Been reading a lot about how injuries and other factors have taken the CBJ season down, that it is a solid team with a hard luck season, that with a bit of luck they could have been a playoff contender. Nothing could be further from the truth. Aaron Johnson has been one of the best defensemen. Ugh. Curtis Sanford beat out 'Steve the Sieve" Mason.Dakanich has been a non factor in goal. Nightly, guys like Letestu, Gillies, Dane Byers, Derek Mackenzie, Cody Bass, Sanford, Aaron Johnson, in short other teams non prospects, are getting significant minutes. 'Steve the Sieve" has proven he will not recapture the magic of his rookie year. Arniel looked hopelessly lost, led the team, using the word loosely to its worst 12 month period in this inept franchises history. As far as prospects, Johansen looks solid, but guys like Savard, Moore, Giroux, Calvert, Mayorov and Atkinson look more suspect than anything else. Guys like Boll, Dorsett and Brassard appear overvalued. Carter cannot stay healthy. Wizniewski has the worst signing of the offseason, hey Howsom, superstar defensemen arent on their fifth team in three years. Nash looks like he has packed in the season. In short, I dont see ten players in this whole organization who are winning, quality players. They are putrid. So where to go? Well, firing the GM before the deadline and bringing in someone new is a start. Trading for a goalie who isnt allergic to rubber would be next. I love Carter, get the rational of trading for him, but even he were healthy, scoring 80-85 points this team still finishes last. If you can trade him for Bernier or Schnieder right now you have to do it. Guys like Umberger, Vermette and Palsson arent going to net you much with their indiffent play this season, but stockpiling picks and real prospects for these guys isnt a bad move either. And pray you win the lottery and get Yakupov. Cant call this a rebuild, they havent ever been built yet in eleven seasons. I am a Wings fan, promise I am not trying to kick your team when you are down. We live in Mount Gilead and get to 6 to 8 games a year in Columbus because of how close it is. Plus when the Wings have a night off and the CBJ are playing, I watch them on TV, usually with fists clinched in rage over how bad they are. I would love the rivalry if Columbus got it together, think OSU and Michigan, it could be like that. I just hope these guys turn it around before they wind up in Hamilton or Seattle or Kansas City. The fans of Ohio deserve a chance to see some quality hockey.
