The Cannon Cast: For Columbus Blue Jackets Fans

The pod is back from hiatus and PD answers some commenter questions! Beware Fanatics taking over the NHL uniform contract next season What's wrong with Elvis? Can the team get by with Tarasov and Greaves? Who are the candidates for General Manager? Which defensemen in the league are actually good at defense? Who should we draft in the first round? A center, a sniper, or a defenseman? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PD and MrSwift convene to discuss the breaking news of the Columbus Blue Jackets relieving Jarmo Kekalainen of general manager duties. The timing is weird What comes next? What are we looking for in the next GM? What is Jarmo's legacy? How will he be remembered? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Play along as PD and Dale assign letter grades to the regular players on the Columbus Blue Jackets. Who will rate the highest?  At the end, we compare the average to our grade for the entire team, to determine whether they are greater or lesser than the sum of their parts. Let us know where your grades differ! Check out more from The Cannon on our site and our Twitter account. Our site is part of the For Hockey Fans network. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PD and Dale break down the Western Canada trip, then discuss the latest on the David Jiricek saga and the national reaction to it. Finally, thoughts on Boone Jenner as an All-Star, and what we're looking forward to from the weekend's events in Toronto. Check out more from The Cannon on our site and our Twitter account. Our site is part of the For Hockey Fans network. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PD, Dale, and Seeds get together for a lengthy conversation that covers the Elvis Merzlikins situation and the pattern of ugly breakups that has become a signature of Jarmo Kekalainen's regime. Check out more from The Cannon on our site and our Twitter account. Our site is part of the For Hockey Fans network. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PD and Dale are back to discuss what changes each unit (plus the coaches!) can make in the new year: The forwards can do more to help the defense Play David Jiricek and Jake Christiansen more, Andrew Peeke and Ivan Provorov less The goalies need to stay calm under pressure...and stay healthy What sort of adjustments are the coaches making in-game and between games? How do you draw up the lines when the injured players return? Who gets bumped? And much more! See also: Behind the Battle: Zach Werenski's Road to Recovery Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Our site is now part of the For Hockey Fans network. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a quasi-hiatus, PD and MrSwift are back to discuss: Are the vibes bad around the Blue Jackets and their fans? Why is that? Sooooo many late game collapses Does Pascal Vincent's system fit? The Russian line ("The Troika") are really great, though How the Russians play like the best lines in the league, and how the other Blue Jackets do not Can we fix Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine? What movies do we have to rewatch every Christmas season? Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Our site is now part of the For Hockey Fans network. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PD and Seeds are back to discuss: What is responsible for the recent 1-5-4 skid? The baffling decision to send David Jiricek back to the AHL Is "load management" a smart decision for young players, like Leo Carlsson in Anaheim? Let Adam Fantilli cook! How does this first 15 games compare to the start of last season? (Hat tip to Dark and Stormy for the stat that inspired this segment) Is there a good system? Can it work? What should we expect from the next four games? Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Our site is now part of the For Hockey Fans network. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Burkus got a sign on Gameday again! He joins PD to briefly discuss that, then they break down: Adam Fantilli's first five games How is the Laine-at-center experiment going? How does the center depth look? Early impressions of Pascal Vincent as head coach Are the Blue Jackets fun to watch again? Stand-outs, disappointments, and surprises in each position group so far READ MORE: Burkus interviewed by NHL.com Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Our site is now part of the For Hockey Fans network. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Didn't want to leave you hanging without an episode this week, so PD recorded one in his car while driving home from the Detroit game. Turns out there's less traffic when the stadium empties out early! Don't worry, Mom, we set the phone down when we had to be alert, and edited out those gaps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 23-man active roster has been set for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and PD and Seeds are here to break down some of the final decisions. Which defensemen were snubbed? Is the Patrik Laine-at-center experiment working? Is there room to add another veteran center? How soon will Adam Fantilli move up the lineup? What is the best way to deploy the roster, as currently constructed? OPTIMISTIC SEEDS! Compare this roster to last year's opening game. Are the replacement players better? (Spoiler: Yes) Previewing the opening fortnight: how many points will the Jackets earn in the first 5 games? Check out our Blue Jackets season preview at ForHockeyFans.com Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Our site is now part of the For Hockey Fans network. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PD and Dale discuss: What does Mark Recchi bring to the coaching staff, and should we be concerned about the power play struggles under his watch in New Jersey? Are Denton Mateychuk and Jordan Dumais ready to play in a pro league? Is Adam Fantilli a great prospect or the greatest prospect? How good can the power play be? Is David Jiricek ready for the NHL? Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Our site is now part of the For Hockey Fans network. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back to kick off a new season of The Cannon Cast, with a special emergency episode about the Mike Babcock controversy and his quick resignation. PD, Dale, and Burkus discuss: What did Babcock actually do? Why did it lead to this fallout? Should management have known better? Does this jeopardize Boone Jenner's captaincy? What should we expect from new head coach Pascal Vincent? Did he deserve to immediately lose the "interim" tag? Finally, some positive thoughts about the prospects' impressive performance in Traverse City. We're also pleased to announce the launch today of The Cannon's new network, For Hockey Fans! Check it out for written content from fans like us all around the NHL. Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, PD breaks down the 11th through 25th ranked players in the Top 25 Under 25 countdown. which ones are most likely to make the NHL, and which have the highest ceiling? To register for the Fans First Sports Network NFL ticket giveaway, sign up here by September 3: https://contest.fansfirstsports.com/ Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's still no CBJ news to discuss, so PD and Seeds borrow liberally from Immaculate Grid, Puckdoku, and a Puck Soup Patreon episode to play a few rounds of Reverse Puckdoku, where we try to figure out the connection between groups of players. Play along while you listen! If you enjoy this and want to submit grids for us to test in future episodes, you can email thecannon@forhockeyfans.com Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been quiet since the draft, so we asked for questions and our listeners delivered. In this episode, PD and Dale discuss: Will any trades be made to clear out some roster depth? Who has in the inside edge in certain position battles at defense and center? What can we expect this season from Adam Fantilli, David Jiricek, and Kirill Marchenko? Which RFA will get the big extension next summer? Read more: Projecting the opening night lineup Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Fantilli is a Blue Jacket! PD and Seeds discuss What this means for the organization Which picks stand out from Day 2 of the draft? Observations from Development Camp: Fantilli, Brindley, Dumais, and Del Bel Belluz Has Mike Babcock changed in his time away from the NHL? Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's topics include: Recapping recent CBJ moves: Babcock, Provorov, Severson, Backstrom, and RFA re-signings Which center will the Blue Jackets take at #3 on Wednesday night? Are there more moves to be made when free agency starts on Saturday? Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Follow our podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Or buy our new logo merch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part 2 of our interview series regarding the two new Columbus Blue Jackets defensemen, PD sits down with John Fischer of All About the Jersey to discuss: Did Columbus overpay for Severson? Severson is an all-around defenseman, but prone to big mistakes Where does Severson fit in a very deep right side of the blue line? An outsider's perspective on the Columbus roster and prospects Read More: AATJ Trade Recap and Severson UFA profile, featuring the underlying stats discussed in the episode. Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Also give a follow to our new podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a huge week for the Columbus Blue Jackets, as they swung big trades for defensemen Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson. Stay tuned later this morning for Part 2 about the Severson trade. In this episode, topics include: Why was he disgruntled, even before the Pride Night controversy? Where could he fit in the Columbus lineup? What is the timeline of the Flyers' new rebuild? Some news about a potential Kevin Hayes trade Check out more from The Cannon on our new site and our Twitter account. Also give a follow to our new podcast host, the Fans First Sports Network. If you enjoy this episode and want to support our site, consider a paid subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices