Are the Jackets finally on the cusp of something great ?

[VT]

I'll give my opinion on Laine. To me the key is to start moving your feet in every game, using your body and hands to hold the puck, picking fights at the boards. He has shown more than once that he can do that. He just needs to do it on a regular basis. One also needs to shoot the puck more. That's why, in my opinion, he needs not Gaudreau or another playmaker, but players like Jenner and Nyquist. In this case, Voronkov. Dima has good movement, great play without the puck, is a tough player who will play hard all game, win battles, whether around the boards or in front of the net. Other than that, I would move him to center. He has a great shot, which he can use right at center, where he won't be tied down by one side. I would put either Chinakhov or Marchenko as the other winger. Probably more likely Marchenko and a sniper Yegor to Gaudreau.

One more important thing. All it takes is a change of coach and the team can change completely. I think Babcock can use the talent of the players, teach them new things. Datsyuk directly admitted that it was Babs who cardinally improved his defense, Morgan Reilly was one of the guys who is credited for the progress in the game.

Voronkov (23) -- Laine (25) -- Marchenko (23)
Gaudreau (30) -- Johnson (21) -- Chinakhov (22)
Jenner (30) -- Fantilli (19) -- Texier (24)
Robinson (28) -- Kuraly (30) -- Olivier (26)

Werenski (26), Severson (29)
Provorov (26), Gudbranson (31)
Bean (25), Boqvist (23)

Tarasov (24)

I know, it's an extremely young team. But we have quality veterans. Besides, the team, the core of the team is being built. Also, let's not forget that Voronkov played in the SC finals, where he was an important player, he played on the PK and PP. His coach was Zinetulya Bilyaledtinov, who is one of the best coaches in Russia known for having a sophisticated defense, he can explain his system to the players, also make them better. Chinakhov played under Bob Hartley, which is a similar coach. He is a Gagarin Cup winner. The problem of his pr en season was lack of strength, which changed in the second.

If Johnson gets stronger, Gaudreau could be the center as well. He reads the game well, uses the stick well when defending, playing around the boards.

Texier can be a similar player for Fantilli like Brindley. To them experienced Jenner.
I wouldn't call either of these offenses a classic first/second/third. In my opinion, they should play a similar number of minutes to keep the team playing at a high pace.

That's such "a sofa expert" view, those who know more about hockey are sure to correct me.

EDIT: I don't count Roslovic because he will probably be traded although now I hope that not.

 

[BB88]

He played on a terrible London team. Still managed 19P in 12GP in the playoffs too (more than the guys listed above).
"I've never seen a player step in at such a young age and be able to dominate a game the way he has," said Stan Butler, coach of the OHL's Brampton Battalion and the national junior team Nash played on.

I was just a kid back then, but I’ll take you word for it.

Kyle Connor age 18 at Michigan is pretty good comp: Kyle Connor Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com
I can’t seem to find a good website for NCAA scoring of freshmen.

Connor was a +1 season.

 

[EspenK]

I am currently in isolation recovering from a mild case of Covid. For those of you who haven't had it I hope you never do and if you do it is no worse than mine. Anyway I have had a lot of time to do nothing and today's random thought generator focused on this thread.

To the original posters question "are the Jackets on the cusp of something great" I think the answer is a resounding no.

They are at least a couple of cusps back before they get to the cusp of something great.

In looking at the roster there are only 7 guys who are pretty much certain to be here 5 years from now" Fantilli,Gaudreau,Werenski, Jenner, Laine, Severson & Jiricek. And both Laine & Jenner need to be re-signed and to stay healthy.

From the remaining group hopefully Marcenko continues to get better while his shooting percentage and assists regress (progess?) to the mean. I think he will and at least be solid 3rd liner hopefully a 2LW as discussed below.

The rest? Who knows. Some will develop and show more than they have to date. Some will go the way of other once bright shining hopefuls.

Goalies? Yikes. To go from one of, if not the, worst goalies to a top 10 or so guy is a long trek. Our once promising young Russian goalie can't stay healthy.

If KJ works at 2C the Jackets will need a top 6 LW (maybe/hopefully Marchenko). If he stays at LW the need for a solid 2C is critical.

A lot of hope rests on the prospects. Lets hope they all pan out.

This coming season should be much better than last but as far being on the cusp of something special I think we are a few cusps back

 

[koteka]

This coming season should be much better than last but as far being on the cusp of something special I think we are a few cusps back

I think you just nailed what I feel. I think it is possible and I genuinely hope we are on the cusp of the cusp of the cusp of being great. But we are not on the cusp of being great. I also see a path where management can blow it by thinking we are on the cusp when we aren’t.

 

[puckgoalnet]

Klesla, Nash, Zherdev is the top example I can think of of top prospects assembled at same time. Never panned out in helping the CBJ win.

Listen the CBJ have had more prospects flop and/or requested to be traded than any other team I know (to me it's lack of development). We've very consistently picked in the lottery (very few times have we traded our own 1st round pick) and every year it's "look at my shiny new toy". Couple seasons later that shiny new toy is pretty worthless in most cases but we have another shiny new toy.

A big part of that was Mclean though ... he was just absolutely horrible for this franchise.

We may have had a high pick with promise here or there, but overall he didn't draft well and was notorious for not listening to scouts (so good scouts didn't want to work for him).

Too bad he had McConnell's ear for all those years.

 

[5th Line Fanatic]

A big part of that was Mclean though ... he was just absolutely horrible for this franchise.

We may have had a high pick with promise here or there, but overall he didn't draft well and was notorious for not listening to scouts (so good scouts didn't want to work for him).

Too bad he had McConnell's ear for all those years.

Sorry puckgoalnet, you must not be aware that Doug MacLean literally wrote the book on drafting.

 

[puckgoalnet]

Sorry puckgoalnet, you must not be aware that Doug MacLean literally wrote the book on drafting.
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That's awesome

 

[MoeBartoli]

Sorry puckgoalnet, you must not be aware that Doug MacLean literally wrote the book on drafting.
View attachment 730528

He was obviously presenting the story from the side of Getting Left BehInd.

 

[Youngguns80]

He was obviously presenting the story from the side of Getting Left BehInd.

He would know that better than anyone - getting left behind. He is in the top 3 worse people that I worked with bar none. You think the stories about Babcock are bad of how he treated staff, etc. I witnessed how Doug treated staff, myself, food service people. He was the biggest ego maniac bar none. He is the single reason I left hockey analytics - took all the fun out of it.

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

JD, seriously, you don’t see any difference between this team & the Doug Maclean team with Nash, Z, and Klesla? The one lonviuos difference is DM is not involved. That alone is a gigantic difference.

Over the history of the Jackets EDM has been a critic, and at the same time exhibited both a knowledge of hockey and a desire/ wish for the Blue Jackets to get it together. We suffered through Doug MacLean, (Doug was a roadblock to success - ie his ego and narcissism got in the way of success). Even with that said, had MacLean just followed his scouts recommendation and picked Anze Kopitar our last 15 years would have been significantly different. Nash was a beast. Nash on Kopitar's wing would have been magical. Picking Picard, Z & Brule ripped our hearts out. This is a different situation entirely, and I am excited over EDM's optimism. I'm a fan.. and I particulary like Jarmo and want him to succeed.

 

[LetsGOJackets!!]

Klesla is a good example of why you don't put D that age in the NHL. They get the creativity drained out of them and learn to play in a cautious way to avoid mistakes. I'm hoping we keep Jiricek in the AHL another year.



We don't have many veterans but you're right that the ones we do have make for a very different outcome as the prospects join the big club.

You could add the best prospect pool in the league to a stripped bare team (like the early Jackets or current Chicago) and they won't get much off the floor. Chicago is going to be bad for a long time.

Rusty did get rushed to the NHL for lack of better of options & I don't think he ever touched his potential. I can't remember who his linemates were through his career.. that alone is a bad sign. The year MacLean brought in Richardson and LaChance we should have been accumulating picks and finishing last so that we could get some additional talent. Instead we had seasons just good enough to ensure we didn't get Ovechkin, Malkin, Crosby, or Kane.