Columbus Blue Jackets: Does Curtis Sanford Deserve to Be Team's No. 1 Goalie?

Heading into the offseason last year, the position that created the biggest question mark for the Columbus Blue Jackets was their situation between the pipes.

Former Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason put together back-to-back unimpressive seasons and many believed that the team's front office was finally going to cut the cord and put an end to the idea of the 23-year-old being the team's franchise goaltender.

However, the Jackets' front office decided to give Mason another chance to prove that he could turn things around.

Columbus improved the defense in front of Mason with the signing of power play quarterback James Wisniewski and signed two backup goaltenders in Mark Dekanich and Curtis Sanford.

Dekanich was slated to be Mason's backup coming into the season after he impressed during his time with the Nashville Predators' AHL affiliate and Jackets general manager Scott Howson believed he was ready to make the jump to the big leagues.

However, the plan that was set up in the beginning of the season went nothing like the Jackets had predicted as both Dekanich and Sanford were hurt heading into the year, forcing Mason to start several games consecutively.

Mason struggled yet again and the Columbus found themselves with only one point from their first eight games, and quickly dropped in the Western Conference standings.

Rumors began to swirl that the team was in desperate need of another goaltender and were looking to trade for a new No. 1 option.

Names like Winnipeg's Chris Mason, Boston's Tuukka Rask, and Vancouver's Cory Schneider emerged as possible targets Columbus was looking at acquiring.

Even with the abundant amount of trade talks, the Jackets have yet to acquire a new goaltender.

While the front office figures out what the future holds for the goaltending position, their future No. 1 goalie may be sitting right underneath their nose.

Sanford returned from injury in mid-November, while Dekanich is still on the mend, and was thrown right into it when his first start since the 2008-2009 season was against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins.

Sanford was solid in defeat and did what any good goaltender is supposed to do, giving his team an opportunity to win. Something it seems Mason can no longer provide.

In 22 starts this season, Sanford has gone 8-11-4, with a goals against average of 2.57 and a save percentage of .912.

Those numbers are not jaw dropping, but the blame cannot fall on Sanford's shoulders alone as the Jackets' defense has struggled mightily this season.

The 32-year-old has had to stand on his head several times over the course of the season, and has done an incredible job for the talent he has to work with.

He may not be the future for the franchise in net, but Sanford's play this season has earned him the right to at least be considered as the No. 1 goalie moving forward.

The Jackets' season can be considered a lost cause, so what would it hurt to let Sanford finish out the year as the starter?

There is still a question as to whether or not the Columbus are still in the market for a goaltender before the trade deadline.

If they try and acquire either Rask or Schneider, they will most likely have to give up a top player, either Rick Nash or Jeff Carter, to acquire him.

Then, at the end of the season, both players are set to become free agents, meaning the Jackets will have to lay down the big bucks as either player will be looked at as the franchise goaltender.

Sanford, on the other hand, would be a cheaper option to re-sign at the end of the season and would allow the Jackets to spend their money elsewhere, possibly improving their defense or winger positions.

The next few weeks will be a good indicator of the direction the Jackets plan on moving towards in the future.

The big question is whether or not the play of Curtis Sanford has found a way to fit into those plans or not?