Just when you think it's rained enough on the Jackets I read this via Puck-daddy from former #6 overall pick Nikita Filatov
F Nikita Filatov(notes) (RUS) had his captaincy stripped prior to the 5th-place game between Russia and Finland. A berating by Coach Vladamir Plyushchev during an intermission in the quarter-final vs. Switzerland preceded the action. F Kirill Petrov served as captain as Russia lost 4-3 to finish 6th...
..and it doesn't stop there -- from ThePipelineShow.com:
Nikita Filatov, who should have been one of the top 3 scorers in the tournament, finished outside of the top 29 scorers with 6 points in 6 games and it sounded like he might be finished with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
"Something should change, I'm not going to say what, but there are a couple of reasons if they are still the same, I'm not going back," said the Russian star.
If Hitchcock is indeed the reason why Filatov isn't happy, the Blue Jackets head coach might not be the only bench boss he's having problems with. When asked if Filatov and the Russians quit on Vladamir Plyuschkev, he had this response.
"If it looked like this, you're probably right."
What the Jackets really needed was for Filatov's to shine in this tournament so that his trade stock would rise.
What they got seems to be more of what some folks have been saying since this happened - that Nikita Filatov is a spoiled and self centered player who only cares about one thing -- and that is Nikita Filatov.
I put a lot of blame on everyone when this kid bolted but the more this kid opens his yap the more I question my thought process. He seems to point the finger in every direction but his own which tells me all I need to know.
I was also one that liked his candidness but all he's doing now is digging himself a bigger hole. Someone needs to buy this kid some duct tape and double wrap it. He needs to let his play on the ice do all his talking.
The biggest problem now is the Jackets are probably stuck with this kid as he won't be worth squat on the trade market.
One thing I do know is the Jackets better be done drafting Russians high in the draft.
As far as I'm concerned Nikolai Zherdev + Nikita Filatov = 3 strikes and you're out!!
Nothing has gone right this year and as they say when it rains it sure does pour.
Maybe Team USA can give us some sunshine tonight with a big win over the Canadians!
-LTL
