Paul Berthelot: Post Battle #59: Losing more than just the game Blue Jackets lose 5-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins

Good gawd, what was Chicago thinking trading Panarin? Dude looks like a superstar. Ever time he touched the puck he was a serious threat to score.

Torts wearing out his welcome in Cbus? It's inevitable.

Yeah . . . this is it. For a team on the second game of a back-to-back, the Pens seemed to have a higher gear than the CBJ, especially on offense - 5 goals on 23 shots (21%), vs. the CBJ 2 goals (again !!) on 37 (5%). The Pens beat the CBJ to the loose pucks in front of the net, while the CBJ can't get the rebounds corralled in the net. They are usually - over - , or wide - , or whiffed !!
This is a really disappointing team.

Maybe Jarmo should do what the Cavs did at the Trade Deadline. Keep a few core players and swap the others out !!

Yeah . . . this is it. For a team on the second game of a back-to-back, the Pens seemed to have a higher gear than the CBJ, especially on offense - 5 goals on 23 shots (21%), vs. the CBJ 2 goals (again !!) on 37 (5%). The Pens beat the CBJ to the loose pucks in front of the net, while the CBJ can't get the rebounds corralled in the net. They are usually - over - , or wide - , or whiffed !!
This is a really disappointing team.

Maybe Jarmo should do what the Cavs did at the Trade Deadline. Keep a few core players and swap the others out !!
- birdie03

Not to be the master of the obvious, but Columbus needs a top line center. I know they don't grow on trees, so maybe you dangle Werenski out there and see what he could get in return. It's such a center driven league, I don't think Cbus takes the next step without one. If you give Panarin a skilled center they'll be tough to stop.

Oh.....and get rid of the psycho coach. His "sell by date" is always much sooner than other coaches.

I have no words, utterly disgusted

Not to be the master of the obvious, but Columbus needs a top line center. I know they don't grow on trees, so maybe you dangle Werenski out there and see what he could get in return. It's such a center driven league, I don't think Cbus takes the next step without one. If you give Panarin a skilled center they'll be tough to stop.

Oh.....and get rid of the psycho coach. His "sell by date" is always much sooner than other coaches.
- madmike71

100% agree on the center. However, solid young defensemen don't grow on trees either, so I'm holding on to Jones & Werenski. Keeping Panarin & Bob; also probably keep DuBois. Anyone else is up for sale.

Not to be the master of the obvious, but Columbus needs a top line center. I know they don't grow on trees, so maybe you dangle Werenski out there and see what he could get in return. It's such a center driven league, I don't think Cbus takes the next step without one. If you give Panarin a skilled center they'll be tough to stop.

Oh.....and get rid of the psycho coach. His "sell by date" is always much sooner than other coaches.
- madmike71

I thought the team had high hopes for Wennberg, he looked like he was really developing last season, but he's not producing this year.

Any Bluejacket fans that can shed some light on that?

"Yeah . . . this is it. For a team on the second game of a back-to-back, the Pens seemed to have a higher gear than the CBJ, especially on offense - 5 goals on 23 shots (21%), vs. the CBJ 2 goals (again !!) on 37 (5%). The Pens beat the CBJ to the loose pucks in front of the net, while the CBJ can't get the rebounds corralled in the net. They are usually - over - , or wide - , or whiffed !!
This is a really disappointing team.

Maybe Jarmo should do what the Cavs did at the Trade Deadline. Keep a few core players and swap the others out !!"
- birdie03




I REALLY hope not, as aside from Brandon Dub, I'm a big fan of Columbus being successful, not to mention the rivalry that seems to be developing with the Pens... well, except for last night, as it appeared the Jackets had NOTHING, but Panarin.
A true impact player would surely help, but the Jackets' faithful have to be a little more, well, faithful. It takes YEARS to get to the Cup, and even then you can lose in the finals. We've been there. But to hear the 'Let's Go Pens!' chants during the game was for this Pen's fan, very disheartening to hear ringing out from Columbus. You all have to do a better job of filling that arena with Jackets fans to help support what I think has been a pretty solid, competitive team for quite a few years now. It seems fans want to win it all every year, and they've lost the capacity to comprehend how difficult it really is to do all the right things just to get CLOSE to the top.
Last night was a drubbing, and another example (for me) that success in the NHL is not all wrapped up in these fancy new advanced stats. There's a thing called 'chemistry' the experts may NEVER be able to quantify, and our Pens have this aspect of their team running on all cylinders right now. And the proof (just one game) is in the fact that we scored 5 5-on-5 goals last night, and none of our superstars provided them. There's also quite a bit of luck involved, even when you may have most if not all the right pieces.
The Jackets need a couple pieces, true character players, and not just advanced-metric superstar cast-offs from say NYR or OTT. And the organization and the fans need to step up and support their team.
Torts? IDK... was never a big fan, but he does seem to be tempering his approach. There isn't a whole lot of talk about his security there... at least not this far east...

I thought the team had high hopes for Wennberg, he looked like he was really developing last season, but he's not producing this year.

Any Bluejacket fans that can shed some light on that?
- david22

A slow start to the season and injury derailed his development , I too had high hopes for him (and my pool ) .

Hopefully he comes back strong next season and takes back the first centre position from Dubois....

A slow start to the season and injury derailed his development , I too had high hopes for him (and my pool ) .

Hopefully he comes back strong next season and takes back the first centre position from Dubois....
- Alexzanki

I dropped him early in the season, probably held onto him longer than I should have.

Barzal was available though, so I'm alright with that.

"Yeah . . . this is it. For a team on the second game of a back-to-back, the Pens seemed to have a higher gear than the CBJ, especially on offense - 5 goals on 23 shots (21%), vs. the CBJ 2 goals (again !!) on 37 (5%). The Pens beat the CBJ to the loose pucks in front of the net, while the CBJ can't get the rebounds corralled in the net. They are usually - over - , or wide - , or whiffed !!
This is a really disappointing team.

Maybe Jarmo should do what the Cavs did at the Trade Deadline. Keep a few core players and swap the others out !!"
- birdie03




I REALLY hope not, as aside from Brandon Dub, I'm a big fan of Columbus being successful, not to mention the rivalry that seems to be developing with the Pens... well, except for last night, as it appeared the Jackets had NOTHING, but Panarin.
A true impact player would surely help, but the Jackets' faithful have to be a little more, well, faithful. It takes YEARS to get to the Cup, and even then you can lose in the finals. We've been there. But to hear the 'Let's Go Pens!' chants during the game was for this Pen's fan, very disheartening to hear ringing out from Columbus. You all have to do a better job of filling that arena with Jackets fans to help support what I think has been a pretty solid, competitive team for quite a few years now. It seems fans want to win it all every year, and they've lost the capacity to comprehend how difficult it really is to do all the right things just to get CLOSE to the top.
Last night was a drubbing, and another example (for me) that success in the NHL is not all wrapped up in these fancy new advanced stats. There's a thing called 'chemistry' the experts may NEVER be able to quantify, and our Pens have this aspect of their team running on all cylinders right now. And the proof (just one game) is in the fact that we scored 5 5-on-5 goals last night, and none of our superstars provided them. There's also quite a bit of luck involved, even when you may have most if not all the right pieces.
The Jackets need a couple pieces, true character players, and not just advanced-metric superstar cast-offs from say NYR or OTT. And the organization and the fans need to step up and support their team.
Torts? IDK... was never a big fan, but he does seem to be tempering his approach. There isn't a whole lot of talk about his security there... at least not this far east...
- skridscousin

Isn't there an old(?) saying about rivalries - that each team has to beat the other team ?? I think the Jackets have won 3 times in the last 2 yrs, including the playoffs !! And yes, I also believe the CBJ "chemistry" is off ! Whether it's something in the locker room, or other off-ice issue, but it seems to carry onto the ice. They often seem so out of sync when transitioning up the ice. It's not a 5 man movement - maybe 1, maybe 2, maybe 2 + trailer . . . who knows. Sometimes 2 players in the OZ, on same side of the ice, puck goes across the slot to . . . nobody home ??!! Ooops, we were changing lines, or something.
Panarin is a work horse out there, solid 2-way player. I hope we can keep him around after next year.
There is too much inconsistency among the players. They go MIA for games at a time. As I've said before, we need an impact center. Last year we had 3 good scoring lines, this year we're lucky to scrape together one.

Very frustrating.

100% agree on the center. However, solid young defensemen don't grow on trees either, so I'm holding on to Jones & Werenski. Keeping Panarin & Bob; also probably keep DuBois. Anyone else is up for sale.
- birdie03

Considering you already have Jones (an elite dman), you could afford to swap out Werenski for a top line center JMO....even if it takes a package deal. If I were your GM I'd go to the draft saying I'm open for business and want a center. Anybody is available other than Jones and Panarin.

And....I would dump your idiot coach.

I dropped him early in the season, probably held onto him longer than I should have.

Barzal was available though, so I'm alright with that.
- david22

I have a long term keeper league, i'm stuck with him next year then he's free for 2020

Isn't there an old(?) saying about rivalries - that each team has to beat the other team ?? I think the Jackets have won 3 times in the last 2 yrs, including the playoffs !! And yes, I also believe the CBJ "chemistry" is off ! Whether it's something in the locker room, or other off-ice issue, but it seems to carry onto the ice. They often seem so out of sync when transitioning up the ice. It's not a 5 man movement - maybe 1, maybe 2, maybe 2 + trailer . . . who knows. Sometimes 2 players in the OZ, on same side of the ice, puck goes across the slot to . . . nobody home ??!! Ooops, we were changing lines, or something.
Panarin is a work horse out there, solid 2-way player. I hope we can keep him around after next year.
There is too much inconsistency among the players. They go MIA for games at a time. As I've said before, we need an impact center. Last year we had 3 good scoring lines, this year we're lucky to scrape together one.

Very frustrating.
- birdie03

I suppose a rivalry should be defined as being evenly balanced, but I find myself looking forward to games against the Jackets with some hesitation, as they are certainly more than capable of beating their opposition to a pulp. They still play more of a western conference style game, and these tend to bear out injuries, something the Pens are all too familiar with. In any event, I hope they stay in the east, the metro, and make some smart moves before the deadline.

The Hawks are more of a rival than the CBJ are and theyre a western conf team, so this talk of a rivalry is pretty laughable.

I suppose a rivalry should be defined as being evenly balanced, but I find myself looking forward to games against the Jackets with some hesitation, as they are certainly more than capable of beating their opposition to a pulp. They still play more of a western conference style game, and these tend to bear out injuries, something the Pens are all too familiar with. In any event, I hope they stay in the east, the metro, and make some smart moves before the deadline.
- skridscousin

I must say , those 2014 playoffs games was probably the best of the first round

Considering you already have Jones (an elite dman), you could afford to swap out Werenski for a top line center JMO....even if it takes a package deal. If I were your GM I'd go to the draft saying I'm open for business and want a center. Anybody is available other than Jones and Panarin.

And....I would dump your idiot coach.
- madmike71

Nah . . . you build from back to front. So I'm keeping Bob, Jones, Werenski; and up front keeping Panarin. (Providing I can sign Bob & Panarin to nice deals this summer; and Werenski to a bridge deal.) He's dropped off from last yr's pace, and more minor injuries, so prove to me you're not a one-year wonder. I hope it's just a sophmore slump.
The Jackets have been burned in the past giving term deals based on one good year (see David Savard).