Check out this line brawl involving Jaromir Jagr in the KHL:
Thanks to Kevin for the tip.
Things appear to be going absolutely nowhere on the arena lease issue according to the Dispatch this morning:
"We're still trying to figure out what the issues are," said Bill Jennison, executive director of the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority.
The money approved by the authority and the city of Columbus is likely to be depleted within weeks, at which point, lawyer John Rosenberger might wrap up by reporting where various parties stand and what problems and issues remain, Jennison said.
The work probably will end without an attempt to negotiate with all parties -- team owners; Nationwide, the majority owner of Nationwide Arena; and elected officials -- at the table, Jennison said. "There is no sense in bringing everybody into a large room," Jennison said. "It has to be productive."
As I stated previously don't expect them to go anywhere until ownership swings the hammer and engages in negotiations to sell and move the team.
This lousy season has not done them any favors either.
Things are going to get a lot more messy before they get better -- if they get better -- and we'll all get taken for the ride.
Unfortunately that appears to be the only way the power players in any city ever get serious about situations like these.
As Portzline pointed out in his Puck-rakers post Edmonton's Jim Matheson believes Filatov will be moved at some point:
Rest assured, Columbus Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson will be trading Filatov, probably at the entry draft in June, because he’s not going to have a kid dictate who he plays or how many minutes he plays. He’ll have no trouble moving the forward, for the top four D-man he needs.
I'm still of the belief that if Hitch stays Filatov goes and vice versa.
I certainly hope Howson doesn't waste this asset to bring in some top 4 dman. This team needs a #1 dman. Filatov should be packaged with whatever it takes to bring in that or a #1 center.
A top 4 dman = spinning wheels.
I'm going to keep banging this drum until it happens. These holes have gone unfilled long enough and it's time everyone puts pressure on Howson and the organization to fill them the right way.
I know the Jackets have a budget.. I know the players don't grow on trees... but if they want to get serious about winning and winning consistently then they somehow/someway these wholes must get addressed.
Clearly we have been unable to draft and develop players to fill these holes.
Until then we should all continue to expect to be a borderline playoff team at best.
Garrioch's turn to chime in on Hitch:
All eyes are on Columbus coach Ken Hitchcock, but the talk is a decision on whether he stays with the Blue Jackets won’t be made by GM Scott Howson. Instead, it will be team president Mike Priest who will decide.
Sources say the players wouldn’t mind if a coaching change was made and that the dressing room is a mess. Let’s face it: Hitchcock has a shelf life, but the Jackets shouldn’t worry because somebody will pick up the remainder of his contract if he’s fired. Top guess is that he’ll land in St. Louis.
Priest having the final say on whether or not Hitch stays or goes wouldn't surprise me. Although leaving that decision to a guy with absolutely not background in the sport of hockey doesn't strike me as the wisest decision.
I don't think Hitch would have a problem finding new employment in the NHL but I don't buy it being in St. Louis which is a team that just fired a coach with a similar style in Andy Murray.
If you recall the Jackets were rumored to be down to two coaches before they pulled the trigger on Hitch...
Who was the other guy?
Andy Murray.
Sorry for no gameboxes of late -- been tough to find the time to squeeze them in.
As far as the game tonight it will be interesting to see how the Jackets respond after a successful 3 game road trip that saw them take 4 of 6 points.
Were the wins an aberration or is this team really snapping out of it's funk?
As I was saying to a buddy the other day.. the wins are nice but it's going to take a helluva lot more than that to convince me this team can get back in this playoff fight.. If they can put a run together of say 5 to 7 straight regulation wins I may open an eye or two and peak up at the standings.
There is an opportunity tonight as the Stars have struggled on the road with a 7-9-6 record. The Jackets on the other hand aren't exactly lighting up the win column at home lately going 1-5-2 in their past 8 games in the friendly confines.
Regardless of the outcome the key remains for me is that this team has to start preparing for next season and playing their young guns early and often. That is something that did not happen with Brassard the last game which for me is completely unacceptable regardless of if we won or not.
-LTL
