Author Archive for Jeff Benson
Things Jackets Fans Can Do In the Second Half of the Season
Well, it’s the second half of the season. The Blue Jackets are more miserable than ever to watch and even more miserable to write about. After all – what’s left to write about? Rick Nash trade speculation? Front office firing speculation? Jeff Carter turning from a 40-goal scoring sniper into an emo whose feelings are [...]
Talking Jackets After an Embarassing Home Loss
How Should Jacket Fans Respond to Another Lost Season? After an optimistic offseason, with big acquisitions, there were big expectations for this year’s Blue Jackets…well, “big” by Jacket standards. Be competitive and push for a playoff spot. Of course, by the end of November the Jackets had already sealed their season’s fate. It would be [...]
In Need of a Win and a Wiz
Anyone who thought the Jackets overpaid for James Wisniewski this summer can probably now see his value to the Jackets. The team is winless in 4 games, and despite drawing 20 power plays, has yet to net a power play goal. The defense is still easily the worst in the NHL. The Jackets are [...]
Finally: Blue Jackets Offseason Brings #1 Center
The Blue Jackets have a number one center. Just let that sink in for a second. It takes some getting used to. Scott Howson traded fan-favorite winger Jakub Voracek, first and third round draft picks, for perennial goal scoring center Jeff Carter. Then, after trading for his rights, Howson landed free agent defenseman James Wisniewski [...]
Jackets Need Major Overhaul. Plus – How to get Parise?
Another disappointing season in the books for the Jackets. A nice run early and a stellar run of play in February brought some false hopes, and as usual I fell for the false goods they were selling me and believed they had a chance. But in they end, “they were who we thought they were.” [...]
Jackets Deal Klesla for Upshall and Lepisto
Great trade by Scott Howson today, as he dealt Rusty Klesla for Scottie Upshall and Sam Lepisto. Not a huge splash, not a game changer, but a shrewd little move at the deadline to give the Jackets a little extra boost as they attempt to steal the 8th playoff spot. By adding two players, management [...]
Back in November, the Blue Jackets handed the St. Louis Blues a truly glorious beat down. Then, I turned in a gleefully maniacal ranting blog about it. Then, the Blue Jackets turned back into the Blue Jackets and quickly fell out of the playoff race. Then, I became increasingly annoyed, disinterested, and found myself flipping [...]
OT Win Over the Isles/Third Jerseys (and Second Mascot) Revealed
Tonight’s game against the lowly Isles had all the makings of a trap, and throughout the game, all the signs of the “bad Jackets” we saw last year were there: Poor defense, the goalie letting in soft goals, giving up tons of scoring chances, Jared Boll getting punched in the head, etc. Actually, while Garon [...]
Jackets Shutout Preds After Completing the California Sweep
The Jackets returned home to face the rival Predators tonight, fresh off completing the California sweep. Knocking off first place Los Angeles, along with San Jose and Anaheim really got Jacket fans buzzing and the rest of the league paying attention. In all three games, the Jackets played basically to the formula they were built upon: Strong goaltending, [...]
Jackets Annihilate Blues, Give Home Fans a Show
an·ni·hi·late Verb /əˈnī-əˌlāt/ 1. Destroy utterly; obliterate 2. Defeat utterly ____________________ All I can say is wow. I don’t think I, nor any other Blue Jacket fan, was expecting a game like that. Before my thoughts on the game – a brief apology. I recently moved across the country, and I just got settled and didn’t have [...]
October Optimism…
It’s been awhile since I’ve checked in…and with good reason: it was the summer, and the Blue Jackets weren’t do anything. I thought about writing about the whole Mike Commodore for Sheldon Souray rumor, but honestly, I didn’t even want to think about Scott Howson doing ANOTHER deal with Edmonton for a washed up player. While [...]
Jackets Sign Stralman to 1-year Deal
Per Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch, The Blue Jackets have signed Anton Stralman to a 1-year deal for $1.95 million, avoiding an arbitration hearing. Stralman put up 34 points for the Jackets last season, anchoring their powerplay – and while he isn’t an elite NHL defenseman, the Jackets are certainly better off with him [...]
An Exciting Jackets Offseason
The Savard, Spezza, and Kaberle rumors were fun and all, but sadly, it is time for us Blue Jackets fans to get back to reality. The reality that the biggest events this summer will be Anton Stralman’s arbitration case, and the only free agent signing will most likely be a fourth line center. I still [...]
Ranting About the Spezza Rumor
First, the Marc Savard to the Jackets rumor made the rounds and got fans talking. Now, last night’s “reports” of a trade between the Blue Jackets and Senators have the internet abuzz. Jason Spezza and the 16th pick were rumored to have been sent Columbus’ way for Derick Brassard, Kristian Huselius, and the 4th overall [...]
Should the Jackets Be Interested in Coburn?
With their recent trade for the rights to Dan Hamhuis there is a strong chance the Flyers will be parting with Braydon Coburn. Coburn is going to be a restricted free agent July 1st, and with the Flyers having to spend on a new contract for Hamhuis, as well as potentially sinking more money into [...]
About that Savard rumor…
Yesterday evening, Prohockeytalk.com posted a trade rumor that said there had been discussions between the Bruins and the Blue Jackets, and linked Marc Savard and Blake Wheeler in a trade to the Blue Jackets for the 4th overall pick. http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2010/06/rumor-boston-to-trade-wheeler-savard-to-columbus-for-4th-overall-pick.php This morning, Aaron Portzline over at the Columbus Dispatch’s great Puck-Rakers blog pretty much said [...]
New Blue Jackets Head Coach – Scott Arniel
Scott Arniel, coach of the AHL’s Mannitoba Moose, has officially been hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets to be their new head coach. Guy Boucher rejected the Jackets offer in order to accept the job with the Tampa Bay Lightning (Hey Guy…enjoy Mike Smith!) To be honest, I don’t know much about Arniel, he seems [...]
On Boucher and Kaberle
As reported in the Columbus Dispatch, and then all of the internet, the Blue Jackets officially offered their head coaching job to Guy Boucher, who quickly accepted…er…still hasn’t decided whether to take it or not. To me, this is shocking. If he interviewed for the job, I would assume it would be because he wanted [...]
Kevin Dineen?
The NHL playoffs: Full of raucous crowds, great games, comebacks, overtimes, Detroit Red Wings…and no Columbus Blue Jackets. As usual. As I hockey fan I can enjoy watching the games being played, and hop on some other team’s bandwagon for no reason (go Kings!), but I also must follow what has become a staple of [...]
My 2011 CBJ Wish List
The CBJ and their band of AHL players continue to fight on, but mercifully the 2009-2010 is coming to an end (does anyone even want to hear about last night’s loss, which featured another blown 3rd period lead?). So with nothing to look forward to but watching two more games without Rick Nash and with [...]