Like most fans at this point, Hitch has switched from kool-aid to whiskey.

[bzarcher]

http://blog.dispatch.com/cbj/2008/10/nash_at_center.shtml

Nash at Center.

Um.

Yeah.

Well, shit, why not? He does tend to drift to the middle on rushes already, he's got a good quick stick. We'll see what happens?

I'm going to agree with most of the CBJ blogger/punditry and agree that the Jackets played 45-50 minutes of good hockey last night. It's just allowing the Ducks to outscore them in the other 10-15 that was the problem....

Oh, well.

Comments

[chaptal.livejournal.com]

And Filatov rides the bench. It looked a lot like the same old to me. Let up a goal early, come back. Go ahead, take a dumb penalty (nice one Chimera), lose it on a late power play goal.

Nine games into the season and Nash at center, sounds like a desperate move.

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've noticed that a team can play brilliantly 58 minutes out of the game, but if they let down their guard for 2 of those minutes... the other team can still win.

Which team am I talking about? WHo knows... a lot of them do it. Including the one I play on...

C.

[caitlin.livejournal.com]

And then there's the stupid penalty Nash took during Worlds (GOLD MEDAL GAME, dammit!) and that allowed Team Russia to score and win...

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Yeaaaaaaah....he hasn't had a terribly good offseason/season so far. Not to mention getting incredibly snakepit on breakaways lately.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Very true. :/ I can't imagine it's any more fun for anyone on the ice as compared in the stands. It's a frustrating and deflating thing.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Well, to be fair, Filatov's at least going back to Syracuse to get top line minutes again.

I think, honestly, the problem with Filatov playing more while he was up is RJ Umberger having a 2.75 million dollar contract this year. You have to try to give him 15+ minutes a night at that point, even when he's struggling like all hell, while Filatov might have been having a better start, but he's a rookie and getting rookie minutes for the most part.

[chaptal.livejournal.com]

R.J. is not having a good start. I'd like to see a couple of players sit on the bench a game or two to get a no one is safe message.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

I think demotion to the wing and the third line got his attention. While he didn't score last night, I do give him credit for some good defensive moves and a couple of nice takeaways last night. He just couldn't beat Giguere....which he was hardly alone in.

[chaptal.livejournal.com]

Gigure was on last night. Freddie had a better game than I expected. Not meant to be. 3-6 is not a good start, expectations were a bit higher. And LeClaire is hurt. Again. Sheesh!

How long before Mason gets a shot ;)

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

If he does well in the A and his knee seems to be solid, I actually would be very interested in seeing LaCosta go back down to the Cuse, and Mason brought up.

OTOH, I also wouldn't mind seeing Dahm and Mior get a chance to be the syracuse tandem instead of constantly shuffling around Johnstown, either. I actually though Mior had a really strong camp - there were a few times I thought he looked better than Norrena!

[flaggerx.livejournal.com]

Nash at Center? He's really not much of a playmaker, though he has the skills. Who do you put at left wing? Modin? Umberger?

Hmmm, that's more of the same.

One thing that proves is the people who say we need a true #1 are probably right. Thankfully, Brassard has seized the 2nd line job with an iron grip. That line rocks, otherwise I'm sure they'd be giving him the job, like they did in pre-season.

The truth is we're starting to play defense lately, and we ran into a hot goalie last night. That happens. Filatov is not yet ready, an needs Syracuse seasoning, perhaps at center. But he will be for sure. We might still have won had Brassard a bit more luck with that late shot.

Yeah, I'm worried but still optomistic. And I'm really looking forward to seeing us play Colorado Thursday. It turns out the new TV really improves hockey viewing, even at normal resolution.

So, I hope.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

I could see Modin, or even maybe Torres?

We'll see. I certainly agree about the #1, but I have to admit that I wouldn't mind breaking up the goat line if it meant jumpstarting Nash and Huselius with scoring.

I'm kind of at the point where I wonder if I need to take a break to let my expectations from the offseason cool down to meet with reality a bit better. :)

[flaggerx.livejournal.com]

Let's just pound the #$@!$'n Avalanche. Sign Mirasty and bring up for Foote.

Kill! Kill!

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Amen.