I was thinkin this morning who may find new life in their game with Hitch no longer in the equation?

We've often heard the term "Hitch guy" thrown around like a Bill Davidge cliche.  The easiest way for me to explain what a "Hitch guy" is to break it down into players he trust and into players he didn't.

Its no secret the man loved certain types of players --  big players, veterans, defensively responsible, a "leader" and gritty.  If he possessed all of those things he probably got played until his legs fell off... If he possessed a couple of those then ice time wouldn't have been a problem.  If he possessed none of that then chances are he was benched or scratched if he gripped his stick the wrong way.

What he didn't seem to like or embrace was youth, undersized players and skill.  Sure he had to play guys with these attributes out of necessity but if the game was on the line or the benched needed shortened chances are your ass was grass and Hitch was the lawnmower.

Let's do a quick breakdown of "HITCH GUY" vs "GITCH HUY" (i.e the opposite of what Hitch liked):

HITCH GUY

RICK NASH - sometimes I wonder how good their relationship really was behind closed doors but it would be hard to justify Nash wasn't an 'HG'.  He was the captain, played on the 1st line, the 1st PP unit, the 1st PK unit and was out late in games.  He was obviously a part of the leadership group.

FEDOR TYUTIN - it really didn't matter if Tyutin played good or not -- he always played which in turn is why he leads this team in average minutes played with 23+ a game.  Obvious 'HG'.

JAN HEJDA - doesn't have much offensive skill but that doesn't matter if you want to be a 'HG' as long as you can play solid defense which until this season Hejda excelled at.  He's got the size and grit to go along with it.  Was always put out in key situation of the game and arguably owes a lot of his success in this league to Hitch.

MIKE COMMODORE - how else can you explain playing this guy over some of the players he scratched this season?  Yeah you don't want 3.5 million riding the bench every night but at some point enough has to be enough.  He's been horrible but he's a huge prodding dman and will be afforded chance after chance after chance regardless of his actual play on the ice or how good those have been around him.  Yep.. another member of the "leadership group".

RUSTY KLESLA - yet another big physical dman with absolutely no offensive skill.  Oh yeah, Hitch loves players like Klesla who -- if I can remember his quote - "does the dirty work that doesn't get noticed".  You do need a couple of dmen who are of the Klesla "shutdown" mold but this team is full of them.   I'm not sure this is a signing Howson is happy with right about now but should be a "trade-able" contract.  Another member of the "leadership group".

DEREK DORSETT - this guy should have 'HG' tattooed on his chest.  Besides being undersized he's everything Hitch loves -- gritty, responsible and no offensive skill.  Look I love him too but in no way/shape/form should he be anything other than a 4th line player in this league.  There were times this season he was on the ice as often as guys like Brassard and Voracek - that can't happen.  Was also a new face added to the "leadership group".

SAMMY PAHLSSON - meets all the 'HG' criteria except for that size.  I've never seen a coach so in love with a guy who does absolutely NOTHING in the offensive zone.  I'm on board with having a shutdown guy but @ 2.6 mil?  I'll pass.   I know, I know... he's at his best in the playoffs.

FREDDY MODIN - Modin could have a leg amputated, be blind in one eye and skate slower than a goalie in full gear -- it wouldn't matter as Hitch would still play him!  Modin is big, prodding, experienced, won a cup and plays all three zones.  The only problem is he's slow, over the hill, oft-injured and his offense has completely vanished.  Yep... definite 'HG' and yes, part of the leadership group.

CHRIS CLARK - honestly is there any other reason you trade for this guy if Hitch didn't want him?  I mean he brought all of that "leadership" that would rescue this room right? It was a crock of shit then and a crock of shit now.  I don't blame Clark - it was out of his control and I'm certainly rooting for the guy to succeed here but that trade was crap and didn't address any real needs on this roster.  Oh btw - Washington just won their 13th straight game without their former captain.

RJ UMBERGER - what's interesting about RJ is from what I've read he wasn't much of a 'HG' when Hitch coached him in Philly mostly because he was inexperienced.  Now I'm not sure how true that was but there is no question the guy wore his "HG" badge with pride here.  Umberger played in every situation and had everything Hitch looked for in a player...and he was a "leadership groupie".

KRISTIAN HUSELIUS - well Hitch had to have someone other than Nash and Umberger try to play some offense and score goals right?  A guy who turns it over yet continues to play as much as he did clearly has the support of the coach.  He defies all 'HG" logic except he was a veteran. It was the double standard with Juice and the younger players that had to be a big issue in that locker room.

STEVE MASON - this was a tough one.  He's young which is a strike.. but he's a huge goalie and we know how Hitch loves his size.  Heck everyone wants a big mobile goalie.  There were times this season where it just didn't make any sense to play this guy or keep him in games.  I know he and the organization hoped he could catch some fire and rescue this season but there were never any signs that was going to happen.  I would call this one a 'HHG' -- Hitch & Howson Guy.

ANTOINE VERMETTE - another one that was hard to put my finger on but I'm going to call him a 'HG'.  Despite his solid season I think Vermette could be even better in a different system.  Still the guy was played a lot in all situations and was relied on for key faceoffs late in a game.  Hitch definitely trusted him although I think he had big doubts about his ability to be an everyday top 6 center in this league.

ANTON STRALMAN - this was probably another case of necessity but I'd say Stralman was a 'HG' - at least this season.  I think if he was a CBJ draft pick things may have been different but Hitch seemed to embrace Stralman and his PP abilities despite his relative youth and inexperience.  He's a guy I could quickly see jumping to his "dark side" if another player of a similar skill set yet more experience was brought in.

ANDREW MURRAY - I'm not sure Murray is even in the NHL if he didn't play for Hitch under his system as it completely compliments his game.  Murray is a big strong player with average speed whose game is all hustle and all dump and chase .  He's got zero skill.  Although often scratched I think Hitch trusted Murray and played the game "the right way" -- at least in his eyes.

GITCH HUY

NIKITA FILATOV - honestly do I even need to justify his place on this list?  Every hockey cell in Hitch's body lashed out in a storm of fury at the sound of his name.

KRIS RUSSELL - "when your best player is Kris Russell you have a problem"... 'nuff said.

DERICK BRASSARD - this one is a little tricky as last year Brass got off to a decent start with Hitch although it did take him about 15 games to get any kind of ice time.  The reason - he was being "protected".  Still instead of letting this kid play through his mistakes like he did many of the players above he found himself demoted to the 4th line at times and singled out often as being "overwhelmed".

RAFFI TORRES - I know.. he doesn't really seem to fit here right?  He's a vet and gritty - that should be enough to elevate him to "HG" status.   Here's the thing though.. there is a lot of smoke that Raffi and Hitch butted heads... He also did not trust Raffi defensively which is evident as he's never out late in games and there is that sitting Raffi in St. Louis which has become knows as Raffi-hat-trick-gate... (cue X-files music)

JAKUB VORACEK - another guy who you might be surprised to see down here.  He and Brassard are in similar situations - both reached 'HG' last season but lost it this year.  Now some of it is justified as they haven't played as well as they could but again, they aren't afforded the space to make mistakes like some of the 'HGs' above.

MARC METHOT - just look at the role Noel played Methot against Dallas versus how Hitch utilized him and that should tell you all you need to know.  Again a guy you'd think may make the list above as he's got the size and is pretty gritty.... doesn't have that experience however and certainly wasn't looked at as a leader. There was not trust in Methot.

MATHIEU GARON - he's a tweener for me -- I just never got the sense Hitch really trusted Garon - even when he played well.  He was a backup goaltender and nothing more in his eyes.

JARED BOLL - reminds me of Brass and Voracek -- a guy who started out as a 'HG' but slowly fell off it.  Noel played him 10 mins last game but his average ice time under Hitch was only 6:32 a game.  I think Hitch initially had high expectations for Boll (remember those Tochett comparisons?) and then came to the conclusion that he'll be nothing more than a middle weight energy player and it was downhill from there.

MILAN JURCINA - now this one defies all logic... the man is a beast, experienced, has some grit and possesses a "heavy shot".  I would think Hitch's tongue would be on the floor drooling over this player.  Not the case with the healthy scratches and lines like "he's in-between two systems".

MATHIEU ROY - a lot of nights this guy was the Jackets best defensemen.. His reward?  How about a healthy scratch once a true 'HG' was ready to return to the lineup.  Hitch viewed this player as nothing more than a depth NHL defensemen despite his play.  What's funny is that in just 29 games Roy had only 2 less points than Hejda and more than both Commodore and Klesla.  He's also only a -2 which is the best amongst all Jackets dmen.

Look I'm not saying being a 'HG' is a bad thing.  Every team needs players like that and I like most of the guys who fall under that list.

What I'm saying is you need a mix and if you're looking to identify the players who may experience a renaissance of sorts under Noel for the remainder of the season then I'd keep an eye out for the names under Gitch Huys.

I've shoveled enough crap here - time to go shovel some snow!

-LTL

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