Back in November, I wrote a two-part article titled ‘Who’s to Blame for Columbus Blue Jackets’ Mess?’  In Part One, I identified senior Blue Jackets management as the primary culprit to the mess.  However, team majority owner John P. McConnell has expressed his full support of Blue Jackets team president Mike Priest and General Manager (GM) Scott Howson during meetings with the entire ownership group

It should be noted, however, that McConnell’s proclamation incensed the fan base to the point of staging a mass protest demanding that changes be made to these two specific senior management officials  Given the apparent “vote of confidence” by McConnell, any changes to this sector of the organization don’t appear imminent.

But that is not to say that changes cannot be made to improve the fortunes of the Blue Jackets, albeit they won’t be recognized until next season at the earliest.

So the question is, how do you improve the fortunes of the NHL’s worst team (14-32-6) one with a disgruntled center in Jeff Carter , one who is rumored to be on the trading block, a downtrodden, fragile locker room, a rapidly dwindling fan base and possessing no prospects – for the remainder of the regular season – beyond qualifying for the number one overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft?

Simple, you ‘blow it up’.  However, this approach will not be as easy as it sounds given the dwindling faith the fan base has in Scott Howson and Mike Priest to make the necessary moves, effectively.  These concerns are primarily based in Howson’s overall approach to building the Blue Jackets, that being the model he employed while the Assistant GM for the Edmonton Oilers from 2002-2007 a stretch in which they made the Stanley Cup playoffs only once during this six-year span.  The shortcomings of this model are that of a pre-lockout methodology, one which doesn’t give consideration to building a team via a slew of high lottery draft picks as the Edmonton Oilers is currently employing and which built the Pittsburgh Penguins to their current level of prominence.

But if Howson can show a different type of patience as is being well received by Oilers fans and can depart from his risk-adverse approach of the past three seasons, the Blue Jackets rebuild can be done successfully.  The fan base will be patient so long as they know it’s being done in a proven, effective manner.

So how do the Blue Jackets fix this mess?

First of all, it requires the most difficult of decisions:  Do you keep or do you build around Rick Nash?  It is no secret that Rick Nash is one of the NHL’s elite talents but it’s also no secret that the Blue Jackets have not effectively built the team around their talented forward.  Adding Jeff Carter over the summer has proven to be an ill-conceived fit as he and Nash have not meshed nor does it appear that Carter had ever wished to come to or remain in Columbus.

So, if you can’t build around Rick Nash then perhaps the solution is to trade Rick Nash.  While the mere mention of doing so can be equated to heresy, it can be successful if Howson can garner a fair return or possibly exceed a fair return for Nash – i.e. a King’s Ransom.  But this requires courage of conviction and a combination of swagger and savvy that greatly exceeds Howson’s previous moves with the organization, but it can and has been done.

What could Rick Nash gather in a trade?  That is the subject for a separate article but it’s safe to say that Nash could garner a slew of overall top draft picks and young, proven NHL-level and NHL-ready talent, something akin to what the Blue Jackets would receive if an offer sheet were to have been extended during the summer of 2009 as was speculated by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

But I do believe that while the Blue Jackets could and should consider trading either Nash or Carter, I also don’t believe Howson will trade both All-Stars.

Beyond Nash and Carter, what players should be considered to be offered up in a trade to change the landscape and direction of the Blue Jackets?  I offer some candidates and what the possible return could be:

Vinny Prospal – outside of Nash and Carter, Prospal is easily the Blue Jackets’ biggest trade deadline bargaining chip.  Although Prospal has recently struggled, he still displays the offensive acumen and veteran savvy that is highly attractive to a team set to embark on a Stanley Cup playoff quest.  As Prospal is an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA), he will be strictly viewed as a highly-valued rental and should be able to garner a 2nd round draft pick.

Antoine Vermette – to say that Vermette has mightily struggled is an understatement but his skill set as a checking, north-south, speed forward with elite face-off abilities cannot be questioned.  Vermette can garner either a late 1^st or 2^nd round draft pick or a top-four pairing defenseman.

RJ Umberger – see Antoine Vermette.  It’s difficult to ascertain why Umberger’s abilities have diminished so quickly this season – is it an injury that a tough athlete like Umberger hasn’t disclosed, a level of disinterest based on the team’s overall performance or is it an expressed doubt in the organization’s ability to be successful in the near term?  A player of Umberger’s historical abilities can provide a similar return to Vermette or can provide a NHL-ready prospect that the Blue Jackets can employ for seasons to come.

Samuel Pahlsson – the impending UFA is believed to be in demand for a team who is positioning themselves for a Stanley Cup title run, one who is in need of a shutdown center that Pahlsson has demonstrated in Anaheim and in Chicago but has not had the opportunity to demonstrate with the struggling Blue Jackets.  Pahlsson should be able to draw a mid to later round draft pick.

Kristian Huselius – Huselius is also an impending UFA who could provide an offensive playmaker to a playoff-contending team.  The problem is that Huselius has only played two games this season and his return to action is unknown at this time.  A healthy Huselius could garner a 2^nd or 3^rd round draft pick but any team interested would have to do so at a great risk.  If Huselius doesn’t return until after the NHL’s trade deadline, the Blue Jackets will opt not to renew his contract.

Derek MacKenzie – MacKenzie is also slated to be a UFA at season’s end and although the previous career American Hockey League (AHL) lifer has been a successful checking center who provides a great deal of energy and character to the team, he also doesn’t appear to be in the Blue Jackets long-term plans.  MacKenzie can nab a return of a late-round draft pick or can be part of a multi-player package with a more attractive player.

Jared Boll – Boll has struggled with injuries and Derek Dorsett’s rise as a leader, scorer and agitator, rendering Boll’s value to the Blue Jackets to be somewhat obsolete.  Boll would obtain the same return as MacKenzie and could also be part of a multi-player deal.

Steve Mason – It’s hard to fathom that the 2009 Calder Trophy winner as the NHL’s top rookie’s stock has fallen this far, but Mason’s numbers don’t lie: he has been the NHL’s worst statistical goaltender over the past three seasons.  Any team willing to take a risk on rehabilitating the large netminder would have to do so as part of a long-term reclamation project.  It’s believed Mason will either be waived or will be assigned to the Blue Jackets AHL affiliate in Springfield, MA for the remainder of his contract which runs through next season.

While constructing what the ‘new look’ Columbus Blue Jackets would look like after this seismic overhaul is the subject of a separate article, what’s apparent is that the direction and composition of this team would be that of a young, energetic, passionate team that’s grounded in a stingy, defense-first philosophy with an emphasis on obtaining and developing an elite starting goaltender.  The Blue Jackets need look no further than their Central Division rivals, the Nashville Predators.

Yesterday, approximately 300 fans gathered in front of Nationwide Arena, the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets.  They gathered to express both their love for the team and their disdain for the announcement that, in spite of easily holding the NHL’s worst record at 13-30-6 despite also possessing the NHL’s 9^th highest team payroll, that Blue Jackets Team President Mike Priest and General Manager (GM) Scott Howson’s jobs appeared to be safe:

This news angered the masses in Columbus to an unprecedented level, both in the city’s history and in NHL lore.

Enter ‘Occupy Nationwide’.

The official title for the event was Columbus Blue Jackets (CBJ) Fan Protest but its theme is similar to the ‘Occupy’ protests that have occurred throughout the country, from Wall Street to Seattle.

Their message is simple:  They are disgusted by the losing and they want both Priest and Howson to be ousted (fired) by the team’s majority owner, John P. McConnell, and entire ownership groups.  The fans feel that their concerns are being totally ignored, that both Priest and Howson have utter disregard and respect for their wish to field a competitive team, that they are solely responsible for bringing in players who lack talent and are devoid of any heart.

In short, this protest was an unprecedented fan’s ‘cry for help’, something never before seen in the history of professional sports fandom.

This protest began with an ardent fan known simply as CapnCornelius, a fan so passionate for this team that he has attended every game since Day 1 (October, 2000) – and he travels to/from Louisville, KY – on the HFBoards NHL Message Board and Forum.  From there, several other passionate Blue Jackets’ fans took to the charge and launched an information campaign via social media – on Facebookand on Twitter #CBJFANPROTEST

From there, this fan protest garnered steam, both locally as it was carried on all of the Columbus, Ohio-area TV news outlets, radio stations and their newspaper, the Columbus Dispatch.  It also gathered momentum nationally on various NHL internet outlets like Pro Hockey Talk, SI.com Yahoo Sports, Rogers Sportsnet and various national media outlets to include the Edmonton Sun, the Vancouver Sun and the Star Phoenix.

Their message was simple:  They love their team but they hate the direction of the team.  Specifically, their belief was that this organization will continue to flounder and lack accountability unless those with the responsibility for their on-ice performance – Priest and Howson – are removed from their duties and replaced with competent, experienced NHL management personnel.

While some felt that this planned rally would generate scoffing and disregard from the Blue Jackets majority owner John P. McConnell, they were ultimately surprised when McConnell sent an open letter to season ticket holders the day before the rally took place:

The protesters felt that it’s great that McConnell is hearing the protester’s message but that he is not listening to it.

So on Saturday, January 28, 2012, the CBJ Fan Protest became reality.

While it was a peaceful rally, the message from the organizers and those in attendance was passionate and heartfelt.

Many carried signs and several organizers spoke from a podium complete with PA system that was set up in front of the main entrance to the arena.

“We need (players) on the team that care,” Co-Organizer Pat Long said. “The only people that can put those people on the team are a competent president and general manager.”

Blue Jackets Management personnel representing the organization attended the protest and made themselves available to discuss the protester’s concerns.  Management personnel set up a table and provided free coffee and hot beverages and chatted with many of the protesters.

“We’re frustrated with the way things have gone, too,” Blue Jackets spokesman Todd Sharrock said. “Basically, all of our senior management that is not inOttawais here. We came to talk to people and say ‘we’re here if you want to chat with us, we understand why you’re here and we appreciate it.’ Nobody would be here if they didn’t care deeply about this team. It would be irresponsible of us to not be here and let them know that.

“I’m not going to comment on the message but, heir attitude is a big reason why the All-Star Game is coming here (next year). It’s because of the fan base. They’re passionate and they care. I know Mike (Priest) and Scott (Howson) and some of the other senior management people would have been here today if they weren’t in Ottawa. But we’re going to talk to them and share the thoughts (of protesters).”

But perhaps the ultimate recognition of the protester’s cause came from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.  “It’s clearly a demonstration of passion by fans.  You don’t do this unless you’re passionate about hockey, about the team and about the city.

Earlier in the day, the Columbus Blue Jackets fans and the organization received great news: Columbus will host the 2013 NHL All-Star game.  This announcement was met with great jubilation by the protesters; however, that jubilation only pales in comparison to what would create mass jubilation and hysteria with these passionate fans – changes to the organization and a commitment towards ultimately raising Lord Stanley’s cup.

The NHL All-Star Game, as is the case with the rest of professional sports’ mid-season clashes, is often derided as being a meaningless exhibition that people take way too seriously, but for those fans that can appreciate the fun that the players have with it, it is actually a cool spectacle.

The SuperSkills competition, which precedes the All-Star Game that will take place tomorrow at 3pm on NBC Sports Network, is taking place tonight in Ottawa, and two Chicago Blackhawks, Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane, are taking part in the festivities.

Hossa did a decent job (ie not getting injured) in the Fastest Skater competition, and he also performed well in the Accuracy Shooting, winning his heat against Daniel Sedin. It was Kane, however, who stole the show and won the Shootout Competition with this nifty little homage to Superman:

While it may not have been factually accurate (Clark Kent did not wear glasses while in his Superman costume), it was still neat to see Kane pull the shot off, even scoring on the play. In the interview after he won, the Ottawa PA system was playing the tune “Superman” by Eminem in his honor, which may have been even cooler.

Perhaps Kane’s success in this event could translate into him being a little looser when the team embarks on their post-ASG nine game road trip. We’ll have to wait and see.

It is said that if you push a person so far, they will eventually push back – that believe has now become reality for Columbus Blue Jackets fans.

The Blue Jackets easily occupy the 30th position in the National Hockey League (NHL), posting a horrid record of 13-30-6.  Were the Blue Jackets a rebuilding team with a limited team payroll that would be understandable.  However, Blue Jackets ownership ‘opened up the wallets’ to the tune of $64.3 million which was the 5th highest payroll at the beginning of the regular season and 9th, currently.

Last week, an ownership meeting was held with all ownership groups to include Nationwide Insurance who now have 30% ownership stake in the Blue Jackets. During the meetings, a topic of discussion was on Blue Jackets management’s plan to fix the deep ills that have made the Blue Jackets a national embarrassment.

Team President Mike Priest and embattled General Manager (GM) Scott Howson presented ownership with a plan that included potentially significant changes before next season.  However, this plan did not include a front-office overhaul, something considered to be an absolute necessity by many throughout the NHL to allow the Blue Jackets to even become competitive.

But the vibe permeating as a result of these meetings was that both Priest and Howson’s jobs appear to be safe and it’s this belief that has angered the masses in Columbus to an unprecedented level, both in the city’s history and in NHL lore.

Enter ‘Occupy Nationwide’.

The official title for the event, scheduled for this Saturday, January

28, 2012 from 2 P.M. to 5 P.M. EST is Columbus Blue Jackets (CBJ) Fan

Protest but its theme is similar to the ‘Occupy’ protests that have

occurred throughout the country, from Wall Street to Seattle.

Their message is simple:  They are disgusted by the losing and they want both Priest and Howson to be ousted (fired) by the team’s majority owner, John P. McConnell, and entire ownership groups.  The fans feel that their concerns are being totally ignored, that both Priest and Howson have utter disregard and respect for their wish to field a competitive team, that they are solely responsible for bringing in players who lack talent and are devoid of any heart.

As a close friend of mine has so eloquently stated, “We LOVE our

Jackets, we HATE the direction.”

So the fans are slated to protest in front of the Blue Jackets home, Nationwide Arena on Saturday.  They have launched an information

campaign via social media – on Facebook

and on Twitter #CBJFANPROTEST.

The ‘Occupy’ Blue Jackets movement has garnered steam, both locally and nationally. Hockey publications both in Ohio and across America are picking up this story.

Will this protest resonate with ownership?  Its history would suggest otherwise.  But it could be the beginning of unyielding fan outrage which could result in ownership action until their demands of a competitive NHL product and long-overdue accountability with senior management and the players are met.

Back when the Chicago White Sox won the World Series, I listened to a lot of right wingnut extremists tell me things like

“How dare he (then Sox manager Ozzie Guillen) disrespect the President (then George W. Bush) by waving the Venezuelan flag instead of an American one.”

“How dare Guillen bring the pennant to Venezuela, to Hugo Chavez, no one is above a trip to the White House.”

Well, I said then that the President is a man, he doesn’t walk on water, he’s a man. I hated W. and I was all for anyone who wants to snub him, go ahead and snub him.

I’m a Barack Obama supporter and now that a championship winning athlete is snubbing him, someone I approve of, I still the say the same thing- If you want to snub him, Tim Thomas, go ahead and snub him.

As much as I hated the W. regime that how much I hate the delusional political persuasion of Tim Thomas. But I will defend to the death his right to have those shitty, delusional beliefs.

From Puck Daddy:

Bruins team president Cam Neely said the decision was Thomas’s and the team honored his choice.

“Everybody has their own opinions and political beliefs. He chose not to join us,” said Neely. “We certainly would have liked to have him come and join us but that’s his choice. All the guys came except for Tim. It’s his decision and his choice.”

While his politics aren’t common knowledge among many hockey fans, Thomas hasn’t hidden his political leanings. He’s a fan of former Fox News Channel host Glenn Beck, once saying he aspired to appear on Beck’s talk show as a guest.

Big Government, a website founded by conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart, celebrated Thomas as a “true Tea Party patriot” for having “In God We Trust” and the Gadsden flag on his mask. From Big Government:

In addition to displaying his support for the Tea Party on the ice, Thomas is a FreedomWorks donor, giving generously right before the historic November 2010 elections, according to the FEC.

Chiarelli said he hoped Thomas’s decision not to attend the White House event wouldn’t overshadow the Bruins’ day.

Expect a lot of politically uninteresting, apolitical and far right leaning people to make a big deal out of this. I don’t think the centrists, and my fellow leftists will care. There is a time when dissidence requires more introspection and coverage. This isn’t one of those times.

Thomas is one of just two Americans on the roster, and he is supposed to announce to the media his explanation as to why on his Facebook page in a matter of minutes/hours.

And as Yahoo again points out- He’s not the first nor the last athlete to choose not to visit the White House.

Tim isn’t breaking new ground here or anything.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

This site’s third highest ever single post is a collection of ten extremely attractive Canadian female celebrities.  I came up with the idea upon returning from the Great white north this past Canada Day.

Canadian actress and former model Cobie Smulders, known for her role as Robin Scherbatsky on the CBS television series How I Met Your Mother .

The 29 year old is an avid Vancouver Canucks fan, and has made reference to that through her character Robin on the show.

Actually, they play up her Canadianess quite a bit on the show.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports.

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the FWAA, USBWA and SPJ. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

The St. Louis Blues have ascended to the top of both the Western Conference and NHL rankings, a feat more remarkable considering their struggles at the beginning of the season and during the prior two disappointing seasons.  While the Blues possess a solid mix of gritty veterans and young players, their success has directly been related to a sole personnel move: the hiring of head coach Ken Hitchcock.

The Blues started the 2011-2012 season with a quite unremarkable 6-7-0 record and were mired in a funk of sub-mediocrity, having missed the playoffs for the prior two seasons after finally returning to the playoffs in 2009.  In the process, the Blues fired Andy Murray in the middle of the 2009-2010 season then had Davis Payne coach the team for the remainder of the season and throughout the season that followed.

For a team with a legacy of success – the Blues made the playoffs every year for a period from 1980 to 2004, the third longest streak in professional sports history – missing the playoffs for seven of the last eight years since the NHL lockout was intolerable and the organization had to make a statement to change the paradigm of ineptitude.

Enter Ken Hitchcock.  On November 6, 2011, the Blues fired Davis Payne and replaced him with Hitchcock and the results have been nothing short of spectacular.  Since Hitchcock’s hiring, the Blues have registered a record of 22-5-6 which has served notice to the NHL that the Blues are serious contenders for not only qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs but to be a team that few would care to face, come playoff time.

Hitchcock’s resume ranks with some of the coaching greats in NHL history:  One Stanley Cup title, two Stanley Cup finals appearances, four conference finals appearances, a World Championship and Olympic Gold medal titles for Team Canada (one of which was as part of Team Canada’s executive committee) and over 500 victories.

Ironically, Ken Hitchcock has never won the Jack Adams award as the NHL’s premier coach for any of his 16 seasons behind the respective benches of the Dallas Stars, the Philadelphia Flyers, the Columbus Blue Jackets and now the St. Louis Blues.  In hindsight, Hitchcock’s ability to lead the perennially-downtrodden Blue Jackets to their only Stanley Cup Playoff appearance is nothing short of miraculous.

What’s most puzzling about Hitchcock having never won the award for those of us in the media is that Hitchcock has always garnered the utmost admiration of the media at every career stop, even while coaching in one of the toughest media markets in Philadelphia.  And while Hitchcock eventually wears out his welcome with the players he coaches at every stop in his illustrious career, his legacy is that of resounding success.

So how has Hitchcock turned around the rudderless Blues?  There are a few solid reasons behind it.

First of all, Hitchcock has the Blues believing that they are a talented group.  During his introductory press conference, Hitchcock proclaimed that the Blues have as much talent as any team in the NHL.  While this might appear to be a classic case of ‘coach speak’, Hitchcock sincerely believed this to be the case and the players responded, immediately.

Secondly, a Ken Hitchcock-coached team is anchored in the following tenants:  Accountability, having players playing at their absolute maximum capabilities, having players completely buying into his philosophies, otherwise known as “Hitch Hockey”, a patented mix of defense-first, north-south, physical hockey which Hitchcock affectionately likes to refer to as “heavy” and “weighty”.

Hitchcock is a demanding coach who endlessly pursues perfection.  Having known Hitchcock from his time with the Blue Jackets, I can honestly say that Hitch has given no credence to the 22 victories since he’s arrived but he has absolutely been seething about the five regulation losses and the six losses during the extra periods.

But I believe his greatest contribution to their success was forged during the time period in which he was without a head coaching job in the NHL, for the time period from when he was fired as head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets – February, 2010 – until his hiring in St. Louis.  Hitchcock used that time period to work with Junior hockey players, getting a deeper understanding of today’s young players, a true examination of conscience for a coach historically notorious for not dealing well with less-experience players.

Specifically, Hitchcock refers to a symposium he attended the prior two summers that taught him a great deal about today’s younger athletes.  He took notes. He listened. Notoriously hard on players, Hitchcock said that education made him return to the game with a bit of a softer edge.

“The thing that’s softened for me is having to deal with the athletes of today,” said Hitchcock. “Some of it comes from experience but also some of it comes from the fact I’ve worked really hard at understanding this age group and what they need to be successful. It’s different working with this age group — it’s a lot different. It’s way, way different from 10 years ago.”

The Blues have 36 games remaining to their regular season and a lot can happen during that time period – injuries, suspensions, the rigors of the road – however, if Hitchcock and the Blues can maintain their frenetic pace and possibly attain Stanley Cup glory, perhaps Ken Hitchcock can attain that elusive Jack Adams trophy.

But knowing Ken Hitchcock, he would forgo any awards of that type to once again raise Lord Stanley’s Cup.  He expects nothing less.

Patrick Sharp has been out of the Chicago Blackhawks’ lineup for the past four games, but it hasn’t slowed them down one bit. Buoyed by performances from guys up and down the roster, the Hawks have been scoring goals, playing solid defense, and most importantly, picking up points. This weekend was no different, as they got a point yesterday against the Detroit Red Wings, a team with an insane home record this season, and they did it again Sunday night as they took down the San Jose Sharks 4-3 at the United Center.

The Hawks have gotten seven of a possible eight points since Sharp went down, and to get three against two of the best teams in the West shows positive signs for a team whose depth was a huge question mark only a season ago. Dave Bolland, Jonathan Toews, Viktor Stalberg, and Andrew Shaw all scored goals for the Hawks in this one, and Corey Crawford, despite some struggles early in the second period, made 21 saves en route to the victory.

As opposed to yesterday’s effort that saw the Hawks only really play a solid 20 minutes against the Wings, they looked a lot more consistent in this game. They made it a point to constantly put shots on net against former Chicago goaltender Antti Niemi, and they got a ton of traffic to the front of the net as well. In all, they ended up with 40 shots in the game, and that extra traffic directly led to several of their goals.

Toews’ tally in the second period came on a rush that saw Niemi misplay a puck behind the net, and when Stalberg’s aggressive forecheck prevented the Sharks from snagging the puck, Patrick Kane found Toews streaking to the net, and he got an easy tap-in to give Chicago a 3-2 lead. Following that early in the third, Shaw was on the rush with Marcus Kruger and Marian Hossa, and when Kruger put a shot on net, Shaw not only put a rebound effort on Niemi but kept following it until he tapped a loose puck into an open cage. It was a testament to the validity of the Hawks’ philosophy of taking lots of shots and being physical in front, and the two points they got were well earned.

Kane also had a better game than he had Saturday in Detroit, getting several good opportunities and even contributing in a surprising way to the Toews goal alluded to earlier. Kane was skating up ice, and he surely had noticed that the Sharks’ defenders had been collapsing on him all night long. In response, Kane hit a nice chip-shot into the corner instead of trying to bulldoze through the defenders, and the end result was the Toews goal. It was an underrated play that lots of guys make, but with a guy who has puck-handling skills like Kane does, the hockey IQ displayed on that one was heartening for fans to say the least.

The only reason San Jose was able to stay close was their uncanny ability to tip pucks in front. On several instances, pucks were redirected right in front of Crawford, and on one play in particular on a shot by Patrick Marleau, two different Sharks redirected the same shot. The puck didn’t end up going in, but it was reflective of the good positioning of the Sharks’ players near the goal area, and disrupting those opportunities is something that Chicago will need to work on moving forward.

The Hawks will have a couple of days off after playing a ton of games recently, and they will next take to the ice Wednesday night against the Buffalo Sabres. The game starts a little earlier than usual for a home game, with a 6:30pm puck drop on NBC Sports Network.

With that, here are Sunday’s Three Stars:

Third Star: Patrick Kane

Kane’s efforts have to be recognized, especially because of that smart dump-in of the puck on the Toews goal. In addition, Kane took a lot more initiative on the offensive side of things in this one, taking five shots and looking way more aggressive than he has in recent weeks. He’s way overdue for a goal, but if he keeps getting chances like he did in this one, he’ll put one in sooner rather than later.

Second Star: Viktor Stalberg 

Stalberg has seemingly turned his game up a notch in recent weeks, and he had another great one on Sunday. In addition to his goal late in the first period, it was his aggressive forecheck behind the Sharks’ net that allowed the puck to squirt free to Kane, who fed it to Toews for his score. Oh yeah, he also had four takeaways and six shots on goal. For right now at least, the Hawks’ top line appears to be set in stone, a real departure from the way Joel Quenneville usually does business.

First Star: Andrew Shaw

One glance at Shaw’s stat line is enough to tell you how stupid good of a game he had. Not only did he score a huge insurance goal in the third period, but he also had five total shots on goal, three hits, and won all six of the face-offs he took, including two against an elite center in Joe Thornton. His 17 minutes on the ice were incredibly productive, and when you consider that he was a fifth round draft pick in 2011, the enormity of his contributions has been mind-boggling. Add in the selections of Brandon Saad (who looked good in his stint with the club earlier in the year) and Mark McNeill (universally considered a steal by the Hawks in the first round), and the 2011 Draft Class could be providing depth for this team for a long time to come.

Some sporting events have momentum swings that seem to occur in nearly every minute of action, but the tilt between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks was not one of those events.

Through the first 40 minutes of Saturday afternoon’s matinee between the Red Wings and Blackhawks, there was little doubt as to who the better team was on the ice. Sure, the Hawks got a huge break when Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard flipped a puck from behind the net directly to Andrew Shaw, but the Wings were the class of the Central for those 40 minutes, outshooting Chicago 29-11 and outscoring them 2-1. As soon as the third period started, however, it became a hockey game.

The Blackhawks managed to fire off 16 quality shots at Howard in the third, but he managed to stop all of them until Jonathan Toews won a face-off against Pavel Datsyuk (no small feat) coming off an icing, and Marian Hossa fired a puck off of Nicklas Lidstrom to score the game tying goal with only 52 second remaining.

The tide swiftly turned the other way, however, as Detroit scored late in the overtime frame to win 3-2 after outshooting the Hawks 9-0 in the extra session. Todd Bertuzzi is the one who netted the rebound off a high shot by Valtteri Fillpula for his second goal of the afternoon, and he ensured that the two teams would both have gotten four points in the three games the two teams have played against each other this season.

If one is to be honest about the effort that the Blackhawks put forth in this game, they probably should not have been in it to the very end. Not only did they get hideously outshot through 40 minutes, and not only did they get a gift goal off an incredibly bizarre choice by Howard (one that left head coach Mike Babcock with a look of “incredulous anger and sheer shock”, as one reporter’s notes described it), but they also left Corey Crawford out to dry for nearly the entire game. He stood on his head in a big way, and he made some incredible saves at key moments throughout the proceedings. If there was any doubt as to whether or not Crawford was back all the way from his early season struggles, it was dispelled with the way he played in this game against a serious contender for the Stanley Cup.

It was also appropriate that the Hawks’ second goal of the game went to Marian Hossa, because he was arguably the catalyst for the team’s third period surge. His ability to hold onto the puck despite the Red Wings throwing bodies at him left and right helped keep a slew of possessions alive for the Blackhawks, and it was his shot from the point that ended up deflecting off Lidstrom and into the Wings’ goal.

There were some serious negatives for the Hawks in this game as well, however. Nick Leddy continued his recent run of poor decision making, with a poor attempt to cycle the puck along the boards in the defensive zone nearly leading to Detroit snatching the lead back with just seconds left in regulation. He also pinched in hard on a play near the blue line in the third period, and the resulting breakaway just about cost the Hawks a momentum killing goal. Fortunately for Chicago, Crawford bailed out the young defenseman, but that doesn’t change the fact that GM Stan Bowman has to address the need for a veteran presence in that second defensive pairing at some point soon.

In addition to Leddy’s poor play, there has been the continuing matter of the play of Patrick Kane. He has only scored three goals in his past 26 games, and he has looked almost afraid of the puck at times. That being said, his puck-handling has been very sloppy as well, and he has been passing up a lot of open shots. He still is one of the leading assist getters on the team, and while that has been the primary source of points in his career, he needs to take more initiative in the offensive zone, and he needs to do a better job of protecting the puck if he is going to continue to receive the bulk share of the minutes among forwards.

Overall, the game was a good one for the Red Wings, but the Blackhawks have got to put up a better effort through a full 60 minutes. Their final push was fantastic to watch and it was great that they got a point, but the Wings showed why they will be a tough out come playoff time with their solid physical effort, as well as their consistent offensive attack. The Hawks will need to get off to a hot start tomorrow night against San Jose, because the odds of being able to generate that kind of third period push on the back-end of a back-to-back are slim.

The Columbus Blue Jackets fired head coach Scott Arniel this morning.  Through one and half seasons as the Blue Jackets head coach, Arniel posted an overall record of 45-60-18 but since his 14-6-0 start posted a record of 31-54-18.  Additionally, the Blue Jackets have posted only eight regulations wins in their past 63 games.

Former Minnesota Wild head coach and current Blue Jackets assistant head coach Todd Richards will take over the coaching reigns for the remainder of the regular season.  Richards posted an overall record of 77-71-16 over two full seasons before being fired at the end of the 2010-2011 season.

Blue Jackets General Manager (GM) Scott Howson provided some comments on the Arniel firing, “We have two wins in our last 11 games,” Scott Howson said. “I just wanted to move the team in a new direction with a different head coach. Scott tried everything and he was running out of answers. I didn’t see much hope in moving forward with him. I just felt this needed to be done.”

“Last night’s game wasn’t a very good performance,” Howson said. “But I really made my mind up on the weekend, and I didn’t want to do it on a game day.  Our play seemed to be regressing, so I just thought it was time to move the team in a new direction.”

Howson cited Arniel’s 2-8-1 record over his final 11 games behind the Blue Jackets bench as the final straw that led to his dismissal.

On Scott Howson’s Twitter page, he uttered the following, “We anticipate that we will be trading away some of our players,”

So it leads to the following question:  Will firing Scott Arniel make a difference?  Further, is firing Arniel enough to fix the malaise that is the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team?

Today’s firing marks the fourth coach in Scott Howson’s regime which spans over four and a half seasons: Ken Hitchcock, who led the Blue Jackets to their only playoff appearance and currently the St. Louis Blues head coach, guiding them to a record of 17-5-5 since assuming the reigns; Claude Noel, who served as interim head coach and who now is the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets; Scott Arniel and now Todd Richards.

Howson’s record as GM of the Blue Jackets is 152-162-55; however, if you remove Ken Hitchcock’s record during that period, his overall record as GM is 54-68-24 or an overall winning percentage of 45.1%.  Worse yet, when compared against Doug MacLean’s six-year record as the Blue Jackets’ GM – 41.2%, when they were an expansion team, Howson’s edge in winning percentage during years 7-11 of the organization is downright putrid, especially when Howson was credited for cleaning the oil spill that was believed to be the MacLean regime.

Even with Todd Richards assuming control behind the Blue Jackets’ bench, the problems are many: a cataclysmic failure in overall team performance – the Blue Jackets own the NHL’s worst overall record of 11-25-5 – particularly with the NHL’s fifth highest payroll at the beginning of the year; Steve Mason still mans the net for the Blue Jackets, he of the NHL’s 2^nd worst Goals Against Average (GAA) of 3.46 and 2^nd worst Save Percentage (Save%) of .882; no prospects for the Stanley Cup playoffs – SportsClubStats.com gives the Blue Jackets a 0.9% chance of making the Western Conference’s last playoff spot; a disgusted fan base who’s grown tired of the lack of direction of this organization, the lack of any urgency or passion by its players and management and the lack of accountability by its players and especially by its management.

For most Blue Jackets fans, this move was believed to be too little, too late.  They also feel that this step was not nearly enough, that it was akin to placing a Band-Aid on a shattered leg.

The level of disdain amongst the fan base has risen to the level that only when major changes occur will they be satisfied and that includes the firing of Scott Howson and the resignation of Blue Jackets President Mike Priest.