Rambling? No. Thoughts On The Blue Jackets So Far? Yes!

I know I know, this should probably start with a rant saying “fire Scott Howson, blow the team up, relocate them”  but, I’m not going to do that. This is just an honest look of what I see on the ice for the Columbus Blue Jackets thus far. And so far, this is what im seeing:

 

If only things were as good and happy as Umberger made it look in this photo. (Photo:AP)

On the offensive side, we look ok, and just ok, not what we were expecting, but not everyone can come firing out of the gate.  But when Rick Nash is tied in points with Derek Dorsett and Derek Mackenzie, you know there is a problem. Our first two lines have been to say in the least, invisible outside of say, one game.

The first line of  Nash, Huselius, and Vermette has just not clicked as usual, and for a line that worked together last season, you think the chemistry would be there and firing, but so far, nothing. The main issue on this line (in my opinion) is Kristian Huselius, he is seeming to have trouble 5 on 5, he is having trouble passing, and maintaining puck control. Rick Nash, while scoring 3, is having his fair share of troubles as well. He still tries to do too much on the puck by himself and usually ends up losing the puck altogether. Vermette outside of the faceoff dot, has just been bad, especially when it comes to knowing where his teammates on the ice are.

 

 

Derick Brassard is trying to get his game back together this year. So far, small but steady improvement. (Photo:THN)

 

The second line of Filatov, Brassard, and Voracek has been nothing short of a disappointment. This line seemed like one that could be deadly and just come out of the gate firing on all cylinders, but it just hasn’t panned out thus far. Derick Brassard has been in a funk since his injury last season, and he still isn’t breaking out of it, it is like he is still afraid to make a mistake, and with Hitchcock long gone, there is really no reason for it. BUT,  I will say, he has made small strides as time is going on, taking better shots and passing a little bit better, it will just take him some time. JakubVoracek, just seems slow, it is like his bulk from this off season was a little too much, he might just need a few games, like Brassard, to find his touch. Nikita Filatov was the only guy on this line who seemed to know what he was doing, however, he just gets taken off the puck too easy, he tries a fancy deke and the defender is usually ready for it, he needs to work on puck battles, if he can do that, he will find success.

 

 

Moreau looks rejuvenated this year, But an early injury has removed him from the 3rd line.

 

The third line of Moreau, Pahlsson , and Umberger has been nothing but money, and by that I mean, the only guys on the ice earning theirs (well.. aside from the goalies). But the easy surprise has been Ethan Moreau, he has been flying on the ice, and finding all kinds of scoring chances, of course, what else would you expect from 15 year NHL vet? He’s just doing his job. Unfortunately, a broken hand will keep him out of action for a while. Sami Pahlsson is still solid in the faceoff dot, and a solid shutdown guy, moreso than some defenders (including some of our own) And RJ Umberger, what else can be said about him that hasn’t already? He is just the definition of heart and determination to this team. He works his tail off nightly, and he has been repaid with 4 points and the best +/- on the team at +4.

 

 

Derek Mackenzie is looking to shine this year in Columbus

 

The 4th line of Dorsett, Mackenzie, and Clark has done what has been asked of them, and then some. The surprise I think to anyone, is Mackenzie himself, he is seeming to thrive under Arneil’s system, he knows when to be physical (threw 13 hits so far), and apparently, he knows how to score as well. Derek Dorsett, you want to say right place right time, those are the words to describe him. He always seems to be in the right place, be it offensive or defensive, he seems to know where to be at all times. Chris Clark, now this is a guy I have honestly ragged on before, and said “well… what does he bring to this team?” Well, I can honestly answer myself now, he does all the little things right, he can block shots, pass, shoot, hit. And when you do all of those things, they help you win hockey games.

 

 

Blue Jackets defense makes you do this OFTEN.

Now we go onto the darkside of Blue Jackets hockey, Defense. I think Arneil’s system has completely thrown our D for a loop, and they cannot figure out what to do it seems. So, here is what im (unfortuantely) seeing:

 

 

Jan Hejda is the only guy who can probably be called "defensive" (Photo: THN)

 

 

Our first Defensive line consists of Jan Hejda and Anton Stralman. Jan Hejda, is just one of those guys who goes hard game in and out, he knows what he is doing, and nobody really questions his ability. He is the one Defenseman who doesn’t seem lost out on the ice under Arneil’s system, he knows when to go into the zone, and come back out. Anton Stralman on the other hand, should probably be a forward, he forgets the defensive part of his game. He constantly loses the guy he is supposed to be covering, and goes far into the zone, leaving his D partner susceptible to constant 2 on 1 rushes.

 

 

Don't worry kids, that is his gameday face.

 

Our second Defensive line consists of Fedor Tyutin, and Marc Methot. Fedor Tyutin is just frustrating to watch as a fan, he constantly loses the puck at the blue line, ruining some ample scoring chances and Blue jackets offensive pressure. Not to mention he has a habit of letting forwards skate by him with the greatest of ease. Marc Methot, he isn’t entirely noticeable on the ice, but he hasn’t done anything wrong on the ice, he’s like Clark, he does all the little things right, and you cannot ask more out of him.

 

 

Klesla looks to rebound from a injury suffered during the 09-10 season. (Image: Getty)

 

Our final defensive line features the original Blue Jacket Rostislav Klesla and Kris Russell. Rostislav Klesla has been a solid Dman, but has reminded us more and more as the game changes, players need to as well. Klesla isn’t fully grasping the concept that Arneil is throwing out there, but he has managed a couple assists, and like everyone else, it might just take some time for him to click. Kris Russell, despite a current injury, is still showing us what he did last year, speed speed and yes, more speed. He seems to be more suited as a forward than as a defenseman, but alas, he uses his speed to his advantage as a Defensemen, getting back and pushing forward when needed.

 

Goaltending, probably one of the most important pieces of a hockey team, especially for the Columbus Blue Jackets. And after last season, there were many questioning who would be the starter heading into this season. Well, here’s what I see:

 

 

Steve Mason looks to rebound from a bad 09-10 campaign

 

Steve Mason so far is undoubtedly the Blue Jackets starter, he is showing signs of his rookie campaign, he has had a few bad goals against him, but they haven’t really rattled him much, if at all. The one area of concern is some of the soft goals against him, there are some, he HAS to make the save on, and if he can do that, then that will make the big saves, that much more important to this team. Mathieu Garon, is still solid in the backup role. In his few games, he has had one bad goal against, but other than that, has looked like the Garon from last season, and if Mase ever goes into a funk this season, you know he is there to bail him out.

So, as we press on through this season, there are still unanswered questions, so do not jump to conclusions on this team, there is alot to prove in that locker room and all the guys in there know it. We need to keep readjusting until we find that one right combination to bring out the full potential of Arneil’s game. And the first 6, have given alot of insight as to what is working, and what isn’t. And also, if the first 6 are any indication, we are in for a wild ride this season, hang on, we’ll see what happens as it unfolds.

LETS GO JACKETS!!!!

The Downward Spiral

The pass that normally goes to a teammate so easy gets intercepted and leads to a breakaway.  The routine save by a goaltender somehow trickles in.  The usually harmless poke check attempt that turns into a tripping penalty.  All examples of things that happen during the “Downward Spiral”.

Every team goes through the “Downward Spiral” at some point in a season.  The harder you fight, the more frustrated you get. Freak injuries happen.  Nothing works.  Everything seems to go wrong.  3-0 deficits seem like 10-0 deficits.  Players try to tie the game up with just one shot, and that’s just not realistic if you’re down by multiple goals.  In those late 3rd period games tied at 2, the thought can be “oh, how are we gonna blow this one?”

How does it start, you ask?  Usually by some bad luck.  It’s always uncontrollable.  A couple breaks going the wrong way and it starts snowballing from there.  Players start pressing and the frustration adds up when every little thing goes the wrong way.

Luckily for some teams, they’ll go through it earlier, as the worst time to go through it is obviously April.  Some teams will go through it multiple times.  It’s part of the natural evolution of a season that teams will go through ups and downs.  The key is for players to not get too low during the downs.  Fans can tell when players are frustrated, and most will understand as long as they’re trying their best, although it may not always seem that way.

Players just need to keep plugging away.  Maybe the team prankster pulls a joke in the locker room that lightens the mood.  Maybe a coach calls an early timeout and tells the team, “Let’s just get one goal before intermission.”  (Thanks, Peter Laviolette.)

And that’s when it happens. The team scores an ugly power play goal.  Hey, it’s a start, right?  Then, the breaks start turning as the hard work pays off.  Then, the thought process in those tied games late changes to “we’re going to win this, I know it!”

Bettman’s Hopeless Charge

I’m not going to talk much about tonight’s Kings’ game, because frankly there wasn’t much to talk about. Kings’ played a crap first period, and made a major blunder on a second period PP, and were still in the game against the NHL’s pet team. So we’re not going to be 81-1 now. I’m not gonna lose much sleep.

If you watched the game on TV, you had to notice that the Jobing.com Arena was EMPTY. Announced attendance was 6,706 in Arizona tonight. This Arena looked like that most of last season too – and the season before that, and the season before that…

With the Coyotes ownership in flux, Gary Bettman and the NHL have been insistent upon keeping the team – that is hemorrhaging money eternally it seems – in Arizona. Seeing that many empty seats, with a decent product on the ice makes it clear what a lost cause this is. Why would any investor with any smarts put up money for a team that can’t sell more than 6,706 seats for a game against one of the most exciting young teams in the NHL, and a division rival at that. Even at the team’s absolute WORST, we’ve more than doubled that on Average in Los Angeles – a city where there are more entertainment choices than Phoenix by far. You can’t tell me that Winninpeg (the team’s former home), Quebec City or Hamilton, Ontario can’t put more than 6,700 asses in seats for games.

There is no evidence that the Coyotes can be a financially viable operation in Phoenix. There are a few thousand die hard hockey fans (to their credit that’s a few thousand more than Anaheim has) and the rest of the area seems apathetic, at least when it comes to buying tickets. They’ve got a state of the art arena and surrounding plaza that some teams would kill for, and for the moment anyway, a competitive team – and said arena is still a ghost town.

The NHL’s insistance that the Coyotes must stay in Phoenix is all about Gary Bettman’s ego. Bettman made the controversial decision to move the Winnipeg Jets to Phoenix in 1996, much to the chagrin of Jets fans that surely outnumber the crowd in Glendale these days. That decision has been a financial disaster from the outset, and unless something changes drastically, seems destined to remain that way. The team could be more financially viable in any of the afforementioned Canadian markets, both for it’s ownership and the league, but Bettman is determined to ride Phoenix out until the wheels fall off. Bettman still wrongly believes he can dumb down the game enough to sell it to the same crowd that buys tickets to NFL and NBA games. Some sports fans will always cross over, but hockey is a niche sport who’s understanding requires a depth and breadth that the average sports fan, quite frankly lacks (yes, I realize that does sound a bit arrogant). At some point though, Bettman will be forced to admit that his “southernization” movement hasn’t been the success he’d hoped. Atlanta and Florida are empty much like Phoenix most nights. Expansion and relocation to many of the wrong places, too fast, is the culprit.

Don’t get me wrong, I am sympathetic to the die hards in Phoenix as well as those in other markets where ticket sales are meager. There’s nothing quite like NHL hockey, and to a hardcore fan, nothing else will do. From a financial standpoint though, I’ve yet to see any evidence that it can be made to work.

The few in Arizona will have some months to try to sell the game to their peers. If they’re fortunate, the team will remain competitive and that might help a bit. In the end though, any potential owner that agrees to leave the Coyotes in Phoenix for an extended period of time is committing financial suicide. As a community of hockey fans as a whole, we can hope that Gary Bettman can set his ego aside, cut bait and give up on the “southernization” of hockey before he runs the NHL into irrelevance.

Where’s the Respect?

What’s with players these days?  Is there a lack of respect around the National Hockey League?

Last season, Matt Cooke blindsided Marc Savard with an elbow to the head. Savard is still out seven months after the hit, and will be for the near future. Cooke was at it again on Friday night when he ran Islander goalie Rick DiPietro, not once, not twice, but three times in one game. Fellow agitator Sean Avery caused a debate this past weekend after whacking Maple Leafs defenseman Mike Komisarek in the leg twice.  Cooke was penalized on all three plays, and Avery got off with no punishment.

The always controversial Sean Avery.

Those two incidents followed last week, when Blackhawk defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson boarded Buffalo forward Jason Pominville and was suspended two games.  Two days later against New Jersey, Pominville’s teammate Pat Kaleta headbutted Devils center Travis Zajac.  Kaleta was later fined for the incident.

And now the NHL has made an example of someone, suspending Coyote forward Shane Doan three games for his hit on Anaheim’s Dan Sexton.  Under the new “blindside headshot” rules, Doan is the first player suspended.  The hit was unnecessary as Sexton had already passed the puck up ice well before Doan delivered the hit, so the “separating player from puck” or “he couldn’t stop in time” excuses are out the window.

Revenge Is a Dish Best Served On Ice

 

Kings celebrate Justin Williams' 2nd period goal in the corner as Roberto Luongo sobs. (Image: Getty)

 

Back in April, the Vanouver Canucks ended the Kings’ hockey season by defeating them 4 games to 2 in their first round playoff series. Along the way, the Canucks and many of their fans became mortal enemies of the LA faithful. First their was the blatant disrespect handed down from Vancouver press toward the Kings. Second was Canucks’ fans whining about officiating and even going so far as to propose conspiracy theories about the NHL “not wanting a Canadian team to win” simply because off ice officials made a CORRECT call about a deliberate kicking motion. Then it was Alex Burrows’ dirty antics and Roberto Luongo flopping to the ice like he’d been shot with a 12 gauge every time a King forward got within two feet of him.

If I haven’t made it clear by now, I’m still bitter about that loss. A couple of bounces go the other way and the Kings win that series in 5 games. Even so, they gave the Canucks all they could handle and came up short in the end. I want revenge. The team wants revenge. If you’re a Kings’ fan reading this, I’d bet money you want revenge too.

The Kings have played two solid games against the Canucks this season, and have won both. Last Saturday’s season opener was a 2-1 shootout victory in which Anze Kopitar and Jack Johnson absolutely torched Luongo in the shootout and Jon Quick slammed the door on Mason Raymond and Ryan Kesler. Quick was the first star of that contest.

Friday night in LA, the Kings again bettered Luongo. While LA managed only 19 shots against Luongo, they scored on four of them. Vancouver outshot the Kings 26-19. The low shot total was indicative of two quality defenses, the difference being the Kings got clutch goaltending from Quick while Luongo was less than stellar.

 

Jon Quick makes one of 25 saves against Vancouver (Image: AP)

 

Speaking of Quicker, he’s been the #1 star in all three of his starts this season. He’s currently 3-0-0 with a paltry 1.0 goals against average and a save percentage of .963. He looks more focused and refined, and his play has been nothing short of dynamite. Quicker came to camp 15 pounds lighter and in better shape. I don’t think you can understate the effect of Jonathan Bernier’s graduation to the NHL on Quick. When the two were teammates in Manchester 3 seasons ago, Quick rose to the occasion. This year, the same is happening early on. You could easily argue that Quick has been the best goalie in the entire National Hockey League during this first week of the season. I’d take him over Roberto Luongo right now, without thinking twice.

So, the Kings have earned no worse than a season split with the hated Canucks. I wonder if the Vancouver papers are still calling the Kings “lucky” and “inferior”?

The real opportunity for revenge, will come in April once the postseason starts. I expect both to be division winners, but we could see a Kings-Canucks matchup in round two. It’s a long ways off yet, but I wouldn’t bet against the Kings right now.

I have a feeling next time these two conduct a post-playoff series handshake, it won’t be the Kings heading home to play golf.

Revenge is a dish best served cold, and what’s colder than serving it on ice?

GO KINGS!

Welcoming Them Back

The last time Simon Gagne had played for another team besides the Philadelphia Flyers, he was suiting up for the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts in 1998-99.  In an era of free agency and jettisoning players, Gagne was the one constant for the Flyers for ten seasons.  Mike Modano had been with his franchise even longer, debuting with the Minnesota North Stars in 1989.  When the North Stars moved to Dallas in 1993, Modano went with them, and spent the next sixteen seasons as a member of the Dallas Stars.

In the past offseason, both players said goodbye to their respective clubs and joined another franchise for the first time in their NHL careers.  Thanks to the salary cap, Philadelphia was forced to trade Gagne, and his $5.25 million salary, to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas decided to move on from the Modano era. Modano contemplated retirement, but decided to join the Detroit Red Wings for the 2010-11 season.

Backing Themselves into a Corner

All summer, we heard about Ilya Kovalchuk and his contract status with the New Jersey Devils.  No need to rehash, but the $100 million contract he signed ($6,666,666 cap hit by the way) forced the Devils into a precarious position.  Over the summer they had to shed some salary to make it under the cap.  They tried to make it work, but unfortunately for them, many of their expensive players have No Trade or No Movement Clauses.  So Lou Lamiorello thought, okay, let’s just play with a short roster to make it work.  The team went with 18 skaters (plus two goalies), including only 11 forwards.
 

Lou thought he was being slick.

 
It seemed like the plan might actually work until the team took the ice for their second game on Saturday night against the Capitals.  After a 7-2 shellacking, the team learned defenseman Anton Volchenkov has a broken nose, and forward Brian Rolston would be out with a lower back injury.  This of course, came after fireworks in the game, when tough guy Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond instigated a fight in the final five minutes and got an automatic one game suspension.  This forced the Devils to play Pittsburgh Monday with only 15 skaters, 3 short than a team usually ices.  Teams have played with less than 18 skaters before, most noteably Calgary, who was ravaged with injuries late in 2008-09 and played with 15 skaters for their final games.

Why I LOVE the Los Angeles Kings

Sometime in the fall of 1985, I rode my bike to the card shop across town as an 8 year old. I used to save up my allowance and go there once a month to buy a few packs box of the latest Football, Baseball, even Basketball cards. The older guy behind the counter knew me by name and greeted me as I walked in the door. We used to make small talk about sports, as much as you can with an 8 year old anyway. The shop was lined with memorabilia from San Diego sports icons like Tony Gwynn, Dan Fouts and Kellen Winslow. It was football season, and I was intent on buying a box of Topps NFL cards. Something happened that day though.

In the “What’s New” section of the small shop, I laid eyes on something I hadn’t seen before: Hockey Cards. My interest peeked and I decided to buy a box. I put it in my backpack and raced home to open them. I was instantly drawn to the photographs of these often toothless, mullet-headed warriors (no, these weren’t REO Speedwagon concert photos), and I especially thought the goalies equipment and masks looked cool. I started counting the days until I could ride back to the card shop and buy another box, and within 3 months of dedicated collecting, I had completed the entire set of Topps 1985-86 NHL Hockey cards.

I loved looking at the pictures on cards but still didn’t know anything about the sport. We lived in a neighborhood without cable and there was no hockey on network TV at the time. Right after Christmas day 1985, we moved to a new neighborhood – one with cable. Our cable provider at the time carried the original Prime Ticket network, TV home of the Los Angeles Kings. I was able to watch hockey on TV for the first time, and I was instantly hooked. I remember the old Forum Blue and Gold jerseys, Dave Taylor, Bernie Nicholls, Jimmy Carson and a rookie named Luc Robitaille who’s name wasn’t pronounced like it was spelled. I looked forward to the TV broadcasts, with Bob Miller on play by play and Nick Nickson as the color analyst. Back in those days it was a simulcast – same two guys on both TV and radio. The Kings weren’t a very good team, but they were my team. I started to lose interest in other sports – I wanted to watch hockey.

The playoffs that year weren’t kind to the Kings, but I knew I wanted to be a goalie the minute I saw Patrick Roy play a game for the Montreal Canadiens – the one and only favorite player I’ve ever had that wasn’t a King. I started telling kids at my new school that I was Canadian – eh? I figured it would give me more hockey cred, right?

In 1988 the Kings made maybe the biggest trade in the history of all sport, acquiring Wayne Gretzky, the Great One, from the Edmonton Oilers. The Kings would beat the Oilers in the playoffs that year, but lose to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Calgary Flames in the second round. The following season the Kings traded Mark Fitzpatrick and Wayne McBean to the Islanders for goalie Kelly Hrudey. Hrudey wore a funky helmet, and always wore a blue headband made of blue hockey undergarments. He had long hair flowing out the back of his helmet (yes, it was a mullet). I painted my street hockey helmet like Hrudey’s and started mimicking his movements in street hockey games with my friends. I used to tune into an LA Radio station called Pirate Radio that used to play the “Hrudey’s On Duty Tonight” song on their morning show. During games at the old Great Western Forum in Inglewood, fans would chant “HRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDEEEEEY!” every time Kelly made a big save.

 

Former Kings Goalie Kelly Hrudey

 

It was hard to get game tickets at the Forum during the Gretzky days. LA was on fire for hockey. I was fortunate enough, through teammates of mine who had parents that were fans, to get to go to quite a few games there. You could always spot former King goalie and then General Manager Rogie Vachon outside at intermission smoking a cigar, and Rogie was always quick to offer up and handshake and a “hi kid!”.

In 1993, the Kings went to the Stanley Cup final – against Montreal and my goaltending idol Patrick Roy. I was fortunate to get to go to a game in all of the first 3 series’ of that playoff year. Finals tickets sold out so fast that we were unable to get our hands on any. The Kings would lose that finals series 4 games to 1. It was painful to watch, but getting to observe Roy’s near flawless goaltending eased the pain just a bit. Each of the games was a close contest. I was sure the Kings would be back to claim the Cup.

17 years later, I’m still waiting! Times since Gretzky’s departure have been lean for my beloved Kings. I am not a fair weather fan though, and I have continued to support the team through thick and thin. It’s been painful but my pride has yet to wane. There’s been some high points too – I was at every home game during the 2001 playoff run that included the Frenzy on Figueroa – a comeback from down 3-0 to Detroit to win in OT in game 3 of that first round series – and game 6 of that series in which Adam Deadmarsh beat Chris Osgood in OT to eliminate the Red Wings. The Kings would take the eventual champion Colorado to 7 games that year, and again in the first round the following spring.

The years have been lackluster since, but my love for this hockey team remains strong. We have the most die hard, knowledgeable fan base on the West Coast. Staples Center during the playoffs is an atmosphere like no other place on Earth. We Kings’ fans have suffered long, but our suffering is over. Dean Lombardi has this team on the right track. The Kings are going to be a Stanley Cup contender for years to come now, with a core of youngsters like Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Jack Johnson, Wayne Simmonds, Dustin Brown and (you know I wouldn’t leave the goalies out!) Jon Quick and Jonathan Bernier in goal. The future is bright.

Last season my Kings made the playoffs for the first time since 2002. I got chills during the pre-game presentation, and I admit I cried when they showed a Bob Miller speech on the playoffs over the jumbotron, and my eyes were definitely wet when the boys took the ice to the sound of AC/DC’s “Back In Black”. The crowd at Staples was so loud you couldn’t hear PA Announcer David Courtney introduce the team! When the Kings lost game 6 of that series and were eliminated, I was working in Delaware and I cried in my hotel room. It’s more than just a hockey team to me. It’s my heart and soul.

 

The Kings' Score Against Vancouver in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs

 

I will be a Los Angeles Kings fan until they bury me. I will loathe Anaheim until they move that team elsewhere. Now that the Ducks suck, there won’t be anyone left at Honda Center save the road team fans – unlike us, the Kings’ faithful who have been with the team through a lot of lottery picks!

We will all be rewarded soon. I am awaiting the day I am in the crowd at Staples, watching Kings’ captain Dustin Brown take the Stanley Cup from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Preferably more than once!

It’s been a long time coming for this Kings’ fan. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I need a Kleenex!

-J

Why I Love The San Jose Sharks

If anyone has ever questioned why you love your team, you give them reasons for that love. Some are as simple as, ‘I’ve grown up with hockey in my family’ or ‘My family is from the area, so I became a fan’. However, I can not give you those reasons for why I love the San Jose Sharks. I don’t have simple reasons or answers why. Sometimes, I’m not even sure what it is that I love about this team. I just do. There’s a love there that is undeniable, unmatched, unrequited, unmeasurable and just about every other UN you can think of.

Not only do I live in California; where people look at us and say “Ohmigod, there’s hockey in California?” But I live in Northern California. Sacramento to be exact, where we have the Sacramento Kings and Sacramento Monarchs Basketball. The only hockey close to me is at a local rink made up of 40 something year olds who could have only dreamed to be in the NHL. So while growing up with little to no NHL connection, I still managed to fall in love with the team from the Bay Area.

Now, this love all started on January 24, 1998. Yes a mere 12 years ago. My parents had just made the move to Seattle and the following August, I was to join them. More on that later though. To be honest, I don’t remember much about my first game. I just know that my aunt and I were sitting in the upper bowl of what was then known as the San Jose Arena. As a wide-eyed 13 year old, my aunt pointed out the Sharks Head and simply said “Just watch”

 

Shark Head

 

Now, if any of you have been to a game at what is now HP Pavilion, you’ll know that they lower the Sharks Head to the ice and the players skate through with smoke coming from it. To me, it’s the best entrance to a game out there. Anyways, to make a long story from getting too long. My wandering eyes found their way to one player on the ice. His movement was glorious and passionate. It captured my eye and I have not looked back since. Now, he did not score any goals that night, nor did he get an assist. In fact, I don’t think he showed up on the score sheet at all. The Sharks tied the game that night, when ties were still allowed. John MacLean scored the goal for us that night.

Before I tell you all who this player is, I just have to say that I love this player with all things in me. It does not matter that he is no longer on this team, or that I’ve never met him. His love for the game is the same as my love for this team. Der Mann, begann es alle für mich, und mein ganze Herz hat, ohne es zu wissen, ist Marco Sturm.

My love of this team continued even while living in cities such as Seattle and Phoenix. Yes, Phoenix. Coyotes country. So, I do hold a soft spot for them because Phoenix was my home for 3 years. Now while in Seattle, I was able to get my hockey fix by watching the Seattle Thunderbirds. Just the year before I moved to Seattle, current Shark and ex-captain, Patrick Marleau was on the Thunderbirds. Now, I never got to see him play, but I was able to watch Scott Parker play for the team as well as see ex-Shark , Brad Stuart play for the Regina Pats.

But now, at 26, my unrequited love has never waivered. It has stuck with me through 12 years of amazing seasons (03/04 & 09/10) to the NHL lockout. I keep all of my game tickets from every game that I attend and still have my very first one.

 

Very First Hockey Game

 

Over the years, I’ve had my players come and go. It took me a while to learn that was a part of the game. So, if you ask me why I love the San Jose Sharks, I will just pull out all my old game tickets and memories over the past 12 years. From the 5 on 3 against Edmonton where both Scott Hannan and Mark Smith lost their sticks to my very first game.

This is why I love the San Jose Sharks and no other team.

Why I Love The Columbus Blue Jackets

Continuing with the theme of  talking about our favorite teams and how it all started, I have to go back to 1994, The Blue Jackets, weren’t even thought of, heck, I was only 5. Me having never watched hockey before, I saw on TV, this strange creature, he was about 2 times the size of a normal man, I didn’t even think it was a man (Yes back then imagination was all the rage.) until he lifted up his mask.

 

The mask that started it all

 

From that day when I was little watching on tv and seeing this unique piece of art that I thought was some kind of monster, I followed this sport that back then, I knew little about, but I loved goalies and the unique masks they wore.But of course, my favorite hockey player of all time is, Curtis Joseph, he is the one guy no matter what, I’ve followed him, but we came here to get on the important topic, The Blue Jackets, right?

During the 2003-2004 season, I was watching the Red Wings (of which I used to be a HUGE fan of), and I saw this team from Columbus, and they had 2 guys that I thought were pretty cool. They were also two of the first guys to make me like the Blue Jackets, in Rick Nash and Marc Denis.

 

Rick Nash

 

Nash was just a spectacle on ice, he was a big guy but he could out skate almost anyone, and he just seemed to command the puck when he had it. And Denis, he wasn’t the best goalie, but he gave his all every night to try to get a win for this CBJ team. But both of them kept me interested in this new team.

As I started to look up more on this team and as the season went on, I started to transition, I grew more and more disinterested in the Red Wings (Well… everyone except Cujo), and found myself rooting more for Columbus. But one problem, I had no TV channels that would carry CBJ games, so I had to resort to the radio.

 

George Matthews, Play By Play Man For The CBJ.

 

As I started to listen to Blue Jackets games, I loved listening to the Play by Play of Mr. George Matthews, he can make any game sound exciting, not to mention, has some quotes that still stick in my head (one mostly, “Hoot toot da boot Denis!” referring to a kick save made by Marc Denis) He is one of the reasons I love the Blue Jackets, he brings an energy to the radio broadcasts that you just don’t find many other places.

Then during a long, lockout effected offseason, I bought my first NHL jersey, and what did I choose? Of course, a Columbus Blue Jackets Alternate, which the next season, became the normal jersey for the team (with a  few alterations). To put this in perspective, I was a Wings fan for 11 years, never bought a jersey of theirs, one year after becoming a Blue jackets fan, I bought one. That should tell you how I feel about this team.

The reasons to love this team is… well…  the team is just exciting on the ice, we are unpredictable, and it’s the unpredictable ones you have to be aware of the most, right? We are not a team to be underestimated, we will not be pushed around, and we will fight, no matter how tough the opponent.

I’ve been there through the great times (first playoffs, big wins), I’ve been there through the tough times (Mr. Mac’s Passing, Missing the playoffs, extended losing streaks.) And I will not quit on this team, this is not a bandwagon for me, when I decided to become a Blue Jackets fan, this isn’t just when it’s convenient and when we are winning, this is for better, and for worse.

Just like the men on the ice, the jersey I wear is one im proud to wear, and I will continue to carry this flag until my dying day, and you can bet, you will see us in the playoffs again, and beware, this time, the cannon will be firing, and it will make the NHL will take notice.