Michael Arace commentary: How would you fill Huselius' spot? | BlueJacketsXtra

I think I do exactly what GHSH is doing. Making notes and comparing options.

I'm reluctant to add a bunch of salary to an already high CBJ cap.

So I'm looking for the right guy at the right price. If I don't get the guy I want, we'll depend on the bunch of AAAA guys like Giroux et al to pick up teh slack until Juice is back. Next year, ol' 20 won't be with us and we'll know more about the kids and AAAAs.

We will be better, this year; and better again next year! Don't panic!

I would check to see if anything comes via a trade (knowing you are not forced d to make one) if not check free agent lists.If nothing there then check Springfield to see if anyone is available.

Does anyone really think the CBJ playoff hopes hinge on "the Juice"? Sign Prospal and get on with life. Huselius is on the injury train right now anyway and is a fragile human being. Get on with life. I am guessing, Mr. Howson, this is why, ten years ago, you should have had a staff drafting for organizational depth. Now the fans pay for poor overall organizational management. Mr. Priest, are reading this stuff?

Cute article hiding a good summary. The conclusion is almost inescapable. We don't want or need another kid with motivation issues -- that stuff can poison a room. Waiting is tough, because this year isn't last year -- Howson is under huge pressure to make real progress, and letting the team underpreform due to lack of skill and experience isn't the answer. Having a solid 2nd and 3rd line is key to having the 1st line really emerge, and he just invested a lot of money to make that possible. You go to mgmt, hat in hand, and write a short-term contract for a known quantity. In fact, although many people believe in Juice, he's also still a guy with "upside" that we're waiting to see emerge. Mostly solid but with spongey weak spots. 4-6 months plus weeks of light ice time? Go rent a good vet.

I have an interesting thought. Nic Zherdev! Knows the team and city; has something to prove to the whole NHL, let alone Columbus. On a cheap one year contract with performance bonuses, he might surprise even himself. And he is a threat on the ice; his stints with NY and Philly proved that!

Forget Juice, get a goalie since the Jackets have the worst tandem in the league.

http://www.rldhockey.net/2011/07/ranking-goal...

Cry baby in Florida wrote:

Does anyone really think the CBJ playoff hopes hinge on "the Juice"? Sign Prospal and get on with life. Huselius is on the injury train right now anyway and is a fragile human being. Get on with life. I am guessing, Mr. Howson, this is why, ten years ago, you should have had a staff drafting for organizational depth. Now the fans pay for poor overall organizational management. Mr. Priest, are reading this stuff?

You do realize, Howson wasn't here 10 years ago to draft for organizational depth...

As for what I would do, I would wait until after arbitration to see who is added to the UFA pool and go from there. Not many teams are in need of cap relief, Buffalo and Washington are close but not over the cap (capgeek.com ) and Washington's GM has basically stated his off-season is done so trades might be hard to come by. My guess is after arbitration, Prospal is still the best option for a 4-6 month bandaid.

Jason Williams all the way. He's a true clutch player, there's not really any reason we dumped him original except to make sure the over rated brass had a spot

Jason Williams Clutch player?
Hardly 93 goals in 447 games and 1 in 27 playoff games. I'm glad we let him go so Brass could have a spot.
I'd sign prospal

Sign Vinny Prospal to a reasonable 1yr contract and put him along side Vermette & Umberger. Then give his spot on that line to Calvert, Atkinson, & Johansen every so often to give them a taste of a top line & give Vinny a breather.

Finally a new ARTICLE TO READ!!!!!! First half of this month was crazy not I have had nothing for a week!!! Whatever Howson does I hope it doesnt come at the expense of the future..with the blocks we have this could be a 5 year window!!!

Just read the comments........PROSPAL PROSPAL PROSPAL!!!!! Kinda wanted a veteran anyways for stretch run when Juice is healthy throwing is body around.... or wait

If the price were right, I'd take Dumont. Always liked him!

The other thing with Nic; he's played with both Nash AND Carter. I could imaging a $500K contract with a 1 $Million performance incentive. Everybody talks about the bad times while he was here and they were truly awful. But there were also some pretty spectacular moments with Nash when it looked like they'd develop into a really potent pair. We could do worse!

Que Vinny P! I havent seen much of him but he was very visible on the ice in NYR in the playoffs. He showed a lot of heart. He's a good fill in for Juice and when Juice is back Arniel can move R.J. to the 3rd for scoring on the checking line.(No slight on RJ) He is my favorite player... but one of the reasons he is my favorite is because he can and will play any role. Ultimate team player!

Go Jackets!

Prospal is fine, but I agree, that Zherdev on a 1 yr contract wouldn't be a bad idea either. So he doesn't want to go into corners and get dirty. Did juice? Juice is almost the same, he'd rather pass than get hit. Juice might play more D, than Zherdev, but if we've upgraded our D enough and if Carter plays D well, maybe a player like Zherdev can do what he likes to do best, make offensive plays.

Cry baby in Florida wrote:

Does anyone really think the CBJ playoff hopes hinge on "the Juice"? Sign Prospal and get on with life. Huselius is on the injury train right now anyway and is a fragile human being. Get on with life. I am guessing, Mr. Howson, this is why, ten years ago, you should have had a staff drafting for organizational depth. Now the fans pay for poor overall organizational management. Mr. Priest, are reading this stuff?

The Juice stunk up the ice anyway...Can't hit, cant shoot the puck...No big whoop ! As soon he gets well, if he does the first thing I do...Put him on the trading block !!!

I'd actually go even further, and structure Nic's performance contract:$500K if he exceeds 30 goals; $500K if he exceeds 40 assists; and $1.5 million if he does both!

One more comment, and I promise to quit.

Z is 26, a year younger than Nash. All those other guys are really playing out the string; they will have no connection and no future in Columbus; just wrapping it up.

But just suppose Arniel gets inside Z's head (or the performance numbers do.) When Juice comes back, you've got two bona fide puck magicians on the team and a whole raft of first-flight scorers. That will raise some eyebrows in the Central division!

Anybody who thinks Zherdev is the answer is on some very good medication... that ship has sailed people, he's not coming back here, he's already had his chance.

I would rather put Calvert on the 2nd line then Z.