Players for the Sens have tested positive for COVID-19. What does this mean for the NHL season? Could those players make a return to the team this season? Do all players have to pass a COVID-19 test in order to play?

All interesting questions. Player and fan safety should be the determining factor to continuing the season, but we all know this is a business. On the surface it is a beloved game, but if it didn't generate profits it would disappear, look at the women's Canadian professional hockey league. Anyway, with an eye on the season restart (that has no time table), let's discuss the proposal of a 24-team playoff.

24 Team Playoff

A 24-team playoff would likely mean that the regular season would not be finished. How would non-playoff teams feel about this? They would probably oppose this plan would be my guess. None of the teams fighting for a playoff spot would be left out, but would also include teams that shouldn't/wouldn't make it otherwise. Think of Montreal and Chicago.

The top 4 teams would get a bye, while the bottom 8 would have an additional opening series. This would provide a favorable advantage to those top 4 teams, but it's better than keeping teams out of the playoffs, right? Would all of these be 7-game series? Or would that opening series be shorter?

Lots and lots of questions about this plan. What do you think would work best? Should teams like Chicago and Montreal get in? Would you rather see the NHL keep the current Wild Card format and try to finish regular season?

Rick Nash's Impact on Hockey in Columbus

In 2002 Rick Nash was the number 1 overall pick to Columbus, but Columbus didn't have the first pick. If you remember, they had trade up to get him. The draft order was scheduled to go FLA, ATL then CBJ. Columbus swapped spots with FLA and gave FLA the option to swap first rounder's in the 2003 draft.

First question, was this a wise trade? In 2002, the first round talent was thin. Once you get past the first 3 players, not many guys had star-impact. Notable guys in the 2002 first round were: Kari Lehtonen (G), Jay Bouwmeester (D), Ryan Whitney (D), Scottie Upshaw (F), Joffrey Lupul (F), Alex Semin (F) and Cam Ward(D).

Columbus was not excited about a goalie and were worried that Nash wouldn't be there in the 3 slot. Florida seemed set on Bouwmeester and the unknown was ATL, who ended up selecting Lehtonen. On the other hand the 2003 draft was completely stacked in the first round. Seventeen players in that first round were All-Stars. Of course, CBJ selected one of the few that didn't round into a solid NHL player: Nikolay Zherdev. Names like Vanek, Suter, Phaneuf, Carter, Brown, Seabrook, Parise, Getzlaf, Richards and Perry were all selected after Z. Hindsight is 20/20, but this first round seemed like a can't miss. However, the Nash trade didn't really impact the CBJ selection in 2003, a bad section did. Conclusion is that the Nash trade was not harmful to the Jackets. It may have been unnecessary as he could have been there, but didn't impact anything else.

Nash by the numbers...

Rick spent 9 seasons in Columbus scoring 289 goals and dishing out 258 assists. He topped 30+ goals in 7 seasons (twice with 40+) only being below 20 goals in his rookie season (17). These numbers were solid as an impact player. He may have been overshadowed on other teams but he was the only scoring option in Columbus. He was being targeted every night by the opposition and still managed to put up good point totals.

Living through the Nash Era in Columbus...

In Columbus, hockey was a novelty, the first professional team in a big-time-college-football town. Nash was able to add some validity to a struggling organization, that continued to struggle, but now had it's star.

While it took some time to build a team around him and make the playoffs (2009), he legitimatized hockey as a 'real sport' in Columbus. People started paying attention. He was not only the best player in Columbus, he was a top scorer in the league, sharing the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2004 with 41 goals (still a CBJ record).

Personally I was a Chicago Blackhawks fan (and still am somewhere deep down) when Columbus was awarded an expansion team. Until Nash started skating for them, the only time I went to a game was to see Chicago play. While his time in Columbus didn't equal the success the organization, community and team (and probably Nash himself) wanted, it kicked off a belief that the Jackets could win in this league.

Without Nash spending nearly a decade in Columbus and pushing this team into the playoffs, other players (both free agents and draftees) wouldn't have been excited to play in this market. It is still hard for Columbus to attract and keep free agents (Bob and Bread as recent examples), but may have been impossible without Nash keeping Columbus in the league headlines. He made me (and many, many others) a Blue Jackets fan. His return to work for the organization further promotes Columbus as a hockey destination.

Thank you Rick Nash, you made and continue to make hockey in Columbus special.

Stay safe....

Good Luck and Go Jackets

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