Can The Blue Jackets be a Cinderella team?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I know at the start of the season I wrote that I felt Columbus hadn't done enough to make them a playoff team but, a lot has changed since. They are playing well in their system and Mason is all world right now leading the league with 9 shut outs as a rookie. They pluck Vermette for Leclaire and he scores 5 goals in 5 games as well.

I am picking the Blue Jackets as my Cinderella team of the West. I'm not necessarily saying they make it to the Finals but what I am saying is that IF there is a Cinderella team this year they will be that team.

well you never know what can happen in playoff hockey, Mason keeps going hot and timely scoring from their forwards, suddenly , Hitch may be hoisting the cup, its not impossible and honestly, any team can do it (except for Montreal)

Ken Hitchc0ck is the X Factor for the Jackets. On paper, you'd think they can't possibly be where they are, and beating teams like the Wings and the Sharks in the process.

Nobody wants to play the Jackets in the playoffs.

Hitch is a Civil War buff and his generalship makes the Blue Jackets a hockey commando force that surprises their enemies. Not to mention two powerful weapons in Nash and Mason--among the best at their respective positions right now.

Adding Vermette has been a very smart move.

The regular season series between the current playoff pairing with the Flames has been about as even as you can get.

Nov 8: at Blue Jackets 3, Flames 1
Jan 21: at Flames 5, Blue Jackets 4 (SO)
Feb 24: at Flames 4, Blue Jackets 1
March 26: Calgary at Columbus

The remaining game, and a series should it happen--should be lots of fun to watch.

If Columbus meets and beats Calgary, they can do some real damage. Cup Final? That's a bet that could pay off.

No chance IMHO. The top-tier of the West teams are too good to allow a team like Columbus to win more than one round. Even if Mason and Nash step up and continue to play like they are and beyond (and Vermette, Hamburger, Huselius etc).

Still...Calgary would be the only team I could see them giving a serious run - and that's just because I feel that Kipper's a glorified Gerber. His team scores a ton of goals, but he's just pretty much dead-on average.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:I agree Heater there's probably little chance of it happening. All I'm saying is IF and only IF there IS a Cinderella team the Jackets are my pick.

Sorry, yeah, I was kind of responding the whole gist of the thread. I should quote people more often, I just...go out of the habit.

davetherave wrote:
If Columbus meets and beats Calgary, they can do some real damage. Cup Final? That's a bet that could pay off.

Yeah Dave, this is what I think as well. The goaltending is skewed badly in favour of Columbus. This would be the one I wouldn't be totally shocked at.

I think the Pens should think about making sure they match up against Washington or Philly. They have a weak goalie, but Fleury's nowhere near as weak as the joke Theodore - and he's probably better than Biron (who I admit is on one heck of a hotstreak).

I think the Pens could take the Caps down. They have comparable talent in the in first line talent - and since the deadline the Pens have added a 2nd and 3rd line of scorers. They added Gonchar who's gotta be in the ballpark of a Mike Green. They have Letang who's starting to get better. Hal Gill might be better suited to a series where he can get physical on the Russians Caps.

Funnily enough, Philly is similar to the Pens as well. They have more depth in scoring, but it's close.

Rangers could definitely cause NJ some problems - but I feel NJ goes all the way.

The rest are all dead.

I don't like any of the 6,7 or 8 in the West. And I like Vancouver to beat the Hawks.

504Heater wrote:

davetherave wrote:
If Columbus meets and beats Calgary, they can do some real damage. Cup Final? That's a bet that could pay off.

Yeah Dave, this is what I think as well. The goaltending is skewed badly in favour of Columbus. This would be the one I wouldn't be totally shocked at.

I really cannot see Columbus or Calgary getting past Detroit, IMO. It's not too often that Osgoode goes back to back stinkers. THey are too powerful, too deep to be had

504Heater wrote:

davetherave wrote:
If Columbus meets and beats Calgary, they can do some real damage. Cup Final? That's a bet that could pay off.

Yeah Dave, this is what I think as well. The goaltending is skewed badly in favour of Columbus. This would be the one I wouldn't be totally shocked at.

Right on, 504H...Mason is playing as well as any goalie in the league right now. he steals games even when he's coming off a bout with mono. Yowzah.

And when you watch Columbus play you see how disciplined they are. Their checking is outrageous...they also have Vermette on the PK with Nash now, and I've seen Vermie set up Nash on shorthanded breakaways more than once.

They are a recipe for a Cinderella team.

beedub wrote:

504Heater wrote:

davetherave wrote:
If Columbus meets and beats Calgary, they can do some real damage. Cup Final? That's a bet that could pay off.

Yeah Dave, this is what I think as well. The goaltending is skewed badly in favour of Columbus. This would be the one I wouldn't be totally shocked at.

I really cannot see Columbus or Calgary getting past Detroit, IMO. It's not too often that Osgoode goes back to back stinkers. THey are too powerful, too deep to be had

Are the Wings better this year than they were last year...and better than when they lost in the Conference Finals to the Ducks the year before, and the Quarterfinals to the Oilers before that?

Did you watch the Calgary game last night? The Wings' recent losses to Nashville and Columbus?

There are issues...

davetherave wrote:
Right on, 504H...Mason is playing as well as any goalie in the league right now. he steals games even when he's coming off a bout with mono. Yowzah.

And when you watch Columbus play you see how disciplined they are. Their checking is outrageous...they also have Vermette on the PK with Nash now, and I've seen Vermie set up Nash on shorthanded breakaways more than once.

They are a recipe for a Cinderella team.

They might be able to beat Calgary, but I think the slipper falls off after that personally.

504Heater wrote:

davetherave wrote:
Right on, 504H...Mason is playing as well as any goalie in the league right now. he steals games even when he's coming off a bout with mono. Yowzah.

And when you watch Columbus play you see how disciplined they are. Their checking is outrageous...they also have Vermette on the PK with Nash now, and I've seen Vermie set up Nash on shorthanded breakaways more than once.

They are a recipe for a Cinderella team.

They might be able to beat Calgary, but I think the slipper falls off after that personally.

Assuming they do play the Flames...they might end up facing the Canucks...or even the Blackhawks...still a few games to go and maybe some spots shuffled...

davetherave wrote:

beedub wrote:

504Heater wrote:

davetherave wrote:
If Columbus meets and beats Calgary, they can do some real damage. Cup Final? That's a bet that could pay off.

Yeah Dave, this is what I think as well. The goaltending is skewed badly in favour of Columbus. This would be the one I wouldn't be totally shocked at.

I really cannot see Columbus or Calgary getting past Detroit, IMO. It's not too often that Osgoode goes back to back stinkers. THey are too powerful, too deep to be had

Are the Wings better this year than they were last year...and better than when they lost in the Conference Finals to the Ducks the year before, and the Quarterfinals to the Oilers before that?

Did you watch the Calgary game last night? The Wings' recent losses to Nashville and Columbus?

There are issues...

I DO believe that the Wings are stronger than last year. This team is going to have little glitches along the way, as any team does (nb martin brodeur getting shelacked after breaking a record).

My fearless prediction, you will see Detroit in the SCF. There is a reason Marian Hossa took shave and haircut to play there.