The NHL Arena Welcome Message

[damned]

Perhaps the most perplexing development with the Columbus Blue Jackets this season is the lack of playing time given to forward Nikita Filatov.

Since the season began, Filatov has seen his Time On Ice (TOI) go from a small amount, to virtually non-existent, to a series of healthy scratches - this, predicated by quite an intense discussion with Head Coach Ken Hitchcock during a practice preceding the series of healthy scratches - to Filatov starting to play, even fewer minutes, to more healthy scratches, to playing a few more minutes - only due to a rash of injuries to the CBJ's forward crop - to more diminished minutes, last night, with the same diminished forward corps. Whew! Recounting that was exhausting...

Let's backtrack a bit to what predicated the first series of healthy scratches, then to the more confusing second go-around of diminished ice time and healthy scratches.

Hitchcock and Filatov met - for about 10 minutes, right before the 4th game of the season, against the Calgary Flames - at center ice. By the accounts of the local print media, it was quite a scene as Hitchcock, tapping his stick, at times, on the ice, "informed" Filatov as to what's expected of him, at the NHL level. What follows is what the local print media disclosed on the exchange/session - call it what you may:

http://www.insidehockey.com/columns/4852

[Cujorulesdtown90]

Its Hitchcock. Filatov is slowly earning his trust, it will take a while, but give it a little more time (or injuries). He will come around.

[LeaferSutherland]

Its Hitchcock. Filatov is slowly earning his trust, it will take a while, but give it a little more time (or injuries). He will come around.

Ahhhh. I forgot Hitchcock was the coach. I kept thinking it was Barry Melrose.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif)

[srotaneS]

Ahhhh. I forgot Hitchcock was the coach. I kept thinking it was Barry Melrose.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif)

lol calm down Stamkos!

[jacketsfan77]

Ahhhh. I forgot Hitchcock was the coach. I kept thinking it was Barry Melrose.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif)

No, no, no. One is a ding dong and the other loves hot dogs. There is a difference.

[BurnTHalO]

This article is spot on. The Yotes game was telling to me. Chimera gave up at the end of the game. He didn't work, didn't try to score, and certainly didn't go to the tough areas, yet Filatov gets punnished and Chimera is moved up lines. This team could be an elite team with some decent coaching right now.

[LeaferSutherland]

No, no, no. One is a ding dong and the other loves hot dogs. There is a difference.

Don't feel bad. Ron Wilson has been wasting Luke Schenn on the bench for much of his games.

[BurnTHalO]

Well, Filatov scored tonight, which obviously means he will be back in the press box next game.

[stlbluesfan4ever]

Congrats to Filatov to finally have something to celebrate, I was surprised that Hitchcock didn't bench him after scoring. The jackets have a ton of young talent and I really see the blues and jackets being the future of the central. and even though I have alot of respect for Hitchcock, I think he is the only thing that will hold the jackets back. However, I really can't say much, Andy Murray has a big Veteran crush and finds it hard to fully trust young guys, but I have to give him credit, when he sees success he is little more open minded and accepting. Hopefully, Hitchcock opens his eyes to what he has.

[Money]

I find it funny that the author thinks it would be hard to "paint the town" in Columbus, considering its the number one reason they traded one former top pick (Brule) and one of the many reasons they traded Zherdouch.

[jacketsfan77]

I find it funny that the author thinks it would be hard to "paint the town" in Columbus, considering its the number one reason they traded one former top pick (Brule) and one of the many reasons they traded Zherdouch.

He doesn't know any better because he's a government account. Honestly he real is. I found on LinkedIn. Maybe if he'd let himself experience Columbus instead of just bitching about Columbus in his little blog then he might discover something he didn't realize was there before.

This point has been edited by jacketsfan77: Nov 9 2009, 09:11 AM