Torts Opts to Play Rangers Hockey

Nick Makes the Rangers Pay Attention

My biggest take away impression from tonight's 4-2 loss against the Rangers, is that John Tortorella used his rookie players to play Rangers hockey against the Rangers.  That New York won that battle shouldn't be surprising.  That the Blue Jackets youngsters kept pace with that should be informative.  So in the end, for a seasoned ticket holder (yow!) it was a fun game to watch, while cherishing a high draft pick.  Anything in the top 4 will work just fine; can you say Tkachuk?

Which is irony, writ large.  Our faithful beat writers for the Columbus Dispatch, Aaron Portzline and Mike Arace remember well when Keith Tkachuk ruined Kevin Dineen's knee, finishing the old Hartford Whaler's career while he was playing with the CBJ.  The most ironic possible ending for this would be for Matthew Tkachuk to take this team to the promised land.  Based on his World Juniors performance, Matt Tkachuk would be like adding a second Boone Jenner to the roster, creating depth at the skill and tenacious play positions (you can't get enough of that).  It is possible that coming up dry in the NHL lottery is a trend that will continue for the CBJ, but numerical odds are an implacable foe in the grand history of things.   Whether you hit in one particular lottery or another becomes irrelevant when you are present in the long run.  The statistical hold that Edmonton has possessed must break at some point, and they will have to use those assets to build a complete team.  The problem is that they will be selling at the bottom of the market, and a package of Jack Johnson and Dalton Prout might be attractive for Edmonton for someone like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, a former Crosby-esque savior of any franchise.  As mentioned earlier in this space, at some point you have to come to grips with building a back end of your hockey team.

But returning to current events, I really enjoyed tonight's game.  Tortorella attempted to match speed against speed, which is the Ranger's strength.  Who should know better than Torts?  And at some point, Bjorkstrand, Milano, and Kukan were going to have to face the Rangers.  They have that under their belt at this point, which will be good experience for next year.  Torts will use this game to illustrate that they can do this against the Rangers if they maintain their poise, and he will be right.

Tortorella is a damn good coach.  Don't lose sight of that.

I, personally, am truly sorry to see Scott Hartnell benched tonight. He lingers one goal shy of 300 goals, but I don't think Tortorella has served him wrong by benching him.  That is John's way of saying 'get it done' and I think Hartnell will. Outside of this God forsaken season, I think Hartnell is a huge asset for this team.  He may not like Tortorella's approach to his playing time, but he can't argue it is not justified.  I love Hartnell as a player, but I am in Tortorella's camp on this one.  If you don't earn your time, you don't get the time.  Tortorella didn't come here to finish last, I promise you.  This year was cast in stone before he arrived (NHL worst start ever if you throw out WW2).  Worst.  Start.  Ever.  That is the inescapable stink of this year that we will thankfully shed in another week, other than wearing it for the rest of our lives.  Tortorella gets it, and will make sure it doesn't happen again.
So.  Note to fans.  I love the start of training camp.  I'm jonesing for hockey, its fun to see them flying around the ice!  Get over that.  They will be lucky if Torts lets them have a puck in the first three days.  Hey, I have a training camp T-shirt!  I'd rather have a winner.  Torts, do what you gotta do brother, I got your back.  At this point seeing them bake in training camp will be as entertaining as watching them glide around thinking they are bad-asses.  The start CANNOT suck Torts, and anything you have to do to make that happen is fair game,

Looking forward to taunting some Black Hawks fans as they fail to show for our finale.  So...

GO JACKETS!!!

Sonny Starts, Isles Finish

Sonny Milano

In a near perfect result for this dismal season, the CBJ got skated off the ice in the first period, but still scored the initial goal on their lone shot for much of the first period (Sonny got the other shot), while the Islanders pumped in 3 goals.  The CBJ rallied, and tied the game by early in the third period, gave up another, but were unable to tie the game in the waning moments.

The loss puts the Jackets tantalizingly close to the cellar spot, and the maximizing of lottery odds, which is all the remainder of this season is good for.  Torts isn't looking for moral victories, and neither is the team.  But they saw exactly where a 15-1-1 run at the end will get you (nowhere), and that effort is not there any longer.  I don't blame them, I don't have a problem with it.  Two home games remaining, make those entertaining or win them, no matter, we have done what we can on maximizing the odds.  We've done the cellar dweller thing before, lost the lottery, but won the war since we got Murray.  We just need to hit once when it matters, and it is to be hoped that the hockey gods hear our wails of anguish.  Drop Auston Matthews on this team and you've got something newsworthy.  Drop him in Edmonton and it's more wasted talent.  Arguably, since this is Toronto's league by the way, you get more news coverage in Toronto, but they are blowing that thing up and I'm not sure it will recover as quickly as a CBJ team that is poised to go somewhere if they will simply quit shooting themselves in the foot.

So throw us a bone hockey gods.  Torts is here to make sure it won't be wasted.

I didn't get to see the game, but listened to it while sitting in traffic for an hour and a half near Louisville on the way to visit the Predator-in-law, and it seemed like Sonny did okay in his NHL debut.  This is good work by the Jackets management, giving lots of guys a taste of what the NHL is, while maintaining a winning squad up at Lake Erie.  I sure hope they solidify their playoff position, and the taste of the NHL should keep them motivated for more.  The reality of this year is that it is about getting some reps for the young guys, with the knowledge that the reps will pay off in the long run.  Seth Jones may have 200 games in the NHL, but these are his major reps as 'the man', and the experience will help him a lot moving into next year.

The sun is setting on this season for the CBJ, but the beauty of the game is that it rises again next year, and we start with a clean slate.  We recognize that this year, where perhaps we were deluded last year on this issue.  But we get to enjoy a few more games before summer, and that will be fun.

GO JACKETS!

Building From the Back Forward

Ryan Murray and David Savard

A big part of this blog is my personal journey to understand what is happening in front of me when I am watching Blue Jackets hockey.  This upcoming season will be my tenth as a season ticket holder, probably evidence that is admissible in any hearing on my sanity.  But nonetheless, that journey continues.

And of course, this is a time for grasping for understanding if ever there was that time, because few of us, including the 'pundits' expected to be here.  So for maximum understanding I think it is important to ignore the Blue Jackets for the moment.   I will circle back to that at the end.

My basic premise, the wisdom from the old General Managers such as Craig Patrick, is that when you are building a franchise, you build it from the back forward, rather than from the front back.  As evidence I submit the Nashville Predators and the Minnesota Wild as the basic premise, and the Edmonton Oilers and the Atlantapeg Thrashers/Jets as the opposite of that premise.

Realistically, it will be better to summarily deal with the second premise first.  Edmonton has won 3 of the last 5 draft lotteries, and has selected exclusively forwards as the best talent which was pretty much true.  Atlantapeg has traded away or lost to free agency more top line talent than any franchise and their best defenseman is a converted forward, albeit a beast at the defensive slot (Byfuglien).  Between the two of them since the Jackets got serious in the league (post lockout, 2006) the Thrashers and the Jets share zero playoff series wins.  None of the three teams (including the Blue Jackets) have won a playoff series, yet Nashville and Minnesota have won several.  Both teams are in the hunt in the West, yet none of the former (Columbus, Edmonton, and Winnipeg) are sniffing the playoffs this year.

A more graphic validation of the concept could not be found.  Build from the back forward, goal tending and defense, and you have some playoff series to your credit. If you build from the front back, as have Edmonton, Atlantapeg,and Columbus, you don't.  So at some point as a franchise, you eventually have to cross that bridge of defensive priority if you want to be successful.  The Jackets did it this year, trading a sublime center talent for a sublime defenseman.  At some point you have to make the change to defense.

And in this context, the Dalton Prout contract makes ultimate sense.  You can't commit to building from the back unless you have waves of talent coming through.  The Prout contract serves as a bar for making the team for the minor league players.  If you want to make the big dance, you have to outplay Prout, and I don't think Tortorella is done optimizing his game.  With Prout you are trying to sign a young Brooks Orpik type player that will give you that physical presence.  He doesn't play like Orpik, who is now a veteran, instead of a young defenseman.  Orpik had a +/- of -36 in one of his early years.  It takes time.

The David Savard contract makes sense in this way as well.  He didn't have the year he wanted, as did so many Blue Jackets, but he is still a good young defenseman.  In the proper role, he will be a good defensive player with a developmental upside as he continues to gain experience for many years to come.

The Blue Jackets had to make this choice at some point in their history, and Jarmo and JD have opted to tackle that strategic goal now.  From now on, we'll try to slot with those that build from the back forward, and to stake ourselves in that game we'll trade top end 'front building' talent for top end 'back building' talent.  The change hurts us in the short term, but will likely play long term benefits.  Since we screwed up early by losing 8 straight, this is a good time to make the change from 'building from the front' and focus on building the defensive corps.

The Jackets took another step forward in that arena today, signing Zach Werenski to an Entry Level Contract (ELC).  This was craftily done by Werenski's agent and Jarmo, as he signed an amateur tryout contract and reported to Lake Erie as his first step of turning pro.  That places him at Lake Erie, saves a year of his ELC (3 year length by the CBA), and likely helps to shield him from an expansion draft.  Lake Erie is gearing up for a playoff run, and the Jackets are not.  You want him in Lake Erie taking his first steps at learning the pro game.  Following the initial move, they promptly inked the ELC.  This is a good faith showing on all sides.

So now we have Ryan Murray, Seth Jones, and Werenski as top defensive prospects all under the age of 22.  This is a dramatic transformation of the back end for the Blue Jackets, and we will continue to pay the price to build this way, as these guys won't really start to peak until they are 25 or 26 years old.  But they could be really scary by then.

The Blue Jackets have finally committed to building the back end to a level that could potentially compete in a playoff situation.  To do so, they sacrificed that rarest of commodities, a true Number 1 center.  To get to the Cup, you probably need that piece, and we don't have it any more.  To lay the basics for a Cup, which is regular trips to the dance, you need that back end.  Don't be surprised if that trip to the dance isn't next year.   But I think it is coming.

GO JACKETS!!

An Interesting Day in Jackets Land

Wait!  Why Am I Wearing Yellow?

On a travel day lost of interesting news dropped today.  First is the news that Dalton Prout was signed to a new two year deal.  Like many Blue Jackets Prout has had his struggles this year, but he will bring that element of physicality that the Jackets will need going forward now that the Department of Player Safety has decided to run Boll out of the league.  Prout's play has steadied some of late, and he is starting to shoot the puck aggressively, and element that was missing from his game earlier in the season.  A steady diet of Tortorella has solidified some aspects of his game.

The Puck Rakers posted a really interesting Q & A with Ryan Johansen.  It's nice to see Joey moving on, and honest with himself about where his game was.  As much as I believe Seth Jones will make a huge difference in Columbus going forward, I believe Ryan Johansen is just going to have a monster year next year.  I think this is going to look like a good hockey trade for a long time, and it will be fun to see how this goes in the future.  Tomorrow's game should be fun to watch.

I'm trying to let go of the Player Safety thing, but that is a journey.  Just re-watched Nick's video.  The puck is gone.  But Malone is not expected to alter his blindside check.  But Boll's is predatory.  Bah!  If we are going to get serious about player safety, its simple.  You put someone out of a game, you sit until they come back.  Boll would have had to sit for a shift.  Malone would have got 6 games.  Then the players are accountable for each other's safety.  Rant complete.  Trying to let go.  Sigh.

It's strange how a young team at the start of this year has only gotten younger as the season has progressed.  That youth really shows at times, and it is going to be fascinating next year watching Tortorella mold this group.  The guy is really sharp.  But for now, its all about draft position and a little luck in the lottery.  Let's hope Torts brings some luck with him too!

GO JACKETS!!!

The NHL's Double Standard

Watch your six Nick!

Over on the Puck Rakers Aaron Portzline is reporting that Jared Boll will have a phone hearing with the NHLtomorrow for his hit on Pierre-Edouard Bellemare.  This will result in an almost certain suspension for Boll, and it should be highly entertaining to watch the department of player safety describe how a hit coming at you from the front, that somehow manages to make incidental contact with your chin is a suspendable offense, while the blind side hit on Nick Foligno that gave him a concussion did not even merit a minor penalty.
This is, of course, because the Blue Jackets set a modern record for futility by losing their first 8 games, and punching themselves out of the playoff race in the first three weeks of the season.  Ergo, a different standard must be applied.  Nick Foligno plays on this team, and is therefore not deserving the protections that must be afforded to other players.  I mean really, who cares if a Blue Jackets player gets hurt?

The NHL officials are active conspirators in this, and have been since the Blue Jackets came into the league.  It's not the 'gosh, we're gonna get out there and screw those guys' kind of conspiracy, but it is a firm reluctance to make any concession that could possibly be seen as aiding this team.  Their reasoning is that it's not the officials job to make this a real franchise, with a real winning team, and they are correct.  However the day to day expression of this results in penalties called on the Blue Jackets that are simply not called on other teams.  Don't read me wrong here, this is not to say that the officials are the cause of our problems.  They are not.  We are the cause of our problems.

So if you think I am full of it, please provide me with a listing of all the major interference penalties that the officials have called this year.  I think it's going to be a pretty short list. The reaction of the officials on the ice is unduly harsh, and is not comparable with their performance on other ice.

So here we go again.

GO JACKETS!!

Broad Street Ballerinas Bring Own Refs, Still Spit the Bit

Bob, the Shoot Out Winner

In a unique interpretation of the hockey rules, the officials tonight repeatedly called roughing on players wearing Union Blue hitting the puck carrier.  Coach Tortorella generously called Jared Boll's hit to the sternum a late hit, but I didn't see it that way.  That's called finishing a check.  From the front.  To the chest.  With the shoulder.  And yet it is called a major for interference, which is farcical on its face, and with a game misconduct on top of it.  In addition, there are two Flyers who dropped the gloves and came in on Boll, which is the automatic ejection for the second man in, yet only a roughing minor is called.  What a flaming joke.  Is it now going to be flag hockey in the NHL, and if you yank off both of a guys flags it is roughing?

Later in the game Jenner was called for roughing for hitting the puck carrier.  What a total bunch of crpa (I typed it that way, I think I'll leave it for future reference).  Yet when Murray took a slashing penalty (legit call) with less than two minutes remaining, the Flyers quit playing.  And Steve Mason, who had looked impenetrable, gave up a goal at even strength (because the CBJ pulled the goal tender) and with 8 seconds left, Cam Atkinson scores the tying goal.

At that point, Bob went Bob on the Flyers.  In an exciting overtime period, where both teams took penalties, Bob really got dialed in.  And from there, they had no hope.  Through the overtime, through 5 shooters deep in the shootout, Bob was locked in, and finally sealed the win.

This was a weird, stupid game on a lot of fronts.  We shoulda gone ahead and lost the damn darn thing for our draft position and the Flyers got no business quitting on that game.  But there it is, a lesson about playing the whole game.  I liked Tortorella's comment that he wished this meant something, as the lesson would have been stronger.  Lesson for the Jackets, play till the whistle blows.  Lesson for the Flyers, don't be content with the refs giving it to you, go out and close the deal.   I wonder if the negative lessons are more potent at this time of year?  Well, only the Flyers can answer that, because they were the only team playing for something.

Jackets beat the Flyers 3-2 in a shoot out.  Who would have thunk it with 2:00 remaining in the game?

GO JACKETS!!!

Bjorkstrand Breaks Tie with First NHL Goal

Oliver Bjorkstrand scores the game winner!

In action yesterday evening, the CBJ chased a New Jersey Devils goal tender early, let them back in to the game to a tie, and then pulled away for a 6-3 win in Nationwide Arena.  Oliver Bjorkstrand scored the game winner 34 seconds after the Devils tied the game early in the third period.  William Karlsson scored 11 seconds later to ice the win, while Bjorkstrand followed up with the second goal of his NHL career to close the scoring.

I've been watching Bjorkstrand coming up through our system for a long time.  The Jackets took their time bringing him through the system, and he repaid their patience in Juniors by exploding for 60 goals in his last year.  At the AHL level he had the setback of an injury, but has put together a solid if unspectacular year.  But speed is a premium at the NHL level, and Bjorkstrand showed it at several times last night, blasting up the wing.  He brings a dimension of skill to the Blue Jackets that is absent except for Cam Atkinson, and adds a lot to the team.

Two games does not an NHL career make, but he is on the board and will get a chance to gain some experience before going back to Lake Erie to help them in their playoff push.  Today he will get to experience what an NHL club does when you beat them, and will find out how quickly other teams will do things to stifle you.  That experience will help him continue to grow, and is an important part of his development.  This is what a clever draft pick patiently developed can do for you, and we have a few of these in our system now that will begin to emerge in a few years.

I am really excited for Oliver, and it will be interesting to see how today's game goes.  The downside of this is that Mrs. Gallos is already tired of hearing me talk like the Swedish Chef from The Muppets.  Bjork! Bjork! Bjork!

GO JACKETS!!

Bjork! Monster Contingent Called Up

Bjork, Bjork, Bjork!

Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch is reporting on Puck Rakers that 3 Lake Erie Monsters have been called up, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Michael Chaput, and John Rammage.  These players have been playing well at Lake Erie, and are deserving of some NHL ice time before they go back down to compete for the AHL playoffs.  This is a straight development move, and I like it.  Porty said Rammage was sure to play, as the CBJ are short a defenseman.  Bjorkstrand could slide in at right wing with Wennberg and Dubinsky, and it makes me drool to think of those two playing together.  Wennberg might be reluctant to shoot the puck, but Bjorkstrand seems to suffer from no apprehension on that issue.  Wennberg and Dubinsky should be up for the coverage issues that Bjorkstrand likely brings with him at this stage of his career.

John Rammage

According to Scott Tennant over on the Cannon John Rammage has been playing really well in Lake Erie, and this call up seems to be a reward for good steady play.  With Prout suspended for a game, and Jack Johnson out for the season with shoulder surgery (as reported by Todd Jones over at Puck Rakers) the CBJ are short a defenseman for a game.  It should be interesting to see if he demands to stay up here with his play.

Michael Chaput has been having a really good season down at Lake Erie, and whether this call up is for developmental purposes or as a reward, either way it is deserving.

Assuming that all three of these players are in, here are the lines I guess project they will play.  As I said above, Bjorkstrand with Wennberg and Dubinsky.  I think Chaput could be centering the fourth line with Campbell and Bourque as his wings, with Boll in the press box.  I think Rammage probably pairs with veteran Fedor Tyutin as a steadying influence on the young player.

I like these moves a lot.  A good enrichment of solid seasons for the contingent that have been called up.  A different line up against a Red Wings team looking to even up a recent loss at the hands of the Jackets.  It should be a fun game tomorrow night!!!

GO JACKETS!

Making Greg Louganis Proud

Meh!

Tonight, Tampa Bay Lightening goal tender Ben Bishop took over a game between the Blue Jackets and the Bolts, combining a physical game with a wimpy, diver game to discombobulate the Blue Jackets and leave them in the dust by the end of the game.  While it is true that the NHL should have a quiet talk with Bishop about his diving, which drew two crucial penalties against the Jackets, it is also true that Bishop had nothing to do with the two short handed goals that the Bolts scored against the hapless Blue Jackets power play.  And the dude pitched a shut out.  Which has little to do with Ben Bishop's prowess, and a lot to do with the team in front of him.  The bottom line is that the Jackets failed to generate significant pressure around the crease, so Bishop was left to fielding lazy pop flies launched from significant distance.  Props to the Bolts D-Corps, they simply denied the net to the Jackets.  And that was the game, not Ben Bishop's theatrics.  

So if you wondered if Tortorella was going to retain the assistant coaches he inherited from Todd Richards, I'm guessing he is going to want to go with his people.  The power play is in a death spiral, and has given up more goals in the last few games than it has scored.  In addition, they are trending in the wrong direction.

Let me assure you, that this is not the first time I have wanted to yell 'decline the penalty' from the upper bowl, and it likely won't be the last. I have seen some futile CBJ power plays in my time, and this one ranks with the most futile.  These things tend to be cyclic and an undo amount of panic over these results is not appropriate.  However, 3 short handed goals in 3 games (if my math is correct) is a problem.  Your power play is supposed to giveth, not taketh away.

Tonight we saw a team that went to the Cup finals last year, playing against a team that is not ready for that task.  This is part of the journey that our players are on, if developing a team that can contend for the Cup, and tonight's game was illustrative of how far we have to go to get there.  Tampa Bay won battles all over the ice for the majority of the game, reduced the CBJ to launching shots from the top of the circle because that's all that was there, and ultimately made them press so hard that they gave up goals that they have no business giving up.  So props to the Bolts.

At the end of the day, the worst thing the Jackets could have done is win this game, as it has definite implications on our draft future.  Our team is not as bad as it looked tonight, but there is real room for improvement.  But for the most of the game this was pretty compelling entertainment, and Bishop's antics kept the crowd engaged until Tampa's defensive performance caused the Jackets to come unglued.  The difference between a veteran play off team, and a team still finding itself.

So a tough one for the fans and the team to choke down, but so it goes.  Stamkos took this game over, and the Bolts take home tonight's prize.  Rally, and get ready for Thursday's game against the Red Wings.  They will be happy after our last game against them, I'm sure.  Conflicted feelings about winning and losing is not good this time of year, but its the reality of some NHL fan groups every year.  There is no free pass.

GO JACKETS!!

The Mouth Breathing Was Epic

Back in the Saddle

Tonight the Blue Jackets succumbed to the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2.  I'm not a big Penguins fan, but when a team scores a couple of greasy goals, based on effort and battle, they deserve the win.  Such was the case tonight in an animated barn, with Penguins fans slightly outnumbering the CBJ fans.  This resulted in an energized atmosphere as the fans responded to the numerous challenges.

At the end of the day the game turned on a series where Bobrovsky, in his first game back from an extended absence, kicked several rebounds back up into the slot, and naturally one of those ultimately turned into a goal.  So it goes.  Bob tightened up noticeably as the game progressed, as was to be expected, but Fleury basically wouldn't allow himself to be beat twice by Cam Atkinson, and poke checked away his second attempt at the same move.  That's the NHL, you win on a move once, it's not there the second time.

Lots of Pens fans tonight.  The tag line is in honor of friend of the blog, @Rockmanhalo.   You could here the whistling as they drew in breath for their pitiful "let go Pens' which was quickly drowned by the thunderous chant of CBJ, CBJ.

Then Pens have rallied from a slow start to be back in the hunt for a wild card, with a Tortorella protege behind the bench.  The similarity in the teams games was noticeable, and that is going to add some texture (thanks Hitch) to these games in the future.

A fun game, in a raucous barn.  But we improve our chances in the lottery.  Not a bad night at the rink.

GO JACKETS!!