Despite 5-1 Start, Hitchcock Sees Room for Improvement

By Rick Gethin

 

     “We’re playing well right now. We’re a tight group and understand we have to follow the gameplan in order to win” ~ Blue Jackets Captain Rick Nash

 

     In front of an announced crowd of 15,251 in Nationwide Arena Saturday evening, the Columbus Blue Jackets beat a tired Los Angeles Kings club 4-1. They made mistakes and their top forwards aren’t scoring (with the exception of Rick Nash), yet they came out on top to keep them in 2nd place in the Central Division behind the Chicago Blackhawks.

     Unlike the Top 6 guys, the checkers and grinders provided the energy and scoring opportunities. Jason Chimera is back skating with the form he had last year prior to his groin injury. Though no longer on the “Goat” line, he still has excellent speed moving the puck up the ice; and his shots seem to be more accurate, too. “Me, Sammy (Pahlsson) and Dorsey (Dorsett) are doing a good job shutting teams down”, Chimera said. “I feel great. I played most of the season hurt last year, which was unfortunate. I’m trying to get back to where I was.”

     The checking line of Chimera/Pahlsson/Dorsett are firing on all cylinders and are formidable against the oppsing teams top lines. “Chimmer” joked that he would like to take credit for Derek Dorsetts’ game improving. “He’s playing great. Last year he ran around like a Tazmanian Devil hitting everything that moved and fought everything that walked. This year he’s playing a great game. He’s a Medicine Hat kid (both Chimera and Dorsett played for the Medicine Hat Tigers), so I tend to take credit for him”, he said. “It’s nice to see Dorsett play this good.” There are many similarities between Dorsett and Chimera’s games with both being energy guys; although Dorsett is much more of an agitator. With Chimera signed through the 2011-12 season, his position would seem to be secure playing on the 3rd line.

      After the game, coach Ken Hitchcock wasn’t real pleased with play of this club. “We didn’t play that well tonight”, he said. “We competed but we didn’t play that well. We made mistakes tonight that we need to correct going on the road.” Just like any great coach, Hitchcock won’t truly be satisfied. There will always be room for improvement for the boys in Union Blue. He spoke to the lack of scoring production from the top 6 forwards. “We need to get more from our top 6 guys”, said Hitchcock. “I mean, if we’re going to be a better team, we need more from them.” He likes what he sees from his grinders and checkers. “We’re getting unbelievable efforts on the backend and getting terrific games from alot of guys”, he said. “But that’s not going to carry the day. We need better play from those top 6 guys if we’re going to get to the next level.” The one exception to the top 6 guys getting called out by the coach is Rick Nash. “He’s always an exception. He doesn’t count. So, I should say the top 5″, Hitchcock said. Don’t think for a moment that he won’t address this issue. “We’re going to have a little meeting on Monday about that”, he said. Like he said, there’s always room for improvement.

     With the Blue Jackets now winning 10 of a possible 12 points, they are showing that they are a vastly improved team. The Penalty Kill is tops in the league at 95.8% and the Power Play is much improved from last season, converting at 23.8% (11th in the NHL). All four lines have shown that they are a threat to score on any given night. No longer is this a one-dimensional club, with Rick Nash being the only guy opposing teams have to cover. Columbus must address the issues that the coach identifies to stay competitive in arguably the toughest division in the NHL. If they stay on this scoring pace, that would give them 136 points come April 9th and the end of the regular season.

     With the Blue Jackets embarking on their 2nd west coast road trip in as many weeks, they need to tweak their play and get more production from their top lines. Defenseman Mike Commodore, on injured reserve (groin), will travel with the team and looks to make his return to the line-up by the last game of the trip against the Anaheim Ducks. The Blue Jackets presently have no plans to call-up a defenseman to replace Jan Hejda. My guess for the game against Calgary is that Nikita Filatov will be watching from the press box, again. No longer can even a highly skilled young player lock up a starting spot on this roster just by showing up. They have enough depth that everyone going forward will have to pay their dues. And that’s a nice “problem” to have in Columbus.

Rick Gethin is the Associate Editor of The Hockey Writers and also the Columbus Blue Jackets correspondent. I Hope you enjoyed this post. As always, leaving a comment below is both appreciated and encouraged. Thanks!

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