CBJaded…again…

FU...CBJ

You know I had a lot of reservations with moving to Seattle…being away from family, no more Buckeye games at the Shoe, moving away from my 2.25 friends.

Most of all, I thought that I would be devastated, as this was my first year that I did not have Bluejackets Season Tickets in old Section 213 Row G Seats 5&6. I mean, short of have the T-Shirt cannon never shoot anything to our section, and the single-game visit by the Pepsi girls (They always sent the ugly one…you know…the one that shouldn’t be a Pepsi girl..yeah…she was allocated to 213 each year)…I really thought I would miss it. The worst part is that we have sucked every year that I have been a season ticket holder.

However, after watching last night’s dismantling by the hands of an impressive San Jose Sharks team, I was glad that I wasn’t in Columbus. Happy, that I woudnt have to hear all of the excuses by Jeff Rimjob and the venerable GM DM. Glad that I wont have to hear the Wednesday call-in show on 1460 The Fan and listen how we have a good team and we are just in a funk.

This is the start of some candid commentary after watching the every game this season (with the exception of the Penguins game on Saturday).

I am going to skip games 1, 2 & 3 as they were not a true reflection of what is really going on with the CBJ this year. However, games 4, 5, & 6 will definitely generate some vitriol.

Over the last 3 games, the CBJ has looked lethargic. The team is not skating hard, the Blueliners have been deficient in basic hockey skill that should have been keened up in training camp, and the goaltending has actually been pretty good.

Forwards
The forwards (with the exception of 4 players – Malhotra, Chimera, Fedorov (Inj.), and Zherdev) have been worthless. Dumping pucks into the corner and NOT SKATING HARD to get them has been the most consistent activity by the forwards so far in the this short season. Modin and Carter tend to glide into the offensive zone (Note to Freddy and Anson…the Sedin twins nor Brad Richards are on your line!) and it is just disgusting me to no end. Here is the other one….Why in the hell is Jody Shelley still playing. Havent we gotten enough depth that some of the younger forwards can take some ice time away from this guy. I know he is there for a purpose and that he has made strides to improve his game, but the fact remains that there are players in Syracuse that could make the 4th line somewhat formidable…and not such a joke like it is now. I feel sorry for players like Picard and Svitov, who are totally bogged down by the lumbering skating of Jody Shelley. Bring Platt back up. Have a line with some speed and size that can potentially create some scoring opportunities. OMG…ANGRY!!!

If I had it my way, this is what the forward lines would look like for the next 5 or so games…

Nash-Fedorov-Vyborny
Balastik-Brule-Zherdev
Chimera-Malhotra-Picard
Platt-Svitov-Fritsche
Modin-Hartigan-Carter

If Modin and Carter want to get some more playing time, they will have to earn it. We need people that are willing to skate into the corners or willing to try and carry the puck into the offensive zone. I have seen neither from the Modin and Carter, and it makes Herringbone very sad. I am hoping that the return of Fedorov will help out some of the issues that the forwards have been dealing with in games 4-6, but he will need some time to get back in the swing of things. He is the unquestioned leader of the forwards

Defense
It has been nice to see what a frustrated Adam Foote would be like on the ice. He is cranky and throwing his weight around every chance he gets (legal or illegal). Tollefson…OMG Young guy that can barely skate. Klesla seems to be playing not to get hurt right now. Not throwing his weight around right now, which is understandable as he seems to get injured every time there is a atmospheric pressure change in the 614. Hainsey…proving to us why the Habs put him on the waiver wire. Last year, he was trying to prove himself. This year, he is just plain lazy. Can somebody tell me why we didn’t re-sign Suchy again? Westcott has been the best blue liner so far this year, and that is saying a lot.

You can t really change the blue line combinations, as we have got no one left.

Maybe we could spend some money and bring in a defenseman, instead of an overpriced forward (Not mentioning any names…Anson)

Coaching
We haven’t had a coach, since Dave King. I know that Doug cant play well with others, so takes about 90% of the coaches available out of play. Let’s take a look at the coaches that we have passed over in the past…shall we?
Bob Hartley, Ted Nolan, and…it doesn’t matter. Bob or Ted would have been a perfect “no nonsense” coach for a young team, instead we’ve got Gallant. I like Gerard, but he is Doug’s puppet and hasn’t made a decision that hasn’t gone through the GM DM decision chain since he was made head coach.

Bottom Line
1. The CBJ just needs to play hard…there is talent on the team, but the best hockey talent is negated by players that outwork the talent. You argue science here people.

2. Coaching. If Rick Nash isn’t skating hard and finishing checks, bench his arse. That goes for any player on the team. Come on Doug…Err…Gallant, accountability in the locker room and on the ice is imperative for a team that still doesn’t have an identity in its 6th year of existence.

I hope that this rant is something that I can look back on in the next 5-6 months and laugh at, but I am not counting on it.