In today's look back at the Blue Jackets awful season, I'm going to look at three things: player grades, good and bad transactions, and the Highlight of the Year.

Follow along on this journey. I'll try not to make it too painful.

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Following suit with the NFL, the NHL announced today that the NHL13 cover will be determined by a fan vote.

You get two options per team and have to pick one. The Blue Jackets options are Ryan Johansen and R.J. Umberger. Not surprisingly, Rick Nash isn't included, because who has any idea where he'll be next year?

I suggest we all vote for Ryan Johansen, considering he's shaping up to be the next face of the franchise, but R.J. Umberger isn't a bad pick either.

Who will you be voting for?

Click here to vote for Ryan Johansen or R.J. Umberger to be on the cover of NHL13.

After news officially broke that Jeff Carter had been traded to Los Angeles for Jack Johnson and a 1st round pick, there were no more questions as to whether or not the Blue Jackets were going to be blowing up the roster. Antoine Vermette and Jeff Carter gone in a matter of two days.

It also didn't take long to hear positive comments coming from Johnson, a nice change from the previous lock-down of Jeff Carter for days after his trade from the Philadelphia Flyers to Columbus.

Jack Johnson, courtesy of The Dispatch:

"I’m excited by this," Johnson said. "I’m excited to go a team that wants me and to play in a great sports city.

"I want to be part of the solution there. I know they’ve had some bad breaks and some tough seasons, but it’s going to be great when it turns around. Really, I don’t think there is anything sweeter in sports than being part of a team when they get it turned around."

It should be noted that Johnson is a Midwestern boy, born in Indiana and raised in Michigan. Although he attended that school up North, he at least comes to Ohio with an appreciation already in place for the city and lifestyle, not unlike James Wisniewski.

Johnson instantly makes the Jackets top 4 stronger on defense. While he's not necessarily a top-pairing defenseman, when you add in Wisniewski, Fedor Tyutin, and Nikita Nikitin, there's a good mix of size, skill, and speed. To say the least, we've seen much worse in Columbus.

More importantly, when you have enough players with this attitude, it will start to become infectious. When Johnson, Wiz, Derek Dorsett, Vinny Prospal, Derek MacKenzie, and others want to leave it all on the ice, the room slowly starts to shrink for those who don't. If someone starts gliding, the vocal leaders will have room to call them out. And that's exactly what this team needs - to tip the scale in favor of everyone competing. As sad as it may be, this is a great way to start.

For all the comments saying this was a bad deal for Columbus, Carter's attitude and contract leaving town at least make this move passable for the Blue Jackets. The team saves money over the next decade, has a player that actually wants to be here, and from his comments sounds like a leader and someone that can help push his teammates. Jeff Carter was never going to be that.

I don't care if it's the last place Blue Jackets or playing in the AHL, any player with the approach of Jeff Carter is a problem. Kings fans are happy now, and they probably should be. But normal players don't get traded twice in less than one season. It just doesn't happen.

John Boruk of CSN Philadelphia tweeted:

On the Richards-Carter relationship one Flyer told me: Mike likes Jeff but Jeff loves Mike.

So, Carter gets his bromance, but this trade can really only be evaluated in the next one to two years to see where the Kings and Blue Jackets stand. It shouldn't be overlooked that for some reason, whatever it was, the Flyers wanted to trade both captain Mike Richards and Carter in the same off-season. In the same day. The Flyers are sitting 1 point out of fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Hmm.

The first round pick shouldn't be overlooked, either. Yes, Columbus' track record for drafting is dodgy at best, but a first round pick is nothing to scoff at. John Moore, one of the Blue Jackets top prospects, was selected 21st overall.

Some other good to great players selected with pick 16 or later in the last five years: Michael Del Zotto, Nick Leddy, Chris Kreider, Luca Sbisa, Tyler Ennis, John Carlson, Max Pacioretty, and Jonathon Blum.

Is this a home run deal for Columbus? No way. But it's about as good as you can make a bad situation.

I'll end with the sentiment that was shared by Dannie Brown of Strait Jackets - it's a shame this didn't work out. The fans in Columbus deserve a player like Jeff Carter coming in and playing at an All-Star level. No one here's calling for the Cup - not yet anyway - just some respectability. In year 12, I don't think that's too much to ask.

But it didn't work out, so let's move on. Hopefully Plan B is better.

Rick Nash has been the hot story since word came down on Tuesday that he and the organization would entertain trade offers.

Many responses from fans of the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, and Los Angeles Kings, three teams rumored to have interest in acquiring Nash, argue that he's being overvalued by CBJ GM Scott Howson or Blue Jackets fans.

Yesterday, Mike posted the only Rick Nash trade scenario he could handle.

Again, the backlash was that Nash wouldn't command a return of Cory Schneider, Cody Hodgson, and Keith Ballard OR Sami Salo and Mason Raymond.

Similarly, New York Rangers fans feel like Brandon Dubinsky, Chris Kreider, a 1st round pick, and potentially an NHL ready defenseman is too much for Nash.

I personally feel like the Kings are the best fit. They're stocked on defense and have a pipeline of solid goalie prospects. I like a deal where Nash is sent to Los Angeles for Jonathan Bernier, Jack Johnson, and Slava Voynov/Thomas Hickey OR a mid-prospect and first round pick.

All of these proposal's might seem too rich for Rick Nash... and maybe they are.

Here's the sticking point: The Blue Jackets don't have to trade Rick Nash. I believe this has been handled in such a way that if a great deal doesn't come through, Nash can continue to be a Blue Jacket with no hard feelings (at least no hard feelings that he would express). Remember the trade frenzy of 2009 that involved Vincent Lecavalier not being traded to the Montreal Canadiens? Maybe more importantly, this isn't Ilya Kovalchuk in 2010. Nash is already signed long-term and has repeatedly stated he's happy in Columbus and wants to see a winner here.

If the value isn't there for the Blue Jackets, they're not going to move him just to move him. This isn't a Jeff Carter situation, where the team wants to cut their losses and get some value while they can. And if Howson could move Carter and somehow get a goalie or defenseman in return, I think that would lessen the need of trading Nash. But again, if the value is there, he's going to make the trade, and that's why these conversations have started.

The true trade will likely fall somewhere between the two extremes, but ultimately unless the value is there for Columbus, I don't see them taking the deal.

Well, it's all on the table now.

Bob McKenzie of TSN puts it best:

While it's easy, and sometime necessary, to get hung on precise terminology on a story like this one -- the differences between "on the market" as opposed to "listening to offers" as opposed to "being shopped" -- here's the bottom line:

Last week, in no uncertain terms, NHL teams were told Nash was not available and this week, he is. For the right team, anyway.

Less than two weeks to the NHL trade deadline, that is nothing less than a seismic shift.

That doesn't mean he'll necessarily be traded by the deadline but it does mean there has been a significant change in his status from last week to this week.

Nash's simple response, as reported by Aaron Portzline:

I'm a Blue Jacket right now. I've played my whole career here and it's a special place to me. So as of right now I'm a Blue Jacket.

Last night, Puck Daddy Greg Wyshynski threw out some teams that would have interest in Nash. The New York Rangers continue to be at the top of the buzz chart, and they do make sense on more than one level. Wyshynski also mentions the Washington Capitals have a lot of young talent with cap room to spare. Two teams that have been speculated, but no official reports are the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks.

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Now that the Blue Jackets have re-signed veteran winger Vinny Prospal, one piece to the puzzle is in place. That leaves 22 other roster spots yet to be determined. Obviously we'll see the likes of Ryan Johansen and John Moore returning next year. Some veterans like Fedor Tyutin, R.J. Umberger, and James Wisniewski will likely remain fixtures on the team, unless an offer comes through that's too good to refuse.

But where does that leave Rick Nash? Word is that he's unhappy. The report I read essentially stated that people in the know with Nash said that he would not request a trade, but is unhappy with the state of the team and would entertain the idea of accepting a trade if he were presented the option.

I'm having trouble finding the article now... but can anyone tell me which rocket scientist came up with that? If Nash wasn't frustrated playing for a team in dead last, then I would be concerned. The Blue Jackets at 15-32-6. That's good for 36 points. Let me put it another way: 11 points behind the 29th place team.

Should Nash be satisfied? No way! And if he was sitting back on his fat contract without a care in the world, then I would be the first to want him traded. But there's nothing to suggest that, not even this "report."

The bottom line on any Nash rumors or potential deals: It's about time this team makes some smart business decisions. I believe re-signing Prospal was the first step. Identifying him as a key player that you want around young players was essential for Scott Howson to get the right pieces in place. There will always be suitors for Rick Nash, and if a trade makes the most sense for the Columbus Blue Jackets, then they should take it. But that won't necessarily be easy to come by, and I don't think it's what Nash or the Jackets are looking for in this situation.

The team has a lot going right: They just re-signed a key veteran, with a gentlemen's agreement that he'll remain with the franchise in some capacity beyond the end of his playing career. A potentially nasty arena ownership issue is in the rear view mirror, with the team committed to stay in town for decades. The team, as always, has continued to have stable ownership. The 2013 All Star Game will be in town, an opportunity to show case the city, team, facilities and fans on a national stage.

As much as I would never be the one to say, "There's always next year," especially not after the last two seasons, at least there will be a next year. And God forbid, there will be a next year after that.

We all want to win now, and that's fair. After 11 years, we all deserve some credit and some success. But it's time to do this thing right. To build it out with the right players in the right positions. Like the pesky Nashville Predators, that just never go away.

A lot of things are going right for this team, and if they can just get the hockey thing figured out, we'll be alright.

Since the beginning of this season, there hasn't really been a single bit of good news for Blue Jackets fans.

Yesterday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the Blue Jackets will host the 2013 NHL All-Star game. There's finally something to look forward to in Columbus. This will be a great opportunity to show off the Arena and hopefully a few shiny All Stars to represent the Blue Jackets.

The concentration of star power in the city will help spread the message that this is, in fact, a hockey town and we'll be able to show them why.

So let's hope the 2012-13 Blue Jackets can make a turn-around like other teams we've seen in the last decade, going from worst to first in their divisions - namely the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Philadelphia Flyers.

But if they can't, at least we have something to look forward to, for the first time in a long time.

It's never too early to look at next year's free agent group. Stability in the goalie position is the biggest need for the Blue Jackets, and unless the team makes a trade, it's not looking too great in free agency.

Leading the list are three names: Tomas Vokoun, Jonas Gustavsson, and Ray Emery.

Gustavsson is the most attractive of the group. Vokoun is closer to the end of his career than the beginning, and if he has a good run with Washington this year, would likely either stay with the Capitals or retire. Emery will probably bounce around to yet another team, and while I felt like this year would have been a great time for the Jackets to take a chance on him, I just don't see him as a fit anymore.

Gustavsson's stats are pretty decent this year after a weak season last year. He's 13-9-0 with a .906 save percentage and a 2.92 goals against average. Many see James Reimer as the future in Toronto, and it is unknown if Gustavsson would re-sign to potentially be a backup.

After that, it's a group of players that, while potentially serviceable, are exactly what the Jackets don't need if they're looking to make real progress. Players who have seen little to no action this year either due to ability or injury. Players that are, at best, an interesting option for a backup goalie. Those players include the likes of Scott Clemmensen, Antero Niittymaki, Dan Ellis, and Michael Leighton.

No matter how you slice it, this is a very thin group. The Jackets best option is likely to trade with a team that has a backup who deserves a starting spot. If the Jackets are lucky, they can find the next Craig Anderson stuck behind a Tomas Vokoun.

Cory Schneider is the obvious name to look out for, but a deal with the Canucks won't come cheap. Is there any chance the Boston Bruins trade Tuukka Rask? It's hard to say, but I don't think Tim Thomas is done yet.

The best off the wall trade option I can consider is Cam Ward. He's a Stanley Cup winner. A proven goalie that continues to collect decent stats even with the Hurricanes in the middle of a very disappointing season. It wouldn't be cheap to acquire him, but it would almost definitely be worth it. The Canes at one point expressed interest in Derick Brassard, so at least you have a starting point for the conversation. Brassard's improved play as of late can only help the Jackets. Clearly they would need to give up much more than Brassard, we're talking multiple players and/or picks, but it's a start.

Add Ward and better depth to a core of Rick Nash, Jeff Carter, James Wisniewski, Fedor Tyutin, and R.J. Umberger and start to see what a confident goalie allows these players to do. We saw what many of them were capable of when they could count on Steve Mason to make a big save. That won't solve all the team's problems, but it's a good start.

Look, the season isn't going to be recovered at this point. We can only hope that Scott Howson is developing some type of game plan as to how to correct the direction the team is heading by the start of next season.

After last night, there are at least some positives to look at. Ryan Russell and Tomas Kubalik both scored their first NHL goals. Derick Brassard looked pretty darn good, and Nikita Nikitin continues to tally the assists. Oh yeah, and Ryan Johansen will represent the Blue Jackets at the NHL Young Stars game.

Looking at players that are either signed through next year or are restricted free agents, I thought it would be nice to discuss some of the positives from this season. Who is your favorite new Blue Jacket that has debuted this year?

Hit the comments and let us know what you think about some of the newer additions!

By now you know Scott Arniel has been fired and Todd Richards is taking over as interim head coach.

I think it was long overdue, but as Mike suggested yesterday, it's not all on Arniel. At any rate, Richards, who was let go as the Minnesota Wild head coach last season, will take over the 11-25-5 Jackets. I previously took a brief look at a few potential coaching candidates in Bob Hartley, Guy Carbonneau, and Marc Crawford.

Of course, Richards is going to do everything he can to make a case that he deserves the head coaching job next year and not someone else. We've seen this before - the Blue Jackets season all but over by the end of January, then sometime after the All-Star break they start playing well and beating teams they shouldn't. Ultimately, this results in the team playing just well enough to not draft one of the elite players in the draft. Even the year they drafted Rick Nash, they had to trade for the pick.

Outside of that year and the draft following the playoff season, the Jackets have drafted 4th overall three times, 6th overall three times, 7th overall once, and 8th overall twice. I'll leave the prospect analysis to Mike, but this year, the consensus No. 1 pick is Nail Yakupov. Outside of the top 3, the talent takes a bit of a drop off.

You never want to watch a team that loses on purpose, but some would argue that maybe that's what they've been doing for awhile now. This is largely the same group of players that seemed to quit on Ken Hitchcock half a season after making the playoffs.

I think the only right answer is to get the young talent on this team valuable ice time and whatever happens, happens. Give Ryan Johansen a shot on the top line and increased duties to John Moore. As soon as Mark Dekanich is healthy, let's see if he's an NHL goaltender. Now is his chance to make his case for being kept around after this season.

I'd like to see more of Tomas Kubalik, Matt Calvert, and Cam Atkinson. Calvert shined in the second half of last season, so maybe now is the perfect chance to see if he can continue that kind of play. And for goodness sake, let's see if Derick Brassard can play, because despite the mishandling by Arniel, I'm starting to think he still has something in him.

The team needs to know where they stand with every single player in the organization, and now is the time to figure it out. If they shouldn't be here or they're not good enough, get rid of them. If they have promise, see if they can elevate their game and take on an increased role.

But please, don't just sit around and let Sammy Pahlsson, Derek MacKenzie, or Jared Boll take minutes that would be better served with the future of this organization.

After his recent... episode... what is next for Scott Arniel?

His reaction was, in a word, embarrassing. Embarrassing for both him and the Blue Jackets organization. I understand being frustrated. Taking it out on a group of reporters when you're in a hole you've dug for yourself is unnecessary.

Beyond that, what does this do to his voice in the room? Does this make Rick Nash feel like the coach has his back? Or does he think he's being coached by someone who can't handle the pressure of the NHL?

If this were Toronto or Philadelphia or New York, Arniel's record, excuses, and complete lack of knowledge of his team wouldn't last another minute.

Can Scott Howson really continue to stand behind Arniel? Do you think Jeff Carter is happy with the idea that he's expected to listen to this guy?

Arniel's team dug a hole for itself well before Christmas. In Columbus, we'll take the first chance to find any "positive signs," no matter how insignificant. Continuing to work hard but analyze his team in an honest manner would have gone a long way. Having such a combative response when someone asks a simple question is not the attitude I'd want to see. At this point, the organization is still expecting him to bring along the next generation of young players.

His credibility among the NHL and the Blue Jackets fan base is next to zero. Whether Howson or Blue Jackets President Mike Priest still believe in him, what can his credibility be throughout the rest of the organization?

Maybe Howson and Priest believe admitting that Arniel isn't right for the job is admitting too much failure on their behalf.

And maybe that's the problem.

While the Stars have lost 3 of their last 5, as a whole they're the complete opposite of the Blue Jackets. They had every reason to be bad this year. Losing Brad Richards to free agency and getting nothing in return had to hurt. But they're doing pretty well for themselves and a lot of credit goes to Kari Lehtonen. Lehtonen's stats started to slide his last couple years in Atlanta, but he's rebounded well and has the Stars in contention for the Pacific Division, just one point behind the Sharks.

Will they go up 3-0 in the season series against Columbus?

On the other hand, the Jackets are in the middle of a nightmare season that no one realized could go this low. But Howson has seen enough and made his intentions to make some trades public yesterday. Will this wake up the locker room? Can Mason continue to take steps towards improvement? Or will they sleepwalk through another game and get blasted by the Stars?

The road to respectability is going to be long for Columbus. This season has made that journey even longer. Can it begin tonight?

Bob Hunter wrote in yesterday's Columbus Dispatch that Howson has finally seen enough.

Finally. As if we haven't been talking about this for months now. Either way, at least he's come to this realization well before the trade deadline. Now any moves he makes can be, at least to an extent, on his terms, and not under the gun or backed in the corner. The Jackets were already backed into a corner - they blew through the wall and kept backing up.

At any rate, he's going to be active. And while he still believes Scott Arniel is the answer behind the bench, I see this next set up of moves being the last real chance for either of them.

Obviously goaltending seems to be the biggest hole - Steve Mason just hasn't proven that he can be the answer. As much as it hurts to let a Calder Trophy winner go, he has had many opportunities to put things together. More than a lot of organizations would have given him.

It's no secret that a better defense would help, either. Any goaltender, under the circumstances, would not have looked great in Columbus this year. But when you look at players like Rusty Klesla and Jan Hejda that are allowed to walk and play solidly for their new teams, you have to wonder, what's the real problem? Is it development? Coaching? All of the above?

How many more failed prospects, bad trades and signings, or poorly evaluated talent must we watch come and go in Columbus before bigger moves are made?

Yet, none of this has been quite as surprising as nearly every forward not named Ryan Johansen having such awfully disappointing seasons, both when looking at stats and level of play.

So, what do you do? Moving the bigger names will obviously net the bigger return, but then you're looking to rebuild your entire core. While the team has been abysmal, I believe the core group could still perform with the proper support and structure of a true NHL team. I'm talking Rick Nash, Jeff Carter, R.J. Umberger, Antoine Vermette, Fedor Tyutin, and James Wisniewski. Those are all players that if you trade them to a good team, you will see them flourish. Why can't that good team be Columbus?

But when the defensemen coming over the boards after Tyutin and Nikitin are Aaron Johnson and John Moore, that has to be draining. I'm sure many of us have been a part of teams or groups where you're the one pulling the heavy load - it's not easy. And when you try to do too much, it's not good for anyone. Just ask Rick Nash. The problems are only made worse when the last line of defense is Steve Mason, doing his best tryout for the Swiss Cheese league.

The team has to start with the back end and work its way out. Trading for a goalie now might not be so easy, but if Howson has his eye on someone now or coming up next year in free agency, he must start now to set up the moves to make that happen. Package Brassard in a deal for another defenseman like Nikitin, whoever that may be, both getting stronger on the back end and clearing out his salary. Give up something of value to get another top level player, like the Voracek for Carter trade. Carter hasn't played great, but I bet if the team gives him the right surroundings, next year will be huge. I still believe he can be better than Rick Nash and that's exactly what this team needs.

Howson shouldn't blow up the team just to look like he's doing something, and I don't think he will. But when you look at a player like John-Michael Liles and see how well he's doing in Toronto, a player we could have had in Columbus, you realize how many good moves this team could be in the position to make.

What would you do?

Scott Howson has probably made more bold moves than many would give him credit for. This off-season, he all but bet his career on Jeff Carter and James Wisniewski bringing legitimate hockey to Columbus. So far, that hasn't panned out, but according to Howson, "Coaching is not an issue..."

Excuse me?

Joe Yerdon of NBC Sports' ProHockeyTalk thinks Howson is delusional, and I can't disagree.

It’s noble that Howson is believing in his coach and his team to get things turned around enough to challenge for the postseason, but last year’s Devils were in a similar position (20 points in 33 games, 18 points out of eighth) and while they threatened to make the playoffs with an incredible run, they fell short in the end.

So let me get this straight. Howson puts together a group of players that he believes are fit to compete for the playoffs. Ownership is on board and they allow Howson to spend more money than ever before - currently sitting at just below a $62 million cap hit, or 13th in the league. The 13th highest payroll for the worst team in the league. OK...

Then there's Scott Arniel, the coach that was hired by Howson after he let Ken Hitchcock go. Arniel has led his team to a 9-20-4 record. Coaches with records that poor get fired. In fact, as Aaron Portzline points out:

Six NHL coaches have been fired already this season, all of them with clubs ahead of the Blue Jackets in the standings and three of them with winning records at the time of the firing.

So what's the deal? The players aren't playing to their potential, that's obvious. Surely there has to be some element of poor coaching, there's not much else that can explain the late game collapses this team suffers from. But if the coach isn't the problem and the players aren't playing, isn't it on the man who put the players in place? At the very least, shouldn't Howson be more aggressive in trying to deal some of these players to address the problems?

Howson's heroic act of standing behind his coach and players that are being overpaid to play at a level just above AHL-caliber hockey might make for a heartwarming story, but it may be doing more harm to this franchise than any Doug MacLean ego trip. Howson standing pat while his team is on track to get the number 1 overall pick next year isn't doing anyone any bit of good. Well, unless he really likes next year's top prospect.

The case of rushing prospects has always been a concern in years past. Due to a lack of depth, a player like John Moore has played 22 games and tallied just 1 goal with a -6 rating. What exactly is this doing to his development? I'm just hoping Ryan Johansen's raw talent allows him to overcome his surroundings. I have to wonder, though - if a first round pick in Derick Brassard isn't doing the right things in practice or in games to deserve suiting up, what kind of example does that set for Johansen or Moore?

And hasn't that been this team's problem all along?

He's not done yet.

I (among many others) have been critical of Steve Mason for awhile now. I still believe most, if not all, of the criticism has been fully deserved. But Mason battled last night and he deserves some credit.

When Mason got injured, the team had won 3 games. Curtis Sanford came in and rescued at least some respectability. Many had seen enough and wanted Mason traded. I couldn't disagree.

While last night's shootout win against the Vancouver Canucks may not prove to be a turning point, it was encouraging to see Mason fight so hard.

He left in the third period with severe cramping. He could have stayed out of the game. No one would have blamed him. But he came back, even though he was surely still feeling the aches from the cramps, and closed out the game. Not only did he close out the game, he out dueled Roberto Luongo - in the shootout! - and secured a 2-1 victory.

Did I mention this was all after sitting out for a month?

Yeah, good on you, Mase.

I won't pretend like this is the start of a new day and that suddenly the Jackets are going to be playoff contenders. But I've been critical of players like Mason all season, and today, he gets the credit he deserves for last night.

If head coach Scott Arniel is comfortably safe with an 8-16-4 record this season (42-61-17 overall as an NHL head coach), Derick Brassard and Steve Mason playing the scapegoat and under performer roles (while having a combined cap hit of $6.1 million), and Scott Howson trying to make sense of hockey operations by hiring Craig Patrick, what is the next move?

Certainly you can't trade one of the big three - Rick Nash, Jeff Carter, or James Wisniewski - or can you? I don't think that's the answer, but where else do you go? Do you gut the group of players that Howson has put around them? If so, what does that say about Howson's ability to build a roster? If a complete rebuild is in order, ownership would need to take a good look at the man who put the players in place and handed out large contracts to Brassard, Mason, et. al. So far, he's only managed to get out from Kris Russell's. Don't forget Mike Commodore.

If you don't start moving some of the players, who else is responsible for late period and end of game collapses? Surely, while Howson did play a bit of professional hockey in his career, there's nothing he can do to stop a mess like last night's game against Nashville.

But if they haven't fired Arniel yet, why do it now? Remember at the beginning of November when there was still a chance to rebound from the poor start? Has anyone checked the standings since Ken Hitchcock took over in St. Louis?

So, if the GM, coach, and players are all staying put, what exactly do they expect to happen to turn this team around?

Scott Howson made some big moves this past Summer. Trading for Jeff Carter and the rights to James Wisniewski were no small feats. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm a fan of the vast majority of the roster moves he's made. I feel as if a lot of the issues are coaching and maybe chemistry among certain key players.

One thought I can't get out of my head is why the team has historically been so slow to act when it starts to become clear that a player just isn't going to fit in Columbus. Granted, it's easier said than done, but the team seems to give players much longer leashes than any other team in the league. I have to wonder if that is what leads to a "country club atmosphere" and it most certainly kills players' trade value before they eventually end up being dealt or let go through free agency.

The current hot topic is Derick Brassard. I know Howson meets with Scott Arniel on a regular basis, so if they're so down on his play, why not package him to make a trade for a defenseman (or a decent draft pick)? Instead, they give him almost no playing time, and when they do, he's paired with Cody freakin' Bass. If he's not doing the right things in practice or in games now, why do they think he's suddenly going to start performing in these circumstances?

But it's not just Brassard. It's Kris Russell. It's Nikita Filatov. Rusty Klesla. Nik Zherdev. Gilbert Brule.

After Brassard, I assume the attention will turn back to Steve Mason.

The team refuses to cut the cord. Only in the case of Zherdev did the team get anything of value back.

Does Scott Howson or Scott Arniel really believe Brassard is going to put things together? Steve Mason?

If the answer is yes: I'd have to strongly disagree. Brassard hasn't been the same since his shoulder injury. Mason hasn't been the same since his rookie year.

If the answer is no: What are you waiting for? If you say a 4th round pick in 2014, you're probably right.

On Saturday, Matt looked at all the possible scenarios for Steve Mason as he returns from concussion-like symptoms. But with Curtis Sanford clearly providing a certain level of stability in net and helping the Blue Jackets gain some respectability this season, does Scott Arniel really want to play with fire and go back to Mason in net?

Whether the team has more confidence in Sanford, or Mason is really just that bad, the Jackets have looked more like a real NHL team over the last couple weeks.

What's more troubling is we've seen this story before in Columbus. Remember Pascal Leclaire? What does this team do so wrong with its goalies? Steve Mason won the Calder Trophy as the league's best rookie, not long after Leclaire signed his "franchise goalie contract." Meanwhile, the former Calder Trophy winner is barely good enough for the NHL if his stats are any indication.

So, what happens now? Do you give Mason the rest of a season that is all but over anyway? Do you make a move and try to find next year's goalie now so he has time to build some chemistry?

Whatever the option is, I just don't see how Mason can get any considerable amount of playing time if Arniel and Scott Howson want to keep their jobs. But they also can't keep counting on a lucky hot streak from a goalie that was expected to be, at best, an AHL starter.

What would you do with Steve Mason?

From Mike, Matt, Dan, Lou, and myself:

We want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you all for giving us an outlet to connect with great people about the thing we love. The Cannon would be nothing without you.

No hockey talk from me today, other than to say I look forward to see if the Jackets can extend their 4-game point streak tomorrow night.

Enjoy your day and your family.

-Andy

Well, he's not asking for a trade, at least. This coming after RDS reported that Jeff Carter asked to be traded from Columbus.

The Columbus Dispatch's Aaron Portzline reports:

"I haven’t talked with one single person from RDS," Carter said. "I don’t know where they came up with that. I haven’t said anything or asked for anything."

Carter pointed out, halfheartedly, that the article was accurate in one aspect: He’s not happy right now. "I don’t think anybody is happy (in the dressing room) right now," Carter said. "If anybody is happy in this room, they shouldn’t be. We’ve won three games.

I have to believe that Carter and his agent would be smarter than that, even if he did want a trade. He hasn't played well in Columbus, partially due to missing a big stretch of games with a hairline fracture in his foot. But if he were to pout about the trade from Philadelphia, then dog it in Columbus and request a trade shortly after, what team would want a player like that?

Playing average hockey on a bad team isn't going to hurt his reputation. Just ask Rick Nash.

But I do believe Carter when he says that he and Nash have bonded, and if Nash wants to be a part of the solution, I see Carter sticking it out with him. After all, one of the stinging points in the trade from Philadelphia was leaving his best friend, Mike Richards, who had been traded to Los Angeles at the same time.

Ultimately, I'm not worried about Carter. Much like Nash, the scoring will come, and his game will get back on track. It's everything else around them that makes me nervous.

In other news, Curtis Sanford will start again tonight against the Predators. Sanford is making his second straight start after losing to the Bruins in a 2-1 shootout loss. This was the best performance by a goalie the Blue Jackets had seen all year, and it's exactly the type of play the team needs to get headed in the right direction. If there's any argument for finding a permanent replacement for Steve Mason, Thursday's game would be solid evidence in support of that cause.

Let me start by getting this out of the way: I don't care that the Blue Jackets won against Winnipeg on Saturday.

One thing that really got under my skin from Matt's recap of Scott Howson's Q&A with season ticket holders was this: 

Howson was asked about the coaching staff, and if he had considered a coaching change, and his answer was an immediate "We are not." When asked why, with the oft repeated stat of 5 wins in 36 regular season games shouted at him from the crowd ... "We believe that Scott Arniel is a good coach and needs a chance to work through this. The way Mr. Mac and J.P. McConnell run their businesses, you hire the best people and you give them a chance. I don't make excuses, but the coach needs to have some of the players we acquired in the lineup before we make a final judgement." On the other hand, he also admitted that both he and Arniel only have so much time to turn things around, or they could find themselves out of their jobs as well. "That's professional sports."

He also admitted that the team has backed off and tried to protect leads too often rather than getting aggressive in games vs. Colorado and Anaheim, and that was a coaching decision that he had discussed with Arniel. Despite the faith Howson expressed, his body language seemed somewhat strained on the subject of his coach - I really wonder if he is as unsatisfied with some of the recent coaching decisions as the fans.

In a perfect world, Jeff Carter would have been healthy, James Wisniewski wouldn't have been suspended, and Mark Dekanich wouldn't have been hurt, again, this time during pre-game warmups.

Then again, in a perfect world, would Kristian Huselius have been injured? Had he never been hurt, the team would have never thought of acquiring Vinny Prospal. Prospal has been one of the few bright spots and honest voices this season.

Point being, you can't blame the bad circumstances just as much as you can't lean on the good breaks. What happens if, God forbid, a key player goes down with a season-ending injury? Do you just throw up your hands and say, "Well, there's always next year!"

That may very well be the Blue Jackets response, if the start of this season is any indication.

Continue reading this post »

Which one do you keep?

Both have looked mostly poor during the 2-11-1 start for the Blue Jackets. Mike breaks down what the next step might be after acquiring Mark Letestu from Pittsburgh. 

Both Derick Brassard and Antoine Vermette carry some value. Both can be good players. But just as in the Jake Voracek for Jeff Carter trade, you have to give to get.

Brassard is only 24 years-old, while Vermette, 29, is supposed to be in the prime of his career. Both players are essentially the same size and are billed as playmakers more than scorers. Vermette is far more valuable in the face-off circle, and has routinely been one of the top face-off men in the league. Brassard, though, has a much higher ceiling and was showing glimpses of greatness in the 2008-09 season that was ended prematurely due to injury.

Vermette enjoyed some success in Ottawa, reaching the Stanley Cup finals as a part of the team that lost to the Anaheim Ducks. He is also one of the team's alternate captains.

Current season stats aside, because no one on this roster looks good on paper aside from Vinny Prospal, which of the two would you consider more valuable to the team?

Or better yet, which would have a better return on the trade market?

Do you keep both, in hopes that one day you can actually roll three scoring lines, and have Vermette or Brassard center the third line? You also have to ask, do you already have that second line center in Ryan Johansen? That potentially makes keeping both Vermette and Brassard even more redundant.

These are all questions Scott Howson has to be asking himself. He better make the right decision, because it might be his last chance.

After the game, I took some time to relax, and brainstorm what exactly I wanted to say here.

Then PhillyPhan85 wrote the post I was thinking of, except from the other perspective. So, it still seems fitting to write this.

Something needs to change. I agree with PhillyPhan that it's between Steve Mason and Scott Arniel. At this point, I can't put blame on Scott Howson. He assembled a roster of mostly skilled players and addressed the biggest needs as best as he could. But he can't make these players play. That's the coaches job.

Now, while Mason by no means should get off easy, I think the focus has to be on Arniel. Mason has nothing to do with the power play, which should be better than ever, yet couldn't score on the league's worst penalty kill Thursday against Toronto. Assistant coach Todd Richards is supposed to be a power play specialist. So either he's failing, Arniel is getting in his way, or the players aren't playing.

When players like R.J. Umberger and Antoine Vermette are playing pretty awful hockey, yet it takes weeks for Ryan Johansen to get a shot in the top six, meanwhile Matt Calvert, Cam Atkinson, and Maksim Mayorov were all at one point sent to the AHL, it just doesn't make sense. Had Johansen not been given the chance to shine, he'd be back in Portland right now.

There's more than enough blame to go around. But Arniel is supposed to be good with developing young players. He supposed to have instilled an uptempo style and an aggressive work ethic. He's supposed to have brought in a new perspective. "Hardcore hockey," right? But it's failed. What reason should any of us have to believe this team, as currently constructed, can turn things around? Players have mostly become stagnant or have regressed in their development.

The team needs to make a change before this situation gets any worse and puts any positive progress back another 2-3 years.

Mike made the point that perhaps Ken Hitchcock should be put back in charge, and if he can put his ego aside and accept it, Arniel should remain on as an Associate Coach for the rest of the season. If it wouldn't be too awkward (Hitch coming back in the first place would be a bit awkward), I think this is a great idea.

Maybe, like many of his players, Arniel just needs a little more development under sound leadership.

No team can start the season with a record of 1-8-1 and not be tasked with taking a good look at every aspect of the organization.

On Thursday, the team faced a tough opponent in the Buffalo Sabres, but it was a team that had lost two straight. After beating the Red Wings on Tuesday, the Blue Jackets were in a great position to steal a win on the road and continue to build some momentum. But they didn't.

A team that should have come out fighting and re-energized after a great game on Tuesday played one of the most boring games I can recall in recent memory. And again, they couldn't put up when it counted. A few players showed up. Vinny Prospal, as usual. Cody Bass left it all out on the ice.

Scott Arniel was quoted as saying that he shortened the bench in the second period because "we were going with the guys who were running." I could maybe understand that if we were at the mid-point of the season or in the midst of a long road trip. But on Thursday, the Jackets had no excuse.

So, clearly, something isn't working. What needs to change? Let's open up the floor and hear what you have to say. At this point, no suggestion is too small or too crazy.

This is the worst start the Blue Jackets have ever had, in every sense of the word.

Other teams seem so patient with and without the puck, and the Jackets always look like they're just waiting to react to the play, or scrambling to recover from the previous play. Are they thinking too much or not enough? Does a trade need to occur to shake things up, or do you believe this group of players can still be good enough to get through this? Playoffs or not, you can't have a group of guys that won't fight for each other, and this team has certainly lost its way. Did they ever have a way?

A quick look at some numbers:

6: Injured Reserve - Jeff Carter, Marc Methot, Radek Martinek, Mark Dekanich, Curtis Sanford, Jared Boll

8: Games missed due to suspension for James Wisniewski

0: Goals scored by Antoine Vermette, R.J. Umberger, Jeff Carter, Fedor Tyutin, Grant Clitsome, Ryan Johansen and seven others

3.53: Steve Mason's goals against average

2.13: Goals scored per game

8.8: Power play percentage

69.2: Penalty kill percentage

Now with the bad out of the way, let's start focusing on what the next step needs to be to make their way out of this hole.

Can things get much worse? Probably not. Should that be considered a good thing? Not yet...

Jeff Carter will miss at least one game with a foot injury. Curtis Sanford has an undisclosed injury and Mathieu Corbeil will serve as emergency backup to Steve Mason. Matt Calvert is the second promising young player to become a casualty to the Blue Jackets poor awful start and has been sent to Springfield.

The bigger issue we have at hand is this team digging themselves a hole too big to get out of later in the season. It's still early. But if we're saying "it's still early" in November, we're kidding ourselves. If the Jackets were playing well, or showing positive signs, and still losing, it would be one thing.

Coach Arniel put it best in his post-game interview following the 4-2 loss against the Dallas Stars. Q: "Any positives you can take out of tonight's game?" A: "Nope." That says it all. The next morning featured a bag skate that pushed everyone to compete harder.

The top line has looked decent, Carter starting to mesh with Rick Nash and Vinny Prospal. But no one else can score. The team is struggling to play defense. And they can't keep the puck out of the net. 

The Jackets have given up more goals than all but 4 teams, and the most out of any team in the West. Only 5 teams have scored fewer goals than the Jackets. The power play is coming in at a screaming 4%. Let that sink in for a minute. The penalty kill, 73.7%.

For a team that needed a good start more than anyone, things couldn't have started worse.

You might argue that things take time for teams to gel, especially when there have been big changes in key positions. In some ways, that's a valid argument. In many ways, it's a lame excuse.

How about the 3-0-1 Philadelphia Flyers, tied for 3rd in the East? Or the 3-1-0 Florida Panthers tied for 5th? In the West, you've got Colorado at 5-1-0 for 1st place, Dallas sitting at 4-1-0, Phoenix and Los Angeles at a healthy 2-1-1. All of these teams faced some level of change or uncertainty heading into the season. Will the Avalanche finish the season in first place? Absolutely not. But those are the kinds of "positive signs" I want to see from my young team facing adversity (read: everyone thought they would suck). Instead, the Jackets barely put up a fight when their captain was double teamed by two Dallas players after the play was blown dead in the Saturday night loss.

What is wrong with this team? The road doesn't get any easier. Here comes Dallas, Detroit, Buffalo, Chicago, Anaheim, Toronto, and Philadelphia. Someone needs to figure it out, or at least start answering questions.

How can a team that seemed to show so many positive signs in the pre-season start the regular season 0-3-1? How can this team, with more skill than any previous Blue Jackets roster, be the first group in franchise history to start the season with four straight losses? How hard is it to score a power play goal?

There are a lot of questions early on this season, some warranted, some not. As many have made clear - it's still very early. But that doesn't mean coach Scott Arniel and GM Scott Howson aren't looking at each and every one of these issues with a very critical eye.

Continue reading this post »

Blue Jackets rookie and former Boston College Eagle Cam Atkinson opened a lot of eyes this training camp. As the Columbus Dispatch's Aaron Portzline puts it:

Rookie winger Cam Atkinson arrived at Blue Jackets training camp with only a tiny chance to win a spot on the roster. Next year? Sure. Or maybe he’d be a call-up from minor-league Springfield a time or two this season.

But Atkinson, a 5-foot-7 dervish with swollen confidence and a sniper’s touch, continued to elevate his play the past two weeks until he laid waste to the Blue Jackets’ best-laid plans.

Portzline goes on to mention that, regardless of whom he's been paired with, Atkinson has always looked solid. He scored 2 goals and added 2 assists during the pre-season, and is set to open the season Friday night on the second line with R.J. Umberger and Antoine Vermette.

In a season that is seeing the debut of first-round pick Ryan Johansen, a fourth-year pro in Maksim Mayorov, and the high-scoring defenseman David Savard, Atkinson, fresh out of college, looks to make the most noise.

Stat sheets list him as anywhere from 5'7'' 165 lbs. to 5'9'' 175 lbs.; there's no getting around the fact that he's small. Despite his size, he adds more scoring punch to the team than perhaps anyone not named Rick Nash or Jeff Carter. Over his last two seasons at Boston College, he led the nation in goal-scoring with 61 goals. At one point, he scored three hat tricks in a 10-game span. After his college career came to an end, he signed his pro contract with the Blue Jackets, and put up 3-2-5 in 5 games to end the season with the Springfield Falcons.

Atkinson never quits and is always headed towards the net, as evidenced in this highlight reel.

Atkinson is going to get a decent amount of minutes and a great chance to prove himself. He could prove to be the secondary scoring threat this team needs. With Nash, Carter, and Vinny Prospal on the top line, they will command the opponent's top defenders. This is going to open up a lot of room playing against weaker defenders for the likes of Atkinson, Umberger, and Vermette. (Don't forget that fourth line of Derick Brassard, Johansen, and Mayorov that will give some teams fits that are rolling a traditional fourth line.)

If Atkinson can continue to score, and there's nothing really suggesting he won't, he should see some power play time, and Scott Arniel will likely try to work him into as many playing situations as he sees fit.

Cam could put up a rookie season for a forward like we haven't seen in Columbus -- not even from Nash. Could he be our next Calder Trophy winner?

Welcome to another installment of "So, You Want to be a Blue Jacket?

This series is presented in the form of a mock job interview. The operative word here is mock. We're presenting these from the perspective of the player, as if they were applying for a job with the Jackets. The players themselves aren't involved, so don't contact the team if you disagree with one of their answers! No player will avoid the interview process, not even Rick Nash. 

KRISTIAN HUSELIUS

Q) Hi Kristian, tell us a little about yourself.

A) I’m a shifty playmaking winger born in Österhaninge, Sweden on November 10, 1978. Drafted 47th overall in 1997 by the Florida Panthers, I started my career in Florida. I’m probably best known for my time with the Calgary Flames, but have spent the last three seasons with the Blue Jackets.

Q) Tell us about some intangibles you could bring to the Blue Jackets.

A) Until last year (and unfortunately this year) I have always been a durable player. My best year was in 2006-07 when I put up 77 points in 81 games for the Flames, and I’m the type of player that you can expect to end the season with pretty respectable numbers. The defense always has to account for me when I have the puck. I'm good at finding my teammates and play well opposite of players like Rick Nash.

Q) What areas of your game do you think you can improve on?

A) I’m a very streaky player. You can’t always count on me when the game is on the line, but from time to time I might just surprise you. I missed half of last season with injuries and will miss at least half of this year with a shoulder injury. At 32, if I’m going to continue being a top 6 player, I’ll need to work on improving my strength and health.

Q) Can you give us some examples of your hockey accomplishments?

1. A) I was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2002 and won bronze with Team Sweden in the 2001 and 2002 World Championships. In 2006-07 I had a fifteen game point streak with the Flames.

The regular season is just days away, so now is a perfect time to take a quick look at how things are going for the Blue Jackets and some of the key players so far this pre-season.

The Jackets have compiled a record of 3-2-1 with two games remaining. My favorite player so far, and a standout by many accounts, has been Maksim Mayorov. He's made the most of his pre-season and is on track to earn his spot on the team. 

With backup goalie Mark Dekanich down with an injury for another few weeks at least, Aaron Portzline reports that Curtis Sanford looked solid in his 32-save effort against Washington, likely securing the backup job at least until Dekanich returns. Portzline also mentions that Steve Mason was very good and kept his composure in a 4-1 win over Buffalo. As we all know, the play of the goalies will be a big factor in whether or not the Jackets can make a playoff run.

Some stat standouts, courtesy of NHL.com:

Fedor Tyutin is tied for 2nd in assists and points on the pre-season, with 4 assists and 5 points. I predicted Fedor Tyutin as the player to finally hit his stride this season, and stats-wise, he hasn't disappointed so far. 

Maksim Mayorov and Derek MacKenzie are 2 of only 15 players with short-handed goals this pre-season. Only Boston, Vancouver, and Calgary are the other teams with two players that have scored short-handed.

Cody Bass was second in penalty minutes, with 27. He has just cleared waivers on his way back to Springfield, however.

Steve Mason has a 2-0 record with a 1.95 GAA and .920 Sv. %. It's just pre-season, but that's exactly what we need to see from Mason. No game can be taken lightly at this point.

With the 8 regular season games James Wisniewski will miss due to suspension, Matt looks at how the defensive pairings may shake out, at least to start the season.

All in all, things are looking good. Notice how I'm at the end of the post and haven't mentioned Rick Nash? That's a good thing. He's no longer the lone bright spot on the team, or the only leader on the ice or on the stat sheet. For more on the news around Blue Jackets camp and the NHL, check out today's edition of Shrapnel.