Jackets start 1-0 in Central Division

The Blue Jackets put together a great offensive package last night in Chicago, winning the division opener 7-4. The seven goals include two by Nash, two by Novotny and three assists by Peca.

Interestingly, the Jackets still had three players with a -2 rating on the night: Chimera, Malhotra and Boll. It's likely they were playing on the same line together, and were simply no match for the Chicago offense. Norrena still let by 4 goals- all four were scored or assisted by the 2007 draft's first overall pick, Patrick Kane.

Kane may not be getting Ovechkin or Crosby status just yet, but if he keeps scoring like that, anything is possible.

It all happened so fast!

Here's what has gone on since my last post:
The Jackets picked up Scott Howson as their new GM
The Ducks win the Stanley Cup
The draft is just three days away
I got a job! Downtown even!

I feel like I missed the boat on a lot of these events, so I'm not going to dig too deep in hindsight. Here's my thoughts in a few sentences:
I'm disappointed about the Sens' performance in the finals, but Anaheim proved to be the better team on both ends of the ice. Despite that, I thought for sure that Alfredsson, Heatley and the rest of Ottawa could put on an offensive clinic and keep it close.

Scott Howson seems to be an alright guy. He's only a year removed from a Stanley Cup run, and has been fully exposed to the pressure of a major franchise. This is unlike MacLean, who came from Florida where hockey isn't a mainstream sport. Howson has worked in the front office for over ten years, including working in the NHL since 2000. Only time will tell how Howson will perform for the CBJ organization, but we should see start to see his impact immediately. With the draft just a few days away, the Jackets' front office will need to select their picks and then make some moves over the summer to turn this team around.

And I got a job. I'm working in the IT department for a mental health facility downtown, just a few blocks from the arena district. I smell trouble for my pocketbook as soon as hockey season starts. I'm going to want to attend every game...

The Jacket Times will Return 6/18

Tomorrow afternoon I'll be heading to Europe to do some pre-draft scouting for the Jackets.

Ha! I wish. I'll be overseas, but it won't be because of some dream job for the team. Instead, I'll be goofing around with some college buddies. I'll be back on the 18th at which point we'll start the Draft coverage. Yoder and I will be attending this year's festivities.

In the mean time, stay tuned to End of the Bench and Army of the Ohio for Blue Jackets news. Also, these other bloggers and myself are planning a draft meet-up for hockey bloggers and fans. Details to follow. (For you out-of-towners coming to Columbus for the draft, see this post for some additional information.)

If you're looking for something to read, why not check out how I increased my gas mileage to 38mpg and it cost me nothing.

Jackets acquire another 5th round draft pick

If we needed proof that MacLean's influence is more than skin deep, we found it today at the CBJ website. The front office dealt Adam McQuaid, a CBJ organization minor leaguer to the Boston club for -you guessed it- a 5th round pick in the upcoming 2007 draft.

For those who don't recall, MacLean acquired another 5th round pick this draft in exchange for Ty Conklin and a 2008 5th rounder for Anson Carter. Looks like the Jackets have their eyes on some sleeper picks for the next couple of years.

For what it's worth, Adam McQuaid was selected by Columbus in the 2nd round of the 2005 draft. What a difference two years makes, huh? Well, it would seem that twelve years makes even more of a difference- recall that Berard was selected first overall in 1995 and the Jackets couldn't give him away this year.