Last year the Blue Jackets weren’t supposed to make the playoffs or win sixteen games in a row.
That was supposed to happen next year.
Well, next year is this year and the chart points up for hockey’s future in Columbus.
The CBJ are primed to take on the Washington Capitals in a very winnable first-round playoff series that would garner the franchise’s only second-round appearance should the Jackets win four of the next seven games. If not this year, Columbus’ beloved hockey team is set for long-term success with a bevy of young and promising players ranging from Pierre-Luc Dubois (who many worried would be a bust and questioned his drafting) to the dynamic defensive duo of Zach Werenkski and Seth Jones (both successful products of USA hockey), to the fact that players who were heavily depended upon in yesteryear ala Cam Atkinson, Jack Johnson and Brandon Dubinsky no longer dictate the success of the team. While the players have been special this year, what may have (or probably not) gone unnoticed is the impact of a seasoned coach and front office.
The moves that GM Jarmo Kekäläinen made right before the trade deadline seemed to be underwhelming and like they wouldn’t have much effect on the team’s powerplay (and penalty kill) woes. However, they proved to be just what the doctor ordered as once those players were all together they would go on to finish the last 17 games of the regular season 13-4. This demonstrates that the Jackets’ manager is in tune with the locker room and can see the intangibles that make up a roster. Yarmo knows hockey and he knows people and what makes them tick. On paper adding veterans Cole, Letestu and Vanek wouldn’t seem like much but it stabilized a young group that seemed to succumb to early goals and frustrations with their special teams play. In reality, it gave this young team an identity as veterans who had been in the league and won championships were on the bench during games where the Jackets fell behind early and seemed to miss power play opportunities. These veterans calmly set the example by settling down the younger players with their unfrazzled play and unshaken focus. When the pucks were flying the veterans stepped up like when Vanek had a hat trick to help the Jackets beat the Oilers. See for yourself the impact:
Along with a GM that knows his team, this season has also shown a different side of the oft-criticized coach John Tortorella.
Torts, as he is affectionately known around here, usually appears to be standoffish and stern when dealing with players and has been criticized for his no-nonsense and unrelentingly stubborn nature. However, this season has revealed that he cares about his players and really understands when they need the challenged and when they need to be praised and given some slack. Check out this post-game conference where he shows just how much he cares about his guys and what they have accomplished.
So the jackets have the youth and the experience, the coach and the GM to make a playoff run this year. Don’t be surprised if we see Columbus #marchOn to play the winner of philly-pittsburgh, and no the Jackets aren’t running from the tuxedo chicken, they just want to make sure they are ready for tomorrow night and their 49 goal center Alex Ovechkin.