Could Columbus be cursed?

by James Mirtle on Feb 1, 2009 12:45 PM CST Comment 11 comments

Frankly I don't know what other explanation there might be for all of the bad luck the Blue Jackets have endured this season.

Among the leaders in games missed due to injury. Derick Brassard, the leading rookie scorer at the time, injures a shoulder in the first "fight" of his NHL career. They're also down a starting goaltender (who was horrible when healthy) in Pascal Leclaire and a backup in Fredrik Norrena who was so inept he left for the KHL.

Now, their star rookie, a 20-year-old goaltender right out of junior and on pace to win the Calder Trophy and contend for the Vezina has the kissing disease:

Turns out Blue Jackets rookie Steve Mason is battling more than just a heavy workload.

General manager Scott Howson confirmed late last night to The Dispatch that Mason has been suffering from mononucleosis for three to four weeks.

At the moment, the Blue Jackets are on pace for 87 points, which would be seven more than their best-ever finish and close to a playoff berth. For the first time ever it looks like they'll stay in the postseason race beyond February, and now this.

Columbus is a great defensive team and has a lot of pluck, but they're not going anywhere with backup Wade Dubielewicz between the pipes. The franchise desperately needs its first trip to the playoffs to win back a fan base that's been dwindling, year by year, and can't afford more time in the wilderness.

Mason started his 18th straight game last night and has looked out of gas lately. That's not a good sign.

I think they're cursed.

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They did just do an exorcism about a month ago. No joke.

It’s apparently worn off.

by antonette on Feb 1, 2009 2:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Or they need to tray some different religions to cover all bases.

The market will have no problems if they can just put together a good, consistently competitive team.

"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams

by Baroque on Feb 1, 2009 2:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

They’re always going to be a small market, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be successful. Enough people are interested in the team there that they should be fine.

But they really, really need to make the playoffs.

by James Mirtle on Feb 1, 2009 3:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I moved here for school and have been converting myself as a fan for those two years, and I’m impressed by how proud the small group of hardcore fans are. There are a whole lot of jerseys at games, and that says a lot. But 10,000 fans in jerseys aren’t going to keep the league happy.

However, I wish they’d push their student rush program a bit more – that’s what made Penguins games so great when they were bad. There’s a 50,000+ university population next door.

by antonette on Feb 1, 2009 3:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, I know they will never be a large market and have no money troubles – they will always need to watch their budget. But they can still be a solid team that is well-attended and doesn’t need to worry about losing money hand over fist.

I hope they make the playoffs this year, even if they don’t do well and go out in the first round. Just for the fans to get a taste of their team playing more than the standard 82 games. They deserve that much.

"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams

by Baroque on Feb 1, 2009 3:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed. I had a lot of fun going to a game there last year. Great rink, decent fan base.

by James Mirtle on Feb 1, 2009 3:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Columbus always has had a good, strong hockey fan foundation, which is why despite how bad the on-ice product was every season, they still pulled a good crowd. They’re a classic example of a young fanbase that’s being undone by management ineptitude for far too many years (which nearly happened to DC in the late 1970s). I really hope they can turn it around, ‘cause I think they’ll be a consistantly healthy franchise if they just can be competitive.

by Forsch31 on Feb 2, 2009 10:35 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

So, who drank Jobu’s rum?

by Afino on Feb 1, 2009 3:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm disappointed..

This post has been up seven hours and no one has even bothered to point out that, according to Murphy’s Law, Steve Mason and Phil Kessel have probably been making out.

by The Jumbotron (Gabe) on Feb 1, 2009 7:25 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

They’ve also had a lot of drama with some of their recent draft picks, no? Filatov getting injured during an unauthorized stint with his KHL team before the season started, then that kid who completely flaked out and went to work in a pizza place after signing for a huge bonus…definitely some bad luck for that franchise lately.

Rangers, Royals, Raiders, Knicks...the man loves a winner.

by self loather on Feb 1, 2009 10:39 PM CST reply actions 0 recs