Mach_9 Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Well - the season's second casualty has come. Following the Flyers, Columbus has axed their head-coach and should name a new one tomorrow. http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=28301...mp;service=page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Well - the season's second casualty has come. Following the Flyers, Columbus has axed their head-coach and should name a new one tomorrow.http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app?articleid=28301...mp;service=page Well Columbus was the coach a few of us thought would be fired as well. Considering the talent on that team and how poorly they have played, it isn't much of a surprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted November 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Well Columbus was the coach a few of us thought would be fired as well. Considering the talent on that team and how poorly they have played, it isn't much of a surprise. Nope. We should keep track of how accurate we at ice jerseys are with regards to coaches being fired. With Zherdev, Nash, Brule, Modin, Carter, Federov, Vyborny, Malholtra, Balastik, Picard, Foote, Klesla, Berard... it's amazing that they succeed at failing so consitantly. I'd love to see Zherdev, Picard and Klesla somewhere else. Philly should try to set up a deal with Columbus. Both teams could benefit from shaking it up and I'd love to see a Zherdev - Forsberg - Gagne line (won't happen). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Columbus' biggest problem is lack of consistancy in the net. If they could solve that problem, maybe they could finally get something going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted November 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 Philly needs to move Esche or Nitty (Esche has got to go...). See, I told you they should get in contact with one another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant! Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 Well you can't say this was unexpected. When you score 33 goals in 15 games, you're not gonna win games. Columbus' biggest problem is lack of consistancy in the net. If they could solve that problem, maybe they could finally get something going. Eh...I don't know how much the goaltending is hurting the situation. Leclaire hasn't been HORRIBLE but holy crap when you score 2 GOALS A GAME, even giving up 3 is a loss. This is really the make or break season in Columbus. They've been in the league for 5 years now and have made close to no progress at all. The franchise is not new anymore and the crowds aren't gonna keep coming to see losers. They need these new guys to step up and start contributing; starting with Federov and NASH. They need a playoff berth to probably save the clubs future in Ohio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted November 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 I personally would rather see them leave Ohio. Ohio is close enough to Pittsburgh for the fans there to follow the Pens. My nephews and brother live in Ohio and have been Pens fans for ages. When Columbus got a team, they started going to a few of their games a year, but continued following the Pens. When the lockout took place, they said they were tired of going to Columbus games to see a losing product and have only gone to Pens games since. I've been to the a Blue Jackets game in Columbus and the fan base seemed weak to me (a few years ago)... I'm sure there are cities that would draw bigger crowds... I think Vermont or New Hampshire is ready for a team, but that's just wishful thinking on my part. Hartford could use a new team though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant! Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 I don't think Hartford can support a team now actually. The fans aren't as loyal as most of the remaining ones are now. If they were then the team wouldn't have left in the first place. Plus the Civic Center is a dump and there's no way the city would spring for a new arena. Also, the Wolfpack have trouble drawing up there. Granted, it's AHL but it's still hockey. Honestly? If you're going to relocate a team, it really should go to Canada. You've got a city in Winnipeg that has a brand new arena and a rabid fan base just ACHING to get a franchise back. Same thing with Quebec City. I'm not sure about a new arena but the fan base is most certainly there. I've also heard rumors about Hamilton maybe bidding for a team. The only problem there is it's so close to Toronto and attracting and converting fans would be very difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted November 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 That's true. Considering it's Columbus and the whole red/white/blue w. stars motif, I didn't even consider Canada, but I'd rather see a new Canadian team than another American franchise. Better for the league too (though I'd still like to see Vermont or New Hampshire with a club someday - not that it's financially wise). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted November 15, 2006 Report Share Posted November 15, 2006 That's true. Considering it's Columbus and the whole red/white/blue w. stars motif, I didn't even consider Canada, but I'd rather see a new Canadian team than another American franchise. Better for the league too (though I'd still like to see Vermont or New Hampshire with a club someday - not that it's financially wise). I am not sure about New Hampshire but the issue in Vermont would be where to put the team. The city of Burlington has been trying to get a new stadium built just to get an ECHL team there but they can't find where to build it. They tried asking the University of Vermont to use their arena but the college said No due to not wanting to take ice time away from their nationally ranked team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finny Posted November 18, 2006 Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 If they need a goalie, maybe they should fight for one of the backups out there like Biron or Toskala. I think they have enough depth and youngsters to pull out a trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant! Posted November 18, 2006 Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 That sounds like a good idea but do you think Buffalo or San Jose or even Anaheim(with Bryzgalov) would ask for someone like Rick Nash or Zherdev or Vyborny in exchange? A team that's struggling to score goals as it is would never be able to give away some of their top goal scorers; even if it is for a bona fide number one goalie. I wouldn't imagine Buffalo would ever ask for something so huge from the Columbus point of view, since they're stacked as it is but a San Jose or Anaheim just may considering they're about a piece or two away from a Cup. Also, I thought it was Nabakov who was looking to be moved and not Toskala. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted November 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2006 That sounds like a good idea but do you think Buffalo or San Jose or even Anaheim(with Bryzgalov) would ask for someone like Rick Nash or Zherdev or Vyborny in exchange? A team that's struggling to score goals as it is would never be able to give away some of their top goal scorers; even if it is for a bona fide number one goalie.I wouldn't imagine Buffalo would ever ask for something so huge from the Columbus point of view, since they're stacked as it is but a San Jose or Anaheim just may considering they're about a piece or two away from a Cup. Also, I thought it was Nabakov who was looking to be moved and not Toskala. Right now, I'd do LeClaire with Klesla, for Biron and Kotalik. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finny Posted November 19, 2006 Report Share Posted November 19, 2006 Toskala for a veteran D man plus a couple draft picks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant! Posted November 19, 2006 Report Share Posted November 19, 2006 Right now, I'd do LeClaire with Klesla, for Biron and Kotalik. That would help Columbus IMMENSELY. Biron is a definite solid goalie and Kotalik can give you 20-30 goals possibly. I'm sure Leclaire wouldn't mind going to the best team in the league either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach_9 Posted November 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2006 Right now, I'd do LeClaire with Klesla, for Biron and Kotalik.That would help Columbus IMMENSELY. Biron is a definite solid goalie and Kotalik can give you 20-30 goals possibly. I'm sure Leclaire wouldn't mind going to the best team in the league either. Yeah - it gives Buffalo a backup for Miller, and solves our defensive depth issue instantly. Biron goes to a team where he can start (and he's proved this year and last that he can win in the new NHL), and who is in need of a definite number one and Kotalik contributes to a pretty stagnant offense. Their defense isn't really too hurt by the move either, because they still have Foote, Berard, Westcott and Eriksson to round out theire top 4. The beauty of it is that both teams get what they need, in a pretty balanced trade, and Columbus, who has plenty of cap room takes on Biron's $2.128M and Kotalik's $2.33M and Buffalo takes on LeClaire's $700k and Klesla's $1.05M, essentially shedding about $2.5M of cap space. This opens the door for Daniel Paille to come up and play in place of Andrew Peters on the fourth line, and Drew Stafford to come up and replace Kotalik on his line. (Right now, neither of those guys can stay up long term because we're so close to the cap, but this deal would make everything possible). I think I should be calling Darcy Regier right now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 Well it appears that the Blue Jackets are hiring Ken Hitchcock as their new coach. He is a good coach and a change of scenery was probably a good thing for him. I think this is a good move for the Jackets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant! Posted November 22, 2006 Report Share Posted November 22, 2006 It definitely is and if he can turn them around, this will be the turning point for the franchise. Has it been made official yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 It definitely is and if he can turn them around, this will be the turning point for the franchise. Has it been made official yet? Not 100% official as of yet, but the Blue Jackets are holding a press conference tomorrow to make the announcement. Then their first game under Hitchcock will be against the Flyers. Gotta love how that worked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordStanley1893 Posted November 23, 2006 Report Share Posted November 23, 2006 Great move hiring a coach that knows how to win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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