Seriously... 16 losses in 18 games... is there Tylenol powerful enough to cure this headache?
STOPLIGHT GAME REVIEW
@ Dallas
12.23.09
SCORE: Dallas 3 Jackets 1
GREEN
* Not like it matters a lick but no greens from me until this team wins a damn game.
YELLOW
* Well it was a good start this time.. the Jackets got the first goal... then Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. A fall just about everyone who has tuned is just waiting on... not a question of "if" but "when".
* I liked Chimera fire in this game. Thought he got the raw end of an unsportsmanlike call on the 2nd one... At least this guy was noticeable.
* Nash is trying... he got this team on the board. Unfortunately 1 goal a game isn't going to get it done.
* Can't pin this game on Mase. He played well enough to win if this team would have given him some support both offensively and defensively (i.e. Juice!).
RED
* Nobody went after Neal and he gets two goals.... And this team wonders why it's in the midst of the worst losing streak in it's 9 year history. If nobody on this team cares enough then why should the fans?
* Again Huselius collects a check for being a body on the ice. I've seen better defensive play in the Chiller D league.
* 8 game losing streak. 10 straight on the road. 16 of their last 18. Is this the worst NHL team of the past decade?
* #1 PP is great and all but where is it in games like this? This thing seems to be scoring a lot of it's goals when the games are already out of reach.
3 BRIGHT LIGHTS ON THE NIGHT
1. We get a two night break before we watch this team lose again.
2. Chimera with some fire.
3. Crown Royal was gooooOOOOD!
I have no way of knowing this for sure but I"m not convinced the players in that room understand the ramifications such a horrible season could have for the future of this franchise. All that momentum built up from last year... gone. The team's standing in public opinion as they try to renegotiate an arena lease will take a significant blow. Season tickets sales will dry up now more than ever. Corporate sponsorship sales will take a hit. On and on and on.
I'm sure there are a lot of sleepless nights for the coaches, managers and owners but what I see from this team right now is a group of highly paid athletes happy just to collect their paychecks. I see no passion in their play. I see no sense of urgency. Club Blue Jackets appears open for business and the membership is stronger than ever.
I hate to be so negative on Xmas Eve but this team ain't making the playoffs. They will not recover from losing 16 of 18 games. The time for Howson to make a move to try to salvage this season was 10 games ago. It's time now to start looking towards next year. A garbage depth player pickup isn't going to solve anything.
It's time to completely re-evaluate the entire direction of this team to "win now" for next year. This team has flaws that need addressed. Howson needs to readjust his "vision".
He needs to decide who is expendable at the deadline. Who stays and who goes in the offseason. Is Hitch the right coach for a team that is always going to have young experienced talent augmenting lineup? Can Rick Nash really carry this team? Put every resource you can to scout this draft. They need to know how good this crop of players can be and how quickly to decide to draft of trade the pick. He needs to figure out why Mason, Brassard and Voracek either regressed or stayed stagnant this season. Was it development, coaching, motivation or a combination? He needs to take an unbiased look at why the Filatov disaster occurred?
This team needs to either invest in a true #1 centerman or a true #1 d-man. They need to find a way to afford two 6+ mil plus type players. One being Nash (as I assume he stays) and the other being one of those two key positions. I don't care how that player is acquired but it needs to happen before next offseason.
They need to stop shopping on the bargain bin for players. It just doesn't work cutting corners. If ownership bulks then perhaps this team truly does not belong in this market. Quite frankly I'm sick of this team cutting corners. For instance if an Erhoff is available for the bargain basement price of a 2nd round pick (as rumored) and your 8 million under the cap then damn it you pull the trigger!!
There is a lot of finger pointing goin on now. I now I have mine cocked and loaded.
I think it's fair to question Hitch and if this team has given up on him. I think it's fair to question his role with Filatov and how the younger players have responded to him in their 2nd year.
Some of Howson moves are looking real bad right now. Most of his UFA signings have sputtered this year (Commodore, Juice, Pahlsson). This is his team now and his team is in the midst of the worst losing streak in it's history and he has done nothing of significance to help besides make some phone calls.
The players look apathetic.
Hell I'm questioning myself as much as anything as I really thought this squad was poised to take another step this season. Unfortunately everything that needed to go right, outside of the PP, has gone woefully wrong.
Ownership doesn't get off the hook in this mess either. I know they want to win... but in major league sports you need to do more than want... You have to spend to win. This team is some 8 mil under the cap and certainly has the room to make a deal. Cap space is like gold for teams in this league. Now they say they are willing to increase the payroll but it's too late!
This team is what it is right now and that is a bottom 10 team in the league. Sure they could go on a magical 2nd half run but the chances of that happening are slim to none. As much as it pains me to say, it's time to cut your losses and start strategizing how to get this team back in the hunt for the 10-11 season. Rebuild on the fly. The team will never admit so publicly but those conversations better be happening behind closed doors.. for our sakes!
-LTL
