What Might Have Been
Posted 8:10 PM ET | Comments 4
The Blue Jackets, coming off an impressive come-from-behind win Friday night in Vancouver, had seemingly shrugged off the disappointment of Tuesday's trading deadline.
Departing captain Adam Foote, the subject of a heated exchange of words via the media following his trade back to Colorado, was alleged to be the glue that held together the locker room. Though his presence may be missed, the team has moved on and their play has vastly improved of late.
Against the Oilers on Sunday night, the Blue Jackets may have played their best road game of the year through forty minutes, but a bizarre 20-second stretch late in the third period cost them two points.
The season thus far has been a myriad of "what ifs" for the Blue Jackets--ranging from "what if they signed a top scorer last summer" to "what if they acquired Brad Richards at the deadline."
The real "what if" lies within their putrid record in overtime. With ten overtime and shootout losses, they are tied for most in the league with Toronto and St. Louis.
Currently sitting four points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, it may very well be that a couple of extra points will cost the Blue Jackets their first postseason berth. Had they won less than half of the games lost in the extra session, they would be tied for the eighth spot. Win five, and they have a one-point cushion over ninth place.
Simple math, but a perplexing situation.
How can a team with a 5-of-7 shootout sniper in Nikolai Zherdev and arguably one of the best young players in the league in Rick Nash be stymied so often in shootouts? Add to the mix veterans Michael Peca, David Vyborny and Fredrik Modin (also former Blue Jacket Sergei Fedorov), and one would like their chances in the skills competition.
Quality of shots has become an issue. I'm one of the big advocates of resisting the urge to deke goaltenders out of their jocks in the shootout. In today's game, with goalie pads as thick and flexible as they are, and goaltenders being as athletic as ever, the odds are against the shooter if they attempt a fancy move. More often than not, we see the puck roll off the stick, goalies poke-check shooters and many other variables.
The Blue Jackets, save for Zherdev, don't shoot the puck enough in the shootout. Nash has a deke fantasy--sometimes it works (ask Chris Osgood), but the frequent occurrence is a missed attempt. Perhaps most confusing was Modin's knack for attempting dekes in last year's shootouts. It doesn't make any sense.
It goes without saying that if you shoot the puck, your odds of scoring increase greatly.
Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, their playoff hopes may come down to an untimely decision to go for the dramatics.
--Rob Mixer
[email][email protected][/email]
Departing captain Adam Foote, the subject of a heated exchange of words via the media following his trade back to Colorado, was alleged to be the glue that held together the locker room. Though his presence may be missed, the team has moved on and their play has vastly improved of late.
Against the Oilers on Sunday night, the Blue Jackets may have played their best road game of the year through forty minutes, but a bizarre 20-second stretch late in the third period cost them two points.
The season thus far has been a myriad of "what ifs" for the Blue Jackets--ranging from "what if they signed a top scorer last summer" to "what if they acquired Brad Richards at the deadline."
The real "what if" lies within their putrid record in overtime. With ten overtime and shootout losses, they are tied for most in the league with Toronto and St. Louis.
Currently sitting four points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, it may very well be that a couple of extra points will cost the Blue Jackets their first postseason berth. Had they won less than half of the games lost in the extra session, they would be tied for the eighth spot. Win five, and they have a one-point cushion over ninth place.
Simple math, but a perplexing situation.
How can a team with a 5-of-7 shootout sniper in Nikolai Zherdev and arguably one of the best young players in the league in Rick Nash be stymied so often in shootouts? Add to the mix veterans Michael Peca, David Vyborny and Fredrik Modin (also former Blue Jacket Sergei Fedorov), and one would like their chances in the skills competition.
Quality of shots has become an issue. I'm one of the big advocates of resisting the urge to deke goaltenders out of their jocks in the shootout. In today's game, with goalie pads as thick and flexible as they are, and goaltenders being as athletic as ever, the odds are against the shooter if they attempt a fancy move. More often than not, we see the puck roll off the stick, goalies poke-check shooters and many other variables.
The Blue Jackets, save for Zherdev, don't shoot the puck enough in the shootout. Nash has a deke fantasy--sometimes it works (ask Chris Osgood), but the frequent occurrence is a missed attempt. Perhaps most confusing was Modin's knack for attempting dekes in last year's shootouts. It doesn't make any sense.
It goes without saying that if you shoot the puck, your odds of scoring increase greatly.
Unfortunately for the Blue Jackets, their playoff hopes may come down to an untimely decision to go for the dramatics.
--Rob Mixer
[email][email protected][/email]
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24 The dreaded (or not so dreaded) off-season
24 Wanted: GM without the ego
25 Round 2 --can it top Round 1?
26 Who Gets the Hart?
26 Who Gets the Hart?
29 Earth to Nashville
30 The Enigma That is Nikolai Zherdev
24 Wanted: GM without the ego
25 Round 2 --can it top Round 1?
26 Who Gets the Hart?
26 Who Gets the Hart?
29 Earth to Nashville
30 The Enigma That is Nikolai Zherdev
09 Blue Jackets Sign C Kris Beech
10 Dog Days of Summer...and CBJ Missing the Boat
11 Training Camp Preview
12 Trade Winds are Swirling....
13 "
13 "
13 "
21 Welcome to Columbus, Mr. Peca
23 An Overhead View of the 2007-2008 Columbus Blue Jackets
23 An Overhead View of the 2007-2008 Columbus Blue Jackets
28 2007-2008 Preview Part I: Forwards
10 Dog Days of Summer...and CBJ Missing the Boat
11 Training Camp Preview
12 Trade Winds are Swirling....
13 "
13 "
13 "
21 Welcome to Columbus, Mr. Peca
23 An Overhead View of the 2007-2008 Columbus Blue Jackets
23 An Overhead View of the 2007-2008 Columbus Blue Jackets
28 2007-2008 Preview Part I: Forwards
06 2007-2008 Preview Part 2: Defense
28 Jackets Face Questions Entering the Regular Season
30 Welcome to the Show, Boys
28 Jackets Face Questions Entering the Regular Season
30 Welcome to the Show, Boys
09 Opening with a BOOM!
10 Gretzky's Boys Come to Town
11 Jackets Defense Stands Tall Again
15 Jackets' Road Woes Continue
15 No Suspension for Westcott; Hitch Shuffles the Deck (Again)
22 Jackets Start, End Flat
10 Gretzky's Boys Come to Town
11 Jackets Defense Stands Tall Again
15 Jackets' Road Woes Continue
15 No Suspension for Westcott; Hitch Shuffles the Deck (Again)
22 Jackets Start, End Flat
14 New Blog!!
16 Pazzy, Jackets Earn Win
16 Rumors Just Won't Go Away
21 There Comes a Time....
23 20-Minute Special
25 Solid Road Trip
28 Time to Move On
30 Blue Jackets Trade Jody Shelley
31 Curse Reversed, Right?
16 Pazzy, Jackets Earn Win
16 Rumors Just Won't Go Away
21 There Comes a Time....
23 20-Minute Special
25 Solid Road Trip
28 Time to Move On
30 Blue Jackets Trade Jody Shelley
31 Curse Reversed, Right?
05 Caps Roll In, Other Thoughts
06 The Ledge is Closer, Mason On His Way
12 Help Wanted...Quickly
16 When Five Become One
17 Trouble Brewed
18 Into the Spotlight
19 Rick Comes Home
19 How Much More Can He Take?
20 Who Needs the Coach, Anyway?
22 The Old Hitch Trick Works
29 The Aftermath...or the Backdraft
06 The Ledge is Closer, Mason On His Way
12 Help Wanted...Quickly
16 When Five Become One
17 Trouble Brewed
18 Into the Spotlight
19 Rick Comes Home
19 How Much More Can He Take?
20 Who Needs the Coach, Anyway?
22 The Old Hitch Trick Works
29 The Aftermath...or the Backdraft
01 Scratching, Clawing, Never Quitting
03 What Might Have Been
04 Talkcast, Wednesday @ 7pm
06 Getting Back on Track
09 When the Lights Turn On
27 Secondary Scoring Shows Up
03 What Might Have Been
04 Talkcast, Wednesday @ 7pm
06 Getting Back on Track
09 When the Lights Turn On
27 Secondary Scoring Shows Up
The reason the Blue Jackets have a horrible record in the shoot out is not lack of scoring rather lack of the goaltenders to stop the puck. Leclaire has allowed 44% of the shots by him and Norrena has allowed 38% of the shot to elude him. Asa comparison the Oiler goalies have stopped 93% (Garon) and 80% (Roloson) of the shots taken.
Safe to say, the goaltending is the least of their concerns. Comparing Leclaire's shootout statistics to Garon is making an example, not a point. I was only examining what the standings may look like if the Blue Jackets won half of the shootouts they've lost, not all of them. Most NHL goaltenders have a shootout save percentage of 50-70%. Leclaire's 56% and Norrena's 62% aren't terrible, but coupled with a few more goals, things might be different.
Shootout shooters not named Nash or Zherdev are a stellar 1-14. There enlies the problem.
The Dispatch incorrectly reported the stat. Curtis Glencross (Dec. 3) and Michael Peca (Nov. 24) have converted on shootout chances this year--but that's just me being nit-picky. But yes, the "other" shooters are the problem.