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Five Players Likely to Be Moved at NHL Trading Deadline

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The NHL's Trade Deadline is just a little under two weeks away (February 28th, 3 P.M. EST). There have already been four intriguing trades, to date:  Mike Fisher to the Nashville Predators for Nashville's first round pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and future considerations in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft; Michael Frolik to the Chicago Blackhawks in a five-player deal, to … [Read more...] about Five Players Likely to Be Moved at NHL Trading Deadline

Did the Columbus Blue Jackets Lose Their Opporunity?

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Given the Columbus Blue Jackets ignominious descent toward the bottom of the Western Conference rankings—the sad reality of a recent 6-14-3 free-fall, the second in as many years following a stellar start—Blue Jackets General Manager Scott Howson has been actively burning cell phones around the NHL in an attempt to salvage yet another disappointing season. While you … [Read more...] about Did the Columbus Blue Jackets Lose Their Opporunity?

Columbus Blue Jackets 2nd QTR Report Card

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Earlier in the season, I provided a first quarter assessment of the Columbus Blue Jackets. That was a quite easy task as the Blue Jackets stormed out of the gate to a franchise best 14-6-0 record. But ever since the Jackets’ historic start, they have gone 6-11-3 through the next 20 games and have fallen to 13th in the Western Conference I tried to be optimistic that a … [Read more...] about Columbus Blue Jackets 2nd QTR Report Card

Patience in Columbus Wearing Thin as Blue Jackets Swoon Continues

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The Columbus Blue Jackets are in full-blown “December Swoon” mode, having gone 3-9-3 since their historic 14-6-0 start. While this is taking place once again, Blue Jackets General Manager Scott Howson is continually preaching the same themes: “Patience” “The fix is from within” “I believe in this team” “We have an entire new coaching staff” (in response to criticism … [Read more...] about Patience in Columbus Wearing Thin as Blue Jackets Swoon Continues

Chicago Blackhawks Rising Back To The Top

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Earlier this season, it looked as if the Chicago Blackhawks would be scraping the bottom of the barrel in the playoffs. Losing strong players to contractual problems, salary-cap restrictions and a staggering number of injuries, the season started looking bleak, before the season even began. Somehow, at some point, time knocked some sense into the defending champs and now … [Read more...] about Chicago Blackhawks Rising Back To The Top

Columbus Blue Jackets: How to Guide to Stopping the Swoon

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During the 2009-2010 regular season, the Columbus Blue Jackets opened the season with a franchise-best record of 12-6-2. However, what followed was a horrible 3-14-7 tailspin which not only took the Blue Jackets out of any chance of returning to the Stanley Cup playoffs, but it also cost their head coach, Ken Hitchcock, his job. After last season’s terrific start, the next … [Read more...] about Columbus Blue Jackets: How to Guide to Stopping the Swoon

From Russia with Loathe: What will Blue Jackets do with Filatov?

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Towards the beginning of the 2009-10 season, I wrote an article which assessed Nikita Filatov's departure from the Columbus Blue Jackets only 19 games into the season: While Filatov hasn't defected back to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and while Filatov's issues don't stem from a coach who isn't known for being open-minded and patient with younger players, once again … [Read more...] about From Russia with Loathe: What will Blue Jackets do with Filatov?

Is it time for the Blue Jackets to Bench Steve Mason?

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At the beginning of the 2010-2011 season, I wrote an article which asked whether Steve Mason's contract extension, particularly coming off of a horrid season—known also as the sophomore jinx—was good or bad Well, after another dreadful Mason performance, one in which he was blistered early and often by the upstart Edmonton Oilers, it now begs another question: Is it … [Read more...] about Is it time for the Blue Jackets to Bench Steve Mason?