The Other Off-Season Game Plan: The Columbus Blue Jackets

In which I hammer out my advice to NHL teams for free and without any proof to back it up, unlike Scott Cullen over at TSN, whose Off-Season Game Plan I am blatantly ripping from.

The Columbus Blue Jackets Edition

AKA The most huggable team in the Eastern Conference

First, in total honesty I have yet to figure out where Columbus is on a map. I know it is in Ohio but until recently I thought it was somewhere around Wyoming, the Saskatoon of America. Don't get me wrong, I love their flying rebel bumble bee logo and I also love Nic Foligno who I drafted lower-down in my hockey pool and who became one of my better players.

Columbus is known for 2 things. Hockey isn't one of them. It's in Ohio and named after the explorer that started a mass genocide of indigenous people 500 years ago that still has repercussions today, sor of like the NHL player's strike/walk out in 1992. And oh yeah, Rick Nash played there for 10 years.


Head Coach - Todd Richards

As we climb up the ladder of NHL points respectability there will be less need for me to prioritize a head coach. Todd Richards is doing fine in Columbus, having coached a slightly under-average type team with no big name stars to respectable points production. Todd is best known for coaching the Blue Jackets to their first ever playoff victory in 2014, a victory that was 14 years in the making and was achieved without any former Blue Jackets alumni; Rick Nash, Sergei Federov and Marian Gaborik, So at least he has that on his resume. He also encourages a lot of hugging on the team and it seems to be working to some extent.

The team group hugs strategy was very rewarding to many

Forwards 

Ryan Johansen is their star in the making and last year he played like it after a brief hold-out. If Nic and Ryan continue to develop and can be supported by an injury free supporting cast the Blue Jackets could be in contention for the much sought after 7th or 8th playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

Sadly, sometimes the hugging went too far

Brandon Dubinsky continues to be a favourite of most of my stoner friends and David Clarkson will hopefully have one of those types of years that often follow someone who is thrown under the bus in Toronto. Jared Boll is still an intimidating big pile of fists and Scott Hartnell is still missing a razor. This is a decent team of 2nd liners who if team chemistry is right will continue to win at least as many games as they lose.

Defense

Much like Columbus's location, I know of no Blue Jackets defensemen. This is not a knock against the team however as I think it lends to a more rounded defensive effort and allows for everyone to have a chance on the powerplay, unlike in certain other cities where you know PK Subban or Duncan Keith or Keith Yandle (no relation) will hog most of the PP time.

The Blue Jackets lining up for their ritual pre-game hug

Goalies 

 One  word - BOBROVSKY!

Thanks to Coach's Hug Strategy, Bobs went from this...

To this...

My #1 Priority - Find out where Columbus is
My #2 Priority - keep up the hugging
My #3 Priority - hug opposing players before faceoffs

One more just because...