2010-11 NHL Season Preview: Columbus Blue Jackets

On paper, the Columbus Blue Jackets should be a much better team than they have been. They are replete with young talent, culled from numerous years of early draft picks. For some reason only Rick Nash have ever really panned out to deliver on his potential, leaving the Blue Jackets as perennial also-rans in the NHL.

More of the Same
There is not a whole lot new about the 20010-11 Columbus Blue Jackets. Rick Nash will still be leading an offense that consists of Antoine Vermette, Derick Brassard, RJ Umberger and Kristian Huselius. All of those names have shown brief flashes of greatness, but they all also have trouble maintaining momentum.

In the case of Derick Brassard it comes down to not delivering on his potential. The Columbus Blue Jackets can not afford to rely on Brassard's 10 goals a season as a second line center. That production leaves the Blue Jackets woefully ill equipped when powerful defensive teams like the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues come to town.

If the reports are true then Nikita Filatov will be returning from a season in the Russian KHL as a more mature and well rounded player. At only 20 years old, Filatov still has a lot of time to develop into a top line player, but if he can squeeze out 15-20 goals then the Blue Jackets will be much better off.

Another player to watch will be Jakub Voracek. Voracek improved to 50 points from 38 in his rookie season, and another jump should not be out of the question. If (more like when) Kristian Huselius falters, it will be Jakub Voracek who gets the call to play alongside Rick Nash.

Thin Defense
Again, on paper the Columbus Blue Jackets look better than they are. The only change is the lack of Mathieu Roy, which should not amount to much. The players who are still around are far from the NHL elite.

Mike Commodore should be the back bone of the Columbus Blue Jackets defense, but has cooled considerably since reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in back-to-back seasons with the Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes.

Fedor Tyutin is the more likely quarterback on the blue line. Tyutin is a decent player, but is in over his head as the Blue Jackets' leading defenseman. Judging by his skills, Fedor Tyutin would be far more comfortable on the second pair than the first.

For Columbus to find success, they need to find a defenseman to bolster their blue line. Tomas Kaberle would have been a great piece for the team, as he is nearly everything the team is missing. If a deal can still be worked out, the Blue Jackets have the pieces to move.

Sophomore Slump?
Steve Mason shocked everyone in the 2008-09 NHL Season when he emerged as the answer to the Blue Jackets' playoff dreams. The love was short lived, however, as Steve Mason regressed in his second season. The talent is still there, now it is up to Steve Mason to prove that his rookie year was not a fluke.

Backup Mathieu Garon is hit or miss. Sometimes Garon can look like a starter, other times he looks as though he does not even belong in the AHL. The Blue Jackets would be smart to find a more aggressive backup to threaten Steve Mason's unquestioned number one status. Not one who can usurp the throne, but one who will reliably win games when Steve Mason is unavailable.

Hopes Dashed
The Columbus Blue Jackets looked poised to break out after making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history just two seasons ago. Unfortunately, the developing team plays in one of hockey's most competitive divisions and often have to be better than just "good."

Recent additions Ethan Moreau and Chris Clark could be the surprises of the season, as a Moreau, Clark, Samual Pahlsson line combines three of the top defensive-minded forwards in the NHL. A potential line of Ben Guite, Andrew Murray and Jared Boll also provides a level of grit that could fold the weaker teams in the NHL.

The forwards of the Columbus Blue Jackets heavily resemble the 2006-07 Stanley Cup winning Anaheim Ducks in most ways. The defense, however, is lacking the quality that the Ducks enjoyed at the time. This will be Columbus' undoing, leading to another statistically poor season for Steve Mason. An early-season defensive signing would be good, but should not be expected.

Predicted Standings
Central Division: 4^th
Western Conference: 13^th
NHL: 20^th

Depth Chart

Forwards
Kristian Huselius - Antoine Vermette - Rick Nash
RJ Umberger - Derick Brassard - Jakub Voracek
Ethan Moreau - Samual Pahlsson - Chris Clark
Nikita Filatov - Andrew Murray - Jared Boll
Derek Dorsett - Ben Guite - Mike Blunden

Defense
Mike Commodore - Fedor Tyutin
Rostislav Klesla - Jan Hejda
Anton Stralman - Kris Russell
Marc Methot

Goaltenders
Steve Mason
Mathieu Garon
Dan LaCosta

Sources

http://www.nhl.com
http://www.tsn.ca
http://www.espn.com
http://www.hockeydb.com
http://www.nhlnumbers.com