I Wonder How This Town Will Treat A Firey, Pugnacious Coach if He Wins???

John Tortorella Goes Down the Hall to the Calgary Dressing Room...

Today the Columbus Blue Jackets announced that John Tortorella was taking over the job as the head coach.  Todd Richards was relieved of his duties last night after the team stumbled to an 0-7 start for the 2015-16 season.

Tortorella has a history of combative interactions with members of the media, but has won a Stanley Cup in 2004 with Tampa, and took the Rangers to the Eastern Conference finals.  Tortorella is a solid, winning coach, with a contrasting style to that of Richards, and comes in at a time when a change is needed.

My buddy Bill described Tortorella as Woody Hayes on steroids, which is quite funny, but perhaps a bit of an exaggeration.  I would suggest that John has some shared characteristics with Woody, in that he apparently does not suffer fools gladly.  He does not appear to be the type to back down from a challenge, and appears to have a blazing competitive spirit.  These attributes may contrast with Coach Richards approach, but are merely different ways of going about the same job.  In the end, Tortorella is a veteran, successful coach, and I think he will find that this team is a good fit to the way he likes to see hockey played.  I did not feel that way about Vancouver's personnel when he went to be Coach there.  Tortorella is far, far from a square peg in a round hole here, and I think the personnel and the coach will adapt to each other rather quickly.

In my opinion, this is a very important coaching job for Tortorella, and I think he is going to give it a very good shot.  Things got cross wise from the start at his last job in Vancouver, and it didn't end well.  I think he needs to have a good outcome here.  Goodness knows I'd love for him to have a good outcome here.  And honestly, I think Tortorella brings something that is not found elsewhere in the Blue Jackets organization, and in that way complements a lot of pieces that are already in place.

I got a chance to listen to Jody Shelly over on 97.1 the fan on their "Inside Edge" show.  Jody has played for Tortorella, and spoke glowingly of how Tortorella was able to be honest about accountability.  I think those are things that are needed right now, as our team tries to fend off the record for 'most ignominious start ever'.  We need a win at Minnesota tomorrow.

If we accomplished no other thing today, we screwed up the other teams 'book' on the CBJ.  Whatever they thought we were, we are something different today with the addition of Tortorella.  There are no guarantees in this business, and you have to play the games and get the results.  I think this will turn out well in the short term.  Ideally, it also works out well in the long term.

Congratulations Coach Tortorella, and good luck!

We wish you the best in all things Coach Richards.  I will thank you for your service in a later post.

GO JACKETS!!!

CBJ Tie Modern Record for Futility, And...

Egads, Boomer Already!

The CBJ showed tonight signs of what history has shown is the way this club climbs out of these losing streaks; incremental progress.  The CBJ played a sort of tight game for 2 and a half periods before unraveling in the last half of the third.  This is a pattern we have seen before with this club.  They slowly rein it in, and then go on a winning streak.

Games like tonight happen.  They had the puck behind Halak twice, but still the Isles get the shut out.  This type of game happens during the course of a 82 game season.  The problem is the 6 game losing streak that preceded this game, thereby eliminating any cushion they have to endure this type of game.  The problem is the lack of wins that would counter balance such a loss.

Based on this team's history, I'd say we are looking at a couple more losses, maybe only one, before they tilt the ice back their way.  This script has played out for this group before.  On the other hand, these guys thought they were going deep in the playoffs.  There is nothing about their game now that would lead one to believe that this is possible.

0-7 now, tying the 1997-98 Blackhawks for the record for futility.  On the road against Minnesota on Thursday, I don't see any thing in their performance that would lead one to believe that they could beat a good hockey team.  So in all probability, this group is fixing to own the title of most unable to win in modern hockey history.  A distinguished achievement.  It's not even Halloween, and they are putting this season in the tank.  Auston Mathews anyone?  Oh right, he's going to Edmonton.  Duh.  Sorry, lost focus there.

There is some bad mojo going around the club right now.  I don't know what it is.  But if this season is done, I'm warning everyone that I'm going to start indulging in conspiracy theories just to keep things interesting as we watch another season go down the rat hole.  Keep in mind I'm a season ticket holder (#cashonthebarrelhead).  I'm in too deep to back out now.  I will watch the hockey, because I love it.  I will get together with my friends over a beer before the game, because, well, I like that.  But after 10 years of this, I'm going to think twice this March before I do it again.  I thought I would be scrambling to find cash to pay for playoff tickets.  Imagine my relief to have that burden gone, eh?

So here we go again.  I don't see how the coaching staff survives.  I don't see why they should.  Did I mention that Auston Mathews is playing for Marc Crawford, former NHL coach, in Switzerland?  If not, I will.

GO JACKETS!!!

Taking Stock

Ruh-Roh

Well heck.  The worst has happened.  We know that now.  The big question is, what next?  At this point, more of the same is probably to be expected.  If they appear to be playing 20 minutes each game, I expect over the next few games they will ratchet that up to 40, and then 60 minutes.  That's where they will start winning some games.  At that point we pick up the pieces.

If retaining your sanity is important to you at this point, I recommend this piece written by Jeff Little over on The Cannon.  I think it helps to put things in perspective.  There is an ominous tone to it too, some of which is driven by the situation.  We will learn a lot about how Todd Richards is dealing with this situation on Tuesday.  Tomorrow, Todd Richards will host his second (2nd) practice since the season started.  Contrast that with Toronto that had 5 days off before the Columbus game.  Richards can host a nasty little 'battle practice', where he works on raising the team's competitive fire.  JD can't stare everyone in the eye if you don't have a practice, so the coaches have had to try to right the ship (get on the rails, if you want) on the fly.  Not tons of chances for instructing his young charges in terms of getting the system in place.  On the other hand, the core should need relatively little 'system' time, but the defensive corps could surely use it.

There is no escaping the fact that this team, over the last 4 years had had to touch bottom in 30th place before kicking it into gear.  They have been remarkably efficient at that, hustling to the bottom in the first 6 games, rather than dragging it out over 30 or so.  This leaves them 7 points out of first in the Metro with 76 games left to play.  But they need to start acquiring points pronto, or they will lose track of things.  We will learn more on Tuesday.

GO JACKETS!!

S-O-F-T

The Sign Over Bob's Crease

Tonight the Blue Jackets succumbed to a bad hockey team, and I emphasize the word 'team', the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3.  Toronto may not be good, but at least there is sound team play.  One of the alleged attributes of our 'team' is that they are character players, who go hard all the time.  One of the characteristics of the opposing teams we have played so far this year is that they are standing at the edge of the crease, unmolested, taking shots at Bob.

Ryan Johansen needs tossed off the top line.  One of the things that has made him a great player in the past is that he has had Joe Thornton pounding his stick in frustration.  There is no part of that game with Joey right now.  It's glide around the ice and whack at the puck.  I think its possible he's pretty banged up, but still playing.  He skates like I walk, and I'm an old man.  He is not helping this team right now, no matter what is going on.  But it is unfair to pick on Joey like this, the malaise is all through the line up.

One of Todd Richards great strengths is that he can keep an even keel through some pretty crazy times.  He needs to recognize that his job is on the line, and start channeling his inner Mike Keenan.  But what then?  Do you bag skate the team tomorrow, before they play Chicago??  How dumb would that be?  So he is caught between a rock and a hard place.  He has a team that was built to be a tough, physical team, but thinks it's the Edmonton Oilers, where they are going to out skill everyone.  In reality, we need to bring up our ginormous Russian defenseman from the A who at least will have the attribute of hanging around the crease and knocking some people on their a**.  In reality, that's a really stupid statement.  But reality is a relative thing around this hockey team.

Tonight we deepened a franchise record for futility.   This is a Friday night game, early in the season, and already they have crapped on the attendance with their disjointed play.  Honestly, I don't see how Richards survives the weekend, which has stupid written on it in huge capital letters.  But there does not seem to be any urgency in this team's play, and unless Richards decides what players he wants to live or die with, and start benching regulars, it looks like a lost cause.

The only thing that might help this team right now is a down right John Davidson, 'I don't care who you are I can arrange for you to be playing in Peoria by tomorrow night and why in the hell should I have to put up with this crap' stare down of the hockey team.  But what greater sign of dysfunction is hockey operations interfering with how the coach runs the team.  So the only option left is to jettison the coach, which has its own level of dysfunction.  Oy, its making my head hurt.

So let's start with some fundamentals.  If the other guy wants to go to your crease, you need to knock him on his ass.  For the CBJ, the welcome mat is out for territory that should be sacrosanct.  And I promise you that the rest of the NHL does not care if it hurts your feelings that they go in there and score.  The players on this team are supposed to be tough, hard nose players, but they are unable to play that way.  What now?

GO JACKETS!

Cleansing Breath

At least Saad is scoring

I'm still not really sure where to go with this.  The simmering anger of last night has dissipated.  There are things that I would have said last night that shouldn't have been said, mainly because I don't think they would have been correct.  The anger clouds the judgement, and leads to false conclusion.

So where is this going wrong?  I was shocked to see in the stats that they put 41 shots on Anderson.  So some things are going right.  Certainly the first power play unit looks awesome.  But 5 on 5 play is not so good, and the penalty kill is abysmal.

If you look at the Ottawa goals there is one constant.  Time and space.  Blue Jackets hockey is supposed to be tight checking hockey.  That has only been intermittently present during the first 4 games.  The consistency in that area must improve, especially in the defensive zone.  This is a mental thing, I think, and recoverable.  It takes a lot of energy to play that way, and mental toughness, something else that has been absent so far this year.

Which leads to the consistency issue related to slow starts.  If Blue Jackets hockey is mentally and physically taxing to play, it is perhaps foolish to think that you can just flip that switch on, and play it from the drop of the puck in the season.  It also seems that a dip into 30th place is somehow necessary to ignite the urgency that allows the team to jell, and get into its groove.  If previous seasons are any predictor, this is going to come together rather slowly.  At this point if they can jell and be playing good solid Blue Jackets hockey by the end of October, they will be somewhat ahead of schedule.

The way this has worked in the past is a slow pull out of the losing streak.  First keeping a game close.  Then tying a game.  Then winning one, losing one, winning one, and then perhaps a winning streak.  So this is gonna take some time folks.  But as of this morning, there were 8 winless teams in the NHL so far this year, some of which were predicted to go far.  Four of them were are in the Metropolitan Division, so things aren't getting away from us terribly.

Please don't get me wrong on this.  I'm not suggesting that fans should bottle up their frustration or anger, nor am I suggesting that fans should be patient.  Indeed, I think that is some of the back pressure that is necessary to propel this team into 'Blue Jackets Hockey' mode.  So let it flow.  Let people know what you think.  It's OK to expect this team to be much better, and its OK to be angry if it underachieves.  Once the players' anger, frustration, and humiliation about being 30th in the league reaches a certain point, they are going to be difficult to handle.  They aren't there yet, and we don't know how long the journey through the abyss will take.  But this is the pressure that will form the team and the new leadership.

I am not a big fan of booing the players, especially if I think they are in over their heads.  This group is not in over its head.  So I made sure I booed loud and long last night.  Because I am hoping that is part of the pressure necessary to turn this lump of coal of a 2015-16 season into a diamond.

GO JACKETS!!

Anger. No need to read this.

I booed the team tonight.  Hard.  Because that was my reaction to their play.  My beloved CBJ.  I've been a season ticket holder since Nickolai Zherdev roamed the friendly confines.  I have seldom seen a more pitiful, disconnected game of hockey, and I've seen some bad ones.  The first lesson is, don't say what I want to say tonight.

So good night my friends.  These are good players, and watching NHL hockey is a fantastically good time. But those times are balanced by the ....  No.  I'm not going to talk about tonight.  I need to think before I type.

I'll check in on a more rational basis later.

GO JACKETS!!

These Are Not the Droids We Are Looking For

Hartnall got on the board today.

Displaying an uncanny efficiency, the CBJ dove to 30th in the league today, seemingly a prerequisite to establishing a forecheck within their system.  A team with nothing to lose played a team with everything to lose, and the team with nothing to lose skated looser, and got the job done on the home ice.  Nothing wrong with how Buffalo played today.  Likely they will face more formidable opponents than the discombobulated CBJ as the season goes on, so we'll see how that goes for them. Meanwhile, on the home front the CBJ cannot seem to establish any level of consistent play.

A fundamental of CBJ hockey is establishing a forecheck, where we get the puck behind the other teams net, in order to make their defensemen turn around and play the puck.  So far this has been an optional facet of the CBJ game, as well as the concept of actually hitting the net when you direct the puck towards it (but it is still a CORSI event, so our statistics look better).  The CBJ were unable to muster any sustained pressure on a back up goal tender.

The illusion of last year's closing winning streak is that you have all year to develop the cohesiveness necessary to play effectively after you are out of the playoffs.  So far that cohesiveness has been absent in the early games of the regular season, and the CBJ have adapted poorly to the increase in pace between preseason and the regular season.  It's time to get up to speed with the rest of the league.

A problem of last year was letting losing streaks get out of hand.  Time to nip this in the bud. Time to play some Blue Jackets Hockey, something that has been missing from the regular season so far.  BTW I do not think Joey is healthy.  I hope he proves me wrong, just as I have been proved wrong on everything I thought before the season.  That's hockey.  And I love it.

GO JACKETS!!!

Oh No!! We Didn't Win the First Half Mile of The Marathon!

There we were, lined up with all the other runners at the start of the marathon.  Pretty keyed up, in good shape, and we're off with the start!  Running well, starting to get warmed up, working through the adrenaline buzz to settle in to the pace.  At the quarter mile mark, a gap appears in the front runners, and we surge into the lead.  Then BAM!  Someone steps on our heel, trips us, and all of a sudden we are on the ground while the rest of the herd goes surging by.  We stagger up, trying to find a rhythm again, while more runners pass us up. Finally, as the half mile mark approaches, we find our stride again, but now those crazy Kenyans are way out in front of us.  The good news is just about the whole marathon lies before us. Time to settle your stride, and get to work.

Literary license is a great thing.  First of all, the CBJ are actually 0.648 miles into the marathon that is the 2015-16 season.  Second of all, we are talking about hockey, but the analogy is apt.  It is important to remember that an 0-2 start was always on the table the moment the schedule came out.  That's a tough opening sequence, starting with a home and home with the Rangers.  It's true the result happened in ignominious fashion, which ain't real fun, but this doesn't define the season.  Time for the CBJ to bow their neck and get to work.  Get in the system, and find some urgency.  That's when we play best.  And time to circle a couple of games later in the season, then forget it.

I am on record somewhere in the Twitterverse this summer as being of the opinion that the Rangers would regress this year.  Good call, huh?  And I would say my already high opinion of Alain Vigneault has reached new found levels of respect.  No longer saddled with the Sedin twins, he has the Rangers cooking on all cylinders, a team that is better than the sum of its parts, with a world class goalie.  So good on them.  It's a long season, we'll check in later.

According to Puck Rakers the CBJ had a meeting today.  Hopefully they concluded that they don't play Rangers hockey as well as the Rangers, and that it's time to play some Blue Jackets hockey.  We'll see in the matinee game, tomorrow at 3 PM!

GO JACKETS!!

Snatching Defeat from the Jaws of Victory

Brandon Saad scored his first goal as a Blue Jacket

From 3:04, when the CBJ took a 2-1 lead, to 1:02, by which time they had surrendered three goals, the CBJ did not win a single puck battle.  In front of a sold out crowd, the Jackets squandered a late lead.  First test for the leadership group.

Short story.  The Jackets played a 58 minute game.  The Rangers, Presidents trophy winners last year, understand playing 60 minutes.  They wanted it more.

Good news, the Jackets played well enough to win, hampered by the emotional energy of an opening game.  Good news, the Jackets are on the ice against the same team in less than 24 hours.  Sound advice: plan on playing 60 minutes.

First exposure of the Jackets to NHL game speed after the preseason.  I thought having a game under their belts was a real advantage for the Rangers.  I guess we'll see what our guys are made of tomorrow.

Jackets cough up a late lead in unacceptable fashion late in the game, and lose 4-2.  Show better tomorrow.

GO JACKETS!!

Preseason is a Grain of Sand

Murray and Savard

Ryan Murray was quoted by the Columbus Dispatch as saying 'preseason is a grain of sand'.  Lot's of perspective for a young guy, and I am impressed with his thoughtfulness.  The time for false impressions is done, and the time for the real deal is upon us, and I can hardly wait.

The Rangers struck gold when they got Alain Vigneault as Head Coach from Vancouver, and he has a vision for how he wants his team to play, emphasizing its speed.  The CBJ have their own speed, but play a different game.

Tomorrow night is the start of a good old Metropolitan division slugging match right out of the gate, and both teams will have a lot at stake.  We will learn a lot about our team pretty quickly this weekend, with 3 games in 4 days.  The CBJ have done the work this preseason and have done a lot of things that should help them start quickly.  This is a product of stability in the organization and in the coaching ranks.  Todd Richards has never shown a shyness about manipulating his line combinations, but he steadfastly left lines together all through preseason.  That may change at the drop of the puck, or the first time they are trailing 2-0, but the impression I got from players comments about Richards is that he will ride a hot hand, and some of our players who have been pushed down to lower line situations find that a source of comfort.  Personally I think he may try to stick with those line combinations longer this year than he has in past years, seeking chemistry through stability.

For a long time fan, this is quite a different preseason.  Things look as good as they have ever looked.  But this team has doubters.  Ryan Lambert over on Puck Daddy picked the CBJ as the 'most over hyped team', thinks little of the players on this team (Foligno will regress hard, Dubinsky an average, over rated player, no defense).  Lambert has been hard on the Jackets over the years, and I haven't always liked  what he has said.  But since I'm a guy who drank a lot of Doug MacLean's Kool-aid, he's probably got more credibility.  And truthfully, he's been right more often than I have, so I hope no one thinks this is some kind of rip job.  But taking into account my fan-boy loyalty (not John Kemp loyalty, but it's up there), there are some things that you won't see unless you are really familiar with this team.

A foundational concept held by the doubters, is that Nick Foligno is going to regress hard.  He had a career year last year, and the stats geeks just look at his past performance and think it is a fluke.  But one of the primary things about Nick last year was that his usage as a player was quite different than earlier in his career.  Last year he played big minutes on the first line, whereas earlier in his career he was a third liner.  His opportunities grew, and likewise his production grew.  He seems slated to continue in that role this year, so while I don't think he'll score as many goals as he did last year, it won't be drastically different.

So, there it is.  The season is upon us, and it won't be speculation any longer.  We'll have real hockey to write about.  Enjoy the season everyone.  It looks like this could be fun.

GO JACKETS!!