A Shot From The Point

I'm Baaaack!!!!!

2009-11-09T13:53:00.001-05:00

For better or worse, I am dusting off the old blog and firing up the engine once again.

Lots of reasons for resuming, but with various developments and opportunities arising, here is the bottom line:

1. I will continue covering the Blue Jackets for Inside Hockey, where you will see my game analysis and such.

2. I have started as a regular contributor to The Hockey Writers, where you will see more feature-type material, some on the Blue Jackets, some on collegiate hockey, some on hockey in general. You can check out my most recent piece on the Arena issue, where I attempt to bring some focus and rationality to the discussion. Upcoming pieces include analysis of what other cities around the league do with their arenas and hockey clubs, and a three part series on the Doug MacLean era with the Blue Jackets, looking at the reality of performance as a President, a General Manager and a Coach. Also some up-close looks at the Miami Redhawks hockey team.

3. I will regularly post items of interest to the blog here -- at least daily, with the usual blend of humor, insight and craziness.

4. I will pop my head in over at Light The Lamp from time to time, just to keep John on the straight and narrow.

Pass the word!!!!

Moving Day -- Coming Soon!

2009-09-13T08:46:00.000-04:00

Within the next day or two, I will be moving my blog writing over to Fire The Cannon, joining some other fine hockey writers on that site, and hopefully providing the fans & readers with a more streamlined experience, with fewer individual sites to visit to get a variety of perspectives on the Jackets. There are some great people associated with FTC, and I think you will enjoy the experience.

I am continuing my feature writing and game coverage for Inside Hockey, and will likely be periodically contributing pieces to The Hockey Writers, among others.

I think this will be a good move for all concerned, and I will continue to provide my own unique perspective on the Jackets, Hockey and the unique fan experience in Columbus!

Cheers!!

Sharks Nab Heatley In Three Team Deal??? Reports abound, but denials rage

2009-09-10T21:35:00.002-04:00

According to a report on NHL Fanhouse (here), and later by ESPN, Ottawa has finally consummated a deal for troubled winger Dany Heatley, shipping him to the San Jose Sharks in a three team deal that has the Sharks sending former captain Patrick Marleau to the Los Angeles Kings, and the Kings packaging forward Alexander Frolov and Jarrett Stoll, another winger, to the Senators. However, since word broke approximately two hours ago, denials have been issued by all three camps, with the Kings calling it "utter bull." So, we may not be anwhere different than we were at the beginning of the day.

Assuming, however, for the sake of argument, that this is what the deal ends up like, Ottawa and San Jose each seem to be getting what they want in this deal. Ottawa finally ends the ongoing headache that Heatley represents, and avoids an awkward camp with him present. They also get some young scoring help. Similarly, San Jose gets a talented forward, and avoids the discomfort of having Marleau, the defrocked captain, in their camp.

Los Angeles may be the loser in this one. They are giving up a lot of scoring in favor of adding some age and leadership. Not sure that is an even deal, considering that Frolov and Stoll combined for 100 points last season. Sure, Marleau ended up with 71 points, but he is notoriously streaky, and LA has removed 2 of the key offensive tools that would help Marleau's numbers.

Interesting stuff. Now let's see if some other deals start happening.

Join The Jackets Podcast On Fire The Cannon -- Umberger and Agnew Appearing

2009-09-08T15:21:00.000-04:00

Eric Smith of Fire The Cannon and Hockey Buzz will be hosting a CBJ Preview Podcast tomorrow night, Wednesday 9/8 @ 7:00 PM. I will be participating, along with other folks dedicated to covering the CBJ. R.J. Umberger and Gary Agnew will be appearing and responding to questions from the panel.

To join the call, simly follow this link. Hope to see you there -- should be fun!

Anton Babchuk In The Mix???? -- Jiri Novotny to KHL??

2009-09-08T09:25:00.000-04:00

Interesting tidbit appeared in The Sporting News, and is quickly making its way around the hockey online community:

During a conversation with Carolina GM Jim Rutherford about the Canes, the conversation shifted to the future of defenseman Anton Babchuk. Babchuk is coming off a 16-goal season but the restricted free agent rejected Carolina's one-year offer. He changed agents, from Jay Grossman to Don Meehan and wants to play in the NHL next season. It won't be with Carolina, but Rutherford said he sees a solution to Babchuk's situation before training camp.

"Teams are feeling their way as to where the cap was and how much they had to give him. And now we're getting right down to the end," Rutherford told SportingNews.com. "There's more teams poking around."

Right now there are three teams showing serious interest in the Russian defenseman, although one team has the inside track. With Carolina's roster basically set for this season, look for Carolina to ask for a prospect, most likely a defenseman, in return for Babchuk.

"I would expect that something is going to happen with him prior to camp this week," Rutherford said.

No specific indication that the CBJ are one of the clubs in the mix, but I would be shocked if it were not at least on Howson's radar. Big (6'5") kid with a strong right handed shot. Carolina was obviously not the right situation for him, but most think he has the whole KHL thing out of his system. Online speculation seems to put CBJ, Rangers and San Jose in the running.

I have been a vocal advocate for giving this a shot, and hope we are one of the teams in play here. 25 years old, big shot, power play experience, and could be signed long term for under $1.5 million, in all likelihood. We have prospects that could fit the bill for Carolina, so this is worth following.

In other news, former Jacket Jiri Novotny has apparently signed with HK Atlant of the KHL, according to a post on the HF Boards, citing a Czech web posting. My Czech is a little weak, so I can neither confirm nor deny.

Jacket Youngsters Edge Blues

2009-09-07T20:22:00.003-04:00

The CBJ prospects rebounded from a 2 - 1 loss to Minnesota yesterday, posting a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Blues in Traverse City.

Matt Calvert netted a hat trick for the young Jackets, with two of the goals unassisted. A 5th Round pick in the 2008 Entry Draft, Calvert now has 4 points in two games in the Prospects Tournament. John Moore garnered an assist, with Thomas Kubalik and Cass Mappin providing the other goals.

This was obviously a chippy affair, as 24 penalties were handed out, including 9 roughing, 6 fighting majors, an unsportsmanlike conduct call and assorted slashing infractions. The Jackets had two shorthanded goals, but converted only 1 of 10 power play opportunities. Hopefully this will not be an omen for the big club . . .

The prospects have tomorrow off, and return to action Wednesday against Dallas.

Moore Blogging From Michigan

2009-09-07T10:38:00.002-04:00

NHL.com is carrying a blog authored by Jacket's first round pick, John Moore. His first installment can be found here.

Great that the CBJ and Moore are getting some national exposure. Now, John, next blog can we hear a bit more about the game? ;-)

Go Jackets!!

Brassard, Finances, Bettman and Other Musings

2009-09-04T11:28:00.006-04:00

I have been quiet over the past week, for a variety of reasons. First, the normal pressures of work and such have been intruding on my writing time, and secondly, I wanted to be a more passive observer of some of the developments and let the thoughts percolate a bit. For better or worse, here are my takes on the recent activity, both across the league and for the CBJ:

Brassard Extension -- News broke about an hour or so ago that the CBJ have signed Brassard to a four year extension, locking him up through the 2013 - 2014 season. Portzline reports that Brass will make $2.8 million in 2010-2011, $3.0 million in 2011-2012, $3.3 million in 2012-2013, and $3.7 million in the final year. Nice raise over the $765,000 he will make this year, but well earned if he plays at the pace he showed last year before the injury. Really nice move by Howson to lock him up now, as this not only takes some heat off down the line, but provides a little near term predictability. Oh, by the way, when he comes off this contract, he will still be an RFA, not a UFA!

This leads to my next topic . . .

Finances -- Over the past couple of days, the boards have been filled with wailing and moaning over the fact that the CBJ are near the bottom of the league in salary expenditure. Similarly, the trading/player movement speculators over at HF Boards are pretty consistently bashing the CBJ as a "budget" team. As usual, I have a slightly different perspective to offer.

First, obviously nobody is going to confuse CBJ ownership with George Steinbrenner in terms of unfettered spending. All the same, I have not seen a reticence to spend money to improve the team in a manner consistent with the long term plan. Note the italics for emphasis. Howson & Co. have charted a course of long term growth and improvement through careful nurturing of young talent and selective addition of veterans with specific profiles. In investment parlance, Howson is a "buy and hold" guy, a la Warren Buffett (who has not done too bad for himself, by the way).

In a salary cap environment, you need to actively manage the "gap" -- the space between your payroll and the anticipated salary cap for a given year. On teams with a high percentage of veteran players, the gap is managed through retirements and salary dumps. When you have a young team, like the CBJ, however, your opportunity for salary dumps is minimal, as there are few assets you want to dispose of. Similarly, because you are young, retirements are not that frequent. This is particularly true when you have a relatively high percentage of your talented players on entry level deals. The jumps from entry level to the first "real" contract are big -- Brassard will jump just over $2 million from the last year of his entry level deal to the first year of his new contract. In the next four years, he will have similar negotiations with Mason, Voracek, Filatov, Moore and others. A lot of coin is involved in those moves, but by budgeting for it in advance, you are able to keep more talented players together, provide predictability, and hopefully attain better long term performance consistency for the team.

If you want to see an example of how not to manage a payroll with a lot of young talent, look at Chicago. Aside from the whole qualifying offer fiasco, the Chicago payroll is a train wreck. They have offered these huge, lengthy, front weighted contracts to Campbell, Hossa and Huet, and now are in the position where they know they can't keep all of their young studs when contract time comes next year. These hugely long, front weighted contracts make the player effectively untradeable in the early years of the deal, and the cap hit paralyzes your ability to keep young talent. The net result is that you rot away from beneath. It is absurd that Chicago, who has just turned its fortunes around, is in a position where they feel they must win this year, as the team will not look the same next year.

Howson has thus far avoided the temptation to use these manipulated contracts (which will be addressed in the next CBA), in favor of long term stability. Now that the unknown of Brassard is solved, he now has a better idea of what he has to play with. Vermette will be a priority, likely before Thanksgiving, but now Howson will likely start fiddling. I still expect a deal or two before the end of September. However, even if a deal does not emerge, the positives of having a lot of cap room right now (particularly if the cap goes down next year) far outweigh the negatives.

What Commissioner?? I am not sure how anybody can look at the events of the past couple of weeks and not conclude that the league needs new leadership. Let's review. First, the NHLPA fires its leader in the middle of the night, for no apparent reason. This is giving rise to fears that a hard liner will follow, and that another work stoppage is threatened. Sure, the Commish has no say over the NHLPA, but if he set a tone of cooperation and a goal of improving the game, we would not have this Loony Tunes atmosphere. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail, but a bad economy and a potentially shrinking salary cap have many free agents still looking for homes, which will only increase the lure of the KHL (assuming they can stay afloat), and make stances harden unless early and conciliatory talks are initiated.

Second, Versus has now disappeared from DirecTV. I frankly don't care whether it is Comcast or DirecTV who is at fault, and undoubtedly there is blame on both sides. However, can you see this happening at all, ever with the NBA, NFL or MLB??? Of course not. The commissioner would have been on the horn, and the dispute would have been resolved. Bettman has been asleep at the switch on this one.

Finally, the Phoenix fiasco. With all of the other issues, the Commissioner has elected to make his stand on preserving hockey in Phoenix. Hello??? Are you nuts?? Even Jerry Reinsdorf had to pull out when Glendale refused to play ball. This is just another example of stubbornness clouding judgment. So you don't like Balsillie?? Big deal -- as if all of the other owners are saints. . . Instead of leading the lemmings to the cliff, sit down, negotiate the best deal and let the game grow where it can flourish! By taking this hard line stance, Bettman is taking a risk that Judge Baum will make some rulings that the NHL does not like, which could be problematic down the line when other owners get itchy. There is a saying in the legal world that "bad facts make bad law", and nothing could be more relevant here. Don't take that risk, Gary. What would be so bad about the two bidders getting together, putting together a nice bid, and get everyone to agree on Winnipeg instead of Hamilton? Maybe the offer goes down from the $212 million, but lots of people walk away happy.

Bottom line is this - you can't have a sport run by somebody who places ego over reason, and has a misplaced sense of priorities. Wake up, owners!!

Camp -- Kudos to Hitchcock and the whole gang for coming up with the "Fantasy Draft" approach for the first days of camp. Brilliant! There is more buzz about camp opening than ever before, and we will do our best to provide some nuggets as camp goes forward.

Coming Attractions --

Saturday -- Part III of the series on the Arena lease situation
Sunday -- Training Camp Preview

Got my season tickets yeasterday, my new jersey ordered andthe flag is getting ready to be hoisted. Hockey time is near!!

Great Filatov Interview!!!

2009-08-25T17:30:00.005-04:00

Puck Daddy has a great interview with Nikita Filatov, which you can find here. The young man displays a lot of moxy in responding to some pretty pointed questions from countryman Dmitry Chesnokov about his decision to go to the NHL, despite having offers from the KHL for "...lots more. Times more", to quote Nikita.

Good news is that Filatov has put on about 17 pounds so far in the off-season, and is looking to add another 5 pounds of muscle or so. Also some great parts showing that he is still a kid -- framing Gary Bettman's letter of congratulations after the hat trick, and calling home to Moscow to get instructions on how to fry potatoes while living in his solo apartment in Syracuse.

Really good stuff, and shows he is committed to becoming a mainstay for the CBJ this year. Interestingly, he mentions that he trained with Ilya Kovalchuk in the off-season, noting that they have the same conditioning coach, and pointedly said zip, nada, nothing about Zherdev, who also trained with them. Interesting . . .

Make no mistake, the KHL will be relentless in their pursuit of Filatov when his entry level deal expires. However, Nikita obviously holds Kovalchuk in very high regard, and you can read between the lines that he wants to make his name in the NHL.

Really good stuff!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

2009-08-24T12:00:00.002-04:00

Check out this terrific piece by Ryan Kennedy at THN. Not only does he have some great things to say about Nash, his comments about the organization as a whole, its direction, and the young talent are dead on, and something that has historically been lacking from the hockey media world.

Just another sign that the CBJ are finally creeping their way into acknowledgment as a full fledged contender in the NHL. We started to see some evidence of this last season, as they refused to fade from playoff contention. A few calls started going our way. NHL Network had some nice things to say. XM radio had more Jackets commentary. Mason got national attention. At the end of the season, believe it or not, we actually won a few replays in Toronto!!!

All of this is a positive for the organization and the fan base, as Hitch, Howson and the players have worked really hard to provide an identity for the team, put an exciting product on the ice, and acheive some success. For Hitch, who has frequently been accused of sucking the excitement of the game with his defensive approach, it must be a nice sort of vindication when exciting young players like Nash, Brassard, Umberger, Filatov, Huselius, Voracek etc. can shine in his system. Having a Hitch-coached team with a flamboyant Mike Commodore as one of the defensive anchors is another plus that Hitch likely smiles about when nobody is looking.

Good stuff. Can you feel that chill in the air in the morning?? It's getting closer, folks!

Attracting Free Agents -- Promote A Stress Free Environment

2009-08-21T12:30:00.002-04:00

Most of you are looking at the heading and wondering "What the hell is he talking about now?" If you will pause just a moment, I will enlighten and explain.

Forbes just released its list of the Most Stressful Cities in which to live in the U.S., ranking the top 40 metropolitan areas in the following categories: 1)median % drop in home prices; 2)unemployment rate; 3)cost of living; 4)air quality; 5) sunny days per year and 6)population density. Here are the results, from most stressful to least stressful:

1. Chicago
2. Los Angeles
3. New York
4. Cleveland
5. Providence
6. San Francisco
7. Detroit
8. Boston
9. Washington D.C.
10. San Jose
11. Seattle
12. Riverside (Calif.)
13. Philadelphia
14. Portland (Ore.)
15. Sacramento
16. San Diego
17. Minneapolis
18. Tampa
19. Cincinnati
20. Miami
21. Las Vegas
22. Atlanta
23. St. Louis
24. Milwaukee
25. Phoenix
26. Baltimore
27. Charlotte
28. Orlando
29. Pittsburgh
30. Indianapolis
31. Columbus
32. Houston
33. Jacksonville
34. Norfolk
35. Denver
36. Dallas
37. Kansas City
38. Nashville
39. San Antonio
40. Austin

So, from a hockey perspective (and remembering that the Canadian cities are not included in the poll), only 3 NHL towns are less stressful than Columbus -- Denver, Nashville and Dallas. We take a hit on the number of sunny days per year, but do remarkably well in all of the other categories.

So, it is time to lure those free agents with a new claim -- "Stress is Less In Columbus"!!! Go get 'em, Scott!!

THN: Jackets #8 in West

2009-08-13T09:45:00.002-04:00

The Hockey News predicts the Jackets will finish 8th in the West this season, as the latest installment in their countdown of teams was released today. Here is their synopsis:

The Blue Jackets made their first-ever playoff appearance last season and will need to battle just as hard to return to the post-season dance this year. Their developing youngsters (Derick Brassard, Jakub Voracek, Nikita Filatov) hope to make that task easier, but ultimately, they’ll need Steve Mason and Rick Nash to lead the way again.

Frankly, I disagree with this pick, as I think the CBJ will finish ahead of Dallas, and possibly Vancouver. For what it's worth, here is my own assessment of the West for this year:

15. Phoenix Coyotes -- still a train wreck of a situation. Even if Reinsdorf wins the bid, likely to be playing to an empty house.
14. Colorado Avalanche -- there is a real leadership void in Denver, and too many missing pieces to really challenge this year.
13. Nashville Predators -- have done little to fix their offensive woes. They fell further behind this off-season, and the standings will show it.
12. Los Angeles Kings -- still looking for the glue that will make all of that potential work together as a good unit. Doughty and Scuderi will need to be huge, and no room for marginal performances in goal.
11. Minnesota Wild -- Another team looking for the pieces to fit properly. The offense is relying on a healthy Martin Havlat -- a shaky proposition, at best. While their defense will keep them in some games, they just don't have the finishing ability to take the pressure off the goaltender.
10. Edmonton Oilers -- the Oilers did not do much to improve themselves this year. Goal remains an iffy proposition. They have some front-end punch, but just not enough to crack the playoffs in the West.
9. Dallas Stars -- Sure, injuries hurt them last year, and Richards, Morrow, Lehtinen and Eriksson provide some up front firepower. However, with a weak blue line, they are relying on a healthy and more consistent Marty Turco. Too much needs to go right for them to make it this year.
8. St. Louis Blues -- An incredible run down the stretch earned them a playoff slot last year, and this provides a confidence boost for this season. If they stay healthy, and can show that the stretch was not a fluke, they should earn the 8th slot.
7. Vancouver Canucks -- The Canucks have relied on the Luongo-Sedin formula for awhile now, and with good reason. However, the blue line has some holes, Luongo is not immune from the injury bug, and there will be tons of turmoil and distractions with Vancouver hosting the Olympics. They will make the playoffs, but perhaps not as convincingly as some would expect.
6. Columbus Blue Jackets -- Asssuming reasonable health, and a predictable incremental gain in chemistry and performance from the youngsters, this is a likely slot. If the CBJ get that offensive defenseman, and can reduce the minutes burden on the blue line and in goal, could go significantly higher.
5. Anaheim Ducks -- Anaheim is always something of an enigma, as the front-end talent is always balanced by questions of age. Can Hiller carry the load again if Giguere goes down or is ineffective in goal? Will Niedermeyer meet expectations? They always seem to find a way to make it work, so they will be a contender to the end.
4. Detroit Red Wings -- while a 4 seed in the playoffs is never a bad thing, this year will mark the start of a slow decline in Detroit. They will still be a force, but age and defections will knock them from the top of the heap.
3. San Jose Sharks -- still a talented group, so should lead a division that is improving, but not there yet. Nabokov is solid, but getting older, and an heir has not emerged. Marleau and Thornton need to continue to stabilize Setoguchi and the younger guns, while the blue line needs to hold its own.
2. Chicago Blackhawks -- Adding Kopecky, Hossa and Madden to this bunch is almost an embarassment of riches for the front lines. Campbell needs to up his game on the blue line, and Huet is a huge question mark in goal. However, this club can score its way out of situations, and will take advantage of it this year. They face an uncertain future after this year, due to cap constraints, so expect them to go for the gold now.
1. Calgary Flames --With JBo coming on board, the Flames seem to have all of the pieces in place. Solid forwards, perhaps the best blue line in hockey, and a proven goaltender (although has shown some chinks in the armor). Expectations are huge, and they appear ready to take the next step.

So, there it is -- like it or not. Comments?

Zherdev Gone

2009-08-11T12:33:00.005-04:00

TSN.ca is reporting that Nikolai Zherdev has signed a deal with Salavatovo Yuleav Ufa of the KHL, apparently ending his brief American courtship. The word comes just 2 hours before our little local poll closed here on the site, where the overwhelming majority (66%) of readers accurately predicted the KHL jump.

I wonder. . .do you think he will learn English once he gets back to Russia?? Inquiring minds want to know . . .

До свидания!

Moore Survives Cut

2009-08-10T13:24:00.003-04:00

Puck-Rakers is reporting that CBJ #1 draft pick John Moore has survived the cut from 45 to 29 players at the Team USA development camp. He will be on the squad for a series of 4 exhibition games against Russia in Lake Placid. The prize is a slot on the final roster for the US team at the World Juniors this winter.

Monday Miscellany

2009-08-10T12:04:00.002-04:00

As we creep closer to the opening of camp, a few items to pique your hockey interest:

Zherdev Update -- Lyle Richardson at The Hockey News offers the following update on Z:

Nikolai Zherdev became an unrestricted free agent when the New York Rangers exercised their option to walk away from his one-year, $3.9-million arbitration award, but he will find it difficult to find another NHL suitor. Zherdev has undeniable offensive skills, with 119 points over the past two seasons split between the Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets, but he’s considered a lazy, one-dimensional player unable to elevate his game in pressure situations. Most reports about him involve clubs that aren’t interested in signing him, including the Edmonton Oilers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild. A report in New York Newsday cited a rumor out of Toronto claiming the Maple Leafs might have interest in Zherdev, but his style of play certainly doesn’t make him a Brian Burke-type player. The Leafs are in the market for more scoring depth, but it’d be shocking if Burke signed Zherdev. Newsday reported Zherdev’s agent has suggested his client could sign with a Kontinental League team if there was nothing available for him in the NHL.

Sounds like a "fool me once, shame on you -- fool me twice, shame on me" deal. Thank you, Scott Howson . . .

Another defenseman on the market? Richardson also reports that Hurricanes' defenseman Anton Babchuck might be available:

Teams interested in a defenseman with offensive skills might want to get in touch with Carolina Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford, who recently told the Raleigh News & Observer of his plans to shop Anton Babchuk. A restricted free agent, Babchuk was unable to reach an agreement on a new contract with Rutherford. The defenseman posted good numbers last season with the Hurricanes (16 goals, 35 points, plus-13 in 72 games) and could be a good addition for teams seeking a puck-moving defenseman. Babchuk earned $1 million last season and will undoubtedly try to use his numbers to land something in the neighborhood of $2.5 million. If Rutherford fails to trade him before the start of this season, Babchuk could opt to play in Russia, which he did in 2007-08 during a contract dispute with the Hurricanes.

That is an interesting possibility, given that he is an RFA, depending upon the price. 25 years old, right-handed shot, 6'5", 212 lbs -- rated a top 4 defenseman by THN-- sounds plausible. A bit concerned about his departure for KHL in 2007-2008, due to disagreements with Carolina management -- don't want another Zherdev around here. Certainly worth kicking the tires. Scott?

Raising Kane . . . Gotta love Patrick Kane being arrested for assault, robbery and theft of services in a dust up with a cab driver in Buffalo over . . . 20 cents. Hey, Pat -- ever heard of tipping??? Smells like maybe an adult beverage or 12 were involved in this one. With the other major leagues getting fairly aggressive in coming down on conduct detrimental to the image of the game, wonder where Bettman will draw the line. Sure, he stepped up on the Sean Avery deal, but in the personal conduct area, that is analagous to letting all the murderers go except Charles Manson. There must be a line that is crossed far short of Avery's antics. . .

Meanwhile, the waiting game continues, as teams search for the magic formula to clear some cap space and predict what the next few years will hold. Heatley, Marleau, Kessel -- the list is pretty long. Likely to be a quiet week this week, but I think things will pick up after that, as we get inside the 30 day mark left before training camp. Fun to watch!

Thursday's Tidbits

2009-08-06T10:23:00.003-04:00

Just a few random items to pique your interest for today:

THN Predictions -- Cellar Dwellers: TSN has begun its countdown of projected finishes for the 2009-2010 hockey season, starting with the #15 finishers in each conference. And the winners are: Colorado Avalanche in the West, and New York Islanders in the East. Full story here.

Phoenix Phollies -- Things are heating up in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Phoenix. Moyes faces a contempt citation for publicly airing confidential information, including the fact that Reinsdorf wants a special taxing district as part of his plan. Not sure why that is confidential, as it will have to come to light eventually in evaluating the competing bids. More importantly, Balsillie is back in the game, as his bid will be included in the September 10 auction. While the NHL is relying on the fact that the Board of Governors unanimously rejected Balsillie, I would not be too confident, if I were them. In his June 15 ruling, Judge Baum included the following (referencing the NHL's prior approval of Balsillie as an owner in 2006):

"Absent some showing by the NHL that there have been material changes in PSE's circumstances since 2006, it appears to the court that the NHL can not object or withhold its consent to PSE becoming the controlling owner of the Phoenix Coyotes."

So, while technically this statement was not a binding ruling at the time, as that specific point was not at issue, it certainly indicates what the Judge is thinking, and it should serve as a big shot across the bow for the NHL.

What we have here is a gigantic clash of egos. Bettman wants to demonstrate that hockey is viable in the Phoenix market, despite all evidence to the contrary. Balsillie wants to be viewed as a hero for bringing another team to Canada, and Ontario specifically. Glendale blindly assumes that it can sit back and stand on its onerous lease with the Coyotes. Moyes brashly believes he can somehow be portrayed as the victim here.

Everyone needs to remember a basic fact about this whole deal -- this is in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. If this were in a "regular" court, and the issue was simply "who gets the team and where do they play", it would be a different story. However, a bankruptcy judge, first and foremost, is looking at the interests of the creditors. What can't be ignored is the fact that Balsillie's bid is $64 million over the Reinsdorf bid, and about $62 million over the anticipated bid of Ice Edge, which proposes to have the franchise play some games in Winnipeg. Making matters worse (from the NHL/Reinsdorf perspective) is the fact that Reinsdorf's bid is contingent on some major concessions by Glendale, which are no sure thing. From Judge Baum's perspective, that $60+ million pays a lot of creditors.

Balsillie's biggest hurdle is his insistence on locating in Hamilton, where Toronto and Buffalo have interests. Under the case law, some provision has to be made to accomodate those interests. Will some part of that $60 + million differential do it? Perhaps, perhaps not. There is also the issue of NHL's right to control where its franchises play. I sense that Judge Baum is less concerned about that aspect, as right now the Phoenix Coyotes are his -- all of their assets and liabilities are subject to the jurisdiction of his court. Not a comfortable fact from the NHL's perspective.

Balsillie could put the NHL in an almost untenable position if he were to join forces with the Ice Edge contingent, drop his insistence on the Hamilton venue, adjust the bid to reflect the value in Winnipeg vs. Hamilton, and present that option to the Court. Ice Edge and Balsillie would be sharing the risks, they avoid the Toronto/Buffalo issue, and then are left only with the NHL's expansion rights in Winnipeg. Given that they pulled out of there previously, how can the NHL argue strenuously that those rights are extremely valuable? Taking that step would really put Bettman and the owners in a box. The question is whether Balsillie's ego will allow him to see that option?

Stay tuned for the next episode of "Rich Men Behaving Badly" . . .

Start Spreading The News, Z's Leaving Today . . .

2009-08-04T13:13:00.004-04:00

My apologies to John Kander and Fred Ebb, the composer and lyricist, respectively, of New York, New York, for taking liberties with their song in the header -- but it was too perfect to pass up.

Anyway, as expected, CBC is reporting here that the Rangers are walking away from the $3.9 million dollar arbitration award handed down to perennially troubled winger Nikolai Zherdev, thereby making Niki an unrestricted free agent. Let the speculation begin!!

Before anybody starts charging off in the wrong direction, Puck-Rakers is already reporting that the Jackets are not interested in staging a reunion with Z.

So, what is next? Here's a hint . . . .

Континентальная хоккейная лига

Off-Season Musings: Alignment and Scheduling

2009-08-03T15:33:00.004-04:00

OK, so here we are in August, with training camp just under six weeks away, lighting candles in hope of an offensive defenseman, and getting all of our house and yard improvements done before the demands of hockey season begin. A perfect time to once again attack the issues of alignment and scheduling!!! Ready? Here we go!

Alignment is a train wreck. Not anybody's fault in particular, but a train wreck nonetheless. The problem is entirely due to the fact that the geographical center of the NHL is situated at about 40 degrees North latitude and 83.5 degrees West longitude, which ironically is just west of Columbus, near Tradersville. Half of the NHL clubs exist North/South and East/West of that point on the map. The problem is that the distance to the Western perimeter (San Jose) from that point is 2,091 miles, while the distance to the Eastern rim (Boston) is only 641 miles. That means a lot of travel for the western teams, particularly the teams at either end of the Western Conference range, including Columbus. In the East, a bike ride will get you to 4 or 5 cities.

Next, divisions do nothing except tilt the schedule horribly against some teams and in favor of other teams. Think anybody from the East would have wanted to be in the Central Division of the West last year? Not a chance. Nobody cares about a division title. The only think that a division title gets you is an unwarranted top 3 seed for the playoffs. If you are stuck in the tougher conference, you have 24 games just against your division, then 40 against the rest of the conference, with only 18 left against the rival conference. Not fair. Besides, while a President's cup is cool, there is only one cup anyone is interested in.

While it is true that you can never obtain complete fairness, I think I have a system that goes a long way to getting there:

1. No Divisions: Get rid of the divisions, which do nothing in hockey. Go back to two conferences, with the points dictating the top eight in each. Top four get the home ice in Round One. Period. No more getting a free ride for a division title. Go back to calling them the Prince of Wales Conference and the Campbell Conference, which I always thought had a kind of funky charm to them.

2. Axe Geography: Eliminate the fiction of West and East (Columbus is West of what . . . .Philly?) Make each conference encompass part of each geographic region. Here is the proposed lineup:

Wales Conference: Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Atlanta, Florida, Dallas, Phoenix, Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose
Campbell Conference: Buffalo, Boston, NY Islanders, NY Rangers, Washington, Carolina, Tampa, Nashville, St. Louis, Chicago, Minnesota, Colorado, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver

If you travel through each conference from city to city, in the order indicated, the two conferences are within 75 miles of each other in total distance. Many regional rivalries are preserved, and road trips can be arranged to encompass 5 or 6 games within a specified region. Which brings me to the schedule.

3. Overhaul The Schedule: Let's truly let everyone see everyone, and finally put an end to the fiction of artificial rivalries. My ideal schedule? Eliminate half of the pre-season, extend the season by five games, and play everyone in the league 3 times. Second best would be to extend the season by four games, play the opposing conference twice (30 games) and your own conference four times (56 games). Assuming the players don't want to extend the season, play twice against the other conference (30 games), three times in your own conference (42 games) and the remaining ten games split evenly between the two conferences.

This serves a lot of goals, including minimizing the arbitrary nature of the existing schedule, providing exposure around the country to some great players who don't get much air time, and really providing a more realistic measuring stick for all teams. We would hopefully be able to use 5 and 6 game road trips as the standard, reducing the number of one and two game trips, and hopefully making overall travel more efficient.

Just food for thought. Have at it, loyal readers!!

Nash Gets Some Love

2009-08-03T11:24:00.002-04:00

Fanhouse is doing a series of short items on the Top 50 players in the NHL. Our own captain comes in at #20. Read the details here.

While I would likely rank Nasher a bit higher, factoring in defense and intangibles, it is nice to see him getting this level of attention.

Go Jackets!

The Arena Chronicles -- Part II -- How We Got Here

2009-07-30T14:54:00.003-04:00

In Part I, I provided an overview of the current issue the Blue Jackets face with ongoing operating deficits, the reactions to the initial disclosures, and related tidbits.

This installment focuses on the historical background that got us to this point. In putting this together, I spoke with more people, dug through archived materials and did a lot of reading. My companion piece for Inside Hockey can be found here.

For simplicity's sake, I will approach this chronologically, as the sequence of events is both interesting and significant. Before that, however, we all need a reminder as to the key players in this saga. So, here are the Dramatis Personae:

John F. Wolfe, Columbus Dispatch
Dimon McFerson, Nationwide
John H. McConnell, Worthington Industries
John B. McCoy, Banc One
E. Gordon Gee, The Ohio State University
Ron Pizzuti, Pizzuti Company
Greg Lashutka, Columbus
Lamar Hunt, Owner, Columbus Crew
Pete Karmanos, Jr., Owner, Hartford Whalers (now Carolina Hurricanes)
Richard Sheir, political activist

Pre-1994: The efforts that culminated in Nationwide Arena were by no means the first foray into expanded athletic venues for Franklin County. Various arena/coliseum issues had been proposed and rejected by voters in 1978, 1981, 1986 and 1987. So there was a significant historical hurdle of public skepticism to overcome before the campaign ever started.

1994: The long and winding road begins, with three divergent interest groups commencing exploration of possibilities for new revenue-producing facilities in Franklin County. The groups lined up as follows:

Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (FCCFA) -- responsible for the Columbus Convention Center, and supported by a number of key local business moguls, including Pizzuti, Wolfe, McCoy and McFerson, the FCCFA wanted an arena close to the Convention Center to attract more visitors. This bloc also envisioned a professional sports team, likely in the NHL, to put Columbus on the map.

Columbus Crew/Lamar Hunt -- in June, the MSL is announced, with Columbus being one of the original ten franchises, owned by Lamar Hunt, owner of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas MSL franchise. Hunt is focused on public funding for a soccer stadium to host the Crew

The Ohio State University -- President E. Gordon Gee and Athletic Director Andy Geiger are looking for an arena of their own, both to replace the fading St. John Arena and to provide a supplemental revenue source to fund the massive facilities expansion they sought for the athletic program.

As the Hunt and FCCFA camps were not strictly in direct competition, they quickly formed an alliance, as the prospect of the professional soccer club could serve as a catalyst for the arena as well. The vision soon transformed into an arena and soccer stadium in the area then occupied by the abandoned Ohio Penitentiary.

The same could not be said for the OSU interest. Clearly the prospect for "dueling arenas" just a few miles apart could be problematic, both in terms of economic viability and saleability to the electorate. So, representatives of what were now two distinct camps conducted a series of negotiations over the summer of 1994, seeking to determine whether a common ground could be found that would satisfy the interests of all concerned. Ron Pizzuti represented the FCCFA interests, and trustee George Skestos represented OSU. By September, the negotiators reported that no agreement appeared possible, and the race was on.

OSU had been lobbying the State Legislature for an appropriation toward the design of their facility, and the 120th General Assembly came through with $15 million, provided the university consulted with the City of Columbus over siting, operations and similar issues. At the same time, the legislature turned down the FCCFA bloc's request for $1 million to peform feasibility studies and such. The state indicated, however, that further funding could be available if local voters passed an income tax to provide local support for the proposed facilities. So, the eventual vote was truly a necessary step to gain significant state participation in the long term funding.

A disputed element involves representations attributed to OSU to the effect that they would not compete with a downtown arena, that an OSU arena would not have luxury suites or other "premium" features, and that no more than 10% of the available dates would be devoted to outside events. OSU denies that there were any binding commitments made to that effect.

1995 -- OSU kicked off the year by beginning a bold advertising campaign, vending seat licenses for the arena and promising premium events for public consumption. The Hunt/FCCFA camp cried "Foul!", and OSU pulled the campaign. Nonetheless, the OSU campaign was in full gear by this point.

In March, the Hunt/FCCFA bloc formally established a ten person committee to study the feasibility of a joint arena/soccer stadium project. The committee submitted its recommendations in November, suggesting that two separate ballot initiatives be placed on the ballot in the Fall of 2006, allowing time for obtaining the 20% private financing the Franklin County Commissioners were going to require as a prerequisite for a ballot initiative. This would also provide enough time for a proper campaign in favor of the two facilities.

1996 -- Activity kicks into high gear for the OSU effort and the downtown arena/stadium proponents. Early contact with the NHL (specifically Gary Bettman), gave the downtown proponents cause for optimism that an NHL franchise could land in Columbus. This led to the formation of Columbus Hockey Limited, consisting of Pizzuti, Wolfe, McConnell, Hunt and Jay Schottenstein, with some participating through companies they owned or managed. Ameritech also participated at this stage.

In the meantime, Ohio State broke ground on the Schottenstein Center on April 2. The NHL formally announced the availability of four expansion franchises on June 15. On November 1, 2006, Columbus Hockey Limited submitted the $100,000 application fee to the NHL, formally placing Columbus in the expansion team sweepstakes.

By year end, the private financing required to secure a ballot slot had been committed. Bank One pledged $35 million, in exchange for naming rights for the new Arena. Nationwide added $17.5 million to the pot, while Worthington Industries committed $5 million toward the initial arena effort. Lamar Hunt was tabbed as the manager of the combined stadium/arena effort.

As 1996 came to a close, few of the participants could have imagined the bizzare twists and turns that 1997 would bring.

1997 -- January kicked off the year on a positive note, as Columbus Hockey Limited made its initial presentation to the NHL, which, by all accounts, was well received. However, more serious decisions needed to be made -- decisions that would ultimately determine how the entire Arena campaign would be waged.

Specifically, CHL needed to decide whether to include both the arena and the soccer stadium in a single voter initiative, or pursue separate ballot measures, as the original task force had suggested. Next, they had to decide whether to go to the voters in the fall of 2007, or accelerate the process and go before the voters in the Spring.

Complicating the situation was the fact that the NHL established May 9, 1997 for the official awarding of the expansion franchises. There were fears that not having a decisive arena commitment would jeopardize the franchise bid, and further concern that a crowded Fall ballot could distract and divide the electorate. Accordingly, in early February, CHL decided to present a unified ballot proposition to the voters, covering both the arena and the soccer stadium, and to do it in the Spring. On February 18, the Franklin County Commissioners voted unanimously to place the initative, to be known as Issue 1, on the May 6 ballot. The battle was on, and only ten weeks remained to convince an electorate that had a track record of defeating similar measures. The difference this time, however, was the very real prospect of a true professional hockey team as the prime tenant.

From stage left enters Richard Sheir, a then-local political acitivist who made a living stirring up opposition to public spending projects that he believed not to be the proper subject of tax dollars. He led opposition to $200 million in parks spending in the northeast section of the state, various other arena/stadium initiatives and generally served as a thorn in the side of governments and their agencies around the state. In Columbus, he found a fertile feeding ground for a strange mix of liberals and conservatives, ranging from environmentalists/preservationists who feld the Pen site was inappropriate to anti-tax, anti-government zealots, to die-hard OSU football fans who apparently believed either than another sport could not possibly succeed, or that an NHL franchise posed an undesireable threat to Buckeye Nation.

Although the local media charcterized the opposition as "ragtag", Sheir was very good at striking nerves among voter segments who perceived themselves to be disaffected. Columbus was particularly good for such an effort, as its historical annexation initiatives had ballooned the city's size to 191 square miles, with 45% of the metropolitan population residing in the city itself. Demographically, that urban core is more likely to oppose public spending and taxation not directly attributable to benefit programs. In contrast, Cincinnati and Cleveland, who both were successful in obtaining public backing for stadium and arena efforts, each occupy approximately 77 square miles, with only 22%-23% residing in the core city. (Shortly after the campaign, Sheir decamped for the more politically friendly confines of Montpelier, Vermont)

With only a short time to shape public opinion, the arena/stadium proponents made the intriguing decision to have OSU President E. Gordon Gee lead the public relations campaign in favor of Issue 1. While one can certainly appreciate the logic of appearing to present a united front, even as the framing of the Schott neared completion, this was a curious step, and one that proved to border on disasterous. Gee's tepid commercials played poorly on the public stage, and it appeared clear that his heart was not in it. When the Columbus City Council condition performance of infrastructure improvements on a positive vote for Issue 1, Gee's wife penned an acerbic Letter to the Editor in the Dispatch, which most viewed as hurting the effort.

As March turned to April, conventional wisdom had the issue as a close one, with the opponents likely sporting a slight lead. Enter Peter J. Karmanos, Jr., the Chairman of Detroit-based Compuware Corporation and the owner of the NHL Hartford Whalers. Pete breezed into town in April, professing substantial interest in relocating his club to Columbus, and apparently willing to have the team play in temporary quarters, including an aircraft hangar, while an arena plan could be formulated. In response, Hunt presented a Letter of Intent to the FCCFA, promising to execute a 25 year lease for both the stadium and arena, pay rent of $3 million, and guaranteed profits of $200,000 per year for the full term of the lease, in exchange for 100% of the revenues from each of the venues.

Of course, Karmanos vanished as quickly as he appeared, having persuaded the folks in Raleigh that he could take his club anywhere, and obtaining further concessions for what would soon become the Carolina Hurricanes. The net impact on the campaign, however, was devastating. The electorate, already skeptical over theoretical promises of franchises that did not exist or were in their infancy (the Crew had just played its first season in Ohio Stadium), now had the impression that Columbus was the rope in a tug of war game between Kansas City's Hunt and Detroit/Hartford's Karmanos. Despite the further promise of urban revitalization, polls took a nosedive. Hunt confided in Bettman that if Issue 1 failed, he was done with the Columbus effort.

Predictably, Issue 1 failed, 56.3% against to 43.7% in favor. However, amid the gloom of the election night results, two heros emerged from the ashes: Dimon McFerson and Mr. Mac. Both shared the belief that an NHL franchise, and a first-class arena, were the logical next step for a city they both loved. Even before the vote, Mr. Mac had told Bettman that, even if the issue failed, they would find a way to get the deal done.

McFerson saw opportunity in the wake of defeat. He flew to New York immediately after the election and met with NHL officials, outlining the skeleton of a plan to build an arena with private funds. Seeing merit in his approach, and already knowing that McConnell was on board, the NHL delayed the final decision on the new franchises until June 25. They warned McFerson that a signed lease would be essential for a successful bid.

With a bit more time, McFerson got to work. He sketched out the things he would need, outlined the terms of a lease, and got the wheels in motion. The framework was presented to Hunt, who did not respond. With no time for indecsion or gamesmanship, McFerson counted McConnell and Wolfe as principal allies. While McFerson finalized his effort to get necessary cooperation from the City, working closely with Mayor Lashutka, who shared the vision, McConnell set up COLHOC, another limited partnership, and JMAC Hockey, to serve as the managing partner for COLHOC, should it become necessary. By this point, Bank One had pulled out, taking its $35 million out of the pot.

On June 2, McFerson's proposal was put before the Columbus City Council. They key points were as follows:

City to provide street, access and other infrastructure improvements
City to do any necessary cleanup of Penitentiary site
Nationwide to get 10 year lease of development site, with option to purchase
Development area to be declared a "blighted area", enabling FCCFA to use eminent domain to acquire necessary parcels, which would then be leased to developers for 99 years
Extended tax abatement for properties developed

With some minor amendments to insure continued revenue to school districts, the City Council approved the plan. Pressed to climb on board, or at least make a decision one way or the other, Hunt, who died in 2006, demurred, predicting that the lease would result in $25 million annual losses for the term of the lease. Thereafter, he personally funded the $28.5 million cost to build the existing Crew Stadium.

Feeling that they were free of Hunt's involvement, the Columbus contingent re-crafted the NHL application, submitting it on behalf of COLHOC and JMAC Hockey. Mr. Mac signed the lease based solely on McFerson indicating that it was a fair deal. To the day he died, he claimed never to have read the lease.

On June 4, 1997, McConnell submitted the signed lease and revised application to the NHL, and on June 25, the NHL formally awarded conditional expansion franchises to Columbus, Atlanta, Nashville and Minnesota. Mr. Mac took the offensive and filed a declaratory relief action in Franklin County, seeking to establish that Hunt had no interest in the franchise. Hunt countered with a lawsuit of his own against the NHL, Nationwide and COLHOC in New York. The local heros prevailed in both cases, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Analysis

To those who are looking for villains, it is a difficult search. We are where we are today due in part to some villainy, true, but overwhelmingly due to some well-intended decisions and actions that did not pan out, some unforseeable intervening events, and, ironically, to the very heroism that brought the Blue Jackets to Columbus.

Sure, Karmanos was working solely for himself, and the timing could not have been worse. Business is business, and Karmanos had no reason to show any loyalty to Columbus. The locals could have done a better job of pointing that out at the time, but hindsight is great.

Hunt assumed the role of both hero and goat. He brought the MSL to Columbus, but spearheaded some bad decisions, such as combining the arena and stadium initiatives, and delayed at key times in the process. Still considered an outsider, the fact that he was perceived as the leader of the effort, combined with the confusion injected by another outsider, Karmanos, fed the already existing paranoia of the electorate.

Gee and OSU did little to help the situation, but it is also tough to characterize them as true villains in the scheme of things. As one expert phrased it -- "Columbus is a "B" market with two Class "A" facilities." Very true. Columbus is not on the prime circuit of New York, Chicago, L.A., San Francisco for concerts, plays, etc. It is up and coming, but still not in the "A" league. Both facilities do reasonably well in terms of attracting outside events, with neither one holding a clear advantage. It is doubtful, however, that either arena could host all of the OSU, Blue Jacket, Destroyers and other functions. So we are really caught in the middle in terms of supply and demand.

Lashutka was also right in assessing the impact of the Dot Com collapse, 9/11 and the NHL work stoppage. At a point in time when you are trying to build interest, develop cohesion and bring economic revitalization, such events stall progress and set back younger franchises far more than established clubs.

Nationwide was put in a box. Sure, it gained some concessions in terms of tax relief, and preferential ability to acquire the involved properties, but it also assumed all of the risk , not only for the Arena, but for the Arena District as a whole. The $35 million for naming rights from Bank One was significant, but ultimately represented a small part of the ultimate funding. Contrast this with the S.F. Giants ballpark, where almost half of the cost was covered by the naming rights. (The Giants also own the ballpark, unlike the Jackets). Nationwide is not a charity, folks. It needed to appropriate things like the naming rights, some luxury suites, and other revenue sources to make the initial construction viable. Without McFerson and Nationwide, there is no Nationwide Arena and no Blue Jackets franchise.

Bottom line is this: there is a very good reason that there are no other arenas in professional sports that were privately built and privately operated. Arenas are more expensive, per square foot, than a stadium. They are vulnerable to economic downturns. However, they are also essential to the modern city, as the revenue they bring to the community more than compensates for the cost. However, those resultant benefits are seen by the community and the other businesses, not private owners.

In 1997, the voters were asked to buy a dream -- an NHL franchise that may or may not have been awarded -- an Arena District that may or may not appear -- a soccer stadium for a franchise and league that may or may not prosper. The Columbus electorate is cynical on its best day, but asking them to go for so many unknowns, seemingly run by outsiders, was ultimately too much.

Today, we know that the hockey operation is sound, that the Arena District flourishes, and the economic impact is far beyond anything represented to the voters. The hockey team is on the rise, is firmly under local control, and is attracting increasing interest. The time is ripe for that public-private partnership to go forward. The City simply cannot afford to lose the Blue Jackets, the Arena or the District.

Fortunately, there are lots of viable options for a solution to the Blue Jackets problem. In the scheme of things, the gap to be narrowed is not huge, and there is a will to get it done from all sides. In the final installment, I will examine these options and where we are in finding a long term solution.

OK, Maybe A Slight Chance I Was Wrong --- Methot Signs

2009-07-22T14:57:00.003-04:00

Per Aaron Portzline, the CBJ have reached agreement with RFA Defenseman Mark Methot, agreeing to a 2 year deal worth a total of $2.025 million.

The CBJ keep their record intact of never having gone all the way to arbitration, and Methot basically doubles his salary.

While nice to have this locked up for now, I am leery of Methot and his attitude. If he sticks around (i.e not part of a trade), I hope his performance merits the increase.

Bad News Blackhawks???

2009-07-22T13:08:00.002-04:00

ESPN is reporting that Marian Hossa, the 30 year old winger who just signed a 12 year, 62.8 million contract with Chicago, is nursing a shoulder injury and that surgery may yet be an option. No details on the nature of the injury, but the Blackhawks say that they were aware of the injury before they signed him, and are 'closely monitoring' the situation.

I bet they are . . .

Updated Schedule Miscellany

2009-07-16T09:01:00.002-04:00

OK, now having had the chance to look at it in some depth, I offer the following added observations (and some corrections):

Actual number of back-to-backs is 12, not 7. Eyes are failing as I get older, I guess . . . Still, a big improvement over the 20 from last year. Half of these fall on Mon/Tues, and some are not "bad" --i.e. home vs. Blues, @ Chicago; home vs. Wild, @ Nashville.
First ten games will be a test, with San Jose, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary (twice) and Anaheim. Also have LA twice, Phoenix and Minnesota. 7 of these on the road, so 5 -5 or 6 - 4 in this stretch would be huge.
By the completion of Game 24, we will have 14 of our 41 road games out of the way, including our worst two stretches (the opening 7 of 10 and the 5 game trip in early November). If we are close on Thanksgiving night, we are in good shape!
Not great pickings for those interested in road trips (at least weekend road trips) -- isolated Saturday games in Nashville, St. Louis, Detroit, Minnesota and Sunday games in Washington and Chicago.
Conversely, 19 of the 41 home games fall on Friday (5), Saturday (12) or Sunday (2) -- should be great for attendance.
We play Detroit once in November, twice in December, then three times in April. That can be viewed either positive or negative, depending how you want to view it. Again, by April we better have a solid playoff spot sewn up!!

Again, this is a solid schedule, particularly in light of this being an Olympic year, when I would have expected more back-to-backs. Early challenges and lots of home cooking down the stretch. Promises to be fun!

Schedule Is Out!!!!

2009-07-15T16:18:00.003-04:00

Well, the regular season schedule is out, and I have just had a chance to review it a few minutes. However, based upon quick review, it is more favorable than last year in many respects. Here are some highlights:

Only 7 back to backs, as opposed to 20 last year (somewhat surprising, given that this is an Olympic year)
Worst road trips come early -- we play 7 out of 9 on the road from October 5 through October 25, including a 3 game west coast swing and 4 game western Canada tour. Longest single trip is 5 games, from November 19 through 26.
Best Home Stands: We have 6 straight in Nationwide from February 4 through March 2, leading into and emerging from the Olympic break. We play 7 out of 10 at home from March 11 through 30 -- nice to have in the stretch run.
Interesting Visitors: Pittsburgh October 30, Carolina November 7, Toronto December 3 and Washington April 3

Generally good news, I think. More to come, but first gander is positive.

Go Jackets!!

Nice Piece On Nash Signing

2009-07-14T17:13:00.001-04:00

Check this piece out for some nice words from Rick on Columbus, the contract, etc. Good stuff!