How many points will the 2019-20 CBJ have?

"Sure, we suck, but we don't suck as badly as those other guys!"

A tried-and true method of coping with Jackets frustration that has served me very well over the years.

 

Happens every year

 

I think the new face off rules may be having an impact on power play scoring. And thus overall scoring. Some teams like Buffalo, Carolina, and Edmonton are scoring a ton on the power play.

 

Feeling like my mid to high 80 point call might be overshooting it a bit.

 

The worst part is that if you are true we'll still find a way to screw up the lottery.

 

I predicted 88. If they reach that I'll be amazed. I'm currently thinking low 80's.

 

I suspect if they reach or exceed that you will not actually be amazed at the time, because it'd be a gradual process of improvement.

It's not a great start, but I'm not declaring doom until it's all but unavoidable. There's enough stuff in life to worry and be depressed about without also getting ahead of ourselves w/r/t our team.

 

Meh, we had a good week last week with lots of OT games. I haven't liked how we've played the last two games, but its just two games. We can bounce back, but the schedule ahead is pretty tough. It'll be a good test. Not time to panic yet.

 

Currently on pace for...*checks math*...82 points.

 

My prediction is still neutral/bearish. Although its not as bad as I feared it could had been.

 

You guys have all forgotten the remarkable history of the Blue Jackets. Lose ugly early and often, demoralizing the fan base and be out of the playoffs by mid November. Stay comatose for 2/3's of the season and put themselves in a position to get one of the high draft picks. Then out of the blue, somehow, someway we go on and win 17 out of 20, still not playoff contenders but royally screwing our draft position and end up with the next Picard or Filatov. Yes, I'm a well seasoned jaded, cynical CBJ fan.

 

We haven't forgotten it; it's just irrelevant because literally none of those people are around anymore. Unless you somehow think that Rick Nash's hockey exec training wheels are sufficient to empower the Curse Of The Penitentiary or something.

 

The good thing about concentrating that much suck in the last two games is that it's still zero points whether you lose a close one or you play terribly. Can't get negative points.

 

My main concern is that we can't score. Look at scores from around the league. 6-5, 7-6.etc. We'll never be in those games.

 

Through 12 games the CBJ are scoring 2.58 goals per game and allowing 3.58 goals per game.

Washington is averaging 3.8 goals scored per game. Nashville 4.0, Pittsburgh (which is middle of the pack) is around 3.5 per game.

Bemstrom doesn't appear to be ready for prime time, Texier is hurt so it's highly unlikely that the CBJ are going to score a league average amount of goals this season. Even improving to 3.0 goals per game average-which I think is peak for this roster-isn't going to cut it for the playoffs.

This team is probably in rebuild at this point.

 

I slightly object to that last. Rebuild implies that we need to start selling assets, and I think that'd do more harm that help. We certainly need guys to mature, but Adding More Youth isn't a cure-all - especially considering we already have the youngest team in the league. And of course any discussion of tanking will require that I start setting people on fire.

(Also, I think it's too early to draw such sweeping conclusions, but that's me. Meanwhile, I'm trying to get feedback from Devils fans on a Murray-for-Hall swap...)

 

One month in. This is how I would break out the East:

The top 5: Boston, Buffalo, Washington, Carolina, and the Islanders. There are two surprises here — Tampa Bay is not in the top position, and the Sabres are winning. The Sabres started hot last year and faded, so we’ll see how they fare as the season goes on.

Teams in the running for Alexis Lafrenièr: Ottawa, Detroit, and New Jersey. No surprises here. If they don’t trade Hall, the Devils will end up with Lafrenièr because that is what happens.

The point per game teams: CBJ, Rangers, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, and Toronto. Tampa Bay should improve. Toronto should be better. Not surprised that Philadelphia, Columbus, and the Rangers are here.

In if the playoffs started today: Montreal, Florida, and Pittsburgh.

The surprises over all are minimal. The Capitals have the most points — we’ve all seen that before. The Lightning are the best team on paper, but might still be feeling the effects of us sweeping them. The Islanders surprised everyone last year — I thought they would fall back, but it isn’t shocking that they are the same team they were last year. 29 goals against in 12 games is why the Islanders are winning. The suckiest teams still suck. Toronto might be the biggest surprise, but Tavares is out, so not really.

I’d still vote close but no cigar for Jackets.

 

20 games into the season and we are tied with the Lightning and 2 points behind Toronto. I think we all would have been happy if we were told that before the season started.

 

We're actually ahead of Toronto in points percentage. The Bolts, alas, have two games in hand on us. (We have three games in hand on Toronto.)

 

22 games in and we are 27/31 teams. On pace for 82 points.

 

Two months in and this is how I see it.

The class of the East: Capitals, Islander, and Bruins

Playoff caliber: Flyers, Panthers, Islanders, Penguins, Rangers, Lightning

Point per game: Leafs, Sabres, Canadiens, Jackets

Lafrenièr Sweepstakes: Devils, Sens, Red Wings

The Metro has more teams worthy of the playoffs than the Atlantic. Unfortunately the Jackets are one of two Metro teams that are not playoff worthy.

Buffalo keeps dropping which isn’t a surprise. Flyers have been improving.

 

Currently tracking to 79 points. Just saying.

 

We play 9 games in the next 17 days starting Thursday. Do or die time basically. It's an easy schedule except for the high number of games in the number of days. Only one team on the schedule (Washington-who is played twice) is a top notch opponent. 3 others are ok-NYR, PIT and FLA and the others stink-OTT, LA, DET, NJ.

If 11 points aren't gotten from this run of games, then it's probably kiss the season goodbye.