Columbus Blue Jackets: Are Hitch and the Boys Ready for Prime Time?

For the first time in the franchise's existence, the Columbus Blue Jackets are a legitimate playoff team. So much so that for the first year ever, Columbus was a buyer—going out and grabbing Antoine Vermette from the somewhat rejuvenated (but still lacklustre) Senators.

Columbus is playing with a great deal of consistency. This has been one of their biggest criticisms since inception. Being able to string together three wins in a row seemed to be a challenge as seemingly difficult as proving that water wasn’t wet.

Just this month alone they have dealt loses to the Red Wings, Bruins, Penguins, and Black Hawks. These teams are all at or near the top of their respective divisions. No longer do the Blue Jackets get taken for granted as they once did.

If one had to point to a particular player as being the lynchpin to their success, it’s a no-brainer. Or it used to be a no-brainer. This year is different.

In most other years, Rick Nash would have automatically been the answer. Make no mistake. If you don’t follow the midwest or Central Division, you only know Rick Nashfor his highlight-reel goals on nightly episodes of Sportscenter, Sport Night, Sport Monkey, or whatever show you watch to get your fix.

While he is having a “good” year by his standards (67 points in 68 games, effectively a point per game guy), one need only look to the crease for the answer to their success this year.

Rookie Steve Mason has been spectacular. After seeing little puck last year, and starting the season on the end of a scope at the OR, Mason has taken over the blue paint for the Jackets. On more than one occasion he has put that team on his back, kept the score from getting out of control as the defense seemingly parted the seas in front of him, made another timely save, and gave them the opportunity to compete for the win.

And this kid is barely out of training pants!

He has shown night in and night out that he ain’t no fluke. Hence, the Jackets were able to part ways with oft-injured Pascal LeClaire. Pascal was a great goalie, and at face value some think that Howson gave up too much for Vermette. Simply put, were Pascal to be able to stay healthy for more then three months at a time, the team was not “big” enough for both he and Mason.

In a league where the platoon goal-tending scenario seems to be ever more accepted, I don’t sense that it was going to work in Columbus. Veteran and youth goalies seem to be able to coexist, while two goalies that are nearer each other in age and in terms of overall “tending prime”—not so much.

So the team made the best move they could and frankly, I am happy with their outcome thus far. Vermette has been on the score sheet virtually every night they have played so they are getting an immediate return on their investment. And Mason, already blooming with confidence, should feel even more comfortable now that the Jackets are his team, and they will go as far as he can take them.

In terms of where the Blue Jackets fit in right now in terms of the playoff race, I suggest that they fall somewhere in the two or three range. One could suggest two from the perspective that the team has been playing great hockey as of late and would have to be considered a legitimate threat to be taken seriously by Detroit, San Jose, and Calgary alike.

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