In what is, perhaps, the most unpredictable and confounding season in CBJ history, the Jackets have finally made the most predictable move of the year. Last Monday, Scott Arniel was unceremoniously fired as Bluejacket head coach after just a season and half behind the bench. My best guess at the amount of people around the NHL who were surprised by the firing is zero, and that includes Scott Arniel, his friends, and his family. While the move may have been as shocking as seeing orange barrels on the side of a Columbus road, Arniel wasn't the main problem for the Jackets and his firing won't solve the core issues of the franchise. In any event, let's take a look at a few of the things that have gone wrong for the Jackets at the midway point of the season, and see how much Scott Arniel is actually to blame for this train wreck of a year.

I apologize in advance for making you relive the first half of the season, but if you're still reading this you're either a die-hard Jackets fan or you are trying to kill time at work or in class. In either scenario things are already kind of crappy so you may as well just stick it out with me.

In hockey there are four statistical categories that really reveal how good or bad a team is. Goals scored, goals given up, power play scoring, and penalty kill. I'll spare you the exact details and rankings, but just know that the Jackets are bad in all four of them. Really, really bad. So on that note, let's dive into one of the biggest reasons that the Jackets have the worst record in the NHL and a brand new interim head coach.

Scoring

Basically, the Bluejackets haven't been able to do it all season. I know I said I was going to spare you the statistics but I guess I lied. The CBJ average just 2.3 goals per game which ranks them 27th out of 30 teams in the NHL. There are only three teams as bad or worse at scoring goals than the Jackets, and all of those teams allow fewer goals on the other end. This team just hasn't been able to put the puck in the back of the net and there are a couple major reasons behind it. One of those reasons is the fact that Jeff Carter and Kristen Huselius have battled injuries the entire season. Carter is the clear number one center on the team and Huselius is a top 6 forward when healthy. Huselius started the year injured and then returned for a grand total of two games before severely injuring himself again. Carter has shown glimpses but has missed twelve games and has been battling nagging injuries the entire year. When those two are healthy they can be dynamic offensive playmakers, but that just hasn't been the case this year. The other reason that the CBJ have failed to score goals is the lackluster performance of many of their healthy forwards. Antoine Vermette and Derick Brassard were two guys that were expected to have good seasons based on their talent level, and both of them have basically been stealing money from the Jackets for the past three months. And as much as it pains me to say, the two best healthy forwards on the team, and my two favorite players, have had very underwhelming years. Both RJ Umberger and Rick Nash have had decent years statistically, but each has failed to play anywhere near their talent level. Whatever the cause, the Bluejackets own the worst record in the league in large part due to their offensive ineptitude. That being said, there is an even bigger reason the Jackets are a last place team with a fired coach.

Steve Mason

Coming into the season I thought Steve Mason was the key to the Bluejacket's season. If he were to play like he did his rookie season, the Jackets could make the playoffs. And I honestly thought he was going to regain that form. Unfortunately, Steve Mason has been awful and I wish I could go back in time 3 months ago and take my optimistic self out for a drink. I'm not even going to waste a paragraph on an in depth analysis of Steve Mason. All you need to know is that in my outline for writing this article I wrote down Steve Mason as a category and the only thing I wrote next to it was “bad”. Not only do the fans know that Mason gives the team almost no chance to win, his opponents and his own teammates know it. In summary, Steve Mason has been bad. So, so bad.

There are a lot of reasons that the CBJ have the worst record in the league. Aside from the injuries, lack of offense, and Steve Mason occupying the net, the inexplicable start to the season and the numerous late game meltdowns have also played a part in the overall disappointment of this season. Some of that may fall at the feet of Scott Arniel, but most of the problems with the Bluejackets have nothing to do with the recently fired coach. So how do you fix the Columbus Bluejackets? I think that just may be an entirely different article. Until then, just know that there isn't really an elite prospect in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, in which the CBJ will probably have the first pick. And on that note I'm going back in time to buy my optimistic self a few more drinks.

Carry the flag!