Whelp it's that time of the year.. time for my annual "serving of crow" post.
The following is a list of things that happened throughout the course of the 2008-2009 season that I was dead wrong about:
* I never thought the Jackets could make the playoffs with the 30th ranked PP.
* After a 3-6 start to the season I thought "here we go again".
* Mike Commodore was much better than I expected in that #1 shutdown pair w/ Jan Hejda.
* I wasn't impressed with Marc Methor's comments in training camp but the dude backed them up and played like he belonged in the NHL.
* After that horrific 3-0 loss to the L.A. Kings on Dec 23rd and with a 6 game road trip right around the corner I thought... that's it, season over.
* Who ever thought the Jackets would beat the Capitals on Jan 9th on the road being down 7 regulars including captain Rick Nash? In shutout fashion no less. I sure didn't.
* After Brass went down in that shootout loss to the Stars on Dec 18th I thought we were in big trouble.
* I thought the PK would be much better than 16th overall in the league.
* Wins against Detroit, Boston, Pittsburgh & Chicago... all right in a row and all within a week. Nope.. no way I thought they could have pulled that one off.
* I thought Pascal Leclaire would be healthy... uggh.
* Wasn't too excited about the Williams trade when we made it... not in terms of what we gave up to get him but I wasn't convinced he'd add a whole lot to this lineup. He did score some big goals down the stretch to help this team into it's first ever postseason. Love the gesture by him buying robes for the entire team as well.
* I thought Brassard or Voracek would win the Calder.... not Mase. Heck, I didn't think Mason would see much time if any this past season.
* Huselius wasn't as inconsistant as I thought he'd be.
* I thought our battle tested "playoff vets" would be better in the playoffs. I also thought Mase would steal at least 1 game by himself.
* Wasn't impressed with the ice time Hitch was giving the kids early... but after seeing Brass produce and the trust he had in Voracek and Dorsett down the stretch once again Hitch proved he knows what he's doing.
* I thought game ops would be better.
* I thought attendance would pick up more down the stretch.
* I knew the Dispatch would up their game in the playoffs... but damn I didn't think they'd up it that much.
* I knew the R Bar would be rockin for the playoffs but that place was off the hook. I'm still bummed I missed BHG's animal house "Was it over when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor" speech on the patio prior to game 4. Classic.
* I picked them to make the playoffs in the preseason but there were definitely a lot of moments through the season where I thought the bottom was starting to fall out. Shame on me for doubting this team's heart and resiliency.
Fire away - what were some things you were dead wrong about this past season?
-LTL
Monday, April 27, 2009
Can I get some ketchup on that?
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10 comments:
I thought the Jackets were going to make it at least one round. I didn't anticipate them running out of gas at the end of the year.
After trade talks last year with Bryan Murray, I didn't think we'd ever get Vermette.
A question for you, LTL. Given Jason Williams' skillset, do you think he has a future with this club? Personally, I had been hoping Howson would give him a contract last summer... I think his current contract is fair and perhaps an extension should be offered. He's one of those guys who can go up and down the lineup and give some strong secondary scoring.
I'm more of a "look to the future" guy. So, I have a question. We all know that Howson is going to tweak this team. In that process, is it time to buyout Freddy Mo's contract? And do you think Williams should be signed for an entire season?
BTW Mase is also up for the Vezina
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=420301
Hey Max.. for tomorrow I'll do something similar to what I did last offseason and that is rank each player by percentages in terms of if they will be back or not next season.
Not to pull another muscle patting myself on the back but I nailed it pretty good last year (I'll link it).
In terms of Williams I don't think he'll be back. I just don't think he plays the game enough the "right way" for them to sign him to an extension.
He was a nice grab for the price and gave us a nice boost but I just don't see him in the long term plans.
Now if he's still sitting on the market a month or two after free agency opens and is willing to take another year deal on the cheapers side then maybe something gets worked out. That assumes of course the Jackets still have a hole to fill as well.
So I wouldn't rank him a 0% but I think it's pretty unlikely... at least IMO.
-LTL
I thought Doug McLean did know hockey, and was a good GM.
LTL,
Please, please, please tell me someone videotaped BHG doing the Animal House speech!!!
No unfortunately I don't think anyone did.... I would have but wasn't there... a BIG red light for me!
-LTL
The only yolk I have on my face is:I bought into and believed AP's "Built for the Playoffs" nonsense...
Which convinced me we would put up more of a fight in the playoffs.
And I was pretty sure Hitch was going to strangle Backman before Game 82 arrived. He grabbed lots of wood instead.
Season recap/awards from WFNY...I thought the Jackets would compete better in the playoffs. Not win, but at least look like they belonged. As I said in or podcast LTL, I thought Mason would be good enough to steal a win or two, alone, and that they'd make it to six games.
I never thought the Jackets would be buyers at the deadline, or that they'd be able to get two guys via trades that helped so much without parting with a young player and/or a first rounder.
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