CBC-Sports

Howson helps push Jackets to post-season

April 1, 2009 06:42 PM | Posted by   Craig Simpson  

This season looks as though it will finally end a rather dubious distinction owned by the Columbus Blue Jackets franchise.

In the 30-team NHL they were the only team to never have played a playoff game. In this, their ninth year of existence and eighth year of hockey - thanks to the lost season of the lockout) - the Blue Jackets find themselves comfortably in a playoff position, sitting sixth in the Western Conference with five games to play.

On paper, the season is an outstanding success. They’ve already set franchise-best marks in wins (40) and points (88) with more wins and points still left on the table. What’s more important to the longstanding fans of this mid-Ohio franchise is that not only are they a better team on paper, they are looking to be a very dangerous playoff team on the ice.

Missing father figure

In their most successful season ever, it’s sad to note that their supportive father-figure-of-an-owner John H. McConnell is no longer with us to enjoy the ride. After his passing earlier in the season, the players, coaches and management of the Jackets dedicated their drive to the post-season to their popular leader. Whatever the motivation, the result has been a Columbus team that has continued to improve, grow with confidence and win big games under the pressure of a playoff push.

Mr. McConnell himself should take some of the credit with his decision back on June 15, 2007, to hire a rookie general manager in Scott Howson.

With no experience, Howson may not have been the easiest choice to try to turn around the fortunes of an underachieving team, but he was absolutely the right person for the job. Having worked with Scott when he was an assistant GM in Edmonton, I have seen first hand the skill, patience, knowledge and expertise Scott has about the game. He knows what to look for in good players at all levels, and he is thorough in his analysis of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and salary cap issues, which is such an important part of running an NHL team.

Doesn't need headlines

His low-key, no-nonsense personality may be his best asset. He is a good man, and one that doesn’t need to be in the limelight, take all the attention or the credit. With an outgoing personality like Ken Hitchcock already in place as the head coach, I can’t think of another person who could have handled that kind of situation as well. He is the perfect compliment to Hitch, and has allowed Hitch to focus on what he does best …coach.

Howson’s moves at the start of the season to sign free agents Kristian Huselius and Mike Commodore might not be front page news, but both have been key performers. His trade of skilled but frustrated forward Nikolai Zherdev and centre Dan Fritsche to the Rangers for a pair of blue-liners in Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman bolstered his defence. He traded draft picks to get R.J. Umberger from the Flyers and Umberger has responded with a career high 26 goals. Trading Gilbert Brule to get Raffi Torres from the Oilers may have looked like a bust early when Torres was injured, but down the stretch he has scored a bucket full of big goals.

At the trade deadline, the Jackets again weren’t the most active and didn’t make the biggest trade, but much like Howson’s personality, they made a quiet, efficient move. Getting Antoine Vermette for Pascal Leclaire has given them another key centre with speed, and Vermette has flourished in his new role.

The star rookie

The one thing any playoff ready team needs is good goaltending, and few have been better this season than rookie sensation Steve Mason.

Mason has taken over the reigns in goal and played so well that it allowed Howson the opportunity to trade Leclaire for Vermette. Mason is a lock for rookie of the year and is making a case for the Vezina. If he continues playing at this level the Columbus Blue Jackets will not only have made history with their first-ever playoff series, they may get their first series win.

Either way, it will have been a successful start to a new chapter for the Scott Howson led franchise.

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