|
Last season, coach Dave King may have been in charge of a bunch of Blue Jackets but it was a straight jacket he probably could've used. The Jackets tumbled 14 points, from 71 to 57, in their second NHL season and, really, nothing seemed to go right. So in the offseason, Columbus offloaded a few veterans and brought in two familiar faces on defense. Nobody seriously expects a third-year club to challenge for a playoff spot just yet but there is a need to see improvement -- and there's certainly a lot of room for that.
Can Marc Denis make the Nationwide fans forget Ron Tugnutt? He'd better. Has no choice, really. When Blue Jackets' general manager Doug MacLean unloaded the popular Tugnutt to Dallas, Denis' coronation as the No. 1 goalie in Ohio became complete. When you're the last line of defense on a team that scored the NHL's fewest goals and surrendered the most goals in the Western Conference, they're asking you to grow up in a big hurry. Denis' adjustment to playing the lion's share of games is critical to whether the Jackets remain competitive most nights.
Are they getting too excited? Much is being made of the impact to be added by veteran additions Luke Richardson, from Philadelphia, and Scott Lachance, from Vancouver. Yeah, they're going to help. Sure they're an upgrade on what was already in place. But, hey, neither one is being talked up for the Hall of Fame just yet. Better temper that enthusiasm just a touch. There's a lot of improvement required here.
Can Rick Nash cash right away? The Jackets' first pick in the draft, London Knights' left winger Rick Nash, will be given every opportunity to make the club right off the hop. He's got the potential to be a solid scoring NHL power forward, exactly what the Jackets -- and more than a few other teams -- need desperately. Mighty mites Ray Whitney and Mike Sillinger, the club's top two scorers a year ago, could use the help. There's also hope in Columbus that this Nash kid could be a lightning rod of excitement to give the Ohio fans renewed hope.
Preseason schedule
|
DATE
|
OPPONENT
|
TIME (ET)
|
|
Fri., Sept. 20
|
vs. Buffalo at Syracuse, N.Y.
(War Memorial at OnCenter)
|
7:30 p.m.
|
|
Sat., Sept. 21
|
at Tampa Bay
|
7:30 p.m.
|
|
Sun., Sept. 22
|
Nashville
|
5 p.m.
|
|
Wed., Sept. 25
|
Detroit
|
7 p.m.
|
|
Sat., Sept. 28
|
at Pittsburgh
|
7:30 p.m.
|
|
Sun., Sept. 29
|
Pittsburgh
|
5 p.m.
|
|
Wed., Oct. 2
|
N.Y. Rangers
|
7 p.m.
|
|
Sat., Oct. 5
|
at Nashville
|
8 p.m.
|
|
Sun., Oct. 6
|
at Buffalo
|
6 p.m.
|
| |
|
