Blue Jackets Season Preview
2009-10 Record: 32-35-15, 79 points
Last playoff: 2009 (lost in conference quarterfinal)
Coach: Scott Arniel
Additions: Nate Guenin, D (Pittsburgh); Ethan Moreau, LW (claimed off waivers from Edmonton); Kyle Wilson, C (Washington).
AP COLUMBUS, OH - Two years ago, Columbus garnered a franchise-high 92 points and qualified for the postseason for the first time in Ken Hitchcock’s second full year behind the bench. That season also yielded a Calder Trophy-winning goaltender in Steve Mason and a franchise star in Rick Nash, who celebrated by signing an eight-year contract extension in the offseason.
But the Blue Jackets couldn’t sustain that momentum last year. An early flop, in which the team won just three times in a 24-game stretch, dropped the Jackets into a season-long funk and the Central Division basement for the first time since 2003.
“Last year, we took a step back—obviously,” Columbus general manager Scott Howson said. “We’ll have to make some improvement internally and we think our new, young, exciting staff will give us a boost and the rest will be up to the players.”
The Blue Jackets fired Hitchcock in February and replaced him four months later with Scott Arniel, who will begin his first stint as an NHL head coach. Arniel, who was recognized as the AHL’s top coach in 2008-09 when he led Manitoba, was brought on after Guy Boucher rejected Columbus’ offer in favor of one from the Steve Yzerman-led Tampa Bay Lightning.
“I’m thrilled to be one of 30 guys in the world with this job,” Arniel, 47, said. “This is something I’ve wanted since I decided to get into this profession, and I think the thing that will help me the most is my people skills. I can relate to players in today’s game and I can get them to believe that we can compete with the best.”
Even if Arniel is the perfect fit, the Blue Jackets’ fate will come down to what the players do on the ice. The franchise is fortunate to have a star in Nash, whose production slipped some last season as the team crumbled around him. He finished with 67 points—12 points short of the career high he set the previous year—but shined for Canada’s gold medal-winning Olympic team.
“He’s strong mentally, but I think he’s frustrated and the losing is becoming tiresome,” Howson said. “I think the Olympic experience was beneficial because he learned how to win under pressure.”
Columbus now needs Mason to rediscover his winning edge—and prove his Calder Trophy season was no fluke. Mason was 33-20-7 as a rookie with a 2.29 goals-against average and NHL-high 10 shutouts. But he looked nothing like that player last season, surrendering playing time to backup Mathieu Garon.
“He went through a tough period,” Howson said. “His second-half numbers were quite similar to what they were the year before—other than his wins. We think he was headed in the right direction later in the year and we fully expect him to bounce back and help us do the same as a team.”
The Blue Jackets can’t expect Mason and Nash to do it alone, and the good news is there are several candidates poised to step up.
Antoine Vermette had a career-high 65 points last year, ranking second on the team to Nash. Kristian Huselius was just two points behind Vermette, while R.J. Umberger had a personal-best 55 points. Jakub Voracek gave the team a fifth 50-point scorer for the first time in franchise history.
The keys up front could be two young players. Derick Brassard, an impressive rookie two years ago, scored only nine goals in a tough sophomore season. Skilled 20-year-old winger Nikita Filatov returns to Columbus after playing most of last season in the KHL—eager to get a fresh start under new coach Arniel.
“Nash and Vermette had some chemistry, so I don’t see why I would change that,” Arniel said. “We need Umberger to keep rising after a breakout year and, after Brassard’s off year, we really need him to bounce back and be better.”
Most critical, however, will be getting the team’s goals-against average down. The Blue Jackets allowed 3.04 goals a game, ranking 24th in the league a year after being tied for ninth in that category.
Defenseman Mike Commodore played a key role for the 2006 Stanley Cup-winning Hurricanes, and knows how to win. He’ll lead a group of serviceable blue-line players that includes Fedor Tyutin and Jan Hejda. Kris Russell and Anton Stralman have the potential to generate offense and assist the guys up front.
