Seven More Days To… Tee Time
Thursday night’s game against Detroit was the first of three (!) games against the Red Wings in the last five games of the season. Back in October, I said quite a bit about how Central Division games, especially against the Wings, would be key to staying in contention for a Playoff spot, and that if the Jackets kept it close as far as Playoff contention in April, these three games against the Wings would be pure hell.
At least I think I wrote that in October….
Then again, it’s not like it matters. The Jackets were officially out of it when Detroit beat Minnesota last Friday, and with Todd Bertuzzi’s soccer goal Thursday, Detroit is probably in the Playoffs with the point they just earned against Nashville today. After seeing the Red Wings teetering on the brink of disaster for most of the season, the goaltending of no-brainer Calder candidate Jimmy Howard pulled Detroit out of the fire.
Meanwhile, the Jackets have managed a 10-6-4 record under Claude Noel, after plodding to the 22-27-9 record that got Ken Hitchcock fired as coach. Although it has been a few weeks since I wrote, I won’t get into all the gory details about inconsistency, losing games they should have won (c’mon… losing to the freaking Islanders?!?!?) and all that stuff. I’ll save that for a “Premature Year-In-Review” piece once the regular season is over, before I kick back, watch the Playoffs for as long as there is a team I give a care about, maybe play some golf and, of course, find other sports stuff to write.
So I’ll just talk about tonight’s game against Washington. The Jackets will meet former teammate Jason Chimera tonight in the ice in Nationwide Arena, for the first time since he was traded earlier this season. It’s no secret that the fans at Nationwide loved having Chimmer, and there was a lot of emotion involved when the trade went down.
"The only things the Presidents’ Trophy means are sky-high expectations and an exponential degree of disappointment if and when the Presidents Trophy winner is eliminated."
On paper, a win means more to the Capitals, who are still shy of clinching the Presidents Trophy for best overall record and home ice throughout the Playoffs. Not that the Presidents’ Trophy is the be-all, end-all of hockey. The only things the Presidents’ Trophy means are sky-high expectations – and more often than not, is an exponential degree of disappointment if and when the Presidents Trophy winner is eliminated all too soon. It happened to the San Jose Sharks in the first round last year, and the Presidents' Trophy winner falls short 2/3 of the time.
Still, even though the Jackets’ Playoff hopes are long-since gone, a win over Alex Ovechkin and the mighty Capitals would be nice. The good guys may have some help in net, depending on which Jose Theodore shows up. Yes, obviously, it’s silly to knock a goaltender who is 20 wins above .500 this season, as Theodore is, but hey… if Theo is in “Playoff Mode” early, tonight could be a really good game for Columbus. You never know, though. The only guaranteed win over Jose Theodore is in a Playoff series, so Columbus won’t have that opportunity unless they move east, or Theo moves west via trade or free agency.
"It is always fun to knock off Playoff-bound teams on the way out, when there is seemingly no other incentive."
Anyway, the Jackets are 7-3-2 in their last twelve games. It is always fun to knock off Playoff-bound teams on the way out, when there is seemingly no other incentive. There is always the “playing for your job” thing, too, though. Surely GM Scott Howson is thinking about the team’s needs for next year, and whether he needs to fill them through trades, free agency, or moving up some minor-league guys from Syracuse/Springfield.
I think the fact that it’s a home game against Washington should be incentive enough. Then again, I’m a hockey fiend. The fact that it’s a hockey game would be enough incentive for me.
Damn the standings… full speed ahead.
Go Jackets!