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Columbus Blue Jackets (Official Thread)

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BuckNut65;2084971; said:
This franchise is at Def Con 5 and McConnell needs to go nuclear and blow the whole thing up. The only thing that has been bred in Nationwide is a sense of losing.
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Actually that's the problem.

They ARE at DEFCON 5. They need to be at DEFCON 1 to fix this shit.
 
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BuckNut65;2085007; said:
The kid has all the tools...just not mentally strong. What does it say about the state of the organization when your best bet between the pipes is a career journeyman in Sanford. I think Mason's psyche is so shot that the only way for him to move forward is with another club.
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He's lazy and doesn't ever get into proper position and relies on his glove too much in traffic.

In fact, he moves so little sometimes he's practically a stand-up goalie.
 
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BuckeyeMike80;2085085; said:
He's lazy and doesn't ever get into proper position and relies on his glove too much in traffic.

In fact, he moves so little sometimes he's practically a stand-up goalie.
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He needs to spend a few years under a veteran goalie like an Antti Niemi, Mikita Kiprusoff, or Tim Thomas so he can really get a grasp on the fundamentals.
 
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TooTallMenardo;2085106; said:
He needs to spend a few years under a veteran goalie like an Antti Niemi, Mikita Kiprusoff, or Tim Thomas so he can really get a grasp on the fundamentals.
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Yep. Or Osgood. Ozzy used to rely on his glove too much until Mike Vernon taught him the fun of being in the right position first and then worrying about other things.
 
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darbypitcher22;2085156; said:
who knows if this is going to solve the problem, but maybe they'll skate with a little more life than they have this season
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Of course they will... They'll skate inspired for the interim coach, ruin the #1 pick opportunity, and the vicious cycle continues.
 
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I still wish we would've held onto Hitchcock. He got us to the playoffs and was still trying to get his team setup. I don't think we gave him enough time to get what he needed done. Now look what he is doing at a divisional rival in the Blues.

The biggest issue we have is the GM though, hands down. All the draft picks (besides Nash) have been complete busts. Moore, Calvert, and Atkinson show some promise but I'm not sold. We need to get a solid draft pick that will for sure make a name for himself. Our GMs also need to stop overpaying these players. Besides Nash and Carter we have a bunch of support guys, but pay them like they are NHL All-Stars. Because of that no one wants to trade with us and pick up those contracts. That also makes it so we can't spend big money to get more All-Star caliber players. We need to start paying these support guys like support guys...

I've been a fan since day 1 and still think some day we will be good...but we need some major changes. It's been 11 years of the same old crap over and over...at some point someone may get the idea to make a difference.
 
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OSUScoonie12;2085246; said:
The biggest issue we have is the GM though, hands down. All the draft picks (besides Nash) have been complete busts. Moore, Calvert, and Atkinson show some promise but I'm not sold. We need to get a solid draft pick that will for sure make a name for himself. Our GMs also need to stop overpaying these players. Besides Nash and Carter we have a bunch of support guys, but pay them like they are NHL All-Stars. Because of that no one wants to trade with us and pick up those contracts. That also makes it so we can't spend big money to get more All-Star caliber players. We need to start paying these support guys like support guys...
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I actually think the drafting has been solid over the last few years. The team has talent in the organization now, it's just not ready for the NHL yet. Teams usually only get immediate help in the first half of the first round.. after that it's all potential and waiting a year or two.

And the Jackets have to overpay.. no choice there. But Howson is clueless. You can't go into a season with that group of defensemen and expect to win. Wizniewski was a nice pickup, but he's a #1 d-man in the offensive zone only. Tyutin is not a top-pairing d-man (second pair at best). The rest are all bottom pair/fringe NHLers. Sad.

Howson and Priest need to go.. especially Priest. Get someone in there that knows hockey. He clearly doesn't.
 
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3074326;2085252; said:
I actually think the drafting has been solid over the last few years. The team has talent in the organization now, it's just not ready for the NHL yet. Teams usually only get immediate help in the first half of the first round.. after that it's all potential and waiting a year or two.
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Most teams do get immediate help from the top 10 picks or so. The Blue Jackets consistently have had a pick in the top 10-12 picks...but we haven't seen that immediate help. We've had a few guys like Brassard, Voracek, Zherdev, etc make some help but nothing like other teams drafting in the top 10 have experienced.

I do agree that Howson and Priest need to go. I feel like we just need to clear house and start over...including some of the players. We just need some hardass hockey guy to come in here and just take over...tell others within the program what is wrong and what is right without sugar coating it.
 
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OSUScoonie12;2085258; said:
Most teams do get immediate help from the top 10 picks or so. The Blue Jackets consistently have had a pick in the top 10-12 picks...but we haven't seen that immediate help. We've had a few guys like Brassard, Voracek, Zherdev, etc make some help but nothing like other teams drafting in the top 10 have experienced.
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The drafting has not been the problem over the last few years. They're getting contributions from those years. The problem is that Howson and Priest don't know how to construct a team, and Arniel never had players that fit his system (and Arniel wasn't great himself..).

It's a disaster all around really. You would think they'd just get lucky and hit on a nice player somewhere in the draft over the course of their existence. Johansen looks like the closest thing, but he's far from proven.
 
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BuckeyeMike80;2085975; said:
It's ok though, save both of them and see if someone asks for a trade.

Time to free up some cap space and get some picks
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Its the right move. Fans won't like it, but its the right move.

Might also be time to think about moving Nash. They need to find a contender who's willing to take on the contract. Its not fair for him to continue to be the poster child for a terrible franchise.

Of course, if they did that, Nationwide would be bone dry empty.
 
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darbypitcher22;2085991; said:
Its the right move. Fans won't like it, but its the right move.

Might also be time to think about moving Nash. They need to find a contender who's willing to take on the contract. Its not fair for him to continue to be the poster child for a terrible franchise.

Of course, if they did that, Nationwide would be bone dry empty.
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For the sake of his career, I hope the Jackets deal Nash to a contender. He's one of the few, I won't hate if/when they are traded.
 
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