COLUMBUS, Ohio - Half of the team was still on the ice for the pregame warm-ups when the news of Nathan Horton being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs went up on the video ribbon that encircles the arena. As they filed back into the dressing room, it was confirmed that they were getting a new teammate in David Clarkson.
"We've all been in that situation before," said head coach Todd Richards. "It's part of our sport and part of our job and what we do. When you get out on the ice, you've got to be ready to go."
With the youth of the team, could this be the reason for yet another slow start? The Montreal Canadiens are a known commodity. They knew the visitors would come out fast and play a heavy game. If you give them an inch they will take a mile and drop a few goals on you in the process.
"We're seeing it again," said a very frustrated Nick Foligno. "They get a lead and (expletive deleted), pardon my language, but we just can't find a way to get back in the game. We shoot ourselves in the foot."
"It's frustrating, because we talk about it and talk about it, yet we don't go out and do it."
This game was similar to so many games that they've played this year. They start slow, give up a goal or more and chase the game the rest of the way. Sometimes, they win. More often, they lose. Where is the sense of urgency that needs to be seen from the drop of the puck?
"We weren't ready to start the game," said Richards. "They scored some goals and now you're chasing the game. I think when you're down 3-1 it creates some desperation. But we need the desperation when it's 0-0."
It's not that the players don't care, because they do. But at this point of their tumultuous season, the writing is clearly on the wall that the playoffs are not going to happen.
It is times like these that call for a strong voice with a timbre that will shake the very walls of the room, to rally the boys and harness their pride. Although management says that there is leadership by committee, this clearly is not working. Are there too many voices in that the message is getting drowned out?
Maybe, just maybe, it is time to name a captain for the team and give the youngsters someone to rally around. It doesn't have to happen tomorrow. With 22 games remaining, the season is almost complete. The time to name a captain would be when the season is finished.
By doing so, it would let the boys know who to look to for guidance and leadership. They would actually have someone to run a "captain's practice" before training camp gets underway and the season starts. The "no captain" experiment has seemingly run its course in Columbus. It has been like this since Rick Nash left town for the Big Apple almost three years ago.
They've always said that a captain would be named when that person emerged from within the ranks of the roster. The consensus has been that Boone Jenner is a likely candidate, as is Nick Foligno. If neither of them can adequately fill the boots of a captain and wear the "C" on their chest, then maybe one needs to be found to fill that void. They need a player that is respected and accepted as their leader.
If they had a captain, maybe they wouldn't wade into so many games and have slow starts a majority of the time. Having someone kick you in the fanny to get you going can do wonders. But until then, the status quo just may prevail.
"It's weird," Foligno said. "We wait to see what other teams are going to do. We're a reactive team and we have been all year long. It's on us. It's on myself and the older guys in this room to make sure that when we drop the puck, that it's us that's driving this."
Programming Note:The Blue Jackets host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at 5 p.m. with the FOX Sports Ohio pregame show "Blue Jackets LIVE" beginning at 4:30 p.m.
