At six games under .500, the Columbus Blue Jackets are staring at the NHL Draft Lottery again and that is a problem. When Mike Babcock was hired team president, John Davidson, and GM, Jarmo Kekalainen both said the team was ready to take a step forward and begin to contend. When Babcock was fired right before training camp started they stated the same thing and when Pascal Vincent was hired they said it again. Yet, there is no sign the team is ready to contend for anything other than a top draft pick.
The Blue Jackets have weaknesses that they simply have not been able to overcome. The third period of games has been a horror show, the power play is a mess, and the defense continues to give up easy goals. It has been a broken record to this point. While players like Kirill Marchenko, Adam Fanilli, Kent Johnson, and a few others have taken a step in development it has not added up to wins.
The Blue Jackets have a roster that can win yet it has not happened. Six games under .500 is not too bad, but to think the team is going to suddenly stack wins seems like a big stretch as they have one or two games in a row here and there it has not been much more than that.
When Babcock was fired the Blue Jackets ownership stated that no more changes would be made at that time. Now as the Holidays are closing in it seems like a fair question, will the team be looking for a new team president and or GM after the season? Being told the team was ready to improve and then not happening makes it a legitimate question.
Only ownership knows if and when a change will occur.
