Boone is too big of an asset in the faceoff dot this year to switch to the wing imo. He has been on fire outside of the Arizona game. I do want kent to move up in the lineup. I also don't think its time to fire Larsen but i hope to god if they do its for an aggressive hire like Jukka Jalonen

I will trade you Dallas Eakins straight up for Brad Larsen...

But in all seriousness, I think it's important to remember that while yes, the Jackets made some additions this offseason (Johnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyyyy!), it's still a very, very young roster, with a number of holes, and also that installing a new system as a coach isn't just a thing that happens overnight.

Mainly though-One of Elvis or Tarasov need to step up.

If it comes to that, I think Jalonen would be a great hire. I also really like Marco Sturm.

KJ was on the first PP unit and first line for a few shifts and looked AWFUL. Lets calm down with the Kent Johnson praise a little... He's already on the 2nd line and PP2 unit. As for Brad we need to step off the ledge. Everyone is too reactionary. We were never going to compete this year. Yes the power play is the worst it’s ever been. Losing Laine the first game of the season didn’t help that, Laine got his FIRST reps on the powerplay just last night. Give it at least til thanksgiving before we get our pitchforks out. This is a young team, we will grow. We don’t know if Brad is hindering that. He put kent on PP1 and the top line tonight for a bit for crying out loud. Let’s step off the ledge and take a breath.

Anyone can take a faceoff. MacKinnon is terrible at them, so when healthy and in the lineup, Landeskog takes them from the wing. It’s usually the center who does, but there isn’t a rule.

They were never going to compete this year? What nonsense is this? It's not like they have a team full of AHLers like Arizona or Chicago. Sure, they're by no means a playoff lock, but they were expected to compete for a spot by everyone except Dom's model.

The whole PP unit has looked awful all season, you can't put that on Kent. Last night was also his first reps with that unit so if you're going to give Laine a pass - rightfully - you should to KJ also. The talent on the PP1 is insane, so the extreme failure there falls on the coaching.

KJ has shown in every game this year that he can defend smartly, hold on to the puck when pressured to wait and make the smart pass, he has scored goals too and is tied for second on the team in points right now. He was also a 5th OA pick that many scouts had higher. What more do you want to see from him before giving him more opportunity? He's going to get better at faceoffs with reps, not magic. He should get his shot in the middle.

As for Larsen. I said 12-15 games before calling his tenure into question. That would be after Thanksgiving. I'm literally saying the same thing, so how can that be considered reactionary or "on the ledge" compared to your take? Also, why would they consider firing the coach in December if they weren't expected to compete? You're comments are very contradictory.

No models had CBJ making the playoffs. A few had us being 5th-6th in the metro at best. All had us out side of the playoffs. Hence why I say this is not the year we compete unless we take a huge step, which we have not. Larsen can take some of the blame but not all. Arizona also beat Toronto last week in Toronto, Chicago beat Florida last night. Just cause a team is suppose to be in the Bedard sweepstakes doesn't mean they are going to lose every game.

Did you watch that PP we had where we never got possession in their zone for more than 5 seconds... KJ gave away the puck, twice. He did not "hold on to the puck when pressured to wait and make the smart pass" He just gave it away. KJ has practiced with the team since the start of the season, Laine had his FIRST practice with the team in 2 weeks before the game yesterday. Laine should get more of a pass than KJ 100%. Also lol, KJ HAS been given more opportunity like last night and he messed it up. I love KJ and think he is good CURRENTLY but you are singing his praises way too much like he's the next coming of Rick Nash already.

Larsen will be the coach the whole season unless we drop like 9 of the next 12 games. Bad losses happened, just ask Toronto or Florida. We are fine is my main point, bringing up how the coaching staff should be wary and maybe out of time soon is being on the ledge.

I am nowhere near the ledge. You are severely misreading my statements. I said give him 12-15 games to show improvement before calling the coach into question, you literally said the same thing. It's not the win or loss result that is a concern right now, it is the extreme inconsistency in the team's effort and focus. That is a coaching issue to resolve. They have time to do so, but if it continues then it will be called into question.

Being within striking distance of a playoff spot - as you said, 5th or 6th in the Metro - IS competing. Being close in games is competing. Having consistent effort is competing. Being last in the Metro and getting regularly blown out is not. If you have guys like Gaudreau, Laine, Voracek, Werenski, Jenner, highly talented youth like Johnson, Sillinger and Chinakov, a fast and physical fourth line, then you should be competing. This is not a tanking team. Just accepting a mediocre result before it even happens is a not only not competing, but it's also setting yourself up for future failure. I guarantee you no one in that building is thinking that way. The expectation is to compete. Again, not demanding a playoff berth, but not competing should not be acceptable for a roster of this caliber.

It's not the win-loss result I'm worried about, it is the extreme inconsistency in effort and focus. This is what the coaching is there for. The consistent effort and focus are what we need to see improved. I'm not calling for anyone's job now and won't be at the end of the season either if we can at least show compete. Right now, we are regularly getting blown out. If that doesn't change over the next month, then yes, we may have a coaching issue. Notice, I said "may have". Not language used by people ready to jump.

Columbus as a whole just looked flat last night, getting a team in the right system is on the coach, getting a team fired up to play and in the right mindset is on the players and the leadership. Columbus is a younger team with a growing leadership core, it’ll take a bit for them to find some consistency in learning how to properly prepare physically and mentally for games.

The one thing I will say and I know it’s not on Larson but his assistant, is our special teams were atrocious last night and they have been for a while. If Columbus wants to do anything those will have to be fixed.

Also a bit of blame has to go on the goal tending who currently sit at a -2.3 and a -6.1 in the goals saved above expected numbers, good for 51 of 65 and 65 of 65.

Overall I think this team has a lot more holes then people realized and adding Gudbranson and Gaudreau didn’t really fix anything. Imo they are still in major need of a number one defenceman, a number one center and currently it looks like they need a number one goalie, though I still hope Elvis can turn it around.

They have been one of the youngest teams in the league for years now. At some point Jarmo's ability to actually grow players has to be a concern.

It's hard when players won't stay. They've done everything possible to change that (new facilities, handing out bigger contracts, hiring a player concierge etc.), but if guys just want to play in another place that is beyond the team's control. When you step back and look at whole 32 team league over the past decade, Jarmo has actually done a pretty remarkable job given all the circumstances. It's fair to call up his mistakes, because there certainly have been a few, but I'm not sure who you could really find right now that would do a better job.