Curtis Sanford has now started nine games in a row in net for the Columbus hockey club. It is no longer a question whether Steve Mason is the starting goalie on this team. If he was even considered on equal footing with Sanford, then head coach Scott Arniel would have started Mason on the backside of the back to back the CBJ just had in Edmonton. Now the question is whether, the once heralded Calder Trophy winner, will ever find his name on the starting lineup card again for the Blue Jackets.
Speculation is that Arniel and the other brain trust of the Blue Jackets are going to ride Sanford, as Dark Blue Jacket said, , “like a rented mule”, in the hopes that Mark Dekanich will come back from his groin injury to find out if he's a future starting goalie for this team.
The statements of general manager Scott Howson in the preseason that they know “it's in there,” when talking about Mason's abilities in his rookie year that led to 10 shut outs, have long since been forgotten. Sanford's 2.10 goals against average, which took a major hit after the Oilers game when he gave up 6 goals, has been put up with the same players in front of him as Mason had that gave him the bulging 3.63 GAA.
What has also been forgotten due to his play, Sanford was third on the depth chart coming into this season. Howson is high on Dekanich and is the only reason he gave him a one way contract to bring him in during the free agency period. Unfortunately for Howson and the Blue Jackets is that if Dekanich was a car, he would qualify for the lemon law as he can't stay out of the shop with injuries.
If, and it's a big if at this point, Dekanich can get healthy are you going to send Sanford to Springfield? Highly doubt it as the “Sandman” has more than earn a permanent spot this season with the big club. Will the Jackets send Dekanich down, having to clear waivers, to Springfield? Unlikely but due to his injuries this season he is less likely to be taken due to the unknown but still a possibility.
Mason on the other hand would have to go through the waiver wire with any general manager taking him with the remaining salary of $2.6 million this season and $3.2 million next season (according to capgeek.com) should lose his job immediately.
But, if the Jackets would waive him and bring him up through re-entry waivers say around the trade deadline, they could test the waters on if a team would take a shot on him since it would be at a 50 percent discount and by that time if Dekanich can put in some time in net would have an idea if he is a legit NHL caliber goalie.
Now this is all speculation but the tea leaves certainly spell out that this may be a logical progression. I don't own a sports store but if I did, I might put those Mason sweaters on sale in time for a Christmas gift because if you wait much longer they might adorn your racks for years to come.
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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