for you.  That's right beer snobs, I brought out the big guns early.  Artem took a shot off the lower-body in the first period.  He dropped like a wounded dove, but tried to get up and skate off under his own power.  Aided by teammates, he left the ice and headed for the dressing room.  He would return to the game a little while later, and as we all know, score from his magical spot, the right circle, winning the game in OT.  #GallosStrong

2.  Todd Richards, this can ofSchaeffer's Light is for you.  Not sure why you put two of your top three goal scorers on the 3rd line tonight.  Sure, this win probably masks that, and Prospal did see some extra minutes with Anisimov going down, but still.  If they're scoring, put them out there often.  I know the team is down a couple centers, but still get your scorers out there a little more often.  And if you're going to put Letestu and Prospal together, give them a better finisher than Dorsett, pleeeeease.

3.  Ryan O'Reily, this Bud's for you.  Thanks for the 'own goal' buddy.  I'm glad you could sign your contract and make to this afternoon's game in time to tap one in for the CBJ.  The Avalanche certainly aren't the CBJ killers of old.  And a stick tap to Jay Feaster for not effing up this win for the CBJ either.

4.  Vincenzo Prospal - This Bell's Two-Hearted Ale is for you.  If anything else, you've shown us that good things happen when you put the puck on net and don't get cute with it.  The goal from the corner against Dallas and the redirection off of O'Reily's stick tonight are good examples.  If you can get the puck to the net, why the hell not.

5.  This tasty Sweet Water IPA is for the Blue Jackets Power Play.  I'm going to ignore the first 5-on-3 power play as it was brutal.  I have been harping on how this team needs to get better on the power play in order to start winning games.  The team has great heart, it does not have great hands, and the power play is crucial.  The Jackets found a way to score on the power play tonight and guess what?  The Jackets won.  This is a good start.  Keep it up.

6.  Jared Boll, here's a nice Iron City Beer for you.  Not specifically for your fight against Bordeleau, but for allowing me this talking point.  Bordeleau's hit on Nikitin was, on it's own, a clean hard hit.  However, it was not a necessary hit.  Hitting a guy shoulder to shoulder while he swings the net ends one way - with a guy going head first into the boards.  Fans were enraged that a penalty was not called on the hit.  The hit was a clean hit.  However, Bordeleau in that situation did not need to hit Nikitin the way he did.  There are situations in hockey were you expect to be hit.   Does that make Bordeleau's hit a dirty one?  No.  But there is a rule that just because you can blow a guy up, doesn't mean you have to - and this is one of those instances.  Boll came out and did exactly what needed to be done on the next shift - held Bordeleau accountable.

The Jackets skated hard all game, right out of the gate.  Golobeuf and Prout looked good tonight on defense.  The team's hard work showed on the fore check and the breakout, although entering the zone left a little to be desired.  The Jackets were not outworked this game.  I romanticize how this game would have gone with a legitimate scorer on the ice, but alas, the hard work did get the team a win.  Hockey Jobu allowed the Blue Jackets a 'happenstance' goal of their own after the Avs got themselves a wonky one in the second.  The Jackets hard work kept the game close.  Simeon Varlamov gets an honorable mention tonight.  You made tough saves look easy and kept the Avs close too.  But, you didn't miss a chance to act like a French Canadian goaltender and make the easy saves look tough.

Tonight's game had a gritty feel to it.  The Jackets were skating hard all game, but finally had some purpose after the Boll fight.  I like the home win, and I expected a CBJ win tonight.  Early in the first period, from my seats in 107, we watched Dorsett miss on two prime scoring chances.  One actually beat the goalie but the puck game off his stick funny and sailed across the crease.  I like Dorsett and his hard work gives him opportunities to score.  But the team needs to start finishing on it's chances.  The Blue Jackets hard work kept them in this game, and a well-earned lucky bounce gave the the opportunity to take the game into OT.  But they have GOT to find a way to bury those pucks.

The Jackets next game is at home against the youthful and defenseless Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.  The Oilers have youth, speed, and scoring ability but they bring with them a men's league defensive corp.  If the Blue Jackets are going to be competitive in this contest, they have to exploit the weak back-end of the Oilers.  The Jackets are likely down another defencemen and they are now going to have to score consistently to pick up a couple of points Tuesday night.

@gregin120's Six Pack for Game 21: Chicago

Chicago 4 - Columbus 3 (OT)
5-12-4, last in the West. first in 1 goal losses

The Blue Jackets traveled to Chicago to take on a Blackhawks team with nary a regulation loss, earning at least a point in each of their first 20 games. The Blue Jackets . . . . well, let's not beat a dead horse. This game was a gross mismatch on paper before it started. It got worse when the puck dropped as the Blue Jackets were forced to play the first ten minutes or so with five d-men. But they don't play the games on paper. And even though the CBJ dressed an even more inexperienced team than the one that battled these same Blackhawks to a 0-1 loss five days earlier, they showed up to play, and then some. Staying true to form, the Blue Jackets lost another one by a single goal, falling to the Hawks 4-3 in overtime.

Before we start throwing beers around, I'd like to thank DBJ for the privilege of subbing in to do the Six Pack for this game. Also, I'd like to point out that I didn't just bring any old six pack with me for this gig. I brought an assortment of beers that I hand picked for the occasion. OK, fire up the beer cannon.

1) This first beer is a bottle of Blue Moon Vintage Blonde and it goes to Vinny Prospal. Vinny put the Jackets up 1-0 a mere 31 seconds into the game for his 250th career NHL goal. It also moved him to within four of 750 career points. The goal gave the young (and getting younger) Blue Jackets a big confidence boost that would carry them well into the second period.