For those still looking for a few CBJ presents to tuck under your tree, I got the following email from Shane:
LTL, since you like to post CBJ sales, here's a picture from Target in the "Fan Central" section. TONS of cool kid/some adult gear. Reasonably priced, too.
This pic is from the Target "Lennox" location.
If anyone else out there finds any other good deals on CBJ swag, be sure to pass along and I'll post!
Another NHL coach has bitten the dust. The Montreal Canadiens have fired Jacques Martin. That makes 6 of the league's 30 coaches, or 20%, that have been canned before the halfway point.
For CBJ fans, the obvious question that comes to mind after yet another firing is how does a team that is 13-12-7 fire it's head coach but a team that is 9-18-4 does nothing?
It's all about expectations.
I said this in an earlier post and I'll say it again. What good does firing just Scott Arniel do at this point?
Nothing.
It's like trying to break down a steel door with a paint brush when nothing less than a bulldozer will do the trick.
If they just fire Arniel, it's the same folks hiring a new coach and the circle of suck continues to go round. I can't be the only one who sees that our problems are a lot broader than just handing Scott Arniel his walking papers.
If they wanted a short term fix to try to save the season Arniel should have been the first coach fired this year, not the seventh. Now, according to Sports Club Stats, we have a .09% of making the playoffs.
At this stage, it's ride out the season time. That, or the axe trick which I don't see happening mid-season.
For the current hockey operations staff... It's evaluate. Scout. Prepare for the trade deadline.
For ownership, they need to evaluate if they want to continue to hitch their wagon to this group. I still think Craig Patrick was a step in this evaluation. I highly doubt any organization will let them interview assistant GMs at this stage so for now, it's either continue to have faith in this group or make your offseason wishlist of qualified candidates and check it twice.
I know what my answer would be if I burned 62 million to get just 22 out of 62 possible points (or 35%) 31 games into the season. A season that has for all intents and purposes, seen the CBJ eliminated from playoff competition by Thanksgiving.
But that's just me.
Tonight is game 5 of the 5 game home stand versus a 13-16-2 Tampa squad. A squad that made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals last year but has struggled this year under 2nd year coach Guy Boucher. The same Guy Boucher who spurned Howson's offer to coach the Jackets in favor of Tampa last year.
The Jackets are 1-3 in this home stand but should put up a pretty good fight against this Tampa team who is just 5-11-2 on the road.
C-ya there as I'm hoping I'll finally get to see my first home win live. It's always a treat to watch a guy like Steven Stamkos go to work.
So let's go Jackets. Let's send Guy Boucher on his way with another loss.
-LTL
