EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the regular column of Rob Mixer, writer for BlueJackets.com. You can follow Rob on Twitter (@RobMixer) and follow his work on the CBJ Today blog.
It was the first day of March and I was posted up at one of our Buffalo Wild Wings viewing parties - most likely making short work of some pickle chips - when a friend texted me to let me know these were the "same old Jackets."
Not only did that phrase make my blood boil, I was flabbergasted in reading it and couldn't figure out why my friend would say this. Had he watched the game, a 4-3 overtime loss at the United Center in Chicago when the Blue Jackets' sixth defenseman arrived in an airport cab halfway through the first period? Did he not understand the collective resolve that this club had shown despite a number of one-goal losses?
At the time, none of this mattered and I was a little ticked off. I simply replied: "You're wrong. Just wait."
Over the next few weeks, the image of that text message replayed in my head but it no longer upset me. It made me think and ponder why my friend felt that way about a team that was obviously different than those which came before it. As someone who was born and raised in this wonderful city, I was confident that I was right but I was also *really* hoping that I would eventually be right.
And I wasn't naive enough to gloss over the obvious (a 5-12-2 record and last place in the Western Conference at the time), of course, but I really wanted to figure out if said friend was the only person who had those feelings - and if he wasn't, then why?
This year's Scotiabank NHL Draft Lottery was largely uneventful...until the final two spots in the order.
With an 18.8 percent change leap frog over the Florida Panthers (owners of the lottery's best odds at 25 percent), the Colorado Avalanche won the lottery and will select No. 1 overall at the 2013 NHL Draft, to be held June 30 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Widely considered to be the "Seth Jones sweepstakes," the Avalanche get the opportunity to select the 18-year-old defense prospect who grew up playing hockey in the Mile High City.
The Blue Jackets, owners of three total first-round picks in this year's draft after the Rick Nash and Jeff Carter trades, are new owners of the 14th overall pick in the first round. The final order will be determined upon conclusion of the Stanley Cup playoffs, which begin with first-round series on Tuesday night.
Here's a brief breakdown of the Blue Jackets' history in the draft lottery:
Under this system, the Blue Jackets had the most regular-season points and smallest chance (0.5%) of winning the lottery. The percentage chance of being selected in the 2013 Scotiabank Draft Lottery was as follows, based on team finish: Florida (25.0 pct.), Colorado (18.8 pct.), Tampa Bay (14.2 pct.), Nashville (10.7 pct.), Carolina (8.1 pct.), Calgary (6.2 pct.), Edmonton (4.7 pct.), Buffalo (3.6 pct.), New Jersey (2.7 pct.), Dallas (2.1 pct.), Philadelphia (1.5 pct.), Phoenix (1.1 pct.), Winnipeg (0.8 pct.) and COLUMBUS (0.5 pct.).
Much of the credit surrounding the Blue Jackets' dramatic turnaround in 2012-13 rightfully goes to the players in the dressing room - namely goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky - but the players were quick to point out another deserving party.
When the season could have easily gone off the rails in late February with the Blue Jackets sporting a 5-12-2 record and occupying last place in the Western Conference, the club needed a steady hand that could reinforce the positives from the first month of the season. The Blue Jackets found themselves on the wrong end of seemingly countless one-goal games and were gripping the sticks tight, but they found a way through it.
James Wisniewski, a guy who has been around the NHL for a few years and played for different kinds of coaches, was particularly impressed with how positive and supportive Todd Richards and his coaching staff were through some of the roughest patches of the season.
Rather than making drastic changes and looking for a shake-up, Richards kept morale high and kept the group focused on one game at a time. As is well-known by now, the Blue Jackets used that approach to climb back into the playoff picture and leave the basement faster than a kid scared of the dark.
"They really just let us be the group that we had, and formed and molded their coaching styles to what we had," Wisniewski said. "You can ask anyone: we obviously weren't the most talented group on the ice, but you couldn't beat our work ethic and that just showed we really were a blue-collared, hard-working team."
While always holding the benefit of hindsight, the consensus among Blue Jackets players was that had the season not ended when it did, it had the chance to be special.
Heading down the stretch, this was a club that posted a 19-5-4 record since Mar. 1 and went from last place into the thick of a playoff race. The Blue Jackets played their best hockey when it counted, but unfortunately, they came up one point shot of the second playoff berth in franchise history.
But one positive was to end the season the way they did: in front of a sold-out Nationwide Arena with an atmosphere unlike any they've experienced in Columbus. That was the common refrain coming from the players as they cleaned out lockers, went through exit physicals and interviews before heading into the offseason today.
The emotions were still very raw from last night's extreme high to extreme low in about 10 minutes, RJ Umberger said, and the most difficult part was balancing how proud they were with their late-season run with the disappointment of not getting the job done.
At the very least, Umberger said, the Blue Jackets established a standard of going into every game with an expectation of winning.
"As a group, we learned how to win hockey games," Umberger said. "I think we have a foundation of how we want to play here, a work ethic, and a group that's shared a lot together this year. I think the majority of us will be back, and I think it's a great foundation to build off of."
Facing a must-win game in what is sure to be a sold-out and rocking Nationwide Arena, the Blue Jackets will receive one more boost tonight.
Artem Anisimov returns to the Columbus lineup after missing five games with an upper body injury, both the player and coach Todd Richards confirmed this morning. Anisimov had been skating by himself while the team was on its road trip, and took the ice for the morning skate today with his teammates for the first time since his injury.
It's been a frustrating time for the 24-year-old Russian since he received a hit to the head from Minnesota forward Charlie Coyle less than 30 seconds in the Blue Jackets' 3-2 shootout win on Apr. 13 at Xcel Energy Center. Despite Coyle not receiving any supplementary discipline from the NHL's Department of Player Safety, the club's play in the meantime has made the recovery period a bit easier to handle.
The Blue Jackets went 5-1-0 on the two-week trip, giving themselves an opportunity to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in four years and the second time in franchise history.
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6:30 A.M. -- THE STAGE IS SET: Well, today should be fun.
The "help" that the Blue Jackets had been waiting for finally arrived last night, as the Edmonton Oilers crashed the Minnesota Wild's party on home ice and walked away with a convincing 6-1 win in St. Paul. The Wild had an opportunity to win the game and clinch a playoff spot, but their season will also come down to the final day. A win for Minnesota in Colorado tonight puts them in the playoffs, but if they were to lose in any fashion, the Blue Jackets can jump them with two points.
Detroit closes out its season in Dallas tonight, meaning a Red Wings victory is also good for a playoff spot for the 22nd consecutive season. If the Red Wings falter - and they have to lose in regulation - a Columbus win over Nashville puts the Jackets in the postseason.
Since we're all pretty horrible at math, we'll continue to work at this throughout the day and provide all the scenarios for you. But, as you've come to expect, we will have all game day news covered on the CBJ game day blog - so keep it tuned right here, become one with the refresh button, and hang on for the ride.
Go Jackets!
The Blue Jackets are moving quickly to solidify their core group of players, and Cam Atkinson could not be happier to be part of it.
Less than 24 hours after scoring two huge goals in a 3-1 Columbus win in Dallas that kept their playoff hopes alive, Atkinson signed a two-year extension that makes him the third Blue Jacket to do so since the April 3 trade deadline (following Mark Letestu and Matt Calvert). The 23-year-old started the season on a red-hot pace with the Springfield Falcons, and once recalled to Columbus following the NHL lockout, worked his way into a prominent role with the Blue Jackets.
His eight goals and eight assists in 34 games this season have, for the most part, been key goals in hockey games. Considering the reputation Atkinson built for scoring clutch goals while at Boston College, it's not much of a surprise but he hopes it's just the tip of iceberg in his young NHL career.
"I'm so excited to be part of this group for the next two years and build on the good things we've done so far," Atkinson told BlueJackets.com. "I know it sounds cliche and everyone keeps saying it, but it's so true. The camaraderie and trust that we've built with each other is amazing."
Can we just fast-forward to Saturday already?
These Blue Jackets must have felt cornered for as often as their backs have been against the wall, but as they've shown so many times this season, they're awfully rich in the intangibles department. In a must-win game last night in Dallas, they rode an emotional roller coaster through a game that felt like three different games: a fast-moving first period, a Stars-dominated second period and a third period best summed up by "come on, clock, tick faster."
When Mark Letestu cranked the game-winning goal past Kari Lehtonen seven minutes into the third period, you could almost feel the collective exhale from a Blue Jackets fanbase that was on the edge of its seat (and scoreboard watching) all night long. The Stars - who knew after the second period that their postseason hopes were over, according to coach Glen Gulutzan - didn't have the same zip to their game in the third period but obviously, the circumstances were understandable.
But that's not to take anything away from the Blue Jackets, who had to dig deep and get the job done the hard way once again. In the sixth game of a road trip that was likey the tipping point of their season, the Jackets took it one game at a time and fly home to Columbus with a 5-1-0 record on the trip - keeping them squarely in the hunt with only the weekend left to be played.
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6:30 A.M. -- HELLLLLLLO, THURSDAY! Raise your hand if you didn't need any additional motivation to get out of bed this morning. (waits patiently)
Alright, so looks like that was just me. I won't hold it against any of you.
In case you hadn't heard, the Blue Jackets have quite a hockey game on tap tonight in Dallas. They're only three points ahead of the Stars entering tonight's game at American Airlines Center and each club has two games remaining, including tonight. Needless to say, this is one of those big-time "swing" games that will greatly help the winner in its quest for the postseason.
Per usual, we'll have all the latest game day happenings right here on the appropriately-named game day blog. Stay tuned for lineup news from both the Jackets and Stars, starting goaltenders, photos, video interviews from our pals at Jackets TV and much more.
Say it with me: let's go Jackets.
