In another edition of the Union Junction Podcast, Mark Scheig and Nicholas Arnold discussed the Columbus Blue Jackets who have had a pretty wild last couple of weeks and can expect a few more down the stretch. The team is in a playoff chase, not just challenging for a wild card spot, but could end up in the Metropolitan Division’s third seed, if they play their cards right.
Then, they chat a little more about the NHL Trade Deadline and react to the additions of Luke Kunin and Christian Fischer. Before listener questions, they discuss the first-ever NHL outdoor game at the Horseshoe at Ohio State University, in which Columbus hosted the Detroit Red Wings.
Stadium Series Game at Ohio State
Since the first Winter Classic in 2008, each NHL team has been waiting for their kick at the can in hosting an outdoor game. It’s a spectacle that certainly doesn’t get old, bringing the modern game back to its open-air roots. A few select teams have monopolized outdoor appearances, led by the Chicago Blackhawks with seven (four times hosting). Other teams and their fanbases are forced to look on like a young child in the corner, waiting for their older sibling to get bored with and discard their shiny new toy.
The Blue Jackets were finally given a bone and allowed to play a game in one of the country’s most iconic venues – the Ohio State Stadium, AKA The Horseshoe. There have been 17 years of anticipation towards Columbus hosting one of these events. More than 90,000 fans packed the stadium as the Michigan-Ohio rivalry that has so often been staged there took another form.
Columbus was the victor, despite being outplayed for much of the game. A controversial game-winning goal from Justin Danforth put just the right amount of sizzle into the rivalry matchup. Mark and Nicholas discuss in the podcast how much the game meant to the city. Mark was in attendance, and due to circumstances, missed the hectic last couple of minutes.
Blue Jackets’ NHL Trade Deadline Post-Mortem
Blue Jackets general manager (GM) Don Waddell said that his team would be moderate buyers at this season’s March 7 trade deadline. There were several players that the Blue Jackets could have looked to trade for who might bolster their forward depth, but they would likely be at the lower end of the market. That held true with their additions.
The team added long-time NHL bottom-six forwards Kunin and Fischer. The two were both highly regarded in their draft years, Kunin taken at 15th overall in 2016 and Fischer at 32nd overall in 2015. They’ve each carved out pretty decent careers, proving themselves as legitimate NHL players. They add almost 1,000 games of experience to the roster and were obtained for a minimal cost – Kunin for a fourth-round pick and Fischer on waivers. Exactly the type of additions Waddell said he would make.
Discussed ad nauseum has been the team’s situation with pending unrestricted free agent Ivan Provorov. The Russian defender was earmarked as the premier rental defenseman around the league this trade season. However, he’s admitted he’s interested in re-signing and his brother has recently committed to play hockey at Ohio State. Waddell came out ahead of the deadline saying he would not be trading him. Now, we wait to see if he’ll be an “own rental” for the team and flee at the expiration of his contract or if he’ll re-sign for the long haul in Ohio.
Related: Projecting How the Blue Jackets’ Mathieu Olivier Extension Will Age
The team was also able to get out an important piece of business, signing enforcer Mathieu Olivier to a long-term contract extension. Six years at an average annual value (AAV) of $3 million may seem like a lot for a guy whose career high, before this season, was five goals and 15 points in a season. With the rise in the salary cap, plus the impact he’s had on the locker room this season, Mark and Nicholas believe the deal to be warranted.
Listener Blue Jackets Questions on Union Junction:
- Will Dante Fabbro extend with the team?
- What teams do the Blue Jackets best stack up against in a playoff matchup?
- Is Yegor Chinakhov in the right roster spot since his return from injury?
- What is Luca Del Bel Belluz’s long-term outlook with the Blue Jackets?
The Blue Jackets are back in action on Thursday for the start of a four-game homestand. They will face some tough opponents through that stretch with the Vegas Golden Knights (March 13), the New York Rangers (March 15), the New Jersey Devils (March 17), and the Florida Panthers (March 20). The next Union Junction podcast should drop in a couple of weeks.
