-LTL

Check out this cartoon the Dispatch had in this morning's paper of everyone's old pal Doug MacLean:

Here is a link to a bigger pic.  Thanks to Skaut over on HF for the pointer.

Pepsi and the Jackets are a running a new ticket promotion.

Pepsi and local retailers are teaming up to give hockey fans the opportunity to get tickets for select Blue Jackets games at Nationwide Arena. Now through Friday, January 22, Columbus area shoppers who purchase four 12-packs of Pepsi or Diet Pepsi (regular or caffeine free) in a single transaction can receive two tickets to select home games. Customers should look for the specially-marked packaging on Pepsi & Diet Pepsi at participating central Ohio grocery stores.

Purchasers may redeem the tickets by visiting www.bluejackets.com/pepsi and completing an informational form to receive an official confirmation which must be presented at the Nationwide Arena ticket office along with the register receipt showing proof or purchase. Tickets may only be redeemed at the ticket office between 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday or 10a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, while supplies last. There is a limit of four tickets per transaction with only one transaction per game.

This special offer applies for the following games: Jan. 10 (Dallas); Jan. 18 (St. Louis); Jan. 26 (Nashville); Jan. 28 (Los Angeles); Feb. 4 (Dallas); Feb. 10 (San Jose); Feb. 12 (Vancouver); Feb. 14 (Chicago); Mar. 2 (Vancouver); Mar. 11 (Atlanta); Mar. 15 (Edmonton) and Mar. 30 (Tampa Bay). Deadline for redemption is Friday, Feb. 12. Tickets are limited and subject to availability.

Another great promo and one they are certainly gonna need.

Thanks to BHG for the pointer.

The R Bar has you covered for tonight's game:

We will be giving away  2 lower bowl tickets for the January 16th game vs first place Chicago!  Just show up and you'll have a chance to win!  We will have great game day specials all night as always!!  Go Jackets!!

Finally... it's been a while, but I will be doing a live blog tonight for the Jackets/Oil game.  If you're bored, looking to vent, or want just want someone to sing kumbya with stop on by!

-LTL

Check this one out:

-LTL

I'd kill for the Jackets to have an ounce of that passion!!

AWESOME!

-LTL

We were told by Hitch that there is a renewed commitment towards playing the youth on this team -- that it's a "process". Let's take a look at last night's ice time and see if that rings true:

Voracek: 14:31 (7th best forward)

Brassard: 13:32 (8th best forward)

Nash, Umberger, Huselius, Phalsson, Modin and Vermette all had more ice time than these two.

Russell: 21:32 (1st for defensemen)

Speaks for itself.

Oddly enough all three of these guys finished either a plus or even for the night.

What does this tell us?

Not bad although I still cannot understand how guys like Pahlsson and Modin who have a combined 11 points between them get more playing time than Brassard and Voracek.  Especially in a game like this when the Jackets need to...ya know....SCORE!!

I realize some of their minutes are on the PK and Hitch is trying to match them up against the Canucks top lines but that hasn't worked so far this year so why would it work now?

Even strength I want these kids playing more than the antiques.  I obviously want them out there more on the PP.  PK?  Sure trot Pahlsson and Modin out there but even then I wouldn't mind seeing these two get some experience on the PK.

I mean why the heck not?

Use these last 38 games for experience if nothing else.  Who cares if they make mistakes?  Now is the time to make em.  After each game go over the good and the bad but KEEP PLAYING EM!

It was good to see Russell get the minutes although the backhanded comment by Hitch about it being a problem when he's our best d-man isn't exactly how you inspire confidence.

-LTL

Oh Mase.. turn that frown upside-down... You've been letting goals like that in all season.  We are used to it by now -- you should be as well!

We've all heard of the Stanley Cup hangover right?  You know when teams who made it to the cup finals last year come out the following season and struggle?

Is it possible to have a first round 4 game sweep hangover?

With the Jackets losing 21 of their past 24 including 13 straight on the road I'm here to tell you it's possible!

Honestly I watched about 15 minutes of that game last night.  Caught some of the first as I flipped during commercial breaks of the some real hockey (i.e. WJCs) and then flipped back right after Russell scored to make it 4-3.  At that point I thought hmm.. we may have a game here.

Wrong.

The wheels proceeded to completely fall off and then I proceeded to call it a night after the 2nd period.

I wasn't going to let the Jackets ineptitude ruin USA's glory on this night. I went to bed with a gold medal winning smile on my face.

By all accounts the Jackets went down without so much of a whimper.  No shock there.

So the Jackets sit with an overall record of 15-20-9 with 39 points.  That is good for 14th in the Western Conference and tied for 3rd worst in the entire league.  They are 14 points out of the 8th playoff position.

My guess is that those who hadn't yet accepted the team's reality this season by now are waking up this morning coming to grips with the inevitable.

Trust me when you do finally accept it.... it makes watching these games so much more bearable and the heartburn magically disappears.

No sense getting worked up if the guys on the ice aren't going to.

Depressing?  I was depressed about 3 weeks ago... now I'm just thinking about how best to set the Jackets table for next season.

It's time to stop looking at how far they are from the playoffs and how close they are to a top 3 draft pick because that is where the real talent stops in this year's draft.  If they want to trade their 1st round pick for some legitimate help for next year or continue down the draft/development path that has been oh so fruitful then a top 3 pick is where they want to end up.

At the very worst they need to finish in the top 5 where they at least have a chance at moving up to 1 in the lottery.

No man's land... i.e. picks 6 through 13... are a worst case scenario.

I know what a lot of you are thinkin... how can you root for these guys to lose?

To be honest I'm not rooting for them to lose... they are taking care of that one all by themselves.  All I'm saying is that if we are going to tank a season then go "all in" and tank the MFer the right way and at least get an asset we can use for next season.

I know what else you're thinkin... these guys will find a way to go on a needless run at the end up the year and even screw up their draft position.

We can't allow that Jackets fans!

New T-Shirt slogan:  the dive for five starts now!

-LTL

US WINS GOLD IN THE WORLD JUNIORS!!!

FINAL: USA 6 CANADA 5 (OT)

WHAT A GAME!

-LTL

As you've probably heard the Jackets game will not be televised on Fox Sports Ohio tonight.

The blackout will be lifted on Center Ice so if you subscribe you can catch all the action via Vancouver's feed right from the comfort of your own couch.  If you don't have CI then here are the top 3 places to watch the game:

1. R Bar Arena
Shocker right?  This is the one and only hockey bar in town and there is never any question whether or not the hockey games will be on.  Tonight they will be giving away some tickets and other prizes to those in attendance!  I'm sure the US/CAN World Junior game will be plastered all over that place as well.

2. Winking Lizard (Bethel)
This one comes highly recommended from Matt the Mask:
"I walked in there a week ago and they had Tor-Edm, Wash-SJ on and the Jackets weren't even playing that night. I requested more hockey and received. The manager knows his stuff and is a Leafs fan. They have Center Ice as well. Love that place!!!!!!!!"

3. Buffalo Wild Wings (Dublin)
This is a personal fave of mine. Everytime I've walked into this place (usually after my own hockey game at Chiller Dublin) when the Jackets are playing they have the game on multiple televisions.  When they aren't playing they usually have on other hockey games -- very rarely have I had to ask to put one on which is a big key for me.

FIRE AWAY - What are some other good locations you'd recommend out there hockey fans?

-LTL

Just when you think it's rained enough on the Jackets I read this via Puck-daddy from former #6 overall pick Nikita Filatov

F Nikita Filatov(notes) (RUS) had his captaincy stripped prior to the 5th-place game between Russia and Finland. A berating by Coach Vladamir Plyushchev during an intermission in the quarter-final vs. Switzerland preceded the action. F Kirill Petrov served as captain as Russia lost 4-3 to finish 6th...

..and it doesn't stop there -- from ThePipelineShow.com:

Nikita Filatov, who should have been one of the top 3 scorers in the tournament, finished outside of the top 29 scorers with 6 points in 6 games and it sounded like he might be finished with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

"Something should change, I'm not going to say what, but there are a couple of reasons if they are still the same, I'm not going back," said the Russian star.

If Hitchcock is indeed the reason why Filatov isn't happy, the Blue Jackets head coach might not be the only bench boss he's having problems with. When asked if Filatov and the Russians quit on Vladamir Plyuschkev, he had this response.

"If it looked like this, you're probably right."

What the Jackets really needed was for Filatov's to shine in this tournament so that his trade stock would rise.

What they got seems to be more of what some folks have been saying since this happened - that Nikita Filatov is a spoiled and self centered player who only cares about one thing -- and that is Nikita Filatov.

I put a lot of blame on everyone when this kid bolted but the more this kid opens his yap the more I question my thought process. He seems to point the finger in every direction but his own which tells me all I need to know.

I was also one that liked his candidness but all he's doing now is digging himself a bigger hole.  Someone needs to buy this kid some duct tape and double wrap it.  He needs to let his play on the ice do all his talking.

The biggest problem now is the Jackets are probably stuck with this kid as he won't be worth squat on the trade market.

One thing I do know is the Jackets better be done drafting Russians high in the draft.

As far as I'm concerned Nikolai Zherdev + Nikita Filatov = 3 strikes and you're out!!

Nothing has gone right this year and as they say when it rains it sure does pour.

Maybe Team USA can give us some sunshine tonight with a big win over the Canadians!

-LTL

From CBCSports:

Adam Foote was booed every time he touched the puck Saturday night in Columbus. Down 2-1 after two, he told his teammates, “It’s going to be that much sweeter when we win this game.” Colorado rallied to win it.

The next time the Jackets play this team..... somebody.. anybody...  needs to shove their own foot up that coward's ass.

Not happy with the Jackets coaching situation?  Join the "Fire Ken Hitchcock" Facebook group.

I've had the fortunate opportunity to meet Hitch one on one and found him to be just a fantastic and engaging individual so it pains me to post that.  However when the team is in a slump like this everyone and everything comes under heavy scrutinity and he knows that more than anyone else.

Personally I'm looking to join the "STOP DICKING AROUND AND GET ME A #1 DMAN AND CENTER!!" Facebook group.

Thank to Matt the Mask for the pointer.

Interested in being part of the NHL Fan Panel?  Follow this link.

I've been doing this for a couple of years now and the NHL seems to put some thought and effort into these.  Hopefully they put our feedback to good use.

Anyhow I figured the more CBJ fans they can hear from the better.

Follow this link to get some thoughts from Rick Nash on Hitch.  It's from The Fan590 in Toronto.  Click on the Dec 30th Edition.

Thanks to Blue Hair Guy for the pointer.

Spector over at Fox Sports weights in on the problems in Columbus and Edmonton:

In addition to Mason’s struggles, sophomore center Derick Brassard is off the torrid pace of his rookie campaign prior to missing the second half of 2008-09 with a shoulder injury.

Superstar winger Rick Nash, with 38 points in 43 games, is having another fine season but it appears the club is relying too much on his line for the bulk of their offensive production. Lacking second line support, particularly at even-strength, the Jackets aren’t mustering enough offense to get the job done.

As for the Jackets, it’s possible the players may be growing weary of Ken Hitchcock’s demanding ways, but it appears Howson has no plans on firing his coach.

Read more here but nothing really earth shattering for the hard core Jackets fan.  Pretty much just a review of where the Jackets are at statistically.

I  LOVE the Winter Classic and thought the Bruins-Flyers matchup at Fenway was the best yet.  It seems the ratings don't agree with me.  From Sports Business Daily:

NBC earned a 2.6 overnight Nielsen rating for the Flyers-Bruins Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Friday, down 10.3% from a 2.9 for the Red Wings-Blackhawks matchup last year, and even with the inaugural Penguins-Sabres Winter Classic in '08.

Still a good rating but I'm surprised it was down in double digits.  Expect next year's Classic to be in New York with Ovechkin and his Caps (w/ Chimera) partaking.

Cathy has some pics that she took of her and her family from the New York Islanders game in late December.  You can check those out here.

Puck-daddy chimes in with Hitchcock mystery: Will Columbus fire franchise philosopher?.

The Dispatch ran a story today today about Hitchcock going with youth.

"It would be easy to sit out young guys and play stop-gap (players), but we are not doing that," Hitchcock said. "We trust how good these guys are going to be.

"We have gone through growing pains with guys and we are going to stay with that program . . . I really see light at the end of the tunnel. I see where guys like Brassard and Voracek are at and where they were at six weeks ago, and there's a dramatic change.

I don't think anyone can argue that the "growing pains" of guys like Mason, Brassard and Voracek have been a major contributor to this dissappointing season.

If you ask me they have all regressed and nobody escapes blame for that... from the players, to the coaches & management.  I think after this season everyone can look themselves in the mirror and say there are things they could have done better to improve the situation.

Anyhow at this stage what other choice does anyone have than to play the young guys?  The season is lost and the Jackets have to figure out what they have in some of these players before (what I can only hope) is a real attempt to address the major holes in this roster this offseason.

Anyhow we'll see if this new philosophy lasts longer than the "win and you're in" one.

Big night tonight for US Hockey as they take on the Canadians in the World Junior Championships at 8:00 EST.

Not sure about you all but I'm excited as hell about this game.  The US blew a 4-2 3rd period to this same Canadian team earlier in this tournament to fall in a shootout so now it's time for a little payback.

I can tell you one thing, this game get's priority for me over the Jackets/Canucks although the DVR will be rollin.

Finally do I think the Jackets should fire Hitch?

My answer to that at the moment is "no" with one caveat -- make him play the kids and play them often.  I think they should ride it out for the rest of the year b/c quite frankly the season has been over.  No new "interim" coach is going to save this turd from being flushed.

As this season draws to a painful conclusion the "braintrust" needs to do some serious soul searching. Is Hitch's coaching style still what is best for this team or is a new fresh style needed?  One that could potentially get more out of the youth on this team?

That decision will drive the moves they make at the deadline (SELL! SELL! SELL!) and what they do this offseason.

-LTL