Credit to my sidekick Nick Kypreos (@RealKyper) for his calm and rational approach in our discussion about fighting on Friday’s HC @ Noon.
The many tweets he read on the air suggested he made some good points but it’s too bad his MMA-based argument is still wrong.
On the subject of fighting, those who support the act have to watch Brian McGrattan fight Cam Janssen. They did it the old fashioned way on Saturday night, earning their five minutes in the penalty box. Both players waived the officials back in the two-minute dance at centre ice while beaking each other. Wonder if the league will have anything to say about the new arm-raising in victory after the exchange.
After listening to Sportsnet analyst Doug Maclean talk about the group of players acquired during his time as general manager that remain with the Blue Jackets is an obvious critique of the current regime I felt I should tell him to stop. Not that he is wrong in the matter but the Jackets are off to the worst start in franchise history. Doug, you don’t want any responsibility for that! At least, James Wisniewski is on the back-half of his suspension. Columbus is drawing flies and barely giving the guy playing goal against them a challenge.
So, where is a rookie most vulnerable? Try the face-off dot. The five lowest percentages through the weekend belong to Sean Couturier (35.7 per cent), Ryan Getzlaf (34.6 per cent), Ville Leno (31 per cent), Mark Scheifele (29 per cent) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (18.4 per cent). The sample is out of 97 players and three of the names mentioned are true freshmen. Brad Richards tops the league with an impressive 80 per cent win rate.
Did Brendan Shanahan take an early season vacation or are the players getting the message? I haven’t clicked on a video from the dean of discipline in awhile.
I challenge anyone to get more out of Jacques Martin in an interview than Doug Maclean impressively did. Martin was Maclean’s boss when they coached together in stools and told classic stories when the Canadiens coach joined us on HC @ Noon.
Motivation comes in various forms. I hear Mike Smith wasn’t pleased when I declared that I would take Craig Anderson over three clubs’ current starting goaltenders (Florida, Winnipeg and Phoenix). Smith’s only loss featured 46 saves, building on that with a pair of one-goal games. I will share the credit with Sean Burke.
The week ahead features the undefeated Leafs on an. Monday before I get to work games involving Ottawa, Edmonton and Calgary. Who has it better? Talk to you next week!