Obviously you don't like Steve Mason - you are far from alone there. However, tell me how giving up Michael Leighton and a 2015 3rd rounder, for a 24 year-old former rookie of the year is getting robbed. If it doesn't work out, so what? It's a third round pick 2 years from now and a guy who is not even a competant backup anymore. At best it's 50/50 that Mason turns his career around but, at his age, maybe he just needs a change of scenery. If he fails, I doubt the Flyers will look back and regret what they gave up for him.
- BOSS_TWEED

I don't care one way or the other about Steve Mason - but he wasn't coming back to Columbus, and he's sporting a $3.2 million salary and 3 years of terribly inconsistent performance after a Calder Trophy season. If the Flyers can get him to sign for about 1/3rd of that and he can return to that '09-10 form, great ... but if they don't do the former (and much more importantly, if Mason doesn't do the latter) it's going to be a wasted move (and money) no matter how that 3rd turns out.

In other words: if the Flyers really wanted him, they likely could have had him for much less than a 3rd - or, they could have just waited until he wasn't qualified and then made a play for him this summer when he was off that contract and could be signed for pennies. Considering that Philly (like St. Louis) has been a goaltending graveyard for years, ... well, I wouldn't bet on that career turnaround. If anything, I'd be more inclined to bet that going to Philly finishes it off.

Ticket prices for next year are on our STH account page. The cheap seats are going to go up to $25 a seat next year. That is a pretty big jump for the cheap seats. (about 20% over this years price)

Wonder what the other sections jump in price is going to look like? Gotta make more money to sign some of our guys to the raises they are going to demand. Will Blues fans buy enough of the tickets at the higher price to make that money?

I don't care one way or the other about Steve Mason - but he wasn't coming back to Columbus, and he's sporting a $3.2 million salary and 3 years of terribly inconsistent performance after a Calder Trophy season. If the Flyers can get him to sign for about 1/3rd of that and he can return to that '09-10 form, great ... but if they don't do the former (and much more importantly, if Mason doesn't do the latter) it's going to be a wasted move (and money) no matter how that 3rd turns out.

In other words: if the Flyers really wanted him, they likely could have had him for much less than a 3rd - or, they could have just waited until he wasn't qualified and then made a play for him this summer when he was off that contract and could be signed for pennies. Considering that Philly (like St. Louis) has been a goaltending graveyard for years, ... well, I wouldn't bet on that career turnaround. If anything, I'd be more inclined to bet that going to Philly finishes it off.
- Chip McCleary

It is already being reported that Mason has agreed to a 1 year extension for less than he is making now. Haven't found any details yet on the exact amount though.

Ticket prices for next year are on our STH account page. The cheap seats are going to go up to $25 a seat next year. That is a pretty big jump for the cheap seats. (about 20% over this years price)

Wonder what the other sections jump in price is going to look like? Gotta make more money to sign some of our guys to the raises they are going to demand. Will Blues fans buy enough of the tickets at the higher price to make that money?
- carcus

Honestly, that's completely up to the guys that take the ice.

Winning makes all the difference. A deep playoff run will bring new STH's into the fold.

Honestly, that's completely up to the guys that take the ice.

Winning makes all the difference. A deep playoff run will bring new STH's into the fold.
- bcallaway

I agree, and with things going the way they have this year, I hope for the ownership's sake that these deals can fix their issues and the goaltending can get better, because we are flirting with missing the playoffs entirely. Kind of scary when you think about Halak being out for basically the rest of the regular season.

"Columbus - I know, some of you think picking up Gaborik was terrible for the Jackets because (A) he's been inconsistent this year, (B) he's allegedly not great in the playoffs, (C) he's overpaid, (D) he's not a guy you build around, ... keep the reasons coming. In football and basketball, the axiom is "whoever gets the best player wins the trade" - and Jarmo Kekalainen clearly got the best player here even after accounting for how inconsistent players involved have been. He also did it without having to give up the 1st-round pick he was publicly dangling just 24 hours ago"

No the reasons are he is a winger, he is injury prone and his EFFORT is inconsistent. That is why.

Have you ever heard a team say they are building from the wing?

The Blue Jackets did give up two first round picks in the trade with Moore just having got to the NHL. BTW I know it's just one game and it's not the complete answer but Brassard racked up some points, Clowe nets his first two of the season and Moore scores his first goal with Brassard assisting.

Here's what I don't like about trading a bunch of good to almost damn good not quite almost great players for one great-ish player meaning they are not great yet. Example Crosby is great Nash is almost great. The problem is these players cannot consistently dominate games. When they go to 30 or over it's an even worse move to give young talented players that have not capped their potential for a guy who in all likelihood has defined his career.

As for basketball well I don't care one iota about basketball. That might work on a basketball court more than on an ice surface where players all play at varying moments of the game unlike basketball where there are some subs but not every 30-45 seconds. It doesn't play the same in hockey.

One other thing is the fact the Jackets would improve a team who's first round pick they still hold. Why not move that pick instead of one of the players? So Columbus shoots themselves in the foot here making this trade during the season especially. It would have made more sense in the off season. Because unless San Jose goes on another losing streak, Detroit continues to falter and the Blues remain inconsistent and Edmonton stops winning they are not going to make the play offs. They have an evolving team and there's no way they could have made such definitive decisions about personnel so soon before a big draft.

For Columbus the best deals at the deadline are bargain deals. Trade from a position of strength like Armstrong who out waited Feaster. Wait till the off season when the Rangers would have failed or had a hard time making the play offs. When that $7.5 million cap hit mattered even more to the Rangers.


The rest of it I can pretty much concur. The Tampa/Ottawa trade was great for both teams.
- BluemanGuruu

That's what it is, it's the timing of the deal that doesn't make sense. Columbus is at least a couple years out from being a cup contender, and by that time Gaborik will be in decline if he isn't already. As good as that team has been playing, I don't know why you would deal three guys off the roster to bring in that one player who doesn't exactly have the tag of being a team leader. Sure they need help scoring goals, but when you look at all the inns and outs, it seems like a short sighted and risky move to make right now.

Jarmo is an excellent scout but I'm not sure he's got the patience necessary to be a GM. I think if you really had to have Gaborik, you'd be better off waiting till the off season when the cap becomes more pressing for the Rangers, and you know exactly where you'll be picking and what players will be available to you at the draft.

Like you said, with the way Gaborik has been playing this year, this move is only going to help the Rangers lower that draft pick even more.

I agree, and with things going the way they have this year, I hope for the ownership's sake that these deals can fix their issues and the goaltending can get better, because we are flirting with missing the playoffs entirely. Kind of scary when you think about Halak being out for basically the rest of the regular season.
- carcus

I love the way the new defense looks on paper, but I'm hoping they can all come together and get on the same page quickly. We don't have the goaltending to buy them very much time.

That's what it is, it's the timing of the deal that doesn't make sense. Columbus is at least a couple years out from being a cup contender, and by that time Gaborik will be in decline if he isn't already. As good as that team has been playing, I don't know why you would deal three guys off the roster to bring in that one player who doesn't exactly have the tag of being a team leader. Sure they need help scoring goals, but when you look at all the inns and outs, it seems like a short sighted and risky move to make right now.

Jarmo is an excellent scout but I'm not sure he's got the patience necessary to be a GM. I think if you really had to have Gaborik, you'd be better off waiting till the off season when the cap becomes more pressing for the Rangers, and you know exactly where you'll be picking and what players will be available to you at the draft.

Like you said, with the way Gaborik has been playing this year, this move is only going to help the Rangers lower that draft pick even more.
- fattyboubatty

This feels exactly like Kariya coming to the Blues. Does it bolster their chances to get to the playoffs? Maybe, maybe not.

I don't "moderate the blog." You, I and anyone else may go comment on any past blog entry as we see fit; however, I was working on this entry before the discussion on Gaborik. I'm not holding up new blog entries simply so a discussion can be carried out ad infinitum because someone wants to keep arguing.

I gave my $.02, you gave yours - and we disagree. Fine, I'm OK with that. Apparently, you're not. I'll get over it and move on; hopefully you will too - but if not, ... well, I hope you handle disagreements better in the real world.
- Chip McCleary

Great to see that you're "working" on this entry when you can't even cover the team that you supposedly are covering regularly.

I'm fine with the disagreement. What I'm not fine with is your insistence on inserting snide commentary on other opinions at every turn.

Columbus has one (1) playoff appearance in its existence. This is quite arguably the best shot they've ever had at one outside of '09-10. Whether they'll get there or not is another story that remains to be seen - but the easy thing would have been to stand pat, not do much (except maybe the Mason deal) and hope for the best. It's a gutsy move, and yes it has risk - but if it gets the Jackets into the playoffs it's more than worth it. Plus, it potentially builds goodwill with the players who can then reach out to other guys and say, "hey - we're building something good here, come join us."

The other point which no one has raised (and I didn't do it in the writeup either) is this: the Rangers and Blue Jackets will be in the same division starting next year. For the "well, the Jackets maybe improved the Rangers this year and hurt the position of that draft pick" talk, it could just as easily be applied to next year, the year after, and so on - or, you could look at Sather dealing Gaborik and say "he just made the Jackets better for next year, and possibly a few years after." For either GM to make the deal, he had to believe that the guy(s) going away weren't going to come back and burn him in '13-14 and later. That's a ballsy call by both of them.

Remember: the Jackets have done much of the drive forward to being on the cusp of 8th without James Wisniewski or Brandon Dubinsky. With both guys in the lineup, they're going to be a more complete team than they have been. Is it enough to get to the playoffs? No idea - but at 2-3 points out with 12 to play, they're at least in position to control their own destiny and they've got a guy who can be a real threat to score at any time.

Great to see that you're "working" on this entry when you can't even cover the team that you supposedly are covering regularly.

I'm fine with the disagreement. What I'm not fine with is your insistence on inserting snide commentary on other opinions at every turn.
- eggsegan

If you don't like what I'm doing or how I'm doing it, complain to Eklund. Heck, maybe even volunteer to do the writing yourself so you can soak up all the big dollars that come with the gig.

Columbus has one (1) playoff appearance in its existence. This is quite arguably the best shot they've ever had at one outside of '09-10. Whether they'll get there or not is another story that remains to be seen - but the easy thing would have been to stand pat, not do much (except maybe the Mason deal) and hope for the best. It's a gutsy move, and yes it has risk - but if it gets the Jackets into the playoffs it's more than worth it. Plus, it potentially builds goodwill with the players who can then reach out to other guys and say, "hey - we're building something good here, come join us."

The other point which no one has raised (and I didn't do it in the writeup either) is this: the Rangers and Blue Jackets will be in the same division starting next year. For the "well, the Jackets maybe improved the Rangers this year and hurt the position of that draft pick" talk, it could just as easily be applied to next year, the year after, and so on - or, you could look at Sather dealing Gaborik and say "he just made the Jackets better for next year, and possibly a few years after." For either GM to make the deal, he had to believe that the guy(s) going away weren't going to come back and burn him in '13-14 and later. That's a ballsy call by both of them.

Remember: the Jackets have done much of the drive forward to being on the cusp of 8th without James Wisniewski or Brandon Dubinsky. With both guys in the lineup, they're going to be a more complete team than they have been. Is it enough to get to the playoffs? No idea - but at 2-3 points out with 12 to play, they're at least in position to control their own destiny and they've got a guy who can be a real threat to score at any time.
- Chip McCleary

They've been playing well enough to make the playoffs this year without Gaborik. Even if he is the reason they end up making the playoffs, I don't know how you could imply that simply making the playoff this year is worth possibly setting yourself back for the future.

Yeah it was a ballsy move for both GM's. We see which side you come down on, now we'll see if you'll be willing to admit you were wrong when the chips finally fall (no pun intended).

They've been playing well enough to make the playoffs this year without Gaborik. Even if he is the reason they end up making the playoffs, I don't know how you could imply that simply making the playoff this year is worth possibly setting yourself back for the future.
- fattyboubatty

It's the back half of that last sentence that I don't get. How does dealing Brassard, Moore, Dorsett and a 6th really set back the Jackets? Moore was expendable (they've got Wisniewski, Tyutin, Johnson, Nikitn, Erixson, and Goloubef - and that doesn't touch last year's #2 overall Ryan Murray), Dorsett is easily replaceable, and the 6th is a glorified lottery ticket - so really it boils down to Derrick Brassard, who has been no better than a mid-teens goals, mid-40s points guy over a full season and wasn't going to improve on those totals in Columbus.

Was Brassard that good that the Jackets should have kept him over getting Gaborik? If you want to argue that Gaborik is suddenly going to turn into a constant 21-24-45 (his current year's pace for 82 games) going forward the next few years, OK ... but just a year ago he put up 41 goals and then had 5-6-11 in the playoffs with a torn labrum suffered before the playoffs started. I just don't see where he suddenly turned into the lost twin brother of the 2010-11 version of Brad Boyes because of how he's played in 35 games this season.

It's the back half of that last sentence that I don't get. How does dealing Brassard, Moore, Dorsett and a 6th really set back the Jackets? Moore was expendable (they've got Wisniewski, Tyutin, Johnson, Nikitn, Erixson, and Goloubef - and that doesn't touch last year's #2 overall Ryan Murray), Dorsett is easily replaceable, and the 6th is a glorified lottery ticket - so really it boils down to Derrick Brassard, who has been no better than a mid-teens goals, mid-40s points guy over a full season and wasn't going to improve on those totals in Columbus.

Was Brassard that good that the Jackets should have kept him over getting Gaborik? If you want to argue that Gaborik is suddenly going to turn into a constant 21-24-45 (his current year's pace for 82 games) going forward the next few years, OK ... but just a year ago he put up 41 goals and then had 5-6-11 in the playoffs with a torn labrum suffered before the playoffs started. I just don't see where he suddenly turned into the lost twin brother of the 2010-11 version of Brad Boyes because of how he's played in 35 games this season.
- Chip McCleary

Where did you hear me talking about this season? If anything, I'm assuming he's going to have at least a couple good years left. But the guy has entered his 30's and a large part of his game is built on speed. Look at Andy Mcdonlad. Speed was a huge part of his game and now that he's in his mid 30's, he's not the same player he once was.

And just because they have a glut of defencemen in their system, doesn't mean Moore is any less of a player or has less value. They could have possibly moved him in a package to get Bishop for instance.

Brassard still has upside and is a center. Moore still has upside and is a defenseman. These are important positions that require strong defensive awareness which takes longer to develop. Gaborik has no more potential and is only going to decline in the coming years.

If you don't like what I'm doing or how I'm doing it, complain to Eklund. Heck, maybe even volunteer to do the writing yourself so you can soak up all the big dollars that come with the gig.
- Chip McCleary

Wow, playoff tickets for STH renewals are quite a bit higher than they have been in the past. And these are the STH prices. I am kind of scared of seeing what the single game ticket prices are going to be.

Where did you hear me talking about this season? If anything, I'm assuming he's going to have at least a couple good years left. But the guy has entered his 30's and a large part of his game is built on speed. Look at Andy Mcdonlad. Speed was a huge part of his game and now that he's in his mid 30's, he's not the same player he once was.

And just because they have a glut of defencemen in their system, doesn't mean Moore is any less of a player or has less value. They could have possibly moved him in a package to get Bishop for instance.

Brassard still has upside and is a center. Moore still has upside and is a defenseman. These are important positions that require strong defensive awareness which takes longer to develop. Gaborik has no more potential and is only going to decline in the coming years.
- fattyboubatty

I'm asking how the trade sets them back for the future, when 2 of the guys are replaceable now (Moore for all his upside is still likely a 5/6 guy in the future; he wasn't getting Bishop unless the Kings 1st was going over with him - and the Jackets don't need a goalie anyway) and in the future, and Brassard was the Jackets' version of Patrik Berglund (center, young, still has upside - and yet, may never hit it).

I'm asking how the trade sets them back for the future, when 2 of the guys are replaceable now (Moore for all his upside is still likely a 5/6 guy in the future; he wasn't getting Bishop unless the Kings 1st was going over with him - and the Jackets don't need a goalie anyway) and in the future, and Brassard was the Jackets' version of Patrik Berglund (center, young, still has upside - and yet, may never hit it).
- Chip McCleary

How many different way does it have to get spelled out for you? Because it helps the Rangers which lowers Columbus's pick, and they wont be able to get the same value for Gaborik in the future as he gets older. And of course all this is assuming he stays healthy which is a huge assumption.

Columbus is a team of the future, not the next couple years.

How many different way does it have to get spelled out for you? Because it helps the Rangers which lowers Columbus's pick, and they wont be able to get the same value for Gaborik in the future as he gets older. And of course all this is assuming he stays healthy which is a huge assumption.

Columbus is a team of the future, not the next couple years.
- fattyboubatty

Big deal about the Rangers 1st going lower in the draft if they get better. The Blue Jackets have 3 of them; if they end up worse in the deal, theirs goes up in response - correct? Besides, Kekalainen and Davidson clearly aren't worried about Gaborik's value a few years out; they're planning on getting him to stick around long-term. If "he might be worth less down the road" was really that big of a concern, teams would be flipping guys left and right by the time they hit 29. You can't perpetually plan for the future when you're sitting near a playoff spot - especially when you've been there once ever. At some point you have to give it a shot; it can't be all low-risk, guaranteed moves or "OK, we're really set in a playoff spot, now let's try."

Going to start the GDT (which I almost forgot about - just like I forgot the wife volunteered me for something tonight). If you want to carry the conversation on, drop a note there.

Chip again your points about the Columbus trade are valid.

Watching Brassard this year he has gotten better. Maybe he would be better served playing with a Gaborik type player to be honest.

And Nash is not the same player as Gaborik. I feel Gaborik has more skill and speed and is a bigger goal scoring threat. But $7.5 million ouch. Maybe if they extend him for a lot less then it works if they get solid three years from him.

Center and defense are important. As I said you don't build around a winger and it didn't work with Hull.

Columbus doesn't have a center like Brassard to fill that gap. Maybe in a couple of years but not yet.

They are thick on defense.

Anyone of the points I made alone are not consequential but adding them up yes they are. When Gaborik hurts say if they make the play offs or he starts scoring a lot and he goes down for his usual two week one and couple of month or longer one then there's a huge hole. Remember COlumbus is not a large market either so to me it is dangerous for them to spend too much money.


It probably works for both teams I don't know how well Brassard will do with Torts but he will be a very good center. I wish we had him on our team as a center.