As the NHL and Rbk release the new updated uniforms for the NHL this year, we'll provide a link to the NHL shop page and a preview of the new look. Here's the new clothing choice for discriminating Columbus Blue Jacket fans.
Blue Jackets shop page.
Showing posts with label Columbus Blue Jackets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Columbus Blue Jackets. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Blue day for Blue Jacket boss
The Doug MacLean era has come to an end in Columbus, he was relieved of his duties after a lengthy meeting at a Columbus area country club. MacLean who joined the Blue Jackets in February of 1998 was the only GM the franchise has known.
The Columbus News Dispatch had an extensive article on the firing on the web today, including a review of his six seasons in management which were punctuated by questionable free agency signings that never seemed to live up to their potential. It appears that the handling of his players and how they fit into the long range plan for the team would be the final problem that caught up to him on Wednesday.
Of even more concern to the the owners will be the details on an expected financial loss of several million dollars this season for the Blue Jackets and the prospect of declining attendance.
With another sad finish and no playoff appearance to build interest in the team, it is expected that the team will see a hit on season ticket sales this off season. Thus, it would seem that there is a need to show that the team has plans to go in a new direction and improve their product.
It won't come cheap for majority owner John H. McConnell, he has to pay out a good portion of McLean's newly minted contract which to be bought out will give McLean at least 1 and a half million dollars, a lovely parting gift we must admit.
In addition to having to shell out now for a new GM, one who will no doubt command a high salary considering the job ahead. It will be interesting to watch and see who surfaces on the horizon to take a look at the state of Blue Jackets and what it might take to make them a better hockey club.
The Columbus News Dispatch had an extensive article on the firing on the web today, including a review of his six seasons in management which were punctuated by questionable free agency signings that never seemed to live up to their potential. It appears that the handling of his players and how they fit into the long range plan for the team would be the final problem that caught up to him on Wednesday.
Of even more concern to the the owners will be the details on an expected financial loss of several million dollars this season for the Blue Jackets and the prospect of declining attendance.
With another sad finish and no playoff appearance to build interest in the team, it is expected that the team will see a hit on season ticket sales this off season. Thus, it would seem that there is a need to show that the team has plans to go in a new direction and improve their product.
It won't come cheap for majority owner John H. McConnell, he has to pay out a good portion of McLean's newly minted contract which to be bought out will give McLean at least 1 and a half million dollars, a lovely parting gift we must admit.
In addition to having to shell out now for a new GM, one who will no doubt command a high salary considering the job ahead. It will be interesting to watch and see who surfaces on the horizon to take a look at the state of Blue Jackets and what it might take to make them a better hockey club.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Hitch heads to Columbus for a Blue Jacket Fitting
Unemployment didn’t last long for Ken Hitchcock. The former bench boss of the Philadelphia Flyers who was removed from his duties earlier this season has landed on his skates in Ohio.
He takes over a Columbus team that has been in a major tailspin that began before Gerard Gallant was fired and continued on as Gary Agnew took over on the interim basis on November 14. The open job seemed to be a competition between Hitchcock and Andy Murray, with Hitchcock apparently showing the Blue Jackets owners and management what they are looking for.
Eight days of deliberation led to the announcement today, as Hitchcock signed a three year deal to try and lead the Blue Jackets out of the bottom tier of the NHL West standings and into a playoff hunt. Reports have it that he’s making in the area of 1.2 million dollars a similar amount to what he made while working for Ed Snider in Philadelphia.
The task ahead for Hitchcock won’t be an easy one, the Blue Jackets were expected to be competitive this year and many felt that they would reward their fans with a playoff spot by the time May comes around.
But their start has been anything but positive; with loss after loss compounding the problems and making both management and the fans feel a bit nervous about their projected goals this season.
Hitchcock, who has had past success in Dallas and Philadelphia besides a rather respectable minor league and Junior A record, will be expected to try and get the likes of Sergei Federov, Anson Carter, Adam Foote and Frederik Modin to regain their pervious form. While at the same time teach Rick Nash and Nikolai Zherdev the joys of back checking and working in their own end. He's known as a tough taskmaster and for a team that isn't used to that kind of approach, the next few weeks should be a revelation.
It’s no doubt a tough assignment, for whatever reason the Blue Jackets have been rather abysmal this season so far, offensively they have been a bust with only 40 goals in their 19 games this year. One quarter of the way through the season and the Jackets find themselves firmly in control of last place in the West with 11 points, 1 less than the woeful Phoenix Coyotes. Ten points out of a playoff spot if the season ended today, the Blue Jackets would have to be turned in for golf shirts.
It’s now Hitchcock’s job to make sure that Columbus has no tee times to book in April or May. A large order for a coach who is used to being a winner and says he loves to teach. In order to get to the winning, he’s going to have to do a fair amount of the teaching.
His new students didn't send the substitute teacher off with a fond memory, the Jackets did what they've done a lot of these days, lose, letting a shootout against St. Louis get away from them.
Hitchcock now takes control with his first class coming up on Friday afternoon, when the Blue Jackets travel to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers, now that should if nothing else provide the motivation for both the teacher and his new pupils.
He takes over a Columbus team that has been in a major tailspin that began before Gerard Gallant was fired and continued on as Gary Agnew took over on the interim basis on November 14. The open job seemed to be a competition between Hitchcock and Andy Murray, with Hitchcock apparently showing the Blue Jackets owners and management what they are looking for.
Eight days of deliberation led to the announcement today, as Hitchcock signed a three year deal to try and lead the Blue Jackets out of the bottom tier of the NHL West standings and into a playoff hunt. Reports have it that he’s making in the area of 1.2 million dollars a similar amount to what he made while working for Ed Snider in Philadelphia.
The task ahead for Hitchcock won’t be an easy one, the Blue Jackets were expected to be competitive this year and many felt that they would reward their fans with a playoff spot by the time May comes around.
But their start has been anything but positive; with loss after loss compounding the problems and making both management and the fans feel a bit nervous about their projected goals this season.
Hitchcock, who has had past success in Dallas and Philadelphia besides a rather respectable minor league and Junior A record, will be expected to try and get the likes of Sergei Federov, Anson Carter, Adam Foote and Frederik Modin to regain their pervious form. While at the same time teach Rick Nash and Nikolai Zherdev the joys of back checking and working in their own end. He's known as a tough taskmaster and for a team that isn't used to that kind of approach, the next few weeks should be a revelation.
It’s no doubt a tough assignment, for whatever reason the Blue Jackets have been rather abysmal this season so far, offensively they have been a bust with only 40 goals in their 19 games this year. One quarter of the way through the season and the Jackets find themselves firmly in control of last place in the West with 11 points, 1 less than the woeful Phoenix Coyotes. Ten points out of a playoff spot if the season ended today, the Blue Jackets would have to be turned in for golf shirts.
It’s now Hitchcock’s job to make sure that Columbus has no tee times to book in April or May. A large order for a coach who is used to being a winner and says he loves to teach. In order to get to the winning, he’s going to have to do a fair amount of the teaching.
His new students didn't send the substitute teacher off with a fond memory, the Jackets did what they've done a lot of these days, lose, letting a shootout against St. Louis get away from them.
Hitchcock now takes control with his first class coming up on Friday afternoon, when the Blue Jackets travel to Philadelphia to take on the Flyers, now that should if nothing else provide the motivation for both the teacher and his new pupils.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
The Office Temp
Gary Agnew hasn’t even had a chance to test out the title of interim head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets and already the names are being dropped as to who is going to boot his butt out from behind that Blue Jacket bench.
Agnew was named the temporary coach on Monday morning and by Tuesday afternoon the names of Ken Hitchcock, Andy Murray and Pat Quinn, three currently unemployed coaches were suggested as possible appointees who might find Columbus to their liking.
The Columbus situation became dire last week as the team continued to struggle under former coach Gerard Gallant, who seemed to be unable to get his squad to play with any consistency, let alone record some wins to pacify an increasingly anxious hometown crowd.
General Manager Doug MacLean decided to make the change over the weekend, (though reports suggest it was more the idea of Team owner John McConnell) this despite having previously given Gallant the ever popular “vote of confidence”, no doubt a sure fire sign that it’s time to contact a real estate agent.
MacLean himself may find that his job is the next up on the chopping block, even though he himself has said that ownership has not told him that his job is in jeopardy and if he’s lucky they won’t offer up a public vote of confidence any time soon.
Columbus has been a major disappointment this season, with many fans having felt that the time had come for the Blue Jackets to make a move up the NHL standings, with a young team which had added some key veteran players in the off season.
But so far they’ve played poorly showing a massive inability to score goals and have lost nine of their last twelve games, which is spiraling them towards the bottom of the West Division standings and once again far away from any playoff ambitions.
The change to a caretaker coach is probably designed to utilize Agnew’s knowledge of the younger players from his days as coach of the Blue Jackets farm club, he’ll play babysitter while MacLean and the owners go over the list of possible coaches. They’ll be hoping to find the one best able to light a fire on an underperforming team.
For MacLean it may be the most importatnt decision he makes while in the Blue Jackets executive office, he may not only be hiring on a much needed bit of credibility behind the bench, but also possibly his replacement if some of the names being bounced around have any merit to them.
It's the nature of the game these days it seems, the name you pick today could be the one that stands up at the next press conference announcing the new direction for a struggling team.
Agnew was named the temporary coach on Monday morning and by Tuesday afternoon the names of Ken Hitchcock, Andy Murray and Pat Quinn, three currently unemployed coaches were suggested as possible appointees who might find Columbus to their liking.
The Columbus situation became dire last week as the team continued to struggle under former coach Gerard Gallant, who seemed to be unable to get his squad to play with any consistency, let alone record some wins to pacify an increasingly anxious hometown crowd.
General Manager Doug MacLean decided to make the change over the weekend, (though reports suggest it was more the idea of Team owner John McConnell) this despite having previously given Gallant the ever popular “vote of confidence”, no doubt a sure fire sign that it’s time to contact a real estate agent.
MacLean himself may find that his job is the next up on the chopping block, even though he himself has said that ownership has not told him that his job is in jeopardy and if he’s lucky they won’t offer up a public vote of confidence any time soon.
Columbus has been a major disappointment this season, with many fans having felt that the time had come for the Blue Jackets to make a move up the NHL standings, with a young team which had added some key veteran players in the off season.
But so far they’ve played poorly showing a massive inability to score goals and have lost nine of their last twelve games, which is spiraling them towards the bottom of the West Division standings and once again far away from any playoff ambitions.
The change to a caretaker coach is probably designed to utilize Agnew’s knowledge of the younger players from his days as coach of the Blue Jackets farm club, he’ll play babysitter while MacLean and the owners go over the list of possible coaches. They’ll be hoping to find the one best able to light a fire on an underperforming team.
For MacLean it may be the most importatnt decision he makes while in the Blue Jackets executive office, he may not only be hiring on a much needed bit of credibility behind the bench, but also possibly his replacement if some of the names being bounced around have any merit to them.
It's the nature of the game these days it seems, the name you pick today could be the one that stands up at the next press conference announcing the new direction for a struggling team.
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