Some Fans And Media Are Furious Over Ice Time Distribution The Last Few Games, But Is It Warranted?

Like clockwork every season, the Blue Jackets injury monster appears to wreak havoc on Columbus players. Some say the team is cursed, while others shrug it off as bad luck. Like the Balrog of Morgoth from Lord Of The Rings, the injury monster needs flung into a deep abyss and defeated. 

The list of injured Jackets this year is long, and it seems like everyone has had a stint on IR or has missed games due to injury or illness. Injuries are nothing to laugh at, but it does get laughable sometimes with the sheer amount of them that happen every year to this club. The current man-games lost count is 237. 

The Blue Jackets have been playing with 5 AHL players recently, with another in James Malatesta who was called up Saturday in an emergency recall situation. With Brendan Gaunce, Trey Fix-Wolansky, Carson Meyer, Mikael Pyyhtia, and Jake Christiansen filling out the rest of the AHLers. Fix-Wolansky was sent back down to Cleveland on Sunday.

Columbus is solidly in a bottom-of-the-league situation again, and many wonder why "the kids" aren't getting more ice time. Actually, "wonder" probably isn't the correct word to use. The correct word is more like "furious." 

Fans and Media alike were left wondering why Dmitri Voronkov, who is 7th in rookie points scoring, and 4th in rookie goals, has the lowest ice time of all forwards in a blowout game against Colorado. And why did all of the defensemen play over 20 minutes against Vegas except Jake Christiansen, who only played 11 minutes? 

Who is upset the most? Cleveland Monsters fans, who have seen their team gutted due to all the call-ups by Columbus, that's who. Fans must understand however that this is what farm systems are for, and their job is to supply the big club in times of need. Why are Monster fans so upset? For starters, their team has lost three straight, are 4-6 in the last 10 games, and have fallen into second place in the North Division. The common sentiment I see on social media is, "If they're not going to play these guys, send them back." Easier said than done. Columbus is only going to call up the best players from Cleveland, the ones who have earned an NHL shot. They're not going to call up a 4th line winger who barely plays AHL minutes.  

The Jackets were outscored 10-3 in these two games. Some will argue that these two games, and being dominated throughout are the reason why the call-ups didn't get much ice time, while others will say that being dominated and blown out is the exact reason why they should be playing more. Only Pascal Vincent can make those decisions and those decisions have been questioned all year by almost everyone who watches this team. 

Now, while the last two games probably shouldn't be used as a measuring stick for ice time, we'll take a look at them anyway since that is what has fans and some media upset.

Actual Ice Time In Games Against Colorado & Vegas

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I do agree that ice time should be earned, to an extent. But in games like these, why not throw them out there and let them learn on the fly? Why does Captain Boone Jenner need to play 20+ minutes every night, especially when he's been prone to injuries?  

Should people who watch and follow the team be upset about how much playing time some of the young kids are getting, or not getting?

Join Jason Newland's Columbus Blue Jacket page on Bunches, a new app that connects sports fans. Also, you can watch a new YouTube game show about the Blue Jackets, Around the Fifth Line.