RADICAL SHAKE-UPS?

By: Phil Krumm

The term "don't rock the boat" is not a term that the Jackets front office likes to hear. This past season we watched an incredible trade of our number one center Ryan Johansen for a promising up and coming defensmen Seth Jones. This trade shocked some and met others expectations, whatever your opinion on the matter is, the deal is done.

However in continuation of the "rock the boat" trend the Jackets have released information that they're shopping around with starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky AND with current newly minted captain Nick Foligno. And to put the cherry on top that number three overall pick in the draft tomorrow might change as well. Jarmo has been looking into what he can get in exchange for it. 

Trading away your number one center is one thing, but trading the number 3 draft pick, your starting goalie, and your captain as well? This is nothing short of a fire sale in the Jackets organization. The upper brass I'm sure is livid over how the season turned out for the once playoff hopeful Jackets. But how else did you expect it to go when you go 0-8-0 to start the season? And in a season that any time the Jackets one so did everyone else in the Metro. The point differential never decreased and the Jackets sat at the bottom of the division with no chance of crawling out of that god awful hole.

The question the Blue Jackets face now is, "do you wait and see how you can develop next year?" or "do you have this insane fire sale and bring in a bunch of rookies and hope for the best...in 5-7 years?"

The Cannon Crew is back and active!

Welcome back everyone. As we ramp up towards the NHL Draft we're going to give you the best looks and opinion pieces about trades and draft pics. To start off lets talk about #1 on the Jackets rummormill, Evgeni Malkin of the Pens. 

The Pissburg Pens led by captain Sidney Crybaby won the cup this year, and Malkin was a major contributor in the finals with 2 goals and 1 assist. Sources close to the Jackets front office say that Jarmo is "pushing hard" to acquire the newly minted Stanley Cup champ.

This would be the second year in a row the Jackets steal a young(ish) forward with extreme promise. This move would serve as a replacement for Ryan Johansen whom the Jackets traded for young defensemen Seth Jones in a 1-1 trade with the Predators. 

The Jackets currently hold the 3rd overall pick in the draft and will likely look to add to the defense. 

The Cannon will update as more information on this rumor becomes available.

I'M BACK!

Well cannon crew I'm back after my hiatus to work with Union and Blue as their editor.

NEW TO THE CANNON PLEASE WELCOME NICK ENGLE! Nick is an avid Blue Jackets fan and for the site will be our resident Scream Sargent, posting opinion pieces on his feelings about what has taken place both on and off the ice. ***WARNING*** Nick's language filter is broken and will not be getting repaired anytime soon. So be advised his pieces are possibly not friendly to younger readers. 

To start things off I want to voice my opinion (as this is becoming a dividing issue among jackets fans) about the beloved Columbus net minder Sergei Bobrovsky. Bob is back in the lineup and all feels well and right in the capital. Or does it? Well for this fan it is not. Bob is a wonderful asset and a great goaltender when he is 100%. But he clearly isn't 100% or at least he doesn't act like he is. He is clearly playing with some hesitation. Now weather or not that hesitation is due to him not being 100% healthy or it is in his self confidence as a net minder is up for debate. I'm leaning towards the later portion which brings me to young blood Joonas Korpisalo. Korpi has been playing the starting role now for a good chunk of the season and in 27 games the rookie has gone 14-9-4 which is better than Bob who has gone 12-16-1 in his 31 games. 

***DISCLAIMER***

I do understand that in some of Korpi's games he was facing teams who threw in their #2 goaltenders.

HOWEVER Korpi is playing with his hair on fire. He is getting beat on some play that a veteran wouldn't, and he is making some foolish calls. But that doesn't mean he shouldn't be looked at as our #1 net minder. He is growing everyday, he learns from his mistakes and has the potential to lead the league here in a few years. Where he differs from Bob is that Korpi is playing consistent and needs true experience. 

In my oh so humble opinion Bob should have been scratched or benched for the remainder of the season and we throw him in only to avoid Korpi from having a back to back game. This would increase Korpi's confidence and skill level. It could also lead the Jackets to trade Bob and Mac for a truly stellar backup that we can trow in and feel confident that we can walk out with a "W". This trade while hard to accept at first for Columbus would open up some serious salary room to get some great free agents in defensemen or even forwards (though I don't think this organization needs any more forwards).

Anyways that's all for now cannon crew I look forward to writing more later and I really look forwards to what nick has to offer us.

GO JACKETS!

Foligno Vs Foligno

Game three of the regular season, and after a lack luster start against the Rangers the Jackets are looking to find their footing against a Buffalo team that has had the same amount of success. 

The Jackets came out strong in this one putting seven shots on goal in the first period. The shot total was equal to buffalo, what wasn't equal though were the chances created. The chances the Jackets had to score vastly outnumbered that of the Sabers. The Jackets are finally producing, on the defensive side of the ice, enough to give their offense a chance to create plays. This is also helping out Bob not have to make forty plus saves per night.

Period two began with both teams still in the hunt for their first goal of the afternoon. The Sabers struck first three minutes in to the period. The Sabers really took to the offensive out shooting the Jackets 8-1 in the first five minutes of the period. This along with some on ice shenanigans really upset Boll who took five on for trying to spark the Jackets and throw down with Deslauriers. After Boll spent the thirty second fight hammering Deslauriers's face in like he was tenderizing a tough steak, the refs called it and sent them to the box. This was the second penalty for the Jackets after Foligno got called for hooking Eichel which led to the first score of the night and the last few seconds of the power play. If I could summarize the second period in a few words it would read something along the lines of "And the Sabers again go and fail on the power play". Yes the only conceded goal was on the power play but in all fairness for as many chances the Sabers only scoring the once looks really bad. Borque had an amazing chance to tie the game up but just barley missed the net. He and everyone watching could see the amazing opportunity that was missed to tie the game up. The period ends with a frustrated Jackets team down by one with only twenty minutes to close the deficit.

Going into the third we see a typical Jackets stat line, Out shot (by ten SOG), down in goals, higher PIM, higher hit total, low takeaways, and a majority of faceoff wins. The Sabers have given the puck away eight times going into the third period. These takeaways yielded great offensive opportunities for the Jackets but they were not able to capitalize on them (something they needed to change in the third to avoid going 0-3).

Coach Krumm's Keys to the third: SHOOT MORE THAN YOU GET SHOT ON! It's basic, if you are on offense more than you are defense chances are you're going to score.

Period three yielded another Power Play goal thanks to a tripping penalty by Foligno. However the Jackets gotr right back into the mix after a divining effort by Saad put one in the back of the net. And just when you thought the Jackets were getting back into the mix Bob lets us down again taking a bad angle on a shooter and the Jackets are down 3-1. Bob is really letting this team down with his performance over the past three games. Preseason he was talked about as a vezina trophy candidate, tonight and against the Rangers he looked more like Foresberg. The Jackets were able to close the gap once again to make it 3-2 before Buffalo put what should have been an easy save in past Bob again. This would finish the scoring giving Buffalo their first win of the season 4-2 against a team some had going to the Cup Finals. 

A disappointing start for the Jackets. Penalty minutes are far to high, and chemistry is not what it should be for this team. Wednesday night we should hopefully see a team that is in unison and can come out and lay the hammer down on the Senators from Ottawa. 

GO JACKETS! MAKE THAT CANNON BOOM!

The sun doesn't shine over Columbus

In the first period we saw a continuation of the 3rd period last night. It was all Rangers for the first seven minutes as they capitalized on some really amazing chances. The Jackets did try and mount an aggressive comeback with a shot that vanished into thin air; thin air being Lundqvist's leg pad. The call on the ice was no goal which  The physical play of last night was pretty much non existent this evening. These goals began to deflate the Jackets, but what really declared them was the amazing goaltending of Lundqvist.

Period 2 gave the Jackets some of their best offensive chances, chances thwarted by some truly amazing goaltending. One so amazing that Joey had an open net and Lundqvist makes a diving save from behind the net with the tip of his stick. The Jackets entered the third down by 4 after the Rangers scored just seconds into their first power play of the evening.

The last period of regulation began without Bob between the pipes!?!?! McElhinney comes in to try and turn things around. Two minutes into the third and the Rangers go up 5-0.  It was five minutes in when the Jackets FINALLY put one in off the pads of Lundqvist after he made 3 amazing saves. The Jackets will not leave MSG with a goose egg. Calvert almost put one through but yet again Lundqvist comes up with a save of the year cartwheeling and laying down. By my count if Lundqvist was a human being and not a god figure the score should have been 5-5. Frustrated and tired the Jackets were itching for a fight, stalberg obliged and Hartnell and Foligno showed him what for and all got 2 for roughing. With six to go in the game booked puts one in on the power play making it 5-2 and the Jackets went back on the power play, there is life there was hope in the Jackets lines, albeit a small flicker but hope nonetheless. This hope would ultimately amount to nothing as the Jackets fall 5-2.

The Jackets should not place much stock in this loss as they played from behind well and in the eyes of everyone but the hockey gods they won that game, or at least put it into OT.

If Lundqvist's godlike abilities remain intact through the season there is no way the cup isn't going to New York.

GO JACKETS! MARCH ON AND WE WILL MARCH WITH YOU!

Twice the cannon did boom

What a game last night. 57 minutes of beautiful, physical, rivalry hockey. The blue shirts were being swarmed by Blue Jackets at every turn. Back and forth all night until finally in the third period the Jackets went up by one thanks to a beauty of a power play goal by Saad. Then tragedy struck the capital city. In fashion similar to last season we scored and played overconfident. With a turnover of the puck in our defensive end The Rangers center, Oscar Linberg, put one past Bob to tie it 2-2. And before the announcer could even give him credit over the P.A. system red lights flashed again for the Rangers, 3-2, thanks to right wing Kevin Hayes and a rookie mistake by Bob. Mats Zuccarello finished off the scoring shortly thereafter and with a two goal lead the Rangers ruin another home opener. Now the pressure is on the Jackets tonight against a New York team who the jackets had right where they wanted but failed on the defensive side of the ice. New York will be going with Henrik Lundqvist in goal again tonight and the Jackets start Bob. This is an advantage for Columbus, this will be Lundqvist's 3rd start in 4 nights. The man may be great but the Jackets are going come out strong early, throw everything they have at him, make him crane left and right non-stop. Doing this they can, and will, take the lead early and grind out a win showing New York what a ruined home opener feels like. Look for more hard hits in the corners and at least 2 fights from some hard feelings after last night's game where the refs let everything slide on both sides.

GO JACKETS!

PRESEASON IS OVER!

Last preseason game in the books, season opens on Friday, who couldn't be more excited you ask? THIS GUY!

On Saturday we saw a CBJ team the likes of which have never been seen before. Our defense was lights out which allowed us to outshout and ultimately outscore the preds. Saad had an impressive game getting him a top 3 star nomination. Foligno and Johansen played together like the best friends I'm sure they are. Passing was crisp and plays were nice neat and setup to perfection. This should do nothing but excite jackets fans everywhere. This is how a professional hockey team should play. This is how we make a deep run in the playoffs. This is how we win the cup. These are not goals that are out of reach for this young club with a lot of cap room and wonderful top line talents.

To leave you with anything it is this. It's about to be exciting in the heart of Ohio, for now and the foreseeable future. Welcome to cannon country.