By Doktor Z
Good day and welcome to the Jackets Peanut Gallery, a fresh new blog covering the satirical side of the Columbus Blue Jackets and bringing good natured levity to an otherwise fairly morose situation in the basement of the NHL. I am Doktor Z and I look forward to providing casual commentary that reflects what’s on the collective mind of many in the Jackets nation but who tend to shy away from the limelight. There is nothing like telling it like it is, eh? More on that later but for now, it’s all eyes on Rick Nash.
With free agency just hours away, there is bound to be significant movement with teams such as the New York Rangers who have long been interested in Mr. Nash. That’s despite their fans shouting, “We don’t want you!!!” at Nash after he scored a goal during a Jackets-Rangers game in the Big Apple, back in the winter. As the thermometer in Columbus spikes up indicating hellacious heat, the temperature with the Nash situation has not kept pace…..until now. This is it, folks.
Those of you that are Nash-worshippers ought to get your freakin’ tissue box out. He is going, bye-bye, and there is nothing you can do about it. Boo hoo hoo! Why the hell would you want to hold on to a player that has clearly indicated that he has had enough of this team and wants out? On top of that, he is the bloody CAPTAIN! Didn’t the Jackets have to put up with something similar with the way Adam Foote kicked them in the groin on his way out of here? Nasher is about ready to do the same thing. So, hold on to your kahoonis, boys! It will be a lot worse with Nash as he will keep kicking his former fans in the kahoonis everytime the Jackets play his new team. And, ya better hope as hell he doesn’t end up in the Central Division like the dastardly Red Wings.
Now, I am not going to ignore all the contributions Rick Nash has made to this club. He has been the best player we’ve had. Period! But he lost his mojo in the last couple of years as his production dipped……and, was his heart in it, anymore? Or is it because….let’s be honest Jackets nation…..he has been surrounded by sucky players! Or is the age thing beginning to wear on him. You know what’s really frustrating is when he plays for Team Canada and looks like a rejuvenated star. He hits damn hard and scores when it is really needed. That may be an indication that he is going to light up the lamp a lot more in New York, Philadelphia, Detroit, or wherever he ends up.
As we get closer to high noon on this day, let us prepare to bid adieu to Rick Nash. Columbus hockey will never be the same. Nail Yakupov would have been a nice addition to the club who may have eventually been a replacement for Nasher. Any trade that goes down will not result in another star player heading this way unless a Bobby Ryan – Rick Nash trade goes down between Anaheim and Columbus.
Actually, I am going to look at it from a glass half-full perspective with Nash’s imminent departure and boldly predict that this will give other leadership and character guys like Jack Johnson, James Wisniewski, and Vinny Prospal a chance to step up and rally this team from the laughing stock of the league to a respectable team. Maybe some of the young guns get to play their game now like RyJo and even Brassard really gets to be the go-to guy! And, that is what gives the Jackets nation hope for the future! Because, hope is all we have left as yet another captain gives us the middle finger on his way out of town! Well, here are two hands up both returning the favor to a captain that is no more a true Jacket and hasn’t been one for several months. Hasta la vista, baby!
